restless daily life

"Alright, let's go have lunch together and discuss it again this afternoon." Bai Ying nodded slightly. "What does the vice president of the Zongwu High School Student Council think?"

Yukino Yukinoshita's expression was subtle: "Sobu High Student Council President, are you planning to speak on behalf of President Tamaki?"

"No, no, no, this is just a cooperative relationship."

Bai Ying smiled and muttered under his breath, "Hmph! Once I start something new and make a name for myself, I'll show you, this powerful minister and principal, what it means to be a 'thirty-day general' and a 'thirty-day beach man'..."

Although everyone had their own ideas, due to the pressure on their biological circulatory system, the group did not want to argue with Bai Ying about this issue for the time being—considering that the other party had managed to talk a chatterbox to the point of collapse and still had energy left, continuing to argue would not be good for their stomachs.

……

Inside a Japanese hot pot restaurant, student council members from the two schools sat down at two separate tables.

Since we still needed to discuss the plans in the afternoon, we decided to have lunch together.

“In my hometown, eating and chatting is the best way to socialize. Everyone sits separately, not just with familiar people. We are going to hold a joint event, and we will inevitably have to deal with each other afterward. Getting to know each other in advance will pave the way for future work.”

Bai Ying pointed and made arrangements.

Yu Sheng sat down beside him and finished another glass of water. He said, "I don't think we need to rush. We've already discussed this for a long time today. How about tomorrow..."

Bai Ying: "Tomorrow I will submit a report to the school, accusing you of failing to cooperate, lacking initiative, refusing to exchange with other schools, and being closed-minded and disregarding the overall situation..."

Yu Sheng: "Alright, alright! Let's continue the discussion this afternoon!"

"Don't worry." Bai Ying patted the other's shoulder familiarly. "I'll help you. Don't let my position as the student council president of Zongwu High fool you; I'm actually having a tough time—the principal is afraid of my high achievements, and the heroes are eyeing me..."

On the other side of the white figure, Yukino Yukinoshita interrupted calmly, "That's right, this is my student council president. President Tamahane, do you understand why he can't manage things now?"

"I totally understand." Yu Sheng couldn't help but drink another glass of water. This was the first time in his life that he had been rendered speechless in a conversational context. "How did you become the student council president?"

Bai Ying thought for a moment, then blurted out, "I support Bai Ying serving as student council president—or something like that."

Yukino Yukinoshita: "Ahem! Where's President Tamaki? How could someone as indecisive and afraid of taking responsibility as student council president be chosen?"

"This one……"

Yu Sheng hesitated for a moment, then, sensing the situation, decided there was nothing wrong with saying it: "I'm not entirely sure either. I just volunteered on a whim, and after my speech, I was selected..."

"Isn't this normal?" Bai Ying waved her hand. "A person who can speak fluently and naturally and is very good at expressing themselves is more likely to gain the favor of others. With the kind of personality that makes the brave man preach and criticize others, no matter how reasonable you are, others will definitely criticize you first—and by the time you finish criticizing, it will be difficult to move forward."

"Hmph, I'm just addressing the issue, not the person."

Yukino Yukinoshita snorted softly: "In short, I hope that President Tamahane can seriously solve the problem later. If you still have the habit of procrastinating and are unwilling to take the risks of making decisions—I advise you to think carefully. With this person who likes to tattle around, the risk of not making a decision may be even greater."

“Yes, yes, the vortex jade rope.” The white figure took it personally. “If you don’t care, plenty of others will.”

"The Whirlpool Jade Rope?"

"You really like making Rasengan out of thin air, don't you? Unfortunately, it's still a bit inferior to my Spirit Bomb."

Yu Sheng's cheek twitched slightly, her mood extremely conflicted.

Fortunately, the food arrived quickly, freeing him from having to endure the other person's strange words any longer.

Haha, it seems neither of them has realized the change in the situation yet...

Bai Ying was in a good mood, but when she saw the standard Japanese hot pot being served, she couldn't help but sigh.

Is this crystal-clear color good for health?

The ingredients in the pot are already cooked and carefully arranged – the bubbling broth resembles a lake, the piled meat slices on one side resemble mountains, the overlapping green vegetables resemble a forest, and the combination of bean sprouts, mushrooms and tofu resembles plains. The whole thing looks exceptionally exquisite and delicate, bringing the beauty of color and structure to an extreme.

Bai Ying quipped, "I'd call it the Longevity Pot."

"Isn't it good to live to be a hundred?"

Yukino Yukinoshita's voice was tinged with laughter as she naturally picked up a few slices of beef from the pot and placed them into Shiro's bowl.

The white figure turned and stared at her profile, keeping staring until Yukino Yukinoshita's expression changed from completely natural to a slight twitch of her eyebrows.

"This is a reward for you. You did a good job," Yukino Yukinoshita said calmly. "You're the student council president who does odd jobs."

A menial servant? Hmph, just you wait and see, I'll be your equal in no time!

The white figure picked up a piece of beef and stuffed it into her mouth, a slight smile appearing on her lips.

What's so funny? Still laughing? You're just being silly.

Yukino Yukinoshita muttered a few words to herself, then quietly began to chew her food slowly, ignoring the stares of the others at the table.

Angelina looked thoughtful, picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks, thought for a moment, and then put it in her bowl—meat, oh meat, for you I gave up the option of romantic conversation! Slurp!

Yu Sheng glanced subtly at Bai Ying and Yukino Yukinoshita, then subconsciously looked at another table.

While they were discussing important matters of the meeting on one side, they were discussing their past lives on the other.

Hachiman Hikigaya had to admit that he might have made the wrong choice—he had decisively avoided the president's table, but he couldn't avoid the people who were crowding around him.

"Hachiman, is it really you?"

With the excitement of a long-awaited reunion, a girl sat down next to me and asked eagerly, "Do you remember me?"

Is it possible that the superpower of 'memory erasure' exists in the world?

Hachiman Hikigaya forced a smile and replied dryly, "Ah... of course I remember, Orimoto-kun."

"I never thought we'd meet again after graduating from junior high." Orimoto smiled nostalgically, patted Hachiman Hikigaya on the shoulder, and teased, "I didn't expect you to join the student council. I almost thought I'd mistaken you for someone else when we first met..."

Hachiman Hikigaya: "Well... there are all sorts of messy reasons and painful memories involved... hahaha..."

What an awkward conversation! Seriously, just give up! Just ignore me like a nobody!

A familiar figure suddenly sat down in the seat next to me.

"Hey? Young man, do you know Xiao Qi?"

Yui Yuigahama's curious voice came from behind.

Hachiman Hikigaya silently took a breath.

Actually, thinking about it carefully, sitting at the president's table isn't so bad.

Chapter Sixty-Seven: His Majesty Colludes with Foreign Forces!

"Yes, Hachiman and I were classmates in junior high school."

Orimoto laughed heartily, "Hachiman has really changed a lot. Not only did you join the student council, but you also came to attend the event meeting. You used to never take the initiative in any group activities—did you get possessed by some kind of sunny and cheerful ghost?"

A sunny and cheerful ghost?

Hachiman Hikigaya's lips twitched slightly, and he said vaguely, fidgeting, "Probably."

"Probably?" Orimoto tilted his head, glanced at Hachiman Hikigaya, and nodded seriously. "Yeah, it seems he wasn't possessed by a ghost. He's still the same withdrawn and taciturn Hachiman."

Hikigaya Hachiman: "..."

"Were Orimoto and Koki friends before?" Yui Yuigahama had a vague feeling that something was wrong.

"Friends? Hmm...maybe?" Orimoto said ambiguously, "After all, there are very few people who can talk to Hachiman."

Yui Yuigahama felt something was even more off: "Uh... Xiaoqi is quite easy to talk to, isn't she?"

Orimoto stared wide-eyed, her face filled with disbelief. She pointed at Hachiman Hikigaya: "Pfft—you, you mean Hachiman? Are you sure? Isn't it someone else's nickname?"

“Of course!” Yui Yuigahama declared confidently. “Hachi is friends with everyone in the student council, so of course he can speak to them!”

Please, please don't speak up for me! *Gulp!*

Hachiman Hikigaya could no longer feel his buttocks, probably burned away by the burning embarrassment. He tried to drink water and pretended he didn't have time to talk. His wildly wandering eyes met Orimoto's gaze—strange, complex, subtle, chaotic, bewildered, and doubtful... so chaotic that it couldn't be counted with a pie chart.

Honestly, I'd rather summon the guild leader...

Hachiman Hikigaya glanced subconsciously at another table—a white figure was using chopsticks at an incredible speed to pick up meat from the pot and transfer it to Yukino Yukinoshita's bowl. A small hill was visibly forming, and the veins on Yukino Yukinoshita's forehead were visibly bulging...

"9527! Did you learn it? When you want to eat meat but are too embarrassed to keep eating, you can ask someone else to put it on your plate. This way, you won't seem so greedy or impolite, and it also shows that you have a very good relationship with them..."

"Then put some in my bowl!"

"What I mean is, you can serve me some, and the brave one can serve you some. Let's form a three-person team and finish off all the meat in the pot..."

"Waiter, add more meat."

"Hero, are you going to ruin the pleasure of eating?!"

Damn it! Of all times, it had to be at this awkward moment when the president needed to defuse the situation! Beauty can cloud judgment, and it can ruin a nation! President!

Hachiman Hikigaya's inner thoughts were a thousand words, but his mouth uttered only "uh-huh," "yes," and "yes," as he racked his brains trying to figure out how to change the subject...

"That's right, we are all friends of Hachiman. Moreover, Hachiman is the epitome of a popular person in our Soubu High School, nicknamed the Great Popular Person."

At the crucial moment, Houtarou Oreki stepped forward—kicking Hachiman Hikigaya hard into the pit.

Zhe——wood——! ! !

Hachiman Hikigaya roared inwardly, but could not vent his anger. He could only nod to the dumbfounded Orimoto, his dead fish eyes devoid of joy or sorrow: "Yes, I am a great person."

"Pfft—hahaha! A super popular guy? You? Hachiman? Pfft...cough cough cough—"

Zheben burst out laughing on the spot.

Yui Yuigahama frowned slightly, somewhat displeased with the other's exaggerated performance, feeling as if he were mocking Hachiman. Just as she was about to say something, Hachiman Hikigaya nudged her arm, giving her a look that said, "Let's end this topic quickly!"

...Well, it must be awkward for Xiaoqi to run into former classmates, right? If I ran into my junior high school classmates, I would probably feel awkward too. I don't want others to talk about the past, whether it's well-intentioned or malicious, and I don't want to hear any discussion.

"Ha... I mean, you don't need to put on an act in front of me, do you?" Orimoto teased, recovering his composure. "Or maybe it's a joke? This joke is quite funny. You used to tell jokes all over the place, but every time Hachiman tried to tell a joke, it sounded like a joke..."

Yui Yuigahama interrupted, "The nickname 'Big Popular Person' is indeed a joke, but that's because I confessed to Hachiman."

"Huh? A confession?" Orimoto's eyes widened. "You're confessing to Hachiman?"

“That’s right.” Yui Yuigahama coughed. “I’m Hachiman’s girlfriend.”

Orimoto looked at Hachiman Hikigaya with an extremely strange expression, while Hachiman Hikigaya solemnly recited the Ice Heart Mantra in his heart.

"Oh..." Orimoto said subtly, "I do believe Hachiman has made friends, and you're actually so concerned about his reputation, but the story you're making up is a bit far-fetched..."

"?" Yui Yuigahama typed a question mark. "It's not made up, it's me."

Orimoto looked at Hachiman Hikigaya in disbelief, while Hachiman sighed inwardly, "Well... it all started with a dog?"

"Hiss... I still don't quite believe it?"

Zheben frowned, startled and bewildered: "I heard there are people who rent others to be their girlfriends now, you wouldn't...?"

"Well..." Hachiman Hikigaya raised his right hand, which was holding Yui Yuigahama's left hand. "Although proving how a relationship works is a boring thing, you should think I'm too scared to hold a girl's hand, right?"

Yui Yuigahama, who was about to speak, paused for a few seconds, then immediately moved her left hand, inserting her fingers directly into the gap between Hachiman Hikigaya's fingers, and then pinching them tightly to form an interlocking gesture.

Zheben was dumbfounded, his brain overloaded, and he was speechless.

Hachiman Hikigaya casually let go of her hand: "Let's eat, let's eat. We've been chatting for too long, I'm starving."

Then he vigorously wiped the sweat from his hands on his pants.

Ugh! Seriously, that's enough! How could I do something so pointless!

Proving to others how good the relationship is? Disgusting! But I did it subconsciously, ugh—! Ugh, that wretched president, when I need you to stir things up, you're indulging in pretty boys instead!

"The past is the past, the present is the present." Oreki Houtarou commented nonchalantly while eating, "Hachiman is very popular in Soubu."

Hachiman Hikigaya glared angrily: Oreki! I'll remember this!

"Uh...that's unbelievable." Orimoto looked completely dazed, almost wondering if she was dreaming, and couldn't help but exclaim, "Are you really Hachiman? The one who confessed via email?"

Confession? !

Feeling a little embarrassed, Yui Yuigahama, who was quietly eating, suddenly looked up, as if she had overheard some incredible secret!

Ah—! Someone, anyone will do, come and kill me!

Hachiman Hikigaya remained motionless.

……

In the afternoon, the meeting between Soubu High School and Haibin Comprehensive High School continued.

"After a few minor hiccups, both sides reached a consensus and, after lunch, gained a better understanding of each other," Bai Ying said. "Let's officially begin the meeting now, starting with the selection of the venue..."

"Stop!" Yu Sheng couldn't help but interrupt, "President Bai, shouldn't you sit on the other side?"

"I have fallen so low that I am no longer worthy of the title of president. President Yu Sheng, you may simply call me advisor."

Bai Ying modestly said, "I think the venue should be chosen at the Seaside Comprehensive High School. I oppose the proposal of the Vice President of Zongwu High School. Although our school was established earlier than Zongwu High School, it was formed by the merger of three high schools. The venue is very spacious and can easily accommodate students from both schools. Moreover, the facilities are complete and of excellent quality... Zongwu High School has not undergone large-scale renovations for at least two years."

Which side are you on?! ×2!