"Yes. Do you need something?"
After Satoshi knocked on the door, several club members of the Wall Newspaper club looked at their group curiously. It was clear their leader was Satoshi, so instead of Chitanda or Oreki, all of them looked at Satoshi with doubt.
"Sorry for bothering you, but my name is Fukube Satoshi from the Classic Club. Previously, this place was the clubroom for our club, and we are looking for the anthologies of our club that might be left behind in this place."
"Aren't those books?"
"You mean the one inside the chemical safebox?"
"Can you let us see them?"
Hearing Satoshi's words, no one disagreed and let his group enter.
"Please take all of them instead."
So, as long as the items inside the chemical safebox were taken, they could use that safebox for something else, which was good, all of them thought.
Yet, Chitanda and Oreki couldn't help but look at Satoshi in surprise, wondering why everything was so easy. Just by talking for a few moments, he could get what was supposed to be missing and impossible to find.
Still, at this moment, Chitanda's trust in Satoshi became even higher, especially when he could do what everyone couldn't do.
Nevertheless, if Satoshi knew what they thought, he would roll his eyes, wondering why people thought what he did was difficult. It was normal for one person to trouble others, but then again, the principle of the people in this country was to avoid making trouble for others, which was why something happened, he thought.
However, when they thought to pick up the books—
As soon as everyone opened the safebox, no one could say anything, especially when everyone could see not only the anthologist of the Classic Club but a few boxes of cigarettes were also kept there.
Everyone became awkward, no one expecting to see boxes of cigarettes inside.
Yet, Satoshi was all calm, especially when he knew how many smokers the people in this country were. The pressure from society, family, and everyone was so heavy, and cigarettes were the only cheap item that could comfort them. However, the problem was that this item was found in the school, which was something forbidden and shouldn't be possessed, especially by students, as it was illegal for them to smoke cigarettes at their age.
Naturally, the members of the Wall Newspapers became nervous since they knew well that this was something that should be owned by their seniors, which made them anxious, but more importantly if this thing was known by the school...?
The Wall Newspaper Club was a well-known club with a lot of history in this school, so if this somehow became a scandal...?
Taking a deep breath, while Chitanda and Oreki were dumbfounded, Satoshi calmed himself and said, "Houtaro, Chitanda-san, can you leave for a while? Let me talk with the members of the Wall Newspaper Club."
While Chitanda was confused, Oreki nodded since he knew how troublesome this situation was. If Satoshi said that he would handle it, Oreki would be more than happy, but he had to say he was a bit worried.
"Yes, let me handle this situation in a win-win proposal."
Regardless, under Satoshi's persuasion, Chitanda and Oreki left the Wall Newspaper Club as Satoshi spoke with its members. Or rather, after this talk, many of the older members of this club quickly came as they had a conversation inside, which made the two tense, but then again, Satoshi also told them that this was also his attempt to save himself, considering they were outside, they could call the teachers if something happened, so Chitanda and Oreki were okay.
"...is Fukube-san going to be alright, Oreki-san?"
"...he should be." Oreki thought for a moment and said, "Unlike before, he has changed."
"He is different than before?"
Oreki noticed the curiosity in Chitanda's eyes about Satoshi, which made him frown since he was worried that Chitanda would fall in love with Satoshi. His feelings toward Chitanda weren't that of love, but Satoshi had a girlfriend, after all, and he could see Kaho and Satoshi were happy with each other. Probably, as soon as they graduate, they might even marry, so Chitanda's love might turn into nothing but an impossible wish.
Yet, who could control a feeling?
Similar to Romeo and Juliet, who wished to be together despite their situation.
Was Chitanda going to be like that?
Despite thinking everything was so troublesome, Oreki had to say... he was quite curious about the ending between them and how Satoshi could bear all of the exhaustion that came from such a relationship.
"Probably, love changed him."
"....love." Chitanda felt slightly uncomfortable and subconsciously touched her chest, which made her wonder why she felt . "...was Fukube-san popular, Oreki-san?"
"Popular?" Oreki thought for a moment and nodded. "He should be. He might not be like those popular guys that have several girls who admire them, but some girls, one or two, often fell for him." He didn't lie since Satoshi wasn't bad looking, to begin with, and with Satoshi's extroverts that made him get close to many, it was normal for him to be popular, especially when many girls often fell in love with him just by showing slight care and tenderness.
"But then again, he has a girlfriend, so what's the use of being popular?"
Oreki didn't really understand why people wanted to open a harem or polygamy since it took a lot of money and energy to take care of many women. If one woman was so troublesome, what if one had more?
Oreki didn't dare to imagine!
Yet, as those words came from Oreki's lips, Chitanda became even more uncomfortable as she looked at her hand subconsciously. The feeling of his hand that tightly grasped hers as if telling her that everything was okay and it was okay to rely on him was still clear. Even if his hand wasn't holding her anymore, it kept emerging on her head, thinking how shameless she was, yet... even if she knew it was wrong, she longed for it.
The warmth, firmness, and comfort.
Just by holding his hand, Chitanda could feel all of that, which made her wish to lean on him all the time despite how wrong it was.
However, Kaho was her childhood friend, and even if Chitanda tried to look away when she thought about how happy Kaho was, Kaho stood next to Satoshi, holding him tightly, showing that bright smile—
Chitanda curled her body as she lowered her head so no one could see her current expression.
Still, Oreki didn't notice Chitanda's change, and even if he noticed, he wouldn't think of anything since he lacked experience in this area. His brain might be smart, and he could be compared to Sherlock Holmes, but then again, emotion wasn't a realm that he was adept at.
When Chitanda didn't say anything, Oreki also stopped talking, thinking that she might be worried about Satoshi, who was inside, as he was also worried, wondering what Satoshi talked about.
However, as their anxiety grew stronger, they wondered whether something had happened to Satoshi. The door was opened, and they saw him.
"What's wrong with you two?"
Satoshi, who walked out, felt confused by their tense expressions.
As relief started to occupy their hearts, watching Satoshi was okay; soon, this feeling turned into confusion as several members of the Wall Newspaper club held the anthologists of the Classic Club as if they tried to help them move them.
"Where should I move them, Fukube-san?"
"I will lead you. Let's go."
'What's happening?' 2x
Titling their heads, Chitanda and Oreki became curious.