Chapter 6
Sufferings We Endure

"…Takanari-sama… Takanari-sama…"

An insistent voice roused me out of my sleep. Despite the fact that I would rather lay there and shoo Touya away, my better judgment told me to acknowledge him with a grunt.

"Takanari-sama, we've arrived at the academy."

I opened my eyes hesitantly and forced back a yawn. Staring out the window, I could already see the signs of the Ohairi behind the opening front gate. Satisfying myself with a mental sigh, I rid all indications of being oscitant and stepped out of the open car door.

'I really don't think I'll ever be used to this…'

Purposefully, I opened the doors of the Student Council room and was instantly attacked by a fur ball- a rather unpleasant experience, especially at such an early time of day.

"TAKE THAT YOU STUPID MUTANT SHEEP!"

Hm… At least I now know what's plastered on my face.

"Tsujimiya-san..." I said, thoroughly annoyed as I pulled the glaring sheep off me and set him –or at least I think it's a male- on the floor. "Please refrain from throwing living beings, no matter how weird they are, at anything or anyone."

"Sorry about that Taka-Taka." He said, with hardly a hint of apology in his voice. "The stupid thing stole my lunch and I didn't expect you to pop up."

"Even so- Wait. What did you just call me?"

"I called you 'Taka-Taka'," The blonde replied as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "Since we'll be working together for a long time, I figured that I'd make up a nickname for you. After all, the nickname Maora gave you is stupid."

'Uh-huh… And this one isn't?' I honestly felt like smacking him with the closest thing available, which just so happened to be the abnormal sheep, despite the fact that it would contradict my prior reprimand. This person was not only yakuza but it seemed that he was disrespectful and completely crazy as well! Oh, the joy… Thank you, Senri-sensei; thank you so very much.

"And while we're on the topic," he continued, oblivious to my current thoughts, "call me Maguri, okay?"

For loss of words, I replied in the most sophisticated way possible with a one-word answer, "…Sure…"

The door behind me once again and the very person we had just spoken of walked in carrying a basket of fruit. "Maora's back!"

I stared at the basket in her arms in confusion. "Ichinomiya-san, what are you doing?"

"No need to be formal, Taka-chama!" She said, making me flinch at the mention of yet another idiotic nickname. "Just call me Maora!"

I furrowed my brows and repeated my question. "Very well then; Maora, what are you doing?"

"I just thought that we'd be hungry after the meeting so I brought some food for us to eat." Maora answered simply.

I nodded. "Thank you for your consideration. We should proceed with our meeting then." My words seem to have passed through deaf ears, however, as Maora had now begun reprimanding Maguri for mistreating the sheep; it appeared, from their interactions thus far, that they have had previous history together. Ignoring their blatant impoliteness, I continued, "Touya, have Amamiya-san and Otomiya-san arrived?"

"Yes, sir. I told them to sit on the divans for the time being."

I turned to find them exactly as he had said, engaged in a wordless conversation of hand movements, oblivious to everything else in the room. 'Amamiya-san isn't mute either, is she?' I asked myself in surprise, having never met her beforehand. The sole reason that she was here was that Senri-sensei elaborated yet another long speech dictating the many reasons I should allow another person, namely Amamiya-san, into the Student Council and I, wanting to go home posthaste after a tiring first day, conceded without much thought to the matter. 'Next time, when Senri forces me to do something that involves other students, I really should check who they are…'

"Otomiya-san, Amamiya-san- Good morning."

They both stood up at the mention of their names and bowed to me in greeting.

"This meeting's main purpose," I started, addressing all of them, "is merely to introduce all the members of the Student Council to each other properly." I then proceeded to present the other two members, who had finally ceased to bicker, to both girls.

"Hajimemashite." Amamiya said, directing her greeting to Maora and Maguri while Otomiya bowed to them. Well… at least I know that she can speak… "I'm Amamiya Ushio; I'll be the Secretary from now on."

Beside her, Otomiya started to signal something. "She says: 'I'm Otomiya Haine, but just call me Haine. I'll be in charge of general affairs and security'."

I guess that was the main reason Senri encouraged me include her as well… It's nice to see that he actually does something useful from time to time though it would have been much simpler to tell me directly.

As the school bell rang in the background, I dismissed them, saying, "There will be another meeting after classes this afternoon; please be prompt," and left them with Touya close behind.

I walked down the student-filled hallway, ignoring the stiff bows and fake smiles that came as a burden with the title of 'Koutei'. As I passed them, I could feel the piercing stares that followed the polite façades immediately after, constantly aware of the harsh whispers that accompanied them.

"I can't believe they made him the Koutei."

"He's only a freshman!"

"Just because he's a Touguu doesn't mean-"

"SHH! He'll hear you!"

I closed my eyes, internally grimacing and apologizing to Touya who always suffered wordlessly alongside me.

'It's not my fault… I-'

My thoughts were abruptly hindered by a sharp pain at my side, causing my eyelids to fly open. At my brusque halt, Touya accidentally bumped into me and worriedly asked, "What's the matter, Takanari-sama?"

I turned to the cause of my pain and saw Otomiya on the ground beside me, books scattered around her. Somewhere behind me, I could hear a low snicker from the small group of upperclassmen who had ignorantly commented on my authority earlier.

"Look it's the Koutei's new mascot."

"Choosing a mute girl- Che! He's just trying to boost his image…"

These people were seriously testing my patience.

Otomiya rummaged around for the fallen books, apparently unaware that there were people gossiping about her, and me, just a few feet away. I bent down to retrieve a book she missed and glanced over the title. 'Oh. This is for today's meeting… But there are over 20 books we need to look over later.' I briefly scanned the growing pile in her arms and those still lying on the floor and my brows furrowed in realization. I immediately grabbed the remaining books on the floor and half of those that were already in her pile; behind me, I could hear Touya protesting and insisting that he carry my load.

"I can carry these." I told the two, as Otomiya tried to stop me from reducing the number of books she held. Without any other means to express herself, she smiled at me gratefully behind the pile of books she held.

As Otomiya started to head towards the Student Council Office, I turned to the rude group of students who instantly stiffened at my gaze. "Kitayama-san, Imai-san, Kisaragi-san and Yamagata-san, I would prefer if you would please keep your comments to yourselves or, at the very least, out of our hearing range. If you do not disperse within the next minute, I will be forced to inform the principal of your behaviours… which must be unpleasant for you as, if I am not mistaken, all four of you are in sports teams."

Without a moment's waste, they fled.

Hn. Good riddance. Despite what I just said, I think I might accidentally let this slip in my next conversation with the principal (who was, as I suspected, the guard who I met in yesterday's commotion).

I turned back to Touya and Otomiya who stared at me directly in the eyes, as if inviting me to stare back with her seemingly familiar deep gaze.

No… it wasn't that she couldn't hear what those idiots were saying; she could hear them perfectly well, along with all the other comments thrown at her everyday. A smile appeared on her face and from nowhere, a voice entered my head: "Thank you."

UPDATED: 07/23/11