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It was late at night. I was checking over all the fake accounts I was left in charge of operating on my home's PC. In the approximate three days since I had been operating these accounts,
I spent most of my time tweeting while making various needed preparations. But as expected, not all of the students at school used Twitter and there were also those who had no interest in the student council election as well. There were dead accounts and there were many who ignored us. There were also days along the way where the number of retweets would stagger. That was when we created a new Hayama Grassroots account as a preventive measure. Although we fell short from the 1200 students that populated the school, we were able to break past the targeted number with the help of this new account.
This was truly thanks to our gracious savior, Hayama. With this, I could finally talk with Isshiki Iroha and then that would prepare me for talking with Yukinoshita and Yui after that. We were able to fabricate persuasive bargaining chips that could serve as negotiation material. But from here on were the final finishing touches.
With the PC left on, I reached for my cell phone. As I wondered whether I had his number in my phone, I looked at my contacts list and as I thought, his number wasn't registered. "Aaah…"
That reminded me. Did I not register it because I thought I was probably never going to use the phone? Or maybe I erased it instead…?
My memories about those things were fuzzy. Ah, it might be in my call history. With that realization, I decided to check my history. The history consisted mostly of Komachi, but when I scrolled up to just around the time of the Culture Festival, there was an unfamiliar phone number. Aah, I did call him that one time, didn't I…?
Although it was just a multipurpose alarm clock, I had to give it some praise just for having the cellphone function of having a call history that didn't easily disappear. I called that number displayed in the history. The other party picked up before even one ring could go off.
"It is I." Only one person would pick up the phone and respond that way.
"Is this Zaimokuza?"
"Indeed, what is your business with me? I am currently engrossed with a cellphone game, so I hope you could make this quick."
Right, so that's why he picked up the call in one ring. I thought for sure he was waiting on standby the entire time for me to call him, so that gave me quite the scare. Well, I didn't want to take too much of his time. Let's make this quick.
"Sorry. I just had a little favor regarding the Twitter accounts."
"Humu?" I couldn't distinguish his unintelligible response between 'yes' or 'no'. Not minding it, I told him what my business was. It wasn't anything difficult and important. It was to just change some settings. Of course, even if the proclaimed Great Teacher of computers Zaimokuza had overheard this, he wouldn't say no. But the words he responded with very really incomprehensible.
"Nfuu, indeed, settings of that level can be easily changed at any moment, but…"
"Then I'll leave it to you to manage the accounts you're in charge of. I'll do the ones I have."
"That is not a problem, but… Hachiman, is that fine with you?" He had a considerate tone towards me which was rare for even Zaimokuza. But I asked him back with as much composure as possible.
"What is?"
"….This is not a method that is very deserving of praise… You are treading over dangerous waters."
After a few seconds of silence, Zaimokuza solemnly spoke. Despite his ridiculous choice of words, I could feel a sense of sincerity soaked in the respiration that escaped the speakers of the smartphone. As I pondered about how I should respond to him, what followed next was an awfully loud voice.
"But hold it. Do not get the wrong idea. It is not that I am concerned about you, but I am merely uneasy at the prospect that the responsibility may fall onto my hands and furthermore, I worry that I may be the one to carry the blame in your place. But I will state now that I have done my preparations to expose us both should that come to pass."
"You're one refreshing scumbag, aren't you?"
I couldn't help but laugh. Whether he was saying that seriously or whether he was trying to give indirect advice, he was really hard to understand.
"Don't worry. The only ones aware of the true identity behind these accounts are just us. Even if they did find out, the person behind these accounts doesn't exist. No one will get hurt."
"I suppose that may be fine…" I decided to give some wonderful words to Zaimokuza who was still seemingly doubtful. "Did you know, Zaimokuza…? As long as you didn't make a problem out of the problem, it won't become one."
"…A scum to the end, Hachiman." He told me earnestly.
"I don't want to hear that from you. Anyways, I'm counting on you."
"Hmph. I have no other choice then. I ask you of the same to not make it really my fault as well! Like really!"
"I get it already… See you." I replied and hung up without waiting for his response. He sounded like he was screaming at the end there, wasn't he…? But Zaimokuza's anxiety was needless. No matter how things turned out, I wouldn't make it his fault. When I refreshed my browser, I was able to confirm the changes Zaimokuza had made to the settings of the account. What was left was just printing these out. There was a lull as the things were printing. I collapsed onto the sofa and looked at the ceiling.
I called Yukinoshita. She picked up after a couple of rings.
"Hikigaya-kun," she greeted softly.
"Yukinoshita. I wanted to ask you something."
"Go ahead."
"Do you want to be president?"
"I'm an ideal candidate. I'm smart and popular. I can easily win the election and manage presidential activities."
"Okay. You're just listing reasons why you should be president. You have yet to tell me whether you want it. So long as we are being honest with one another you should let me know."
"And are we being completely honest with one another?"
"If we're not, I want to take back everything I've ever told you."
She gave a quiet, simple laugh. "Yes. Then. I want it."
"Then I think you should run."
"I am running."
"Yeah but… like, despite the club I think you should run."
"I see," I could practically feel her nodding. "If I win then who wins our bet?"
The bet she was talking about was an obvious one. The bet with Hiratsuka sensei being the mediator.
"You can," I decided.
"Just like that?"
"Just like that. I don't really care. What's the worst thing you could or would make me do? Nothing too bad, I figure. So you win. Congratulations."
"I haven't won the presidency yet…"
"Yeah but you will. At any rate I have the power to make this whole thing go away."
"Do you? I told you that your method won't work for this."
"Different method. Convincing Isshiki to take on the presidency is what I have planned now."
"You think you can pull that off?"
"Yes. I'm all but certain. At any rate, I won't since you have declared you want it."
"I suppose winning without competition would be something."
"Something good?" I asked.
"Something something," she answered.
"Well you'll have to defeat Yui to win. Unless I can talk her out of running."
"Oh? Yui?"
"Yeah. She's running. She didn't tell you yet?"
"No she didn't…"
"You'll still make time for her, won't you?" I asked.
"Well naturally," I could imagine her rolling her eyes.
"Good that's all she really wants."
"Not so. Not all she wants."
"What else is there?" I demanded.
"You. Naturally."
My heart stopped. "Well of course I'll make time for her. She matters to me."
I was starting to think I had a crush on Yui. And Yukinoshita… well, I wasn't ready yet. And I may never be.
"Will you make time for me as well?" Yukinoshita asked.
"Of course I will. I don't know what it will look like unless I'm helping you serve as president."
"I'd like that. And maybe we also could… you know…"
"Not really. Tell me," I asked.
"We could go out sometimes? Maybe?" She wondered.
"Like what? Just getting coffee or whatever?"
"Sure. Yes. Or like shopping. Like we did that one time."
"Yes. I can do that," I agreed. "You matter to me Yukinoshita. I'll take the time to make the time for you."
"I guess the only thing left to do is tell Yui," Yukinoshita said.
"I'll do it. I'll meet her for coffee or whatever and tell her this is something you want and that change is the natural state of the universe. I think she'll get it."
"Sounds like you thought of everything…"
"Not everything. I didn't think of a way to save the service club."
"Things die occasionally. It's natural. A part of life."
"I think so. But will Yui see it that way?"
"We'll see. You can be pretty convincing."
"Can I convince you to-"
"I told you. Never. Never means never."
I laughed. "Have it your way."
"If only I could have it my way."
"Why can't you? What do you not have?"
"My sister's trust. My mother's pride."
"Your sister is a bitch though. Do you really want her to trust you? Or do you want to rise above?"
"Well ideally I'd like both."
I laughed. "You poor bitch."
She laughed too. It was a quiet musical noise full of ice and sex. I could listen to it for hours. Maybe I was developing a bit of a crush on Yukinoshita too.
This was going to hurt.
It was going to get worse before it got better.
And it was going to hurt the whole time.
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I met with Yui for coffee. I asked her out. Not out out. But out. It was chilly so I didn't order my usual ice coffee. I got something warm with lots of milk instead. Yui got something drizzled in caramel and chocolate. I think it was straight up a hot chocolate but all fancy instead.
"You wanted to talk to me?" She wondered.
"Yes. About running for president. I wanted to talk you out of it."
"You've come up with a way to save the service club then? That's great! I knew you would Hikki."
"Yui…" The breath whistled out of me and she stopped.
"Yukinoshita wants to be president," I managed at length.
"What? Then… how do you know?"
"I called her and asked. I came up with a way to save the service club. It involved convincing Isshiki to become president. But Yukinoshita rejected that too. She wants this."
"But what about the service club?"
"It will probably die," I answered brutally and honestly. I reached across the table and took Yui's soft hand. Her flesh was warm and felt nice against my own. I rubbed a little circle into it.
"But… I can't beat Yukinoshita?"
"Probably not. And do you want to? If this is something she wants?"
"Well no… but! No…"
"She'll still make time for you. Doing your baking or whatever you girls get up to. I'll still make time for you. Hell, I am right now. I'll still love you, Yui. She'll still love you. We need you."
She flushed crimson at my words. She took a drink of her hot chocolate through her straw. I just waited and watched her pretty face. I said all the things which really needed to be said.
"This won't be the end?" She wondered up at me. Was I really this much taller than her? I kinda liked it.
I shook my head.
"Yui, you're my friend. That won't change just because the club is ending. We still have to go out shopping for Yukinoshita's birthday present. Remember?"
She grinned at me for a moment but it was weak and didn't quite reach her eyes.
"What about the three of us?" She asked.
"What about us?" I shot back.
"Will we still spend time together all of us? Together?"
I frowned a little and took a drink. In my head it had always been separate.
"If that's what you want, Yukinoshita and I can do that. I'm sure," I answered. "Just going out together or something like that. Plus Yukinoshita will need help as president. There's a place for you in that. A place for both of us."
"Nothing lasts forever does it?" Yui smiled weakly again.
I shook my head. "No. Nothing. You always slam into entropy. But entropy is statistical and not absolute. You can have pockets of order arise from the chaos."
"Entropy. Right. I suppose this is a little like that. But does it really apply to people too?"
"It can. Intelligent agents alter their environments. We often speed up entropy rather than slow it down. But we do create order from energy. That's something intelligent agents do. It just costs a bit of chaos on the other end. It took the sun billions of years to provide the energy for our civilization here on Earth with most of that energy being flung off into space and not landing on any planet, let alone Earth. Universe is big wind down machine, yes? Excellent based on empirical data. Or universe is complexity machine. Atoms build into molecules which build into planets with oceans and sea cows and trees and yes; very clever carbon units with opposable thumbs which go on to make things more complex than they are. The universe isn't winding down, it's speeding up. It took billions of years to make a planet, a few hundred million to make a person, then a couple hundred thousand to make a person who didn't have to hunt all the time. Then two thousand for electricity, radio, and the internet. The universe isn't winding down, that's just a by product. It's waking up."
"Like our relationships," Yui nodded. "They're more complicated than we are alone."
"Yes," I agreed. And I did agree. "It took seventeen years to make the service club and only a year and a half to make something which will outlive it. Change is the natural state of the universe."
"I didn't have you pegged as a buddhist."
"I adopt many different philosophies. I take the ideas of Buddhism very seriously."
"I think I get it… I'll drop out of the race. If that's what Yukinon wants then she deserves it."
"Her family life," I agreed.
"Do you get it?" She wondered at me.
"Bits and pieces. It isn't a good thing. It's not a healthy environment. She isn't safe."
"Then you and I will just have to make her safe," there was steel in Yui's eyes.
"Of course," I agreed. "You and I can do that much. Keep her away from her sister an dmother and maybe even her father."
"I want her to heal."
"How?" I wondered.
"I'm… I'm not sure. But I want her to be on good terms with her family."
"Tall ask," I sighed. "I rather hoped to shield her from that."
"That won't solve the problem. She deserves her family's love. We all do. Think of where you would be without Komachi-chan."
"I'd be dead," I answered brutally.
"You really mean that?" She asked.
"Yes," I answered again, just as blunt. "The only reason I didn't do it before I met you guys was because I didn't want her to find my body."
"Ouch Hikki."
"Its true."
"But now you have other things? Maybe?"
"Maybe," I agreed with a smile. "For sure."
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-WG
