155 Chapter two, 2016, school festival, madness beginning: 5 (2/2)

”It's fine,” Jirou-sempai answered, which obviously wasn't true at all. Fine job or not, the guy was worn thin.

”President, how would you like to stand in for him?” Yukio asked the girl by his side.

She offered him a frown in return. ”I don't know anything about this area.”

”But you do, you gave it a green light after all,” Yukio tried, but he harboured little hope she'd take the bait. ”I'll help out for some time, but I need to run an errand later,” he said. ”Please,” he added.

She looked at him and then at Jirou-sempai. Somehow she must have noticed how tired the second year was, because she nodded even though her shoulders slumped.

”Thanks!” Yukio didn't need to fake any gratitude. It was genuine, especially when he saw the relieved smile his club member gave their council president.

”An hour?” he asked?

”Make it two,” the president offered. She shot Yukio a questioning glance as if asking for praise.

”I'm in your debt,” he said. 'Damn, we need the council to regain their confidence before tomorrow. There's no way the club can handle all of it another day.' He sighed. 'Especially not tomorrow.'

”Urufu?” he called into his walkie talkie. He needed some confirmation.

”Urufu here.”

”Yukio here. What's the turnout today? Over.”

”Is the president there? Over.”

Yukio looked at her back and slowed his steps further. There was something Urufu didn't want her to know just yet. ”I'm alone. Over,” he lied. As long as she didn't hear their conversation that statement was true enough.

”Three and a half today. About double the expected. Never more than two and a half at the same time though. My guess. Over.”

No wonder the school crawled with guests. They were already at their limits. Yukio had to ask the dreaded question. ”Tomorrow? Over.”

His radio stayed silent just a little too long. ”Hard to say. We could run the numbers together. Over and out.”

Yukio stared at his silent unit. Maybe an alternate universe existed where Urufu needed his help to run numbers, but this one most certainly wasn't it. 'Holy crap! That bad? We're going to run out of food to sell.'

With a sinking feeling he joined the president before she got too suspicious.

The smell of food filled his nostrils and he was suddenly ravenously hungry. With a pang of guilt he tugged at her sleeve. ”Let's have lunch.”

Any other day before he met Kyoko the smile he received would have made him giddy with happiness. Any other day he wouldn't have called a third girl. Yukio smirked and punched up Noriko's number. He needed her brains.