“So the name includes the brackets, right?”
“That’s the hope. Problem?”
“Nah, should be fine. No character restrictions, I think.”
“This school’s standards are scary low…”
“I’ll submit these for you, then~!”
No time to protest. She neatly folded the papers and tucked them into her breast pocket. Her figure was slender but not unnaturally so—and yes, there was definitely a curve there—not that it mattered.
Prying them back would be social suicide, so I was helpless.
“Relax. I’ll personally deliver these to the president.”
No hint of accusing me of harassment, just a saintly smile as she puffed her chest out (was she showing off?!). As a student council member since last year, she’d been meticulously guiding me through the application process.
“How long ’til approval?”
“Just needs the president and advisor’s stamps—probably by today? Want me to hurry?”
“Nah. Feel free to shred it in secret.”
“Not happening. ‘Literary Club (open bracket) (close bracket)’ deserves its revival!”
“I beg you, stop voicing it—it’s embarrassing.”
“Not at all! The activity description’s basically a ‘counseling corner,’ right? Solid concept.”
“…You genuinely think so?”
I’d assumed the opposite, but Maihama nodded without hesitation.
“Lots of kids prefer casually venting to peers. Even streaming’s full of ‘advice’ channels now.”
“So demand’s potentially high.”
“Especially at our ‘loose’—ahem, ‘free-spirited’ school.”
First I’ve heard of that being a selling point.
“How does ‘free-spirited’ equal counseling demand?”
“More diversity = more clashing personalities. Like Saiin-senpai, or… well, me. We’ve got a decent number of Myudents too.”
“Doubt Saku-senpai plans to specialize in Myudent crises.”
“Nah, they might not be the ones struggling.”
“…………”
“Ah, no deeper meaning!”
Knowing her, there wasn’t one.
In today’s politically correct world, most Myudents openly identify as such—something our grandparents’ generation would’ve called “unthinkable.” Long before we were born, tensions ran high.
But in summary:
“We lucked out being born in this era.”
“Such an un-high-schooler-like thought.”
“I’ve never had issues with you. Saku-senpai, though? Endless.”
“Flattered, but… you and Saiin-senpai are close, right?”
“Dunno. Might’ve cut ties if the club dissolved.”
“Then fight to keep it alive!”
“…So my only path is con artist?”
“What’re you on about?”
Maihama, who had been waiting for the right moment, put on a wry smile and prefaced with, “If I were to give you typical advice.”
“I think the best thing would be to build up your activity record after all. Also, increasing the number of club members—if there are parts that show up in numbers, it’d be easier for the student council to evaluate, right?”
Setting aside recruiting members casually, the problem is the other part.
“Even if you talk about activity records, counseling sessions don’t have matches or competitions.”
“Hmm, that is the difficult part.”
Cultural clubs mainly present their work—astronomy clubs take pictures of celestial bodies, art clubs draw pictures, so they can leave something tangible behind.
“For example, how about taking surveys from everyone who comes for consultations?”
“……Like ‘Please tell us your thoughts on using our service’?”
“Exactly. If it says things like [It was so helpful!] [I want to come again!] [I’ll recommend it to my friends!], wouldn’t that serve as proof of the club’s substance and usefulness?”
“……On the flip side, if it were overflowing with reviews like [It wasn’t helpful at all] [I’ll never come again] [I can’t recommend it], we’d probably get shut down immediately.”
“That part depends on Komori-kun’s skills.”
Saku-senpai’s, that is. Either way, I can only feel anxious.
“Well, you can think about it slowly over the course of a year. That poster is just a warning anyway, it’s not like you’ll be disbanded right away.”
“Those are kind words……By the way, Maihama, do you happen to have any worries right now?”
“Good job trying to drum up business right away. But, hmm……I can’t really think of anything. I’m the type who doesn’t want to drag people into personal troubles in the first place.”
“That’s a completely reasonable way of thinking, which is reassuring.”
“But unlike me, there are definitely people who [feel better just having someone listen to them]. I think you should just wait patiently for those kinds of people to come……Oh no, look at the time. The club meeting is about to start, so I should get going, okay?”
“Yeah. Thanks for everything.”
“Not at all. I’m rooting for you.”
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
Finally, with an adorable wave, Maihama left the classroom at a light jog.
Being around someone as sensible as her (compared to certain oddballs) had done wonders for my mental recovery. Unfortunately, there was no time to bask in that afterglow.
“She’s nice, Maihama-san.”
“……What’s that supposed to mean, Takizawa?”
Before I knew it, the guy leaning against the desk beside me was the resident flirt. His timing was so precise he must’ve been watching us from afar.
“Pretty, cheerful, sharp as a tack, and considerate? No way she wouldn’t be popular. C’mon.”
“Maybe.”
Being lumped in with this panting fool was insulting, but even the fact that Maihama had spent her precious lunch break counseling me spoke volumes about her character. She was the type who naturally drew people in—always at the center of things, regardless of gender. Rare enough on its own, but for some guys—like Takizawa here—there was an even bigger reason she stood out.
“Plus, Maihama-san’s a [mermaid], right? Or is ‘mer-maid’ fancier?”
“She said either’s fine.”
Mermaids—mythical creatures typically depicted with a woman’s upper body and a fish’s tail. Of course, in reality, she had perfectly normal legs.
“But like… just being a mermaid automatically makes her, like, 100% gorgeous, right? Or is that just me?”
I couldn’t outright say “Just you,” which was annoying.
“There’s been statistical analysis about mermaids tending to be good-looking. Elves too, for that matter.”
“Ooh~. So, like, succubi are in the same group?”
“Don’t lump them together. That’s rude to mermaids and elves alike.”
“Man, you’re weirdly harsh with her… Anyway, mermaids must be insane swimmers, right? Like, Olympic gold easy?”
Again, I couldn’t dismiss his dumb logic outright.
“Not ‘easy.’ Mermaids are naturally faster due to their skin’s unique properties—lower water resistance, among other factors. But that’s assuming they’re racing naked.”
“Huh. So they’re slower in swimsuits?”
“Here’s the twist: modern competition suits outperform mermaid skin. Hydrophobic, muscle-stabilizing compression—they’re objectively better. So, ironically, mermaids swim faster with suits. Conclusion? In today’s races, there’s no advantage. Technique’s a learned skill, so——ah.”*
I’d done it again. Now I sounded like a mermaid-obsessed freak. Bracing for disgust, I instead got applause.
“Damn, what a breakdown!” Takizawa grinned. “Now I’m picturing Maihama-san swimming buck naked—”
“Don’t say that out loud.”
“She’s weirdly nice to you, Komori. Jealous~.”
“She’s nice to everyone.”
To me, she might be special. To her, I was just another face in the crowd. Same for Takizawa—he was only next to me now on a whim.
And that was more than enough for me.
Same day, after school. Fresh off completing my class rep duties, I stepped out of the faculty office when—
“…Huh?”
My phone buzzed. A message from Maihama:
[Club name/activity change got approved!]
“So it’s happening…”
The real work began now. I could already picture Saku-senpai gleefully suggesting flyers, posters—all of which would inevitably fall on me to handle alone.
“…Better focus on recruiting new members first.”
To share the joy with. Let’s do this, I thought, stretching with uncharacteristic enthusiasm—
“Aha! Finally* found you~!!”*
A shrill voice echoed down the hall, making me jump. Turning, I saw a girl storming toward me, shoulders heaving. Her big, upturned eyes probably radiated warmth normally, but right now—
“I’ve been searching!”
—they screamed predator about to bite.
“I circled the whole school! What am I, the baseball team on a rainy day?!”
“…Rough break.”
“What’re you even doing here?!”
“Class rep duty. Dropping off the log.”
“Ugh, should’ve said that! So tired… Seriously wiped.”
Hooking a finger into her half-unbuttoned blouse, she fanned her flushed face with her other hand. Sweat glistened on her collarbones. If Saku-senpai did this, something might’ve popped loose, but with her, no such worries existed.
Leaving interpretations aside—
“…………”
My brain cycled from “Who is this?” to “Wait, who WAS this?”
Her hair, styled in a side ponytail, was a bright color that reminded me of the brown tabby cat we keep at home. Natural makeup that emphasized her bare skin, a short skirt with long socks reaching above the knee, accessories scattered around her neck and arms.
Every aspect screamed modern high school girl. The type of person I don’t really get involved with—I finally had a handle on it. There’s this boss-level gal in our class who silences boys getting worked up over sensitive topics without considering TPO with a lightning-fast “Shut up!”
I should have spotted her among that group’s followers. Position-wise, she’d be a retainer gal……wait, stop with the rude thoughts. Even if it’s been less than a week since formation, she’s still a proper classmate.
Despite that, I—the man that I am—
“Guh!”
“Whoa, are you okay!?”
As I clutched my chest and gritted my back teeth, the girl rushed over in surprise. As she gently rubbed my back, the scent of a genuine gal (million-koku level) wafted over. Also, she was just plain kind. Both of these things accelerated my anguish.
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