(24) a problematic segue

Three days prior, Nathan asked everyone of the club to come to school early to talk about what the group initially thought would be a discussion on the groundwork to be laid out for the upcoming festival that was set to happen two months from now. They can’t exactly half-ass this since they were quite literally getting paid for it. Turns out, it was to drop a devastating announcement that the entire planning and overall supervision of the festival would fall onto Nathan’s shoulders, which means that it would ultimately fall into their shoulders— the five of them.

Great, just great. Just what they needed. It was just like Nathan to land them in this sort of mess.

When they asked Nathan what the heck happened, the idiot just snorted angrily, crossed his arms over his chest like a child and said, “because the idiots can’t even decide on something as simple as this.” They didn’t even want to know who he referred to as ‘idiots’, even if it was their place to. They don’t know whether to commend him for standing up to the school’s management or just call him incredibly foolish.

So now, what was supposed to be just an Assistance Club turned into the Official Festival Planning and Supervision Committee composed of only five members: Uilliam, Marie, Rena, Maison and Airi.

“What an incredible misnomer,” Will said with a sarcastic laugh, “we’re hardly even a group!”

Airi agrees, they would definitely need all the help they could get. She already asked Zoey and Neil in advance for help and thankfully, they were more than willing to. Luke already extended his help too so there’s that. They have their work cut out for them so the least she could do was do her part as the de-facto leader of the group.

Also, she decides being busy is just what the doctor ordered. Recently, her father confided in her that he met someone and honestly, she doesn’t know what to feel about that. That's definitely a thought for another day.

In the clubroom, the entire group stared wide-eyed at Airi as she piles up one book after another, explaining each book and its significance with the planning of the school festival. Their room is starting to look like a book club more than their actual club.

“What’s that?” Rena asks, staring at the piles of notes she placed on the table to which she smiles almost proudly. Her audience didn’t fail to notice the bags under her eyes.

She starts by handing out fliers to everyone. Marie stares at her then at the paper handed to her.

“I laid down all the possible activities, list of existing clubs and budget, as you can see,” she referenced the papers she distributed, “I referenced it from last year’s school festival.”

She gave them a few minutes to read the paper before speaking, “since were short of time, I want to suggest using the same theme as last year, ramping it up a bit with few additions and activities.”

“Sounds good to me, good job,” Nathan says, smiling proudly at Airi that, for some reason, she didn’t feel like accepting. Zoey gave Airi a huge thumbs up while the others quietly read the flyer.

“No kidding, Airi this is awesome!” Will says, with that loud voice that he never seems to suppress no matter the situation. “What activities though?”

“Actually, that’s where I need you guys,” she admits, “I was thinking of hiring a professional band on the last day but I’m not sure if the school would permit it.” She read that last year, for some reason, the school prohibited hiring a professional band so…”

School festivals in general, which includes their university, usually last for two days. The plan was stick to the accustomed program the school has been using since the time of their founding (she assumed). Starting with accepting applications from clubs and issuing permits for the stalls to be set up in the school premises, next is to create a 2-day program and list of activities for the students to join and be apart of. It was full-proof, after all, the university wouldn’t be using it for every school festival if it wasn’t.

The problem was that the activities were also the same each time. Half-ass planning due to time and budget constraints, not to mention that the students themselves were too busy with either their studies, or part-time jobs, or partying to properly plan the event. Which is why no one gives a damn about it anymore. Last year alone, not even half of the student body participated, and most of them were forced to since their clubs are required to set up stalls. It was just another uneventful day, one senior commented when she asked him about last year’s school festival.

Now, Airi is well-grounded individual, she doesn’t have a dream of making this the best school festival ever. Heck, if given a chance she would probably just stay in a hole somewhere until it ends. However, for their sake, she just wanted it to be worthwhile for the people who participated, or at the very least, for them, the club in charge of planning.

“How about a contest?” Rena raises her hand, “like creating the best TikTok contest? It could help promote the festival as well.”

“That’s great! Let’s start with that!” Airi beams, “we could also get additional sponsoring that way!”

“Really? You want to get sponsors?” Neil asks, raising a brow.

“Why not? If the reason we couldn’t get a band last year was because of budget constraints, we just need to get sponsorships to increase it, right?”

“You really are an accounting student!” Luke laughs, “I’m in! What should I do?”

“First things first, Rena and Zoey go talk to the Arts and Literature Department later today. I already talked to Professor Flynn, the department head on how to help with the slogan. We need to have that slogan first in order to promote the festival and get sponsors!” Airi looks at Zoey, then at Rena meaningfully. The two nods, getting the drill. “We’re on it,” Rena says.

“Next, Neil and Will, I need you two to find what other activities we could do. Luke and I would start buying what we need, and using what we could from the storeroom.” And finally, she turns to Marie, who seemed to stiffen in response. “Marie I need you to stay in the clubroom. I have already advised the club to send their applications in this club room, preferably during lunch break. Professor Nathan, I need you to help her with this, please.”

Nathan let out a sigh, making a note of how troublesome it is while Marie nods quietly. Only when everyone reminded him how they got into this mess in the first place did he start to regain his enthusiasm, “let’s do this!” He yells.

“Once this ends, I’ll treat you all to a five-star Izakaya!” He adds, beaming with that enthusiasm. There were no takers.

___________________________

Throughout the following days, everyone focused on the task assigned to them. The slogan looked great thanks to Zoey providing the idea for the artist and Rena using her marketing and sales skills to motivate him into doing their bidding. The sponsors also kept coming in because of Uilliam and his girlfriend expanding the TikTok marketing in their wide social circle. Marie observed that despite the problematic segue, everyone was still doing their best, it’s surprising how everyone also seemed to enjoy themselves while they’re at it. If it was her, she would probably dropped everything like a heavy rock.

“It’s thanks to Airi,” Nathan says smiling wistfully.

“It’s thanks to everyone.” Marie matter-of-factly corrects him looking over her phone, puts it down in mild irritation the moment she sees Luke sent her a message. “It’s a collective effort.” She continues, despite knowing the truth deep down. Nathan didn’t fail to notice the odd tone in her voice.

He turns to her. “So, you guys still aren’t talking, huh? Airi should really stop spoiling you like this.” He says in that tone of voice that says he is mildly interested. She ignores him and wishes an applicant would come sooner.

“Marie you have always been a loyal person to your friends. Right or wrong.”

She stays quiet. Nathan presses further. “How long are you going to punish her? You know it’s not your place to, don’t you?”

She clenches her fists. This. This is why she can’t seem to like this teacher with all her might. Neil might think this side of him that seemed to be able to read everyone like a book is a good quality, but for her it’s not. It’s horrible, every word pricks her like a needle and she just has to sit there and take it, because addressing it would also mean looking at the truth directly in the eye.

“Instead of concerning yourself over me, how about addressing the problem of our committee needing more people to help?” She tells him, meeting his eyes. Nathan pauses and leans back into his seat, deep in thought. “I guess that is more important.” He agrees.

Marie sighs, crisis averted. Either that or he just chose to drop the subject altogether for fear of how it would affect the club. Despite how he looks, Nathan can be pretty sensitive when the situation calls for it.

You have always been a loyal person. What’s so wrong with being loyal to someone?

Yes, she is loyal to her friends. To a damn fault. What’s so wrong with that? It’s what it means to be a true friend after all, sticking out to them through and through. Airi did something wrong to Lucy and is paying her back for it, it’s like saying it’s wrong to be emotional.

It’s not her place to punish Airi, but it’s Lucy’s place to!

Still, despite all the hate, Marie believed there had to be a line, right? A line separating punishment to flat out bullying. She hoped deep down that they’d come across that sooner. That everyone would realize that line and stop.

She remembers Airi smiling over at her, and her looking away. She already reached that line long ago, she wished everyone would too. The sooner, the better.

“Argh, dammit. I can’t think of anyone else willing to help our club.” Nathan says, disheartened.

“If you’re in that much trouble, I don’t mind helping out if you want?” Marie turns to the door and sees the one person she never expect to see. Lucy, smiling delightfully. Darkly.

Where’s the line? Marie asked herself, feeling a bitter feeling at the pit of her stomach.