Living in the Heart of Tokyo

"Why do we even hold sports festivals? According to the Ministry of Education, having a shared goal helps foster positive relationships."

"Through conflict, cooperation, and mutual support, students grow closer. This kind of experience is immensely helpful when they eventually step into society."

Yukinoshita Yukino, who could probably recite the school charter as common knowledge, wasn't fazed by such a question.

Without even glancing at her notes, she dove straight into an impromptu lecture for everyone.

Her cool, composed voice echoed like one of those endless museum audio guides—monotonous and sleep-inducing.

For a moment, it felt like they were in a modern literature class.

Yamauchi Sakura even subtly turned her head to stifle a yawn before quickly pretending to listen attentively.

Let's face it—meetings are inherently boring.

If everyone's chiming in, you could at least call it a "brainstorming session" and pretend it's fun.

But when it's just one person talking?

Only someone like Shouko, who was acting as the scribe, could endure it.

"Secondly," Yukinoshita continued, "group activities help enhance a sense of belonging. While working toward a shared goal, people naturally start to realize their own strengths and where they fit best."

"And lastly, it fosters public spirit. Regardless of the department, everyone understands the importance of their individual contribution to the group…"

As her lecture came to a close, and just before she could go into how this relates to students' personal development, Kyousuke walked up to the whiteboard.

He hadn't read any Ministry of Education memos—but Yukinoshita's answer was so over-the-top that even Zaimokuza could've come up with a rebuttal or two.

That is, assuming Zaimokuza wouldn't be too intimidated by her professor-like presence.

Yukinoshita didn't even sound like a student, she came off more like a professional event planner giving a pitch to a client.

If Kyousuke were the club president, he'd happily hand everything over to her and let her slot every student into place like cogs in a machine.

But as it stood, he was merely the vice-president—Sakura's vice-president—and her will came first.

And Yamauchi Sakura didn't want a "perfect" sports festival.

Picking up a different marker, he scribbled "Shared Goal" on the board.

"Like you said, every purpose begins with forming a shared goal. So, Yukinoshita—what exactly do you think that shared goal is?"

"To successfully host the sports festival and win, of course."

Yukinoshita shot him a look that practically screamed, Are you stupid?

Sure, they called it a festival, but it was really just a glorified athletic competition with extra decorations.

Even the gates, curtains, and performances were all being judged.

At its core, it was still a contest.

And in any competition, the goal is to win. Yukinoshita couldn't tolerate failure—even if she wasn't the president.

'Yikes. Living like that must be exhausting.' Kyousuke clicked his tongue.

He'd already caught on to her obsession with winning, but her sheer stubbornness still stunned him.

It also explained why she hadn't realized why her speech in the Kendo Club meeting had completely killed the mood.

He glanced at Sakura with a silent plea:

'Your loyal vassal has failed—permission to retreat?'

Her sharp gaze replied:

'Denied. Keep going. She doesn't get it yet.'

"If that's really the case," he said, turning back to Yukinoshita, "then why doesn't the school just appoint experienced teachers as presidents?"

"Why not hand out a detailed manual?"

With Yukinoshita, stating your opinion outright was the worst approach.

She wouldn't buy it unless she reasoned it out herself.

This was a strategy he'd learned from senior Kasumigaoka.

She often used this in her arguments with Eriri. For example:

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Eriri: "Why are you standing so close to Kyousuke?"

Kasumigaoka: "Then why are you standing so close?"

Eriri: "I—shut up! Mind your own business!"

Eriri would then pout, turn her head away, and either retreat strategically or invoke the "No Way, Idiot!" technique.

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But Yukinoshita didn't like to play dirty.

While most people held others to a lesser standard than themselves, Yukinoshita demanded perfection from everyone, herself included.

In her rigid world of absolute justice, if you didn't do anything wrong, then there was no reason to be blamed.

But if you did mess up, you deserved to be punished—no exceptions.

Now standing before the whiteboard, Yukinoshita's slim brows furrowed slightly in thought.

"You're saying a true 'shared goal' only exists when everyone has a hand in shaping it?"

"Exactly. If everything is decided by you alone, then the rest of us are just lifeless bricks and screws in your plan."

Sakura nodded along.

She'd chosen Yukinoshita for her cool logic and sense of order, but she didn't want a robot.

That much had already been clear.

If it were just Kyousuke and Yukinoshita left alone in a room, they'd be at each other's throats within three sentences.

Or, more likely, Kyousuke would fake being asleep, while Yukinoshita sat there fuming herself into a stroke.

"Still, that's not practical," Yukinoshita replied. "Involving everyone in the process just leads to chaos. You wouldn't even make it past step one."

No one understood the dark side of human nature better than her.

Everyone had their own agenda.

Everyone wanted things done their way.

While she agreed with the idea of inclusion, she didn't believe everyone should get a say in decisions.

That's precisely why we elect leaders—because most people can't see their own limitations.

"I actually agree with you on that one," Kyousuke said with a nod.

Yukinoshita's flawless face remained as frosty as ever.

She knew that word always came with a "but."

"But… participation and decision-making are not the same. Team members can offer suggestions. It's the president's job to make the call."

"The leader doesn't need to be an expert in everything. They just need to decide and keep everyone on track."

"In that regard, President Sakura is… absolutely top-tier."

You could mock Yamauchi Sakura's quirky logic all you wanted, but you couldn't deny she had her own internal system.

Whatever choice you threw at her, she never took more than three seconds to pick.

Her real strength wasn't in academics.

But multiple-choice exams? Bring them on.

"As long as it's multiple-choice," she once said, "I'll get into Tokyo U without breaking a sweat."

Maybe a word in an answer just felt right.

Maybe she'd had two egg yolks in her omelet that morning.

Or maybe she noticed a mole on Hojou Kyousuke's neck and took it as a sign.

Whatever the reason, Sakura had a freakish talent for guessing right.

It wasn't because she had some mystical power.

It was the other way around.

Because she had the guts to make snap decisions—right or wrong—it looked like she had luck on her side.

She had a knack for navigating the path of life in such a way that even when sprinting down a rain-soaked sidewalk, she'd somehow avoid every cracked tile filled with water.

Even if the outcome was wildly different from what she'd imagined, at most she'd just pout a little.

As long as she could buy a delicious dorayaki without waiting in line, the joy of that moment would instantly wash away any prior disappointment.

Sometimes, she even felt like all those poor choices were just stepping stones leading her to that dorayaki.

Like Yukinoshita had once said: having too many people involved in decision-making just leads to chaos.

That was because, given her personality, if she were to participate in such a meeting, she'd have to analyze each suggestion carefully, weigh the pros and cons, and examine the feasibility from every possible angle.

But Yamauchi Sakura wasn't like that.

Her style was: "Let's just do it first and figure out the rest later."

Yukinoshita turned her head to look at the true president of the club and quietly closed her notebook.

She still didn't agree with how things were being handled, but she was only the vice president.

"Should we adjourn the meeting for now? The others are probably off doing their own things," she asked.

"It's fine, it's fine! I've already told someone to notify them. One more message and they'll all be here in a flash."

Sakura waved her hand nonchalantly.

Her words made both Yukinoshita and Kyousuke stare at her in disbelief—everyone except Shouko.

One of them was crushed that their hope of getting off early had been shattered.

The other was wondering what the earlier discussion had even been for—just to contradict her?

Just to tame her into fully dedicating herself as a supporting officer?

But even with that thought, Yukinoshita couldn't bring herself to believe that Yamauchi Sakura had schemed that far ahead.

Not with that innocent smile.

"We should start setting up the tables and chairs," Yukinoshita said.

She had accepted her role as vice president as a personal mission, so she didn't mind using the club room for this.

"No need. I already requested a different classroom," Sakura replied, still casually waving her hand.

Faced with their shocked expressions, Sakura puffed out her cheeks and huffed, "What? Can't I be serious about something for once?"

Yukinoshita nodded honestly.

She had assumed from the beginning that Sakura would rely on Hojou's connections to get it done.

After all, weren't most government jobs in Japan handled by vice-ministers?

Starting in high school seemed perfectly normal.

"As expected of the president! A true master strategist!" Kyousuke gave her a big thumbs-up, clearly embracing his role as vice president.

Though, his idea of the role seemed very different from Yukinoshita's.

Even if everyone pinned their hopes on him, as long as it was for Sakura, he'd happily become a firefly lighting up the night sky.

He wasn't surprised Sakura could mobilize so many people.

Only now did he realize why Kisaki had so easily agreed when he'd mentioned meeting after school to discuss the sports festival—turns out he hadn't been bluffing.

Long ago, he had already filled Yukinoshita's support group with people from the kendo and baseball clubs, as well as students who had handled responsibilities at previous festivals.

Yukinoshita, who had only just learned to use LINE and was determined to do everything herself, clearly hadn't grasped the idea of managing subordinates.

But the group wasn't meant for her.

It had been prepared by someone else—Sakura's loyal enforcers.

If the president suddenly demanded they build a spaceship to break through Japan's technological limits, those enforcers wouldn't hesitate.

They'd crack their whips and demand results.

Their loyalty was unquestionable.

Kyousuke himself was proof of that.

"I see. That's good then," Yukinoshita said expressionlessly.

Kyousuke, however, noticed the brief flicker of confusion and disappointment on her face.

Did she really want to handle everything herself? It seemed absurd.

Did she plan to compete with herself, too?

The classroom Sakura had reserved was just two doors down on the fourth floor.

When they entered, the tables and chairs were already arranged in a circular formation.

Familiar faces popped out one after another, greeting Kyousuke and Sakura in turn.

The previously chosen heads of departments were already seated.

Sakura took the far seat in the back, flanked by Kyousuke and Shouko.

Yukinoshita moved to the front and immediately began her duties as vice president, presiding over the meeting.

The atmosphere was electric.

Just as Yukinoshita had predicted, everyone had their own opinions.

It was like a bunch of untrained huskies strapped to a sled labeled "Meeting," all charging in different directions with enough force to tear the sled apart—each dog wishing it had its own sled and master.

There were so many people speaking at once that one person couldn't keep up with writing everything on the whiteboard.

Two more scribes were added, and soon, all four boards were filled to the brim.

There were thirteen different proposals just for the entrance gate design: flaming portals, moon base airlocks, lava-flowing abyss doors…

The students let their imaginations run wild, unburdened by adult constraints.

You'd think they were seriously trying to build a portal to another world.

Naturally, the president had her own amazing idea: Doraemon's Anywhere Door.

Both Vice President Hojou Kyousuke and Assistant VP Nishimiya Shouko voiced immediate support.

The performance proposals were equally outrageous.

Nationality, ethnicity, and even species were thrown aside.

At one point, someone seriously suggested performing an African farming dance—only to be shot down on the spot.

That didn't stop others from going even further, with someone proposing they bring in professionals from Kabukicho to coach them.

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Eventually, the meeting wrapped up in a lively, chaotic blur, leaving only the original four members of the Service Club behind.

Staring at the long list of proposals in the meeting notebook, Yukinoshita let out a heavy sigh and groaned in pain.

"What's wrong, Yukino?"

Sakura, cheerfully tapping away on her phone, looked up in concern at Yukinoshita's voice.

"A lot of these proposals are just... completely unfeasible," Yukinoshita replied, holding up the notebook.

"Huh? But they all seem pretty great to me! Everyone in the group chat is super excited. We can even vote on them by tomorrow!" Sakura showed her phone with a grin.

Yukinoshita glanced at her own phone lying beside her and felt like she had somehow stepped into the world of politics—forced to assist a clueless heiress who had inherited a seat but didn't understand a thing about governance.

No wonder the Japanese public was so apathetic toward politics.

Even drunk in an izakaya, they didn't bother cursing the useless politicians.

They knew it was just a game played by elites, completely disconnected from normal life.

"For example, this flaming gate idea… If we want it large enough for the whole team to pass through, we'd have to scale it up, which would ruin the proportions and make it look really weird. The same issue applies to your 'Anywhere Door' proposal, Sakura."

"And then there's…"

As she continued, Yukinoshita felt like she was suffocating.

As a perfectionist, the thought of having to bring order to this chaotic mess was worse than death.

"Relax, relax, Yukino-chan. It's not that bad yet."

Watching Yukinoshita on the verge of a breakdown, Yamauchi Sakura chuckled lightly.

Even though her own proposal had just been rejected, her tone remained cheerful and carefree.

Yukinoshita glanced at the chat group, where people were enthusiastically campaigning for someone else's idea, and felt completely unable to relax.

At this rate, she was definitely going to lose!

"Hey, Kyousuke, stop sweeping. Our dear vice president is about to cry."

"I'm not crying," Yukinoshita shot back immediately. "I'm just sad for the poor souls who are about to endure a terrible sports festival."

"As expected of someone so kind-hearted they'd extend a hand to the unfortunate. I truly admire that compassion!" Kyousuke chuckled, handing the broom over to Shouko.

Yukinoshita shot him a cold glare, crossing her arms as if bracing herself for the nonsense to come.

"The masses are easily swayed," Kyousuke said casually. "Even if they have a thousand different opinions right now, with a little trick, you can make them believe someone else's idea was their own choice."

As he spoke, Kyousuke pulled out his phone and typed a message into the chatroom.

"A red cat? That's such a unique idea."

The message vanished in an instant, swept away by the flood of ongoing messages in the chat, it seemed to cause no stir at all.

But Yukinoshita, who was also staring at her phone, suddenly froze.

'Wait… isn't that my original proposal?'

A giant cat face, with the team running out of its wide-open mouth—just imagining the scene made her want to smile with glee.

'But then… what was Hojou up to?' Her question was quickly answered as new messages began to pop up on the screen.

The members of the red team, who'd been chatting about something else entirely, now seemed to respond to Kyousuke's message as if some invisible lag had suddenly lifted.

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"A giant cat at the sports festival? That sounds kinda fun."

"Haha, like a hellcat with flames burning on its back?"

"It'd be super fun to build something like that~~"

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"..."

They were praising her idea—but Yukinoshita couldn't feel happy about it.

"You…" She turned to Hojou, lips parted slightly, but no words came out.

She didn't need to say anything.

It was already obvious how the vote was going to turn out.

Just like Kyousuke said, with how everyone was talking about it now, in the end they'd all happily believe the giant cat gate was their collective idea.

Somewhere deep inside, Yukinoshita Yukino's sense of absolute justice was blaring alarms, screaming at her to stop this injustice, this manipulation.

But...

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