"Let's go to the classroom first," Fujiwara Chika urged, "The teacher still needs to explain the precautions for Forest Camp."
The Sheltered Young Lady couldn't help but complain, "Precautions feel like the user agreements for various mobile apps."
Amamiya Natsuki chimed in from the side, "They're clearly there, but no one pays attention to them."
"…"
The three of them arrived in the classroom and sat down.
The Forest Camp trip was scheduled to depart at 8:30 AM. It was only 8:00 AM, but all the students who confirmed their participation in Forest Camp had already arrived and were sitting in the classroom, chattering excitedly.
After a short wait, a female teacher walked in and stood at the podium, beginning to explain the precautions... The content, needless to say, was just like a mobile app's user agreement; no one cared anyway.
"Those are all the precautions," the female teacher herself wasn't serious either. After finishing, she pushed up her glasses on the bridge of her nose and announced, "Everyone can go out now. First, gather at the designated location, and after taking the group photo, you can board the bus."
The students immediately cheered and rushed out noisily.
Amamiya Natsuki picked up his schoolbag and followed unhurriedly.
Leaving the teaching building, everyone gathered by class in the open space inside the campus gate. Outside the campus gate, five buses had already arrived.
Japan places great emphasis on group activities. As long as there are group activities, photos are almost always taken. These are considered important moments and beautiful memories in one's life. Memories may fade, but photos never do, so they must be carefully preserved.
There was no need to queue for photos; everyone stood with their close friends.
Shinomiya Kaguya stood alone in the corner, her pink lips slightly pursed, and looked around—Japanese people are very particular about social circles and like to stick together for survival. Basically, the groups formed in the first week of school will last until the end of the academic year, and it's difficult for others to join, of course, except for social butterflies at max level.
When the Sheltered Young Lady first started school, she was still Ice Princess Kaguya, the kind of person who would make others detour and walk along the wall when they met her. In the classroom, besides Chika, she really had no other friends.
Although her style has gradually become more Japanese now, and her face no longer holds a cold expression, the small circles in the class have already formed. Besides Chika, the Sheltered Young Lady still has no other friends and can only stand alone in the corner.
Amamiya Natsuki was originally standing with a few male friends. After noticing the Sheltered Young Lady's gaze, he decisively abandoned his male friends and walked over to Kaguya's side.
"What is the President doing here?"
Shinomiya Kaguya clasped her hands over her lower abdomen and asked casually.
Amamiya Natsuki looked up at the clear blue sky and said, "I haven't taken a class photo with the Vice President yet, and I absolutely can't miss it today."
The Sheltered Young Lady tried hard to control the corners of her lips, not letting them turn upwards, and still said softly in a casual tone, "Everyone is in the same class, so no matter where the President stands, it counts as a class photo... So the President doesn't have to worry about me, you can go and be with your friends."
"You say that, but if I really turn around and leave, you'd be unhappy right away, wouldn't you!"
Amamiya Natsuki shook his head.
"Someone spit gum on the ground."
"Eh?" The Sheltered Young Lady looked down at the ground. "Where?"
"Under my foot," Amamiya Natsuki said seriously. "My foot is stuck, I can't lift it anymore."
"…"
Shinomiya Kaguya pursed her beautiful lips and couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.
The President is too perfunctory!
Even an elementary school student wouldn't be unable to lift her foot just because it's stuck with gum. You should find a better excuse!
"Since it's stuck with gum, there's nothing that can be done…" The Sheltered Young Lady turned her head slightly, looking elsewhere. "The person who spit gum is too much."
As she spoke, Chika secretary, with an extremely dark bow in her hair, ran over, opened her arms, and hugged Shinomiya Kaguya, rubbing her cheek against the Sheltered Young Lady's face:
"I'm sorry, Kaguya-chan, I was just pulled aside by friends from other classrooms to talk, so I came late. Kaguya-chan must have been very lonely by herself, right?"
"Not at all." Feeling the two soft mounds pressing against her arm, the Sheltered Young Lady's pretty face hardened. "It's too hot, get away from me."
She was indeed a bit lonely just now, but now that the President is here, she doesn't need her at all!
Amamiya Natsuki cleared his throat twice.
"I don't feel hot at all."
"Hmm?!"
The Sheltered Young Lady immediately turned her head to look at him.
Click.
The photo was frozen.
Under the bright sunlight, Miss Kaguya's red ribbon tying her hair was exceptionally vibrant, but unfortunately, her gaze was full of murderous intent.
After the class photo, the students who were watching the show got into the bus one after another. Amamiya Natsuki, being the Student Council President, was called by the teacher to help with some matters. After he finished, when he got on the bus, everyone was already seated.
"President, there are no seats in the front," Fujiwara Chika, sitting next to Kaguya, said in a clear voice. "You should go to the back."
Amamiya Natsuki nodded and walked down the aisle in the middle of the bus to the back, finally sitting alone in a corner.
He had thought he would sit alone all the way to Forest Camp, but who knew that just as they were about to depart, a short-haired Accounting Clerk walked over, panting.
"Kashiwagi?"
Amamiya Natsuki looked at the short-haired girl, raising his hand to greet her. "Come sit."
"Mm…"
Because of what happened before, Kashiwagi expressed that she didn't want to sit with Amamiya Natsuki.
Unfortunately, she had no choice. The bus was only so big, and besides Amamiya Natsuki's side, there were no other seats available on the bus.
At this moment, the leading teacher shouted from the front:
"Everyone, quickly take your seats, the bus is about to depart."
Kashiwagi had no choice but to sit down next to Amamiya Natsuki.
Amamiya Natsuki asked curiously:
"Why aren't you sitting with your friends?"
Accounting Clerk Kashiwagi whispered:
"My friend from another class left something in the classroom just now, so I went back with her to look for it. Everyone in the front is already seated."
"That's perfect," Amamiya Natsuki said. "I'll talk with Kashiwagi."
"I'm sorry, I can't accept that," Accounting Clerk Kashiwagi said, covering her chest with both hands and looking over warily. "President, please don't make a move on me."
Amamiya Natsuki cleared his throat twice: "Kashiwagi actually has a big misunderstanding about me…"
"I saw it clearly, it's not a misunderstanding at all!"
"…"
"Now for the final roll call…"
The leading teacher held the list and began to call names.
After confirming that everyone was present, the bus officially departed.
Because she kept encountering him on dates with others, Accounting Clerk Kashiwagi clearly didn't want to talk to the scumbag. Amamiya Natsuki didn't mind and played with his phone on his own.
Not long after, Amamiya Natsuki looked out the window at the scenery, and suddenly saw Kashiwagi secretary's distressed and uncomfortable expression reflected in the glass. He turned his head and whispered:
"Are you feeling unwell?"
Accounting Clerk Kashiwagi shook her head, and replied pitifully in a low voice: "…I'm carsick."
Carsickness is not an illness, but when it strikes, it feels like death.
Many people would rather have a fever and headache than suffer from carsickness.
Amamiya Natsuki said in a low voice:
"If you're carsick, don't play on your phone. Try to fall asleep."
"Okay, I'll try to sleep…"
Accounting Clerk Kashiwagi replied weakly.
Ten minutes later.
Kashiwagi's small face became even more crumpled, clearly indicating that her carsickness symptoms had worsened.
Amamiya Natsuki spoke up:
"This won't do. The bus has only been driving for a short while, and there are still two hours of travel to our destination."
Upon hearing that there were still two hours of travel, Kashiwagi immediately despaired.
Utter despair.
Having to endure two whole hours of carsickness was simply a hellish journey of despair!
By the time they arrived at Forest Camp, she would already be broken!
"Pre-President…" Accounting Clerk Kashiwagi couldn't help but look up, saying pitifully, "Can you ask the teacher to stop the bus and let me off? I want to go home."
"I'm sorry, no," Amamiya Natsuki shook his head in denial, stating the cruel truth. "This is a highway. Even if the teacher agrees, the driver won't agree to let you get off."
"Ugh…"
Accounting Clerk Kashiwagi immediately let out a mournful cry like a desperate little beast, feeling that the next two hours would surely be the most despairing time of her life.
Amamiya Natsuki pondered for two seconds, then said softly:
"Actually, I'm very interested in the meridian theory of traditional Chinese medicine. I remember there are a few acupoints on the hand that can specifically relieve carsickness symptoms. Do you want to try it?"
"Really?" Kashiwagi looked over expectantly, like a drowning person grasping at the last straw, saying skeptically, "The President isn't trying to trick me, is he?"
Amamiya Natsuki guaranteed:
"Don't worry, I never lie."
Accounting Clerk Kashiwagi: "That sentence is the biggest lie!"
Amamiya Natsuki's tone was faint: "…Kashiwagi, you know too much."
"I don't want the President's help," Accounting Clerk Kashiwagi hesitated for a while, then finally shook her head and refused. "I'll try again to see if I can fall asleep."
That kind of talk about meridian therapy, it sounded ineffective at first listen.
A moment later.
Amamiya Natsuki put down his phone and looked at Kashiwagi, whose face had turned bitter gourd green, and who was even clutching her chest as if she was about to vomit at any moment. He sighed, took the girl's cold little hand, and said softly:
"Don't force yourself."
"…President?"
Kashiwagi looked up with a wronged expression, her feelings quite complex.
At her most uncomfortable moment, he held her hand to comfort her. The President was actually a very gentle person, no wonder he could deceive the feelings of so many girls.
However, after a few seconds, the little bit of gentleness in Accounting Clerk Kashiwagi's heart vanished completely.
"Pre-President, what are you doing?"
Accounting Clerk Kashiwagi's eyes widened in disbelief, and she stammered her question.
When comforting someone, you only need to quietly hold their hand, why are you pinching it back and forth?
Amamiya Natsuki said seriously:
"Of course, I'm using meridian therapy to help you relieve your carsickness symptoms."
Kashiwagi: "…President, you big scumbag!"
So he wasn't trying to comfort her at all, just trying to take advantage!
She was already suffering so much, and he was still bullying her. The President's true nature was that of a boy who only cared about his own pleasure and didn't care about girls' feelings at all.
When he was with Kaguya-chan and the others, the President probably, like in the manga, would just throw a pack of tissues over after they were done, coldly say "Wipe yourself clean," and then pat his butt and leave.
"President, let go of me." Accounting Clerk Kashiwagi grew angrier the more she thought about it, ready to firmly draw a line with Amamiya Natsuki, and huffed with puffed cheeks, "Don't hold my hand."
Amamiya Natsuki shrugged and released her hand.
"Good, you have the strength to be angry now, you must be feeling a bit better, right?"
"Eh?"
Accounting Clerk Kashiwagi was startled. She carefully felt her body at that moment and was surprised to find that the stuffy, uncomfortable, and nauseous feeling in her chest had genuinely dissipated a lot. It was not as uncomfortable as before at all.
"The President's meridian therapy really works?" Accounting Clerk Kashiwagi was greatly surprised.
Amamiya Natsuki said expressionlessly:
"I'm a liar, I don't know any meridian therapy at all."
Accounting Clerk Kashiwagi: "…"
This was the truth.
Amamiya Natsuki indeed didn't know any meridian therapy. The reason he was able to relieve Kashiwagi's carsickness symptoms was actually because he used Copy and Paste to transfer the carsickness pain to himself—
He had never experienced what carsickness felt like in all his years, from childhood to now.
Amamiya Natsuki was experiencing it now.
It was exactly as complained about online… incredibly uncomfortable, worse than death.
He would rather cut his palm twice more than endure two hours of carsick travel.
The bus continued forward.
Half an hour passed in a flash.
Amamiya Natsuki was playing on his phone when a small hand suddenly tugged lightly at his sleeve.
"Um… President, can you do it again?"
Accounting Clerk Kashiwagi whispered pitifully.
Amamiya Natsuki looked over: "I'm sorry, I really don't know how…"
"I'm sorry," Accounting Clerk Kashiwagi apologized pitifully. "I misunderstood you, Senpai."
Amamiya Natsuki said sincerely:
"You didn't misunderstand, I really don't know meridian therapy."
Accounting Clerk Kashiwagi puffed out her cheeks: "…President, that's enough!"
No words were exchanged along the way.
At noon, the bus finally arrived at Forest Camp.
Amamiya Natsuki got off the bus and saw a clear, washed-blue sky. In the sky, a few white clouds like cotton candy floated, and below them was a lush green forest and mountains.
A gentle breeze blew, the forest swayed, and tree shadows danced.
"Forest Camp, here I come."
The students cheered and ran towards the valley.
At the foot of the mountain was a small valley, with several wooden houses scattered in the middle, which was the location of the Forest Camp. Of course, these wooden houses were for the teachers, and the students would have to set up their own tents later—all schools across the country would make students set up tents, which had become an indispensable activity.
"Youth is truly wonderful."
The leading teachers sighed and then slowly walked towards the valley.
When students go out, what is the most important thing?
Safety.
Safety.
Still safety.
Forest Camp was not chosen by simply picking a remote mountain forest and plunging into it for training; that would be wilderness survival, and accidents could easily happen. If something went wrong, the entire school would be responsible.
In fact, Forest Camp could be seen as a summer camp site, or rather, a professional camping ground, with security guards patrolling and protecting the area. Black bears, like those in the manga "My Maid Is Annoying!", could not possibly appear. Forget fierce beasts of the forest, even wild boars were impossible to see.
As long as there were no safety risks, students could play as much as they wanted.
As the Student Council President, Amamiya Natsuki actually had quite a lot to do: organizing people to transport tents, communicating various matters with the person in charge of Forest Camp, and so on. In addition, he also had to help girls set up tents.
According to the school's regulations, boys and girls were grouped separately, with two people per tent, and everyone was to set up their own tent—the fact was that most girls didn't know how to set up tents and could only ask others for help.
"President, President~" Sayu put her hands together and looked over expectantly, "Please, please help us set up our tent."
Next to Sayu was a short-haired girl who also waved and said:
"President, we're counting on you."
Generally speaking, transfer students who arrive near the end of the semester find it difficult to make friends in class, but there are always exceptions for good-looking people, such as Sayu.
Not long after transferring, she had already made new friends, and their relationship seemed quite good at the moment.
Amamiya Natsuki said speechlessly:
"So, I already sent the tent-setting manual and video to your phones two days ago, didn't I?"
"Eh heh~" Sayu clenched her right fist and tapped her head once, "Sorry, I forgot to watch the video and read the manual."
The short-haired girl nodded beside her and said:
"At that time, I was eating outside and planned to watch it when I got home, but I forgot after I got home."
Amamiya Natsuki had no choice but to help the two girls set up their tent.
"Thank you, President."
The two girls thanked him in unison.
Amamiya Natsuki waved his hand and continued to be busy.
Watching Amamiya Natsuki walk away, the short-haired girl whispered:
"The President has good grades, he's very handsome, and he doesn't seem to have a formal girlfriend yet. Sayu-chan, why don't you try dating the President?"
Sayu pursed her pink lips, smiled, and whispered softly:
"No, I already have a boy I like in Hokkaido."
The identity of a girlfriend isn't important; as long as she's the only pet, that's enough to make her happy!
Amamiya Natsuki walked straight ahead and soon arrived in front of Miko and Yurikawa Hana, asking:
"Excuse me, ladies, do you need any help?"
Before Miko could speak, Yurikawa Hana eagerly said:
"Yes, yes, yes! Miko and I have been busy for a while with no progress. The last time I set up a tent was in junior high, and now I've completely forgotten how to do it."
"I'll leave it to you."
Miko pursed her pink lips and handed over the tools she was holding.
Amamiya Natsuki half-squatted down, and while setting up the tent, he said:
"Setting up a tent is actually very simple. Watch carefully."
"Stare—"
Yurikawa Hana supported herself on her knees, bent over to look, and watched Amamiya Natsuki's movements without blinking, entering learning mode.
Amamiya Natsuki glanced over and almost couldn't tear his gaze away.
The weather was so bright.
No, it should be that the sun was so big.
That bottomless, profound chasm, even the bravest sailors on the high seas would surely sink into it.
Last week, Yurikawa didn't go to Chiba Prefecture, otherwise, starting from Chika secretary, everyone's ranking would have dropped.
Then... a pain in his waist.
Miko quietly pinched Amamiya Natsuki's waist and said with a stern face:
"It's hot. Hurry up and set up the tent. Don't look around."
Other girls are fine, but Yurikawa is just an ordinary person. If you lay a hand on her, I will definitely not forgive you!
Amamiya Natsuki coughed twice and said:
"Yurikawa, you must be thirsty. Go get a few bottles of mineral water."
"Why don't we let Miko go?" Yurikawa said clearly, "I want to learn how to set up a tent with Natsuki-kun."
Amamiya Natsuki said seriously:
"No, it has to be you."
"Eh?" Yurikawa Hana was startled, "Why?"
Why?
Because women only affect the speed of setting up tents!