Chapter 11: How group works should be handled (Hikigaya Zachiman's Edition)

"Sorry for the inconvenience but Yukinoshita took her day off due to sickness." Hiratsuka-sensei informed this news all of the remaining members we have left.

"Why do I not surprise about this?" I quietly murmured.

Luckily no one heard my words. So lucky.

About Yukinoshita's health, it is to be expected that it turned out this way. No matter how much physical strength and wisdom you are, as long as you're a human you couldn't finish all of those numerous shit of works alone without having your health sacrificed.

This fact should be considered as a common sense fact yet not only none of those absent junks ever mind to come back and help us out but the number of the remaining members who decide to join those junks also keep increasing day after day.

This year's cultural festival is done for I guess.

Bzzzzzz…

Something shivering in my trouser.

It's my phone. And the name 'Yuigahama Yui' is showed on my phone screen.

I cut the line off immediately.

Can't you tell that I'm busy?

About 5 seconds after my phone stop shivering, it rang again.

This girl again.

"Can't you tell that I'm busy?" I asked her annoyingly.

"Sorry, but it can't be help. I didn't meet Yukinon today so I think you might know something." Yuigahama replied.

Who am I? Her bodyguard?

"Why me? Why don't you ask her classmates or her homeroom teacher instead?" I asked.

"Well, how do I put it. Because it is meddleso- no I just don't want to draw their attentions to me, that's all." She replied.

Meddlesome, huh? This girl's bitchness is higher than I expected to be.

"It can't be help. It's not like I tried to keep this news from you but Hiratsuka-sensei just informed me that Yukinoshita is absent due to sickness a moment ago." I replied.

"Eh? Then at least why didn't you either call me or email me about this?" She complained.

"Do you actually think I'm allowed to do? Let alone having time to do it. If Hiratsuka-sensei caught me doing that stuff I'm sure she would penalize me afterward." I replied.

The moment I finish replying Hiratsuka-sensei approach me.

"That's right Hikigaya. You will be penalized. And your penalty is you will be forced to leave the work for today in order to go check up on Yukinoshita." Hiratsuka-sensei announced loudly with smile.

You sadist teacher.

"Thank you Hiratsuka-sensei. Come on Hikki, let's visit Yukinon. Don't worry, I know where she live." Yuigahama said happily.

Hiratsuka-sensei. You raised your voice for that purpose, huh?

"If I found out that you didn't check up on Yukinoshita then prepared to be promoted into a new vice president the next day and took all of burden on your back alone. No one would protest it if you become her substitution since you are at the same rank as her." Hiratsuka-sensei threatened me.

"How did this person even get the teacher license?"

Mouth. Please learn to shut yourself up.

"Stop wasting your time here and go to check Yukinoshita already."

"Okay. Then please excuse me."

Well, at least I could consider this penalty as an opportunity to take a break from this shit workload even just for one day.

(Yukinoshita's apartment)

Well, she's a rich girl alright. If I haven't learned that beforehand my mouth might be hanging by now.

And now I let Yuigahama be the one who contact Yukinoshita. Knowing Yukinoshita, she might ended up calling the police officers in order to arrest me if I was the one who took this role.

"Yes?" said familiar yet weak voice.

Oh. So Yukinoshita still alive, isn't she?

"Yukinon. It's Yui. Are you okay?" Yuigahama replied.

"Indeed. I'm fine, so ..." Yukinoshita replied.

So we should leave? Oh no you don't.

"Open up already. We won't take no for an answer this time." I commanded.

"Why are you here?" Yukinoshita asked.

"According to an order the superior, we need to talk." I answered.

After hearing that, she open up the entrance and door to us. So surprisingly obedient for her.

"You see. We heard you took a day off, so we were wondering if you were alright." Yuigahama said worriedly.

"You're too worried. I'm just taking one day off. I was pretty tired, but I can deal with this." Yukinoshita said.

But your ki tell me that one day off isn't enough for you.

"That isn't the only problem here, right?" Surprisingly, Yuigahama uttered something wise.

"You don't need to take everything on yourself." Yuigahama continued.

"I know. That's why I delegated work and made it less of a burden-" Yukinoshita answered.

"No, you didn't. And I'm a little mad, y'know? At both you and Hikki." Yuigahama cut her off.

What did you mad at me? Because I treated you as an airhead or something?

"As for you, Hikki. Why didn't you help Yukinon when she is in trouble?" Yuigahama scolded me.

"To help her mean I need to disqualify that red hair bitch from a president position or rewind the time back and prevent older Yukinoshita to meet with that bitch president. And I believed that even you could tell that both are impossible tasks." I retorted.

"Just say that you had to did your job and took care of paperwork you were assigned to would enough right?" Yukinoshita said.

"Endless extra paperworks to be exact." I corrected her.

I won't tell her that all the jobs on my part are all done. All left unfinished are all works that were others' unless I want to do more works.

"We've still got time. Plus, I'm work here at home too, so there's not much of a delay. You don't need to worry, Yuigahama-san." Yukinoshita concluded.

The fact that you work here without having your sickness cured would only extend the delay. Knowing you, regardless of realizing this fact or not, you would still commit the same thing.

"That's just wrong." Yuigahama murmured.

"Relying, helping and supporting each other. They weren't wrong but they weren't completely right either. No matter how you do, there's exist one or more person who has to work more than most people do. You will rely on people or not isn't my concern. But your way of doing thing would only work on an individual work, not a group work like cultural festival." I said.

"Are you saying that someone like you know a way that work on a group work?" Yukinoshita retorted.

"Be it individual or group, fulfilled the work of your own part is enough. Also, the group work isn't only yours and so is the work's responsibility." I concluded.

"That was called 'irresponsible', Hikigaya-kun. Disg- It's hurt. What are you doing all of sudden?" said Yukinoshita but was cut off by having herself lifted up due to being grabbed on the forehead.

"Wait, Hikki! What are you doing?" said Yuigahama.

"And your action up until now is just a struggling to prove to your sister that you could handle this work better than her. As a result, you worn out without having any tasks finished as you can see from the fact that you don't even have enough stamina to break free from my grab. Rather than being responsible, you're just wasting your time and efforts. No, I mean everyone's." I said as I stun her for a moment before healing her and then throw her at Yuigahama's direction.

"That was just my way to bless her to get well soon. Now I'm taking a leave. See you." I walked out..

What a waste. I just ended up recover her energy using Kaioshin apprentice's healing technique. There's no guarantee that she would perform her work well next time but it's better than having that garbage of a cultural festival president getting cockier than she already is.

(The next day)

Apparently Sagomi- no Sagami was originally the one who was supposed to take control, but she was chatting in front of the whiteboard with her friends who were nominated as secretaries.

"Sagami-san, Yukinoshita-san. Everyone's here now." Student council president spoke up, unable to stay complacent.

Sagami's chatter stopped and then looked at Yukinoshita.

"Yukinoshita-san?" said Sagami.

Yukinoshita jerked her face upwards, but she quickly assessed the situation.

"We will now begin the committee meeting. As reported by Shiromeguri-senpai, we will be discussing the slogan of the Cultural Festival today." Yukinoshita propelled.

"I think it might be too hard to say our ideas out loud. Why don't we write them down on paper? Explanations can be for afterwards." said Hayama.

"I suppose so… We'll take a moment to do so." agreed Yukinoshita.

Every member was passed a piece of white paper. Every person had a sheet, but you couldn't say the same for ideas.

Several minutes passed and now the slogans written on the collected papers were jotted down onto the whiteboard.

Friendship – Effort – Victory

Since when did the cultural festival turned into sport event?

Of one mind

Tell that word to other committee as well, Vice president.

ONE FOR ALL

Is cultural festival some kind of sukiyaki?

"Stuff like that is kinda nice. One person for everyone's sake. I actually like that stuff a lot." Hayama complimented at the latest slogan.

"Hmm… Push the entire burden on one person and get rid of him. One person for everyone's sake. Quite fit to be a slogan don't you think?" I commented with stoic face.

"Hikigaya… you—" Hayama's expression looked as if he were struck suddenly, but his gaze gradually grew sharper. He adjusted his body towards me and directly faced me.

We might've looked like we were glaring at each other.

The chatter around us stopped for a moment.

Since our voices were quiet, our surroundings at most only stayed at whispers of us.

Several seconds later, Sagami talked with her secretary nominated friends and stood up.

"Okay, this is the last one. This is from us." said Sagami as she start writing on the whiteboard.

Bonds ~The Cultural Festival of Helping Each Other Out~

"Pfff…" My mouth and lung are unsupervised cooperating on their own caused me to laugh unconsciously when hearing those words come out of Sagomi's mouth. Even though I had managed to cover it but a certain amount of my laughing voice already made it way to my surroundings' ears.

Damn it. My laugh still continue and my stomach start to get hurt by it.

(Hiratsuka Shizuka POV)

Even though Hikigaya's reaction is creep but I can understand his feeling toward Sagami's slogan. This slogan was nothing but a beautiful surface that hide the disgusting truth beneath it. Knowing Hikigaya who hate works yet being forced to do even the extra ones, he would surely find this slogan as some kind of disgusting joke as you can see from his reaction.

"What's that? Did I say something weird?" Sagami kept up her smile, but her cheeks were twitching and she was visibly upset.

"No, not really Pfff..." Hikigaya trying to avoid conversation with her but his leaked laughter ruin it.

Just how much did you disgust that slogan, Hikigaya? I could tell that you weren't unable to hold back your laughter but you let it leaked purposely.

"Are you sure you don't want to say something?" Sagami continued.

"No. Well, not really. Pfff..." Hikigaya replied.

"Well, is that so? If you don't like it, suggest one yourself." Sagami said lightly while glared at Hikigaya in displeasure.

After hearing that, Hikigaya's gaze and facial expression turned into those of sadist's.

"[Kids ~Look Closer and you will find that some of them slacking off: Cultural Festival~] or something along those lines." Hikigaya said monotonously.

No one said a word. Neither Sagami nor Shiromeguri nor Hayama said anything; they were just dumbfounded. This was the situation they would call being found speechless.

The committee fell silent.

Even Yukinoshita had her mouth hanging open.

Hikigaya. Did you just do what I thought you would?

The silent was destroyed by a laughing voice from my former student.

"Ahahaha! What an idiot! We have an idiot here! Just amazing! Oh god, my stomach hurts."

"Haruno, you're laughing too much." I stopped Haruno's laughter.

"I think it's a pretty good idea. As long it's interesting, it's okay!" Haruno commented after ceased her laughter.

"Hikigaya… Explain…" I said.

"Well, at first glance you may have thought that people are supporting each other, but if you look closely people are leaning on each other so they could find a way to slacking off just like most of our committee, am I wrong? That's why for this Cultural Festival, for this planning committee, I think it's very fitting." Hikigaya explained mechanically.

This boy. Did he realize that he just indirectly asked everyone here to destroy him right here and now?

"Then what does this 'Kids' word has something to do with the slogan?" I asked him.

"Even though all the committee are high school students but most of them have their brains rival those of the kids. Even though the committee slacking off and have fun the cultural festival still end in succession. How can you make it ended in succession that way? Do you really think it would be possible for us just because someone stated that it work on her period? That's absurd, just use your common sense and brains if you ever have them. Why leave doubts as doubts? Rather than end in succession, it would be end in failure." Hikigaya explained with hint of malicious in his voice then clapping his hands together.

"But I'm genuinely impressed, in a way. I believe that there's no any recorded cultural festivals in the history of this school that messed up to this extent, not even the worst one in the past. This is just really interesting and I'm totally look forward to it. Don't you agree, President Sagami?" Hikigaya commented like a pure evil villain.

Now I couldn't tell whether he just relieves his tantrum through explanations or his tongue is that wicked to begin with.

The gaze of every members focused on Sagami after Hikigaya finished his speech.

But only a several seconds later, Yukinoshita who sit beside Sagami break the silent through her laughter (Although she manages to use the paperwork to cover it).

Is this Yukinoshita resonation or something?

Moments later, Yukinoshita let out a short sigh and lifted her face, smiling.

"Hikigaya-kun. Rejected."

Hikigaya responses by shrugging his shoulder lightly.

"Sagami-san. Let's stop here for today. It doesn't look like we'll come up with anything worthwhile at this rate." Yukinoshita asked Sagami as she reverted into her business mode.

"Huh? But…"

"It would be a poor decision to waste away a day on this. Every member of the committee should think of a slogan and we'll decide on one tomorrow. As for the remaining work, if every member participates for the remaining days, we should be able to sufficiently take back the lost time, It looks like there aren't any objections."

No dissatisfaction was raised to her intensity. In this miniscule instant, she was able to get everyone's consent to mandatory participation.

Sagami was no exception.

"Okay, right. Then let's give it our all tomorrow too. Thank you for your hard work."

After she gave her command, everyone stood up from their seats.

Today's meeting may have stopped, but I couldn't say the same for the insults that being thrown toward Hikigaya.

(End of Hiratsuka Shizuka POV)

Just as I was about to exit the conference room, Yukinoshita was at the front of the door.

"Are you okay with this?"

"With what?"

"I think it'd be better if you cleared up the misunderstanding. People started to think that you want to slacking off yourself."

"It won't be better and it never will."

"You won't know until you do."

"Either to follow those misconceptions or to admit that they were slacking off themselves up until now. Which would they prefer?"

"They would prefer the first one so it's pointless to clear up misunderstanding with them."

I nodded.

"You make excuses for the most pointless things but never when it comes to things that matter." said Yukinoshita.

"There's no point in making excuses. People act on their own the more important something is." I answered.

"I suppose so. That might be true. Things like excuses are meaningless." said Yukinoshita before asked me a new question.

"More importantly, what was that earlier? That hopeless slogan you brought up. It was absolutely tasteless."

"Yours isn't even a slogan phrase. More like an order." I retorted.

"You're still disappointingly the same, huh…"

"Humans don't change that quickly and easily."

"You were particularly strange from the start."

"The more reason I don't need to change then."

"When I watch you, I start to think trying to force change is stupid."

"Congratulation on your evolution of thinking then." I said as I leave.

Before I could take a second step away from Yukinoshita, I heard her faint voice saying something like 'See you tomorrow.'

I turned back and saw something I've never seen before: Yukinoshita wave her hand at me.

"See you tomorrow." I replied as I continue my leave.

The slogan of the Cultural Festival was chosen in the committee the following day.

This year's slogan for the Cultural Festival was as follows:

Chiba's Specialties, Dancing and Festivals! If We're All Fellow Fools, Let's Dance and Sing a Song!

Given how bad of an intelligence these guys actually possess, this level of slogan could be considered a masterpiece to them.

The passionate meeting had yet to die as the committee members were still debating with each other.

To shift their motivation towards work, Yukinoshita softly whispered into Sagami's ears.

"Sagami-san. We should change the slogan next."

"Ah, okay… Then, everyone, please change the slogan with the one that we decided on."

For now, the Cultural Festival planning committee restarted into action with Sagami's call.

Choosing the slogan must've been some form of tradition that deepened the unity between everyone as they were overflowing with motivation.

Just one day after my provocation reached everyone's brains, Cultural Festival planning processions are visibly grown.

As I still lost in my thought, someone interrupt me.

"Hey there, working hard over here?"

Of all people, why does it has to be elder Yukinoshita.

"I'll leave it to your imagination then." I responded.

"Then you're not working at all." She guessed.

"No need to do the works that already complete." I retorted.

"Then you just have to say it from the beginning Hikigaya-kun. By the way, time for a quiz! What can effectively cause a group to unify the most?" She asked with a snobbish smile.

"Miracles, perhaps?" I replied.

"Don't be coy. You totally know the answer. The right answer is a defined enemy existence." She said with smile while her eyes grew cold.

Hmm… Did you somehow irritate that I mention you in my provocation yesterday or something?

"Well, I guess our enemy here is kind of small though." elder Yukinoshita said while looking down at me.

Get lost. You're annoying.

"But now that everyone's getting festive and excited, I guess it's a good thing." She continued.

All because they didn't want things to turn out like what I say yesterday.

"That's fine. If a scoundrel like you is actually being diligent, then that'll rile them up in one way or another. They won't grow if the enemy doesn't keep it together, after all. Strife is the key to the advancement of technology." She continued.

Technology is meaningless as long as humans still lack of justices.

But with her humorous gesture, her opened eyes were looking over at Yukinoshita.

"Could it be-"

I'm about to say something but was cut off by avoiding a finger that approach my lip.

"I don't like perceptive kids, okay?" elder Yukinoshita said.

No problem since I don't like you too.

"Assistant, do your work."

Colder than usual, Yukinoshita called out to me.

"Dispose of the documents for the slogan change. Then, send a notification to every group regarding the slogan change." She demanded.

"Isn't this too sudden?" I asked.

"There are times when I get a flash of brilliance too. Wisdom is something that arises in conjunction with that, after all. Besides, you've just mentioned it yourself that you've completed your previous works so there won't be any problems, right? Oh, also, while you're at it, gather the exhibition written applications and upload them to the server. Anyway, get it done today." She answered.

Flash of a brilliance, my ass. You started collecting the unfinished works the moment you heard that I've completed my previous works from my conversation with your sister, aren't you?

"Since you give me such a short time mean you'd accept the works that finished by me during the deadline even if they're containing some mistakes. Accept it?" I warned.

"There's still time left after the deadline before making use of your work so as long as you made it in time I could check up and fix your works in no time too." She replied.

Tch.

At this time, elder Yukinoshita is about to say something but her sister cut her off.

"Nee-san. I'm going to review the budget, so if you're going to do something, then let's go and do that."

Elder Yukinoshita is stunned by her sister's command but reverted to her usual spunkiness and leave with her sister to do work.

Maybe I shouldn't have to recover her energy after all.

A/N: Chapter 11 for you readers. Sorry for keep you waiting for extremely long times due to being extremely busy. This story will definitely continue so I hope that it wouldn't being forgotten yet.