40 - Isshiki Starts to Rebel
"So those elementary school kids over there, you called them too?" Yukinoshita turned to Isshiki and asked sternly.
"Yes… The student council president from the other school wanted the event to be more meaningful, so they suggested getting elementary schoolers involved, and asked me to contact them…" Isshiki replied weakly.
"What exactly are they supposed to be doing now?" Yukinoshita asked.
"I'll go ask…" Isshiki said, about to run toward the vocational school students.
"Enough… Since they've already pushed all the work onto us, asking them won't get us anywhere," Yukinoshita said, covering her face in frustration. Things were worse than she had expected. The other side only spouted ideas without doing anything, and Isshiki, the student council president on this side, had no clue what was going on.
"S-sorry… Then what should I have them do?" Isshiki asked, hanging her head.
"You should've thought this far ahead. Anyway, get them started on something practical and useful—something that will definitely be needed later," Yukinoshita instructed.
Shirou stepped in to help. "For now, have the elementary school kids help with decorations—like making paper chains, origami stars, and decorating the Christmas tree."
"Yes! I'll go talk to them right now!" Isshiki exclaimed in sudden realization, then dashed off toward the kids.
The reason Yukinoshita was so strict with Isshiki was because she wanted her to stand on her own.
That was the Service Club's philosophy: rather than giving someone a fish, teach them how to fish.
Since they had agreed to help, they would make sure Isshiki quickly got used to the role of student council president—even if it meant being merciless about it.
"If you're always this harsh with her, you're going to come off as a scary senpai," Shirou said to the black-haired girl.
"Just because she resembles your little sister doesn't mean you get to spoil her like this. If you keep doing everything for her, she'll never grow up—siscon," Yukinoshita shot back with a smirk.
"…." Shirou was left speechless.
Had she figured him out? Though the way Isshiki acted cute couldn't compare to Komachi's adorableness, he still ended up treating her like an un-cute Komachi anyway.
"I feel like… I'm being scolded by my parents at home," Isshiki mumbled quietly, pouting from the side.
By the time the second meeting came around, nothing had changed—no progress had been made. Any objections raised were met with vague excuses.
"But if we limit our thinking like this, we'll end up with tunnel vision. I think we should all brainstorm together for solutions. Let's not rush—let's work hard together," someone said optimistically.
"If this kind of discussion continues, we'll never reach any conclusions. So let's first decide on what needs to be done now, then tackle everything else step by step," Yukinoshita suggested.
"Yes, then let's all think together about a more democratic approach," said the other student council president with a smile. Still calm and pleasant—but under such conditions, no decisions would ever be made.
Ugh. "Work hard," "think of ideas," "we'll figure it out together," "democracy"—these cliché phrases just rolled off their tongues.
Were they civil servants just waiting for the clock to strike 5?
Even a university student council officer would at least say, "I'll send some first-years to help you get that done."
"…." Shirou looked at them and sighed. If only I had a certain red Saber's Charisma EX skill right now… I could just make them do everything our way.
After that, they really did go home just like clock-watching civil servants spouting empty talk during meetings.
"Can I ask you all to stay a little longer?" Shirou stepped forward and called out to the members of his own school's student council.
"Yes?"
"Sure, that's fine."
"What's the matter?"
The three remaining members from the International High student council looked confused.
"Isshiki, what do you really want to do here? You asked us to come help, but surely you didn't mean for it to turn into this farce, right?" Yukinoshita smiled as she posed the question to Isshiki.
"Yes! I will! I promise I'll do my best!" Isshiki nodded rapidly, almost like she had been frightened by Yukinoshita's icy smile.
Rather than speaking from her own will, it seemed more like she'd been pressured into it.
"Alright, alright, she's just newly appointed, and there's a lot she doesn't understand," Yuigahama jumped in to smooth things over, trying to calm Yukinoshita down.
"Yuigahama-senpai~!" Isshiki dove into Yuigahama's arms like a scared little lamb, seeking comfort.
"So what's the student council's stance overall?" Shirou asked.
"Huh? Ah… Right." Isshiki paused in surprise, realizing Shirou was addressing her in her role as president. She turned to the vice president, secretary, and treasurer with a polite smile. "Um… what do you all think?"
"Hmm…" The three exchanged glances, then nodded.
"For us…"
"If we're going to take it seriously, then there's nothing wrong with that."
Isshiki smiled awkwardly, somewhere between embarrassed and shy. "So that's basically where we stand," she reported to Shirou.
Seeing her like that, Shirou thought to himself: Yeah, as expected… Forget the older students from the other school treating her like an errand girl—she hasn't even managed to get along smoothly with her own council yet. Still, with her cutesy, sweet social persona and thick skin, she should be capable of easing these kinds of tensions.
But for some reason, even though she was completely open and mischievous in front of him—almost devilish—she became timid around other Senpai.
That was probably why she hadn't dared voice her own opinions here.
"So tell me honestly—do you want to keep following their plan, or do you want to make this a real event?" Shirou asked.
"I… I still want to get things decided quickly and make a proper event out of this.
Not just cobble together a mess of amateurs. And if we wrap things up sooner, I'll have more time to grind the FGO event," Isshiki answered with a smile. It seemed she'd made up her mind, dropping her usual cutesy tone and revealing her true self.
"Hey, you just admitted your selfish motives."
"You're just trying to make things easier for yourself," Shirou and Yuigahama both commented, teasing her. But it suited her character perfectly.
And since the client had finally shown her resolve, the Service Club would of course answer that call.
"I understand. Then Shirou, come over to my house for dinner tonight," Yukinoshita said.
"Eh? Eh?" Isshiki froze. Senpai is this bold?!
"Looks like we'll be busy late into the night," Shirou replied with a smile.
"Eh? Eh?!" Isshiki looked back and forth between Yukinoshita and Shirou. Since when did they get close enough to casually go over to each other's houses?!
"I'll come too! I'll help with tea and stuff. Oh, Yukino, can I stay over tonight?" Yuigahama raised her hand, smiling.
"Eh?! What's going on?!" Isshiki's brain felt like it was short-circuiting. Even Yuigahama-senpai was in on this? Are the three of you just that… open?!
"Hey, Isshiki, we're leaving," Shirou, walking ahead, turned back to find the underclassman hadn't followed and called out to her.
"Eh?! It's still not over? I have to go too?! I'm sorry! I mean, it's not like I haven't felt a bit of a flutter, but doing this won't make anyone happy! Please, just spare me!" Isshiki flailed her hands wildly like she was warding off ghosts, shouting in a high-pitched voice.
"What are you even talking about? Didn't you say you wanted to put an end to this circus? Then we've got to stay up late preparing a proper plan, right?" Shirou replied, looking at her like she'd lost her mind.
She's always so sly and clever, and now she's acting like a total airhead.