Chapter 6 - Substitute Note-Taker

6.20.1204 - Sunday (Free Day)

Towa was starting to panic. The Student Council were about to start their big midyear meeting in the conference room, and the member who was the designated note-taker just called in sick. She wasn't sure what to do. She couldn't ask any of the students, as they could miss out on their club activities. She couldn't ask any of the instructors, as they were still grading their exams. All the Student Council members present had a role in the meeting so asking one of them to also be taking notes wouldn't work. She figured that she might as well take the notes herself. She figured it wouldn't be too much of a hassle for her.

Just then she overheard one of the Student Council members talking to someone: it was Rean.

Towa overheard Rean say to one of the other Student Council members. "Excuse me, I saw you drop this by the front gate. Glad I was able to find you."

Towa then had an idea; maybe Rean could substitute for the usual note-taker. She approached Rean to ask if he was free to substitute for their note-taker. Thankfully, he agreed to help.

According to Rean, Class VII weren't going to explore the old schoolhouse until later so he was free to help.

Now with Rean as note-taker, the meeting could start on time.

As everyone got to their seats Towa called Rean to the front of the table where she was so he could introduce himself to everyone.

"Hello everyone, I'm Rean Schwarzer of Class VII. I'll be taking notes for this meeting, so please don't mind my presence." Rean said nervously.

Despite Rean being the one talking, Towa could sense that the other Student Council members were staring at her as well. Did she do something?

After Rean properly introduced himself he went to the back of the room to take notes on the meeting.

The meeting was going as planned. The Student Council looked over all the current ideas being submitted for possible school festival booths. Towa was glad to see the students giving it their all when it came to creativity. She did notice that Class VII hadn't submitted anything, she might have to ask Rean about that sometime.

Speaking of Rean she decided to see how Rean was doing. He looked deep in concentration as he wrote everything they were speaking about. He looked so determined, as if he was treating this task with the same importance as exploring the old schoolhouse. Even their usual note-taker didn't take their job as seriously as he was doing. Why was Rean so committed to helping her and the Student Council?

Ever since March, Rean had been going out his way to help the Student Council. Week after week Rean would spend his Free Days doing the requests she dropped off in the morning. He would even do requests that she didn't assign him. He even worked on his birthday without telling her. He was practically a Student Council member at that point.

All she could do to thank him besides giving him some spare mira from the Student Council budget was give him some tea. She didn't mean to always give him her favorite tea so frequently, it sort of just happened. Her supply kept on clearing out faster once Rean came along, she was lucky her family's shop always had it in stock to mail to her whenever she asked.

Suddenly Towa was brought back into reality when one of the other Student Council members spoke up. "E-Excuse me President Herschel? Hello?"

"Oh sorry, just thinking about last year's booths." Towa lied.

Towa listened and answered their question. What had gotten into her? Did she really start to daydream about Rean? No, it must've been all the stress from organizing the upcoming festival. She remembered how stressful it was last year, and that before she became the Student Council President. Of course, the stress was starting to get to her.

Luckily the meeting finally ended after a few more minutes due to the Student Council debating if they should accept Class I's request to use the auditorium for their booth.

Rean walked up to Towa to give her all the notes he took for them. After quick review Towa determined it was more of a transcript than it was simple notes.

"Rean, don't tell me you wrote everything we said did you?" Towa asked. She was a bit concerned for Rean's writing hand.

"When you helped me study for my exams I saw how detailed your notes were, so I assumed the best notes for you involved them being as detailed as possible. I hope these are up to your standards President Towa." Rean answered her.

It was clear to Towa that Rean was trying to downplay his own way of doing things. If he started copying her, she knew he would quickly be burnt out. She needed to tell him that he was already good enough to help her. Not just with notes but in general.

So, she got on her tiptoes. She was stretching with all her might to try and match Rean's height the best she could and pinched his cheeks.

For once it was Rean's face that started to blush.

After a few seconds she realized the other Student Council members were staring at them and stopped what she was doing.

"Rean, I don't want you talking like that." Towa said in a demanding voice.

"Talking like what?" Rean asked.

"Rean, you don't have to compare yourself to others. You're good enough just the way you are. The way I take my notes isn't some sort of correct way to write notes. That's just how I write my notes. You have your way and I have my own. No one way is better than the other. Of course, it's not just your notes Rean. I can attest to how much you already help everyone here Rean. I couldn't ask for a better helper than you." Towa said while staring Rean in the eyes to make sure he listened to every word she was saying.

"I-I… Thank you President Towa-" Rean started to say before he was interrupted by his Arcus starting to vibrate.

"Hello Rean Schwarzer speaking. Oh Emma is something wrong? Oh that's right, the old schoolhouse. I'm sorry I'm on my way." Rean spoke.

Towa and Rean had forgotten about the fact that Class VII still needed to explore the old schoolhouse that day. Luckily the meeting was already over, and all the Student Council members already left to the surprise of Towa and Rean. Towa remembered that it usually took a while for the other Student Council members, hopefully she didn't scare them off when she pinched Rean's cheeks.

"Sorry for keeping you Rean, good luck with the old schoolhouse!" Towa said.

"Thank you, President Towa. Good luck with the festival preparations!" Rean said as he made his way to the door.

They both waved each other off as Rean made his way to the old schoolhouse.


Once Rean made it to the old schoolhouse he was met by his rather annoyed classmates.

"Well, someone's back awfully late." Jusis greeted.

"You said you were going to go around the school to see if anyone needed help, not go off on a date with a girl." Alisa remarked.

"Hold on, I wasn't on a date. I helped President Towa with a Student Council meeting." Rean said in his defense.

"So, a date?" Fie retorted.

"Fie, a date involves only two people. I was just filling in for a missing Student Council member as President Towa and the other members went over submissions for the school festival." Rean said as he continued to defend himself.

"Knowing you two, you're probably in your own little world." Emma teased.

"I was taking notes!" Rean explained.

"Those notes better not just be about President Towa." Elliot joked.

"They were about the meeting! If you don't believe me, you can ask President Towa for them." Rean said a bit louder.

"Think I'll take you up on that offer. I might ask President Towa for them next time I visit the Student Union building for my club." Machias sighed as he joined in on the teasing.

"Anyway, enough about my notes and their quality, let's go explore the old schoolhouse!" Rean announced as he rushed into the old schoolhouse by himself.

"Wait, does he think we were teasing him about his note-taking abilities and not how much time he spends with President Towa?" Jusis questioned as he saw Rean enter the old schoolhouse by himself.

"His notes were quite good when I asked to see them when he helped me study a few days ago, so I'm surprised he actually thought we were making fun of the quality of them." Gaius commented.

"When it comes to books and the enemy, Rean is great at reading. When it comes to reading the room however, he's practically illiterate." Laura joked.

"Agreed." Class VII said in unison as they followed Rean inside to explore the old schoolhouse.