"So basically, Class Rep, you're here to recruit me into the Literature Club."
"Exactly. The old members were all third-years, and they've already started phasing out now that graduation's coming up. If we don't get new blood soon, the club's going to face a serious membership crisis. Since I've been named the next club president, I figured I should expand the roster before the student council sends us a warning."
So the Class Rep wasn't just a class rep—she was also a club president, huh.
The Literature Club… so basically the school's writing and reading club.
In Kuroba Akira's mind, the Literature Club was one of those near-invisible clubs that barely existed in the background of most school stories. Like the Service Club that sensei joined by accident, or the SOS Brigade that hijacked the Literature Club room for its own antics.
"So that's why you're still coming to school during summer break? Because of club activities?"
From what he'd heard, the club's usual "activities" were things like reading quietly, writing short impressions of books, or just feeding literary freaks until they were full.
In reality, clubs like the Literature Club had been declining for years. Reading and writing habits had changed a lot in modern times. People were more used to reading novels on their phones or searching things up online. Even in Japan—where publishing still held strong—the trend was the same. Traditional clubs just weren't keeping up.
Take Kuroba himself: if he hadn't reincarnated into a student's life, he probably wouldn't have handwritten a single thing in the past decade—aside from maybe his signature.
In fact, when he first got here, he kept writing his name wrong because of the slight variation in his new name.
"You're really curious why I'm at school during summer break, aren't you?"
Answering a question with a question… Clearly a deflection. Does she have another reason for coming here?
But since she clearly didn't plan to say it outright, Kuroba didn't pry. He just gave her an honest answer.
"A little. I mean, it's not every day you bump into a classmate wearing their uniform during summer break."
Then he jabbed his thumb over his shoulder, pointing toward the field on the other side of the school building, where you could still hear the rowdy voices of boys fooling around.
"Like those guys from the soccer club—they come to school every day to train and mess around, but even they don't wear their uniforms in summer."
The whole "you have to wear your uniform to school" thing probably only applied to stiff, straight-laced students.
And while the Class Rep had top-tier grades, it was pretty clear after talking to her that she wasn't uptight. On the contrary—she had a mischievous streak.
"But Kuroba-kun, you're wearing your uniform too."
"Not by choice, okay? I just didn't have anything else."
Kuroba looked thoroughly annoyed.
In this kind of heat, he wanted to wear shorts—but he didn't have any spare clothes. Just two sets of school uniforms and one set of gym clothes, all provided by the school.
In fact, throughout the whole summer, he'd mostly been wearing his summer gym uniform. But because he needed to do laundry, he'd ended up throwing on his uniform today—of course, it just so happened to be the hottest day of the whole damn summer.
"Hmm… I actually wore mine because I wanted to make a good first impression. But maybe that wasn't necessary—Kuroba-kun seems pretty interested in seeing me in my casual clothes instead."
"So you really were targeting me from the beginning, huh."
This wasn't some romantic coincidence, some fated encounter.
Anri Hitomi had approached Kuroba with a goal from the start—she'd even thought through what kind of outfit would leave a better impression.
Which raised a very important question:
"Why me?"
Before today, Kuroba Akira had been the gloomy guy at the bottom of the class hierarchy, while Anri Hitomi was the brilliant, beloved Class Rep at the very top. The two of them had had zero interaction.
Kuroba couldn't wrap his head around why someone like her would take an interest in him—let alone go out of her way to recruit him for the Literature Club.
"You've got a decent reputation in class. If you just asked around, I'm sure plenty of clubless homebodies would agree to join."
"I'm not looking for ghost members in name only. And I don't want people joining just to do me a favor. More importantly—I'd rather not bring classroom dynamics into the club."
"Oh?"
That's probably the same kind of thinking as Dango-chan—maintain one circle of friends in class, and a separate one in the Service Club. Keep the streams from crossing.
Oregairu really is the definitive guide to youth drama.
"So I was the perfect candidate because I've never interacted with you before…"
Anri smiled and raised a finger.
"And most importantly, Kuroba-kun—you love reading, don't you? Even during summer break, you come to school just to use the library."
"…So you saw me."
Now that he thought about it, Anri hadn't even asked why he was at school during break—which meant she already knew.
Of course, Kuroba knew the real reason he came to the library was to practice his Japanese. But from the outside, a guy who showed up during summer just to read must look like a total bookworm.
"I didn't just see you, you know."
"Huh?"
"Why do you think the library's even open during summer break?"
"…Ah."
That explained it.
That also answered the question of why she was coming to school.
Kuroba could just pack up and leave after reading, but the Class Rep? She had to lock up afterward.
He vaguely remembered that the student in charge of the library was a quiet, serious girl from the neighboring class. Probably another member of the Literature Club. Maybe she'd asked Anri to help out over the summer.
Or maybe Anri herself had volunteered—knowing that Kuroba often came to read. She might've wanted to confirm whether his so-called "love of literature" was genuine or not.
So in other words, Anri Hitomi had been observing him all summer, quietly verifying that he wasn't just all talk—before finally approaching him on the last day of break.
Which meant…
Kuroba Akira had technically spent the entire summer with the Class Rep.
He just hadn't realized it.
"And then there's the part where Kobayakawa-sensei asked me to keep an eye on you. Said as Class Rep, I should help Kuroba-kun make a hundred friends."
Thanks for the sentiment, Kobayakawa-sensei… but I'm not Komi-san. I don't need that many friends.
"So I figured—if I become your first friend, and then invite you into the club, not only would you start making more friends, but it'd also help the Literature Club survive. Two birds with one stone, right?"
"I never said I'd join."
"Our Literature Club may be small, but all our members are among the prettiest girls in school, you know?"
"Oh? How do they compare to you?"
"Hm… I'd say we each have our own charm. But it's worth mentioning—I'm not the most well-endowed girl in our club."
"…You're telling me there's someone bustier than the Class Rep? That's borderline unfair."
"And the faculty advisor is none other than our homeroom teacher, Kobayakawa-sensei. You're familiar with her. She's always worried about you. If she saw you join the Literature Club, she'd probably be overjoyed. Might even hug you. And you know—Kobayakawa-sensei is surprisingly mature… as a woman."
"…She wears night cream?"
"And most important of all—there's not a single guy in the club right now. Kuroba-kun, don't you want to know what it's like to be surrounded by beautiful girls every day?"
…So, a personal harem then?
Class Rep, Class Rep… are you some kind of succubus who's mastered the male psyche?
Is this club even legit?
Why does it sound more like a red-light district hostess bar than a school club…?
---
T/N: can i replace him