Chapter 80: From Autumn to Winter
The basketball club's goal, the Winter Cup qualifiers, is just 10 days away.
There's no time left, and there's hardly any room to add new skills or patterns from here.
But Airi-senpai puts together tough training menus with me in mind.
To get even a bit stronger and improve precision, it's intense practice to polish everything we've worked on so far. In old-fashioned terms, it's special training, right? She does that for me.
This is for my sake. Airi-senpai is stricter than before and keeps some distance, but I can tell and feel that she's doing this for me.
Right now, the tougher it is, the better for me. Throwing myself into effort without thinking about anything else is the most fulfilling thing.
I'm just a first-year, but I want to become a regular and get stronger.
The girls have their event at a different venue on the same day, and Nagase-san is also fired up.
I was told to stop the hard training, and some said Airi-senpai might be overdoing it, but I explained that it's something I asked for.
Recently, I've finally started to get the hang of sharp drives followed by shots, just as I'd hoped.
Thanks to retraining my footwork, I've been able to keep a low stance during drives and manage my weight shift effectively.
Airi-senpai is amazing.
☆ ☆ ☆
In the student council room
Yukari Tomonaga's suspension was decided, and her homeroom teacher informed her of the suspension.
Prior to that, there was a discussion between the student council and the school administration.
Hokusho High School is a newly established private school that tries various innovative approaches.
For example, during the cultural festival, mock stores are commended, and prepaid cards usable at the school cafeteria or store are distributed, or students present mock store proposals to develop a sense of real business.
Above all, the student council is run by students elected through actual election campaigns, and they hold significant authority for high schoolers.
In particular, regarding student commendations and punishments, the school consults the student council to make decisions, adopting a system where the student council defends and advocates for students to prevent unfair unilateral punishments from the school administration, serving as an organization that protects students' freedom and speaks on their behalf.
Of course, for malicious acts or repeat offenses, the student council does not defend the student, and absurd outcomes like completely avoiding expulsion do not happen.
This case was no exception.
Initially, the school planned a two-week suspension, but through negotiations, it was reduced to 10 days.
It's just 4 days less, but considering that a two-week, 14-day suspension excludes Saturdays and Sundays, an 18-day absence would have a strong impact on both the student in question and those around them, making it hard to return to school after the suspension and hindering rehabilitation. The student council argued and defended this point, and factoring in that the student is a well-known figure who won Miss Hokusho, the suspension was set at 10 days to fit within an actual two-week period. It seems they also considered the impact on final exams.
The person in charge of this was Ichinose, a second-year secretary who was also an executive committee member for the beauty contest.
In the student council room were Ichinose, the second-year, and Nagase, a first-year in charge of general affairs.
Nagase was complaining to Ichinose,
Nagase "I think the punishment is too lenient. Immoral relationships? Isn't that indecent? Shouldn't the student council have pushed for expulsion?"
Nagase's expression was stern.
Ichinose "...Even when compared to past punishments and considering how high schoolers date these days, I think this is appropriate."
Ichinose spoke in a gentle voice, though with a hint of tension,
Nagase "To begin with, shouldn't Miss Hokusho from the beauty contest be revoked, not just canceled?"
Ichinose "...The regulations are still from five years ago and didn't account for social media use or cases like this. Cancellation is fine. But many students seem to perceive it as revocation anyway."
Nagase got heated, but Ichinose responded coolly.
Nagase "Isn't having a Miss title for a year unnecessary for a student involved in immoral relationships?"
Ichinose "There's no evidence of cheating in the beauty contest, nor that it happened during the contest. Well, the date was the day before the contest, according to a letter—or was it a pair?—that was submitted. Who sent it, though?"
Nagase "That's what's bothering me too... But since it's a good opportunity, I think punishing the slut would be better for the future."
Nagase paused to think for a moment, then revealed her anger and pressed Ichinose.
Ichinose "We can't punish someone for something they might do in the future."
Sigh, those two let out a breath.
Ichinose's earlier coolness faded, replaced by a pleading expression,
Ichinose "Nagase-san... no, Aya-chan, isn't it about time... you know?"
Nagase "Excuse me. I have club activities to attend!"
Nagase Aya snapped back sharply and left the student council room.
Nagase Aya had been insisting in the student council that the beauty contest ruling should be revocation of Miss Hokusho and that immoral relationships warranted expulsion.
Ichinose "...The punishment is just too harsh..."
Secretary Ichinose looked troubled.
Known for being calm, composed, and virtuous, with the air of a noble prince, it was only when it came to Nagase Aya that he lost his composure—a fact the student council officers were aware of. Plus, they were from the same middle school.
Because of this, rumors about the two of them circulated regularly.
☆ ☆ ☆
Around that time, Yukari
Yukari "... I'm the only one being bullied... Why suspension? Because I became cute? Because I'm popular? That's awful..."
She sulked in bed, wallowing in the belief that she was unfortunate.
※ Sulking in bed (futene) — when you think about it, sleeping in defiance sounds like quite a suggestive term, doesn't it?
※ Staying at home and not going out reduced her physical activity, resulting in a slight weight gain.