Twenty-Three

In this club, it's like we're playing house with the weirdest family dynamics. Nanase-san? She's the laid-back dad who loves to joke around and doesn't take shit too seriously. Then there's senpai—he's the mom, no question. Always nagging when things are out of order, obsessively tracking finances like it's his life's mission. Honestly, the guy could be an accountant if he wanted to.

I found out pretty quickly just how much he's been putting into this club. The school barely gives them enough budget to scrape by, so senpai's been footing the bill for almost everything. And when Asakura-san told me he bought the drawing tablet Inoue-san uses? That was a shocker. Like, what high schooler just casually buys a drawing tablet to bribe someone into joining a club? Apparently, senpai does.

Oh, and that's not all. Asakura-san's fancy dream-colour pencils? Yeah, senpai paid for those, too. Of course, Nanase-san had her hand in it—her classic manipulation trick. She probably guilt-tripped him with some speech about how he's not contributing enough. And even though he groans and complains every time she opens her mouth, he still ends up doing whatever she says.

It's not hard to tell that senpai's not a stingy guy. Sure, he grumbles like a storm cloud, but when push comes to shove, he's there, making sure everything gets done. Kind of ironic, really. For someone who's supposedly cold and detached, he's the one holding this mess of a club together.

Senpai grabs the coffee can from Nanase-san's hand and lets out a heavy sigh as he drops into the chair beside me. While the girls are busy digging through plastic bags, debating over which junk food to open first, senpai is wrestling with the coffee can in his hand, pressing his thumb against the tab, trying to snap it open. 

He tries once. No luck. 

Twice. Still nothing. 

Clicking his tongue in frustration, he exhales sharply, brows furrowing as he glares at the stubborn can like it personally offended him. 

Alright, Tetsurou, this is your moment. Time to be useful to senpai! 

I'm just about to offer my help when Asakura-san beats me to it. 

"Do you need help, vice president?" she asks, her voice all soft and sweet. 

And the worst part? Senpai actually hands the can to her—without hesitation, without suspicion. Like, what if she spills it? What if she drops it? What if she put something in there that makes him dizzy? And besides, isn't it just… wrong to let a girl do something like this for a guy? 

No way. I'm not letting this slide. 

"Let me do it," I say, smoothly snatching the can just before Asakura-san's fingertips can even brush against it. But to not make it obvious that I just totally stole her chance, I flash her a casual smile and add, "Girls' nails are kinda fragile, you know? Wouldn't want you breaking one just to open a can." 

Asakura-san smiles, clearly thinking I'm being considerate. She has no idea. This is not about her—I just want senpai to know that if he ever needs something, I am the one to go to. That if he's struggling with something, even if it's just a damn coffee can, I've got him. 

With one swift motion, I pop the tab open and hand the can back to him, expecting, I don't know, maybe a nod of acknowledgment? A little thanks? 

But nope. Instead, senpai just stares at me, sharp-eyed and unimpressed, like I just did something offensive instead of, you know, helping his useless ass. 

"Just because I let you in doesn't mean I like you," he says, and damn—those words? They hit harder than they should. 

But I was expecting this kind of reaction, so I just chuckle, my grin never fading as I lean back a little. 

"Sooner or later, you will," I say, flashing him a smirk. "It's just a matter of time, senpai." 

Senpai clicks his tongue when he snatches the coffee can from my hand, his irritation so obvious it practically radiates off him. Not that it bothers me in the slightest. We're all hanging around, munching on the junk food Nanase-san and the others grabbed from the nearby convenience store, going over plans for the club. Since we've got enough members now and even secured a club advisor, there's no rush to recruit more people. Senpai made a good point earlier—our current clubroom's too damn small to fit a bigger crowd anyway. No point cramming more bodies in when we don't even have space for our own asses. So, for now, the focus shifts to something more pressing: money. Specifically, how to make some so senpai doesn't have to keep digging into his own pocket. 

Of course, any discussion involving senpai and Nanase-san inevitably turns into a verbal boxing match. 

Senpai insists he needs to save up since he's planning to live on his own after graduation. Makes sense, right? But then, Nanase-san, in her usual blunt, tactless way, just waves it off like it's nothing. 

"If your mom's allowance isn't enough, you can always ask your dad. Have you looked for him?" 

Wait. Hold up. What the hell did she just say?