Thanks to everyone for their comments, I hope that you enjoy this next chapter as well.
Disclaimer: Full Metal Panic! and its characters are the property of their respective owners. This piece is not for profitable purposes.
Chapter 3: Planning and Publicity
Sitting at a table in the Student Council Room, Kaname and Ren review the list of tasks to determine if anything remains.
Kaname proudly checks off each item on the list and the two smile at each other to see checks across the page.
"It looks like all we have left is selling tickets before the day of the dance," Ren says.
Kaname is about to agree, when she thinks of one important thing that has been left undone – the only thing Atsunobu had agreed to do.
Angered, Kaname's face starts to turn red, and she clenches her right fist.
Surprised by this change, Ren says quietly, "Is something the matter, Kaname-san?"
Kaname mutters under her breath, "That Hayashimizu-sempai, he gave away all the work to us and claimed he would take care of publicity. Here it is, the dance in two weeks, and not even a single flyer. I don't think most people even know about the dance yet! What kind of Student Council President is he?"
Not having understood most of what Kaname had said, Ren remains silent, not wanting to provoke Kaname further.
Kaname continues to fume for a few moments, but soon notices the silence and does her best to regain her composure.
She places her left hand on the back of her head nervously and says, "Sorry about that Ren-san. Shall we plan the ticket sale shifts?"
More at ease, Ren nods her head yes and replies, "That sounds like a good idea."
Kaname returns her arm to her side and says, "A lot of people from the committee are willing to help out, so we should be able to cover all the lunch periods and before and after school."
"We'll sell tickets starting this Thursday and sell each school day until next Thursday, giving us Friday to finish planning and Saturday to set up the decorations. Fortunately, a lot of people will be able to help us with that, too. Hmm, after that, I think that should…"
"Students of Jindai – students of Jindai – students of Jindai!"
"What in the world?" Kaname says, as both she and Ren stand.
"It sounds like it's coming from outside," Ren says.
They move towards the window and look eagerly outside, but see nothing. Kaname opens the window and leans outside, moving her head in all directions, but still coming up empty.
The voice repeats its message a second and third time. Overcome by curiosity, Kaname runs out the room and heads towards the front entrance, leaving a startled Ren behind.
When she gets to the front entrance, she encounters a large group of people also trying to get outside. She forces her way though, and notices all the students looking up to the sky.
"I repeat – students of Jindai."
Kaname looks up and her jaw drops in awe when she sees it – a blimp – with a screen on the side with Atsunobu's image - complete with fan.
He opens the fan before his face and then lowers it from view.
"It is I, Student Council President Hayashimizu Atsunobu."
Shocked, students chatter and point.
"Is that really him?"
"What is he doing in a blimp?"
"I think this time he's really gone off the deep end."
Still stunned, Kaname remains quiet.
"Students, I have an important announcement for you," he says as he dramatically lifts and closes the fan.
"Next Friday will be a momentous occasion for this school – and for yourselves!"
He re-opens his fan and pauses dramatically as brightly colored pieces of paper rain upon the students from the school building roofs.
Students catch them or pick them up off the ground, as Atsunobu continues his speech.
He lowers the fan once more, "A dance – a dance will be held, sponsored by your beloved and gracious Student Council."
Students look towards each other with questioning stares.
He closes the fan again with a flourish and smiles. As he points the fan dramatically, "Certainly, you, or you, and most definitely, YOU would not want to miss such a rare opportunity. Why, who could even ponder such a thing?"
Panicked, the students look wildly at each other and quickly state that they would never be so lame or anti-social as not to go. Noticing Kaname, they run to her.
"Chidori-san, how do we get tickets? How do we get tickets?"
Still reeling from Atsunobu's stunt, Kaname desperately says, "Wait, please wait, I'll explain…"
Atsunobu brandishes the fan open, and uses it to point once more. He speaks again and the students become silent and return their gazes to him.
"Then, I shall see you next Friday."
The image goes dark and the blimp starts to move away.
Recovering from her shock, Kaname experiences a mixture of feelings, mostly of surprise and anger.
Annoyed, Kaname thinks, 'Hayashimizu-sempai, leave it to him to pull off such a flamboyant display.'
With merely more than a minute to catch her breath, the students descend upon her in a desperate search for tickets.
Realizing the value in what he has done, Kaname takes a deep breath and says loudly, "Tickets will be on sale before and after school and during lunch hour starting this Thursday in the main foyer. Please stop by!"
Cheers and other expressions of happiness and excitement resonate through the crowd, and, underneath all the noise, Kaname quietly says, "Thank you, Hayashimizu-sempai."