Daily Lives of High School Boys: Sanada North Scramble
Tadakuni just wanted a normal after-school life. Instead, he's stuck between Yoshitake's bizarre "carbonation divides humanity" theories and Hidenori's deadpan nonsense—and that's before his little sister texts him that she's stocked the school vending machine with his underwear.
Now Tadakuni is sprinting for the school gate, his two idiot friends tagging along for the show, only to find the legendary Jaw Guy conducting "probability manipulation research" on the very machine dispensing his brie
Daily Lives of High School Boys: Sanada North Scramble - Takoyaki and the Storm Woman, Ringochyan Appears
After school at Sanada North High, in the student council room. The afternoon light slanting through the windows lit up the mountain of papers piled on the desks. Tadakuni, his black hair swept lightly to one side, twirled his pen and watched the scene before him out of half-lidded eyes.
"Time to show you what North High is really made of!"
The student council president—a man who seemed to live on nothing but momentum and hype—thrust his fist toward the ceiling. The Sanada North student council room was noisy again today. Tadakuni set his pen down on the desk and heaved a deep sigh.
"Really made of—you just called us in to do grunt work."
"It's not grunt work. This is the preliminary skirmish in a battle for the honor of North High and East Girls'—the Joint Culture Festival!"
"No, it's a planning meeting. Not a battle."
Hidenori, brown-haired and bespectacled, came over carrying a stack of documents, laughing. His eyesight was supposedly 2.0, yet for some reason he always wore glasses.
"Come on, Tadakuni. Prepping for the culture festival might actually be kind of fun, you know? The East Girls' council president is coming, right?"
"So what if she is?"
"I mean, the council president of a girls' school! Aren't you curious what she's like?"
Behind Hidenori's glasses, his bright brown eyes sparkled with curiosity. When he got like this, he absolutely would not let a topic drop until he'd heard everything. Tadakuni sighed again.
"Not really. It'll just turn into a hassle anyway."
"Aren't you being way too negative lately?"
"I'm aware. Leave me alone."
Yoshitake, his blond hair spiked up, leaned against the wall, gazing vaguely out the window. His tall frame—nearly six feet—looked oddly large in the afternoon light.
"It's surreal, isn't it. Why would they call guys like us to a culture festival meeting?"
"Right? Exactly."
"Well, it's just the council being short-staffed. We're being used because we're convenient."
"If you know you're being used, put up a little resistance."
Just as Tadakuni said that—
"...What are you lot doing over there?"
A low, calm voice. Tadakuni turned to see Karasawa Toshiyuki, wearing his usual cap, sorting documents at the desk by the window. Sharp black eyes peered at them from under the brim. With old scars scattered across his body, he was the shadow power behind the student council.
"Oh, Karasawa. Sorry—were we in the way?"
"You're not in the way. It's just that when you stand around doing nothing, Motoharu invents extra work."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"When you look bored, Motoharu says, 'Let's dump some work on those guys.' And then my workload increases."
"What's that supposed to mean—you want us to work so you don't get more work?"
"That's exactly what it means."
Karasawa spoke flatly. His expression barely changed. But there was something brooding about his air. Tadakuni found himself thinking about yesterday. About his little sister consulting Karasawa. About the words "I don't want you to tell my brother."
(Maybe it's still weighing on him.)
Tadakuni thought that silently.
"Hey, Tadakuni. Karasawa seems kind of off today."
Hidenori whispered in his ear. Tadakuni gave a small nod.
"Yeah. Well, I guess he's got a lot going on."
"A lot—you mean your sister's consultation?"
"...Why do you know about that?"
"Well, yesterday I saw you with your ear pressed to the door of the council room."
"I was not eavesdropping! I just happened to be passing by!"
As Tadakuni raised his voice, Hidenori grinned smugly.
"Sure, sure. Let's just say that's what happened."
"Shut up."
Just then, the council room door flew open.
"Has the East Girls' council president shown up yet?"
The vice president—scary-faced but gentlemanly—walked in checking his wristwatch. He looked old for his age, but he was seventeen, same as Tadakuni and the others.
"The agreed time was 3:00. It is now 3:32. That's not late—that's absurdly late."
"Now, now, Vice President. High school girls need time to get ready. Besides, maybe she got lost."
"This isn't a place you get lost finding. It's a one-minute walk from the school gate."
"Don't be so stiff. Here, let's have some tea while we wait."
The moment the president said that, frantic footsteps came thundering down the hallway.
"Hey! You guys! Why is nobody waiting at the school gate?!"
This time the council room door was kicked open.
Standing there was a petite girl with bright chestnut twintails swaying. Her big reddish-brown eyes blazed with anger. Her apple-red cheeks had gone even redder. She was barely five feet tall—the student council president of Sanada East Girls' High, Ringochyan.
And in her hand was a half-eaten pack of takoyaki.
"Oh, there she is, there she is."
"Don't 'there she is' me! What do you mean nobody was at the meeting spot?!"
Ringochyan stormed over, waving the takoyaki pack around. The smell of sauce spread through the council room.
"Well, the meeting spot is here, right? The council room."
"No it's not! I was told in front of the school gate!"
"Huh, but I sent an email saying 'student council room.'"
"...What?"
Ringochyan pulled her phone from her pocket and checked the screen.
"...Oh. It really does say 'student council room.'"
"See? So the meeting spot was right."
"But! But still! I waited thirty minutes in front of the gate! You guys never showed, so I had no choice but to come find you myself!"
"Yeah, but that was your misunderstanding—"
"Shut up! Misunderstanding or whatever, it's your fault for not coming to meet me!"
Ringochyan yelled while tossing takoyaki into her mouth. Tadakuni stared at the spectacle, dumbfounded.
(What is with this person...)
He muttered inwardly.
"Surreal. She got the meeting spot wrong and she's the one flipping out."
Yoshitake murmured. Tadakuni agreed emphatically in his heart.
"Excuse me, Sanada East Girls' High council president. Eating is prohibited on school grounds. Also, you're late."
The vice president cautioned her in a calm tone. Ringochyan, still chewing her takoyaki, glared at him.
"Shut up! Takoyaki is my fuel! I can't do a planning meeting without it! Besides, it's North High's fault for having such a confusing meeting spot!"
"I believe I conveyed the meeting location precisely by email."
"You're so nitpicky! You're a guy, aren't you! Be more easygoing!"
"Easygoing and rules are two different things."
"Argh, enough! Shut up! The takoyaki is mine! I don't want to hear any complaints from anyone!"
Ringochyan clutched the takoyaki pack to her chest and backed away from the vice president.
"Then let's settle it with a takoyaki speed-eating showdown!"
The president suddenly made an utterly irresponsible proposal.
"Huh?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I mean, the vice president wants to go on about rules, right? And Ringochyan wants to eat her takoyaki, right? So let's settle it with a match. If the vice president wins, Ringochyan forfeits the takoyaki. If Ringochyan wins, the vice president stops complaining. How's that?"
"Sounds fun! I accept!"
Ringochyan's eyes lit up and she pounced on the idea.
"Wait, hold on. It's not like I particularly want to eat takoyaki—"
"Vice President. This is a man's pride. Don't run."
"It's not about a man's pride—"
"All right, rules explanation! Here we have one pack of takoyaki, eight pieces. Whoever finishes first wins! But you have to chew properly! No cramming it all in at once!"
"What kind of rule is that? Way too half-assed."
"It's fine, it's all about the vibe, the vibe!"
"Don't settle things with 'the vibe.'"
Tadakuni cut in, but the president's momentum had already taken over the room.
"All right, both of you, grab your takoyaki!"
"I'm ready whenever!"
"...Are we really doing this?"
"We're doing it! If you're a man, you do it!"
The vice president heaved a deep sigh. Then, reluctantly, he took the takoyaki pack.
"Then—ready... start!"
The instant the president shouted, Ringochyan moved.
Her speed was astonishing.
She popped takoyaki into her mouth one after another, swallowing almost without chewing. She looked like a tiny vacuum cleaner.
"Fast! Way too fast!"
"Surreal. That mouth movement isn't human."
"Don't do play-by-play."
Meanwhile, the vice president had just put his third piece in his mouth when his face began to turn pale.
"...I—I can't..."
The vice president clutched his mouth and doubled over.
"And that's the match! Ringochyan wins!"
"Of course! You thought you could beat me at takoyaki speed-eating? Think again!"
Ringochyan wore a triumphant grin. And then—
"...Ngh."
The vice president suddenly collapsed to the floor.
"Vice President?!"
"Huh?! Wait! Are you okay?!"
"My stomach... my stomach hurts..."
The vice president rolled on the floor clutching his belly, breaking into a cold sweat. The council room descended into chaos in an instant.
"The first-aid kit! Somebody get the first-aid kit!"
"Surreal... no, this is a tragedy now."
"Whether it's surreal or a tragedy, help us!"
Tadakuni smacked Yoshitake on the back. Yoshitake started moving sluggishly.
"W-wait, is this my fault? Did he collapse because of me?"
Ringochyan hovered over the vice president, flustered. Her triumphant expression was gone, replaced by a slightly guilty look.
"No, it's not your fault. The vice president has always had a weak stomach. Weak enough that three pieces of takoyaki do him in."
"What?! Then why would someone like that accept a speed-eating match?!"
"A man's pride."
"That makes no sense!"
After a while, the vice president recovered enough to sit in a chair. His face was still pale, but he didn't seem to be in any danger.
"...My apologies. For showing you something unsightly."
"No need to apologize. If anything, I'm the one at fault for pushing you."
Karasawa was standing beside the vice president before anyone noticed. He held a cup of water.
"Thank you, Karasawa."
"Don't mention it. More importantly—can we start the meeting?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
The vice president slowly stood up. Ringochyan was still fiddling awkwardly with the leftover takoyaki.
"...Sorry. I got a little carried away."
Ringochyan apologized in a small voice.
"No, I got swept up in the moment as well. We're even."
"But I'm not giving the takoyaki back. This is mine."
"...Yes, fine. Have it."
The vice president said it with an exhausted look. Tadakuni watched the exchange and smiled faintly.
(All things considered, maybe she's not a bad person after all.)
He found himself revising his opinion of Ringochyan, just a little.
After the commotion settled, Ringochyan turned toward Tadakuni and the others.
"So you guys run with the North High student council?"
"More like I get dragged along by them."
When Tadakuni answered, Ringochyan gave a little huff.
"Pathetic. If you're a man, pull yourself together."
"Why am I getting lectured by the council president of another school on our first meeting?"
"Oh, but I'm your senior, you know? I'm eighteen. Show some respect."
"We're only a year apart."
"A year older is still older! Seniority matters!"
"Ringochyan, you never change."
"President, you're one to talk! Get the council in line!"
"Ehh, I think I'm actually pretty on top of things."
"You're not on top of anything! That speed-eating match just now—that was obviously pointless!"
"It wasn't pointless. It was fun, right?"
"It was fun! But the meeting didn't get anywhere!"
"We can get it going now."
"...Are you always like this?"
"Yep. I live on momentum and hype."
Ringochyan heaved a deep sigh.
"Haah... The North High student council really is a handful."
Just then, Hidenori sidled up to Ringochyan with a grin.
"By the way, Ringochyan-senpai, you like takoyaki, right?"
"Huh? Well, yeah, I do."
"Have you ever been to 'Tako-Hachi' in the Sanada Central shopping arcade?
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