Looks like I scared her.

Bai Ningning glanced back and silently murmured an apology in her heart.

*Sis… I hope you didn’t hurt yourself during that Z-axis movement.*

Once the room fell silent, the loud-voiced boy began speaking.

First, he announced everyone now belonged to a single club. Original club names would serve as department labels, but internally—they were one unified family.

Then came the promises: thanks to President Lingyin’s influence, funding would be plentiful. Budget-friendly club events would roll out regularly, guaranteeing a glorious revival… and so on.

The pitch worked. Excitement rippled through the room. No one seemed to mind their old clubs vanishing.

Carrot delivered, he shifted to the stick—rules.

“I know you came from different clubs with different rules. But now we’re one. Rules must unify. Sister Lingyin’s giving us all this—shouldn’t we step up? At least not embarrass her, right?”

His tone wasn’t gentle, yet no one protested. Those benefits *were* tempting.

Bai Ningning listened half-heartedly. Sometimes she stared ahead—just to admire the fiery senior up front. Sometimes she’d sneak a glance back at the loli underclassman behind her.

*This meeting’s… not bad at all.*

The Gaming Club rep continued. Rules were standard—just slightly stricter sign-in and attendance policies.

“Um… may I ask something?” A girl beside the underclassman raised her hand. “About club rules.”

The speaker recognized her instantly. “Former Anime Club president. What’s your question?”

*Oh. So she’s the ex-president. My bad.* Bai Ningning glanced back. The girl beside Nana had an unremarkable presence, eyes less sharp than President Lingyin’s—but steady. Resolute.

“Our club… didn’t enforce strict attendance or sign-ins,” she said softly. “I hope we can keep that tradition. Even with an application…”

“That’s *why* you got disbanded,” he cut in, phone in hand. “Anime Club: under 60% attendance last year. Top of the campus list for wasted resources.”

“There were reasons—they didn’t *not* want to come, it’s just…”

She trailed off.

(Personality. Laziness. Inconvenience.)

“Sit down, former president.”

Dejected, she whispered, “Sorry, Nana… I tried.”

Nana clutched her sketchboard tighter, murmuring too softly to hear: “It’s okay… President… you did enough.”

*Just as he said… that’s why the club vanished.*

Reality was harsh. Everyone invested time. No one catered to “selfishness.”

If everyone else showed up… and you didn’t? Wasn’t that just selfish?

Up front, “Tian Ge” pressed on:

“I know old rules differed. But ask yourselves—if they were good, would you be merged now?”

“Anime Club had paper membership rivaling Gaming Club. But that ‘no sign-ins, no attendance’ rule? Active members dwindled. Couldn’t even gather a quorum. Rules like that? Long overdue for the trash!”

*No… that’s not—*

“I disagree.”

Nana blinked. The front-row senior stood up.

The same loli-faced senior as her… and only now did Nana notice—

*Whoa. Huge pillows.*

Whether her aura *came* from them or not, the moment she rose, her presence rivaled President Lingyin’s.

Heads turned. Stunned silence.

*So pretty… when did she get here?*

*Damn, how did I miss her?!*

Tian Ge snapped back: “Disagree? Shouldn’t it be tossed?”

“It can be refined—not erased,” Bai Ningning said coolly. “It still has purpose.”

*Good. Polite. This’ll go smoothly.*

*Keep going!*

“Purpose? *Laughable*,” Tian Ge scoffed. “That rule ‘protected’ shy or antisocial types? Nah. Ninety percent used it to skip out. One or two were genuine. Still worth keeping?”

“Yes.”

A faint, proud smirk touched Bai Ningning’s lips. “You see lazy people skipping. You don’t see the one or two who found shelter. *That’s* why it stays. Refine it—don’t reject it outright.”

*Eighteen years old. Hiding in corners. The Anime Club saved me.*

*Now… it’s my turn to carry its spirit.*

*This… is the Will of Fire!*

Some in the room nodded. Made sense.

*(Mostly… she’s gorgeous. And *blessed*. Of course her words carry weight.)*

“As long as one person needs it—it deserves to exist.”

Nana peeked from behind her sketchboard, watching that petite yet unshakable back. A shimmer gathered at her eyes.

*Unknown senior… so cool.*

Tian Ge suddenly froze. “Wait… I don’t recognize you. Not on the roster.”

He’d memorized every name. An ordinary face? Forgettable. But *this* girl? Unforgettable.

*She’s not even a member!*

Shock and anger flared. “You’re… who the hell are you?”

(He almost cursed—but she was *too* pretty.)

*THWACK!*

A surprisingly strong, delicate hand smacked the back of his head. “Ow!” he yelped.

“She’s the *freaking* school beauty!”

President Lingyin—the club’s true leader—stepped forward, smiling at the girl.

“Bai Ningning. Do you remember me?”