How many times have I rewritten this report?

I wrote, got rejected, and started over from a blank sheet of paper.

While everyone around me was finishing their assignments one after another, I was the only one who kept repeating the same assignment over and over again just with different topics.

Finally, after about two hours, I was able to complete the independent research, which everyone agreed on, though reluctantly.

The topic was quite simple: “Declining birthrate and aging population.”

I was told that I should have chosen a simple topic, but for some even that topic didn’t seem to inspire me.

I’m not sure if it’s a matter of motivation or just creativity…

Is it my nature that the simpler the content, the less motivated I become?

It was time to take a break, and the quiet room was filled with giggles as Hino-kun brewed tea for everyone and handed it out.

“I’m sorry, Kanazaki, Rei, that I had to ask you to go out with me.”

“No, I’m glad that you invited me.”

“Well, I didn’t have anything special to do today, so it’s fine.”

Shizuku immediately straightened her posture, and Kirasaka replied nonchalantly with her eyelids closed.

I see, so this whole thing was the president’s idea.

I had no prior information about this, but I directed a glance at the president.

When president noticed, she smiled a little bitterly and said, as if she understood my intentions.

“As for Shinra, we knew that you would refuse, so we just decided to go ahead… sorry. As for them, they joined to keep an eye on you.”

“No …well, if it’s a tradition, then it can’t be helped.”

Denying or changing the way how an organization works because of an individual, takes a lot of work.

It’s not like I’ve done much.

…However the way I was brought in, it was completely like arresting a bad person, but let’s not focus on that.

…Or so I said to myself as I poured more sugar and cream into the tea in front of me.

I hadn’t expected the student council to be so busy in the second semester that they had to finish their assignments early in the summer vacation.

It’s true that there are a lot of events.

There is a sports festival, a cultural festival, and for the second year, a school trip.

It was obvious that the student council would be very involved, but I really wanted to spend my summer vacation at home, relaxing and not worrying about anything.

Outside the window, the students of the sports club were sweating out the day’s activities.

No, really, thank you for your hard work.

I guess it’s better that the student council room I’m in has air conditioning.

As I was about to resume my assignment, I noticed Koizumi’s face in front of me.

He was smiling, but it was a smile that seemed to be somewhat disguised.

Normally, I would not pay attention to such a trivial change, but today, I felt a strong sense of discomfort.

“…Is there something on your mind?”

“Eh?”

When I asked Koizumi, he looked at me surprisingly.

But Koizumi immediately shook his head.

“Nothing… it’s okay.”

“…In that case it’s fine”

“It’s okay” he said, almost as if he was saying it to himself.

Of course, everyone in the student council room heard the conversation.

It’s not like I have to hide the fact that I’m asking something…

Shizuku, Kirasaka, and Hino-kun looked at me curiously, wondering what I was talking about.

However, President and Miura were the only ones who seemed to have something on their mind, and their expressions turned slightly cloudy.

Well, I guess there are some secrets that only the oldest members keep.

You can’t help but notice that there are some things that I, Hino-kun, Shizuku and Kirasaka, who are outsiders, don’t know.

Unnecessary probing can destroy human relationships.

Kindness and sympathy can sometimes hurt people severely.

And if president knows the reason and doesn’t want to talk about it, then maybe it’s none of our business, or maybe it’s something she can’t tell us yet.

I avoided pursuing the matter too deeply and just went back to working on the task at hand.

I moved my pen silently and noticed that it was starting to get dim outside.

When the light from the indoor lighting began to be stronger than the light coming from outside, president announced, “That’s it for today.”

“I think we should stop here for today…. Cramming too much into one day will only make us less efficient.”

“I’ll go tell the teacher in the staff room that we’re done and can borrow the home economics room.”

Miura was the first to get up and leave the room.

The plan is to use the home economics room to cook dinner, then use the shower room normally used by the swimming club, and then go to bed in the tea ceremony club’s Japanese-style room in futons. 

Of course, boys and girls will be separated.

There is also a small room next to the tea ceremony room.

The tea ceremony room has a small room next to it, which is usually used for storing luggage and changing clothes, but this time the boys will be using it to sleep.

“How far along are you, Minato-kun?”

“I’ve finished… math, so all that’s left is the modern literature and Japanese history reports.”

“Mathematics was the most demanding assignment, so I guess it’s a good thing that you finished it first.”

Says the two of us who finished all of those assignments.

If we exclude the independent research, I would like to ask them how they managed to finish it in such a short time when it took me so long to finish just one subject.

The reason why I left out the independent research was simply because it’s like a book report.

Because it’s free, the conclusions will vary from person to person even if the topics are the same.

Teachers know this, so they tend to be lenient in their evaluation of such assignments.

For us on the student side, that’s a blessing.

As I leaned back against the backrest to stretch out my back, which had stiffened up over the day, president stood up.

“Koizumi, do you have a minute?”

“Yes.”

When president called Koizumi, Koizumi followed through without any questions.

When they left, we looked at each other.

“Regarding Koizumi-senpai… does Shinra-senpai know anything?”

“No, but we’ll get to know when the time comes.”

Hino, who was a little worried, asked the question in everyone’s stead.

It’s not a good situation to be in.

It didn’t seem like a completely terrible topic, but Koizumi’s expression wouldn’t go away from my mind.

President and Koizumi didn’t come back to the student council room for a while even after Miura returned from the staff room.