The next day, Koharu arrives at school early as usual, making her way to the newspaper clubroom before classes start to print out some plans she worked on until late the night before. However, when she opens the door, she finds out someone has been waiting on her.

Yuna: (she crosses her arms, sitting in Koharu’s chair) Shirahara.

Koharu: Tsk. (she clicks her tongue)

Yuna: Keep that clicking tongue to yourself. I thought we had a deal.

Koharu: Realized you weren’t gonna hold up your end of the bargain. 

Yuna: You do realize that quid-pro-quo was supposed to be a concession, right? Normally, students are supposed to do what teachers tell them to, no questions asked.

Koharu: I did. Ran the stall. Talked to first-years. Some of them even signed up.

Yuna: And then you ran off to go cause a scene. That’s truancy and bringing the school into disrepute. You do know the headmaster had to call up Yashikata clinic to apologize, do you? Be thankful they didn’t add any further questions.

Koharu: Isn’t covering that kinda stuff up your job?

Yuna: (she sighs, pinching her nose) This is never going to work out, is it? I’m your advis—

Koharu: It doesn’t have to. I don’t need your advice.

Yuna: Look, you don’t have to like me. But the work Mrs Sasaki has done for you isn’t going to cover you forever. You do realize that you have somehow managed to piss off everyone who took the place of the people she forced to step down, do you? And it doesn’t matter if you think they’re being unfair or unreasonable when they’re the ones who could disband the club, or hell, expel you. You do get that, do you? Pick your battles. It would make life so much easier for you.

Koharu: … Why would I have to accommodate anyone’s desire to enforce their stupid rules on me when they do nothing to accommodate me?

Yuna: They do. I am here to ac—

Koharu: You don’t do anything. Useless hag. All you do is force me into line and berate me, like everyone else. Only difference is that you tell me you know how unfair it is all the time. I don’t care how much you say you understand. You don’t understand me at all.

Yuna: … (she holds her tongue, looking away)

Koharu: We are helping this school and its students. This city and its people. We exposed Tomatsu. We found her killer. We helped Segawa get her life back, and now we’re going to make sure Mr. Abe and Shinomiya’s father get justice. You know we do, and all you do is get in our way!

Yuna: Alright. Alright, okay. You… (she sighs) You’re right. There’s no point in helping someone in a way they don’t wanna be helped. I’ll… Look. (she gets up out of the chair) I don’t want to be your enemy… but maybe I shouldn’t be the one arguing against you on society’s behalf. Maybe I should be arguing with society on your behalf. I… I see what I can do, how I can help you continue the good work the way you do best. But I cannot change society for you.

Koharu: (she mumbles) … I know that.

Yuna: So you do know that there is nothing you or I can do about other people than the friends you trust joining the newspaper club. But I think I do have a plan on how to help you.

Koharu: Believe it when I see it.

Yuna: How about… you and your friends get to be the editorial board of the school newspaper? You know, you get to determine what’s news and what isn’t during the board meetings, while the juniors go around the school interviewing folks and hashing out the articles under my supervision. How does that sound?

Koharu: You can… make that work?

Yuna: As long as you do. That’s how we’ll do things from now on.

Koharu: … I … see.

Yuna: As for your personal troubles, though… I’m afraid the headmaster’s expecting me to give you detention and an apology essay to write—

Koharu: I didn’t do anything wrong! Shinju and Hanako were there to attend the first-years. We did what you asked.

Yuna: Koharu, you ran away from school. Are you honestly going to argue that you should be allowed to just… bail? Besides, you caused trouble for your friends, didn’t you? You left them to their own devices. And don’t worry, I know they don’t mind, but still… It’s not because I can personally put being called a useless hag in its proper context that calling people names should just be widely accepted, right?

Koharu: Guess so. Whatever. Fine.

Yuna: You want me to help you with that apology letter, though? I think I could tell you exactly what the headmaster wants to hear.

Koharu: (she frowns) But—

Yuna: You know he’s just gonna make you do it again if you tell him how you really feel, right?

Koharu: But that would be lying.

Yuna: … Which is something you do all the time, right? To me, for example. Or to those first-years at the club fair. There’s not a single person alive who has never told a lie. Is that wrong? Unreasonable? Unfair? Maybe, but things aren’t as black and white as you might think. Sometimes you gotta do something that goes against who you are or what you stand for, just to avoid trouble. That’s what I wanna teach you.

Koharu: I could… use your help then.

Yuna: It’s a date, then. My office, after school?

Koharu: (her eyes widen) N-No, I…need to do something important, then.

Yuna: (she sighs, but is interrupted by the bell signaling the start of class) Monday, then? This is detention, you know? You usually don’t negotiate about detention.

Koharu: Monday… Fine. Thank you.

Yuna: You’re… welcome, Shirahara. Eh, don’t be late for class now.