I expected Ryouko-san to be the one inside the Guidance Counseling Room but… it turned out to be Umemura-sensei.
She wasn't that bad but among the three Guidance Counselors in our school, she was the one many students liked to deal with the most. After all, she had this gentle and kind demeanor, as if even if you did something bad, she would forgive you after chiding you a bit. On the other hand, both Ryouko-san and Toyoda-sensei were terror teachers that students would rather avoid.
Umemura-sensei looked up from her desk, her expression softening slightly as she recognized me. I mean, after I've dealt with two problem students flawlessly and even got the notorious playboy suspended despite Toyoda-sensei's attempt to defend him, she's already more than convinced about my ability.
"Oh, Onoda-kun? This is rare. What brings you here?" ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ n0velfire.net
Somehow, her gentle smile made it seem like I was just stopping by for a friendly chat rather than bringing in a formal complaint.
I stepped forward, placing the report on her desk with a polite nod. "It's about the Track and Field Club, Sensei. I received a complaint and there's enough evidence to warrant an investigation."
Her eyes flickered with mild surprise before she carefully reached for the folder before glancing at the girls behind me.
Komoe was sneakily holding my hand while Kaede had this serious expression on her face as if she was dreading the chance of her complaint getting turned down.
I also reached for her hand, squeezing it lightly to ease her mind.
As Umemura-sensei started skimming through its contents, her expression shifted. Her usual warmth was gradually replaced with quiet concern.
After a moment, she sighed, setting the papers down. "This… is troubling. I was aware of minor complaints, but I had no idea it was this bad."
Kaede hesitated before stepping forward. "Sensei, I didn't think speaking up would make a difference before, but Onoda-kun… he convinced me to do something about it."
Umemura-sensei's gaze softened as she looked at the girl. "You must have been through a lot, Yanagi. Enough that you almost quit when you're supposed to be the ace of your club back in middle school. I appreciate your courage in bringing this forward."
Kaede nodded as her grip on my hand tightened, "I just… I want the club to be a place where everyone is treated fairly. Not just the ones they favor. I stopped going to practice but there were others sucking up the tyranny of the seniors."
Umemura-sensei let out another sigh before turning back to me. "Onoda-kun, you mentioned wanting an official investigation. I can push this forward but I need to follow protocol. That means I'll have to bring this up with the Track and Field Club advisor. Let her know an inquiry is being conducted."
"Can you make an exception, sensei? The Club Advisor may be turning a blind eye to it. If we informed her and she relayed it to the seniors, they might try to cover their tracks. Let me do it discreetly? Just enough to catch them off guard. Before this week ends, I'll bring you clear evidence that they cannot run away from."
She hummed in thought but as always, her kind and gentle nature was taking over. To her, every student was balanced on a scale. That's the reason why she got picked as a Guidance Counselor, after all. She's without bias.
"That… might be possible but Onoda-kun, I'll need to consult with Toyoda-sensei and Eguchi-sensei first. Don't worry, I'll present these statements that Yanagi provided."
I smirked slightly. "I understand. If you need anything from me, just let me know."
"I should be the one saying that, Onoda-kun," She said, shaking her head with an amused smile. "You've already taken so much initiative on this. Are you sure you're not aiming to be a future teacher or student council president?"
I chuckled. "I think I'd be too much of a handful as a teacher, Sensei. As for Student Council President… I may really have to step up to the plate for that."
"Oh. You'll probably do well as one." She smiled before glancing at Kaede again. "Yanagi-san, you'll need to be prepared for when the investigation moves forward. You might have to give a formal statement."
Kaede straightened her posture and nodded. "I understand."
"Good," Umemura-sensei said warmly. "Then leave the rest to me for now. I'll reach out when there's an update." Stay connected with My Virtual Library Empire
With that settled, I thanked her before stepping out with the girls.
Of course, I released Kaede's hand before Umemura-sensei could notice it. As for Komoe… well, let's just say it's her privilege.
In any case, the girl also understood how to be discreet so the moment we stepped out into the hallway, she also let go of my hand.
As we made our way back to the Club Building, Kaede let out a small breath, looking like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
"I… I really did it, huh?" She murmured.
I smiled and ruffled her hair. "Yeah, you did. We're just starting though. But I'll make sure this doesn't get swept under the rug."
Komoe giggled. "Yanagi-san, you can be relieved. It's Ruki. If he could make me return to school and turn Minami-senpai to be a part of the Student Council, cleansing your club will also not pose any trouble for him."
"I guess you're right… Even delinquents had no chance against him." Kaede admitted. She then turned to me, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Onoda-kun. I don't know if I would've done this without you."
"That's what friends are for, Yanagi-san. I'm looking forward to seeing you run again. We'll have a sports festival after the summer vacation, right? Let me cheer for you at that time."
Kaede blushed lightly before nodding as a beautiful smile peeked from her lips.
With this taken care of, I could finally lend my hand to my girls in the Cultural Festival Committee.
Ah. Wait. There's still my promise to take care of Minami Shouko. And maybe, Komoe too.
As we reached the Club Building, I turned to face Kaede again.
"Yanagi-san, you should take it easy for the rest of the day," I said, giving her one last pat on the shoulder before turning to Komoe. "Komoe, keep her company for now, alright? I'll look for you after."
"Of course, Ruki!" Komoe nodded cheerfully, grabbing Kaede's arm like a mischievous little sister. "Come on, Yanagi-san, let's grab something from the vending machine. President and Watanabe must've been parched already."
Kaede hesitated as she probably wanted to spend more time with me but eventually nodded with a small smile. "Un. That sounds great…"
Satisfied that she was in good hands, I turned and made my way back to the Student Council Office.
By the time I reached the door to the office, I could hear Minami Shouko's activity inside. She was still sorting out the work I left her earlier.
She glanced up as I entered and sighed. "Took you long enough, Onoda-kun. I thought you'd leave me to do all the grunt work while you played hero somewhere else."
I smirked. "I did say I'd take care of you, didn't I? Now here I am, senpai."
She narrowed her eyes on me. "And what exactly do you mean by that?"
I grabbed a chair and sat down next to her, propping my chin on my hand. "Minami-senpai, you've been working too hard lately. I figured it's about time someone dragged you away from all this for a bit. What do you think about another game with me?"