⚆⚆?!
The school isn't going to stop functioning just because a few of us are missing, right?
Hakuto's mind went blank when he heard Nao's words. Did Otosaka Shunsuke know that the student council he founded was now using public funds for fun?
Besides, wasn't the purpose of creating the student council to ensure that Hoshinoumi Academy could function properly…
Seeing that Hakuto had been frozen in place for too long, Nao instinctively kicked his shin.
"What are you standing around for? Come help move things."
"Oh..." Hakuto snapped out of his daze at Nao's voice, but the next second, he suddenly realized—it's only six in the morning!
"Wait... Are you saying you dragged me to school at six in the morning just to move things for today's stalls?"
"Huh? No, also for tomorrow's stalls…"
"I actually fell for it! I really thought it was something urgent! I didn't even wash my face before coming here!"
"Isn't this important?"
Hearing this, Hakuto was at a loss for words. He wanted to find something to refute Nao, but he couldn't come up with anything.
It was as if he had lost all his strength and means.
There was no other way. Even though he kept complaining, he still had to help move things.
"What are you selling? And what about Takajo and the others?"
"Takajo will be here later. Nishimori can't come because of her circumstances, but she did bring out a lot of her merchandise…"
As she spoke, Nao pulled out a signed album of Yusarin from the box Hakuto was carrying.
Hakuto took a glance at the album in her hands, then looked her up and down before saying,
"With this stuff, Takajo might just keep everything for himself."
"Don't worry, I won't sell to him."
"Even if you don't, this kind of thing will probably be gone the moment it hits the stall…"
"I know, that's why I also got some Zhiend merch."
?? Zhiend merch?
From what Hakuto understood, Yusarin was practically a national idol in Japan, or at least close to it.
Her merchandise was always in short supply, let alone signed albums—if you dared to put one out, someone would snatch it up immediately.
Price didn't matter. The power of devoted fans was unstoppable.
Meanwhile, Zhiend was a post-rock band that had held concerts in Japan a few times, but their popularity wasn't high. Most of their fanbase was overseas.
So if both types of merch were put on sale, Nishimori's items would be gone in an instant, while Zhiend's might have some buyers, but not many.
"Honestly, I thought you'd put your portable music player up for sale."
Nao waved her hand dismissively, ignoring his comment, and continued,
"By the way, what did you prepare?"
"Huh? Me?"
Hearing her words, Hakuto was dumbfounded. His eyes widened in shock.
"Wasn't I just here to have fun? I had to prepare something too?"
"Huh? Didn't Toyosaki say they set up a special stall just for you? What do you think I agreed to that for?"
"Wasn't it because you had no choice? You said it yourself."
"Take this!"
"Hey, hey, hey! Why are you hitting me again? You were the one who said it!"
…
Meanwhile, at the Nakano household—
"Ah! Why didn't anyone tell me there was a school event today?!"
Yotsuba ran around the living room like a headless chicken, hurriedly gathering things—though it wasn't clear what exactly she was looking for.
On the couch, Miku and Itsuki followed her movements with their eyes, almost instinctively.
"Didn't your homeroom teacher tell you?"
"I don't know!" Yotsuba continued rummaging through the living room, leaving a mess behind.
"Ahem! Yotsuba, what are you looking for?"
"Isn't this a stall event? I'm looking for something to sell!"
"I already prepared that ages ago."
At that moment, Nino walked out of the kitchen carrying a tray of freshly baked cookies.
"You're ready, but I'm not…"
Seeing Yotsuba's flustered state, Itsuki shook her head helplessly.
"Yotsuba… The school rules say each group must have at least three members, so what Nino prepared is also for us."
"Oh~ I see!"
Itsuki picked up a cookie from the tray and popped it into her mouth.
"Mmm! So good!"
"Nino's cooking is as amazing as ever." Ichika also praised.
"Of course! Do you even need to ask who made these?"
Hearing their compliments, Nino's nose practically lifted to the sky in pride.
"But this batch won't be enough, will it…?"
"Don't worry, I made plenty…" Nino reassured them just as the oven timer dinged.
"Oh, another batch is ready…"
By the time Nino returned with the fresh cookies, the previous batch had mysteriously vanished from the table.
Where are my cookies?!
According to the law of conservation of mass, if the cookies were gone, they must have ended up in someone's mouth.
Just like Itsuki and Yotsuba's mouths right now…
"Yotsuba! Itsuki!"
"Mmph I didn't eat them…" Itsuki mumbled through a mouth full of cookies, refusing to admit guilt.
"Miku, watch the oven for me—"
"Wait, Nino, I was wrong! I won't eat them again!"
Seeing Nino roll up her sleeves, Yotsuba and Itsuki immediately fled.
But just then, Ichika shook her phone and said to the others,
"Everyone! I just asked Shiratori, and he said he's coming to this event too."
As soon as she said that, Nino, who had just been about to chase down Yotsuba and Itsuki, froze in place.
She turned around in an exaggerated manner and walked back to Ichika.
"Wasn't Shiratori studying in another school?" Miku asked.
"He said the school specifically allowed him to come back for the event. He even asked where our stall is—he said he'd come help us later."
"The stall? I think we were assigned stall number 16…" Nino thought for a moment before answering.
"What?! What?! Shiratori-sensei is coming?!" Yotsuba's excitement skyrocketed—after all, she had a very high opinion of Hakuto.
"Yotsuba! You still dare to show your face in front of me?!"
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