CH#199

#199

The students gave Yuuto a generous round of applause as he stepped up on the stage.
The entire gymnasium gradually fell silent as he stood in front of the microphone, which was illuminated by the lights.

[I am Ogiwara Yuuto of Class 3, Year 2, thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak here today.]

After a short greeting, he bowed his head.
He then raised his eyes and then scanned the entire gymnasium from left to right.

[When I ran for the election, I looked back on the days since I entered school. The cultural festival, the sports festival, and the long vacation were all filled with happy memories.]

Yuuto’s smiling face is projected on the screen behind him through a camera installed at the edge of the platform.

The students sitting right below listened to his words without uttering a single word.

Even from behind the stage, I could tell that the students were serious.

[So I thought, if I could make this pleasant high school life even better…]

He sounded as if he was speaking in the past tense and not in the present.

The eyes that were supposed to be on the students surrounding the stage are now directed towards me at the back of the stage.

[The first time I saw him, I thought, ‘I’m sure we share the same feelings of enjoyment… however small or large they might be.’]

The gymnasium buzzed slightly at the words, which sounded like a premonition.

The students did not understand what Yuuto was trying to say or what he was trying to convey.

I guess the misunderstanding refers to what I said in the classroom after school when Yuuto and I declared my candidacy to him.

[Before I tell you about the student council I’m aiming for, there’s something I want to tell you all.]

He turned his gaze from the side to the students in front of him.
With a serious expression of determination, Yuuto announced his next words to the students.

[If you’re thinking of voting according to the opinions of those around you, not your own will, but because people around you are choosing Ogiwara, please do not vote for me.]

The gymnasium buzzed even more.
Perhaps it was because the majority of the students in this room fell into this category.

There are many students who want to vote for Yuuto because he is popular and well-liked.

However, there must have been a feeling among the students that they were voting for him because he is their friend, because everyone else is choosing him…

That is not a wrong choice for students who do not want to be different from those around them.

If there is a possibility that relationships will be broken later, going with the flow is one choice.

However, Yuuto denied that.

[Maybe my friends would say the same thing if they were in a similar situation, …so listen to what I and Shinra, who will follow, have to say and make your own decision.]

From every word, I could sense consideration for our side.

Not a popularity contest, but a choice of who is more suitable, after carefully listening to their words, almost as if he wanted that too.

[My goal is to make the school a place where students can truly enjoy themselves, it doesn’t matter how they perceive it, I just want to make it a place where they can feel somewhere in their hearts that it is fun.]

Returning again to the topic of student council election, Yuuto begins to talk about the student council he is aiming for.

A school where students can enjoy themselves, that is indeed a wonderful idea.

It is simple and clear to the students, and it motivates them to vote.

[There are of course many issues to be addressed, such as reviewing the content of events, re-selecting the content of school events, clarifying complaints from the students’ perspective, etc., one by one, and then discussing and resolving these issues with the school.]

Of course, that’s not all.

The problems are too much to list, and the goal of creating a school where students can enjoy themselves, which sounds simple enough in words, is a difficult one.

It is impossible to achieve this goal without the determination to interact with the entire student.

[Perhaps it will be a little boring for the students who are having the most fun right now, …but I still think it’s important for everyone to feel a little fun somewhere inside.]

He looked a little apologetic.

But, at the end of the day, he gave the brightest smile of the day and told the whole school.

[I’m going to change the school starting from the student organization, and I think I can change it, so please vote for Ogiwara Yuuto if you want to!}

After saying this clearly, Yuuto bowed deeply.

The gymnasium gave Yuuto even more applause than at the beginning.

Then, Yuuto turned on his heel and disappeared from the stage.

The applause did not cease until the very end.

“…Good job.”

“Thanks… haa.”

I said just one word to Yuuto, who had moved backstage.

Perhaps the release of tension had caused fatigue, and he sat up and let out a big sigh that he had been holding in.

I thought about saying something to him, but decided to leave when I saw the girl who gave the support speech run up to him.

It’s my turn next. This is no time to be worrying about others.

I did a final check in front of the mirror and walked toward the stage after confirming that my name was called out in the announcement.

“Minato… you be yourself.”

I heard Yuuto’s voice from behind me.
I could imagine the expression on his face without having to look back.

He must have a look on his face like when he is making fun of someone with a twisted mouth.

I answered him by raising my hand and started walking toward the illuminated stage.

“I am Shinra Minato of Class 3, Year 2.”

When the applause died down and the place became quiet, I introduced myself and told them my name.

Then I gave a small bow.

With my head returned to the front and the entire school spread out in front of me, I could see that they were looking at me less expectantly than they did at Yuuto’s.

On the other hand, I was relieved because it’s hard to do something when people have excessive expectations of you.

“I’d like to start by telling you all about the position of the assistant to the president I’m aiming for.”

After a roundabout explanation of my goals, I decided to begin by explaining my vision for the position of assistant to the president, so as not to make the introduction too long and difficult to understand.

“As you can guess from the name, it’s to assist the president …that’s it.”

…Yes, that’s all.

This was not because I was out of touch or because it would be tedious to explain, but because I genuinely thought that about it.

From the beginning, I did not prepare an exemplary speech that would be accepted by everyone.

The students looked at me suspiciously. I have no choice by but to dismiss methodology this from now on.

“If you ask me, I or him who can make the school better, I think it’s definitely Ogiwara. Creating a school where everyone can have fun… is the ideal model of a student council member.”

It’s idealistic and, in my opinion, close to what the students desire.
It just feels like a stereotype that he can do it.

[…I’m not particularly good at anything, so I can assure you I cannot change the school.]

Yes, I can’t change anything.

I am not the person to push for change, either in terms of ability or in terms of thinking.

I am aware of it, and I am sure people around me see it that way.

After all, I can’t and don’t want to be in the front.

I am supposed to be in the background.

[But, if you ask me why I am so confident, I think I have a clear answer to that, the next student body president is Koizumi Shoichi, and the vice president is Shiraishi Momiji.]

Certainly, Yuuto has the ability to stand in front of the students and lead them.

However, he is not the one who should do it. It is Koizumi, the student body’s choice for the next student body president, and Shiraishi, the vice president.

[The two are more serious about the future of the school than anyone else, and we, the students, are the ones who chose to support them. …It is our duty as ‘assistants’ to believe in their ideas and support them.]

The students take it as if it is right and common sense that those who have the ability take the initiative to take action regardless of their position or title.

In this school, this view may be more common than among other high school students.

This is because there are too many students with abundant abilities.

There might be only one person in other schools, but in this school, there are three of them in one grade.

It has become ingrained in their thinking that if it is not me, they can handle it.

[The school will not get better just because Ogiwara Yuuto becomes the assistant. …Unless the students make an effort and take action to improve the school by themselves, the high school life will never be enjoyable for them.]

The creation of a school where all students can enjoy themselves, which Yuuto is trying to achieve, is not something that can be changed by an individual.

Leave it to others, and in the end, they will become dissatisfied and throw even that responsibility away.

We must not let them turn away from such a reality.

[There is a great person called Hiiragi Akane-senpai, and if we choose Ogiwara Yuuto next, even Koizumi and the others should be able to create a school better than last year’…If you have such a selfish delusion, you should throw it away immediately.]

A cold voice came from my depths, with the volume of my voice going down little by little.

The eyes that I am sure are also cold as I look at the students.

[If others create an enjoyable environment for us, there’s nothing easier than this, but it’s never going to be what we want… because this school has many talented students, so we abandon the idea of thinking for ourselves and impose responsibility in the name of leaving it to them. We’re affirming that.]

This is also a word to myself.
Until now, I have evaded responsibility by comparing my talent with theirs.

I was essentially the same as the students who surrounded Yuuto.
So this is a step toward changing ourselves.

[We need to change ourselves… So I’ll say it again, the position I ran for is assistant to the student body president and to support Koizumi… Helping to create a school that the head of the students they elected believes in. It’s the only job I can do.]

Finally, I bowed more deeply than I had at the start of my speech.
Keeping the same posture, I spoke the same words to the entire school again.

[We rely on them too much… and we need to graduate from that environment. So …please.]

[That concludes the election of student council members. Students please return to your classrooms and cast your votes as soon as the designated time—]

President announced the closing of the event, and the students left the gym one after another.

This was truly the last time.

We can no longer send out any messages to the students.
All I can do is wait for the voting to be over and accept the results.

To be honest, I don’t know who has the upper hand, me or Yuuto, and it would be a waste of effort to even think about it.

After watching the last person leave the gymnasium, I finally felt my shoulders relax.

With the sudden feeling of freedom and exhaustion that had come over me, I sat down on the chair where the students had been sitting earlier.

“Thanks for your hard work, the results are scheduled for after school, just like the presidential election. …Shall we all wait for the results together?”

“No, I’m going to listen to the results in a quiet place. After that I’ll go to the student council office.”

President asked this question as she peeked out from behind.

I wanted to wait for the results with everyone in the student council who had been helping me, but I also wanted to be in a quiet place where I could accept the situation.

With this in mind, I declined President’s offer and left the place.

I left the gymnasium with heavy steps, and to be honest, I don’t remember much after that.

I returned to the classroom and just waited for the after-school bell to ring.

I think I expended the most energy and effort in my whole life during this short period of time.
Perhaps it was a backlash from that, but my thought process stopped completely.

All I remember was when my homeroom teacher said the words to close HR.

The students in the class immediately flocked to gather around Yuuto, and I left the classroom alone to go to the rooftop as usual.

The stairs felt extraordinarily long, and the door to the rooftop felt heavy.

“…”

I entered the shade and sat down before looking up at the sky.

After a while, I heard two footsteps coming from the path I had come from, and I realized that they had sat down next to me without uttering a word.

I looked to the side and saw Shizuku smiling quietly, and Kirasaka was next to her, opening a paperback book as usual.

Quiet time was all the three of us had on the rooftop.

Then, as if to interrupt the silence, the sound of the school announcement rang out.

[The results of the Student Council Election for Assistant to the President will now be announced.]

As Shizuku clasped her hands together in prayer, Kirasaka closed the book in her hands and quietly closed her eyes.

I just looked up at the sky and waited for the next words.

[As a result of the votes, it is decided that Shinra Minato-san would be the Assistant to the Student Council President.]

ToC

#198

Friday, the last day for campaigning, both sides were done without any changes and we were just waiting for the day of the election.

Yuuto set up bases at different times of the day in the courtyard, the elevator entrance, and at the school gate, and delivered his speech to a large number of students.

I, on the other hand, only made speeches at lunchtime in front of the first-year building, and after school I went around the clubs along with of Shizuku, Koizumi, and Miura.

After all, students who belong to club activities are not unaffected by the caste system on campus, but I had the strong impression that many of the girls were not members of any factions, so the conversation went surprisingly well.

It was a very unremarkable and inefficient method, but it was worthwhile to visit all of these activities by myself.

I was able to greet all of the athletic groups in all of their activities, and as far as the humanities were concerned, I greeted as many of them as I could.

Unlike the athletic clubs, the greatest characteristic of those people is their strong individuality.

Rather than working in groups, they tend to prefer to do things individually.

That is why they could be a key figure if we could convince the majority, but on the other hand, once they get a bad impression, they are completely out.

In the first place, students who don’t have much interest in elections, when faced with choices, will choose at random based on their impressions and the reaction of the crowd.

Anyway, by showing up at almost all the activities at our school in this way, I was able to increase my vote count, though gradually.

However, my concern is the fact that the student named Ogiwara Yuuto is very popular among female students.

No matter how many speeches I make or how sincere I am, there is a high possibility that I will be blocked by this single exceptional barrier.

Even if I stand upside down, I have no chance of winning in that regard, so I have no choice but to give up here.

On Saturday and Sunday, I, along with Kaede, Shizuku, and Kirasaka at my home confirmed the content of the speeches for voting day, and on Sunday, I also invited Hino-kun to my home to confirm the content of Kirasaka’s original manuscript.

…I asked Kaede to do some shopping during that time as part of my countermeasure against Hino-kun.

Hino-kun, who was nervous when he entered, was completely depressed when he found out that Kaede wasn’t there.

However, it certainly was a fruitful weekend.

I’ve done everything possible to address the issue, and I’ve thought of a few words to say to the students before voting begins.

I took out the phone in my pocket and checked the number of views on the video posting site.
There it was indeed showing over 400 views, which was close to the entire school.
This would not be a problem for me to assume that everyone had seen me at least once.

Then came the election day.

“…Is it okay for me to vote too?”

I asked the Shizuku as we were going over the details of the election in the final confirmation before the morning HR session began.

It is written that the right to vote in the election is for first-year, second-year and faculty members, but do the candidates also have the right to vote?

Kirasaka was the one who answered the question.

“I’ve heard that the candidates are supposed to vote for themselves as well, to make sure that the number of people is officially counted.”

“Heh…”

Where did she get this information from?

I don’t see any mention of this election in the paper that contained the details of this election…

Well, I won’t bother to ask her about the rules of our school, because she would nod her head if she had them completely in her head.

Still, it is somewhat shameful if you are allowed to vote for yourself.

After placing the sheet of paper appropriately on the desk, I turn my gaze out the window.

The students I can see from there are more lively than usual, and I am sure I am not mistaken.

What do I and Yuuto look like to the eyes of the students?

A reckless challenger, an unshakable winner …something like this, I wonder.

Well, whether I cry or laugh, today’s result will decide everything.

To be honest, there is nothing I can do.

This situation brings me a sense of relief, but Shizuku seemed to be different.
She looks fidgety and restless, looking around the class and thinking about something.

“…What’s up?”

“No, I was just thinking that …I should go talk to everyone one more time.”

“A bad move might make a bad impression. …Even Yuuto didn’t do anything, did he?”

She turns her gaze to the seat where Yuuto is sitting.
Yuuto, sitting surrounded by students as usual, does not seem to do anything.

He is probably thinking similarly.
After she returned her gaze, Kirasaka, who was standing next to me, said the same thing.

“Yes, …sometimes it is important to be patient.”

“Your fingers are pretty loud for you to say that though…”

Kirasaka was answered by Shizuku’s own sharp words.
She is also fidgeting, tapping her fingers on the desk, as if she too is restless inside.

Why is everyone else so restless except for me…?

I let out a sigh and then leaned back on my chair and thought.

I received word that I would be getting a majority of the faculty votes this morning, thanks to the president.

The club advisors were a major factor in this, as were the other faculty members, whom the president personally visited and tried to persuade.

Now it remains to be seen how many more first-year students will vote for me than for Yuuto, and how many club students will support me…

Well, I can’t help but think about it now.

I must calm down and review the speech.

As I started to do so, the classroom door opened and my homeroom teacher walked in.

“We’re moving!”

With just a short phrase, the classmates all got up from their seats and began to prepare to move.
The speech will be given during the first period of the day.

The voting will take place during the lunch break and the results will be announced after school.

Shizuku and Kirasaka also got up from their seats, and finally I stood up and walked toward the gymnasium where the event was to take place.

“How are you feeling?”

As I entered the gymnasium and headed toward the row for student council members, President was the first one to open her mouth when they saw me.
Next to her were Koizumi, Miura, and Hino-kun.

Shiraishi is not yet a member of the student council, so she is joining the line of first-year students.
Koizumi’s expression was even more tense than mine, and I could feel the tension on his face.

“…Normal, I guess?”

“I’ve done everything I can to get the word out to the teachers, but now it’s all up to you.”

“Thank you…”

I am really reassured that this person is willing to help me.
I feel sorry that I seem to be taking advantage of this person, Akane Hiiragi. I hope to be able to return the favor in some way.

I checked my posture in the large mirror installed on the wall of the gymnasium to make sure I look presentable.

The first speaker to speak in support of Yuuto will take the podium, followed by Hino-kun, then Yuuto, and finally me.

This order has been standardized for a long time, and it is customary for students who are not in the student council to take the podium first.

I called out to Hino-kun, who was looking at the manuscript with a blue expression on his face, as if he were about to collapse at any moment.

“…It’s okay as long as you take it easy. Although, Kirasaka made the original manuscript but just say whatever you want to say.”

“B-but, depending on what I’ll say, Senpai’s impression might…”

“I chose you, Hino-kun because I knew you’d do just fine.”

I patted him lightly on the shoulder and sent him off with a push on his back.
On the opposite side of the stage from us, Yuuto sent a girl out in a similar manner.

She wasn’t the girl who had been giving me a hard time the other day, but she was definitely the one who had been standing behind him.

However, now is not the time to worry about others.

As I was about to move to the back of the stage after checking the figure again, I heard footsteps rushing up behind me.

When I turned around, Shizuku and Kirasaka halted in front of me, looking worried.

“Your tie might be a little loose, and also your collar, make sure you have your posture right…”

“Mother?”

Shizuku looked bewildered and straightened my uniform, which she should have checked herself earlier.
As I smiled at the sight of her, Kirasaka next to me also turned serious and said.

“Your eyes look dead.”

“Sorry to be born like this…”

…There’s nothing I can do about that.

I can’t go to an ophthalmologist now, but if you want, I can put on some glasses to give myself an intellectual atmosphere.

“Do your best!”

“Don’t show embarrassing appearance.”

Shizuku clenched her fists and Kirasaka folded her arms, making a gesture of brushing her hair with one hand and told me as usual.

Though I told President I was feeling normal, I was feeling a little light-headed.

I raised my hand back to them and walked up the stairs leading to the back of the stage.

[I am convinced that, Ogiwara-kun, is a wonderful student who can take the initiative to reform the school for the benefit of the students!]

Just as I was climbing behind the stage to check on Hino-kun, those words were uttered to conclude Yuuto’s speech of support.

The words were bland in themselves, they probably decided that the image of Ogiwara Yuuto was so well-established in the school that there was no need for a crude attempt at uniqueness.

It is true that being aggressive in a safe manner can be good at times.

On the contrary, in my case, I really can’t go through with being safe.

That is why I chose a person who is easily noticed. Naturally, I have a feeling that Hino-kun will be fine in terms of personality.

I have only one honest word to say to Hino-kun, who steps out of the stage to replace the girl who are moving from the stage.

“Hino-kun, …you don’t have to lie or put up a bad front, so just go ahead and speak honestly.”

“…Yes!”

The expression on his face was still stiff, but it changed to a look of slight determination, and Hino-kun walked out onto the stage where the lights were shining.

Applause rains down on him, and all eyes are on him.

Next, they turned to murmurs because of his strong appearance and red hair.

[I’m Daiki Hino, a student council officer in charge of general affairs and a freshman…]

Why does he always end with “-ssu”?

<TL: Japanese things, nevermind.>

I was about to ask myself that question, but I had to endure it, being here behind the stage.

[Myself and Shinra-senpai, who are the members of the student’s council, are not students who joined after formally campaigning, but we were made to join after being approached by Hiiragi Akane-senpai.]

In terms of Kirasaka’s original draft, these words were slightly altered in his own way and were conveyed to the students.

The students were slightly surprised to learn how we had joined, which must’ve been a mystery to them.

“Shinra-senpai is not as talented as Ogiwara-senpai in being able to do everything, but he is still a great person in my opinion.”

His grip on the paper he was holding got stronger.
He looked up and down with a self-inflicted smile on his face.

[At first I thought I and him were kindred spirits, who didn’t have any friends. …There certainly aren’t many, but great people gather around Shinra-senpai.]

I want friends, that’s what Hino-kun wanted to say, and that is how he felt.
How do the students feel about their junior, who they are hearing about for the first time?

[He’s not a senior who can stand above others, but he’s the kind of person who will stand next to you. …So, I can say with confidence that he will be the senior who will support everyone in the next Student Council under President Koizumi.]

…Good guy.
Hino-kun, you’re really a nice guy.

I used to think he was a bit of a dangerous junior who worshipped Kaede, but it seems that I may have to change my perception.

As I observed the growth of my junior emotionally as a senior, Hino-kun took a big breath in to say one last thing.

As I watched to make sure I heard him, I heard someone running up the stairs from behind me.

“Shinra-kun, President said to stop him, she will make an announcement about it later, so go stop him!”

“Eh…Wha-?”

I didn’t understand what he meant, but I sensed from Koizumi’s impatience that the situation was urgent, so I discreetly went up on stage and approached Hino-kun.

“And! Shinra Kaede-san, Shinra-senpai’s younger sister, the one who was born into this world…”

“Recovering…”

…This is his recovery thing.
I never expected this kind of thing.

Hino-kun, who had no tolerance for public speaking on the stage, soared up and entered his recovery mode before he started talking passionately about Kaede.

I grabbed his right hand and Koizumi grabbed his left hand and dragged him backstage.

[This concludes Hino Daiki’s supportive speech.]

President’s voice echoed through the gymnasium.

The students did not seem to understand why this unexpected scene occurred, they must have misunderstood it as an element of comedy, since laughter echoed through the gymnasium.

After being taken backstage, Hino-kun finally regained his composure and his expression darkened as he realized what he had done.

“I-I-I-I’m sorry! I got a little excited, I’ll go and do it again!”

“No, no, …your turn is already over. It turns out, the content wasn’t too bad, and it seems like they think this is part of your speech so far, so it’s okay.”

After following up with Hino-kun like that, I now begin my own preparations.
Yuuto had already completed his preparations and was waiting to be called.

“Minato, I’ll go first then.”

“…Ah.”

With his usual smile on his face, there was not the slightest hint of anxiety or any other negative emotion on his back as he made his way to the podium.
For him, it’s just as the level of talking in front of everyone as usual.

I would like him to share that confidence with me.

“Yuuto… don’t let me see you acting weird.”

“…Understood”

The only ones on stage up ahead will just be just me and him, with no one else on it.
There won’t be any unnecessary help or interference.

…Hino-kun is an exception, though.
However, it is precisely because he is on such a stage that I sincerely hope he will be able to show his original form.

The real election between me and Yuuto begins now.

ToC

#197

A quiet time between two siblings came after a long and hectic day.

The two of us walked side by side through the residential area, and then visited the shopping district.

“Nii-san, let’s go shopping for dinner!”

“Wait!”

Starting from the nearest store, we bought vegetables, meat, and fish, not only for today’s dinner, but also for tomorrow’s.

Today’s dinner would probably be curry or hamburger steak.

With this thought in mind, I received the carrying bag.

“What’s your guess for today’s dinner?”

She asked me with a potato in her hand.
By now, I, as a Nii-chan’s point of view would expect me to say it to be curry…

However, it is Minato-kun’s nature to not do what is expected.

“Hamburger steak.”

“Bubu, it’s curry today.”

…No, I thought about it, didn’t I?
But, today’s menu was already set in Kaede’s mind, isn’t it?

As an older brother, I’ve heard it, I wonder if I’m the only one who thinks that my request would be taken into consideration.

I turned such a gaze to my sister.

“Just kidding, let us have hamburgers.”

Kaede said with a wry smile, as if my innocent childlike eyes had an effect on her.

I don’t know why, I feel like I’ve been spoiled and it’s rather complicated.

“No, …curry is fine.”

I handed the vegetable bag to the owner and took another bag from Kaede’s hand after she paid the bill.

Kaede turned around upon hearing my words.
I silently walk alongside her as she walks away from the store.

“It sounds like a lot of work …to be competing with Yuuto-san.”

“…”

When Shizuku had contacted her, I knew that she would have told her my circumstances.
There way no way that Kaede would bother to go all the way to the opposite Sakuranaoka Academy.

She said it would be fine if we spoke at home, because we are siblings and we would have the time to do so.

However, the fact that Kaede made time outside our home like this means that she must have guessed that I wouldn’t talk to her at home.

“You could have talked to me about it…”

The words she muttered pierced deep into my heart.
I am sure that Kaede thought that I didn’t rely on her.

However, I had my own reasons.

With our parents overseas, she and her brother are left to do most of the household chores and also attend school.

My sister is already supporting me adequately from my point of view.

I didn’t want to cause her any more trouble.

Kaede is a brilliant girl, and as her brother, I know that better than anyone else.

If I talk to her, she may think about it, explore ways, and even discover some possibilities.

But I didn’t want her brother …to be thought of as a helpless man any more.

I am aware that people around me don’t think of us as siblings due to our different looks, and also the fact that I, a talent-less brother, has a sister full of good qualities doesn’t help it very much.

Still, I always hoped to be a cool older brother in front of my sister.

“I’m sorry, …but I don’t want you to think that I don’t consider Kaede to be unreliable.”

“I know that Nii-san won’t think so…but if you could have told me about it, even a little bit, I could have helped.”

Sad eyes looked towards to me.
I met her eyes up front and lightly patted her head with my free right hand.

It’s always been kind of a habit of mine when I’ve had nothing left to say.
Kaede, who let me stroke her hair without refusing, chuckled and said.

“This is how Nii-san has always fooled me…”

Kaede said and grabbed my luggage with her small hands as if to take half of it from me.

I hand over the lighter one out of the two, and then we walk together through the crowd in the shopping district.

It’s starting to get dark and the shopping district is probably at its peak around this time.

Even so, I felt slight loneliness, which had become smaller than it was in the past.

“Are you going to win the election?”

Kaede, muttered a few words in a voice loud enough not to be drowned out by the sounds from the surrounding stores, and gave me a serious look.

“It depends on Yuuto, …if that guy keeps going like this, there’s a good chance we’ll win.”

“I see…”

She nodded and let out a slightly relieved breath.

I’m sure she had heard most of the story from Shizuku, but she seemed relieved to hear it from my mouth.

So …if Yuuto remains the same, we may win.

However, the moment I said it to myself, emotions swirled through my chest that were difficult to combine into words.

“However, Nii-san doesn’t look happy.”

“…”

“Did you do something to make you feel guilty? Or is it something else?”

Kaede, who has returned her gaze to the front, asks a question that strikes at the essence of the matter.

I don’t remember doing anything that I should feel guilty about.

The use of the video for publicity, the use of the broadcast room for school-wide announcements, and the verbal exchange with Yuuto directly were all done within the scope of rules.

“I also heard from Shizuku-san that you had a run-in with Yuuto-san and his supporters.”

“Did she tell you that much…?”

They were free to talk as much as they wanted, but even I didn’t think it was necessary to tell her that much who had been friends with Yuuto for a long time.

For Kaede, Yuuto is also a senior, a friend of her brother, and a close friend of hers.

It is not pleasant to hear such a person is in direct conflict with his brother.

“When I heard the story, I honestly thought, ‘Of course’ but not towards Nii-san, but to Yuuto-san.”

I listened to Kaede’s words quietly.

“I could not go to the same high school as Nii-san, but there is Shizuku-san. Besides, I found out that Kirasaka-san also supports Nii-san, …but then there is no one to support Yuuto-san.”

“But he’s got enough people around him to help him…”

“No, it’s different, …it’s about emotional support.”

Kaede paused as she said so.
Then she turns her body to face me and puts her free hand on my chest.

“No matter how many people are around, they won’t reach here.”

The small palm on my chest felt strong and different from that of the little sister I knew.

I realized that she was growing up as well, and that she would not be a little sister forever.

“Maybe for Yuuto-san, the only person who can reach out to here is my Nii-san, …not Shizuku-san or Kirasaka-san, but only Nii-san.”

Kaede’s words made me think of the environment that had surrounded Yuuto up to this point.

They push their aspirations and ideals on him, turn troublesome roles and tasks over to him, and approach him with a smile when it is convenient for them.

While everything was an equal friendship for Yuuto, who never said no and would never do so, I was certainly placed in a different category.

“The two of you are just clumsy people…”

Hearing Kaede’s sigh, a wry smile appeared on my face for some reason.

No, really, as and elder brother and a senior, we are probably just two troublesome and clumsy people to Kaede.

“Nii-san gets irritated because he thinks that Yuuto-san is a great person, doesn’t he? That is why your heart is stirring at the sight of his unworthiness.”

“Are you …Buddha?

“Please listen to me properly.”

“Yes…”

There is nothing dignified about being an older brother in a situation where your sister says you’re not.

I said that thinking that it would change the mood a bit, but she just looked at me with completely cold eyes.

…It’s better not to anger my sister, it seems.

I shushed myself and focused on my ears to make sure I didn’t miss a single word of what was to follow.

“All you can do now, brother, is to win Yuuto’s favour by doing things your own way. After that, everything will be fine.”

I gently put my hand over her’s, which was resting on my chest.
Warmth engulfed my cold hands.

The actual reason for the irritation was just as Kaede said.

The only way to resolve this irritation is to win the election campaign against Yuuto first, and then change it with the help of others.　

I need to abandon the desire to change the environment now itself and then compete with him in his natural state.

“Can you review my speech when we get home, or could you just listen to it…?”

“Sure, we can go over it together after dinner!”

Naturally, the scenario is different from the scene I or Yuuto had in mind.

However, that’s the so-called reality, and it shows that our thoughts were still a childish imagination.

But, if I were to so frustrated that I could not even concentrate on the competition at hand, it would be impossible for an ordinary student like me to survive the election.

It is impossible from the start to solve problems without harming anything, including the relationships and impressions of those around me.

So all I have to do is think about how to get beyond the person in front of me.

Then I can think about the problems after that.

If I can’t do it alone, I should rely on my sister.

If I still can’t do it, then I should turn to my childhood friends and classmates.

I am used to being hated by people and being left out of the group.

Otherwise, it would be impossible for me to survive in an environment where there are so many extraordinary people around.

Well, for now, I’m going to try to find the best way to make Yuuto regret this as much as possible.

Then, I went home and spent a long, long time with my sister.

We reviewed the content of the speech, reconfirmed my expected scenario, and worked out a plan to deal with the risks.

In the meantime, time passed and we both fell asleep in the living room.

It is a secret between us that even Kaede, who never overslept, fell asleep until Shizuku came to pick us up as promised.

ToC

#196

Why is my heart so stirred and irritated?
After the commotion of the lunch break and the start of afternoon classes, my heart was still unsettled.

The game we wanted, the confrontation we started.

A confrontation in a way we did not want, that came after all the actions we hoped for ourselves

Where did our path deviate from the desired one?
It must be the relationships with those around us.

There are many things that Ogiwara Yuuto has that I do not.
But, there’s also a few things that I have that Yuuto doesn’t.

There are people around me that I can put my trust in, but not around him.
Even though Ogiwara Yuuto does not have a wide circle of friends, he’s still the prince for everyone.

He is popular, adored by others, and conversely, unable to build relationships that he himself can trust.

He has made the mistake of expressing kindness in the wrong way.

His attempt to treat everyone equally has led him to think that broad and shallow relationships are the correct.

I, who had always disregarded relationships until my second year, could not have said that.

I shifted my gaze from the blackboard to Yuuto’s seat just once.

Kirasaka, who also noticed this insignificant momentary change in my gaze, muttered in a small voice that only I, who was sitting next to him, could hear.

“There is no need for mercy in a game.”

“…I can’t afford that here.”

I know, and yet I looked out the window to escape from her gaze, as if a child was being dishonest after being pointed out.

The sky was clear, contrary to my unsettled state of mind.

I wonder if I was subconsciously hoping for a more shounen manga-like development…

Did I really believe that we could talk honestly with each other and understand each other on the election arena?

I couldn’t answer that question now.

The chime that signaled the end of the day rang, and many classmates gathered around Yuuto in the bustling classroom.
I guess he’s going to start campaigning today.

I was just watching from my seat as they walked out of the classroom.

I was not the slightest bit concerned if we were going to do the same, so Shizuku walked up to me with her bag and asked.

“Minato-kun, why don’t we move near the freshmen’s elevator?”

“…”

For a moment, I let my thoughts wander over the question and then shook my head.

At the sight of me, Shizuku wondered.

“Why?”

A slightly sharp look came from her.
The same thought might have occurred to Kirasaka as it did to Shizuku.

However, I expressed my own intentions as if to also tell Kirasaka, who was sitting next to me.

“…I’ve already used my big cards, so now it’s time to gather votes steadily.”

No more conventional speeches could be expected to be effective in this short period of time.

If that’s the case, it would be wise to shift the direction of the campaign to gathering votes steadily rather than speeches that would attract even more attention.

The incident at lunchtime should have attracted more than enough attention from the students, even if they didn’t like it.

Now that the Internet has become mainstream in our age, information is transmitted among students at an unusually rapid pace.

Even though the contents might be a bit different, a topic will spread if it has to.

“I’m not being modest to Yuuto, I’m just …moving up the schedule a bit.”

Making a convincing but wry expression at the two of them, I stood up with my luggage.

The two of them followed behind with their own luggage in hand, as if they understood what I was talking about.

“Shizuku, do you know any students in the clubs?”

“Yes, …I know some girls in sports clubs to some extent.”

“If they are in an athletic club, …then let’s take Koizumi with us.”

Koizumi must have a friendly relationship with students who are involved in club activities on their days off.

Then using Shizuku’s connections and Koizumi’s credibility to strike might not be a bad idea.

…The only concern is that I’m not a fan of lively sporty girls.
That’s really all.

Yep, that’s it.

They’re the opposite sex, outdoorsy, and have nothing in common with me in every way, so we don’t have anything to talk about…

Well, as far as today is concerned, I have people around me, so that fear is probably unfounded.

I have to ask Shizuku to help me in that sense, but I had something else I wanted to ask Kirasaka to do.

“Kirasaka… can I ask you to do a manuscript for me?”

“Manuscript?” …Is it for Shinra-kun on the day of the election?

“I’ve thought of that myself to some extent, so it’s no problem, …it’s the manuscript for my supporter’s speech.”

Then she took out a printed piece of paper from her bag.
The sheet of paper contained a schedule for the day of the election.

Kirasaka took a look at it, grasped what it had, and then nodded.

“Okay, who am I supposed to write it for?”

Kirasaka’s question puzzled me for a moment.

…I’m sure he’ll definitely object to it.
No, even if he doesn’t object, there’s a chance he’ll be blatantly disgusted.

However, I answered hesitantly, because I expected that asking that guy would be the most ideal, from my point of view.

“…Hino-kun.”

The moment she heard my words, all emotion vanished from her face.
It was no exaggeration to say that the motivation itself was gone.

Shizuku also looked blatantly uncomfortable, so he was probably way off their imaginations.

“…May I ask why, just to be sure?”

“In order to join the student organization and to get the first year votes, which are important to us in this election, it would necessarily be more persuasive to ask for support from first year students.”

“In that case, wouldn’t Shiraishi-san be a better choice?”

Shizuku interrupted me and asked an obvious question.
I had expected that question too, so I gave my answer without a second thought.

“Shiraishi is, for better or worse, a calculating type of person, and people around her appreciate a genuinely straightforward type of speech more than one that’s a no-brainer supporting speech.”

“But, Aren’t I the one who is going to write the script?”

“It’s just a basis. …I want Kirasaka to come up with the original text so that Hino-kun can add his own words to it and speak.”

When I requested this, the girls did not ask any more questions.
Knowing Shiraishi’s character and respecting my ideas, Kirasaka nodded, albeit reluctantly.

“Okay…”

“Sorry…”

After leaving the classroom and exchanging words in the hallway where the student count was beginning to dwindle, we headed to the gymnasium, passing Koizumi’s class and Kirasaka headed to the library to think about her manuscript.

When I apologized to her as we parted, she smiled a crooked smile and left.

I visited Koizumi’s class along with Shizuku. Koizumi was just getting ready to join us, so I explained to him what had happened and we headed to the gymnasium.

We visited the indoor sports clubs first, and then the clubs on the field, last.

The first club we visited was the girls’ basketball club, where the members were stretching, and our conversation went surprisingly well.　

Shizuku was the first to greet the girls and draw their attention, then Koizumi asked the head of the club to make a little time for me, and then I made my appearance, full of energy.

At that moment, the female students gave me a ‘Who is this guy?’ look and seemed to have question marks floating around for a moment, but then the perception that I was the weird guy at lunchtime spread.

Then they could guess that the visit was in regards to the election…

“…What a turn of events.”

I was standing alone on the basketball court with the ball in my hand.

The girls were surrounding the court, happily looking at me, and Shizuku and Koizumi had joined the circle.

“If you can make two out of five free throws, we’ll listen to you.”

When one of the girls in the group, a sophomore and the new head of the club, declared this, then the girls started to make noise as if a festival had begun.

They are definitely having fun…

Also, Shizuku is enjoying it too.
After all, I’m confidently predicting how many female members will join.

Koizumi is Koizumi, and he’s looking at me with a clenched fist and a passionate look and as if saying, “Good luck!”…

This is why I don’t like crowded places, I thought as I threw the ball towards the basket.

I never expected it to be a shounen manga like development…

“I’m running for the …elections, and I’d like you all to support me.”

They went in, the free throws.
Having said that, I can’t say it was easy because I got two just in time, but as they say, luck is part of skill.

When I turned to the girls, who were sitting on the gymnasium floor and listening quietly to me, no one directed them to do so, but applause echoed through the gymnasium.

I would have liked to talk about my reasons for running for the position and my personal plans for activities after being elected, but time was limited.

Also, I couldn’t spend precious time on club activities, so it was a great accomplishment that they listened to me, even if it was only the bare minimum.

As the three of us were leaving the gymnasium after thanking them, I remembered something I had forgotten to mention.

From the gymnasium door, I made a short run back to the basketball team’s place and added one word.

“Just vote for …whoever you’d want to.”

Shortly after I told that to them, I quickly turned away and started to run.

At his back, the girls’ basketball team looked at him with a blank expression and then started laughing after the three of them disappeared.

After that, I visited with the girls’ kendo, track, and tennis clubs and asked to be allowed to have a similar talk with them.

All of the clubs were willing to do so because Shizuku and Koizumi were present, and I was able to create a situation where they would listen to what I had to say, albeit somewhat.

The girls in Yuuto’s group share the same active lifestyle, but their friendships naturally change depending on whether or not they are part of a group.

The club activities fortunately seemed to be untouched by those gyaru girls, and no one had any negative words or opinions to offer.

It may not be a bad tactic to draw in the athletic clubs aggressively.

I guess my personality hadn’t lost its passive way of thinking and perceiving things.

It was a rather humble activity in which we kept going to the clubs until dusk, but I have to thank the two of them for their participation.

Although I did not offer them anything, today’s activity ended when I secretly decided in my heart to buy them something they would like to eat later on.

“…I’m grateful for staying with me until this late.”

“It’s okay, I already said I would help in any way I could.”

Koizumi smiled without a hint of displeasure and exchanged a few words with me in front of the school gate.

It was a day that reminded me of the valuable and significant relationships that have been built up by this unassuming student.

I parted from Koizumi at the school gate and was about to call Shizuku and Kirasaka to go home when Shizuku stopped and said.

“I’m going home with Kirasaka-san today.”

“Do you have some …business to attend to?”

I’m going in the same direction as you, you know?
If she had something to do, like shopping or something, I thought it was now her turn to ask since I had been keeping her company busy until now, but Shizuku shook her head.

“Today, Minato-kun doesn’t need us.”

She then turned her eyes behind me.
I turned around to see what was going on, and there I saw a figure I knew very well.

“Nii-san, let’s go home together.”

“Kaede… why are you here?”

My younger sister Kaede was standing in front of Sakuranaoka Academy, the opposite of the girls’ high school she attended.

Shizuku answered my question instead of Kaede.

“I called her. Kirasaka-san seemed to have the same opinion. We thought it would be better for Minato-kun to talk to someone with whom he could express his true feelings with right now.”

I couldn’t face Shizuku’s expression as she smiled.

I am ashamed to say but it seems that she has seen through my feelings that I was trying not to express, but I don’t feel bad about it.

To be honest, I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the look on Kaede’s face.

It was as if I was slightly relieved from the irritation that had been going on since lunchtime.

Maybe it was because we were family, and there was no need to put on a strange air of pretense.

“Let’s go home now, Nii-san!”

Kaede, who had moved from behind to next to me, gently grasped my left hand, said with a smile.

I did not refuse the hand that pulled me, and I started to walk in the direction of my home, but I soon turned around.

I told Shizuku, who was still in front of the gate waving her hands and cheeks, and Kirasaka, who was not present, to pass the message on to her.

“Wake me up so I don’t oversleep tomorrow morning…”

“…Yes, I’ll take care of it!”

I said this to Shizuku, who nodded with the biggest smile on her face, and we siblings proceeded on our way through the residential area in the evening twilight.

ToC

#195

<TL : Go grab your popcorns, this chapter’s one hell of a ride.>

The girl in front of me looked familiar, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen her before…
Searching the memory of last year, which I had left in a corner of my mind, I was finally able to recall some information about the girl in front of me.

“…Was it Nakajima-san? But I only remember her as a student who was absent without permission, arrived late, and skipped class.”

“It’s Nakayama! …And I’ve always been weak.”

What do you mean by weak?
Your tanned skin is the perfect representation of a healthy body.

But, let’s not make assumptions based on superficial information, because it could hurt me later, so let’s just accept it as it is.

I shifted my gaze from Nakatani-san* to Yuuto and asked a genuine question.

<TL: Yeah, he’s doing it intentionally>

“…Why did you invite her into your team?”

“Eh? Why, because she approached me to help.”

Yuuto’s reply, as if it should be a given, makes me let out a sigh.
Even do-gooder could sense hypocrisy if someone goes this far out of their way and does something unusual.

Accepting any student who steps up to the occasion cannot be considered something good.

A good student is one who is able to establish appropriate relationships based on his or her own personality and the school’s rules.

In this regard, students like Nakazono-san and others have not only their hair colored which isn’t allowed at our school, but are also wearing flashy ornaments and flashy shirts instead of the school’s designated white uniform.
If I remember just the last year, she also had bad behaviour.

“Can anyone…?”

“You cannot disrespect the people who support you, can you?”

I don’t know what she’s thinking, but she’s continuing on her parallel conversation.
I asked Shiraishi to ask the students to return to their classrooms so as not to be influenced by the situation.

It was afternoon, a time when activities were allowed and candidates could exchange words face to face.

That might be one of the reasons why Shiraishi’s words had no effect and why some students remain here.

“Shiraishi …that’s enough.”

“Eh, okay? …You shouldn’t have asked me to do it in the first place.”

I can hear you complaining, you know.
Shiraishi returned and stood next to Shizuku with a displeased expression on her face, and without a trace of apology, I turned my attention back to Yuuto again.

Behind him, Nakamaru-san and several other students are glaring at me with hostile eyes.

“So …back to the topic, how was it a private use of the Student Council?”

“I’m just saying that if you’re going to broadcast on campus or release a video, we’d like to be treated the same way.”

With a smile on his face and a gentle tone, Yuuto sounded no different from usual.
He probably has no other thoughts in his mind.

He is saying this because he truly wants to be treated equally.

“If you want to broadcast inside the school, …you can ask Sudo-sensei and he will let you do it, and if you take a video with your phone or camera or something and edit it and submit it to the student council, your video will be made public in the same way.”

It’s not that I was hiding it or wanted to monopolize it.
I knew there would be a reaction if I tried to do something about it, anyway.

All I wanted was a response from the student who said I started this.

“Ogiwara-kun doesn’t need your permission. What we’re trying to say is, why are you doing this without telling us?”

“Who in the world would be stupid enough to tell someone about a plan that they themselves thought of, got permission for, and laid down the groundwork for…?”

I’ve had to deal with some really troublesome students.
I wonder if she does not consider that her statements could be perceived as Yuuto’s words by those around her.

Anymore words that instill a negative image any more can affect the outcome of the election between Yuuto and me.

Well, I’m not going to tell her though because I didn’t have the plans to stop her from the very beginning…

“What about the student council-led camp? I thought the student council was neutral and not beholden to any individual.”

“It’s not student council-led, it’s individual-led. …Of course I’m not forcing them to do anything, and each one of them is cooperating with me of their own free will.”

I shrugged my shoulders and looked back.
Behind me were Shizuku, Kirasaka and Shiraishi.

I don’t have the kind of popularity that attracts people around me, like someone.

Quality over quantity is the obvious answer.

Yuuto himself knew what was going on inside our team, so he didn’t have anything more to say.

However, the students behind him who supported him did not even try to hide their dissatisfied expressions.

“By the way, could I ask you something?”

“Ah, no problem.”

The baton of questioning was passed to me without any concerns, as if she believed she was in a position to do so.
I asked her questions in the same way she’s been doing so far.

“You …have been expecting these girls to come to you since when?”

“Wa…?”

“No, not just Shizuku and the others, how long have you thought that the members of the student council and the student body would support you?”

Have you ever thought or wondered why you would have support for yourself?
Are you making assumptions based solely on your words and those around you?

I don’t have that kind of confidence, which is why I asked for a survey from the students.
Sure, I used my position as a student council at the time.

But, thanks to that, I was able to clearly realize the difference in votes between myself and Yuuto.
Also, did you make the effort to check that difference for yourself?

I can assure you, you would definitely not have done so.
So, thus the difference in behaviour.

Grievances arise in election campaigns that are taking place over the same period of time.
She thought that she had an overwhelming advantage, which is why she let her guard down.

“You asked Shizuku and Kirasaka to help you with the student council, but did you also ask them to help you get the votes?”

“That’s…”

“Did you take direct actions, knowing that the student body has so much influence?”

If he had tried to invite them to his side or had taken some action against the student council members, he wouldn’t have made such ridiculous statements about the private use of the student council as he did this time.

After all, Yuuto, a strong person, would not consider my, a weaker person’s position.

In an attempt to get a bite out of his opponents at any cost, he never looks at the possibilities.

He just puts up pretty superlatives and looks down on his opponents, taking advantage of his high position…

He has always been capable of doing everything out of his talent, and he has no understanding of what his weak opponents are thinking.

He assumes that the other person could naturally do the same things that he could, and he usually speaks so to people who feel inferior to him.

He truly believes that this world is equal.

Therefore, he mistakenly believes that if he is having fun, the other person is having fun too.

“You said earlier that you wanted to fight me straight up, but there was no fairness or equality when we started …and you and I competing equally, such a thing doesn’t exist.”

“That’s not true! At least at the start we were certainly equal.”

“…When was that, when it was announced? If you really believe that, you’ve got quite the flower garden in your head.”

Our gazes meet, and for the first time, Yuuto’s smile is gone.

The dark face containing emotions similar to frustration and irritation made Nakayama’s group look anxious as well.

The noisy students around them also changed their mood to a commotion different from before.
The prince of all, the popular and always smiling Ogiwara Yuuto was no longer here.

“…If you thought we weren’t equal, then why did you run for the elections!”

“…Because I wanted to win against you.”

Yuuto asked me with a sad face, and I answered with a bitter smile.
It’s an impure motive, just like a child’s.

The people around us must have been astonished.
However, this is the honest truth.

“Well, in reality, you have the upper hand, so I’ll just accept it as a challenge …and I’ll just do my best as someone inferior.”

As if to relieve the tension that had been building up, he told me this in a voice that lacked his usual enthusiasm and motivation.

He waved his hand in the air, signaling that this was the end of it.

“If you think what I did was unfair or unsatisfactory, you could tell the teachers or the election commission.”

I turned around and proceeded to break up the place, which had already started to become something big.

I turned to the people I was facing one last time, and to the students behind him, who were flustered, thinking they were the best group in the school.

“Don’t disturb me…”

“Now you’ve done it, Shinra-senpai.”

After seeing the senior who had escaped from the crowd, Shiraishi said to the two girls standing next to her.

However, there was no response and the two did not move even though they looked at each other sideways.

That being the situation, she turned her gaze to the senpais next to her with a reserved gaze and found an unexpected sight.

“…”

Kanazaki Shizuku had her hands on both cheeks, and Kirasaka Rei had her fingertips on her mouth and her cheeks slightly flushed.

Their gaze was directed in the direction of the students, in which he had already disappeared into.

At the sight of them, she let out an involuntary sigh stating out her true feelings.

“The two of you have quite unusual tastes…”

Still, the kouhai was far from understanding their state of mind.

ToC

#194

We used video as a medium to advertise.
And I spoke, albeit briefly, in an unannounced campus-wide broadcast.
All the big cards that could be used by the middle of the elections have been used up now.

The only other way to get the attention of the entire school was to make a speech on the day of the vote.

When people are faced with choices, what do they choose based on?
It is individual ability, friendship, reputation, and public image.

If everything is inferior, one has no choice but to look for other alternatives.
Never give up the search for something in which you excel.

If you can’t beat them in ability, looks, or popularity, just try to squeeze out enough of just one thing which you are better at.

This isn’t the SNS roast wars, but it is the time to create something explosive and noteworthy.

The only way to show the result is through media and activities that would not normally be used.

<TL: In the last chapter Minato and the others separated from Prez. but I think the author forgot to revise the chapter, so here we are after they finished broadcasting.>

“I’ll return the key to the broadcast room myself…”

I said to President, who was locking the room, and asked for the keys.
President raised her eyebrows slightly as she asked.

“Avoid any behavior that would make you stand out.”

“…I’m just going to see how the staff would react.”

President is a little concerned about me, who boasts of his immense trustworthiness when it comes to seeing the negative side of things.

She held out her hand which was hesitant as I accepted the keys quietly.

Although I have received permission to broadcast, not all faculty members are aware of the situation.

If I go now, I might be able to see some strange reactions in the staff room.

The best way is to go there for myself and force out a reaction.
All this would be meaningless unless I went there by myself.

“We will go to Ogiwara-kun’s place and check on him.”

“I’m sure we’ll enjoy it more if we hurry there.”

With a grin on her face, Shizuku walked toward the courtyard with Kirasaka in tow.

President went up the stairs leading to the upper floor where her classroom was located.

“Then I’ll be waiting for you in the student council office after school.”

“…Roger that.”

I stood there until the three of them were out of sight, then I proceeded to the staff room.
A little further past the broadcast room was the staff room. I knocked on it appropriately and then opened it.

Inside, several faculty members were looking at me, but I bowed and went to the teacher I was looking for.

“…Sudo, Sudo-sensei, here is the key to the broadcast room we borrowed.”

“Shinra, thanks for bringing it back.”

I headed to the seat where Sudo, who was in charge of the student council, was sitting, called out to him and handed over the key. I also didn’t forget to take a sideways glance towards the other teaches present there.

At first glance, the room looked no different from a normal staff room, but I could still see a few faculty members looking here.

“Did you get a satisfactory outcome?”

Sudo-sensei asked while looking over the printouts at his desk.

I had never spoken to him before, so I wasn’t sure what the appropriate response would be, but I chose words that seemed to fit the situation.

“…It was, at least for me.

“I see.”

Sudo-sensei muttered briefly, and silence fell between us.
No, what the hell am I supposed to do about this atmosphere?

I’m not the only one, but when I’m having a conversation with a teacher, I don’t move until they tell me I’m good to go.

Not being tense or stiff, but also not relaxed, I waited for his next words, when he finally opened his mouth.

“I was a little worried when …Hiiragi was elected as the student body president.”

“…”

Without any prelude, he began to talk.
What is this, could it be that he is going to tell me a story about himself?

Although I was listening to it even though I wasn’t interested, …he said something that was unexpected.

“High school students are still young from my point of view, and it’s a story in the future when their talents will bloom …In such a situation, a charismatic person was elected as the student council president even though she was in the first grade. At the time, I thought it was going to be a bad thing.”

Certainly, if I were in the position of a teacher, I would have been worried.
Even more, if I were the teacher in charge of the student council.

As I listened to the interesting content of the teacher, who normally doesn’t engage in much conversation with his students, our gazes finally met.

“If you look at it in terms of results, that girl was perfect. She had awareness of her surroundings, position, abilities, and her actions and thoughts were based on that, so I trusted her to make decisions and act on her own in many of the cases. …But he’s not the same.”

I didn’t immediately understand who those words were referring to.

For a moment, I thought he was referring to Koizumi, the next student body president, but that guy must have a certain amount of trust in his teacher.

When he said ‘he’, Shiraishi’s was eliminated from the list.
So the last one left was Yuuto.

“But we’re running for the position of president’s assistant, not …the president.”

“Only you who serve in the council think so, but from a student’s point of view, it doesn’t matter what position you hold, you’re all the same, the student council.”

Sudo-sensei, who immediately rejected my words, seemed persuasive due to his experience perhaps.

The student council led by Koizumi might be less competent than the current student council.
However, we still have enough people who have both the ability and the trust of the students.

I thought there wouldn’t be any problems, but then I thought about why Yuuto was brought up in the discussion.

The resulting answer was the face of the student body.

“…Do you see what I’m getting at?”

“Are you trying to say that even if Koizumi is the student body president, it is a different student who would be the face of the student council?”

“…He’s brilliant, but a little too careful around others, …and it’s natural to think so when a student like Ogiwara joins such a place.”

After letting out a breath as though exhaling the gravity of his feelings, Sudo-sensei drank the coffee kept on his desk.

With his clean, short, well-groomed hair and the depth of his expression due to his age, the atmosphere felt different from that of a student drinking coffee in a cafe.

In fact, I even felt a bit scared of him because his expression looked grim.

“Including the surrounding environment, just a popular student can easily break the shape of the organization. It’s a matter to consider …but this is something we adults have to think about. …You go out there and work hard on your elections.”

“…”

I bowed to him and then left his vicinity.
As a teacher in charge, it is only natural that he would be aware of the concerns that I felt.

But the fact that there are teachers who actually have concerns is important in itself.

If Sudo-sensei, who is in charge of all of this seemed to be against this, there is a possibility that the teachers’ votes will come to my side more than I had imagined.

I shouldn’t let this good opportunity slip away and do something about it.

It’s better to stand out as much as possible while my impression is still strong.

As I was walking out of the staff room to return to my classroom after going through the courtyard, a familiar figure came running up in front of me.

“Don’t run on campus, …you’re the next vice president in case you’ve forgotten.”

“This, there is a reason for this, no, no, no, it doesn’t matter! Senpai hurry up and do something about it”

Forcefully and without any proper explanation, Shiraishi grabbed my hand and led me back the way she came from.

Since she was going towards the courtyard, which wasn’t different from where I was headed, I followed her with a short jog.

I knew there would be a lot of students there because Yuuto was supposed to be giving a speech, but even so, I felt there were way too many students as I approached.

From a distance, from the hallway windows, from the gymnasium, from everywhere, it seemed as if students were showing their faces and looking at something.

“Hey, what’s going on?”

“That’s- …No, it’s quicker if you take a look at it for yourself!”

Following Shiraishi, who weaved her way through the crowd, I pushed my way through it.

The actual number of students in the courtyard was getting even more and more difficult to advance, but thanks to the students who saw Shiraishi and gave way to her, we were able to enter the center of the cyclone without bumping into others.

“Please take it back!”

“Kanazaki-san…”

When I entered the group in the courtyard, I saw Shizuku and Kirasaka packed up against Yuuto, who was on the platform.

With a look of rage that even I had never seen before, Shizuku said in a loud voice.
Kirasaka’s expression itself was calm, but her gaze was colder than usual.

“Hey, what’s going on here…?”

Unable to sort out the situation, I asked Shiraishi next to me to explain the situation.
Shiraishi then began to explain, although the details were from the time of her own arrival.

“It started to be like this while Ogiwara-senpai was giving his speech after your broadcast, but it seems like he said something that offended them both…”

“Yuuto? …What did he say?”

“…That’s what I don’t know. I thought that they were talking a little after being approached by Ogiwara-senpai, but the content of …the speech itself was normal in itself, I think?”

I shifted my gaze from Shiraishi, who tilted her head and said curiously, to the situation in front of me.

Did he say something that offended them again?
Or, was this a different problem?

But still, I was able to understand the situation a little better after hearing Shiraishi’s words.

Even an ordinary speech might have sounded different to the two people who knew my situation.

Although the students looked at me, I was sure that none of them, including myself, understood what was going on.
I could still solve the problem without any problems if I got in between and mediated the situation.

Besides, there would be no problem if I told Yuuto about my way of doing things.

He wouldn’t have anything to say about it either.

It’s a hassle, but I’m responsible for this.

“Shiraishi, please guide the students to go back to …and I’ll go mediate.”

“Ah, yes!”

I went to the front and Shiraishi went to the place where most of the students were gathered.
As I approached the center where the three of them were standing, I could hear their conversation.

“I’m not saying anything bad about Minato, …it’s just that people around me see it as a private use of the student council.”

“What private use is that? …It sounds like you’re just backbiting someone who came up with an idea that you couldn’t come up with yourself.”

“Calm down, Kanazaki-san, what they’re talking about is an equal election campaign, and I also want to fight Minato equally.”

Yuuto pointed his hand in the direction of where some of the students were standing, but the crowd of students made it impossible to figure out who they were.

A little more, I’ve come to a place where I could reach them, but the wall of the students don’t want to budge as I expected.

As I was about to make a slight detour to approach them from the back, Yuuto spoke up.

“I can’t accept that he is using you guys, even though he denied Shiraishi-san’s idea.”

“His view and Shiraishi’s are different on that as well. It’s pure cooperation, not exploitation to achieve a goal. …I hope you won’t interfere with what he wants to do.”

Kirasaka made an immediate response to Yuuto’s words with a sharp and cold tone of voice.
However, Yuuto showed no signs of backing down, and both remained silent.

Finally, I was able to slip out of the crowd, and I moved up to where I could see the three of them.

“Hey …what are you all doing?”

“Minato-kun…”

After calling out to them, I interrupted them to get between them and nodded to Shizuku, urging her to calm down.

I gave Kirasaka a look to make sure she was okay, and then turned around to make sure they had separated a bit.

Yuuto had gotten off the podium and had even moved to the back.

“I have something to do with this, don’t I? …Now, let’s start the fight.”

“Minato…”

When I turned to and confronted him in an obnoxious manner, he looked a little apologetic.

When I told Yuuto so, he lowered his gaze slightly.
He was staring at a point on the ground and seemed to be thinking about something.

“Can you stop complaining like it’s Ogiwara-kun’s fault?”

The conversation was resumed by a person that was not me, not Yuuto, or not even Shizuku.

That voice was a that I didn’t recognize.
The location of the voice came from within the support group behind Yuuto, which was predictable since the students around him were all looking at one person.

Standing in the center, there was THE gal, who had her skin tanned a bit and her hair dyed with a bright color.

With accessories all over her body, that’s totally paid-for equipment if it were an RPG.

I’d rather pay bills with that money in the real world.

“Who?”

When I unintentionally revealed what I was thinking, Yuuto said in a subdued voice.

“It’s terrible, you don’t even remember your classmates from last year.”

Even as he said this, there was not the slightest hint of discomfort on his face.

This could be a completely bad move.

He can’t say no when asked, so he won’t turn down anyone who offers to support him, but there must be many people who would like to take advantage of this situation.

From the girls’ perspective, this is a great chance to get to know Yuuto.

A good example is a female student who has her arms crossed and is act like she isn’t involved behind his back.

“…You’re the one who’s making unnecessary interventions.”

When I told her so with a cold stare, she sneered in affirmation.

What a troublesome interruption indeed.

ToC

#193

It was after school when we were editing the video we had shot, at President’s house.
I was shown into a room which was more ladylike than I had imagined. I was sitting on a chair which she provided and was giving a few instructions while she was editing the file.

“Please keep the text …modest and natural, with no more presentation than what is necessary.”

“I understand, the screen looks a little dark, so I’ll just keep it on the brighter side.”

President was editing the video according to my requests.

As she tapped away at the keyboard in a steady and familiar way, I was reminded again that this person could do anything. As I thought this, I asked for an additional request.

“…So could you also make an opening scene using this image?”

I held out the screen of my phone to her.
The screen displayed an image of the symbol of Sakuranaoka Academy.

“I don’t mind, but is this for the beginning of the video?”

“…No, it’s not. After you make this video, the account that would be used for it could be used for the student council, so please use it there. It’s a good opportunity to film behind the scenes and let the students know what the student council is like.”

When I said this, President nodded her head.
I took that as an approval and began to write a manuscript on the small table President had prepared for me.

Since posting only the URL would only make people suspicious, I also thought to write an explanatory text so that people would feel secure accessing it.

I was struggling a bit because the manuscript I would use tomorrow had to convey my ideas concisely and with the minimum number of words necessary.

“Shinra is in my room, but the atmosphere is not at all different from usual when I’m busy doing the student council work.”

“…I’m sorry for always relying on you.”

“No, that’s not the case …Rather, it’s sad as a senior if you don’t rely on me.”

She turned her chair around as she spoke those words.
The PC screen showed that the video had already been created as requested.

“I wonder how we will proceed after this?”

President, who asked that question happily making the face of a child participating in a prank, was enjoying the situation more than anything else.
I honestly don’t know if I will be able to live up to her expectations, but I don’t want to do anything that would discourage her.

The third day of the election.

I went to school early and put up the papers on the bulletin board.

One by one, I manually put up a piece of paper with the link to the video we had just filmed and edited yesterday so that people could view it.

I didn’t forget to add an explanatory note next to it with a statement explaining that it was safe to access.

I’m afraid of getting complaints and stuff. … Especially the PTA, that’s scary.

Shizuku and the others offered to help, but I refused, saying that I could do this by myself.

I returned to the classroom after making sure I had finished putting them up on all the bulletin boards.
Then I waited for my classmates to come to school as if nothing had happened.

I observed the gradually increasing number of students carefully with a sideways glance to see if they were doing anything on their phones.

If no one looked at it, our efforts would have gone to waste.

While I was doing so, Shizuku and Kirasaka also came to school and the day started.

Lunch break

I left my seat, not even having eaten my lunch.

“An errand?”

Kirasaka, who was reading a book next to me, asked.
A little further on, Shizuku stood up and walked over to me.

“I need to go to the broadcast room. Are you both coming?”

Kirasaka closed her book and stood up without saying a word.
At their accustomed response meaning that they would follow, I left the classroom without saying anything.

“The video is getting good response, about two-thirds of the total students have already have watched it.”

“That’s great.”

As we walked down the stairs and proceeding quickly to the broadcast room located on the first floor of the third-year building, Shizuku told me something that had been bothering me.

As I was feeling relieved hearing that, I could see the broadcast room in front of me.

President was already in front of the room.

“The teacher gave us permission to go, but we only have five minutes, so let’s make this quick.”

Using the key that she had in her possession, President opened the door to the broadcast room.

Upon entering the room, we found a chamber with broadcasting equipment, and further in was a glass-walled chamber.

A microphone was placed in that room, and even though I had never seen it before, I can guess that this was the place where announcements were made.

“When I give the signal, you can begin. Kanazaki, help me measure the time, and Rei, assist me here.”

At her quick command, the two girls jumped into action.

I went into the chamber in the meantime, muttering to myself as I reviewed what I had been thinking about.

“Shinra, let’s begin.”

When I heard those words, I waited for her signal to begin.
Three fingers held up fell one by one, finally forming a fist.

The sound of the start of the broadcast echoed throughout the school, and when it subsided, I spoke.

“I am Shinra Minato, a candidate for the Student Council Member Election …and I am making this broadcast because there is something I would like you to listen to for a moment.”

My voice echoed through the school.

I am sure that inside the classrooms, the students’ eyes are directed to the speakers installed in the classes.

I know I know, you’re watching it.

With this, I would like to casually eat my friend’s bento, and at the moment the moment they notice me, I want to say “Fooled ya!” with a smug face.

If I were in this situation while having lunch with Yuuto and his friends, I would definitely have said that.

Putting the jokes in my mind aside, I proceeded with the main topic.

Time is short, so I must be brief.

“I would like to tell you two things today. One is about the URL of the video site that was posted on the bulletin board. As many of you may have seen, we have created an account for the Student Council starting from this election. I hope you will be interested in and understand what we’re doing.”

I took a breath and sorted out the contents.

Three fingers were held up by Shizuku through the glass, telling me that I had three minutes left to finish.

“The second is about the election.”

Frankly speaking, this is the main reason why I am here.
Whether or not I could convey this in a clear way would determine whether the broadcast would be a success or not.

“The other day, the president and vice president of the student council for the next term were decided. And I believe that what is going on now is the election of the members who would support them.”

These were my own honest words. They’re like self-satisfaction, just telling them what I think.

I don’t know if it will resonate with the students or not.

“I am very well aware that in an election, it is a matter of course to act on one’s promises, and it is the role of those who are elected to carry them out.”

I wonder if the three people behind the glass would be offended or taken aback if I told them what I was about to say.

I don’t really care what the students in my class or in the school think of me, but for some reason, I began to feel that I didn’t want them or the people who were helping me to think ill of me.

Still, I have to say it when I have come this far.

“But our biggest job is to support Koizumi, the president, and Shiraishi, the vice president …and we only need to help them achieve the student council that they are aiming for. …So I don’t have any personal commitments.”

I declared quietly, yet emphatically.
From here, I don’t know what the reaction inside the school would be.

So I can’t change my statement based on the circumstances.

I can only hope to hear from the students and faculty whether these words were good or bad.

“This is my personal opinion. Yuu …Ogiwara must have his own commitments, and I have no intention of denying them. So, please listen to my words now and to Ogiwara’s words and make your decision…”

After I said those words, I turned the microphone off.”
Then, after leaning back on my chair, I let out a breath of relief.

…No, I was nervous.
After all, I was able to reaffirm that I’m not good at public appearances.
I don’t want to do this kind of work even if I were given money.

As I was easing myself, President, Shizuku, and Kirasaka came inside.

“Good work! That was just about five minutes.”

“I thought it would be difficult for the microphone to capture Shinra-kun’s voice, but it sounded better than I thought it would.”

“…I’m glad to hear that.”

After giving appropriate replies to her words, I turned my attention to President.
I’ve declared with no hesitation that I don’t have any commitments, so she might have something to nitpick.

“How you act and what you say is your choice. I’m helping you with it …so there’s nothing I’m going to caution you about.”

Did I look that anxious?

President, who said this with a gentle smile on her face, quickly switched the subject.

“That’s the last of the big moves we can make, now we just have to collect the votes steadily.”

“Yes …I’ll do my best.”

I separated from President there, and the three of us walked the rest of the way to the classroom.

“Supporting Koizumi and his team? …I think it’s a good idea.”

Shizuku said next to me.
When I turned to look at her, I knew from years of our acquaintance that she was faking it with a smile.

“It would be weird if Shinra-kun had started talking about reforming our school.”

“That’s terrible…”

Kirasaka’s words were harsh, but not negative.
They are the two people who know me better than the others, so they may just have an impression of me that the others do not.

This uneasiness remained in my heart even now.

“Minato-kun, it’s best that you act the way you always do …because you can’t lie.”

“Yes, you can only tell lies that are obvious.”

The relationship between the girls and me is still a bit vague, I can’t be mad at them for helping me in a situation that’s not clear.

When this issue is resolved, I might be able to understand things a little better.

There might be a change in me.
I had such expectations in my heart as well.

That is why I was determined not to waste the support of the two of them, and not to neglect my efforts to win.

Well, although in the atmosphere I spoke as if this was as far as I was going to let those two help me, but I’m totally going to let them help me.

If anything, it might be more trouble than it’s worth.

But, since the two of them were walking nimbly with a look of accomplishment on their faces, I decided to keep my mouth shut for now.

ToC

#192

With the lingering summer heat still in the air, I set up a base near the entrance to the wing where the first-year students were located, along with a few others.
A simple desk and the bare minimum of chairs, as well as a tent to protect us from the sun, have been taken out of storage.

The tent was also given to Yuuto’s team, and it looks like it will be able to block some of the heat from the sun.

On the second day of the election, Yuuto was making a speech at the same place as yesterday.
Many students were there again today, but it was not as crowded as yesterday.

However, the majority of the students still stopped at least once to listen to what he had to say, indicating that his influence in the school is not something to scoff at.

The actual activity will start from today, and President, Shizuku, Kirasaka, Shiraishi, as well as Hino-kun and Miura also came today.

“Sorry you two but if you get tired, just take a proper rest, okay?”

The first thing I did was to hand over a bottle of tea I had bought from the vending machine and thanked Miura and Hino-kun for their help.

“Don’t worry, I’m used to it.”

“I’m fine too! If I can be of any help to you, please use me as much as you want!”

Aside from Miura, I cannot help but see some ulterior motive behind Hino-kun’s words.
Perhaps, his brain must be working in the shadows trying to get close to Kaede…

I will never give my little sister to you! Onii-chan will definitely protect her.

As I was making a face like a snarling wolf at Hino-kun, president walked up to me to tell that everything was ready.

“The first-year faculty as well as the students’ votes are likely to be easy to acquire, partly because they don’t usually aren’t in touch with each other, but also because many are concerned about the power balance in the student council, just like how Shinra explained.”

“…Then, it seems that it’s not a bad idea to focus on the first years.”

Picking up the surveys filled in by the rest of the school year from the desk, which will serve as the base for my operations, I let out a sigh of relief.
If everyone, not only the students but also the teachers, were to favor Yuuto, it would be a total defeat.

It was a good direction in terms of motivation to see that another strand of possibility had been linked.

However, the cheerful mood was soon blown away when I looked at the collected surveys.

“The second year was completely dominated by Ogiwara-kun, wasn’t it?”

“I wonder if Shinra-kun had predicted that probability to be a whopping 92%?”

“Am I a fortune teller or what? …nope, I am not.”

I replied to Shizuku and Kirasaka’s words with a wry smile.

In the survey, about 92% of the second-year votes, or 138 votes, went to Yuuto.
Even including the fact that Shizuku, Kirasaka, Koizumi and Miura voted for me, I still only received 10 or so votes.

Most of the people who voted for me were probably from my class.
I expect them to be the few people who had a bit of a reaction to the Sports Festival discussion.

On the contrary, it is precisely because I am in such a dire situation that I am becoming more aware of the situation.
I realize how much of a difference there is between me and him. If I don’t work much harder than I am expecting, I won’t even be able to compete, let alone turn the tables.

Returning to my this side, I turned my gaze to Shiraishi, who was looking at the students at first year entrance a short distance away.

Just as she was also looking at us, our gazes met and she came up to me with a short run.

“It’s about peak time, and I think it’s optimal, since a lot of the students have been stopping because of the seniors gathering.”

“Roger. …Then Shiraishi, please go over to President and Koizumi.”

Shizuku and Kirasaka are inside the tent, and the president and other current student council members are standing outside.
I wonder how many people are at this place where first-year students gather.

I muttered around them, without letting my expressions show that the crowd was making me feel sick.

“How many people do you think there are…?’

“Well…”

Kirasaka stepped out of the tent and looked around for a few seconds from a higher place.

She returned immediately and came up with a number that was more precise than I had anticipated.

“I’d say there were about 45 to 46 people.”

“How can you tell just by looking at them so easily…?”

Is there a built-in scanner in your eyes?
Maybe it can even measure the opponent’s combat power.

But, such questions don’t matter now.
I immediately walked up to where only one first-year student was and turned on the microphone.

Hino-kun is was the one who had been entrusted with a certain task a short distance away under my directions, and when I nodded to signal him, he nodded back similarly.

“Test, test- ah, am I audible?”

After a brief operational check, the slightly muffled sound was amplified and echoed throughout the area.
The attention immediately shifted from Shizuku and the others to me, and after confirming that their attention was fully focused on me, I began to speak.

[I’m Shinra Minato, and I’m running for the position of assistant to the student council president. …I don’t think most of you know me, so it’s nice to meet you all, and if you remember me, perhaps you will recognize me as the senior who was standing next to Shiraishi-san yesterday.]

I gave a brief self-introduction to the students.
From this point on, I have no manuscript prepared, and I will speak impromptu.
I have to pay attention to the students’ facial expressions and actions to make sure they don’t lose interest.

“Before I go any further, …let me tell you that currently the winning percentage of my opponent, Ogiwara is over 90%.”

Even though there is no hard evidence, the students in front of me must have realized this in their hearts.
That the popularity is on a whole another level even to call it a competition.

Therefore, I simply stated the facts without concealing them.

Naturally, there were little astonished reactions, but the fact that I told them the truth did not change much.

All I received was sympathetic, disappointed laughs.
I thought the juniors still had a year’s worth of innocence left in them, but they’re really grown up in this area, aren’t they.

Sincerely, I’m relieved.

[You are free to choose who you vote for, I cannot force you to do anything and I am not going to do it.]

One step, and then another walking toward the nearest student.
I smiled so wickedly that even I felt it was unnatural, and asked the junior, who had frozen with his eyes wide open, what was going on.

“If you were asked who you would vote for, Ogiwara or me, who would you vote for?”

I asked not over the loudspeaker, but with my actual voice.

The students around us could hear me, but those a little further away would not have been able to hear.

“Eh …ah, Ogiwara-senpai?”

I asked the junior who answered modestly and apologetically, continuing further.

“… Can you put the reason into words?”

“…”

This time he could not answer the question.
He looked around, pondered, and still could not put it into words.

“Let’s change the question …which of these two would you choose?”

Saying this, I took out two pieces of paper from inside my pocket.
They were small sheets of paper folded in quarters and slightly different in color.

The boy pointed to the paper I held in my right hand.

“Then, do you have a reason for choosing this paper on the right?”

“That’s because …I felt the one on the left was a little dirtier.”

This time he clearly told me the reason.
I thanked him shortly, apologized for asking such an abrupt question, and returned to the spot from which I had come.

Then I resumed talking over the loudspeaker again.

The student who had not heard the conversation between me and the junior looked at me curiously.

[I asked him, on behalf of all of you, which piece of paper would he choose. …Just to be sure, did you guys next to him also choose this piece of paper?]

I picked it up with my fingers and raised the appropriate one.
The two girls nearby nodded as I showed it to them.

After confirming this, I opened the paper folded in four.
The one that was chosen had the number 0 written on it, while the paper that was said to be soiled, which wasn’t chosen, had the number 1 written in large letters.

[Was this paper chosen because of how clean or dirty it was? Yes, that was the only reason …If you ask me if this paper has to do something with the election, it doesn’t.]

I put the paper away in my uniform and turned my gaze forward again.

The kind of attention directed at me seems to have changed since a few minutes ago.

From a mere scoff to slight interest.

[I know that the first criterion for choosing both people and things is the outer appearance, but it is wrong in the elections, it is the content that should be considered more important than anything else.]

It’s wrong to just look at the appearance and make the decision and it shouldn’t be your first choice.

Without even trying to find out what’s inside, based on just superficial information, we make decisions based on a mix of our mood and the circumstances.

It is an everyday occurrence in student elections that no matter how excellent the inside was, they lost because they were inferior in terms of external factors.

That is why I said before that student elections are popularity contests.

However, I should not say in words here that I am internally superior to Yuuto.

It would be a lie and could result in animosity.

“What I’m trying to tell you today is that you should not only take the outer information into account but also the one on the inside, and think before you choose …because, to be honest, if you ask me, I think the best equality is for everyone to listen to the speech with blindfolds on and point and vote.”

Then you can’t be influenced by appearance.
I don’t want you to think that you should judge me by my voice, though.

At this point, I finally took a breath and looked at Hino-kun.

The other side nodded, and after confirming that a certain equipment was turned off, I put the microphone on the desk.

“Well, …that’s it for today, and if you have any questions or requests for the student council, please speak to these guys in the back.”

I finished my speech in a short time, about five minutes in duration.
The students, who had imagined a longer speech, looked at each other in confusion.

I pointed in the direction where Shizuku and Kirasaka were sitting.

Shizuku waved her hand at the boys, and Kirasaka just glanced at them with cold eyes as usual.

The fact that Akane Hiiragi, the president herself, was also present at the event quickly shifted the students’ attention to that side.

“Was that all you really wanted to say?”

“…It’s likely to have more of a negative impact if I speak longer than I should from the get go.”

I don’t want to give the impression that I’m a bothersome senpai with a bad sense of humor.

As I was taking a break, drinking the water I had received from Shiraishi, who rushed over to me, Koizumi and Hino-kun and the others gathered around me.

“I was a little surprised. Is Shinra-kun good at literary arts?”

“…”

Koizumi asked me, surprised, perhaps because of the content of our conversation.

However, I shook my head at the question.

“I’m not good at it. …I just wanted to give the impression that I was a smart senpai to them.”

I am aware that it wasn’t so accurate because although I told them not to make decisions based on just much external information, I pretended to be smart with my words.

I have to do this or I don’t have any chance.

“Also, for that matter…”

President muttered and let out a sigh.
Then she suddenly put her hand in the pocket of my uniform and pulled out the paper I had just used.

“Don’t use dangerous methods, you …what were you going to do if they chose this dirty piece of paper instead?”

“…No, I’m just glad they chose that one.”

I answered earnestly, without any other intentions.

Even if they had chosen the other one, I would have used similar words to push it off, but I must thank my juniors for choosing the clean paper for the conversation to make sense.

As I replied back drinking, presidents chuckled and let out a breath, half in dismay and half in amusement.

In the midst of this, when I turned to Shizuku and the others, who mainly by the boys were inquired why they weren’t on the Ogiwara team.

“Why not Ogiwara-kun? …Yes, because there is no reason to choose Ogiwara-kun.”

“Rather, I imagine for what reason you would choose him.”

“…”

Really, those girls are so honest about their feelings, aren’t they?
If Yuuto heard this, he would be completely in tears.

The girls did not seem to be surprised to see the stunned looks on the faces of the students around them, and answered the questions nonchalantly.

Let’s leave that to them.
I turned my gaze from them to the opposite direction.

There, Hino was checking the video I asked to shoot with a camera that looked like a black lump.

“…Can President edit videos and upload them to the site?”

“Yes, I can if I use the computer in my room, I should be able to.”

Koizumi and Miura must have guessed what I was talking about, because they opened their mouths and said nothing.

As part of the election rules, it is forbidden to advertise using money, and of course it is also forbidden to use outside sources.

Then, if we use our own resources to promote ourselves for free, we shouldn’t be breaking any rules.

After opening the app of a major video site on my smartphone, I showed it to them, I continued.

“Shiraishi also said that individuality is important …If so, let’s go digital and use the advertising method that suits the times.”

We aren’t using any money, no contractors were hired, then we can advertise with it.
Now that there is a function called private release, you can set it so that only people who know a specific URL can see it.

If I publish it there, I might be able to get many people to see it in the short term.

While it is important to take the conventional route, it is also important to be unpredictable.
Shiraishi looked at me with a shocked expression and then gave me a cold stare.

Perhaps she is trying to say why didn’t I share the idea with her as well?

Let’s face it, I came up with the idea yesterday.

I can’t predict what to expect from this idea, but this is how I ended my second day’s activities.

ToC

#191

As I rested my arms on the railing on the rooftop, I felt the bizarre sight spread before me.
A crowd of students, incomparable to the student body presidential election that had just been held, had gathered around one student.

[ I am running for student council because I want to do something to help you all have a better high school experience! ]

…Yeah, I knew he would definitely something along those lines.
Ikemen are such convenient creatures. Even when he said something that would usually have been snickered at, everyone took it seriously and listened to it earnestly.

Holding a microphone in their hands, his supporters went around calling out to the students around.　
From what I can see, there are probably about dozens or so students helping him out.

This is just on the first day, it’s easy to imagine that the number will increase even starting tomorrow.

Kirasaka did not observe the scene, and was looking in the opposite direction with the railing supporting her back.

Shizuku was standing beside me with her hands on the fence, looking at the scene in amazement.

“Hee …so many people have gathered together.”

“I guess everyone is curious because it’s the first day …and it shouldn’t be surprising looking at what usually happens in the classroom.”

Unaware, or perhaps not realizing that she herself is usually in a similar situation, Shizuku looked coldly at the students who were crowding around him a bit.

Well, from the outside, it is not unreasonable for anyone to feel something when they see such a bizarre sight of so many people swarming around a single person.

However, we are not here today to see such a scene.
I must listen to what he has to say and, if necessary, prepare countermeasures.

I kept my eyes fixed on him so that I wouldn’t miss his single movement, but to be honest, I didn’t find anything particularly remarkable.

“I wonder if he’s taking it as a leeway, or if he’s trying to push through it with just popularity and inaction.”

“…”

Kirasaka, who was looking the other way, told us while holding a book in her hand.
Indeed, all that is being said was about creating a school for the sake of the students, and so far I haven’t seen any significant commitment of any kind.

“It’s the first day, so maybe they’re just taking a wait-and-see approach.”

“…Maybe, if this is the case, let’s see if there are any countermeasures—“

Later, when I was about to talk about that, Yuuto raised his hand and made everyone around him quiet.

This guy… he’s definitely an idol on the inside.

No, he’s definitely at it already.

If anything, I could even feel the urge to assume the microphone to the one in the karaoke and start singing Song no. 18.

As I gazed at the scene below, Yuuto began to speak in the quiet space.

[ I support the cooperation with the local community that the next student body president said, but don’t you think it would be the same as before if we just kept it that way? ]

Yuuto asked the people around him as if he was the host and they were the audience.
The majority of people agreed with him, and Yuuto nodded his head with an unconcerned expression on his face.

[ So, what I’m trying to do is establish a relationship not only with the community, but also with the neighboring high schools as well! ]

As Yuuto spoke these words, a shower of applause enveloped the crowd.
I wonder if they properly even understand what he was saying.

I wonder if they are just agreeing with his words in the spur of the moment.

Even felt from the rooftop I felt that they had given up on thinking, simply assuming that if Yuuto was saying it, then it was correct.

“…Now then.”

The stance that Yuuto is taking is confirmed.
It’s about expanding the circle of interaction even wider than what it is currently at.

The only high school in this town is the girls’ high school that Kaede attends, but there are surprisingly a number of high schools scattered across the city nearby.
Yuuto’s plan is to establish relationships with these high schools.

If we cooperate with each other to manage the event, we can have a larger scale and better quality event than what we have now, is what he would say.

“What’s this…?”

“I wonder if he forgot which position he is running for?”

Shizuku and Kirasaka muttered simultaneously what they felt after hearing what he just said.
Indeed, Yuuto is trying to execute something that is far from the position he is running for.

The one we’re running for is assistant to the student body president.
Our role is to assist the president, not to oppose his ideas.

It is important to express one’s own ideas and have them endorsed when running for a position, but it’s not a good move considering the relationship with the president in the future.

Even if he is elected, the president and others will think that they have brought in someone who is denying their ideas.

“Koizumi and Shiraishi didn’t even mention other schools because there were more than a few downsides to doing so. …For example, even if they managed to expand the scale of the events, the actual content would be generic, just a bit on larger scale and bland.”

Though this was just an example, the two of them were trying to figure out the maximum possible categories that suited their abilities, eliminating the negative factors as much as possible.

In Yuuto’s case, he tends to think of things as much as he can, so it probably did not stop with just communicating with the community.

No, really, why are you thinking about expanding it beyond the community?
It’s not just a matter of expanding.

In fact, if you ask someone like me, there are many students who don’t even know each other on campus, and if you add even more people from outside, they might even voluntarily give up on the event itself.

It’s not surprising that they are uncomfortable, and now there are even more strangers added into the mix.

“I understand what Ogiwara-kun is trying to say, but …it’s a statement I don’t really support.”

“I agree.”

It seems that both of them had a negative opinion.
Well, I guess that’s because they are people who don’t think well of extra-relationships, like I do.

But, the spectacle in front of us had a different reaction from ours.

‘It sounds fun’, ‘We’re students, we should try that much’, ‘Ogiwara will definitely succeed’ …and other similar remarks could be heard.

It would be well-received by students who are generally optimistic and like to have fun.
Interaction with other schools is an effective phrase for the creatures known as students.

“It was a good that I didn’t give a speech today. … I don’t think people are going to come to me under these circumstances.”

I’ll still be able to give a better speech tomorrow, when things are a little calmer.
It won’t be as crowded as today, but it should be more convenient.

If this is what Yuuto wants to do, to create a school that people like them can enjoy, he is missing the point.

Expanding the scale of the event and increasing the number of participants will not change the fundamentals.

Unless we change the current relationships on campus, which rely on people with superior abilities and avoid doing things on their own, there is no point in expanding the scale of the events.

However, even if I said those words to Yuuto now, he would not understand.

Until he sees some results in the competition, he will continue to push forward with the belief that he is right.

“How would Kirasaka respond to Yuuto’s speech?”

“I’m going to get a spot next to him and argue over every single word he just said.”

…That’s pretty gruesome.
However, I won’t tell her that I actually wanted to see that scene.

Next, I turned my attention to the girl next to me.

“What about Shizuku?”

“I think I’ll just tell them what I can do within the scope of my position.”

“I guess that’s the best way to go about it.”

With a sigh, I rechecked the scene below me.
The crowd is still as rowdy as ever, and it’s hardly a student election, but I felt a sense of discomfort.

For some reason, I felt that many of the faces gathered there were familiar.

“Are there surprisingly fewer first-year students…?”

“Well, there are many second-year students.”

Shizuku replied as usual to my question.
For the first day, I cannot say for sure, but it still seems to be a pretty decent outcome for a reconnaissance.

I lifted myself up from the railing and turned my body around to face the doorway.

“We’ll probably focus our votes on the first-years, huh?”

I said to the two behind me, and walked off to leave the terrace.

However, the two people behind me, who had not been conversing with each other until now, suddenly started talking.

“By the way, Kanazaki-san, I’m the first one, aren’t I?”

“What are you even saying? I am first and you are second.”

“…What are you guys even ranking on about?”

When I asked them about the ranking that only the two of them could understand, Shizuku answered as if it was only natural.

“It’s the ranking of Minato-kun’s support team, I’m number one and she’s number two.”

She pointed to herself and then to Kirasaka.
I tried to tell that there was no need for such rankings, but Kirasaka refuted this, saying that it was an important ranking for the girls.

“You should not joke around too much, you’ll forever be the second.”

“I know you’re trying to appear cool like that, but I know you’re actually smiling looking at Minato-kun’s photo that you took with your smartphone.”

“I remember the other day when we went to Shinra-kun’s house, you took advantage of his absence and snuggled under his futon.”

…What kind of argument is this?

It’s like I’m indirectly being told the facts that I didn’t want to know.

“Look, if the students ask me which one of us went to support Shinra-kun first, I’ll go in first, okay?”

“No, I had made a pledge that I would never leave him, so that’s where being number one would come in.”

It won’t.

What kind of development is this?

The two of them started arguing again, and although I would normally just leave them there, I couldn’t due to the fact that they were cooperating with me, so I had to watch them argue until they were satisfied, but that’s a story for later.

Anyways, it would be wise to point out that Yuuto’s stated commitment is a slightly different path from that of the president and see how it goes, assuming that my main audience is first years and as how we’re just in it for the assistant’s position.

Now that the plan for the day tomorrow is set, I’ll wait for the reports from the three people who are helping us, starting with the president, and the girls at my behind me still arguing to come at a satisfactory answer.

ToC

#190

After the school was over, the campus was already in the midst of a festive atmosphere.

Especially, the enthusiasm of the second-year students was so intense that many of them headed for the speech location that Yuuto had prepared as soon as class ended.

I was walking alone toward the building where the first-year students were.
In my hands, I was carrying a large amount of printouts that I had received from Koizumi, leaving my bag with Shizuku and Kirasaka, who were waiting in the classroom.

I walked in the opposite direction from where the students were headed and met up with Shiraishi, whom I called, in the passageway connecting the freshman and sophomore buildings.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“…Did you talk to the class representatives?”

Through Shiraishi, I had one request for the first-year class representatives.
She asked them to remain in the classroom for just a few moments after homeroom ended.

She told them that the reason was to distribute the survey from the student council, so I checked the situation in the hallway and it appeared that the majority of the students had heeded my request and remained inside the room.

“I’m going to have to get Shiraishi to talk to them in advance about all of this, otherwise we won’t be able to gather the numbers we need.

“But, how do you want me to explain it to them?”

“Ad-lib on the spot…”

After knocking a few times, the door opened before Shiraishi was ready.
I moved up to the front of the teaching table without worrying about the eyes being drawn towards me from the students waiting inside.

Students who saw Shiraishi’s figure followed behind me all looked at me as if they realized that the explanation given by the class representative was true.

“…I’ll explain the main topic, so please start with something to make it easier for me to say a few words.”

“Eh, Ah… me!?”

I whispered to Shiraishi in her ear, who was standing next to me with her usual calculated smile.

The freshman watched the overreacting Shiraishi as if watching a strange person.

“Ahhhh, right, that that …good morning!”

“After school.”
<TL: Ig he’s still whispering & she’s just not following, or I dunno what’s going on.>

“H-h-h-h-hello!”

The atmosphere was softened as everyone looked at Shiraishi, who displayed her usual clunky behavior without fail, perhaps completely relaxed after the presidential election.
From their point of view, they probably just think that their usually reliable Shiraishi is acting weird.

Perhaps it’s just a trick to lighten the mood.
However, this definitely made it easier for me to talk to them.

Without delay, I bowed my head slightly and began to speak in a voice that could be heard by all.

“…I asked everyone to make time today to allow the student council to compile a preliminary survey about the member elections that will take place today onwards.”

I picked up the top sheet of paper from the teacher’s table and showed them the actual form.

“It’s really quite simple: …Column one is to put a 〇 in the box for the current senior you plan to vote for, and column two is for anything you would like the student council to do in the future. Like …wanting more items in the cafeteria menu.”

When I gave one example and explained that it was a straightforward survey and that it was conducted by the student council, the freshmen filled out the printouts I handed out without any suspicion.

No names were needed, and it was completely anonymous, so there was no problem even if it was a personal opinion.

We were allowed to use this reassurance to get an idea of the bits and pieces of requests the first-year students had for the student council and their current image of the student council.

While class 1 is filling out the form, we will go around to the class 2, then 3, and so on, in that order, and finally collect them again from class 1.

This process took about 30 minutes for a total of five classes, and we were able to collect about 150 forms.

“Will it really be useful to collect all these?”

After I finished collecting the forms for Class 5, I was walking toward Class 3 of the sophomore building when Shiraishi asked me a question.

“…I don’t know.”

I can’t really make a decision on this one until I actually go through it.
However, I managed to get the first-year students to get to know my face.

Moreover, we were also able to gather a rough outline of the first-year students’ votes and their opinions on the student council.

Yuuto may have already come up with a pledge, but I have to admit that I have a hard time understanding what a actually pledge is.

However, even if I gave the template speech that the students wanted, it would not be convincing enough with my achievements and abilities.

On the first day, I will collect and compile the surveys from the first-year students, and tomorrow I will collect and compile the surveys from the others.

Then, from the third day, the real fight will begin.
I will be trailing behind Yuuto until Thursday, but since it is difficult for me to continuously gather popularity and votes, I will need to make a powerful impression, though it cannot be a big one-shot.

“We’re back!”

Shiraishi entered the classroom of the class 3 of the second year first, followed by me.
In addition to Shiraishi and Kirasaka, President and Koizumi were also in the classroom.

I had explained my candidacy to Hino-kun and Miura, but as they had other matters to attend to today so they couldn’t attend, so this is my current team.

To be honest, this is a splendid lineup.

The current student council president, the next student council president, the vice president, the second-year princess Shizuku, and Kirasaka, who is called the queen.

If I fully rely on all of them and ask them to help me with everything from speeches to anything else, even Yuuto might struggle against them.

But, that would be meaningless.
If I don’t win over Yuuto with my words, my actions, and my methods, it will be meaningless.

“Have you collected the forms?”

“Surprisingly, Shiraishi’s ability to speak up was effective for freshmen, …and most of the students responded.”

I put the large stack of questionnaires on the desk and was amazed at the number of responses.

“Everyone gave Ogiwara-kun a 〇…”

“Of course they did, …this is simply the difference in popularity.”

On the one hand, we have the prince of the school, and on the other, a student who is as invisible as the background.
The freshmen’s response was obvious, with a similar outcome which would come from other grades too.

“Roughly calculated it’s about 130 to 20 …If we calculated the same for the second year, the difference in votes would be overwhelming.”

The president put her hand on her chin and said while thinking.
President, who has been watching the student elections the longest out of all of them, probably understands how big a difference this result makes.

Koizumi, too, looked sullen at this.

“It can’t be helped you’re up against Ogiwara-kun, if I were in your shoes, I’d be in tears….”

“If it were me, I would totally be crying right now.”

Koizumi’s opinion was followed by a similar comment from the Shiraishi.
However, this isn’t the time to care about that.

“But, you ran for position knowing that there would be similar difference in the number of votes, didn’t you?”

In the quiet classroom, president firmly asked.
Without pausing, I nodded and replied to her words.

“Of course …on the contrary, I probably expected it to be a bit more.”

Looking back at the survey forms, I said to all of them without discouragement.

Shizuku, Kirasaka, and president smiled reassuringly, while Koizumi and Shiraishi looked at me with their mouths open in surprise.

After a quick check of the second section of the survey from the first-year students, not the first, but the one with their wishes for the student council, I can be sure of one thing from the freshmen’s response towards the election.

Perhaps this is something that is shared by the second year students as well, but the wish list includes the elimination of blank and conventional uniforms, opening the rooftops of all buildings, and increasing the items in the cafeteria menu…

There were very few responses that were truly pressing or specific.

When time is short and a limit to answers is presented to you, if there was something you truly want, you would write it down.

Student-centered, easy to spend time with, and interaction with the local community, as Koizumi listed.

If language is overly vague, such as the selection of students with individuality mentioned by Shiraishi, it indicates one’s lack of interest in that matter.

If it is simply a situation of comparing me and Yuuto, and Yuuto’s popularity vote being overwhelmingly higher, I can still fight.

“…I’d like Koizumi to put together a list of the minimum requirements for the election, Shiraishi to identify the high caste students in each of the first year classes, and president to list the teachers in order of their likelihood to vote on our side.”

I asked the three of them, and they nodded in unison and walked out of the classroom.
President waved goodbye to us just before she left, and we returned it appropriately waving our hands.

The remaining, Shizuku and Kirasaka, waited patiently for me to say something.

“Even if I don’t challenge him head-on, I’d like to see what Yuuto is on about and have the countermeasures ready…”

“Then it’s an enemy surveillance! Right, we can do it in the courtyard right now, but there are a lot of people there …so let’s go to the rooftop, shall we?”

…Enemy surveillance, is it? That means that Yuuto is already recognized as an enemy in Shizuku’s eyes, isn’t it?

Well, it might be limited to during the student council elections, but it is still reassuring that her resolve isn’t wavering.

It is because Shizuku is overly kind that I was worried, but it seems my fears were unfounded.
Finally, when I looked at Kirasaka for consent, she opened her mouth with her eyes closed.

“I’m not interested in his speech, but Shinra-kun’s reaction when he hears it sounds interesting, …so let’s go.”

With a wicked smile on her face, Kirasaka stood up.
Be interested, please.

After stuffing the survey forms into my bag, which did not contain any study materials whatsoever, I got up from my seat and left the classroom, followed by the two waiting at the entrance of the classroom.

ToC

Monthly Archives: July 2022

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<TL: Japanese things, nevermind.>

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<TL : Go grab your popcorns, this chapter’s one hell of a ride.>

<TL: Yeah, he’s doing it intentionally>

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<TL: In the last chapter Minato and the others separated from Prez. but I think the author forgot to revise the chapter, so here we are after they finished broadcasting.>

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<TL: Japanese things, nevermind.>

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<TL : Go grab your popcorns, this chapter’s one hell of a ride.>

<TL: Yeah, he’s doing it intentionally>

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<TL: In the last chapter Minato and the others separated from Prez. but I think the author forgot to revise the chapter, so here we are after they finished broadcasting.>

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