Chapter 3: Bureaucracy and logistics
The door of the Tea Club room was slammed open.
"Toshino Kyouko!" yelled the ponytailed girl from the doorway.
"Oh hi Ayano," came a nonchalant reply from the blonde.
"I have an important announcement to make!"
"Why, what is it, sweetheart?"
The ponytailed girl blushed. In the background, Chitose was trying to hold her laughter.
"This isn't nearly as fun anymore!"
"I told you something like this would happen," Himawari remarked.
"It is plenty amusing to me," Chitose giggled. Behind her, Ayano had buried her face in her hands.
Sakurako removed the hair tie and let her blonder curls settle into their usual shape.
"...a-anyways, I actually do have an important announcement!" She quickly recovered from the prior embarrassment. "Today heralds the official creation of the Student Council Recreational Division, or colloquially, the Amusement Club!"
"Ooh!" gasped every girl of the club. "Wait, why all of a sudden?"
"Having an unofficial group inhabiting the empty tea club room has always been a bit of a bureaucratic headache," explained Himawari. "And registering 'a club that doesn't actually do anything' wasn't exactly an option either. This was the best way to maintain your presence."
"All work and no play makes anyone a dull girl!" proclaimed Sakurako. "Therefore, it's only fitting that the student council has its amusement division to balance out all the work we do! This was my master idea!"
"While I'll give you credit for coming up with it, I was the one who made sure it would work," Himawari replied. "And everyone else in the council helped out with the paperwork."
"True! Thanks for making this happen, Himawari!" Sakurako turned towards her with a beaming smile.
Himawari was taken aback and couldn't muster a reply.
Sakurako realized what was happening and quickly added "...and thanks to you senpais and the president too! Not just specially Himawari or anything."
"I wouldn't have expected that," Himawari snarked back.
"Can you explain more about this 'recreational division'?" asked Chinatsu to interrupt the duo's usual antics.
"Of course!" Sakurako was eager to continue. "You make sure we have a place to relax! If we ever need a break from student council work, we can come here, sit down, and enjoy some tea and manga!"
"You also have the responsibility of organizing extracurricular events for all of us together. Trips and stuff like that," Himawari continued.
"But before we go further, let's get this over with," Sakurako said, slamming a form on the table. "Your signature, please, division commander Toshino Kyouko-senpai!"
"Why is Kyouko the boss?" Yui asked.
"Yes, why? Yui-senpai is certainly better at handling things," Chinatsu continued.
"Fu fu. Yui may be smarter than me..." Kyouko said smugly. "But when it comes to amusement, no one's better than me!" She loudly proclaimed with finger-guns brandished.
"Akari agrees", said the redhead, smiling.
"Agreed," Yui and Chinatsu chuckled.
With unanimous consent, Kyouko signed the form and handed it to Sakurako.
"Now, for your first task. To celebrate your very establishment, you are to organize us all a sleepover party!" Sakurako continued her bombastic declarations.
"The time will be this Friday," Himawari added.
"That will be a simple task!" Kyouko replied. "Our clubroom is the natural place for that!"
"Unfortunately, it won't be that easy," Ayano said, finally walking into the clubroom proper. "Our last sleepover here is on record as having caused 3 deaths and destroying the building twice. While that's obviously untrue, until Nishigaki-sensei has figured that mess out we won't be able to use this building for overnight activities."
"So because of that, you have to find us somewhere else," Chitose added.
"Yui's house!" Kyouko immediately suggested.
"No way we'll all fit in there," Yui rebuffed her.
"A luxury hotel suite!"
"No budget," Himawari remarked.
"What about the homes of the three of us? They have more room," Akari pondered.
"Hmm... actually, my parents will be gone overnight on Friday," Chinatsu remembered. "I'll give them a call." She took her phone out and headed to the kitchen.
"How many people are participating, anyway?" Yui asked.
"The 8 of us here, plus the president," answered Chitose. "I wonder if I should invite Chizuru too, even if she's not technically..."
"You should definitely invite her," said Akari with uncharacteristic initiative.
"Chizuru is always welcome!" Kyouko agreed.
"Alright, ten of us then," Chitose smiled.
"I'll be in charge of the most important thing of any sleepover," said Kyouko.
"Animal pajamas?" asked Yui, deadpan.
"Of course! And Yui, you bring us some entertainment."
"My Namostation and the new Othersmash? Will do."
"Akari can handle the food! But I wonder if I can carry it all alone..."
"Don't worry, Akari-chan! Just give me and Himawari a call and we'll come help you," said Sakurako.
"You just want to snack in advance, don't you," Himawari remarked.
"What's bad about that? I deserve a reward as I work!"
"Then what's Funami-senpai supposed to do? Play games on the move?"
"Exactly! Just find a TV somewhere en route!"
"Ehehe... thanks, Sakurako-chan and Himawari-chan," Akari interrupted the bickering.
Chinatsu returned from the kitchen, having finished her call. She sat next to Akari.
"...how did it go, Chinatsu-chan?" Akari asked.
Chinatsu suddenly beamed with a smile, startling Akari. "They said yes! My sister will be there to keep watch, but besides that, we have the whole house to ourselves."
"...th-that's good," Akari managed, a bit overwhelmed by Chinatsu's radiance. I just want to hug her right now.
"Although setting up beds for everyone might be a problem. How many people do we have?"
"Ten altogether."
"Hmm... that's a bit tough..."
"Yui, you have futons to spare, right?"
"Kyaaahh! Yui-senpai's futons!"
"Umm, sure. Not sure how I'd carry them over, though."
"I and Chitose can help you with that," Ayano said. "Alright, it looks like everything is going smoothly. We'll head back to the council room."
As the council filed out, Kyouko took charge of her new Recreational Division. "Alright, Chinatsu-chan, Yui, you coordinate enough beds for us. And Akari, let's see how much food we need..."
"I'm home!"
"Welcome back, Akari! Any news?"
Akari sat next to Akane on the sofa.
"Well, long story short, the Amusement Club and the student council are going to be having a sleepover party on Friday."
"Really? Where?"
"At Chinatsu-chan's house. Her parents will be gone, but her sister will be there."
"Ah, Yoshikawa-san. Tomoko is kind, I'm sure she'll let you have a fun party."
"Yeah."
"Is that all on your mind?"
"Hmm, well... remember that thing with Yui-chan's crush on Monday?"
"Oh, right. Is Yoshikawa-san okay?"
"She acts fine, but I'm not sure how she feels inside. In any case, I've been trying to figure out who the crush could be. And based on what I know, it's most likely one of the people at the party."
"Interesting. You've been playing detective?"
"Kinda, ehehe. I wanted to figure out the answer, so that I can help Yui-chan, Chinatsu-chan, make everyone happier. And in a new exciting situation, with everyone present... there's lots of chances to find new clues."
"Just clues?"
"What do you mean?"
"If it's a good environment for romance, couldn't something truly romantic happen?"
The words shook Akari, which surprised her. She had been so focused on this investigation of hers that she'd lost sight of everything else. Of course it was possible that Yui would confess to her crush or something, solving the problem on its own. And there was another possibility... an excited feeling of anxiety spread from Akari's stomach. Her heartbeat sped up.
"Umm, onee-chan..."
"Yes?"
"The thing is..." Akari was blushing now.
"Go on. You can tell me anything."
"I-I have a c-crush on Chinatsu-chan."
"Oh my! Since when?"
"N-not sure. I realized it yesterday, when I was thinking about..." Akari got too embarrassed to continue.
"There there, it's nothing to be ashamed of." Akane pat Akari's head. "Are you going to confess?"
"I'm so unsure! Chinatsu-chan likes Yui-chan, who likes someone but I don't know who! I don't know how Chinatsu-chan would think, I don't know what will happen to the amusement club!" Akari let out her worries.
"Aww... it must be difficult. All I can tell you is to follow your heart, in every way. Because you're kind, you'll definitely know what's best."
"Thanks, onee-chan. I'll try my best."
This party would have to be the critical event. The club had laid out plans earlier, but Akari would have to make her own plans on top of that. Devious, ingenious schemes.