The next morning I woke up and sighed.

 

Today due to Sakura and Ayaka I have a lot of explaining to do to Megumi and Honoka. If we had returned yesterday during the lunch time, I would have met Megumi and Honoka together with Sakura and Ayaka and I could have deflected the explanation to them as it was their idea in the first place.

 

But we couldn’t return yesterday due to their shopping spree. So I have to face Megumi and Honoka today myself this morning in class.

 

I am already feeling dread in having to explain to them.

 

But staying in the bed and moping will not solve anything. And I cannot skip school either as it will make matters worse.

 

So with another sigh, I got up from bed and freshened up, put on my clothes and went to the cafeteria to eat breakfast.

 

After breakfast I made my way to class. My pace was slow and reluctant due knowing what I was about to face.

 

As I entered the classroom Megumi and Honoka who were talking with each other saw me and rushed towards me. Emily was sitting on her own as usual. Megumi and Honoka were then speaking very loudly, almost shouting:

 

Honoka , “Takeru where were you yesterday?”.

 

Megumi , “You didn’t come to school. We called and messaged you, over and over again, but you didn’t respond”.

 

Honoka , “Do you know how worried we were?”

 

Megumi , “Even Sakura and Ayaka were missing. You were together weren’t you?”.

 

Honoka , “What were you three doing together?”.

 

Then together, “Tell us where you guys were.”.

 

I sighed and looked around the class. Everyone was staring at us enjoying the show, even Emily.

 

I said firmly, “Look, I’ll explain everything to you in the Student Council office during lunch, Sakura and Ayaka will also be there. Please calm down for me”, holding my hands in front of them.

 

Megumi and Honoka looked ta each other. Then both nodded.

 

Megumi said, “Fine”.

 

Honoka said, “We’ll wait till lunch but you better have a good explanation”.

 

I nodded and we took our seats.

 

The class seeing that the problem was resolved, turned back to what they were doing before. They clearly looked disappointed at the anti-climactic ending to our conversation.

 

Sorry guys, I am not here to entertain you.

 

Then the homeroom teacher entered and classes began.

 

All was good till lunch.

 

At lunch I was sitting uncomfortably. Megumi and Honoka were glaring at me, Sakura and Ayaka. Sakura was smiling, unbothered by the glares. Ayaka had a serious face.

 

“So?”, asked Megumi with her arms crossed.

 

“So what?”, asked Sakura smiling.

 

“Don’t play dumb with us. What were you two doing with Takeru yesterday?”, said Honoka in a demanding tone.

 

“We were just buying some supplies for the Student Council. We asked Takeru for his help”, said Sakura nonchalantly.

 

“Don’t play dumb with us. Why do we need to buy supplied? The school arranges for them”, said Megumi.

 

“And even if you needed help, why just Takeru? Why didn’t you ask other members as well?”, said Megumi.

 

Sakura unbothered, still smiling said, “We went so that we could pick and choose the required materials to ensure quality. And we couldn’t possible ask all of you right? IF all of you come, there will be a huge crowd. It will cause inconvenience for others”.

 

Honoka said, “But..but you could have asked others”.

 

Sakura said as a matter of factly, “I just asked randomly and I didn’t check the inventory before so I saw at the last minute that it was empty. It was an emergency purchase”.

 

Honoka and Megumi looked like they were going to argue but they couldn’t come up with anything. This quieted them down, though I am sure they weren’t convinced.

 

I looked at Sakura and she smiled at me and I returned the smile. Seriously, I have come to admire her for diffusing the situation so easily.

 

This ended the chapter of this visit and things went back to normal after.

 

After a few days it was finally time for Sports day.