I and Jeremy waited for the rest of our groupmates to settle down.

“Alright. Let's start now. What topic did we received from ma'am?”

“Ma'am told us to research everything we can about society, it's structure, norms, and—”

“Wait wait wait! Why are we starting already? Miss Hecate isn't here yet.”

A fellow group member raised her hand and told us what topic we got but she got cut off by another group mate.

“She left. Jeremy replaced her.”

“What?! Why?”

“Hey don't shout. And what's the problem with not having miss Hecate?”

“Well of course he wants to take that chance to talk to her.”

“So what?! All boys wanted to do that anyway.”

“Pathetic.”

“Huh? What's your problem Jeremy? How dare you act pretty arrogantly just because you could talk to her anytime!”

“That's why you're pathetic you idiot. And beside, like the hell you have a chance.”

“Why couldn't I, huh?! And don't you fuckin' call me idiot!”

Well, they're gonna fight.

“Hmmp. Mark-kun already have her ‘idiot’.”

Stop it Jeremy. Don't make this worst.

“Fuck you! Reverren is just also one of her pursuer! Don't think that you already won just because you're a close friend by her!”

Then I apparently already won even before you became classmates with her.

And why are you targeting me now?

“Hey! Don't you dare raise your voice on Mark!”

“So what if I do?!”

“Alright stop that. You're getting noisier.”

And our other groupmates are just seriously watching or busying themselves with their phone.

Only few look rather disturbed.

“What's going on group four? You're voices are standing out.”

Of course our teacher will still notice even with all the indistinct noises.

I stood up and faced ma'am.

“We're just having heated discussion po ma'am.”

“Really? Who's your leader?”

“Me.”

“What? When did you become—”

“““Shhh....”””

“Then please manage your group well. Or I'll subtract this behavior to your score.”

The guy arguing with Jeremy tried to complain but he got hushed by our other groupmates.

I'm sure ma'am noticed that but ignored it anyway.

“Will do po ma'am.”

I sat back.

“When did you become the leader, Reverren?”

He complained again but trying to whisper this time.

“What? Do you have a problem with that?”

“Shut up! It should be miss Hecate.”

“Alright be silent. Do you want our points to get deducted?”

“Tch.”

“Very well. I think that our manila paper won't be enough though. And to be more efficient we will have two writers so we need another pentel pen. That's probably around twenty pesos. So let's divide the cost among us.”

“No need. I'll handle the materials. And I'll buy it as well. I don't want to stay here with you anymore.”

“You're unneeded anyway.”

“Fuck you.”

“Mark, don't lists his name to the group members. How dare he not help and just buy materials.”

“What the fuck Jeremy? I'm trying to ignore you yet you motherfucker just won't stop.”

“Don't get my mother involved!”

“That's enough you two. Anyway, hurry up and buy. That will be your contribution.”

He left immediately.

“Mark-kun—”

“It's fine Jeremy. Besides he's already mad.”

“Wait. You don't need to be afraid of him. I am here anyway!”

“I am not afraid. This kind of task doesn't require too much man power. So doing trifle jobs could count as a contribution as well. Besides, forcing them to help will not really help that much. It might even be meaningless. I'm just, like, putting the right person to the right places Jeremy.”

“What if others also choose to just use money as their contribution because of this?”

“We don't need money anymore fufufufu. The materials are already enough including what's currently being bought. And you know what, money is an integral part of a person's capability too. So it's naturally a contribution as well— If it's needed and helpful of course. Otherwise, it's meaningless. As I said, it's just putting the right people or things to the right places, Jeremy.”

“...........”

“Besides, our classmates doesn't seem to care, right?”

Our groupmates nodded and some just giggled.

Well some of them just needed to write or clean the workplace. They won't need to waste money or too much effort in that case.

“Alright. Let's start now. You cute little e-girl, please research this things I wrote. Make sure that what you found makes sense okay?”

I gave tasked to the girl stuck on her phone since earlier.

“Who are you calling an ‘e-girl Reverren’? But alright boss.”

“Fufufu. Jeremy, you should research as well. We'll just cross reference your findings later.”

“Oh okay Mark-kun.”

“And you......”

I started assigning jobs to my fellow groupmates.

Because of what happened just few seconds ago, our group might look like a mess. But it's fairly better than some other groups.

There's a sucker in other groups wanting everyone to do however she wanted it. But the way she sounds is quite condescending pissing the other members off.

And because they won't cooperate, she'll do all the tasks working like a self-sacrificing hero but refuses the help of others.

But this usually ends with her blaming the rest for not cooperating and starts crying.

But good thing Mary is finally back from the rest room and she could take on the job of a leader in her place.

However, I noticed that there's someone in her group who just sits there in silence merely nodding to anything. But in truth, he's doing nothing helpful at all.

It's meaningless and just a show.

But Mary knew of this so she tries to give those troublesome members with small tasks and lists them as a group member anyway.

She's really kind.

In Mae-chan's group, the members are obviously uncaring once they finished their tasks.

It's like saying, ‘I already contributed so the rest is all on you guys’.

Mae-chan is pretty calm and elegant after all. So they probably take her for granted thinking she could do the job herself.

She doesn't look troubled by this though. Well, this is just a simple matter after all.

How about the group of Rose?

Well, they're ‘united’.

Somewhat.

Rose is pretty much scaring them after all. Scolding them harshly and even if they try to fight back, they just receives more harsh nagging.

It could be expected that this will make her group mate pretty rebellious. But they didn't.

At least in the surface. She just really know what to do and say to make them work under pressure.

Rose is doing this pretty well doesn't she? No wait. This is innate for her.

Besides, Rose is pretty well known in our class. Given that she is a wealthy and admirable woman.

And in Eli-chan's group, they're really united. And the one that unite them together is Eli-chan herself.

Her members boys and girls alike are pretty much enthusiastic about this. They're even fighting about the most important jobs.

All she does is simply sit there and decide.

Her group is really contrasting to the rest. Her members are all willing to do work for her.

Eli-chan's influence is actually not an insignificant thing huh. I can't believe I haven't noticed this after so long.

Looking at all of this, although I'm sure there are other factors involve, the most likely reason a group is not united is because of the differences in desires and motivations.

With our current situation, some members desires to have a good grade— or some just doesn't want to fail, so they would obviously do something for it even without being told or force.

But some doesn't. Because for them, that's not what they desire— consciously at least.

Most students are actually just studying for no reason but because they need to study. That's what they grew up on.

They have no desire about it themselves. Although this desire eventually comes later on.... or perhaps not.

So they are mostly indifferent about studying and doesn't take it seriously. But they usually starts to care once they're about to fail or something.

However, failing is most likely not the reason why they will care.

Perhaps it's not to face their parents wrath or they finally became aware of their own future.

If they anger their parents, they could lose their phone or something. And this conflicts with their desire of having a phone for whatever reason— flirting I guess.

So they will then be motivated to do something just not to fail. Because it starts to affect their desire— it starts to affect them.

But you know what, fufufufufu.... they're usually too late to do anything about it.

And this is one of things I find amusing.