"When I first enrolled, I visited the Literature Club on a whim. They told me to write my name on a sheet to register, so I just filled it in without thinking. Who knew that was actually the official application form for joining the club?"
Kazuhiko Onimizu sighed deeply, clearly still in disbelief.
"So technically, I've been a member of the Literature Club from the start. But without realizing it, I later joined the Unpure Boy and Girl Relationship Inspection Department after being invited by the president…"
He lowered his head.
"And now the Literature Club has been warned by the Student Council. They don't have enough active members, so their funding might be cut—or worse, the club could be shut down. That's why she said I 'abandoned' them…"
"I see. So that's what happened."
Matsueda Azusa nodded thoughtfully, rubbing his chin.
"Now that you mention it, I do remember something. When I submitted your club application, President Houko did say you seemed to already belong to another club."
"However," he continued casually, "after checking the records, it turned out you only registered your name but never participated. Basically, you were just a ghost member."
"So the president did me a favor and helped process your withdrawal from the Literature Club… and then transferred you into our club."
Under-the-table manipulation again?
Hikigaya, listening quietly from the side, couldn't help but click his tongue.
What exactly was the relationship between Matsueda and the Student Council President?
Blocking applications, transferring members…
This was way too shady.
Kazuhiko looked up in shock.
"That happened?! Why didn't I know anything about it?!"
"Because it didn't seem important, so I forgot to tell you," Matsueda replied innocently, scratching his head.
Kazuhiko collapsed onto the desk.
"…And because of that, I've gone from being an invisible background character to a scheming scumbag in everyone's eyes."
"They think I was two-timing Komachi Chika and Anna—and got caught cheating. There's no way to explain this now!"
Anna nodded helplessly.
"Yeah… Kosuke looked really angry. After seeing you run off earlier, he even told me to stay away from you."
"I tried defending you, but… they just looked at me like I was being manipulated."
Kazuhiko looked completely defeated.
"My life is over…"
But suddenly—
Matsueda slammed the table.
"This isn't necessarily a bad thing."
"I have an idea."
"This can still be a good thing?"
Kazuhiko looked up in disbelief.
Hikigaya spoke cautiously.
"From experience… this won't just affect Onimizu and Anna."
"As a club member, if rumors spread, they'll use it to attack you too—especially since you've already made a lot of enemies."
To unite people, you don't need a great leader.
You just need a common enemy.
And right now—
Matsueda was that enemy.
"That's true," Matsueda admitted easily.
"But so what?"
He leaned back, completely unconcerned.
"Even if they spread rumors, at most it damages Onimizu's reputation."
"In the worst case, I'll pretend to expel him."
"With the Student Council backing us, they can't shut down the club."
"And then?"
He smiled.
"He stays as a shadow member."
"And we counterattack."
"I wasn't joking earlier. If they push us, I'll push back harder."
"They should think carefully about whether they can handle that."
Hikigaya shivered.
This guy… is turning into a full-blown school tyrant.
Kazuhiko, however, looked confused.
"…That still doesn't solve my problem, though."
"If anything, it confirms I'm a scumbag."
Anna panicked.
"That's not okay! What if Kosuke misunderstands even more?!"
"Isn't that exactly what we want?"
Matsueda asked calmly.
"…He already misunderstood, didn't he?"
Anna froze.
"…Yeah."
"No matter what you say now, it won't change anything," Matsueda continued.
"Empty explanations don't work."
Anna slumped onto the desk.
"They didn't believe me at all… The more I explained, the worse it got…"
Kazuhiko cried out.
"Why am I the one suffering here?!"
Matsueda tapped the table.
"Think about it."
"This means Kosuke reacted emotionally, right?"
Anna blinked.
"…So he still cares about me?"
Matsueda sighed.
"No. That's just the starting point."
"We need to figure out why he reacted."
"Is it because he sees you as a friend and wants to protect you?"
"Or…"
"Does he still have feelings for you—even while dating someone else?"
"If it's the second one…"
Matsueda smiled faintly.
"Then breaking him up becomes very easy."
"A relationship built on unresolved feelings is unstable."
"It will collapse sooner or later."
Anna nodded excitedly.
"So he still likes me, right? Of course! I'm clearly better than that other girl!"
Hikigaya and Kazuhiko both squinted.
That's not what he meant at all…
"I already have a way to test it," Matsueda said.
"But it's… aggressive."
"If it works, their relationship will collapse immediately."
Anna hesitated.
"…What kind of method?"
"I won't explain now," Matsueda said.
"If I do, your acting might fail."
He leaned forward.
"If it succeeds, things will get messy."
"If it fails… you probably don't have a chance anymore."
After a moment of silence—
Anna clenched her fists.
"I trust you. Let's do it."
Matsueda smiled.
"Good choice."
"Tomorrow, during PE—take Himegami Karen to the medical office."
"Kosuke will definitely come check on her."
"And then…"
"Everything will be ready."
"I've already arranged things with Kobiki Sayo."
Kazuhiko froze.
"…Why does this sound dangerous?"
"Oh, and bring Onimizu along too," Matsueda added casually.
Kazuhiko's eyes widened.
Wait—why me again?!
"I'll do it!" Anna said immediately.
Hikigaya quietly leaned closer.
"…Do I really need to be involved?"
Matsueda slung an arm over his shoulder.
"How could I forget my trusted adjutant?"
"You're the trigger."
Hikigaya felt a chill run down his spine.
"Yo, drummer! I'm not late, right?"
Matsueda pushed open the studio door with a cheerful grin.
Inside, only Shiina Rikki was there, scrolling through her phone.
"Oh, Azusa."
She looked up, slightly startled.
"Huh? Where's Karin?"
Matsueda looked around.
"She got called in last minute to help another band," Rikki replied.
"They're close, so she couldn't refuse."
Then she suddenly frowned at her phone.
"What? 'The guitar is fine, but the vocals lack technique'—what nonsense! I'm blocking this guy!"
"Actually… he's not entirely wrong," Matsueda said, peeking over her shoulder.
"Oh—wait, he added another comment."
"'Where's the old vocalist?'"
"…Ah. He's a Tomori fan."
Rikki paused.
"…Fine. I won't block him."
Matsueda chuckled.
"Honestly, my singing isn't great anyway."
He leaned closer—
Resting his chin lightly on her shoulder.
"Rikki… you wish Tomori would come back too, right?"
Rikki stiffened slightly.
A faint blush crept onto her face.
"Well… maybe."
"But our current style doesn't suit her anymore."
"And… she wouldn't be able to sing unless it reflects her own feelings."
She sighed softly.
"…As much as I like her, she doesn't fit Crychic anymore."
Then she turned to him.
"And besides… these songs belong to you."
"Only you can sing them."
Matsueda grinned.
"Wow. I'm touched."
He suddenly hugged her from behind.
"Rikki-chan, love you!"
"In my Crychic, the drummer will always be you."
"We're a band for life, remember?"
Rikki's face turned bright red.
She pushed him away.
"W-What are you saying?! That's so embarrassing!"
Is he… confessing?
She couldn't even look at him.
"I'm serious."
Matsueda sat down across from her.
"You're the core of this band."
"If it weren't for you, Crychic wouldn't exist."
"So be more confident."
"With you here—"
"We can do anything."
Rikki's brain short-circuited.
"Stop talking!"
She quickly changed the subject.
"You didn't cause trouble again, did you?"
Matsueda scratched his head.
"…The live went well. I'm just happy."