Greet and Deliver¹

Are you quite alright? You keep looking around.

I’m fine. Everyone seems to be really excited… Summer break starts tomorrow, right?

Yes, it does. Are you jealous of them, perchance?

Ahaha! Yeah, a little. But I shouldn’t be taking long breaks anyway.

I see.

I never expected to be elected as a club advisor, but…

I hope the students will love me as much just as they love you, Sakujiro-san!

I am very certain they will.

Thank you!

What kind of students are in the Community Improvement Club, by the way?

They are five students under surveillance after returning from suspension.

Wait…they got suspended?!

Yes. It was after a certain incident that occurred at the old school building about a month prior.

They were suspended as punishment for being involved in it.

To avoid expulsion, they were placed in the Community Improvement Club to engage in community service.

Really? I didn’t expect them all to be wayward children…

What a very antiquated way of putting it. Their clubroom is right this way.

……

(Oh, someone’s standing outside the clubroom…)

…It’s…nobody’s fault…

Please…stop…fighting…

(Is he…talking to his finger puppets?)

…That’s…not…

Kinugawa-kun.

*gasp…*

Ah, um, sorry for scaring you!

Nice to meet you. I’m…

Hamasaki Kaede…

……

He…left.

He ignored you very easily.

He’s one of our candidates, right?

Yes. His name is Kinugawa Kiroku.

(I see… He didn’t really feel like a wayward child, but I probably won’t have the easiest time talking to him.)

I believe this is a prime opportunity for you to showcase your abilities as a chief and as a club advisor.

Yeah!

Nice to meet you all!

……

……

*humming*

(I see four people…so I guess they’re missing one member for now, but…)

(There’s one boy with an astronaut helmet on his head…)

……

(There’s Kiroku-kun, who still hasn’t turned around to look at me…)

*humming*

(There’s another boy with headphones on who probably didn’t even notice me coming in, and…)

Who are you? You’re definitely not one of our teachers. You better not be trespassing.

(One boy who’s really wary of me…)

(They all seem difficult to deal with, but I should’ve expected that if they were hand-picked by Kafka… I need to stand my ground!)

My name is Hamasaki Kaede! I’ve been elected as the Community Improvement Club’s external club advisor!

……

Likewise! May I ask for your name?

Thank you for having me, Muneuji-kun!

Hello! I met you outside the clubroom a few minutes ago.

……

I-It’s…nice to meet you!

……

(It’s no use. He’s not looking my way at all. I guess he’s really shy around people.)

(I don’t wanna force him… Let’s keep moving for now.)

Um…

……

Hm? Sorry, I was listening to music. What’s up?

Oh, okay. Hi.

……

(He put his headphones back on… N-Next is…)

Um, I’m⁠—

You don’t have to tell me again. I know already.

Uh…

Do you have a personal ID card, staff ID, or a visitor’s permit? I’ll only tell you my name if you show me.

My name is personal info. I don’t care if you’re our club advisor, you’re still not school staff.

And I don’t want my info in bad hands, so I’d like to see your identification, please, and thank you.

(I…didn’t bring anything.)

Sa-Sakujiro-san…

There is no need to make such a desperate expression. You have done well so far.

Your greeting was very energetic and friendly. You left a wonderful impression.

(He’s probably the only one who thinks that way…)

May I ask for Nanamegi-kun to remove his headphones?

Huh? What’s up? Did we start?

…‘Kaaaay.

I do not see Isotake-kun here with us. Nanamegi-kun, do you know where he might be?

No idea. He’s probably running late, or maybe he just forgot.

I see. Kinugawa-kun, please search for him.

……Why…?

Because class 12 is directly next to the clubroom.

……

I got an idea, Teach.