“Kanazaki-kaichou, good afternoon.”

“Yuuri-senpai, thank you for your help the other day!”

“Oh shi- it’s Kanazaki!”

“Just act naturally… H-HElLo, KaIChoU, WHat a BeaUTifUl day, InniT???”

“I have to admit, Kaichou, you’re a real celebrity.” I point out the fact that literally every student we passed on our way through the school corridors was either saying ‘hi’ to her or at least trying their best to do so.

“I simply fulfill my duties as the Student Council President, that’s all~” She answered calmly while waving to all the people greeting her. It was like watching a movie star walking on a red carpet while the eyes of everyone gathered around were following her every move in awe. 

“Excuse me, Kanazaki-kaichou?” Saki said suddenly.

“What is it, Mikazuki-san?”

“Are we going to make it in time? I mean, the lunch break ends in around 10 minutes, and we’ve barely exited our classroom…” Kaichou came to our classroom to propose a trip around the school to show Mai - the transfer student - around, in the middle of the lunch break. It was only natural for us to be worried whether we’ll make it back to classes before the next period starts. We shouldn’t risk anything that could potentially cause another time anomaly, after all. Especially now that we’ve somehow managed to convince Mai to cooperate… Hope she doesn’t suddenly realize that the photograph I used to blackmail her into doing all this, doesn’t exist in this timeline.

“Don’t worry about it, you’re with me after all~”

“Heee, does the Student Council have so much power that it can justify absence no problem?” Curious Hayato asked. Since he’s not a weeb, he probably doesn’t realize that the Student Council of an anime school is basically the one thing that God himself fears to object.

“Of course. You don’t need to worry about anything if you’re with me~” Kaichou answered as if it was plainly obvious. “Gotou-san.” She quickly changed her focus to our creepily quiet ‘transfer student’.

“...Y-Yes?” Mai could barely be heard amongst the rumble of countless students bewitched by Kaichou’s sheer existence.

“Have you decided on which club to join yet, by any chance?”

“Eh…?” Mai was caught off-guard.

“Club, huh?” I murmur to myself, as Kaichou’s question lights a spark of inspiration in my brain.

“We have a wide selection of various clubs, ranging from fine arts, to biochemistry, and everything in between~” Kaichou explained in a boastful manner.

“Uh, well… I-”

“Is there a… Karate club, by any chance…?” Saki cuts in Mai’s incoherent response out of nowhere. 

“Ara ara, I didn’t expect you to be interested in such a club, Mikazuki-san~”

“...” Saki only managed to blush in response. I gave her a serious look, suggesting that she, as the Tsundere Childhood Friend™, shouldn't be that enthusiastic about a karate club. I guess Saki’s instincts and the fact that her badly injured ankle was now fully functional took over her mind for a second there and she just couldn’t help it.

“We don’t have a dedicated karate club, but we do have a martial arts one if that satisfies you-” 

*CLAP* A sudden burst of sound echoed through the corridor, putting the students' excited racket to shame. Saki and Hayato, upon hearing that there is a place where they could finally meet to beat the crap out of unexpecting club members, high-fived each other making the most perfectly juicy slap noise I’ve ever heard. They didn’t say a single word. They just stood there menacingly with hands still up in the air. A truly magnificent view, that was.

Mai wasn’t particularly interested in their shenanigans, though I sensed a hint of jealousy in her nervous gaze. Kaichou just laughed it off with the usual ‘Ara ara, maa maa’, after which the corridor became lively again, and our tour resumed.

We visited some exemplary clubs, since Mai couldn’t, or simply didn’t feel like choosing which one she’d like to join. Before we noticed, we were being accompanied by a significant crowd of Kaichou’s… fans? That’s honestly the best way I can describe it. 

Kaichou showed us, or rather, showed Mai the music club, the sewing club and the cooking club, amongst others. I made sure to wear my ‘Your friendly neighbour, Sekuhara-kun’ mask in order to appeal to those clubs’ members, as I realized their help could be invaluable during the ‘School Festival’, or ‘Bunka-sai’ arc, later on. The one to which this whole tour was dedicated however, was anything but interested. Mai’s eyes were racing all over the place uneasily more and more as the crowd behind us grew in volume. Maybe she really is just a lost cause when it comes to social interactions? But if that’s the case, how come she could suddenly just announce that I’m a creep in front of a classroom full of strangers? I swear, I just can’t get a grasp on that girl…

“Hey, hey, Yuuri-kaichou, is this also some kind of a club?” Hayato asked as we were passing by a very peculiar classroom door.

“Oh, this one…” Yuuri was clearly in distress upon hearing the question about something she’d most likely prefer to leave unmentioned.

And there seemed to be a good reason for her to feel this way. The door and a considerable fragment of a wall surrounding it was covered in laughably numerous Shintou seals meant to repel evil forces and black and yellow ‘KEEP OUT’ signs. One couldn’t help, but wonder what the hell happened here…?

“We don’t talk about this place.” Dreariness embraced Kaichou’s entire persona as she spoke gloomily. “God has forsaken it…” She clenched her fist and continued onwards as if nothing happened, leaving behind the cursed classroom, that definitely will play a somewhat important part in the following arcs, but we're just gonna ignore it for now.

“Hey, wait for us!” Hayato yelled on the behalf of himself and the three of us that were almost consumed by the mob following Kaichou faithfully.  

When we managed to push our way out of the crowd and catch up to Kaichou, Saki tapped me on the shoulder lightly to grab my attention.

“What’s wrong, Saki?”

“No, everything’s fine. But I was wondering whether you’re feeling okay. I mean…” She guided my eyes with hers, by looking behind at the Kaichou fanclub. “I know you don’t really like crowded places. The first time we came to school here you were quite nervous, weren’t you? So I thought… Maybe you’re not feeling too well.”

“...” What a lovely girl she is. I make use of the fact that all the people behind us are focused only on Kaichou and hold Saki’s pinky finger with mine.

“Thank you. But don’t worry, I’m fine.” I reassure her with a gentle smile. “The thing is, I don’t really think of all the students here as ‘people’.

“W-what do you mean?” She was blushing and looking down in embarrassment while tightening her grip on my finger.

“They don’t act like ‘real’ people’, do they?”

“Eh? Well, now that you mention it… It’s like they were-”

“Anime characters, right?”

“Yea… There’s something weird about them… I also felt strange when talking to them.” She was most likely referring to the small talks she must’ve taken part in during the previous breaks.

“Exactly. The way they speak and act, it’s just not natural. That’s why I’ve been treating them like NPCs since our ‘second’ day. 

“NPCs…?” Oh right, Saki isn’t very keen on gaming and/or otaku vocabulary.

“Non-Player-Characters. Bots. That’s how people refer to characters in games that are controlled by the computer, not the player. Since we’re stuck in a light novel, they are like background characters with no real emotions. Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself.”

“Hm, I see…” But… isn’t it kind of cruel? In this world, they’re like real people after all…” Saki was being compassionate as always, even about ‘people’ she doesn’t know.

“We don’t know the actual rules of this place yet. For now, let’s just say thinking that way helps me cope with my… anxiety.” I am a terrible case of an anti-social hikikomori after all. It’s not like I can’t handle a larger group of strangers, but being constantly surrounded (or followed) by them would indeed be nerve-inducing.

“I understand. Just please, don’t exploit them because you think they’re not real or something…”

“Who do you take me for, I’m not some delusional Austrian painter.” I say in a lighthearted manner and hit her lightly on the shoulder as a matey reprimand.

“Fufu, you’re right, sorry!” Fortunately, she was fond of my weird sense of humour and laughed it off. We looked at each other again with our infatuated eyes, still smiling. We walked for a while in this state, before both of us remembered that we should be a tad more cautious when it comes to showing affection, but we just couldn’t help. We’re being forced to play ‘just friends’ after all. That’s only natural.

“...They’re just NPCs, huh?” I heard a faint voice to my right. It was Mai muttering something to herself.

“Hm? You said something, Mai-chan?” Hayato, who also must’ve noticed, asked her calmly.

“N-nothing. And stop calling me that, you cheeky wanker!” Ah yes, she’s back to her needlessly hostile state of mind. She followed what she said with a ‘Hmph’ sound and exaggeratedly fixed her hair by rapidly swinging her head backwards. Hayato just smiled, perplexed. 

…

Our tour around the school was inevitably coming to an end. The bell announcing the end of the lunch break had already rung a few minutes ago, but Kaichou once again reassured us to simply tell the teachers we were with her to avoid any inconveniences.

Our last stop was the school gym. It wasn’t however the first time me, Saki and Hayato saw it. Vicious flashbacks of the yesterday version of ‘today’ were invading my mind while we were walking past the locker rooms.

“And this room over here is the PE storeroom. There is also one outside, by the pitch, so that it is easier to prepare and clean up after the Sports Day and other outdoor activities~” Kaichou explained briefly as we reached the end of the corridor parallel to the indoor gym. I made sure to make a mental note of the location of the storeroom and the fact that there are two of them here. A scene where the MC gets locked up in one with one of the girls is a must-have in a cliche light novel story, after all.

“Okay, so I believe that is all there is to know, Gotou-san!” Kaichou turned to Mai, who, after all, was the one this whole tour was dedicated to. “Do you have any questions?” Mai didn’t mutter a word, but rather than looking scared, she seemed to be annoyed. She was just standing there looking to the side with her arms crossed. She was like this for the past few minutes already.

“Ara ara, is something wrong, Gotou-san?” She leaned towards Mai in a mildly aggressive way, suggesting that she expected Mai to be at least a tad more interested. 

“Actually, I have a question.” I cut in before Mai gets a chance to react to Kaichou’s offense.

“Hm? What is it?”

“I’ve heard rumours about some magical place around the school. Like, if you confess to your loved one there, the two of you will be destined to stay together forever, or something?” Of course I didn’t hear any ‘rumours’. I’m  absolutely certain about the existence of such place. There’s always this one goddamn ‘Tree of love’ or other bullshit. I just need to know what it is in this world’s case.

“You don’t know, Sekuhara-kun? Well, there’s no helping it then~” She stepped away from Mai and was now facing me. “Although it’s not near our school, there is an abandoned Shintoist shrine on a hill on the outskirts of the town. It also serves as an incredibly picturesque viewpoint, from which you can observe the Spring Matsuri Festival’s fireworks show~ It is said that if you confess your feelings to your significant other, just as the fireworks show is about to start, your love will last forever, even after death does you apart!"

“Knew it…” I mumble to myself. “Is that so? Thank you for the explanation, Kaichou.” That part I said out loud and made it even more dull than I intended it to be at first.

“You’re welcome, Sekuhara-kun~” She bowed elegantly like a proper high-class Japanese maiden.

Hayato was listening to Kaichou’s story like it was the most gripping thriller ever with his eyes sparkling in amazement. Saki, in a similar fashion, was presumably hyping herself up for something by clenching her fists, when a quiet ‘Yoshi!’ escaped her mouth.

“You think any girl would willingly go there with you? Pathetic.” The person whose existence was hardly noticeable up until now said that in my direction suddenly.

“Huh…?” My reaction reflected that of everyone gathered around, judging by their faces.

“You heard me. Are you deaf or just stupid? Or maybe both? Yeah, actually you do seem like you’re both.”

“...” Mai continued to diss me in a way that was kind of reminiscent of her previous hostility, but at the same time felt as if she unlocked a new level of rudeness inside her.

“Fufufu~” Amongst dumbfounded students, a characteristic laughter could be heard. It was Kaichou herself.

“W-what?” Mai quieted down and became perplexed similarly to the rest of us.

“Gotou-san, just remember what they say, violence is but one of the many ways to show affection~” Kaichou said lightheartedly.

“...” Mai couldn’t react due to a surge of shame and self cringe.

I also wasn’t quite sure whether I comprehended everything that was happening. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Hayato comforting Saki, who most likely felt jealous when Kaichou suggested Mai might like me. You could almost see black clouds above her cast down head.

Awkward silence filled the air around us and the Kaichou fanclub, which was still present, but not interfering, thankfully. They were more like an audience to our disaster of a play, at this point. But maybe thanks to this uncomfortable situation, I remind myself of one more very important detail regarding the Nagayama High School Student Council.

“By the way, Kaichou.” I say in an almost too normal manner, considering the atmosphere. She looked at me, anticipating the question. “There are more people in the Student Council, right? If I recall correctly, there also was that first year student with a doll-like expression? You know, the short one-”

“Please excuse my tactless remark, but isn’t it you who is barely tall enough to even be classified as a man? And excuse me, once again, but if I look like a doll, you must be impersonating death itself with those horrific bags under your lifeless eyes. Please get away from us, before we’re dragged down to the Hades.”

“...I beg your pardon?” I heard a monotonous response, that didn’t come from Kaichou.  And although I couldn’t find the source at first, it soon became obvious that it was in fact the exact mysterious Student Council member that I was asking about just now - She was standing behind Kaichou and revealed herself moments after my baffled reaction. She was indeed the young girl with short and pale hair we chased after ‘yesterday’... But where did she come from? Was she there with Kaichou all along, throughout our whole trip? 

“Ara ara, Rin, there you are~” Kaichou welcomed her assistant in a completely opposite manner, compared to the way in which I was just greeted.

“Good afternoon, Yuuri. Please, excuse my tactless remark, but what are those peasants doing here with you? Are they bothering you, by any chance?” The girl - Rin - continued to shittalk all of us at once.

“OH MY GOD, HOW ADOOOOORABLE!!!!<3 <3 <3 Let me give you a hug!” Hayato dashed from behind me, straight at Rin. He did mention that he thought she was cute, but… Even I, the guy literally named ‘Sekuhara’ wouldn’t do such a thing.

“Please do not approach me.”

“HNNGHGNGHGGGNH <3” But he didn’t heed. A flash of light blinded the entire hallway all of a sudden and stunned Hayato just before he laid his hands on the underclassman.

“BLLEUEHGGH?!” Soon after, a completely indecipherable squeal of pain escaped Hayato’s abdomen… or rather was squeezed out of it by a punch straight to the solar plexus.

“I told you, please do not approach me.” Rin looked down at Hayato who was down on his knees, curled up in pain. She had an old fashioned, hand-held camera hung on the back of her neck with a sturdy strap. It must’ve been the source of the flash that was meant to prepare the devastating blow that came afterwards. "And besides, why are you wearing a girl's uniform? Are you mentally handicapped by any chance? I’m pretty sure cross-dressing is against the school rules. Isn’t it, Yuuri?”

“Maa maa, let’s make an exception this one time~” Kaichou said with a troubled expression.

“Tch. You’re lucky Yuuri is this merciful. Truly a goddess.” Rin’s expression was as stiff as ever, but her eyes sparkled when she was referring to Kaichou.

“I’m terribly sorry about this misunderstanding!” Yuuri spoke up while signaling Rin to step back with her hand.. “I’d like to officially introduce to you our new Student Council Vice-President and also a proud member of the Press Club, Rin Hiyaoka~”

“Pleased to meet you.” Rin said without breaking the ice-cold appearance, which made it sound vaguely sarcastic.

“Rin is a first year student and joined the Student Council recently, so you might not have had an opportunity to meet her yet. She’s like a ghost when she enters her ‘sneaky journalist mode’~

“...” Rin, or rather Hiyaoka, didn’t comment on that remark, though I think I saw a hint of an embarrassed blush on her face just now.

“Nice to meet you, Hiyaoka-san! I’m Saki Mikazuki from class 2-1.” Well-mannered Saki was the first one of us to say ‘hello’ to the newly met underclassman. I’m glad she didn’t start apologizing for the fact that we were chasing her, since technically speaking, it didn't take place. In this timeline at least. Though I’m sure Hayato would absolutely overlook that and make a moron out of himself. Oh no, wait, he did make a moron out of himself anyway. And he was still struggling to regain composure down on the floor. 

Hiyaoka, however, didn’t respond in a cultured manner.

“Why are you introducing yourself? I know who you are, I’m in both the Student Council and the Press Club. I am always watching you. Oh, and please, next time when introducing yourself, use your actual first name, not the abbreviation, Sakura Mikazuki-san.”

“H-huh, is that so…?” Saki was clearly baffled, struggling to come up with a proper reaction.

“I also know your three sizes. Yuuri Kanazaki: 94 - 70 - 87. Sakura Mikazuki: 67 - 55 - 78. Mai Gotou: 87-”

“Sh-sh-shut up! You lil’ cheeky wank-”

*FLASH*

“ 'Transfer student objects to the current Student Council and insults them on her first day’. Sounds like a proper headline for tomorrow’s school paper.” Hiyaoka countered by taking another photograph with the blinding flash, before bringing Mai back down to Earth.

“Fufu~ It’s not nice to tease older students, Rin.” Kaichou gave Hiyaoka a friendly reprimand. “She may seem cold, but once you get to know her better, you’ll see she’s soft like a mochi~”

“Yuuri, please stop.” Hiyaoka’s face didn’t flinch one bit, but she blushed, this time visibly.

The four of us, together with Hayato, who somehow got up at last (but still was struggling to stand straight) wasn’t so sure about Kaichou’s statement though. Knowing the schemes of these kinds of stories, Hiyaoka is the Kuudere Loli™ which should mean that she will open up to us eventually, but man, I don’t think I’ve ever seen this type of character be so savage from the get go.

“Ara ara, it’s this late already. Please go back to your classes now. Be sure to tell your teachers you were with me.” Kaichou looked at her watch and summed up, once again indirectly stating her status in the school’s hierarchy. “Oh, and please take good care of our transfer student, Sekuhara-kun, Mikazuki-san.” Kaichou said while walking past us, presumably heading for her own classroom. While me by, however…

“Especially you, Sekuhara-kun. I’m counting on you.” She whispered gently, making sure I’m the only one who catches that.

“...” I didn’t answer. Just stood there and watched her disappear into the crowd that split like the Red Sea as she walked through it. 

“Hiyaoka, hope we’ll get along well.” I say to the Vice-President as I see her rush after Kaichou. My sudden and late greeting stopped her in her tracks.

“Remember. I am always watching you.” She followed Kaichou into the crowd right after saying those mysterious-sounding words instead of referring to what I said in any way.