Card Game Tournament Arc
11 Encouragement and Determination

It was the day of the card game tournament. Cla.s.s F was having their morning homeroom.

"Today, cla.s.ses are cut and we"ll have the card game tournament all day."

Matsudsensei leaned his weight on the teacher"s lectern and a creaking sound filled the room. Other cla.s.ses had a strained atmosphere, but for some reason, Cla.s.s F was calm.

"That"s all I have. Also, Kusuhara!"
"Today, being your errand runner, no, helping you is impossible."

When Meru said that from her seat in the very back and raised her hand, Matsudsensei yelled "That"s not it!"

"That Matsuda, he"s energetic from the morning."

Sitting one seat in front of Meru, Maiko murmured with a stunned expression.

"Kusuhara! If you become the champion today, I"ll discharge you from helping me out!"
"Rather than saying "discharge," exactly when did it become an obligation?"

Without Meru"s dissatisfaction reaching his ears, Matsudsensei continued speaking.

"It"s not just Kusuhara! All of you, aim for the champion seat! Got it?"
"Macchan, you"re so fired up!"
"What happened?"

Matsudsensei was, among the Reiryuu teachers, an unusually irresponsible human being. Because of that, Cla.s.s F had a lot of carefree students compared to other cla.s.ses. However, with that Matsudsensei breathing heavily through his nose and slapping the lectern, the cla.s.s"s students couldn"t quiet down.

"You all don"t know, right! My pain! The oppressive feeling of being among the other homeroom teachers walking around proudly with an executive in each of their cla.s.ses!"

Matsudsensei cried out pretending to sob.

"That"s not the executives or whatever, but a problem with your ability, isn"t it, Macchan?"
"Shut up! Takimoto!"

The one who made Matsudsensei angry, Takimoto Kou, was the one who had previously borrowed Meru"s homework and forgotten to bring it back.

"But if it"s Kusuhara, it shouldn"t be a problem, no?"

Takimoto said while looking over at Meru. At his unexpected remark, Meru stared blankly.

"Certainly. I think so, too."

The one who followed up after Takimoto was the gla.s.ses-wearing, two-braid cla.s.s rep.

"Ehh…"
"I mean, Kusuhara is pretty much the only one who can decisively handle those executives, right?"

Everyone nodded at Takimoto"s words. Matsudsensei also smiled complacently.

"Of course! I wouldn"t let someone incompetent help me!"
"Please stop distorting it after the fact."

When Meru thoughtlessly said that, everyone in the cla.s.s laughed.

"Kusuhara, I"m rooting for you."
"Kusuharsan, do your best!"

Before she knew it, everyone"s eyes had gathered on her. Meru was basically not that close with her cla.s.smates other than Maiko. Because of that, she was surprised by their support.

"U-um."
"If they say that much, you can"t do anything but try your best, right Meru?"

Maiko smiled evilly. She nudged Meru with her elbow. Agitated, Meru couldn"t retaliate well to that.

"Ok! Homeroom is over! Get going!"

Matsudsensei ended homeroom in high spirits. The students each headed toward the gyms where the card game tournament would be held.

"Meru, let"s go."

Maiko called out to Meru, but she said she had something to do and told Maiko to head over first.

"Then I"ll see you later."
"Maiko-chan."

Meru stopped Maiko who was about to leave the cla.s.sroom.

"What?"
"If I, you know. If I win, will you still be my friend, Maiko-chan?"

Saying that, Meru had an unusually uneasy expression. Seeing Meru like that, Maiko shrugged her shoulders.

"Do you think I"ll be jealous?"

Maiko said, walking up to Meru. Then, she gripped Meru"s cheeks and stretched them. Pain ran through through them and Meru flapped her arms.

"I" haaaaasu!"
"I"m not Matsuda, but if my best friend becomes a famous executive, I can hold my head high."

Gazing at her in wonderment, Meru stopped all movement in that instant.

"At the very least, no one in the cla.s.s will be jealous of you. If not, they wouldn"t support you.

Maiko knocked on Meru"s head and once again headed for the door.

"Well, that"s a discussion for if you win."

Maiko smiled and left the cla.s.sroom.
When she left, Meru became alone in the cla.s.sroom.

"Best friend, huh…"

Muttering that, Meru smiled happily.

"Meru."

In the cla.s.sroom where Meru was definitely alone, that voice rang out. Meru turned toward the voice with a surprised expression.
What greeted her as she did was Hayate leaning with his back to the door.

"Kamishiro…kun."
"I had a feeling you were calling me, Meru."

Hayate grinned. Since he wasn"t necessarily wrong, Meru was further surprised.

"Yeah. I was thinking about going to the student council room."
"I see. Did you need something from me?"

Hayate"s red-tinged eyes gazed at Meru. Even though he definitely knew the answer to that, he asked her.
Meru took a deep breath. She organized her thoughts, then opened her mouth.

"Kamishiro-kun, actually…"

When Meru spoke, Hayate smiled in satisfaction.

And once again, a short chapter. Hah. Anyway, it"s nice to see Meru starting to go for what she wants~ Gotta clear up whatever past trauma there is.