The Student Council meets to outreach places for the Culture Day sports festival. They investigate sites that offer a price range and must form a fundraiser to cover the costs. For the Non-Secular Club, members are shocked that Hyoga doesn't use honorifics. Alicia defends him and demands they give him a break. After the meeting, she teaches him the basics and calls him Hyoga-kun because it suits him. He kind of likes it.
Class topics for this week (random): Origin of Life (biology); Origin of the Universe (English); Light Speed Measure (physics); Algebra Basics (math); Ancient Philosophy Basics (history)
The weather for today is sunny.
This week concludes the May chapter.
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[May 23, Wednesday - week 4]
The Student Council meets again to reach out to the places Himeko has written down. One of them suggests before she picks up the phone.
"How about universities?" Iori asks. "They have extensive outdoor track and field and sometimes allow other schools to rent their facilities."
"Of course, universities! I haven't thought about them. But I must reach out to the ones I have on the list," Himeko says.
Himeko calls the facilities one by one, and every single one of them is either fully booked, closed for the season, or the fees are too high.
"This isn't good," Himeko says with a worried tone.
"Try the university suggestion," Shiryu says.
"I know this one university renowned for its sports season and other schools used their facilities before." Iori gives the phone number to the university, to whom Himeko manages to reach out.
"Good afternoon. My name is Himeko and I'm the student council president for the Gurade Foundation Academy and we request a one day rental of your facilities for the November sports festival..."
"What university is this?" Shiryu asks.
"It's a big one. Their sports programs are famous," Ryoma says.
"...thank you so much. Yes, we'll talk once we have the funds... Yes, you too." Himeko hangs up and turns to the group. "We finally have a location. It'll take place at the university Iori suggested."
"That's wonderful news!" Mei praises.
"Congratulations, Senpai," Shiryu says.
"Thanks." Himeko nods. "Now, we need to come up with a fundraiser. Let's meet again tomorrow. We can't afford to have any delays."
Every member nods, agreeing with their words.
Meanwhile, the Non-Secular Club finishes its session. Kazuki raises a concern before every member leaves the room.
"Has anyone noticed that he hasn't addressed our lead as senpai?"
"Yes, I notice. I still find it baffling that he has this Japanese name, claims to be half-Japanese, and yet hasn't addressed our lead senpai as he should," Futaba says.
"Now, now. I believe he's still adjusting," Kawai says.
"I agree. We need to give him time," Alicia adds.
"To be fair, I'm familiar with saying someone with -san next to their name," Hyoga says in his defense. "It's just I don't see the necessity to address another suffix next to someone's name."
"Then why don't you call our lead senpai?" Futaba asks.
"Because I'd rather call him by his name. I'm not a fan of this senpai dynamic. It's too oppressive for me. That would be the equivalent of calling master to someone who hasn't earned my respect."
"That doesn't matter. The point is he's a second year and you're a student in a Japanese school. Therefore, you must address him as senpai. Look, we're saying this for your good. If you don't do this, someone will call you out in a nasty fashion and we don't want that happen to you," Kazuki says.
Observing the situation, Alicia stands up.
"Let me handle this. I can teach him a thing or two about honorifics."
"That's reassuring. Let's leave this to Alicia-san," Kawai says, standing.
"That's right! Alicia-san has been in this country for a long time, so I'm positive that she'll teach him well," Futaba says, also standing.
"I see that makes sense," Kazuki says, standing up too.
"We'll see you two on Friday then."
Hyoga and Alicia remain alone in the room once the rest leave.
"It took me a while to call someone's name with an honorific. I believe it gets easier the more you say it and the more you hear it."
"Hear it?" Hyoga asks.
"Yes, it's not just using the honorific but also hearing it. You need to get comfortable with someone using it on you over and over."
"Okay, so what would be appropriate honorific for me?"
"So -san would be too stiff; -chan would be over the top. And I don't feel comfortable just calling you by your name. Aha! -kun is the best bet." Alicia enthusiastically stands up and points. "Get used to hearing it because I will say it a lot. Perhaps other people too."
"I don't really get it."
"Take it as calling a boy's name with that. Perhaps you've heard it."
"Now that you mention it, I heard some people calling my friends by that. I assumed it was a nickname or something."
"So do you agree with my choice?" Alicia asks with hands on her waist.
"If you're going to call me by that and other people too, then I might as well get used to hearing it at all times in and out of school."
"Who am I to argue against that? I'm stuck here anyway. But I find it somewhat endearing for some reason especially if she says it."
"That's good to know, Hyoga-kun. By the way, you can call me Alicia-san. Pretty straightforward."
"Then that's what I'll do. It sounds better that way."
"Okay then, let's go home. We'll go to another restaurant on Friday."
"For real? Do you mean like how we went last month?"
"Yes, but it will be a restaurant with another meal. I'll let you know."
"You mean a meal other than ramen? Okay, I look forward to it."
To be continued...