After the cleanup was over, I went to Alina's class to gather my belongings.
Alina was shaking her desk with her legs wiggling. It was as if she was the only one who had been hit by a 3-magnitude earthquake.

Come on, let's go!

Alina's eyes widened when she heard a word from the door, and she quickly slung her bag over her shoulder and stood up. Then she came to me at a brisk pace. I was impressed by her determination, but my admiration faded with her next words.

Let's go quickly. The heating is broken. It's unbearable.

I see. I see what you mean. It's true that it's a little chilly, but the heating is not working properly. It must have been hard on Alina, who has a sensitivity to the cold.
She shudders and starts walking fast again. It was amusing to see her walking at a speed that was just barely fast enough to avoid the censor's warning not to run in the corridor. She is serious inside.

He knocks on the door of the newspaper club and opens it. Warm air leaks from the room into the corridor, and Alina, bathed in it, makes a mysterious onomatopoeic sound 'hooah......' and enters the room, bouncing around like a sparrow. She seemed pleased with herself and opened her arms to express her joy.
--No, no, no. No, this is him walling himself off to keep me out of the clubroom.

You've been in the hallway long enough, haven't you? You have to be a platinum member or above to get in from here. You rats live in drains, don't you? Shush.

I think I'm thinking something like this. It could be worse.
Twist yourself to the left where Alina stands. Let me experience the aristocratic greenhouse. Even a gerbil wants to dry his fur and let the light in his eyes. Let me chew on some cheese, if I may. No mousetraps or other cruel weapons, of course. That's it, Akumanodougu. I can't!
But Alina is holding her own. I grab her left arm. I'm already making enemies among the Alina fans on campus, so call me a pervert if you must. I'm cold, too. I can't wait to get into the newspaper club room. I try to move Alina out of the way. But she's stuck like a rock.

'Comet Sakakiki molested Arina Hibane .........one more scoop for you, boss...'
'Hey, there. Don't write it down. Don't take pictures.'

One of the members of the club started writing a lot of crazy stuff, so I advise you to be careful. If anything like that gets out at school, it will surely be the end of my high school career. Alina fans won't kidnap me and torture me.
Tired of the skirmish, she stops resisting and moves closer to the pipe chair.

She writes in the "Testimonials" section: "It was so scary. Can you add a note to your story saying 'I was very scared. I don't forgive you.
'Don't do that, you'll get in a lot of trouble with the school board.



After regaining his composure, Toma Asakura, the head of the newspaper club, began to speak.

The reason I called you here today is because I need your help!

Yes. If I had just invited you, I would have buried you somewhere in the schoolyard.

'What's next month! Yes, comet!
'Oh, it's me. Let's see, ...... Valentine's Day?'
''Ha!

No, ha! No. You're right. Don't look at me like I'm accusing you.

It's ...... the anniversary of Comet Sakakibiki's death.
I'm not dead.
It's too bad!

I'm not sorry. Are we all idiots here? Alina, don't throw in any unnecessary jibberish. And don't play with Toma.

It's exam day for third-year junior high school students! That's what I'm talking about!
'Come to think of it, we also took the exam around February.

I see... the day of the exam.
Let's rewind my memory by two years. I still remember the day I came to take the entrance exam of my first choice school.
Unlike junior high school, high school is a magnificent building and I was impressed. The examination rooms were filled with various uniforms. The phenomenon that everyone looked like a genius except for me had done more than enough damage to me, and I was in a defeated mood even before the test started, thinking that I had failed. In such a situation, I was relying on Shirana and my friends who were wearing the same uniforms as me. Except for Shirana and me, everyone else failed. It was very awkward.
While I was lost in my thoughts of old memories, Alina gave me a poke.

Are you listening to me? Do you have an eardrum?''
'Yes, I do. I'm sorry, I'm a little fuzzy.

Douma cleared his throat and continued speaking.

'The student council thought it would be a good opportunity for publicity and asked me to make an article outlining our school for the day of the exam! Even though we don't have enough people! At a time when we are in the process of working on projects for the new school year! What the hell are you thinking, student council!''

Just as Toma's complaining began to heat up, one of the club members handed him a pen. Toma slowly began to calm down. Apparently, the pen was a sedative for him. I wish we could give Alina an item like that.

'In other words. We need your help. ...... We know from our last experience that you have skills. Comet and Alina are the only ones we can rely on.
''I don't mind, but...''
'Seriously! Thank you!



There was no reason to refuse, and he would cry if I did.
Meanwhile, Alina is smiling as she sees Toma, hands folded in prayerful gratitude. I was about to scold her for mocking his gratitude, but when I looked at Toma again, I noticed that his social window was fully open.

Oh my god--.

He's always ready to let off the water. Should I point this out? But it's not good. There are girls in the club, and shame is his honor. It would be somewhat helpful if the girls hadn't noticed ...... that he's glancing at them. He's blinking a lot. He's staring really hard. Toma, game over. You're probably the only one in this space who hasn't noticed.
I'm hoping the boy next to me will point it out, even if it's just casually, and I'll say, 'Sit down, man, sit down. I'll help you.
Ugh, no one's going to teach me. .......
Toma. You should've known. It's open!

The article is a full-page spread! The content is an overview of our school! Facilities, club activities, school culture, curriculum, etc. There's also a section for the student council's greeting, so be careful how you allocate space!

Toma quickly stood up and began to draw a simple composition on the whiteboard. It's super open, Toma. .......
Naturally, when he stood up, everyone in the room was a little freaked out. The guys looked like they wanted to say 'don't get up' with a devil-may-care look on their faces, but in the end they didn't say it. Alina's chuckle seems to have reached its limit and she manages to prevent it from breaking by hitting me. She smacked me, trying hard to keep her voice from sounding like a villain. I feel like I'm going to break my arm.
Toma finishes the example by slamming the whiteboard with a bang. Stop it! Don't get all bent out of shape! You're going to rip the zipper.

Like this! By the way, on the back I'm going to put up a uniform picture of the school building and you two as models!
''Hm? What's a uniform picture?''
''Models! We'll put it up like the pictures you often see in uniform pamphlets and stuff! The student council asked for it!'

At once, suspicions of Tsuru's involvement surfaced. I don't like this story because I don't like photographs very much. Alina, on the other hand, seems to be having a hard time keeping her facial muscles tight so as not to laugh.
Toma sat down again, and the tense atmosphere suddenly relaxed. Some sigh with relief. The atmosphere was no longer conducive to pointing out things.
Afterwards, a member of the club showed us an article from the past as an example. This was the first time for us to actually write something in print, since we had only provided stories when we had cooperated with the newspaper club in the past. The members of the club took care of us and carefully explained to us. I think there is something else to be concerned about, but it was too late, so I listened to their explanation seriously.
Alina seemed to be expecting Toma to get up, and she glanced at him from time to time. What a bad character of a high school girl. I don't think she should be glued to a boy's vital point, though.
It was difficult for me and Alina to start from scratch, so Toma and I decided to make it together. The other members of the club are going to work on this month's newspaper and articles for the new year. We divided the desks and got to work, but Toma was still in full throttle. I put my mind at ease and thought about the text. Alina seemed to be unable to concentrate and her pen was not running at all.

In the end, Toma was in full throttle until the end. It was so refreshing. Everyone seemed to have gotten used to it, and no one seemed distraught. Except for Alina.
The time for dismissal was approaching, so we decided to leave the school. I told her that I would stop by the newspaper club again tomorrow, said my goodbyes, and went out into the hallway with Alina.
We walked in silence for a while and then Alina started to laugh.

I can't do it! It would be funny if you didn't laugh!

Ha-ha-ha," the devil's laughter echoed through the school. I'm sorry, Toma. It was too late to change the mood. If you had said 'your zipper is open' right away, this would not have happened.

Give him a break. For his honor, don't tell anyone.
'I won't tell you, but you might laugh every time you see him. It reminds me of him.
'I don't think it's a good idea for a high school girl of your age to stare at them.'
'Shut up. It's your fault for not telling me. You boys should be the ones to tell them.
'I don't know what to tell you perverted girls. ...... Stay away from Ugin anymore. It's bad for your education.'
'It's no use, I have your number.'
'You used illegal means. I can't allow you to use my sister's number. ......'

When I arrived at the entrance to the school, I ran into members of the student council. They include Tsuru, the new student council president, and the vice president. I wonder what the student council is doing until this late. What are they chatting about when they are not producing anything? We've been forced to play the role of models by your scribes' schemes.

Oh, well... What's keeping you two up this late?
'I'm supposed to help out with the newspaper club.'
'Wow. What a surprise!
'I'm also going to do articles and model uniforms.
'Wow. That's perfect for Alina!

Just as I calculated, or--
She may look like a chicken who can't multiply and divide, but her brains are not to be underestimated.
It's good that they chose Alina as a model. But don't drag me into this. There are plenty of other guys out there.



'After all, a model has to be tall! Oh, I slipped up. Oops.
'I knew who did it, so you don't have to look like you made a mistake. It makes me angry.
'That's good. You'll be popular with the new students!
'I'm afraid you're going to make more enemies of the current students. Even though they're already jealous and hostile.
'It's a sin to be beautiful.
'Alina, be quiet. You're the one who did this, so be aware of it.

Anyway, thanks to my sacrifices, I succeeded in raising Alina's social skills to the level where she can talk to me like this. Alina is a changed woman, if you recall the assassin's look she had a few months ago. I think I've accomplished half of what Mr. Akakusa, or rather the angel Alina, had wished for me. Now it's up to us to decide where the end is, or rather, when the mission is complete.
As if she had read my thoughts, Alina glared at me.

You are not my guardian.
Don't read minds. Stop invoking your mutant abilities from time to time. The bad researchers will find you.
''So.''

Alina was going home with Tsuru, and they parted at the entrance to the school.
The student council members also parted and walked to the school gate. I felt a little sad seeing them. This time next year, they will be gone. The third-year students are now going to school on their own. Naturally, we will be studying at home next year and making a final effort to catch up. Only one year. In just one year, this scene of leaving school will be gone.
I sat down on the steps of the elevator and opened a glass of tomato juice.

'I wonder what's going to happen to me ......'.

I don't have a vision of what I'm going to do after graduation. Vague anxiety tightened my chest, and apart from the cold, I shivered. What should I be moving toward? My friends around me have their own dreams and goals. All I can do is drink tomato juice and watch the days go by. Nothing is born, nothing is lost. So nothing. I was so anxious. Maybe it's because I'm a homecoming girl. I wonder if I would have gained something if I hadn't been a homecoming club member. Now God only knows.
Someone once told me I was funny. They praised me for always cracking jokes and making everyone around me smile. It made me happy, but it also made me feel like I had hit a sore spot. You say false things because you have nothing. I'm that kind of guy.
Halfway through the can, I stood up.

'What, a comet? At this hour?''

I turned around and saw Hakuna Namiki in tennis wear.
No one else was there.