Crash…
"…Beautiful."
"Yeah."
At dusk, the setting sun reflected on the water, waves whispering. Mash and Hina sat on the sand, just out of arm's reach.
"So, what's this talk about?"
"…"
"Hm?"
"…W-Well…"
"What's wrong?"
"N-Nothing…"
Hina, who'd called him out, was panicking. Alone with Mash in swimsuits, her nerves and embarrassment froze her thoughts.
"…Agh///"
Regretting her boldness, Hina—now the GehennaTereTereShinamop—couldn't meet Mash's eyes. Just being alone with a guy was overwhelming for the teenage girl.
"Nghhh!! What's that vibe!?" Muffle! "Shh, Ako!!"
"Embarrassed Hina Committee Chair… so valid."
"Joining the Disciplinary Committee was worth it."
"Me too."
"Can't they just get together already?"
"Totally."
The committee members spied from the shadows, Iori and Chinatsu restraining a near-rampaging Ako, straining to hear.
"So… the talk? Something important, since it's just us?"
"Y-Yes… exactly!"
(I just wanted to talk alone! How dense is this musclehead!?)
(Sensei?)
(Yes!!)
"What's the important thing?"
"…Enough already…"
Hina scooted closer, speaking earnestly.
"Remember that proposal you made?"
"The one about joining Schale after the Eden Treaty?"
"!?"
"Yes… that."
The committee froze at the bombshell. Hina leaving Gehenna? Panic set in.
"What's she saying…!?" Muffle!
"Quiet!! After Eden, things might be peaceful, so… maybe it's fine if she leaves?"
"…"
They decided to hear her out. Hina gave her answer.
"It was a great offer, but… sorry, I'll pass."
"Got it. You've got your reasons, so I won't push."
"At first… I considered it. In a peaceful Gehenna, I'd have no place. I'm tired… thought about retiring, joining you."
"Hm."
"But this time, it became clear."
"Clear… what?"
"Why I keep fighting for Gehenna."
Hina sat cross-legged, tracing the sand. Mash listened silently.
"No matter how hard I try, no one praises or acknowledges me… except the Disciplinary Committee."
"…!"
"I wondered why I fight, why I push myself. Before, it was duty—because I had to. But now, it's different."
"For the committee?"
"Heh, you get it, Sensei. Exactly."
As Ako nearly leapt out, Iori held her back. Hina had fought for Gehenna, but her perspective had shifted.
"I don't hate Gehenna… but no matter how hard I try, its students dislike me. I can't help thinking, 'Why bother?'"
"Not everyone… but some, maybe."
"But the committee's different. They look up to me, rely on me, praise me."
"The only ones in Gehenna who do."
"Exactly. Especially Ako—she's the loudest. 'Amazing!' or 'Hina Committee Chair forever!' Not flattery, but genuine… heh."
Iori tossed Ako; Chinatsu caught her arm, judo-throwing her down.
"Iori's always stepping up, saying I don't need to handle everything. Chinatsu worries about my injuries, even knowing I'm tough. They always save me."
"You're loved. No surprise—probably you and Fuuka work the hardest in Gehenna."
"…You work hard too, Sensei. Even at Trinity…"
"Trinity was… a lot."
"I finally get why you push so hard—to protect something precious. I'm starting to understand."
"You already have that drive. If you didn't, you wouldn't keep being Committee Chair or make that face when I got hurt."
"Maybe…"
"Hina's kind. That's why Ako and the others follow you. Oh, a crab… tiny one."
Mash's casual words pierced Hina's heart—how many times now?
"…I… Sensei…"
Hina considered spilling everything but hesitated, not wanting to burden him. Then…
"Hina-san." Rustle.
"Wha—!?"
"It's dry now, but just in case."
"Sensei… what's with the aloha shirt…?"
"We've got this beach to ourselves. No one but me is here."
"…!"
"Spill it all. I don't mind."
"…Really?"
"Go for it. We're friends, right?"
Hina sat closer, nearly touching Mash, pulled the aloha shirt over her head, and poured out her heart.
"…I'm not the person you think I am… I'm actually… lazy."
"Uh-huh… no, wait… yeah."
Mash listened quietly, nodding. Hina turned to him, shouting.
"Really… really—I want to lean on people! Spit out my weaknesses! Be recognized for my efforts!
I want to meet more people! Eat sweets! Dress up! Mess around… I—I want to feel youth more!"
Hiding her face under the shirt, Hina was just a girl. These feelings were natural.
"I… I…!"
Hina dove into Mash's chest. He caught her gently, careful of her injuries.
"I worked so hard!!"
Exploding after tasting youth at the beach, Hina let it all out.
"Always giving my all, trying to fix things…! Unappreciated, but still…! Still…!"
"I'm listening. All of it."
"For the first time… someone stood by me! Someone I could rely on…!"
"Yeah."
"I want to talk more, be with you—the one who called me a friend…!"
"Yeah."
"I… I wanted to lean on you, Sensei!!"
She wanted to lean on friends, Sensei, anyone. That was Hina's truth. She'd suppressed herself to avoid troubling others.
"—I'm… sorry, Sensei…! Sorry—!"
Hug.
"…!"
"Normally, you'd just hold someone silently… but I can't. Just one thing."
Gently holding her, Mash spoke.
"Thanks for working so hard, Hina-chan."
"…Uh… ugh… ughhh!!"
"You can lean on me—now, always. It's okay to rely on others."
Hina sobbed loudly in Mash's arms, her cries echoing. It stirred the onlookers.
"…Committee Chair."
"What are we doing?"
"She's just a student like us."
"We were the ones leaning on her…"
Hina wanted to enjoy youth, like them. Who'd pushed her into this role?
Hadn't they relied on her strength, assuming she was untouchable? They couldn't help but think so.
"…Ako-chan."
"What?"
"Don't go."
"In this situation? I can read the room."
"Good. (After all that thrashing.)"
"I assumed she was perfect, different from us… I'm ashamed as an administrator."
"We're no better."
"…Committee Chair."
Hina, calming down, lifted her face.
"…Um… this is…"
"A secret, right?"
"Y-Yeah… it's embarrassing to admit… Sorry, Sensei, ruining your holiday with this heavy talk."
"I came to give everyone youth. Spilling your heart? That's part of it."
"…R-Really?"
"I heard you loud and clear. So—"
Wiping Hina's tears, Mash had an idea.
"We've got little time left… Let's indulge your whims."
"Whims?"
"Anything. Hit me."
"Anything… Then… princess carry me."
"On it." Lift.
"Wah!"
"Next?"
"…Run. Fast enough to feel the wind."
"Got it. Hold on."
Mash ran, Hina in his arms, feeling the breeze. She felt free, allowed to be selfish.
"Sensei, next—throw me into the sea!"
"…The sea?"
"Hurry, hurry!"
"Okay… Here!" Toss!
Hina splashed into the water, laughing as she lay on the surface.
"Sensei! Next, tag! You're it!"
"Uh, okay. (Gently, right?)"
Hina ran, laughing; Mash chased lightly. She dodged, calling "Over here!"—free at last.
"Sensei… let's play more!"
"I'm in—for hours."
Until the last minute, they played. The committee, reading the mood, quietly left.
"I wanted to play with Hina too!!" (Ako, tied up, carried by Iori.)
"We played plenty."
"I wanted her to lean on me!!"
"Well, yeah…"
"Sensei's cheating!!"
"Stop saying that… we can't beat him."
"Nghhh!!"
"Don't thrash in that outfit! It's a bad look!!"
The fun passed quickly. The next day…
"…Ako."
"Yes?"
"What's with everyone?"
"Hm?"
"They're working harder than ever. My workload's lighter too…"
"Vacation effect. Post-holiday morale boost, work gets done faster."
"My work's already done… that effective?"
"Of course."
The committee's vibe changed—more serious, more efficient, handling tasks swiftly.
They aimed to rely less on Hina, to be a committee that didn't burden her.
"…Ako, thanks for the vacation."
"No problem."
"Sensei said, 'Thanks? Let's make cream puffs next time, that's enough.' What about you?"
"…Anything?"
"Within reason."
"Then… sit on my lap."
"…That's it? 'It's enough.' Don't get so serious, it's scary."
Ako sat; Hina perched on her lap.
"Ngh!!"
"What? What's wrong?"
"Nothing! (Yessss!!)"
"Okay… can I lean back?"
"Paradise? Thank you, God! (Go ahead, whatever you want!)"
"Ako, that's backward…"
Hina leaned on Ako, a new but pleasant feeling.
"Ako."
"Yes, Hina Committee Chair."
"Thanks always… and from now on, as friends."
"Of course… I'll stick with you forever… as friends… hehe."
(Hina Committee Chair!! On my lap!! Thanking me!! Nghhh!!)
"Ako, stop shouting in your head."
"How'd you know!?"
"It's on your face…"
The Disciplinary Committee's Summer Vacation: Complete.
Main story's done, so time to goof off in the afterword.
"Hiss…"
"Sorry! It was a joke!!"
"Shut up, I'll crush you!"
"Stop, stop! Sis, bro, what happened?"
"Bro, he…"
"…I wanna be sandwiched between Ako and Hina~ (lol)"
"He said that."
"Verdict: death penalty, no food for a while."
"No, it was a joke! Just to spark convo!!"
"Between Mido and Momo?"
"Wanna game with them."
"Guilty."
"Gahhh!?"
Some things you don't say, even jokingly… that's the lesson.
-----------------------------
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