The next morning, I find myself face to face with Molly at my desk, her chair turned to face me.  My somewhat messy notes are side-by-side with hers, which look more like a photocopy of Mutou's board scrawlings.  Everything is there, but I can tell she doesn't have much in the way of comprehension.  15 minutes of going over the notes has expanded on this, however, and I can see her start to make sense of it all.
 
“Oh, ok, so we can move x by just dividing this side, right?”
 
“Yeah, it's pretty straightforward after that.  Just remember your order of operations and you should be good.”
 
She seems to really enjoy figuring this stuff out, once she's put in the right direction.  She's now positively beaming at the pages of finished problems in front of her.
 
“I guess I just don't get the way he lectures sometimes.  This isn't too hard at all,” she says smiling.  I open my mouth, but before my response can be articulated, a pair of hands covers my eyes.  What?
 
“Guess whooooo, Hicchan? Wahahahahaha~”  Well, I do so wonder.
 
“Shizune?”  I hear Molly giggle, then laugh, as the hands uncover my face and I turn to see Misha, an amused look on her face.
 
“Hicchan, how could you make such a joke?  You can be so mean sometimes.”  A devious look comes to her face.  “Why, you should be ashamed.  First you don't join student council after all the help we give you, now you make fun of Shichan and I.  There is only one way to atone for such a mean joke.”  I know where this is going, and don't quite know how I'm going to dig myself out of this one.  Agh, should have seen this one coming.
 
Surprisingly, Molly comes to my rescue.  “How can he join student council if he's helping me, though?  He's been tutoring me all morning and we're going to meet at lunch, too.”  A flurry of movement to my left and behind me makes me think that Molly's just gotten into it with none other than Shizune.
 
“Hicchan is more than welcome to, and quite frankly encouraged, to help his fellow students.  However, it shouldn't interfere with something like Student Council work, especially since he's just helping you, right, Molly?  Wahahahaha~!”  Misha thinks it's over, but Molly rises to the challenge.
 
“But he's helping Takashi, too.  And Lezard, and Ikuno and Misaki; we're starting an afterschool study group since he's so good with this Physics stuff.”
 
Shizune's eyes narrow, but I can't tell if it's out of malice or the excitement of a challenge.  “Surely this is just for a short while.  Once you start to understand it, you won't need Hicchan so much, and that should make him more than free for student council!”
 
I consider objecting to their fighting over me, but something about watching Shizune and Molly argue is interesting me.  While Shizune is calculating and quick to the chase, Molly mantains a friendly, diplomatic air.  She hasn't faltered once under that gaze.  Has Shizune met her match?
 
“It wasn't just our study group, though.  He was just helping me out with my music club activities yesterday.  We can always use someone to help organize and set up, especially with Saito.  Remember, from class 3-1?”  I notice a flash of annoyance in Shizune's eyes, and wonder if maybe she's starting to lose ground.  
 
“Well, we haven't heard as much from Hicchan.  You aren't putting words in his mouth, are you Molly?”  Uh-oh.  The game is over, and the student council is playing for keeps now.  Molly maintains the easy air about her, however.
 
“Well, Hicchan?”  The look on their faces suggests that I'm not going to get out of this easily, one way or the other.  Screw it, I'm tired of this.
 
“Well... Really, I like listening to the music.  Besides, I'm already kind of commited, so...”  I trail off, the look on Shizunes face growing darker as Misha translates.  That girl could freeze petrol with that stare.
 
Misha looks like she's tripped on an ice patch herself.  “But don't you want to work with Shichan and me~?”  Her question goes unanswered, as Mutou mercifully makes his appearance, disheveled as always.  The pair to my side takes their seats, and molly collects her notes from my desk to go turn around.  Before she corrects her chair, she gives me a warm smile and a wink.  I smile back in appreciation, but wonder if it was wise to “stand up” to the student council president.  
 
The droning lecture starts, and I decide that, maybe, getting more involved with Molly isn't such a bad thing.