Chapter 2

Something's Wrong

Blue light scatters across the sky.

The leaves I step on… crunchy.

Although—the leaves are still green.

Mm… I take in the fresh air, passing through the open gate.

The faint noise of brooms brushing against the concrete floor… against leaves.

I kind of… want to clean too.

Hm?

Mugi…

I scratch my head, seeing her so early again.

“President… good morning.”

“...? Good morning—Mizuki,” she says whilst leaned down, picking up a stray leaf—into the garbage bag she held.

“You’re working too early.”

“Haha… what can I do about it?”

“I don’t know, take a rest?”

“...I wish—we were told to do this by Monday.”

“Oh…”

Even she procrastinates…

“Do you need help?” I ask.

“Student council job… not yours,” she raises a brow as someone drops more leaves into the bag.

“Just saying,” I cross my arms, simply standing by her side. “You’re done with yesterday…?”

“Hmm… not really, I still have to go back—next week.”

“Why?”

“Agh—I don’t even want to talk about it, it’s just, it’s a hassle working with them.”

Mugi leans down, ensuring the bag’s open wide for… Nishino-kun to drop more leaves.

“Hi, Aihara-san,” he waves.

“Hello… Nishino-kun.”

He smiles—didn’t mistake it this time.

“Can I drop by your class today?”

“Not sure… I have assignments to do.”

“Get back to work already,”

“Ah—yes, pres.”

I look at Mugi, staring disappointingly at him.

“What’s wrong?”

“...Nothing, you should get back to class—ah, hold.”

She pushes the bag aside with her feet, whilst her hand dug deep in her pocket.

Pulling out a flip phone, the phone beeped extremely fast.

Like… unbelievably—

“I’ll walk you,” she smiled. “I’ll be back!”

I turned to look, watching a senior take over her spot—then Mugi was already gone.

I readjust the strap on my shoulder, rushing just to catch up.

Upon entry, I stepped on the wooden board—facing my locker.

…I open it to reach for my slippers, swiftly changing into it.

Then—stepped into the hallway.

“The teachers want to thank you again, for helping with the accreditation.”

“I didn’t do much, really.”

“No, you were very participative—for someone that isn’t an officer.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“Good morning, pres!”

“Good morning,” Mugi smiled and slightly bowed her head as we kept walking.

I wonder how she keeps…

“You don’t get tired of that?”

“Hm? No? Not really, it’s just a greeting…”

“...Is that so?”

She’s… I still don’t understand her. Unlike me she—

I… there are moments where I’ve stopped to—hesitate. All my life actually.

Mugi on the other hand—

“Agh, this thing is broken again…” Mugi steps aside, reaching for the clock hung on the wall. “Uhh—what time is it?”

“Um—,” I take my phone, flipping it open…

“It’s seven fifty-seven.”

“Seven… fifty—seven,” she mutters whilst readjusting the hands. Hitting it a few times before it suddenly begins ticking again. “There.”

“That’s like—the second time already.”

“No, that breaks every time.”

“...Get it replaced?”

“It still works apparently.”

…Barely works I think—

Mugi lets out a sigh, watching the clock continue to tick in her hands. Before proceeding to reach forward and return it to the wall.

She turns to me with a small smile—proud of herself, before proceeding down the busy hallway.

“You know the locker you were looking through last time?”

“...In the faculty or—”

“The faculty; accreditation.”

“What about it?”

“Did you ever check the top?”

“No, I found the records right after the middle.”

“...Well, lucky you,” she sighs. “Turns out… the documents at the very top began bleeding—there’s so much to fix…”

“...Ah really—good luck.”

Anything but more papers…

Eventually we stopped by the door, taking her time to search for her keys until we heard it rattle inside her bag.

Inserting the key and twisting it open, we step through.

“...The teachers want to thank you actually—the accreditation.”

“Really? It’s not like I—”

“No, you really helped. Especially since you’re not an officer.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah—”

“Good morning, pres!”

“Good morning,” Mugi smiled and slightly bowed her head as we kept walking.

“...You don’t get tired of that?”

“...? No? It’s nice talking to them.”

I scratch my cheek, continuing our walk—glancing at the… clock.

Huh…? Wait—

“Mugi,” I tap her shoulder, pointing at the clock dictating the wrong time.

“Argh… it’s broken again,” she reaches for the clock, holding it in her hand. “What time is it?”

“Uh—,” I reach for my phone, flipping it open.

…?

“Seven thirty-one…?”

I’m early…

“Seven… thirty… one—there,” the clock begins to tick.

“...What’s wrong with it?”

“No clue, battery probably?”

“Replace it?”

“Yeah—didn’t help.”

“...That’s weird, get it changed or something.”

“Well—it still works apparently…”

She let out a sigh, scratching her head as we stared at the ticking clock.

“Good morning!”

“Ah—good morning,” she smiles again, waving her hand. “...What was I supposed to do again…?” Mugi stares at me with a perplexed look.

“...You told me to come with you?”

“Right—ah remember the locker you looked through last time?” She mentioned as we continued walking again.

“What about it?”

“Well…” She stuffs a hand in her bag. “Did you ever look at the top lockers?”

“No, I found the records right after the middle.”

“Lucky you… turns out the documents there began bleeding into each other.”

“What…?”

“Yeah, we’re handling it—wanna help?”

“No… I’d prefer not to.”

Eventually we stopped by the door, the keys rattled in her hand before inserting it.

She twists the door handle open and we step through.

“Good morning, everyone,” everyone turns their head.

Mugi immediately passes through everyone straight to her desk.

While I simply watch her and aimlessly walk around.

“Hi, Aihara-san,”

“Ah—hello… Nishino-kun.”

He smiles—didn't mistake it this time.

I scratch my cheek remembering how I once misspoke his name… misremembered actually.

“Yoshida-kun—you got permission for the… cleaning stuff?” Mugi speaks and everyone immediately turns to her.

“Yes, I asked yesterday and they gave me the key.”

“I see…” She mumbles—her hand inside a drawer. “I suppose we… let’s start now before students begin to flood in?”

“We’ll go first—actually, prepare the brooms and all,” someone spoke before leaving with the guy named Yoshida…

Mugi nods then stands idle, her gaze never really leaving the table.

Did she mention something earlier or—

“Wanna help?”

I look to my right, Nishino-kun.

“Oh—I’m not really… an officer.”

“It’d be a great help though.”

“...Well—”

“I mean, if you’re busy of course you shouldn’t—”

“No…” I shake my head. “I’ll help—it’s just cleaning anyway.”

I return to look at Mugi, now sitting and searching through her stuff.

“It’s rare for you to come early by the way.”

“...I didn’t really notice actually.”

I stepped aside—walking towards the closed window.

“...Is it fine if I open this?” I asked Mugi.

“Mhm.”

I lift the window open—met with the subtle breeze.

Looking outside, the sky was scattered with blue light.

…I suppose it’s fall but—the world’s still green.

Mm—

“What are you doing?”

I looked behind me, Nishino still sat—yet his head turned towards me.

“Just… the fresh air.”

“Oh—autumn’s really nice huh?”

“...Yeah,” I nod, reverting to looking outside.

I peer my head out—watching the trees flailing against the persistent wind.

I can’t wait for winter.

Just imagining the snow and—everything.

Like—

“You must really like nature.”

“...What?”

“I don’t know haha—you keep looking outside.”

“I… don’t really mean to.”

“Ah—I see,” his gaze trails off, before returning to me. “I also think nature’s nice.”

I meekly nodded my head before… just stepping off the window, then turning towards Mugi.

“...You okay?”

She turns to me with the spin of her chair, simply scratching her head.

“It feels like I forgot something, even though… I’m not missing anything—”

A ringtone spread across the room, Nishino rushed towards his phone on the table.

Flipping the lid open…

“Apparently they’re outside already,” he calls.

“Well, let’s go then,” she stands, taking a final look at her desk before pushing every drawer shut. “See you later Mizuki.”

“What? I’m helping.”

“Huh? Who said you could?” Mugi turns to me with furrowed brows, turning her left shoulder towards me—pointing to her student council sleeve…

“Nishino-kun,” she turns to him, and he smiles awkwardly. “It’s just cleaning anyway…” I step forward, pushing Mugi out the door until we return to the hallway.

…As expected, students began to arrive little by little.

The two went ahead first, I slid the door open—seeing a few people sitting in our classroom.

Hmm… of course Hayashi’s still not here.

I lift my bag off my shoulder, leaving it to hang off the hook on my table.

…Do I take off my blazer?

Since I—

But I don’t really like… only wearing my—

Whatever.

I turn around, making sure to close the door behind me.

Walking through the busy hallway.

Stopping by the lockers to wear my loafers.

And see that they’ve already begun cleaning.

Mugi stands in the middle of everything, holding a garbage bag as she picks up stray leaves. Everyone else scattered all over, sweeping.

The faint noise of brooms brushing against the concrete floor—and the leaves rustling against one another.

Is therapeutic in some way.

“Mugi,” I call—approaching her from behind.

“...He didn’t force you or anything?”

“No, I actually want to.”

She looks at me blankly.

“What about your assignments you mentioned?”

“...Those are for later.”

Finally, she lets out a sigh.

“Then you take my place,” she grumbles, handing me a broom leaning against the fountain. “Don’t overexert yourself.”

I nod my head with the broom in my hands.

Looking around… the school gate still had leaves, but no one was really there yet.

I walk forward, beginning to sweep the leaves.

Of course, it’s satisfying.

It isn’t hot, the sun still hides behind the faint clouds.

The breeze—not strong enough to disrupt… but still there.

I look up, shaded under one tree.

A few leaves snap off their branch, falling gracefully.

…If only there was this much ease—

From time to time.

Then, right as I was finishing up by the gate—someone stops.

I look up.

He tilts his head.

“You’re an officer?”

“...No, just helping out.”

“Huh—you’re surprisingly diligent.”

“Not really… it’s nice to sweep leaves you know?”

“Really?”

“Yeah, you hear the leaves rustling.”

“Hmm… I’ll wait for the leaves to gather at home—then I’ll try it.”

“You should,” I look at him… wait—

I look down, idly sweeping nothing.

“I’ll get back to work…” I mumble, looking up at him and he lightly waves his hand before continuing on ahead.

…Hah—

I look at the pile of leaves I’ve accumulated.

Then to the front gate—a few leaves fell again.

I step forward, swiftly sweeping them aside.

“Good morning,” I hear him speak across the courtyard.

“Ah, Hayashi-kun—good morning,” Mugi smiles and waves back at him.

They know each other?

Well… he can talk to anyone.

“Aihara-san.” I turn to my right, Nishino-kun holding a broom. “How are you doing? I’m tired already…”

“I’m fine… it’s nice sweeping leaves anyway.”

“You think so? Oh—wow you sweeped a lot.”

“Students are arriving so… better hurry up.”

“Oh yeah—right,” he turns away, back to where he was working earlier.

Hmm… the breeze felt strong for a moment.

I stop.

Letting myself feel before it lifted again.

…Joining the student council might actually be great.

If they only did this.

Mugi’s… of course she’s not resting.

I look at my pile of leaves.

Rubbing my hand against my neck as I let out a sigh.

I think… I already got most of it?

Yeah…

I look at everyone else, having gathered their leaves at certain spots.

I wonder if this will be a regular thing this season.

…I hope it is.