As time went I was eventually able to make Emily closer to everyone. It took time but thanks to Emily’s sincere efforts it was possible.

 

Emily also started having more confidence in herself.

 

This all started the day after Emily asked for my help in getting alone with everyone.

 

After school when we were supposed to meet for Student Council meeting I told Megumi and Honoka to go first without me as I had work to do.

 

After they left I motioned Emily to follow me, she excused herself from her usual crowd of students and followed me to the Student Council office.

 

On the way I told Emily, “Emily I think the best way to get along with everyone is to declare your true feelings to everyone. It will help lift the burden on yourself and make  way for everyone to understand and connect with you”.

 

Emily looked hesitant, she said, “Are you sure that’s the right thing to do? I am not sure I can handle bearing my out to everyone”.

 

I said, “Yes that’s the best way, trust me. All good relationships start from good communication. It’s best to honest with each other”.

 

Emily asked, “But will they be honest if I am?”.

 

“Well, from what I have seen till now, all of them have been pretty open about feelings and stuff and love to discuss things with each other, so if you open up they will too, I am sure of it”, I said with a honest.

 

Emily nodded and said, “If you say so. I will try my best”.

 

I gave her a thumbs up and said, “Good luck”.

 

We came in front of the Student Council room and I knocked. “Come in”, said Sakura from inside.

 

We both walked in. After seeing me Sakura said happily, “Oh Takeru, welco-“and then immediately stopped as her eye narrowed as she saw Emily. The others were staring at Emily too.

 

Honoka asked in a dangerous tone, “Takeru, why are you together with Emily? You better have a good explanation for this”.

 

I gulped and said, “Now-now, I’ll explain later, Emily has something to say to you all” and made way for Emily.

 

Emily nervously gulped for her speech. Sakura asked ,”Emily has?”. “Yes”, I said.

 

Then Emily started speaking, “Everyone I…..”. And then she started saying all that was on her mind, how she was sorry for acting rude before and about her insecurities after her kidnapping and not contributing much to later missions.

 

Everyone listened patiently.

 

Then Sakura came up and hugged her and said, “There-there, you let it all out. nOw you feel better?”.

 

Emily started crying. Then stopped after a few minutes and then nodded. Sakura released her and said, “We all forgive you for you past behavior and we all believe you, right guys?” and looked at all of us.

 

I smiled and said, “Of course”.

 

Ayaka said, “Definitely”.

 

Honoka and Megumi said, “Sure”. And the rest of the Student Council also agreed.

 

Emily smiled and said, “Thank you everyone. Especially Takeru for giving me the courage for saying what I wanted”.

 

I smiled and said, “Don’t worry , we are a team right?”.

 

Hearing this Emily came and hugged me and said, “Yes”. I awkwardly returned the hug. I looked up and saw Sakura, Ayaka, Honoka and Megumi staring daggers at me. Crap!

 

Then Emily let go. Honoka was the first one to ask. She quickly came in front on me and came very close, too close for comfort and asked, “That being said, what were you doing with Emily behind our back? Was it only encouraging her or something else?”.

 

“Yes, I would love to know that as well”, said Megumi with a sharp glare in her eyes.

 

“Me too, I think all of us would like to know”, said Sakura with a smile , only that smile didn’t reach her eyes. Ayaka nodded.

 

Scary! You girls are scary!

 

Anyway, I better clear this situation.

 

So I made a serious face and said, “I only talked to her about expressing herself, nothing else I swear” and looked at Emily.

 

Emily nodded and said , “Yes, Takeru only encouraged me, nothing else”.

 

“Then what about that hug at the end?”, asked Honoka still not convinced.

 

“She was just showing appreciation for my help. Weren’t you Emily?”, I said and looked at Emily.

 

“Yes that’s what it was”, said Emily immediately.

 

“Hmmm”, said Honoka and Megumi speechlessly but they let it go. After that normal Student Council activities ensured.

 

Now, from what I remember there is one more event before the end of the year, before the year end examinations.

 

This event also involves Emily.

 

Third Person POV

 

Meanwhile somewhere in Japan. In an excavation site where a lot of workers are digging up a place where they got the news that there was an artifact.

 

The group was headed by the Minori Group.

 

The excavation was mostly done by hand except a few spots in fear that the artifact will be damaged. Artifacts were valuable after all.

 

One guy who was digging up with a shovel, suddenly hit something.

 

CLINK!

 

He immediately called the people around him. And Everyone started to dig the surrounding of where the shovel was hit so as not to cause damage. They were digging enthusiastically.

 

Then after digging for sometime, they discovered something.

 

They shouted, “HOORAY, LOOKS LIKE WE FOUND IT. NOW WE CAN REST. CALL THE CHAIRMAN IMMEDIATELY”.

 

Someone went to call the chairman who was Minori Kosuke.

 

Kosuke came running in and said, “Come on, show me, where is the artifact?”.

 

One of the workers handed him what they found , which was cleaned and covered in a velvet cloth.

 

“This is……when I was found out the rumours about an artifact being, I didn’t know what it was….this is more valuable than I imagined”, said Kosuke.

 

As he stared at the artifact the day was ending and night was descending. The search was complete and everyone decided to pack up and leave.

 

What was the artifact? Well it will be revealed later.