Chapter 34: First job.

Translated and Edited by: luccayn.

Common Honorifics:
-san: A polite suffix, but not excessively formal.
-kun: A common suffix among friends and younger people.
-chan: A common suffix among people you’re close with, mostly used for feminine nicknames and girls, since it’s cutesy and childlike.
-senpai: A common suffix and noun used to address or refer to one’s older or more senior colleagues in a school, workplace, dojo, or sports club.

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“Alright, let’s give Akito-kun his first job~”

“Do your best, Akki~”

“I will!” I smiled.

After surviving the hellish morning commute to school, I’d finally gotten to class. Sitting down, I had heard whispers and rumors abuzz. It seemed like the morning incident had become quite the topic among my classmates, much to my dismay. But against all odds, Matsuyama spoke up.

“That’s just BS.”

Thanks to this stroke of luck, there were no rumors about me in class. In truth, I had no idea what was going on in his head for him to say that, but regardless of his intentions, I was grateful for once.

“Hey, Earth to Akito-kun,” Ayaka pouted while looking at my listless self.

“Oh, sorry. I was just lost in thought for a sec there,” thoughts of this morning had filled my mind, and I lost whatever she was trying to tell me.

“C’mon, pay attention, will you?”

“Sorry.”

Ayaka still seemed a bit upset over what happened in our commute, her cheeks swollen like a hamster. Honestly, she and Saki were the ones responsible for that whole debacle, so I just sighed in response.

“What I want you to do, Akito-kun, is to go to where we’re short-staffed and help out. Well, being in general affairs means you’re our handyman, so do your best!”

“O-Okay!”

Her vague explanation only left me more anxious than I already was. It’d be my first job, after all. Still, I felt like my position was destined to be swamped with work, which didn’t help with my anxiety.

“So, without further ado, who wants Akito-kun’s help?”

The three of them raised their hands simultaneously: Karen, the one in charge of public relations; Yuki, the secretary; and Saki, the treasurer.

“I have a lot of things to make for flyers and publicity, so I honestly think I’m the busiest,” Karen was the first to speak up.

“No. Akito will be attending the executive committee meeting from now on. There are many things that need to be recorded,” Yuki raised her own point.

“No, it’s not possible. My accounting work is more challenging. Thanks to a certain someone, I have to redo the budget allocation by the end of today. So, if Akito doesn’t help me, it’ll be tough,” Saki shared her own troubles.

Suddenly, all eyes fell on me. No matter what I said or who I chose, it’d be tough on me.

“Well, let’s do it like this,” Ayaka intervened in the battle for the new blood—me. “Akito-kun will help everyone then! There, this should solve the problem, right?”

She delivered Armageddon like someone would deliver the weather.

“Um, all of them?”

“All of them!”

Her smile left no room for objections. I felt a twitch in my brow.

“Well, then, there shouldn’t be any problem.”

“Yeah, you’re right. We were too lenient.”

Yuki-san seemed to be reflecting on Ayaka-san’s words, but something was different. I thought we had come to some sort of agreement, but she put a halt to it.

“Wait a minute! Revising the budget allocation is the most challenging task! Plus, the deadline is today! It’s impossible for Akito to help me without being right by my side from now till the end!”

She slammed a huge pile of documents onto the table, appealing her best to Ayaka and the others. But…

“You can do it, Saki-chan~!”

“I believe in you!”

“Show some determination, Saki.”

There was no help for the poor girl.

“These girls…,” Saki muttered with resentment as she glared at the three of them.

“A cutie, ain’t she~?”

“Yup, just like a little sister! Not like I have one to know, though.”

“Don’t pat my head!” Saki snapped at their sudden pats and coos.

The council handled her so well that it gave me goosebumps. Maybe I’d also treat and swoon over her like that? — I stopped such a train of thought. It was bad for me, and it felt wrong.

“Sigh. Ayaka, Karen, you’re teasing her too much,” I intervened.

Before anyone could respond, Rin — who had been quietly observing the situation until now — entered the fray, grabbing a few, or more like half of Saki’s documents.

“Rin-san…”

“C’mon, let’s do this,” she then placed her half on her desk.

“Wow, what a lady-killer!” Karen teased Rin.

“Quit it. More importantly, do any of you have time to slack off? If we can’t make it on time even with Akito’s help, every one of you — Ayaka included — will be sorely punished,” her smile was less of a smile and more of a lion’s gaze.

Frightened, the trio nodded vehemently.

“L-Let’s start with the executive committee! You’ll help Yuki-chan there, Akito. As soon as you’re done, help out Karen with her publicity work. Got it?”

“Got it.”

“Yuki-chan, ready?”

“Yeah, I’m all set!”

“Then, let’s go!”

With that said, Yuki and Ayaka left the council room almost as if scrambling for the door.

“Akki, I can handle the things I can do on my own, so come back to the student council room as soon as you’re done!”

“Yes!”

“Alright, time for some work!”

Karen was also quick on her exit.

“Sigh. I want them to work efficiently even when I’m not here,” Rin sighed at the troublesome trio, all while processing the pile of documents she’d snagged from Saki.

“Rin-san, thank you. You saved me,” my troublesome ex-step sister bowed her head. I was honestly left speechless. In fact, I also needed to head to the executive committee right away, but I couldn’t help but be captivated by the scene before me.

“It’s alright. Let’s finish the work quickly,” Rin kept working on her documents.

“Yes, I’m sorry for thinking of you as a sneaky cat burglar earlier…”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about…”

“But please, try not to do anything too cool. Akito is still looking at you with admiration even now.”

It seemed she had noticed my looking. Does she have eyes on her back or something?

“Come on, Akito, go to work already! And Saki, if you keep complaining, I won’t help you, got it?”

“Sorry,” we both apologized in unison. Then, in order to fulfill our respective roles, Saki stayed at her desk, and I left the student council room to catch up with Ayaka and the others.

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