Chapter 13 – Forced to Join a New Club!?

Once reading time was over, Matsumaru-sensei strolled in late, looking completely unbothered.

“I’ve gotten used to being late like this. But don’t you all ever let yourselves get complacent. Complacency is a dangerous thing, you know.”

That’s the last thing I want to hear from you.

“This is the part where you’re supposed to laugh. What’s wrong? You all look so serious.”

It’s probably because we’re all looking down on our homeroom teacher’s behavior, but even the great Ryuuji doesn’t say what’s really on his mind.

As usual, Matsumaru-sensei was wearing her morning-only fashion glasses, giving off an intellectual vibe.

But her initial tardiness ruins the whole act.

Right after I started here, I mistakenly thought she was a young, no-nonsense, and competent career woman.

“For all of you, I have a special announcement today.”

Matsumaru-sensei was beaming.

No one’s getting their hopes up.

We all figure it’s just gonna be something like “I got a boyfriend!” or “There’s this guy I’ve kinda got a thing with lately.”

“Did you get a boyfriend or something~?”

Even Souichi could see it coming.

“Oh, stop. It’s nothing like that. What do you take me for? Have I ever told you all about my boyfriends before?”

“You said you and your last boyfriend had great chemistry in bed, right?”

“Souichi-kun, how did you know that?”

Because you’re the one who told us.

Matsumaru-sensei put on an exaggerated show of surprise, but it was probably an act.

I hope so, anyway. I’d rather not think she has dementia.

Souichi never answered the question. The teacher’s joke had kind of bombed, and an awkward silence fell over the classroom for about ten seconds. The one to break it was, of course, Matsumaru-sensei.

“This Seimei High School is getting a new club!”

“Eeeh?!”

“What’s that about?!”

“No way!”

The voices of my classmates rose up, their reactions lacking much variation.

I’d never experienced a new club being formed, not even back in middle school. It had to be a pretty rare event in school life, right?

After all, starting a new club involves all sorts of tedious procedures. You need at least three members, and you need a faculty advisor for it, too.

In any case, it’s got nothing to do with me, a member of the Go-Home Club.

The only things that matter to me are getting home early and enjoying my weekends.

“Akira-kun, don’t give me that uninterested look.”

She totally noticed.

Well, what can I do? I’m genuinely not interested.

“This involves you, too. So listen up.”

“Huh? It involves me?”

“Of course it does. In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that out of everyone in this school, you’re the one it involves the most.”

“But I’m in the Go-Home Club—”

“Yes, the Go-Home Club!”

“Huh?”

“The Go-Home Club has been officially established as a new club!”

The classroom of Year 1, Class 1 was thrown into chaos.

Why is there any need to make the Go-Home Club an official club? The Go-Home Club is popular precisely because it’s the club for people who aren’t in a club.

“Aki, does that mean I’m in the Go-Home Club, too?”

“Don’t ask me, I have no idea.”

“Aki, can I quit the Go-Home Club and then go home?”

“You’re making this complicated.”

Shinichi, behind me, was on edge.

If what Matsumaru-sensei is saying is true, it could mean that every student currently not in a club will be forced to join the Go-Home Club.

That’d be a problem for me, too, and I still don’t really get what’s going on.

And in the middle of this major crisis, Hinami, who like me is unaffiliated with any club… was sound asleep.

“The application is already approved. All that’s left is the signature from the club president. Akira-kun, could you come over here?”

“Uh, for what?”

“Just get over here.”

Could it be…

…that I’m the president?

“We’ve already got three members. And by the way, you’re one of them, Akira-kun. As the ace and president of the Go-Home Club, I need you to lead the team.”

At this shocking, done-deal announcement, Ryuuji furrowed his brow.

I was hoping he’d make a sensible argument, like there was no way he’d approve of a ridiculous club like the Go-Home Club.

“If the Go-Home Club is to be called the Go-Home Club, then what becomes of the go-home club members who are not in the Go-Home Club? For the record, I approve of making Akira the president of the Go-Home Club. He is more responsible than anyone.”

“The go-home club members not in the Go-Home Club? You mean people like you and Shinichi-kun, Ryuuji-kun? Apparently, it’s fine for you to remain unaffiliated. By the way, the Go-Home Club has proper after-school activities.”

If Ryuuji and the others can stay unaffiliated, then I want to quit the Go-Home Club and be unaffiliated, too.

“What kind of activities~?”

This might not have anything to do with Souichi from the Table Tennis Club, but for once, I was glad he asked.

“That’s a se-cret. You can only find out by joining the Go-Home Club.”

“That makes me curious. Can I join the Go-Home Club, too? I’ve always admired it~.”

“No-pe. You can’t be in more than one club.”

The Go-Home Club forbids joining multiple clubs.

Does that mean Souichi, being in the Table Tennis Club, isn’t even allowed to go home?

“The members who have been confirmed for the Go-Home Club right now are Akira-kun, Akira-kun’s older sister, and Hayasaka-san.”

Startled, I looked at the seat next to mine.

The other students did, too.

But Hinami didn’t wake up at all, still fast asleep with her face on her desk. I wonder if she’ll wake up if I call her name?

“Hinami.”

thump

She’s awake.

To think I could produce such an awakening effect just by calling her name in a normal tone.

Maybe my voice possesses some kind of special power.

“Hinami, did you join the Go-Home Club? Wait, the one who created the Go-Home Club was…”

“Me and Karin-sama. I’m the one who recommended you for president, Akira-kun.”

“…”

Why would you do that?

And Nee-san… I’m glad to see you’ve gotten friendly with Hinami, at least.

“Just sign the papers, Akira-kun. This is an order from a teacher, so it’s absolute. Doesn’t that just get you excited?”

“This is power harassment and sexual harassment.”

“Oh, what’s the big deal? And just so you know, I’m the faculty advisor. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure our club activities are fun every day.”

“Matsumaru-sensei is the advisor!? I’m joining the Go-Home Club after all!”

“Didn’t I say no? You can’t be in more than one club.”

“Then I’ll quit the Table Tennis Club and join the Go-Home Club!”

“Well… if you do that, maybe.”

“Hey! Don’t let the ace of the Table Tennis Club join a club like that!”

For the future of Japan’s table tennis world, I raised my voice.

There’s no way I’m letting Souichi join such a stupid club.

“Alright, then. If you sign this paper, Akira-kun, I’ll protect Souichi-kun’s future.”

So if I don’t sign, you’ll mess up Souichi’s future?

That’s just the worst.

“Fine.”

With a weary expression that was becoming all too common lately, I stood up from my chair.

If my sacrifice can make the future of Japan’s table tennis world even a little bit brighter, then I have to accept it.

“Um, I’ll join the Go-Home Club, too!”

Just then, a new applicant appeared.

It was the female student I had just exchanged words with before reading time.

“I’ll be the vice president!”