The day was here.

The 30th of May. The day when Shujin Academy would clean up Inokashira Park.

Ding-a-ling

Akira groaned as his alarm rang through the otherwise peaceful piano music playing from his speakers, a hand fumbling around to turn it off. His hand found the alarm function on the top of the main speaker's control, bringing a stop to the cheerful jingling emanating around his room.

He rolled over his bed and just stared at the ceiling in quiet introspection. He'd said it before and he'd say it again.

Being on the student council was a pain.

He'd spent the last eight days planning the events of the clean-up because as it turned out, there were literally like two other people on the student council aside from him and Makoto, and they both already had jobs they were taking care of. Akira honestly hadn't bothered to remember their names because… well they honestly just slipped from his minds the moment they'd finished introducing themselves

There was a treasurer and a secretary…. that was it. The treasurer seemed to be the one in charge of the funding allocated from the school to the clubs along with the expenditures during school events. The secretary was in charge of overseeing general tasks and enforcing school policies.

Akira, in some freak disaster, was now not only just the second-year representative… but also the vice-president.

He closed his eyes with a tired groan. It turned out that by proving he could actually be competent in his job, he was quickly promoted from a secretary alongside that other girl that was there to vice-president since he was the only other person doing most of the heavy lifting alongside Makoto. Makoto seemed more than relieved to have a competent individual assisting her since both the secretary and treasurer had their own hands full.

Akira couldn't help but wondered how on earth Shujin Academy even functioned with their Principal accepting stupid amounts of bribes and allowing crimes to run amok while only functioning on what amounted to a skeleton crew of student keeping order. Even then, the student council ended up getting looked down upon because of the whole Kamoshida and Kaneshiro incidents with Makoto taking a majority of the flak even though it was out of her jurisdiction.

The Priestess Arcana were becoming slightly agitated but calmed at his insistence since that incident was a long way from coming.

He shook his head free from those thoughts, he had a clean-up event to attend. With one more groan, he began to get ready for the day.

"You're not wearing your PE clothes… I'd thought you had the event in Inokashira Park today?" Goro noted with a brow as he entered the kitchen, Akira by the stove cooking some karaage wearing his regular black school uniform. He remembered a few mornings ago that Akira had basically been dead on his feet complaining about assisting in setting it up. Not only that, but it also reached his ears through his colleagues down at the precinct.

Smoothly, he moved over to the coffee machine like usual, going through the motions as he plucked out two mugs and preparing the coffee to his own preference. As he pulled down the lever of the machine, allowing the milky foam to pour down onto the murky brown-black liquid Akira shrugged.

"I'm part of the cooking crew so I don't need to do any cleaning," he said simply as he flipped the fried chicken, Goro giving a strange look at what was an unhealthy breakfast for the first meal of the morning. Normally Akira deigned to choose lighter meals, or on weekends, soufflé pancakes.

Oh well, it wasn't like he could exactly argue. He'd tried cooking once and had almost burnt the kitchen down when he accidentally created on oil fire and tried to put it out with a glass of water. It was only thanks to Akira's timely intervention that their kitchen was still functional. Taking a seat, he placed down the cups of coffee on opposite sides of the table, the ceramic clinking carefully against varnished wood.

"At least you won't be physically straining yourself," Goro commented as he pulled out his phone, looking through his work emails. "Doctor Hisegawa medical report did say you'd need around two months to recover and extenuating physical activities would only exacerbate your injuries," he reminded while taking a sip of his morning coffee.

Akira paused slightly in his cooking, quietly recalling the fact the Goro had shoved his serrated sword through his chest before ripping it out. "I… completely forgot about that…" Akira admitted as he plucked the pieces of fried chicken out of the pan and into a sieve to allow them to cool.

Goro looked up at him from the table, an unimpressed look on his face. "You forgot… that you are still recovering from severe injuries related to your own well-meaning but idiotic actions?" he said slowly as he placed his phone down and stared at Akira.

The black-haired teen winced slightly at his words. "Yes…?" he uttered out, wincing even more as Goro just stared at him deadpan before eventually shaking his head in disappointment.

"Perhaps the reason you were placed on the student council was because you'd likely strain yourself with any physical activities… I don't think your Principal would like seeing one of his students injured again," Goro said as he rolled his eyes, a small part of him taking note of that possibility. It seemed Kobayakawa might be staying good on his word. Not that he had much choice on the matter, of course.

"Possible? Yes. Likely? Also, yes," Akira murmured with a smirk on his face as he separated the chicken into one-third in a plastic container, while the remainder was placed on a plate with some white rice in a large bowl on the side. He gave Goro the container while the rest was placed on the kitchen table.

"Thank you," Goro nodded as he tucked the container away into his briefcase, the container locked and air-tight leaving him unworried of what it could do to his documents. "Is there a reason you decided to go with karaage for breakfast?" he asked as he took some of the fried chicken before spooning some white rice onto his plate.

Akira's shoulders rose and fell in an indifferent gesture. "I'll be cooking a lot of it for lunch, I figured I might as well get some quick practice in," he said honestly as he did the same, digging into the heavy breakfast quickly since he only had half an hour before he needed to get going.

One of Goro's brow rose in a questioning manner. "You're cooking karaage… for over four-hundred students… are you crazy?" he couldn't help but ask as he ate.

"Three-hundred and seventy-eight student altogether, actually… and yes, I am," Akira corrected carelessly before continuing. "I'm making karaage curry with the school counsellor while the home economics club will be taking care of the miscellaneous things such as rice or pickled radish."

"You're right… you are crazy," Goro just stared as his best friend just admitted that he making enough curry to feed an entire school and just shook his head in disbelief, "I don't know why I'm surprised…"

"I don't know either," Akira agreed as he finished his food and began to drain the terrible coffee (comparatively to Leblanc, it wasn't Goro's fault that Akira never bothered to by a drip coffee-maker).

Goro gave him a blank stare as he finished his plate and picked up both of theirs, standing up and moving over to the sink to begin cleaning them. "You're meant to deny that, not agree…" he rolled his eyes before sending a shooing motion to Akira.

"Go, I'll take care of cleaning up. You still need to take a train to Inokashira don't you?" he reminded, the normally immaculate sleeves of his brown pea-coat rolled up to his elbows and the black-gloves Akira had given him so long ago carefully tucked away from any stary soap suds.

Akira shrugged. "I'm meeting up with Sumire at Shibuya Station," he said as he pulled out his phone before messaging said girl.

Goro just shook his head before sending another violent inclination of his head towards the door. "Get going then, you shouldn't keep her waiting," he basically ordered.

"Yes, mother."

A small tug pulled Goro's lips upwards. "None of that cheek," he faux-scolded earning him a laugh. "Now get going, would you? You'll be late."

"Yeah, yeah," the black-haired Shujin student shook his head, but the fond smirk on his face betrayed his indifferent words. "Take care, Goro!" he said with a backwards wave as he opened the front door.

"Don't get hit by a truck or fall off a tree!"

The door shut closed.

Akira frowned as he looked around the platform of Shibuya station, no sign of Sumire's red locks anywhere in sight. "Where is she?" he muttered as he pulled out his phone, sending her a message.

A few minutes and still no response. Rather than simply waiting, he eventually decided to take a look around the station. If she ended up texting him he could simply meet her back here.

It was as he ascended the escalators of Shibuya that he came across her.

Being accosted by a sleazy middle-aged man.

Even from this distance, he could see her hand wringing the strap of her bag in discomfort.

"I'm sorry… but I'm in a bit of a hurry right now…" he could hear her say unsurely, Akira slowly walking up to her, his hackles rising.

"You go to Shujin right?" the slimy man oozed fake sincerity. "I heard things have been rough there lately, what with that violent incident. You wanna talk about it somewhere?"

"No… I'm fine thank you. I'm sorry, but I really need to get going. I have to get to going now…" Sumire declined politely with a bow before trying to move away. As she made to walk off the man's hand shot out and grabbed her by the wrist.

Ah… so he's chosen death.

"C'mon, there's no need to be shy," he leered at Sumire as Akira made his approach. In the peripherals of his vision, he noticed people pointedly look away or outright leaving the scene.

"P-Please let go…" Sumire stuttered.

"If you're busy, I'll put my number in your phone so you can call me later. Sound like a plan?" he offered sleazily.

"P-Please, stop it…" she pleaded once more.

He'd had enough as he finished making his way to the two of them. Akira's hand shot out, seizing the middle-aged man's wrist roughly and abruptly enough to cause him to loosen his grasp on Sumire's wrist enough for her to pull herself free.

"H-Huh? Wh-Who the hell are you?" the man let out in surprise as he noticed Akira gripping his arm before gasping in pain as Akira squeezed, his ulna and radial bones rubbing uncomfortably together in his arm.

Akira allowed a pleasant smile to cross his face, but even he could tell it wasn't meeting his eyes. He could feel as Sumire moved behind his back, clutching his blazer as she took safe refuge behind him.

Akira leaned in close enough to see the beads of sweat forming on the man's brow, his own hand still clamped harshly around the man's wrist. "I'm a student at Shujin as well," Akira smiled saccharinely, "I'm more than happy to talk if you'd like."

The man's face turned ugly as he scowled, trying vainly to free himself from Akira's firm grasp. "Dammit, no need to get worked up! Just being friendly!" he near shouted, attention gathering from everyone around them.

Akira's smile became dangerous. "The last person that was being 'friendly' to a girl from Shujin, raped her," he said harshly, "We've had enough with paedophiles like you."

With his piece said, he pushed the man away before turning around to check on Sumire.

"Tch, bloody brat!" the man yelled from behind him, the sound of him shuffling closer obvious while people around them gasped.

Akira dodged the heavy uncoordinated swing that the man threw, making sure that it wouldn't hit Sumire as he grabbed the man's arm before pulling him in. Akira reeled his head back before slamming it forward, his forehead slamming forcefully against the man's mouth.

The man stumbled and swayed for a bit before crashing to the ground clutching at his mouth. "I-I'll sue, you damn brat!" he sputtered with blood dripping from his burst lip, the red staining his hands. Akira had a violent flashback of Shido and Futaba's Uncle saying those exact words in cases of self-defence when they'd injured themselves by attacking him. This man had attacked him, but this time Akira actually struck back.

He found himself hardly caring about the threats coming from a nobody.

"Go for it," Akira dared as took a step forward, the man scrambling the same distance back. "You tried to assault me in broad daylight in the middle of public in an area full of CCTV cameras," Akira said as he stared the man on the floor down. "It'll be more than obvious that it's a case of self-defence…" Akira said.

A sweet smile abruptly bloomed on Akira's face. "I'm sure the police down at the Shibuya Precinct would love to see the footage of how you tried to sexually harass a student from the same school their daughters go to," he drawled pleasantly.

The man was quick to scramble down the stairs, blood dripping lightly from his mouth and staining the brown sweater he was wearing.

"…."

Akira felt Sumire clutch at the back of his blazer once more prompting him to turn around, only to have her face buried in his chest.

"I didn't do anything again…" she whispered disparagingly, Akira running a comforting hand on Sumire's head, her leaning into it. "I'm sorry you had to help me again…" she whispered morosely, only for the comforting hand running through her head to turn into a light bop causing her to look up at him with slightly watery ruby irises.

"No self-deprecation," one of Akira's finger bopped her on the nose, Sumire's face scrunching cutely at his action. "Besides… remember how last time something like this happened I almost punched Mr Kamoshida if he ended up doing anything to you? I was just fulfilling what I said when I saw him touch you."

"But you still had to step in and help me when I got in trouble…" she whispered.

"And I wouldn't have it any other way," he lifted her chin gently so she looked at him. "It's okay to get help, remember? Just think of this as finding another piece of who Sumire is, someone who needs help every now and then to get back on her feet," he smiled lightly as her eyes widened before softening in understanding.

"Thank you, senpai," she smiled back. Her face abruptly flushed red as she realised the position the two were in, much less in public. She was clutching at his front; her face previously having been buried in his chest but was now tilted up by his hand as she stared at him.

She leapt back face ablaze in embarrassment. "A-Ahaha...!" Sumire laughed almost hysterically with a red face as she began to fidget to which Akira just gave a warm wry smile.

"Come on," Akira offered his hand, "We need to get going to the clean-up."

"A-Actually…" Sumire stammered hesitantly, not taking his hand. "I've… forgotten my gym clothes at school…" she admitted shyly, grasping the strap of her bag.

Akira shook his head. "Well… I guess it wouldn't hurt to pass by Shujin first," he said simply, Sumire looking at him stunned.

"B-But Senpai! What about the clean-up? Don't you need to help set up?" she tittered worriedly.

Akira shrugged. "I'm on the cooking crew remember? Makoto's the one starting everything up, I can afford to arrive late. Besides, the cooking crew's being directed by me and we don't start till around nine," he said waving away her worries.

"Besides, I don't want you being accosted by another sleazy guy like that while you get your clothes," Akira added, Sumire inwardly heartened by his response and allowing a shy smile to end up on her face.

She laced her own hand in the hand that he'd previously offered. "If you don't mind then?" she asked hopefully.

If Akira found the sudden action surprising, he didn't say anything.

"Of course not."

Rem groaned awake as her mattress sunk, Morgana pacing around her pillow impatiently waiting for her to wake up. "Come on…" he urged, "…you have the clean-up event to get to today, remember?"

Oh, she remembered, but it didn't mean she had to like it. She grabbed Morgana with one hand underneath his belly as she sat up before placing him down on the floor. "I still have time, right?" she murmured blearily as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"Mhmm… you have an hour and a half to get there," Morgana nodded. "You might want to start getting ready, I saw Boss getting some breakfast ready for you," he added before turning around and trotting off.

"And remember to wear your gym clothes!" he reminded before disappearing into the café below leaving her to moan sleepily.

Within the half-hour, she was showered, dressed, fed and on her way to Inokashira Park. It didn't take too long before she was there, Ryuji and Ann waiting patiently by one of the trees.

"Yo, Rem!" Ryuji called with a grin, a hand raised as he waved her over the moment he noticed her.

"Do you have to shout? It's not even past nine yet," Ann groused at her dyed-blonde friend before turning around. "Morning, Rem. How are- Wow… please tell me you didn't walk all the way here in your gym clothes," Ann said as she noticed that Rem was already wearing her gym clothes.

"Unfortunately…" Rem grimaced, knowing full well that Shujin Academy's gym clothes weren't exactly the most tasteful looking of clothes. She noticed though that Ann was still in her regular uniform.

Ryuji noticed as well. "So, are you gonna get changed or what?" he asked curiously, "There's still like twenty minutes before we gotta start."

"I was…" Ann said before looking over at the women's bathrooms, a long line of Shujin students trailing from the doorway, "I was going to go change in the bathroom, but now there's a huge line."

"That makes sense… but… if you don't line up now, ain't ya gonna have a problem later when the clean-up begins?" Ryuji couldn't help but ask.

Ann was saved from having to answer as another student approached the trio. "It's such a nice day out that even the weather seems to be mocking us," Mishima greeted, thoroughly weirding the three with how abruptly he'd inserted himself into their conversation.

"Dude, could you try pushin' your way into our conversation a little less awkwardly next time?" Ryuji pleaded to the short blue-haired teen as he slumped in exasperation.

It didn't seem Mishima really cared because he just continued on with his tangent. "I bet some Kichijoji clean-freak hung paper dolls all over and prayed for clear skies today," Mishima continued, weirding Rem out even more.

Rem was saved from any further weird Mishima-topics of discussion by another pair of approaching footsteps off to the side. "Hey," Doctor Maruki greeted as he walked over, "Morning, everyone."

He was a little taken aback by Ryuji splaying a hand over to him. "See? That's how you should join the conversation next time," Ryuji gave Mishima the prime example, Maruki gaining a confused smile on his face.

"Morning," Rem greeted the school counsellor, hoping for at least just a minor semblance of normalcy as reprieve from the last minute.

"Are you here for the clean-up as well, Doctor Maruki?" Ann asked as she looked the man up and down.

Maruki nodded. "You got it," he confirmed.

"In those clothes?" Ryuji asked, unable to not notice how he was wearing his usual clothes, the same you'd find him wearing if you went to him for counselling.

Maruki shook his head. "Oh, no. I'm actually doing something else-"

"Doctor Maruki," a deep voice called out, it's timbre one that Rem associated with only one other student at Shujin.

"Ah, Kurusu-kun," Maruki greeted Akira as he approached, the grey-eyed teen in his normal clothes sans the blazer and his sleeved folded to his elbows revealing surprisingly toned forearms.

Akira noticed the others. "Ah, good morning," he greeted with a smile, everyone returning a greeting in return before he looked over to Maruki. "I'm getting the Home Economics club to start prepping the ingredients, rice, and pickled radish. You and I will be taking care of the main meal," he informed, a small expression of surprise appearing on Maruki's face.

"Ah, so you're the one Nijiima-san was saying I'd be working with today," Maruki smiled. "I hope I can prove myself useful to you, Kurusu-kun."

Mishima cocked his head. "I thought that the student council would be taking care of the meal today?" he asked, looking at Akira and Doctor Maruki in confusion.

Rem watched as Akira's should rose and fell in a helpless manner. "There isn't enough of us to take care of a meal for under four-hundred students so I ended up enlisting the help of the home economics club while Doctor Maruki volunteered to assist," he explained, before pulling out his phone and looking at the time.

"Which, we actually need to start getting the food ready," Akira announced before looking at Maruki. "If you'd like to come and join everyone else, Doc?" he said while waving an arm over to a group of students by a burner.

"Lead the way," Maruki inclined but not before looking at the four. "I hope you're looking forward to a solid meal," he smiled before rushing over to Akira.

The four watched them walk away before Ryuji addressed the elephant in the park. "So… uh… anyone else catch him say 'there isn't enough of us'?" Ryuji asked as he looked at Akira.

"Does… that mean Kurusu-kun is on the Student Council? When did that happen?" Ann murmured, looking at the black-haired teen with furrowed brows.

Rem didn't really care so long as there was good food by the end of the day.

Good morning, Shujin Academy students and staff…

The words rolled over everyone in Inokashira Park, the electric voice coming from a girl with brown hair in a bob-cut wearing the Shujin gym clothes but with shorts and hold a microphone in hand. Rem looked over in interest as she soon began dishing out instructions to everyone via microphone.

Please pick up all trash located in the areas assigned to your group. Once the clean-up is completed a lunch of karaage curry with white rice will be provided and served with thanks to the Vice Student Council President, Doctor Maruki, and the Home Economics club.

Vice Student Council President?

"Vice Student Council President? She talkin' about Kurusu?" Ryuji asked in surprise. "The hell? He's only been here for like a month, hasn't he?"

"Well, he did come first in the last exams with a straight one-hundred," Ann put forth a guess. "Then add his transfer exam score and… with what he's done," Ann paused for a moment, no doubt remembered what he'd done for Shiho. "It does make some sense for him to get the position," Ann said.

"But still…" Ryuji muttered shaking his head. "It'll be a pain if the Student President gets him to look into us," he murmured just low enough so only Rem, Ann, and Morgana could hear him.

Rem paused. She hadn't thought about that.

"Well… you've always had a good head on your shoulders. If you haven't kicked her out yet, I figured I'd make my own decisions rather than listening to what others say."

"I think we should be fine…" Rem said slowly as she thought it over, "…but just keep an eye out just in case."

Ryuji and Ann nodded.

"But man, since when has this place had the money to make curry?" Ryuji shifted the conversation abruptly so as to not attract Mishima's attention. "I can't see it turnin' out too good, though. Ain't it hard to make in large matches or something'?" he couldn't help but wonder.

Ann, however, seemed to be of the opposite opinion. "Who knows? Maybe it'll turn out great! Ooh, karaage chicken and rice…" she disagreed, a small trickle of drool dribbling from the corner of her lips before she wiped the evidence clean.

"If it's as anything as good as what he usually eats at Leblanc, we might be getting a really good meal," Morgana muttered inside her bag, Rem nodding along. Just the thought of having another round of curry was making her excited.

"Oh, FYI, the school already assigned the groups at random. They're four people apiece, boys and girls mixed," Mishima said as he turned around to look at them.

"Oh… really?" Ryuji slumped while Rem internally did the same.

Now that those announcements have been made, please break into your groups and head to your assigned areas.

Rem sighed while Ryuji rolled his shoulder in an exaggerated motion, rotating his shoulder cuff to warm up. "Alright, let's get this over with as fast as possible so we can chow down on that curry and get the heck outta here!" he exclaimed boisterously.

Rem nodded, feeling slightly downcast as she was separated from Ryuji and Ann. Hopefully, the curry Akira made would end up making up for it. If it was anything half as good as Sojiro's she would be happy.