During lunch break, Kurusu Akira, carrying his guitar case, left the club activity room with Iseri Nina.
"Actually, I was just joking about 'skipping class'."
"I know!"
Iseri Nina walked beside him, sulking.
Kurusu Akira played with his phone, chatting on Line with Yoshizawa Kasumi, a first-year A-class student he had recently met.
[Tearlaments Power is Irresistible: This Friday is the club recruitment day. Yoshizawa, do you have a preferred club in mind?]
[My Sister Can't Be That Cute: I've already joined the gymnastics team!]
[Tearlaments Power is Irresistible: Someone actually got there first?!]
[My Sister Can't Be That Cute: Eh, such words... Did Senpai create his own club? That's amazing!]
[Tearlaments Power is Irresistible: To be honest, I can't gather enough members right now.]
[My Sister Can't Be That Cute: If you can accept 'ghost members,' my sister and I can both come to make up the numbers!]
[Tearlaments Power is Irresistible: No need. The school is currently cracking down on 'ghost members' to prevent clubs from falsely reporting numbers to defraud funds.]
Principal Shinba was still shrewd. While being generous with funding, he also worked hard to prevent any shady dealings or embezzlement.
He even actively advocated for "disbanding irrelevant clubs."
This contradictory approach made people a bit confused.
Ultimately, Kurusu Akira was actually the biggest leech on club funds.
But for Principal Shinba, an expenditure of over 500,000 yen each month was completely insignificant... For balancing the books, he could just make the other clubs suffer a bit.
Thinking of this, Kurusu Akira felt a strange sense of self-reproach—
He should have negotiated with Ito Misui more back then. At least he should have raised the monthly funds to 700,000 yen, right?
His phone vibrated; Yoshizawa Kasumi had sent another message.
[My Sister Can't Be That Cute: Sorry, I couldn't help you, Senpai.]
[My Sister Can't Be That Cute: By the way, Senpai!]
[My Sister Can't Be That Cute: Are you free this weekend? I'd like to treat you to some yakiniku! My father taught me to be grateful, so I must repay your kindness!]
[Tearlaments Power is Irresistible: No need for such trouble. It was just a small favor; a simple thank you is enough.]
[My Sister Can't Be That Cute: That way I won't be able to repay your kindness!!]
[Tearlaments Power is Irresistible: I don't have a habit of letting a junior girl I've only met once go to great lengths to treat me.]
[My Sister Can't Be That Cute: Oh, that would make you lose face in class, wouldn't it? Sorry! I was thoughtless!]
[My Sister Can't Be That Cute: I heard you had cooking class today, Senpai. Can you cook?]
[Tearlaments Power is Irresistible: Not at all.]
At this moment, it seemed as if he could see the rose-like girl smiling with delight through the screen. This emotion completely overflowed into her subsequent messages.
[My Sister Can't Be That Cute: Then, please accept my carefully prepared bento as a token of gratitude!]
[My Sister Can't Be That Cute: For the next month, I will make a bento every day and deliver it to your classroom at noon!]
This was too enthusiastic. But before Kurusu Akira could complain about the exaggerated "one month" timeframe or politely decline Yoshizawa Kasumi's offer, Iseri Nina's shout pulled his attention back from his phone screen to reality.
"Look out!"
Kurusu Akira instinctively ducked, and a soccer ball flew over his head, hitting the courtyard wall with a thud.
Several seniors from the soccer club ran over, bowing and apologizing to Kurusu Akira one after another.
Once the matter was resolved, Kurusu Akira looked at his phone and saw that Yoshizawa Kasumi had taken his silence as tacit approval.
[My Sister Can't Be That Cute: So, it's settled then?]
[My Sister Can't Be That Cute: Please rest assured, I will do my best to make a flavor that satisfies you, Senpai!]
Kurusu Akira mentally calculated if he could save a month's lunch money...
That would indeed be a considerable sum, plus his part-time job income.
After covering living expenses, it would be entirely enough to pay off next month's interest.
Now he really became a gigolo living off women.
----------------
Kurusu Akira and Iseri Nina walked down the steps and out of the school gate.
At this time, a team of people in sportswear, neatly lined up, wearing sweatbands, were shouting slogans and running around the school. This was the physical training of the ace volleyball club.
The person running at the very end of the team was waving his arm at Kurusu Akira; it was Mishima Yuki.
"Shujin!"
"Go, go, go!"
"Shujin!"
"Go, go, go!"
With loud slogans, the volleyball club entered the pathway outside the school gate and continued a new round of jogging.
Kurusu Akira stood still, offering a solemn salute to the passionate and inspiring high school life.
"Good afternoon, Amamiya-san!"
"Good afternoon."
On the way out of the school gate towards the train station, classmates with bows in their hair and pleated skirts occasionally greeted Kurusu Akira.
After all, he was undeniably the top student in his grade and very handsome; Kurusu Akira's shoe locker had been almost bursting with love letters from girls these past few days.
"You've been tapping on your phone a lot." It wasn't until they were outside the train station that Iseri Nina suddenly asked Kurusu Akira, "Have you figured out how to deal with the club members?"
"I don't want troublesome and noisy people in the club, so I'm still carefully looking for candidates."
Kurusu Akira put away his phone and bought two cans of Dr. Pepper from a vending machine nearby.
He handed one can to Iseri Nina, then pulled the tab on his own, savoring the fizzy sensation of the carbonated drink.
He only had 900 yen left in his pocket.
The carbon dioxide surged, as if all the worries in his heart were vented with each breath.
Kurusu Akira's empty gaze fell upon the bustling road.
He should look for a second part-time job near Yongen-Jaya.
What kind of part-time job would be good...?
Kurusu Akira walked into the station and looked up at the route signs, one after another, emitting white light.
[Setagaya Ward – Shimokitazawa]
These characters fell into his eyes.
On second thought, Yongen-Jaya did seem very close to Shimokitazawa.
That famous musician hangout...
He looked back at the guitar case on his back.
Well then, he would try his luck in Shimokitazawa.
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