Stealing Spree

Across the country, baseball is one of the most popular sports that even has dedicated stadiums and fields everywhere. That’s why even in a school not specialized in it a Baseball Club still had a high standing among the faculty and perhaps the whole student body.

Not for me though. If I ever became interested in a sport, then it was because the girl I was targeting was more or less involved with it.

Shizu’s choice to go there personally could be attributed to the popularity of her masked persona. She could act as the well-liked and popular President that could probably intimidate someone if they knew of her identity.

If that didn’t work on the Baseball Club, she would surely not go there blindly without preparing something to protect herself and to make them fall in line.

Perhaps even without me, she could settle whatever the problem was about. My presence was probably for her to at least feel safe.

I could be wrong though.

In any case, after knowing what she was going to do, especially with the reason why she was going there, there’s no way I would let her go alone.

Following behind the popular Student Council President, we left the couple to watch the room and to inform that Vice President, if he would still arrive, where we went.

With all the clubs going about their activities, the two of us walked about the somewhat noisy corridors in succinct silence.

I didn’t attempt to talk to her and treated this time as work hours for my secretary job for her. Nonetheless, I would answer normally when she asked me about something Student Council work-related.

Since the Baseball Club was located outside, Shizu first visited the other reported clubs inside the Club Building and of course, starting from the 3rd floor.

The interior of the Club Building was kind of wide so there were at least 20 club rooms per floor, some of them were connected to another room like that abandoned club room we were using during the Mentor Program or the clubroom where we stayed before Nami introduced me to the Student Support Club. Then some were just outright composed of two rooms like a classroom.

Fortunately, the clubs I am involved in weren’t included in her list of violators. Most of them were hobby clubs like the Poem Appreciation Club.

Just on the 3rd floor, we stopped before three clubrooms.

With Shizu facing them when they opened the door, most of those clubs were guilty of what was reported.

Being seen as her follower and her hired muscle, I made sure to stand behind Shizu and where they could see me while putting on some kind of intimidating act to add to the pressure being exuded by her.

At the moment, we’re now on the second floor and at the first club on her list.

The Entomology Club.

Although that didn’t sound like a hobby club, it’s certainly somewhat weird. Are the members of this club Insect Enthusiasts?

Ah. In any case, they were reported to have violated something so… probably not all of them were like that.

“Your club has been reported to have misappropriated the funds to those not related to your club activity. Will you tell me what a kotatsu is doing in a club that is about researching insects?”

With her arms crossed to appear more intimidating, Shizu didn’t mince words as soon as we were invited inside. With the paper where the report and some kind of evidence were stapled, she presented it to the Club President who looked like a nerdy girl with big round glasses.

The club members behind her also appeared somewhat nerdy and they were already sweating bullets as they couldn’t find words to answer Shizu’s question.

Truthfully, even without that report, it was easy to see that it was true.

Looking around the room, I could feel a cozy atmosphere but no insects. True there was some kind of posters or books about it but… this room reeked of something like a slacker club.

Besides, above the kotatsu, they’re playing a board game, a tabletop RPG to be exact.

These guys, why name their club as Entomology Club instead of being true to their desire to play that kind of game?

Is it because of the already existing Game Club? I don’t know.

After a while, the Club President came up with an answer that was clearly made up on the spot.

“That… It’s cold, President. The insects are dying from it.”

“Hmm? Is that so? How thoughtful of you.”

Even if I was behind her, I could imagine her smiling while throwing that sarcastic remark that made the Club President gulp down the follow-up words she probably thought of.

“Why not buy a heater instead? Are the insects you’re trying to study beneath that kotatsu? Are they also playing with you? Why don’t you invite us as well?”

And with those continuous questions by her, the Club President, as well as their members, simultaneously lowered their heads in defeat.

“I apologize for using the club funds for buying the kotatsu… I take full responsibility for this offense.”

“I don’t need your apology but I do need you to take responsibility. You do know I have the right to take that kotatsu away, right? However, I’ll give you a chance to keep it.”

Throughout the clubs we went to, Shizu used this kind of approach. Revealing their offense before giving them a chance to redeem themselves.

Well, not everyone had some misappropriation of funds just like this club but it was fairly the same that they violated something from the regulations set by the Student Council.

Upon hearing what Shizu said, the Club President and all her members seemingly brightened up as if they found a way out.

“Don’t rejoice yet. In the meantime, I want a report of your activity related to the name of your club everyday at my desk. You can fake it. If that’s what you want. However, once I found out about it, expect your club to be disbanded, am I clear?”

“Y-yes! We’ll buy insects to study later!”

“Great. We’re done here. Onoda-kun, let’s go.”

Ignoring the thankful praises of the members of that club, Shizu, still with her arms crossed as she kept that for appearances’ sake, left the room with me following behind her.

It’s already the 4th club and everything was considered a success.

Seeing her hardworking back as I followed her, I couldn’t help but have the urge to hold her and praise her.

Well, she wouldn’t like it and besides, we’re not in a private room so it’s better to just be a follower for now.

“Onoda-kun.”

As we were about to descend the last set of stairs to the 1st floor, Shizu stopped in her tracks and called out my name.

I also stopped my feet and remained behind her, waiting for her next words.

Perhaps noticing my silence, Shizu slowly turned around to face me.

“Why don’t you… walk next to me?”

With her voice part genuinely asking why and part pleading, I finally noticed my blunder.

She was waiting for me to talk to her.

Perhaps the real reason she had me come with her was for a change of scenery for the two of us. All this time we were only interacting inside the Student Council Room.

With the reports as an excuse, she was probably waiting for me to approach her and start a conversation. Not to just become her follower.

But… there’s still a possibility that I was only assuming these things. Whenever she had her mask on, Shizu was truly harder to read.