099. The Broadcasting Club's Special Broadcast

Morning, last class period.

"Asking me to have girls from other schools pay attention to Tachibana Rui's movements, connecting with Uchimaki Subaru through you to free Sawamura Spencer Eriri from the doujin game club, and from what I know, Yuu's relationship with Kiso Yukina is also very good now..."

Iizuka Takeya sat on the playground lawn, hands propped behind him, looking up at the sky. Beside him, Totsuka Reita maintained the same posture.

Today's PE class had two classes together. After the first half's sprint test, the two casually found a place to sit on the ground and started talking.

"I'm increasingly confused. What do you think - what is Yuu thinking?"

"You already said it yourself. Such an obvious situation and you still can't judge what's going on?"

Totsuka Reita, wearing a gym uniform, replied with a world-weary gaze.

"No way... this is too absurd."

Iizuka Takeya still didn't dare believe his own deduction.

"However absurd, it's already happened, hasn't it..."

"..."

The corner of Iizuka Takeya's mouth twitched:

"If this continues, I'm afraid Yuu will end up getting stabbed to death."

"If it were me, I'd probably be happy to be stabbed to death..."

Totsuka Reita let out a melancholic sigh, his tone extremely sour:

"I thought only you, Takeya, were a public enemy of men, but I didn't expect Yuu to be even worse - directly fighting on three fronts. The fact that I still can't find a girlfriend is definitely you guys' fault no matter how I think about it."

Iizuka Takeya couldn't help but laugh mockingly:

"Forget it. With so many girls in the whole school, how many have Yuu and I gone after? Don't randomly pin that label on us."

"Heh, stop explaining, you hateful normie."

"This normie has a dinner gathering this afternoon. I asked out some underclassmen girls. You..."

"Good bro, I'm in!"

"As for Yuu, we probably don't need to call him. Don't know what stage he's developed to now."

Thinking of that expression on Eriri's face when Murakami Yuu held her hand in the classroom that day, Totsuka Reita scratched his head:

"Can't say about the others, but I think that girl surnamed Sawamura has already been completely conquered by Yuu. Probably reached the point where as long as Yuu wants, she can immediately respond to him."

Iizuka Takeya couldn't help but laugh:

"Somehow feels like a worry has been resolved."

"Don't you think that old-father tone of yours is asking for a beating?"

Totsuka Reita stood up:

"Let's go. Class is almost over. Let's get ready to buy lunch."

"Mm."

Iizuka Takeya stood up and patted his butt, then thought of something:

"Speaking of which, there seems to be a special broadcast interview with Yuu during lunch break today."

"Really?"

...

Inside the broadcasting room separated into two spaces by a soundproof glass wall, Murakami Yuu and Kiso Yukina sat properly as guests in the studio.

Before them was a long table with three microphones already set up - two facing them, and another at the opposite position for the host when the broadcast began.

Before the broadcast started, Kiso Yukina was somewhat nervous. She glanced at the broadcasting club members on the other side of the transparent glass wall busy with sound checks and preparations. Her hands placed on her lap slowly gripped tighter and tighter.

"Yukina, you don't need to be so nervous. It's just a simple conversation process."

Murakami Yuu noticed her emotions and spoke comfortingly.

"Ah... mm!"

Kiso Yukina forced a smile.

Today's broadcast was a special interview targeting Vice President Murakami Yuu, while Kiso Yukina was there as Murakami Yuu's friend to provide supplementary comments.

"Relax, Yukina. Back then you performed at the school festival before so many people. Facing so many people, you could perform successfully and perfectly. This small scene is definitely no problem."

He smiled bitterly at her again, then sighed, pretending to look troubled:

"Actually to be honest, I'm the one who's somewhat nervous. First time doing this kind of thing - I keep thinking about how not to show timidity."

"Eh? Yuu is nervous?"

"Why do you seem so surprised? This is my first broadcast appearance. Being nervous is a natural thing, right?"

"It's... it's okay! I have a method. If you do what I do, you won't be nervous."

Yukina hurriedly said. She extended her hand and wrote the character for "person" on it, then held it near her mouth in a hollow grip and swallowed it down.

Murakami Yuu smiled and followed her actions, doing it once.

"How... how is it?"

"Seems like it really is a bit better."

Kiso Yukina breathed a sigh of relief and smiled in response.

She had originally been relaxed, but after arriving here, she suddenly thought that her current position was as Murakami Yuu's friend. In this situation, if she said something wrong, it would be Murakami Yuu's face that would be lost.

Her previous anxiety was due to this reason, but after comforting Murakami Yuu who pretended to be very nervous, these emotions dissipated quite a bit. Much better than before.

The door opened. The broadcasting club president walked in. Today he would serve as host.

His name was Yamada Ichiro - a boy with a short crew cut who looked very spirited.

"Murakami-san, Kiso-san, when the broadcast starts, just follow my Q&A rhythm. If there's anything difficult, signal with your eyes and I'll help you smooth it over. So don't be nervous just because it's live. Just keep a calm mindset."

Yamada Ichiro sat in the position across from them, then put on headphones and gave them a thumbs up, flashing a mouthful of white teeth.

"Okay, we're counting on you, Yamada-san."

The two nodded to him together.

"There's still some time. We can go over the upcoming Q&A segment."

"Okay."

...

School rooftop.

Kasumigaoka Utaha and Eriri sat together.

"How... how is it..."

Eriri was the first to speak.

"Is Sawamura-san asking about Ethics-kun or about the doujin game club?"

"Neither. Whatever you say is fine - it doesn't matter to me."

Eriri shook her head, then looked at her:

"I'm asking about you, Kasumigaoka Utaha."

"Me?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha was somewhat surprised.

"After I left, how are you in the club?"

"This really is unexpected. Is Sawamura-san concerned about me?"

Eriri's expression was somewhat unnatural. Pretending to be casual, she shifted her gaze elsewhere:

"I... I guess so."

"!"

Kasumigaoka Utaha stared at her with unbelievably wide eyes.

"What kind of look is that!"

Eriri's face reddened and her voice grew louder.

"Sorry, it's because... I saw Sawamura-san's honest side that would absolutely never be seen normally."

Kasumigaoka Utaha was truly somewhat surprised.

"!!!"

Eriri looked like she was about to bristle.

"No different from before. Can't say it's good, can't say it's bad."

Kasumigaoka Utaha stopped teasing her:

"It's just that Uchimaki Subaru who replaced your work isn't so easy to talk to. He has conflicts with Ethics-kun almost every day. The arguing gives me a bit of a headache."

Her momentum deflated. After hesitating a long time, Eriri spoke almost inaudibly:

"Sorry..."

But her voice was drowned out by the campus broadcast that just started.

"Saint Chronia's lunch break! This is a special broadcast from the broadcasting club..."

Kasumigaoka Utaha looked toward the speaker hanging to the side, reached up to arrange her hair, and murmured:

"It's starting."

...