The classroom buzzed faintly with chatter as lunchtime rolled around. Sunlight poured through the tall windows, casting angled streaks across the rows of desks. Tetsuo sat at his, calmly unpacking his bento. The smell of seasoned rice and freshly cooked omelets wafted faintly in the air.
"Yo, Tetsuo, you coming to the cafeteria with us to get some grub?" Noboru leaned casually against the desk, a half-smirk on his face, his voice loud enough to catch the attention of a few other students.
Tetsuo glanced up briefly, his expression unreadable. "No, I brought lunch from home."
"For real?" Noboru crouched beside him, curiosity flashing across his face. "Let me see." He peeked into the neat arrangement of food, eyebrows shooting up. "Whoa… it's nicely packed, balanced, everything in its place. Your mom must really care for you."
"Actually," Tetsuo said evenly, picking up his chopsticks, "my little sister was the one who made it for me."
"What?! For real? Your little sister can cook? How old is she?" Noboru's voice climbed in disbelief.
"She's twelve."
At the next desk over, Shino leaned in, his eyes widening with quiet admiration. "Your little sister really did great on the omelets. They look tasty." He smiled softly, genuinely impressed.
"Let's leave him here with his home-cooked meal," Noboru groaned dramatically, slapping his thighs before straightening. "Come on, Shino, let's go."
Shino scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well, actually, my aunt made lunch for me today, so I guess you're on your own, Noboru."
"What?! Not you too!" Noboru's face twisted in mock despair. "Goddammit, I'm going to look like a loner if I'm the only one from the team there…" He paused mid-sentence, his eyes narrowing as an idea popped into his head. Wait! Makoto doesn't have a lunch.
Before he could say it aloud, a sharp voice cut him off.
"Don't you dare think about it. I'd rather be dead than be classified as your friend," Makoto said flatly as he grabbed his bag and headed for the door. His tone was like cold steel.
"Hey, wait up!" Noboru rushed after him, nearly knocking into a chair.
"Quit following me! I don't know you!" Makoto barked over his shoulder, his pace quickening.
"I'm not following you, idiot! We're both going to the cafeteria!" Noboru shot back, trailing behind him down the hall. Their voices faded into the background hum of lunchtime.
Back in the quieting classroom, Tetsuo methodically finished his meal. He took a sip from his water bottle, then folded the empty lunch box with practiced care. The faint murmur of students from outside the door mixed with the distant echo of shoes in the hallway.
He stood, stretching slightly, then decided to go for a walk. But the moment he reached the doorway, he stopped in his tracks.
Sachiko was standing there, framed by the corridor's light. Her arms were loosely crossed, her expression calm but deliberate.
"I see you're finally done eating. Can I talk to you for a bit, Tetsuo?" she asked, her tone casual but with a hint of insistence.
Tetsuo's brows knit faintly. "…What is it, Sachiko?"
"Just walk with me and you'll find out," she said, already stepping back into the hallway. "Don't worry."
Reluctantly, Tetsuo followed. The soft click of their footsteps echoed as they passed bulletin boards filled with colorful notices. He didn't speak; Sachiko didn't either, not until they stopped in front of a familiar door.
"This is…" Tetsuo's eyes narrowed slightly. "The student council room."
Realizing where they were, he quickly turned on his heel to leave.
"Now wait just a moment," Sachiko said, grabbing his hand firmly. Her grip was warm but unyielding. "Remember that promise you made a while back when I was still trying to get you to join the student council?"
Tetsuo tilted his head slightly, eyes cool. "What promise? I don't remember making one with you."
"We did make a promise." Sachiko's gaze softened just a little. "That day, I promised I'd try to understand why you love basketball—which I did—and now you have to uphold your end of the deal and spend a day with me at the council."
There was a brief silence. Tetsuo exhaled slowly through his nose. "…Fine. Since I made that promise, it can't be helped."
She smiled faintly and opened the door.
Inside, the student council room was quiet and orderly, papers stacked neatly on desks, sunlight spilling across the polished floor. Hitomi, the president, was there, reviewing documents.
"Oh, I didn't expect you to be here during lunch, Sachiko, but I'm glad you came." Hitomi looked up, her eyes catching on Tetsuo. A knowing smile curved her lips. "Oh, and I see you finally managed to bring Tetsuo to me."
Tetsuo stood still, his posture relaxed but unreadable.
"Relax," Hitomi said, her voice laced with mild amusement. "It's not like I'm going to force you to join the council. The spots are already taken."
"Well, actually," Sachiko interjected lightly, "he will be an acting council member for us today."
"Oh really? You don't say." Hitomi's grin widened just a fraction. "Well then, if that's the case, I'll put this free labor to use." She handed a stack of papers to Sachiko. "Here you go. This is the budget breakdown for the Robotics Club. Please get this paperwork to them as well."
"Right, I'll go ahead and do so now," Sachiko said, taking the papers and heading out.
Hitomi turned to Tetsuo, her gaze playful but assessing. "And you, Tetsuo, have the most gruesome task of all—delivering these books to the literature club room. I know it's a lot, so you can make trips if you want."
Tetsuo glanced at the box filled with books. "No, this is just fine. I'll be okay, thank you."
He lifted it effortlessly, the muscles in his arms subtly flexing beneath his sleeves. Hitomi blinked, momentarily surprised. Wow… For someone so reserved, he's really strong, she thought.
The hallway was quiet as Tetsuo walked, the box heavy but manageable in his arms. When he reached the Literature Club room, he nudged the door open with his shoulder.
"Delivery for the Literature Club," he said, setting the box down with a soft thud.
Tomoe sat inside, her back turned, completely absorbed in a book. She didn't respond.
Tetsuo tried once more, his voice calm but firmer this time.
Finally, she looked up. Her pale fingers stilled on the pages, and her eyes flicked to his face.
"Oh, you're Tetsuo Kawaguchi, right? That weird guy who was at the window blocking my breeze," Tomoe said, her tone blunt but not unkind. "I didn't know you were part of the council."
"Actually, I'm not," Tetsuo replied simply. "I'm just fulfilling a promise I made to the vice president."
"Oh, I see. Well, that's noble of you." Her eyes shifted to the stack of books. "These are a lot of books… even for a group of people to read."
Tetsuo noticed a single paper on top of the pile. His gaze lingered. "…I'm the only one who reads here, unfortunately," Tomoe admitted, her voice quieter now.
"Not to pry or anything, but is it because you're the only one in this club?" Tetsuo asked, handing her the form.
"You're right. I'm the only member of this club." She let out a breath, her shoulders slumping slightly. "But it wasn't always like this. This is the fifth disbandment notice they've sent me since the start of the semester. I know that if the club doesn't have at least five members, it's not considered one, so they'll shut it down soon. This is the only place where I can be at peace, in solitude and silence, so I can hear my thoughts and imagine the stories in these books… but soon, I guess I'll have to give it all up."
"Why don't you just search for new members? There are a lot of first-years here," Tetsuo suggested, his voice level.
Tomoe's lips curved into a faint, sad smile. "You're right. However, I'm not sure if their ears have been corrupted with rumors about me yet. If that's the case, they'll never join this club. I'll have no choice but to accept reality."
Tetsuo studied her for a moment, his eyes calm but intent. "I'm not sure what happened that made everyone leave you alone in this club, and I know nothing about these rumors. What I want to know is… are they true?" His voice carried a quiet firmness. "Well? Are they?"
Tomoe's fingers tightened slightly on her book. "…They're not true. I would never do such a thing."
"Then why is it bothering you?" Tetsuo asked without hesitation. "If they aren't true, then they shouldn't stop you from recruiting anyone. If you know in your heart that you're not wrong, then you shouldn't feel this way." He extended a hand toward her desk. "Do you have any printed membership forms on you?"
She blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Yes, I have about five."
"Okay, thank you." Tetsuo took the papers without hesitation and began filling one out.
"What? Why are you—?" Tomoe's voice hitched slightly.
"I'm on the basketball team, so I might not have time for club activities after school. However, I can come here during lunch and read some books with you. So, I guess that makes me your first recruit," said Tetsuo. "Oh, and don't worry—there's no rule against being in two clubs."
Tomoe stared at him, speechless for a moment. The faint afternoon light filtering through the window reflected in her eyes.
"I have to go assist the president with some other clubs," Tetsuo said, standing. "But I'll definitely try to visit as often as possible. Oh, and I'll work on getting some new members for you."
Tomoe lowered her gaze, her voice barely above a whisper. "…It's far more complicated than that, Tetsuo. These rumors are dangerous accusations, and you have no idea what they're about." But she glanced up, her expression softening despite herself. "But… thank you so much for caring. You're really kind, Tetsuo."