Chapter 75: "I need you!"
Beside the sports field.
Sakurai Saki pulled Ishigami Yuu along toward the basketball gymnasium.
Earlier, Nakano Yotsuba had just sent him a message, saying that the club still needed her help today. Sakurai had already guessed this would happen — he noticed that this ever-energetic girl Yotsuba seemed really bad at refusing others.
The closer the relationship, the harder it was for her to say "no."
Sakurai Saki didn't really mind his position in her heart — actually, it was easy to understand with just a bit of thinking: one side was a newly acquainted tutor, the other side was friends who often asked for favors. It's obvious who she would choose, right?
In such situations, prioritizing familiarity over reason was natural. Even if Yotsuba knew that studying would benefit her more, she most likely still wouldn't choose Sakurai Saki. As for the reason, Sakurai more or less understood.
Maybe it was because she was afraid of damaging relationships, or perhaps it was a deeply ingrained habit — helping so much that it became second nature, something she could no longer change.
The worse someone is at refusing, the harder it is to refuse — truly a vicious cycle.
People like that are very easy to like.
After all, who hates kind people?
Kind people are liked by both good and bad — being able to maintain a pure and kind heart in this world is truly difficult.
...
Sakurai Saki and Ishigami Yuu stepped into the basketball gym.
As expected, the court was currently being used by the girls' basketball club. The boys' club preferred the outdoor court, so there were almost never any conflicts over space between the two.
As soon as Sakurai Saki entered, he didn't see any sign of Yotsuba.
The two walked over to the edge of the court and watched for a while — it seemed like they were short one member today, even the bench was empty, no wonder they had to call Yotsuba for help.
Ishigami Yuu glanced at Sakurai Saki, who was observing beside him, and asked:
"Sakurai-senpai, did you bring me here just to watch this?"
"I came to look for someone, but she's not here," Sakurai replied straightforwardly.
While they were talking, practice was temporarily paused. The girls' basketball club members started hydrating and taking a break.
High school girls, sport, sweat — putting those words together sounds kind of sexy. But the reality in the gym, due to poor ventilation, wasn't pleasant at all.
There were quite a few people around watching — ever since school started, there were still many first-years who hadn't joined any clubs.
The presence of Sakurai and Ishigami here drew some attention.
"Let's go." Not seeing the person he was looking for, Sakurai decided not to waste time anymore.
But just as he turned around, his eyes caught a few girls from the basketball team gathered together chatting.
Sakurai Saki activated his superpower for today — hyper sensitivity — focusing it on his ears to hear at ten times the normal level.
Their conversation entered his ears.
"Why isn't Yotsuba here yet? Doesn't she know that without her we can't practice properly today? She clearly agreed already, now suddenly says she's helping teachers move stuff. Doesn't she realize she's bothering other people?"
"She was late yesterday too. When she arrived, she was like 'Ah, sorry everyone, I had something more important today.' It was so laughable, what, does she think she's someone important?"
"She's just someone who came to help, acting like she's the center of attention, so ridiculous."
One girl laughed — loud enough to hear even from the doorway.
"I'm telling you, that 'something more important' was probably just helping another club, right? Anyway, Yotsuba is everyone's Yotsuba~" As soon as that was said, she burst out laughing.
"Everyone's tool, wherever there's a gap she gets moved there, like a brick." Another voice chimed in.
"Hey! That's too much! Yotsuba gives up her rest time to help us practice!" — A girl who was the closest to Yotsuba rushed into the group mid-conversation.
"Sorry, sorry, we were just joking~" A girl laughed awkwardly to smooth things over, but Sakurai still saw the corner of her mouth curl up.
"All just joking, why are you being so serious? It's not like we said those things in front of Yotsuba, and it's true that she was late, wasn't she? If she broke her promise, can't even take a few words of criticism? Besides, we were just 'slightly' talking behind her back."
A girl with a ponytail spoke with clear displeasure.
"Stop talking, stop talking, Yotsuba's coming!"
Upon hearing that, the group of girls immediately dispersed.
Sakurai Saki looked over at Ishigami Yuu, whose face showed no expression.
"Ishigami, selfless sacrifice like that… isn't it stupid?"
"Very stupid," Ishigami replied without hesitation.
Not seeking repayment makes your help lose value, and the one being helped will take it for granted. This kind of behavior that harms yourself to benefit others, Ishigami neither does nor wants to do.
Asking for something in return actually reassures the person being helped, and benefits oneself as well.
Just imagine — when you're in trouble and a stranger suddenly comes to help you without asking for anything in return. Once might make you feel grateful, but if it happens multiple times?
Are they scheming for something bigger? Are they calculating something behind the scenes?
People are inherently suspicious. That's why — don't do good deeds without leaving your name. Being a little selfish doesn't take away from the meaning of kindness. Anonymous donations are great, but putting your name on them — no one will blame you. Helping others then turning your back and walking away might look cool, but openly receiving a reward isn't wrong either — it's not a bad thing.
"But I still like people like that," Sakurai Saki continued.
Who would hate a good person?
Like said from the beginning — no one hates good people.
"Me too," Ishigami Yuu replied, though he didn't quite understand why Sakurai brought up this topic.
But he liked good people too.
Whether it was Shirogane Miyuki, or Sakurai Saki, even Shinomiya Kaguya who always looked at him with killer eyes — they were all good people!
Ishigami Yuu didn't say it out loud, but deep down he was truly grateful to have been able to join the Student Council, and to have met everyone.
What he said last time — that he wanted to limit his relationships to just the Student Council — really came from the bottom of his heart. For Ishigami, having lots of friends wasn't necessary, just having the best ones was enough.
The three senpai who always cared about him had brought him warmth in a life full of failures — it was just a shame that there was always one strange creature hanging around in the Student Council, and that really bothered Ishigami.
"Let's wait a bit longer," Sakurai Saki said, having heard from the group of girls earlier that Yotsuba was about to arrive.
The two continued to wait inside the gymnasium.
A few minutes later, the door opened, and a girl with orange hair tied with green ribbon like bunny ears came running in.
Nakano Yotsuba ran over and joined the group.
"Sorry~ Sensei just called me to move some things, there was so much it took a bit longer~" Yotsuba slightly bowed in apology.
Having promised to help but arriving late — that really wasn't good.
"It's fine, as long as you're here."
"We've been waiting forever! Without you, we can't practice at all! Be sure to come earlier next time, okay?" someone still complained.
Nakano Yotsuba clasped her hands in front of her chest, tilted her head, and smiled awkwardly: "Sorry~ I'll come earlier next time~"
"Hurry and go change."
Yotsuba raised her hand and shouted loudly: "I'm going right now!"
After she left, the basketball club members instantly changed their expressions.
"Always smiling like that, it's disgusting." Someone muttered — no one heard it except Sakurai Saki.
"Yotsuba is really liked by a bunch of guys~ So jealous~"
"That type of girl who's sweet to everyone, probably only shows up in places like that, huh?"
"Places like what?" someone asked with a laugh.
"Like nighttime gathering spots?~ Aiya, I slipped up. Sorry, sorry~ just kidding~"
Sakurai Saki suppressed the urge to vomit and deactivated his power.
That kind of badmouthing behind someone's back made him feel utterly disgusted.
Actually, among them, there were girls who didn't really believe Yotsuba would do such things — they were just going along with the atmosphere.
To avoid becoming the scapegoat, even though they knew it was wrong, they wouldn't speak up, because saying something at that moment would make them seem like they didn't "read the room."
When everyone is bashing one person, and you suddenly speak up in their defense — what, you don't want to hang out with us anymore? You don't want to get along?
In a situation like that, what kind of ending awaits the person who speaks out?
Answer: Isolation.
Later, strange scribbles will start appearing on her desk, a flowerpot will be found on her table every morning, her books will be thrown away. Sometimes, she might even get grabbed by the hair and have her head shoved into a sink in the bathroom.
Bullying — that's the only word that sums it up.
This is Shuchiin — no one here would ever do something so disgraceful, of course. But excluding someone from a small group? That's way too easy.
In high school, social hierarchies naturally form within the class.
And Shuchiin is no exception.
At the most basic level, there are two completely different tiers of students: those who entered through entrance exams — known as the "Mixed institute", and those who moved up from Shuchiin's middle school — the "Pure institute." This is a widely accepted understanding among Shuchiin students.
On a more complex level, as mentioned before, students are also divided by club affiliation. Sports clubs rank highest, followed by cultural clubs, and lastly, the ones from the so-called "Go-home club."
Apart from the Student Council, which can somewhat escape that hierarchy, most students are bound tightly by those [unwritten rules].
"Sakurai-senpai, I feel like throwing up." Ishigami Yuu looked at the girls chatting and laughing — he could already guess what they were talking about.
As someone who had the privilege of experiencing isolation firsthand in middle school, Ishigami Yuu knew all too well the true nature of people like that.
A bitter memory suddenly surfaced in his mind. Ishigami Yuu frowned and spoke up: "Senpai, isn't the person you're waiting for that girl who just walked past?"
Is that girl an idiot?
How could she still smile like that? And with such a radiant smile too?
No matter how dumb someone is, they should at least notice something, right?
Ishigami Yuu liked good people — and that was exactly why he felt so upset right now.
There was even a tinge of anger!
"Ishigami, she's not even a member of the girls' basketball club," Sakurai Saki said as he looked at Yotsuba walking out from the locker room nearby.
"She's not a basketball club member?" Ishigami Yuu was shocked.
Then what was she apologizing for all this time?
She just came to lend a hand, was only a few minutes late — is that something to bow and scrape over? It's not like she committed some kind of sin!
And those girls — what right do they even have to criticize her? Who gave them that authority?
Sakurai Saki smiled at him: "Interesting, right? She's one of the students I'll be teaching."
Ishigami Yuu sighed. "What a dummy."
But not in a bad way.
Sakurai Saki thought to himself — before teaching Yotsuba academics, he absolutely had to teach her how to say no to people.
The next moment, he pushed through the crowd of onlookers and stepped out.
Ishigami Yuu followed behind, walking forward under the disapproving gazes of some students, and made his way to the front row.
"Excuse me, basketball club members! The Student Council needs to borrow Nakano-san for a bit!"
So direct, Sakurai-senpai~ How bold.
"Ah! But we were just about to start practice! Can't it wait till next time?" one of the members asked.
Ishigami Yuu saw someone lean in and whisper to that girl.
'Probably something about Shinomiya-senpai.'
Ishigami Yuu guessed.
The Student Council had Shinomiya Kaguya's backing. Her influence at Shuchiin was even greater than the VIPs of the inner-club union — if anything, she was a VVIP.
"This is kind of urgent. I'll go explain it to Hasegawa-senpai myself. She's been busy with her studies lately — not sure if she'll even have time to listen to me ramble," said Sakurai Saki.
When he said that, Ishigami Yuu could clearly see the girls flinch.
Hasegawa-senpai? Probably the captain of the girls' basketball team? Ishigami Yuu guessed.
"Sakurai-san, just take Yotsuba with you. It's no big deal, no need to bother Hasegawa-senpai over something like this."
"Yeah, yeah! Go on ahead, we can practice on our own."
"Yotsuba~ see you next time~"
A few seconds later, Ishigami Yuu saw Sakurai Saki holding the hand of the still-dazed Yotsuba, walking toward him.
Grabbing their stuff and waiting for Yotsuba to change, the three of them left the basketball gym together.
"Sakurai-san, what did the Student Council need me for?" Nakano Yotsuba asked, not doubting Sakurai Saki's words at all.
"There's nothing. I just lied to them," Sakurai Saki replied bluntly.
"Eh!" Nakano Yotsuba froze in place.
"That's… not really okay, is it?"
As she said that, she turned to Ishigami Yuu and cheerfully greeted him: "Hey there, classmate! I'm Nakano Yotsuba. Are you a friend of Sakurai-san?"
"Nakano-senpai, nice to meet you. I'm Ishigami Yuu," he introduced himself.
For this kind of idiot, he actually felt interested in getting to know her.
"Oh, so you're a kouhai-kun! I'm your senpai, you know! Hehe~ That's the first time someone's called me 'senpai'~" Yotsuba beamed brightly.
Ishigami Yuu looked at her face.
He thought for a few seconds, then asked, "Nakano-senpai, why didn't you refuse their request?"
He was sure she had already sensed something.
"Because they needed me!" Nakano Yotsuba replied like it was the most natural thing in the world.
The three of them continued walking toward the library.
"What about me then?"
At that question, Sakurai Saki suddenly spoke up: "Didn't I need you yesterday too? Yotsuba, when you left me behind and walked away, did you ever think about how I felt?"
Nakano Yotsuba was stunned.
"…What?"
"I said: I need you too," Sakurai Saki answered.
"But… they needed me too…"
Hearing that, Sakurai Saki stopped walking, and so did Yotsuba.
"What's wrong?" she asked, curious.
"I'll say it again."
He placed a hand on Yotsuba's shoulder, looked her straight in the eye, and said seriously:
"I need you, Yotsuba!"
A handsome face suddenly leaning in close — Yotsuba's cheeks gradually turned red.
'Is this… a confession?' Nakano Yotsuba felt her heart race.
It was the first time a boy had ever said something like that to her.
"Just assuming I wouldn't care, and leaving me behind like that… don't you think that's kind of cruel?" Sakurai Saki continued.
Rather than let this foolish girl get used by the basketball club girls, Sakurai Saki would rather use her himself!
"You're important to me."
Sakurai Saki made every word clear: "So don't leave me behind without a word, okay?"
Nakano Yotsuba lowered her head.
She responded shyly, "I… I understand."
Standing nearby, Ishigami Yuu had been silently watching the entire scene. Even he could feel the terrifying aura of Sakurai Saki.
So casually dropping words that could easily be mistaken as confessions — and not even being aware of it himself.
What a scary man.
At that moment, Ishigami Yuu felt truly glad he was a guy! Otherwise, he might've "ovulation" over Sakurai too!
...
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