The two-week-long student council election had finally come to an end.
For many, the image of the aloof yet commanding Princess Kaguya remained deeply ingrained in their minds, sparking concerns that her leadership might turn the council into a bastion of high-pressure authority.
Chika, on the other hand, had always been charming but decidedly unreliable.
As for the other two candidates, their half-hearted attitudes and lackluster performances left little impression on anyone.
When the host announced the final vote count, the winner was clear—Amamiya Natsuki.
Under the podium.
The applause erupted like a thunderclap, filling the auditorium with its resounding echoes.
"Amamiya-kun is actually pretty amazing," Kashiwagi murmured, clapping as she leaned toward Hayasaka.
Hayasaka stood with her arms folded, her gaze fixed on Amamiya as he delivered his inaugural speech on stage. Her eyes sparkled faintly, and the corners of her lips curved upward.
"He's alright," she replied.
After all, much of the speech he was giving now had been written by her. The thought that their combined efforts had led to this victory filled her with a quiet, inexplicable joy.
Oh no!
Kashiwagi's mind raced as she glanced at her friend. That smile... Ai-chan is totally smitten!
Chika-chan's already hopelessly lost—Ai-chan has to be saved before it's too late!
"Well…" Kashiwagi began, her voice taking on a teasing tone. "I don't know if it's just me, but doesn't it feel like Amamiya-kun has been getting more and more handsome lately? He's become really popular with the girls."
Her implication was clear: boys that are popular should be approached with caution—otherwise, you risk getting caught up in unnecessary drama.
Hayasaka responded casually, "It's not your imagination."
"Huh?"
Because the newly acquired title enhances his charm. Not only that, but he's a veritable heartbreaker now. Even married women and girls with boyfriends need to steer clear of him!
Kashiwagi clenched her fists dramatically after hearing her nonchalant affirmation. As if steeling herself for a life-or-death declaration, she said;
"Just the other day, I saw Amamiya-kun getting a little too close to Chika-chan."
Hayasaka was unfazed.
"You don't need to tell me," she muttered inwardly. Iknow better than anyone just how close they've gotten.
She recalled her young lady's mortified confession about mistakenly wandering into the wrong hot spring bath two nights ago.
Knowing all this already, I can't even muster the energy to feel betrayed anymore.
Turning to her friend with a sudden mischievous glint in her eye, Hayasaka said, "Don't worry, I know exactly what to do."
Kashiwagi let out a relieved sigh.
"Phew! That's good to hear, Ai-chan!" she said, pumping her fists in celebration. Success! Surely, Ai-chan would now be too annoyed to entertain thoughts of Amamiya-kun, let alone fall for him.
But then Hayasaka added, "Although... I'm not bad myself, am I?"
"Huh?"
Kashiwagi blinked in confusion, caught off guard.
Hayasaka raised her hand, forming a playful scissors gesture. Tilting her head at a perfect 30-degree angle, she closed one eye and flashed a teasing smile.
"If it's a competition, I don't think I'd lose to Chika-chan."
"No, don't say that!" Kashiwagi cried, suddenly flustered.
Oh no—did I just accidentally stoke Ai-chan's competitive spirit? If this backfires, I'll be a sinner for all eternity!
Hayasaka wasn't done.
"Besides being cute," she continued nonchalantly, "I've got plenty of experience attracting boys."
"Impossible!" Kashiwagi blurted out instinctively, shaking her head. "You don't even have a boyfriend, Ai-chan—how could you have experience?"
Raising her chin confidently, Hayasaka smirked.
"You doubt me? Looks like I'll have to use Amamiya to prove it."
"No, I believe you!" Kashiwagi quickly backtracked, her panic mounting.
At that moment, the speech ended.
Amamiya stepped off the stage and made his way backstage, unaware of the storm brewing behind him.
"Amamiya-kun, you're incredible!" Tsubame gave him a cheerful thumbs-up and a sweet smile. "Starting today, you're officially the student council president."
"I have to thank you as well, Tsubame-senpai," Amamiya replied sincerely.
Tsubame was extremely popular, and her involvement in the campaign as a supporter had proven invaluable. Her cheerleading speech had a significant impact on the final outcome.
"Stare—"
Chika clasped her fists in front of her chest, her sparkling eyes fixed on Amamiya.
"Amamiya, when are you going to visit the student council president's office?"
Amamiya raised an eyebrow at her sudden enthusiasm. "Class is about to start, so I won't have time this morning. I'll head there after school in the afternoon... Why do you ask?"
He had learned by now that whenever this airhead wore that mischievous expression, trouble wasn't far behind.
"Hehe~"
Chika extended a finger and poked his arm, her clear laughter like a chime. "Traditionally, the new president personally invites members to join the student council."
Nearby, Kaguya's ears perked up slightly. She couldn't help but glance over at the conversation.
One sentence was enough to reveal Chika's intentions—she was clearly angling for a shortcut into the council.
Amamiya rolled his eyes. "If you have something to say, just say it."
"Fine, I'll be honest!" Chika raised her right hand, her voice full of confidence. "I want to be the vice president!"
"Denied."
Kaguya, who had been quietly observing, finally stepped in, her calm tone cutting through the moment.
"Why not?" Chika turned toward her friend, pouting.
"The vice president's primary responsibility is to assist the president with various daily affairs," Kaguya explained, her arms crossed and her tone impartial, as though she had no personal stake in the matter. "In some ways, the vice president's work is even harder than the president's. Someone who only thinks about eating, drinking, and having fun wouldn't be able to handle it."
"O-Ouch!" Chika cried, dramatically pretending to rub her eyes. "I don't just think about eating, drinking, and having fun! Kaguya-chan, you're bullying me!"
"Exactly," Amamiya chimed in dryly from the side. "The prejudice in people's hearts is as massive as a mountain."
Both girls turned to glare at him simultaneously.
Amamiya held their gazes for a moment before smirking and adding, "Besides, in Chika's case, it's not just eating, drinking, and having fun—there's also 'Pace.'""You're both ganging up on me!" Chika puffed her cheeks in mock outrage.
"Enough," Amamiya said, waving them off. "Class is about to start. Let's get back to the classroom for now. We can talk more after school this afternoon."
Lunch Break.
The bell signaling the break rang out, and Amamiya glanced toward the window, letting out a quiet sigh.
The rainy season had arrived in earnest, and outside, raindrops streaked against the glass. The bet they had made to have lunch together on the rooftop was clearly no longer feasible.
Turning his gaze back to the classroom, Amamiya's eyes met Chika's.
She was seated at her desk, looking back at him with a smug expression. She raised her chin in triumph and sent a quick message.
Chika: Hmph! We can't eat on the rooftop because of the weather. That means the bet's void.
Amamiya: Then we'll have lunch on the rooftop tomorrow.
Chika: Nope! The agreement was specifically for Monday. After today, it doesn't count.
Amamiya: In that case, let's go to the rooftop now.
Chika: How would we even eat there in the rain?
Amamiya: I'll hold an umbrella.
Chika: Don't be ridiculous. There's nowhere to sit even with an umbrella. I'm done talking to you. I'll eat my bento with Kaguya-chan instead.
Amamiya sighed as the conversation ended.
Chika was undeniably popular in the classroom, and during lunch breaks, it wasn't uncommon for girls to invite her to eat with them. Despite that, she often chose to have lunch with Kaguya, much to the envy of her admirers.
Amamiya put his phone away and glanced at Chika, who was walking ahead of Kaguya, before standing up and leaving the classroom.
He didn't have the habit of bringing a lunchbox to school and preferred to grab some bread for lunch instead.
As he made his way to the bread cart, he saw the usual crowd of students gathered, all buying bread as usual. But it was a short-haired girl standing on tiptoe, trying to squeeze through the crowd, that caught Amamiya's attention.
"Kashiwagi-san?" he called out.
"Huh?"
Kashiwagi turned around, her eyes curious, but upon seeing Amamiya, her face immediately showed signs of nervousness. She quickly said, "Amamiya-kun, good afternoon."
Could it be...?
Did the gossip from this morning get back to him?
Stay calm. Don't panic.
Even so, she couldn't just stand by and watch her friend get hurt!
Kashiwagi hesitantly met Amamiya's gaze, her heart racing.
(Is he frowning?)
(Does Amamiya-kun know about what happened this morning? Is he here to call me out?)
Amamiya raised an eyebrow. "Are you here to buy bread?"
"Yes," Kashiwagi nodded quickly, trying to sound casual.
"Did someone bully you and send you over to buy a lunchbox?" Amamiya asked, his tone somewhat serious. It would be fine if it were someone else, but Kashiwagi was one of their own, so he wouldn't just stand by.
"No one bullied me," Kashiwagi quickly shook her head. "I'm just buying it to eat on my own."
Amamiya's eyes narrowed slightly. "Didn't you just take a lunch box out of your school bag?"
Kashiwagi blinked, and her face flushed bright red. "How did you know that, Amamiya?"
"I saw it."
"Ah... I see..." Kashiwagi's heart skipped a beat.
She wondered why he had noticed, especially since their seats were far apart and there were so many people around. But it seemed he had just caught a glimpse of it by accident.
It was easy to notice because Kashiwagi was sitting near Chika, and Chika had been messaging him during class.
Kashiwagi lowered her voice, feeling awkward. "Today's lunchbox has chopped green onions in it, and I don't really like them. Plus, I haven't eaten bread in a while, so I came out to buy some instead."
"What did you say?" Amamiya raised his voice slightly.
Kashiwagi looked up nervously. "What's wrong?"
Amamiya asked, "You don't like ramen?"
Kashiwagi was taken aback. "I do like it."
"Impossible," Amamiya complained. "Ramen without chopped green onions has no soul at all."
Kashiwagi puffed her cheeks slightly, defending herself. "There are ways to eat ramen without green onions, you know? There's no right or wrong when it comes to taste. And besides, it's lunch now—eating something with green onions will actually taste better."
It was a little hard for girls not to want something flavorful in their meals.
Of course, Chika was an exception.
Amamiya, now slightly amused, asked, "What kind of bread do you want?"
"Chow mein bread," Kashiwagi answered without thinking. Then, realizing what she had said, she quickly added, "I can buy it myself, though."
Amamiya pointed at the crowd. "Can you squeeze in?"
"..."
Kashiwagi stopped speaking, clearly unsure. She was small and fragile, and despite her attempts, she couldn't push through the crowd at all.
"Chow mein bread, huh?" Amamiya smiled, pushing his way through the crowd. "I'll get it for you."
Kashiwagi watched silently, retreating to a corner as she waited quietly.
A moment later, Amamiya emerged from the crowd with a couple of bottles of milk and some bread in hand.
"For you," he said, handing the milk and bread to Kashiwagi.
"Thank you, Amamiya-kun."
Kashiwagi accepted the items with a quiet thank you, and as she did, a realization dawned on her. She finally understood why Hayasaka, despite knowing everything, was so determined to compete — because she truly cared.
"You're welcome," Amamiya replied casually, but then added, "Actually, I have something to ask of you."
Kashiwagi froze for a moment, her cheeks puffing up involuntarily.
So that's it! He was just being nice because he needed something! She mentally bristled, feeling a little irritated. She'd get him back for this favor soon enough.
"What do you need me to help with, Amamiya-kun?" she asked, lifting her head and offering a small smile.
"Stop smiling," Amamiya said, a hint of concern in his voice. "I'm starting to feel like this could be dangerous."
Kashiwagi gave a small snort of laughter.
"Actually," Amamiya continued, "I remember that you're good at handling financial statements, right?"
"We did them at the beginning of the school year," Kashiwagi responded, a curious look on her face. "Why do you ask?"
Amamiya extended his right hand in invitation, a confident smile playing on his lips.
"So, Kashiwagi-san, would you be interested in joining the student council?"
"Eh?!" Kashiwagi blinked in surprise, her pink lips slightly parted in disbelief. "So, Amamiya-kun wants me to join the student council?"
"That's right," Amamiya nodded. "After the election, we'll be starting to form a new student council."
Kashiwagi took a moment to process the idea, her expression softening as she whispered, "But surely there's someone more qualified than me?"
Amamiya shrugged. "Actually, there's not."
Tsubame, their senior, had been under the pressure of preparing for college and didn't have time to join the student council. It wasn't even certain whether she'd be able to attend college, considering her recent misfortune. But she couldn't just abandon her role as the president of the gymnastics club.
Amamiya had also asked Umi, but she was far too busy — working a part-time job, cosplaying, hanging out with friends, and being involved in the sewing club. She couldn't commit to the student council, though she might occasionally drop by to hang out.
After eliminating all the familiar faces, Amamiya finally turned his attention to Kashiwagi.
First, she had the right professional skills. Second, she was good at keeping secrets. She had witnessed Amamiya and Kaguya together on several occasions but had never told anyone.
"Kashiwagi-san, it's you," Amamiya said, offering his hand. "You'll be the student council's accountant."
Kashiwagi hesitated for a moment, then reached out and gently shook his hand. "I'll give it a try, then."
She'd never been in a student council before, and she was a little curious about the experience.
Amamiya smiled warmly. "I'll rely on you, Kashiwagi-san. I hope you'll give me your advice moving forward."
Before Kashiwagi could respond, she suddenly felt a pair of eyes on her.
Turning around, she saw a campus hottie with a side ponytail standing in the corridor, her arms crossed and a subtle expression on her face.
"Wait, wait!" Kashiwagi's face flushed red as she quickly pulled her hand away from Amamiya. "Ai-chan, wait! Let me explain!"
In the blink of an eye, the afternoon bell rang, signaling the end of school.
After the bell, Amamiya got up and made his way to the student council office to begin the handover process.
The former student council president, a boy with a pleasant demeanor, took the time to thoroughly explain the responsibilities. Amamiya listened attentively, taking notes as the president passed on all the necessary information.
They exchanged contact information in case any questions arose. Finally, the president handed over the symbol of the student council's leadership, the gold Aiguillette to Amamiya before turning to leave, casting a nostalgic glance over his shoulder.
The once bustling student council room now fell silent.
But not long after, the door swung open, and a clear, confident voice rang out:
"Amamiya, I'm going to be the vice president!"