บท 336: Chapter 2 Part VII
One hour left to go until lights out at 10 o'clock. In our shared room, without much to say to one another, we passed the time in silence. The trigger for everyone to get along with each other is a hard one. Even if you suddenly started speaking to someone from another class, they'll just wonder what you're even putting in the effort for and so it's difficult to strike up a conversation. It would be great if someone took the initiative to give us a topic to converse about but that seems hopeless.
At that moment, someone lightly knocked on the door. Looks like we have a visitor.
"Who is it? At a time like this."
Doesn't seem like anyone knows and so everyone curiously looked at the door.
"Might be a teacher."
Ishizaki indifferently said so. Certainly that's a possibility. Keisei got up and started walking while asking who's knocking. The person on the other side truly is someone unexpected.
"Are you guys still up?"
"President Nagumo, can we help you with something?"
"I came to check on you guys since we're in the same group. Can I come in?"
There isn't a single 1st year brave enough to say 'no' after having heard that. Keisei immediately gave his consent and welcomed Nagumo into the room. But apparently he didn't come alone. He's accompanied by Vice President Kiriyama as well as two 3rd year students. One of them is a student from Class B named Tsunoda and the other, Ishikura, is also from Class B. Upon entering the room, Nagumo surveyed his surroundings.
"As expected, they made the room the same way you did, senpai."
Nagumo smiled and said so to Ishikura.
"Looks like it. So? How are you planning on deepening the ties between us by dragging us all the way to the 1st years' room?"
He asked Nagumo but Keisei, not quite having comprehended the situation, asked Nagumo.
"Deepening ties?"
"I told you, didn't I? I came to check on you guys since we're in the same group. We don't have any televisions or PCs or cell phones here. To be honest with you guys, there's nothing remotely similar to entertainment here. But it's not like we have absolutely nothing to play with."
Saying that, Nagumo brought out a small box from inside the pocket of his jersey.
"Cards?"
"Playing cards in this day and age? I'm sure that's what you're thinking. But this is a staple of training camps much like this one."
Nagumo casually sat down in a vacant spot. And then he peeled the vinyl tape off the sealed box, opening it.
"Please take your seats too, senpai. Sorry 1st years but since there isn't much space, please go back to your beds."
Nagumo stopped the 1st years who were taking their seats and said that.
"I'm not doing this."
Tsunoda declined and turned his back.
"Please don't say that, let's do it. We may be able to talk about things we can't discuss anywhere else."
Having been stopped like that, Tsunoda resignedly took his seat. After him, Ishikura too, took his seat.
"To liven up the game, I'm thinking we should bet something on it. I'm looking for some good ideas."
The 1st years, already nervous given that they're dealing with a senior student, couldn't give out any ideas right away. It's probably mostly because they don't know what they should and should not say to the student council president.
Nagumo too, knows that the 1st years would naturally shrink back like this.
"We've decided on the order in which we'll cook breakfast, right? Why don't we go back to that as a starting point and bet that on this? If you keep losing again and again then in the worst case scenario, you'll have to cook breakfast up until the day this training camp ends. On the other hand, if you don't lose at all then you won't have to cook breakfast even once. That's what I'm trying to say."
"Oi, Nagumo. Isn't that something we should discuss with the whole group?"
Ishikura called out to him.
"It's just the order in which we cook breakfast. Please give me some leeway with this at least."
Since he's acting as student council president of this school, he unreservedly spoke his wishes even to his seniors. On the other hand, it doesn't look like the 3rd years can act too tough when dealing with Nagumo. Knowing of the showdown between him and Horikita Manabu, they probably don't want to muddy the waters by intervening clumsily.
"Got it. Let's play cards and decide."
"We're fine with this too, right?"
Keisei, with some slight reservation, turned towards the 1st years in the room and asked.
Ishizaki, Hashimoto and the others all gave small nods as though in consent. I did the same too. And then the remaining students nodded, with a slight delay. With the sole exception of Kouenji.
"Kouenji, you object to using playing cards to decide?"
It would have been fine to just ignore him but Nagumo boldly spoke to Kouenji. In the gymnasium, during the afternoon, their little back-and-forth there may have something to do with this.
"I neither approve nor disapprove. The majority vote already seems to have given you the answer."
"It has nothing to do with numbers. I want you to tell me what you think."
"Then allow me to answer you, student council president. I don't have the slightest interest in this interaction. To consent or to object. I haven't even thought of such things. Does this satisfy you?"
Kouenji's remarks sound like they'll cause problems again. However, Nagumo gave a pleasant laugh and unexpectedly said this to Kouenji.
"Why don't you join the student council, Kouenji? I'd like to welcome someone as interesting as you into it. From what I hear, you're quite capable too when it comes to academics and sports."
Everyone in the room, including the 3rd years, were shocked at this. No, Kouenji's the only one whose expression didn't change.
"It's unfortunate. I have no interest in the student council."
"I suppose so. But know that you're welcome anytime. If the student council happens to catch your interest, feel free to call me anytime."
It looks like Nagumo didn't expect Kouenji to accept immediately from the very beginning.
"Now then, shall we play cards?"
Nagumo averted his eyes from Kouenji and once again proposed that to us.
"What exactly will we be playing?"
"Let's see, why don't we just play Old Maid? The last one to hold the Joker loses. Two from each school year will participate. Six of us in total for this match."
I'm not very familiar with playing cards but Old Maid is something even I know about.
"Participating students are free to switch out. But please just don't do so when we're in the middle of the game."
Nagumo said so and started shuffling the cards. And once he's done doing that he handed them over to the 3rd years. To ensure there's no cheating going on, he handed them over to the 1st years as well.
Keisei, while shuffling the cards, looked for one more student who'd be willing to participate. Since no one volunteered, Hashimoto resignedly raised his hand and came down from his bed.
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