chapter 6: Heavy Lifting, Light Feelings

Ring

Finally, the final bell rings.

Alright, time to get ready for my "reward."

"Oh, Mamoru-san, don't forget to meet with Kisaragi-senpai."

"Yeah, I'm totally going to bail."

"Eh, okay. See you later then."

"Wait, what? I expected you to plead for me not to go."

"There's no need. I'm sure you'll meet with Kisaragi-senpai."

"Why would you believe that, Shino-san?"

"Well, you simply don't have the guts to disappoint Kisaragi-senpai... or Emi and me." She blushes.

"Wait, who was the last one?"

"Ah, eh, that doesn't matter. Just meet with Kisaragi-senpai, okay?"

Then Shino quickly leaves the classroom.

Weird. Does she mean the last person is her? Oh well. I then pack all my belongings into my bag.

On the way to the student council room, Emi approaches me.

"Hey Mamoru, are you going to bail and not receive your reward?"

She touches her lips seductively.

"Eh, no. Actually, I'm on my way to the student council room now. How about you, Emi?"

"Yeah, sure. I kinda waited for you." She says the last words softly.

"Oh really? Why?"

"Well, ehh, to make sure you don't bail on us, of course."

She touches my shoulder.

"Eh, okay, sure. I believe you."

"Good. Well then, shall we head to the student council room?"

"Eh, yeah."

Emi and I then walk to the student council room.

As we walk together, I notice how our hands sometimes brush against each other. Each time our hands touch, Emi looks at me with a flustered expression.

"Eh, Mamoru, can I ask you a stupid question?"

"Eh, sure, Emi. What are you going to ask?"

"Ehmm, do you have a girlfriend?"

"Ehh, are you seriously asking me that?"

"Well, I know it's a stupid question. You don't have to answer because I think I know the answer anyway." She smiles playfully.

"Well, what if I said I have a girlfriend right now?"

"Then you're definitely lying."

"Hehe, but hypothetically, let's just say... if Shino was my girlfriend, would you still be close to me?"

Emi stops walking.

"What did you just say, Mamoru? That's a very rude thing to say."

"What if Shino heard that and got upset at you?" She pokes me with her ring finger.

"Uhm, you're right. I went too far."

"That's more like it. You know, girls love men who can admit mistakes more than those who try to hide or lie."

We arrive at the student council room.

"Eh, do you think Kisaragi-senpai is inside, Emi?"

"What kind of question is that, Mamoru? Of course she's probabl—"

Before Emi can finish, the door suddenly opens and a hand appears to grab both our hands.

"Right on time, my kampfler!"

"Huh? Kisaragi-senpai, why did you just grab us?"

"Are you being followed?"

"Eh, no. I'm pretty sure nobody followed us."

"Well, I'm sorry, my kampfler. It's just a precaution. What if an enemy spy suddenly appeared here to steal student council intel so they could make a better school festival than us? And what if—"

Kisaragi-senpai continues telling us about the worst-case scenarios that could happen to the school festival.

"Eh, yeah, we understand, Kisaragi-senpai. We'll be more careful."

"Hmm, ah, yeah. Sorry, I often get off topic. Now, where were we?"

"Uh, you pulled us here," I reply.

"And Kisaragi-senpai, don't forget about Mamoru's 'reward.'" Emi playfully replies, her hand playing with her hair.

"Hehe, of course I won't forget. I was just about to give it to you."

"Yeah, just skip the dramatics and tell me what I should do, Kisaragi-senpai."

"Fufu, how impatient. But alright, we just need to wait a few seconds."

Suddenly, the student council door opens, revealing Shino?!

"Huh? Shino-san, what are you doing here?"

"Well, both you and Emi are going to help Shino." Kisaragi replies with her commanding voice.

"Eh? Help Shino?"

"What, you don't like my reward? You get to have a group project with two girls who are close to you."

Both Shino and Emi gasp and say, "Senpai!!!!"

"Hehe, ah, how to be youth again. Now go forth, my kampfler, and finish the task I give you." Kisaragi points her ring finger toward the door.

We're then forcefully kicked out of the student council office.

"Uh, now what?"

"Well, you'll both help me with this task."

Shino hands Emi and me a paper containing things we need to do.

"Number one: make sure to compliment Mamoru when he's alone without Emi—"

Shino immediately grabs the paper back. "Ah, I must have, ehh, mixed it with another paper. Uhh, here, this is the paper I should've given you."

"Oh, that makes more sense."

Emi giggles when she sees Shino's flustered expression.

"Well, uhh, let's do our best, okay?" Shino replies with a shaky voice.

Both Emi and I say, "Yeah, let's give it our best."

I check the assignment given to me.

"Uhh, Shino-san, it says the first thing I need to do is help you move things."

"Hmm, oh yeah. Come with me to the gym storage room."

"Uhh, okay. See you later, Emi."

"Yeah, hehe. See you, Mamoru."

Shino and I head to the gym.

"So what was that first paper you gave me?"

"Ehh, that, uhh... my fan fiction. I often write fan fiction, you know. I don't need to explain it to you."

I laugh mischievously.

We arrive at the gym.

"So what do I need to do?"

"Come with me to the storage room."

We head to the storage room. The storage room is pretty tight.

"So, what item do you need me to grab?"

"Uhh, that box on the top."

"Okay, got it."

I reach for the box on top of the shelf.

"Can you reach it? Here, let me help."

"Wait, Shino, don't—"

Suddenly the box falls, and... well, let's just say it's worse than, if not the same as, the incident after sports class. I fall on top of Shino.

"Kyaa!" Shino screams.

Now we're both lying on the gym storage room floor.

"Mamoru-san, please..."

"Oh yeah, sorry."

I quickly stand up from Shino's body.

"No, it's fine. Anyway, looks like we got the box. Now we need to grab another box, but try not to fall on me again, okay?"

"Eh, yeah, hehe."

I continue helping Shino grab boxes from the top shelf and put them down.

"Alright, so now what? Do I really need to do just this? Can I go home now?"

"Ah, spoken like a true slacker. No, we're not done. We need to carry some of these boxes to the student council room for the next meeting."

"Eh, okay then. Which box should I bring to the student council room?"

"That one—the big one that contains the sound system and speakers. So be careful, okay?"

"Okay, got it. I'll be careful."

I try to carry the big box.

"Ah, it's so heavy. My gamer muscles can barely hold it... uhh."

"Huh? Do you need help?"

"Ehh, no, I'm good."

You can do it, Mamoru. Use your secret power that you hide from others. Let's go—ora ora ora!

I try to lift the box. I manage to lift only one side while the other side remains on the ground.

"Huh, here, let me help with the other side."

Shino lifts the other side, and we're now carrying the box together.

"Alright, on my count, we move it outside."

"Okay."

"Alright, 3, 2, 1... move."

We move the big box outside.

"How far is the gym from the student council room again?"

"Hmm, it's quite far, so just tell me if you want to take a break, okay?"

"Okay, got it."

We proceed to carry the box from the gym to the student council room.

On the way there, Shino asks me something.

"Uhh, hey, Mamoru-san, can I ask you about something?"

"Sure, what do you want to ask?"

"Ehh, okay, it's quite embarrassing."

"It's fine. Just ask away."

"How close are you and Emilia-san? Because it seems like you're getting really close." She says softly.

"Ehh, we're lovers, hehe."

"What? How? That's impossible! The odds of you being with Emilia-san are like 17%."

"Hehe, what can I say? Odds don't matter when it comes to my charm."

"Okay, stop joking. Just... tell me how close you are to Emilia-san."

"Okay, we're kind of friends, just like you and me, Shino."

"Eh, really? Well, I'm glad to hear it."

"Wait, glad? What do you mean, Shino-san?"

"Eh, oh, looks like we're getting close."

Shino tries not to answer my question, but it's understandable. I don't want to make her feel weird.

"Okay, where should I put it?"

"Put it there, next to the desk."

We place the box next to the desk.

"Alright, I'm done for the day, right?"

Shino sighs. "Yeah, we're done for today. You can leave now."

"Okay then. See you, Shino-san."

As I open the door, Shino calls out.

"Wait, Mamoru-san."

"Yeah, Shino-san?"

"You did a good job today. Could be better, but nevertheless, you did a good job for today. I mean, ehh..."

Shino blushes profusely.

"Yeah, you're welcome."

As I leave, I can see Shino smile lovingly.

I head to the school gate and see Emi helping Kisaragi-senpai, but I don't want to bother her, so I continue walking home.

Boy, today has been an exhausting day for me, especially since I rarely exercise.

When I reach the school gate, I see Emi wave at me. I wave back before leaving the school grounds.

At home, I receive a message from an unknown number. I read the message:

"Good job, kampfler. Don't forget you still need to help tomorrow and until the day you can become a full-fledged soldier—or in your language, until the school festival."

"Now rest, kampfler. Tomorrow is another big day for you."

I reply with "Yes sir, understood sir."

I save Kisaragi-senpai's number to my phone and decide to take a shower to clean off my stench.

I see Kaede come out of her room.

"Huh? What is that smell?"

"Hey Kaede, I'm back from school. Come give your brother a lovely hug."

"Ehh, disgusting." She holds her nose.

"By the way, onii-chan, you came home late today. Why?"

"Oh, I volunteered to help the student council."

"Oh, so that's the reason. Well, take a shower, okay? Because you smell awful."

Kaede goes to the kitchen, probably to grab milk from the fridge.

I go to the bathroom and take off all my clothes to shower.

Boy, today really has been an exhausting day.

To be continued... See you next Wednesday