novellhall 76. More than one thing changed.
76. More than one thing changed.
There was only one exam in the afternoon. After the exam, the teacher in charge, Megumi Yuzen, arranged for cleaning to be done, and everyone had to participate.
Since the class monitor was a girl, it was only natural that Genji Aoyama was assigned the easiest task—wiping the blackboard.
"...I heard there's a school band performance at the concert hall the day after tomorrow."
"Um?"
"I saw a poster in the courtyard; it looks like it's a band of pretty girls something."
"Hahaha...really? Are all the band members beautiful girls?"
"Wow—this band's name sounds so over the top!"
While I was erasing the blackboard, I heard other students discussing behind me.
"Looks like they've already started advertising."
Genji Aoyama smiled silently.
It seems that even without his involvement, the band would still take the initiative to do this kind of work.
However, he had a slight worry in his heart.
While others were still busy, Genji Aoyama had already finished his work.
Stepping out of the classroom, one could see students everywhere in the corridor participating in cleaning.
"Ora ora ora—" Some boys even shouted excitedly while carrying garbage bags.
Genji Aoyama stepped aside slightly and took out his phone by the corridor window overlooking the courtyard.
The band members have already started chatting in the group chat. The club president, Suzuki, said that after cleaning, they would distribute posters and invitations both on and off campus.
He casually sent a message.
[Qingshan: Please pay attention to safety when conducting off-campus promotional activities.]
After sending the message in the band's group chat, he tagged four other people in the group.
[Rena: Understood!]
[yui: Understood!]
[hina: Understood.]
[Qingshan: After you finish cleaning, remember to gather in the activity room first.]
After sending the message, the chat box popped up with "Understood" *3 again.
After a short while, Izumo Saki replied with "Understood!"
Aoyama Genji frowned subconsciously. In the past, she was always the most active in group chats, and she would jump out immediately no matter who sent a message.
The chat continued, and he decided to observe for a while longer.
[Kanna: I want to go too! My exams ended early today, so I still have some time before my tutoring class. Please let me help you!]
[Aoyama: Then I'll have to trouble you, Takahashi-senpai]
[Kanna: If I'm not allowed to do anything, I won't feel at ease eating the barbecue at the celebration party.]
[Aoyama: That's not true. Most of the songs we'll be performing at the concert were written by Takahashi-senpai. If you hadn't come to the after-party, no one would have dared to start eating first lol]
The other members completely agreed, but Izumo Saki did not reply.
hum-
LINE notified him of a new message, but no new messages popped up in the band's group chat, so Genji Aoyama simply left the group chat.
[Haruka Minatsuki: Genji-kun, are you going to the band room later?]
[Aoyama: Haruka-san, is there something you need?]
[Haruka Minatsuki: Um... I just wanted to mention that regarding the promotion of the performance, I'll organize the student council to conduct off-campus publicity.]
[Haruka Minatsuki: However, the band still needs to handle the publicity within the school.]
[Aoyama: Thank you]
[Minatsuki Haruka: Genji-kun, don't you have anything else to say?]
[Qingshan: The band's after-show celebration party, are you coming too?]
[Miyue Haruka:? ? ? ]
[Aoyama: I'm on my way to the activity room now.]
Genji Aoyama relayed what Haruka Minatsuki had said to the band members, and then received 3 "Yay!"s.
He turned off LINE, put his phone back in his pocket, and walked towards the elevated walkway.
The cleaning was probably still ongoing, because there were no other students in sight along the elevated corridor leading to the special building, and you could even hear the echo of footsteps as you walked through it.
With a jumble of thoughts, Genji Aoyama pushed open the door to the band's activity room.
"You're all really free. I seriously doubt you've participated in any of the group work." He smiled and greeted the four beautiful girls who had already arrived—Takahashi hadn't arrived yet.
"The privileges of beautiful girls, Aoyama-kun doesn't understand~" Department head Suzuki said with a smile.
"I told the class monitor that I needed to promote the performance, but he deliberately didn't let me participate."
"Um... I was assigned a very simple task."
"Where's Saki?"
Genji Aoyama looked at Saki Izumo, who was somewhat silent.
Saki Izumo finally raised her head, her gaze regaining focus. She looked at Genji Aoyama with a smile on her face: "I handed in my paper before the exam was over, so I had no idea there was such a thing as cleaning."
Genji Aoyama glanced at her again before turning his gaze to Suzuki.
"Hmm, are the posters and invitations all ready?"
"Two hundred portions!"
Suzuki patted the two tall stacks of things on the table. "The original plan was for 50 servings per person, but with Takahashi-senpai joining, it's been reduced to 40 servings per person."
"Hasn't Takahashi-senpai arrived yet?" Genji Aoyama asked.
"They'll probably be here soon. They said there's something urgent, but it shouldn't be too long."
"Well, let's wait then."
In the band's activity room, the group chatted for a while longer.
Then there was a knock on the door, and Suzuki placed his hand on the poster and invitation.
Qingshan Yuanzhi opens its doors.
"Good afternoon, Genji-kun, and... everyone." Minatsuki Haruka folded her hands in front of her, as elegant as ever, and nodded slightly, smiling as she greeted everyone.
"good afternoon."
Before entering, Haruka Minatsuki glanced at Genji Aoyama with a subtle look, but said nothing.
"Has Genji-kun explained the publicity for the performance to you guys?" she asked the others.
"Yes, I already said that. Thank you for your help, Minazuki-kun."
That's Suzuki's voice.
"The student union is an official school organization and has an obligation to help school clubs organize activities."
Haruka Minatsuki seemed to only intend to talk about work.
Genji Aoyama felt a little relieved. After Haruka Minatsuki came in, he had been observing Saki Izumo—she seemed completely unaffected by Haruka Minatsuki, but her condition was far from good compared to usual.
After Suzuki distributed some posters and invitations, Haruka Minatsuki seemed to be preparing to leave.
Before leaving, she first turned her gaze to Izumo Saki, then glanced at Aoyama Genji: "The performance, is everything alright?"
"no problem."
Although Genji Aoyama said this, he was already feeling some worry.
"Hmm—" Haruka Minatsuki drawled out the sound, then laughed, "Well then, good luck."
"Thank you for your help, Ms. Haruka."
Genji Aoyama thanked him again.
"goodbye."
He watched Miyuki Haruka leave.
"Alright!" Aoyama Genji clapped his hands and smiled at the rest of the band: "With the student council's help, the publicity work will be much easier. Please get ready!"
"yes!"
The band members were already used to his commanding manner.
As Suzuki was handing out posters and invitations, the sound of footsteps could be heard outside the door.
They drew closer and closer until the door opened, accompanied by a breathless voice: "Sorry I'm late!"
It's Kanna Takahashi.
"Takahashi-senpai arrived at just the right time," Aoyama Genji said with a smile.
The student council would take on fifty portions, and each member of the band would receive an average of thirty portions. According to Suzuki's plan, they would stand guard at the school gate for one hour and distribute as many portions as they could.
"Saki... are you alright?"
Suzuki looked at Izumo Saki with a worried expression, "You seem to be in a bad mood today."
"That's not true," Izumo Saki said, her usual bright smile returning to her face. "It's just that thirty servings are a bit too few; it feels a little too simple."
Genji Aoyama sighed inwardly.
After watching them leave, he waited quietly in the activity room for a while.
He glanced at the spot where Izumo Saki had just been standing, recalling her earlier demeanor.
Sluggish, strained, and seemingly empty and confused.
Is it the medication? Or is it a problem with her own body?
Once this question comes to mind, it's impossible not to care about it.
Genji Aoyama turned and left the activity room.
The corridor was noticeably more crowded, and laughter could be heard everywhere. Even though there was an exam the day after tomorrow, it couldn't dampen the students' anticipation of the holiday tomorrow.
He walked down the corridor against the flow of people and arrived at the infirmary.
"Knock knock—"
He knocked on the door.
Then, a gentle female voice came from inside the door: "Please come in."
"Sorry to bother you."
Genji Aoyama pushed open the door and went inside. The layout of the school clinic was still similar to before, except that a complete stranger was sitting in the seat that Shizuka Yoda had previously occupied.
"Is the boy injured?" The medical teacher in the white coat looked at Genji Aoyama.
"Is Yoda-sensei here?"
"Hmm? So the boy is suffering from heartbreak?" The medical teacher looked at Aoyama Genji with a puzzled expression, then laughed. "Just kidding. Ms. Yoda is in a private room inside. The boy can go find her."
"Thanks."
After thanking him, Aoyama Genji followed the instructions and went to the other side of the infirmary.
After knocking again and waiting much longer, the door was opened from the inside.
"It's you," Shizuka Yoda said with a smile as she looked at Genji Aoyama. "Come in."
"Excuse me, Yoda-sensei."
Genji Aoyama entered the psychotherapy room, which was more simply furnished than the outside.
"Hmm...maybe I'll come back later."
He noticed that a girl was sitting on the sofa, holding a book. From the moment Genji Aoyama came in, through their conversation, to the moment the door closed, these actions seemed to have no effect on her.
"You don't have to care about her," Shizuka Yoda turned to look at the girl sitting on the sofa, then smiled at Genji Aoyama. "She probably doesn't care about you either."
"I see."
"like."
Shizuka Yoda didn't offer Genji Aoyama a seat; instead, she gently called out to the girl.
The girl called "Love" finally raised her head, her exceptionally delicate face completely expressionless.
It's probably not fair to describe it as indifferent; it's more like it's devoid of any emotion. The same goes for its eyes, which seem completely empty, as if it doesn't care at all.
"Could you please wait there for a moment?" Shizuka Yoda asked the girl.
The girl called "Love" seemed to pause for a moment, then simply nodded silently.
"Alright, young man, come find me..."
Shizuka Yoda turned her gaze back to Genji Aoyama. "Are you asking about Saki?"