"Knock, knock, knock!"
The people in the Student Council room had just finished sorting the documents and putting them into a cabinet when a knock came from outside.
"Come in!"
Mayumi Saegusa called out.
"Click!"
The door handle turned, and Chiba Yeyou and his three companions walked in.
"Excuse us."
Three of them spoke in unison.
"No need to be so formal. Come on in."
Mayumi Saegusa beckoned them over.
"Sorry to intrude."
While Miyuki Shiba, Erika Chiba, and the third member of their group were still exchanging polite greetings with Mayumi Saegusa, Chiba Yeyou had already sat down beside Suzune Ichihara.
"You certainly make yourself at home!"
Seeing how completely at ease Chiba Yeyou was, Mayumi Saegusa spoke helplessly.
"Were you..."
"Just finishing up?"
Seeing that none of them seemed to have had time to eat yet, Chiba Yeyou asked in some confusion.
"Exactly!"
"That's why we wanted you to come help sooner!"
Suzune Ichihara complained to Chiba Yeyou, a rare occurrence for her.
"Well, here I am, aren't I?"
"I know how busy you are. Look, I even brought three helpers!"
Chiba Yeyou wore an expression that said, look how considerate I am.
"All right, let's eat first. We can talk over lunch."
Mayumi Saegusa interrupted their banter. She really was getting hungry.
Then Mayumi Saegusa got several lunches from the meal dispenser and brought them to the table.
"Oh?"
"You three brought your own lunches?"
Mayumi Saegusa had just noticed that Tatsuya Shiba, Miyuki Shiba, and Erika Chiba were each carrying a lunch box. Only Chiba Yeyou was empty-handed.
"My brother and I are used to bringing our own lunches, but I wasn't expecting Erika to bring one too. Did you make it yourself?"
Miyuki Shiba looked curiously at the lunch box in Erika Chiba's hand.
"Don't bother looking. She definitely can't cook. You can tell just by looking at her hands."
When Chiba Yeyou saw Miyuki Shiba staring at the lunch box, he knew she was curious about Erika Chiba's cooking.
"You're so rude!"
"How could you expose someone's shortcomings like that?"
Erika Chiba rested the lunch box on her hand and rolled her eyes at Chiba Yeyou in annoyance.
"How could you tell?"
Suzune Ichihara didn't quite understand. Was that something you could tell by looking?
"Just look at that pair of little hands covered in cuts over there!"
Chiba Yeyou gestured toward Mari Watanabe.
Mari Watanabe instinctively glanced at her hands, which had quite a few adhesive bandages on them. Her face reddened, and she hurriedly hid them behind her back.
"She did all that for-mmph..."
Before Mayumi Saegusa could finish, Mari Watanabe hurriedly covered her mouth to stop her from broadcasting it.
"Hahaha..."
Everyone at the table couldn't help laughing.
Amid their laughter and joking, lunch was ready.
"Although we introduced ourselves at the entrance ceremony, let me do it again just in case. Beside me is the Student Council treasurer, Suzune Ichihara, commonly known as Rin-chan!"
Mayumi Saegusa pointed at Suzune Ichihara as she introduced her to the group.
"You're the only one who calls me that, President."
Suzune Ichihara spoke helplessly.
"You probably recognize the person beside her, right?"
"Mari Watanabe, chair of the Public Morals Committee!"
Mari Watanabe stared at Tatsuya Shiba and Erika Chiba with a broad smile, leaving them both bewildered.
"And our secretary, Azusa Nakajo, commonly known as A-chan."
Azusa Nakajo, who had been looking expectant, immediately lost her smile.
"President!"
"Please don't call me A-chan in front of the younger students! I have a position to uphold too!"
Azusa Nakajo clenched her little fists, with a fork gripped in her right hand, her expression full of protest. Coupled with his delicate features and short orange hair, it was utterly adorable.
"President, that nickname really does fit. She's so cute!"
"Hello, A-chan!"
Grinning, Chiba Yeyou reached past Mari Watanabe toward Azusa Nakajo, wanting to pat her head.
"You!"
Azusa Nakajo angrily swatted Chiba Yeyou's hand away, making the others laugh.
"Together with our vice president, Hattori Gyoubu Shoujou Hanzou, that makes up this year's Student Council."
Mayumi Saegusa finished the introductions.
"I don't count!"
"The Public Morals Committee is a separate organization, independent of the Student Council."
With the introductions finished, everyone began eating. Afterward, they brewed cups of black tea.
"I don't want this stuff. Do you have any other tea?"
"You're so fussy! Hmph!"
Mayumi Saegusa gave a soft snort, then obediently went to prepare it.
"I didn't expect you to like tea."
Mari Watanabe sounded surprised.
"Yeah, I've liked tea since I was little. Eventually, it became a habit."
Chiba Yeyou nodded.
Before long, Mayumi Saegusa returned with a cup of tea.
"Here."
Mayumi Saegusa set the cup in front of Chiba Yeyou.
"Although our school's Student Council president is elected, selecting and dismissing the other members is the president's responsibility. With a few exceptions, the president also has the authority to appoint the chairs of the various committees."
Seated in her chair, Mayumi Saegusa continued explaining.
"My position as chair of the Public Morals Committee is one of those exceptions!"
"The Public Morals Committee is made up of three members selected by each of three bodies: the Student Council, the club federation, and the faculty council."
"But its chair is chosen through an internal election."
Mari Watanabe picked up the explanation.
"Right! And... it's an annual tradition for the first-year student who serves as the freshman representative to become a member of the Student Council."
"Miyuki, I'd like you to join the Student Council. Would you accept?"
Mayumi Saegusa looked at Miyuki Shiba and asked seriously.
Miyuki Shiba didn't answer immediately. Instead, she looked at her brother, Tatsuya Shiba. After seeing him nod, she seemed to make some sort of decision.
"President, do you know my brother's entrance exam scores?"
Clenching both fists, Miyuki Shiba abruptly leaned forward and looked at Mayumi Saegusa as she asked.
At those words, Tatsuya Shiba's pupils suddenly contracted, and his body tensed for a moment.
"If you're looking to recruit capable people into the Student Council, I believe my brother would be more suitable than I am."
"I'm deeply honored by your invitation to join the Student Council!"
"Hey! Miyuki..."
Tatsuya Shiba called to Miyuki Shiba quietly, wanting him to stop, but Miyuki Shiba ignored him.
"I would be very willing to join the Student Council and do what little I can to help. Could you allow my brother to join as well?"
Miyuki Shiba looked pleadingly at Mayumi Saegusa, then froze.
"Pfft!"
"Hahaha..."
Aside from the three utterly bewildered people, Chiba Yeyou was laughing wildly, while Mayumi Saegusa and the others looked as though they were holding back their laughter. The siblings and Erika were left completely confused.
"Well?"
"Wasn't I right?"
Chiba Yeyou winked at Mayumi Saegusa.
While they were eating, he had whispered to Mayumi Saegusa that Miyuki Shiba would definitely bring up having her brother join the Student Council. Mayumi Saegusa hadn't believed him and had even rolled her eyes at him.
"Impressive!"
Mayumi Saegusa gave Chiba Yeyou a thumbs-up.
"Um, what are you laughing about?"
Miyuki Shiba was full of questions.
She had considered the possibility of being rejected, or even being lectured, but she truly couldn't make sense of the current situation.
As for why they were laughing?
They hadn't yet figured out how to invite Tatsuya Shiba and Erika Chiba. After all, nothing like this had ever happened before, so it wasn't easy to bring up. Then Miyuki Shiba had said it for them, and with such a pleading expression that they naturally found her reaction amusing.
"All right, all right. Miyuki, sit down first."
Mayumi Saegusa waved a hand, signaling her not to be anxious.
"Excuse me."
Miyuki Shiba bowed slightly in apology, then sat down.
"Unfortunately, that isn't possible. Only Course 1 Students may be members of the Student Council. This isn't an unofficial rule, but a formal regulation. Overturning a regulation requires a vote to amend it at the general student assembly."
Suzune Ichihara spoke first.
After all, this was an explicit regulation, not something any one person could decide. Besides, when Chiba Yeyou had recommended them, it had been for the Public Morals Committee. Perhaps that was why Chiba Yeyou had specifically mentioned committee members rather than Student Council members.
Had he even taken that into account?
Suzune Ichihara turned to glance at Chiba Yeyou, unable to help feeling surprised at how much he knew about the Student Council.
"I'm terribly sorry. Please forgive me for speaking so rashly."
Miyuki Shiba stood again and bowed more deeply in apology.
"Then Miyuki will be joining this year's Student Council as a secretary. Is that all right?"
Mayumi Saegusa asked.
"Yes, I'll do everything I can. I look forward to working with you!"
Miyuki Shiba stood and bowed to the Student Council members.
"Please ask A-chan about the specifics of your work."
"Now, it's time to move on to the next matter."
Mayumi Saegusa shifted the conversation to the next topic.
"Do you know why I specifically called out to Tatsuya and Erika this morning?"
Mayumi Saegusa looked at the two of them and asked.
Seeing both of them shake their heads, Mari Watanabe took over.
"It's because someone recommended the two of you to join the Public Morals Committee."
"What?"
They were stunned. They were Course 2 Students!
"So, what have you two decided?"
Mayumi Saegusa looked at them with a smile.
"I... I can join the Public Morals Committee too?"
Pointing at her own nose, Erika Chiba looked at Mayumi Saegusa and asked, still unable to believe it.
"Of course!"
Mayumi Saegusa answered firmly.
"There is indeed no rule requiring members of the Public Morals Committee to be Course 1 Students."
Suzune Ichihara nodded as well.
"I accept on my brother's behalf."
Before Tatsuya Shiba could speak, Miyuki Shiba settled the matter outright.
"Huh?"
"Um, wait. Aren't you going to ask my opinion?"