Category: Clumsy Student Council President

It’s been a few days since I joined the student council.

Since it had been announced on the school bulletin board, it was already well-known that Arisu and I had joined the student council.

I had been labeled as a delinquent, so I thought that becoming part of the student council would change people’s perceptions of me even a little bit, but…

“Why am I still being treated like a delinquent…?” (Takaki)

After school, I was sitting on the sofa in the student council room with a disheartened expression.

Arisu, who was sitting next to me, responded with a sigh.

“Well, it’s probably because of all the accumulated impression people have for you until now.” (Arisu)

“I have barely talked to these people.” (Takaki)

“It can’t be helped. It’s more about the atmosphere and your image.” (Arisu)

“Hah…” (Takaki)

My sigh echoed emptily in the student council room.

Unfortunately, my isolated high school life continued as it was. Students were still keeping their distance from me.

Furthermore, I felt like there were even more people whispering and gossiping about me. If anything, my situation had slightly worsened.

To those who admired Togami, they probably wondered, “Why is that guy in the student council?”

“About that… it seems that Sashiki-sensei is involved in making the rumors.” (Nadeshiko)

“Huh, sensei?” (Takaki)

Togami, who had been listening to our conversation, broached the subject with an awkward expression.

Sashiki-sensei… What on earth are you doing?

“Hey, what do you mean by that?” (Takaki)

“Well, rumors are circulating that ‘The first year, Gujou, joined the student council to turn over a new leaf under the guidance of the student council president.’.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami confessed reluctantly.

So that means…

“So, basically, the widespread belief is that I joined the student council as a delinquent trying to be reformed under Togami’s guidance?” (Takaki)

“Well, Takaki joined to avoid repeating a year, so it’s not entirely wrong.” (Arisu)

Arisu muttered with a troubled expression.

“I don’t think it’s explicitly stated, but it seems that she has been hinting at it to the other teachers she’s close to. Over time, the rumor has somehow managed to reach the students.” (Nadeshiko)

“No wonder they’re still gossiping about me…” (Takaki)

I slumped onto the table.

Damn, I had hoped that joining the student council would somewhat alleviate my isolation in the class…

At this rate, improvement seemed like a distant prospect.

“But isn’t that awful? Takaki is still a legitimate member.” (Arisu)

“I think so too, but Sashiki-sensei must have her reasons… probably.” (Nadeshiko)

Then, Hourai-senpai, who had been organizing the contents of the cabinet, turned around.

“That’s right. Sashiki-sensei has her own circumstances. Apparently, there have been complaints from the board about the delayed formation of this year’s student council and the composition of the members.” (Misuzu)

“Complaints?” (Takaki)

Hourai-senpai nodded with a conflicted expression.

“Yeah. Things like ‘The president’s leadership might be lacking’ or ‘Is it really okay to have two scholarship students as members?’ It’s just petty complaints. They probably used Gujou’s situation as an easy excuse to complain.” (Misuzu)

“I understand the delayed establishment of the student council, but what’s this about two scholarship students…?” (Takaki)

Hourai-senpai looked surprised at my question.

“Oh, I hadn’t mentioned that before, had I? Like you, Gujou, I’m also attending Reishuu on a scholarship. My family isn’t particularly wealthy.” (Misuzu)

“Is that so? This is the first I’ve heard of it.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I wasn’t hiding it, but it’s not something I go out of my way to tell everyone.” (Misuzu)

“I don’t get why there’d be complaints about that.” (Arisu)

To Arisu, who asked a natural question, Hourai-senpai responded with a wry smile.

“Even though scholarships are an official part of the school system, over ninety percent of the students are non-scholars, meaning they have to pay the fees in full. The fact that the minority makes up half of the student council members probably doesn’t sit well with them. Like I said before, it’s just petty complaints.” (Misuzu)

“I see. So that’s why she said that it was for the sake of my reformation.” (Takaki)

“That’s about the gist of it. Well, if she didn’t have a reason to, I doubt sensei would have mentioned it.” (Misuzu)

That day, the student council meeting ended right before the end of school hours.

While Arisu and I hadn’t been assigned specific tasks yet, we were busy studying the handover materials to learn about our duties. 

Togami and Hourai-senpai, on the other hand, were already deep into practical tasks such as educating us on responsibilities, confirming club activity budgets, and preparing reports notifying other nearby schools about us.

Even though Togami had only been in the student council for less than two weeks, she was quite the diligent student council president.

It’s good that we have such capable leaders.

On my way home, since there was a book I wanted to buy, I parted ways with Arisu at the station and headed alone to the bookstore in the station building.

I found the book I was looking for in the new release corner. However, another book on a nearby ‘recommended’ display caught my eye.

Curious about it, I grabbed the book and skimmed through it from the beginning. The rhythm of the writing was engaging, with just enough hints of what was to come to keep me interested. I got so absorbed in reading that before I knew it, several tens of minutes had passed.

I hurriedly picked up the book I came for and the book I had been reading and stood in line at the checkout.

As I waited in line, I tried to take out my wallet from my backpack, but couldn’t find it anywhere.

“Huh?” (Takaki)

With people starting to line up behind me, I temporarily stepped out of line and opened my backpack.

However, I still couldn’t find my wallet inside the backpack. It wasn’t mixed up with textbooks or the rental tablets either.

Did I drop it at school?

“Oh.” (Takaki)

Come to think of it, I had slipped away during student council activities to buy juice from a vending machine. I remember returning to the student council room and placing my wallet on the desk, but I don’t recall putting it back into my backpack.

I must have left my wallet behind in the student council room.

My IC card is inside my phone case, so I can still get home if I decide to leave now.

But not having my wallet on hand makes me feel uneasy.

“I guess I’ll go and get it…” (Takaki)

I returned the books I got back to the shelf and left the store reluctantly.

I made my way back to school through the now-darkened city. The faint coolness of the evening breeze brushed against me.

Reishuu High School, being a prestigious private school, boasted an unusually large campus area.

Surrounded by lush trees, the luxurious main gate stood out. Beyond the central avenue lined up with trees stood the school buildings with their stylish, almost hotel-like exteriors.

Although official school hours had passed, there were still scattered lights that could be seen. With proper authorization related to committees, club activities, or school events, entering and exiting the school grounds was permissible.

I showed my student ID to the security guard and said, “I’m sorry, I left something in the student council room.”

After that, I just needed to tap my student ID at the gate.

I changed my shoes at the entrance and walked down the quiet corridor illuminated only by emergency lights, making a faint tapping sound with each step.

The school building at night felt much larger than during the day, and the corridors seemed to stretch two or three times longer. As I walked, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t getting any closer to the student council room. I found myself unintentionally quickening my pace. Honestly, it was a bit scary.

Finally, I reached the corridor in front of the student council room.

“Huh?” (Takaki)

Light could be seen leaking out from under the door of the student council room.

For a moment, the phrase “Seven Mysteries of the School¹” crossed my mind.

I wasn’t sure if this particular school had such things.

However, all the student council members had left the room together and should have gone straight home.

I don’t think we forgot to turn off the lights either.

Conscious of my pounding heartbeat, I gently opened the door.

Inside the brightly lit student council room, there was no one.

Seriously, why are you trying to scare me… No, it didn’t scare me. Even though I walked alone through the school building at night, it wasn’t like I was thinking about ghosts or anything.

I quickly made up a weird excuse in my mind and headed towards the desks. However, there was nothing there.

Feeling puzzled, I glanced around.

Then, I noticed an abnormal object on the reception sofa and low table.

“What the…!” (Takaki)

I involuntarily shouted aloud, but I couldn’t help it.

The object turned out to be a person—specifically, a female student from our school.

She was sitting on the sofa, leaning forward over the table, with her long black hair spread out like a pool of blood.

Upon closer look, she seemed to be using her arms as a pillow.

I approached her cautiously. She didn’t seem like a ghost, but I was still a bit scared.

“Mmn…?” (?)

She let out a somewhat cute voice. Looks like my shouting had woke her up.

Through the gaps in her long hair, I could see several documents.

Beside her was an open laptop with a mouse and a half-empty coffee mug.

When I moved the mouse slilghtly, the laptop screen lit up.

On the screen was the Word document app with what seemed like a fresh new document. On Windows Explorer, several folders were open.

After moving the mouse for a while, the girl suddenly jolted up with great force.

“Eh?! Was I asleep!?” (?)

At the same time, there was a loud bang as something hit against the low table and caused it to shake.

“Nnnnn! Ouch… that hurts…” (?)

The girl groaned in pain, clutching her leg. Apparently, she had accidentally hit her leg when waking up.

By that time, I had indeed figured out who this girl was.

“…Togami. Good morning.” (Takaki)

“Eh? Huh? Where am I…?!” (Nadeshiko)

Still confused, Togami suddenly noticed me and jerked her body in surprise.

Her eyes were still half-closed, so she was probably deeply asleep.

Trying to calm the tension, she reached for the coffee mug.

However, in her groggy state, she misjudged the distance and accidentally knocked against the handle with force.

With a dull thud, the mug toppled over, spilling coffee across the table.

“Hiyaaaa!” (Nadeshiko)

Togami let out an unexpectedly cute scream and quickly pushed the documents away. I hurriedly grabbed the laptop and moved it to a safe area.

“Hey, Togami! Tissues! We need some tissues!” (Takaki)

“Oh, um, right!” (Nadeshiko)

We scrambled to clean up the spilled coffee, but thankfully, there wasn’t much coffee inside the cup so it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.

After all the commotion, Togami seemed to have fully woken up, as she now spoke with a refreshed expression.

“Good morning, Gujou-san.” (Nadeshiko)

“It’s almost impressive how you can keep a straight face in this situation…” (Takaki)

“What a coincidence to meet you here. Do you have business in the student council room at this hour?” (Nadeshiko)

“Are you just going to act like nothing happened from five minutes ago?!” (Takaki)

Togami continued to push her usual attitude. It seemed a bit excessive to pretend like nothing had happened.

“Well, let’s set aside the coffee incident for now.” (Nadeshiko)

“So we’re avoiding it after all?” (Takaki)

Nevertheless, there was something I wanted to address first.

Taking a deep breath, I decided to get to the point.

“So, Togami, what are you doing here in the student council room at this hour? It’s well past the official closing time, and we just left together not long ago.” (Takaki)

“W-Well, you see…” (Nadeshiko)

Togami stuttered, glancing nervously at the documents and the laptop we had moved.

I already had a good idea of what these were.

“This is the document for the report to the nearby high schools, right?” (Takaki)

“…” (Nadeshiko)

“I remember it being already finished when I left, and it was supposed to be submitted by tomorrow.” (Takaki)

“…” (Nadeshiko)

Togami unnaturally tilted her head and continued avoiding my gaze stubbornly.

Well, even without her saying anything, I could pretty much guess what was going on.

—The student council room was still lit up after school hours.

—Togami was staying back alone.

—Scattered documents and active laptop.

—The contents of the Word document were nearly blank except for the title.

—The presence of coffee.

—Togami, who had fallen asleep face-down on the desk.

—Togami, who got flustered and bumped her leg when I called out to her.

—Togami, who is terrible at covering things up.

From all this, one conclusion could be drawn.

“Could it be that… the report hadn’t been finished yet?” (Takaki)

After a full ten seconds of silence, Togami finally responded in a flustered voice.

“…N-No, t-t-that’s not what happened!” (Nadeshiko)

“That sounds exactly like something someone guilty would say.” (Takaki)

“Gujou-san, you shouldn’t accuse someone without evidence.” (Nadeshiko)

“There’s overwhelming evidence! Just let me look at the laptop and it’ll be obvious.” (Takaki)

“Ah! Wait, please! Don’t look at it!” (Nadeshiko)

As I stood up, Togami hurriedly stood up as well.

But then, with another dull thud sound, the coffee table shook again.

“Oww!” (Nadeshiko)

Togami, who had bumped her foot, collapsed on the spot…. again.

“Are you okay?” (Takaki)

“Ugh… hitting the same spot twice… I’m definitely getting a bruise…” (Nadeshiko)

It seemed she had hit the same spot earlier when she woke up.

Although I feel sorry for Togami, who had tears in her eyes, I took advantage of this opportunity to check the laptop on the desk.

The document on display was almost completely blank.

The template was there, but aside from that, it’s almost untouched.

Out of the corner of my eye, I looked at Togami. She seemed to have resigned herself to the situation, sitting there looking dejected.

Her usually slender figure now seemed somewhat shrunken.

Maybe Togami was more of a klutz than I thought.

“…Haa.” (Takaki)

I let out a sigh.

I thought student council activities were going smoothly as expected.

Then suddenly, a dark cloud loomed over from nowhere.

Togami and I sat facing each other on the sofa, deciding to sort out the situation for now.

On the coffee table were documents, a laptop, and a mouse lined up—like evidence in a case.

Togami wore a disheartened expression, showing no intention of starting the conversation herself.

I turned the laptop screen towards Togami, showing her the nearly blank document file.

“This report needs to be submitted by tomorrow, right?” (Takaki)

“That’s the plan.” (Nadeshiko)

“But it’s not done.” (Takaki)

“No, it’s not.” (Nadeshiko)

“Don’t just calmly agree like that. Are you malfunctioning?” (Takaki)

“But I was taught to respond firmly.” (Nadeshiko)

“Responding firmly without actually understanding anything is useless, you know.” (Takaki)

She looks like the type to say “Got it!” without actually getting it at all.

With a skeptical look, I listened as Togami started quickly explaining herself.

“I had it completed when I left today! I just needed Hourai-senpai to give it a final check.” (Nadeshiko)

“Oh?” (Takaki)

“However, on my way home, I remembered a mistake and returned to the student council room to fix it before the end of today. While I was working on that… inexplicably, the document disappeared.” (Nadeshiko)

“Huh?” (Takaki)

“It wasn’t due to a mistake or anything; I hadn’t done anything, yet the file vanished!” (Nadeshiko)

“Did you seriously not do anything?” (Takaki)

“I swear! I just made a little typing mistake, had multiple tabs open, and was hitting some keys when suddenly—” (Nadeshiko)

“Isn’t that the cause right there!” (Takaki)

Listening to her was giving me a headache.

Was our student council president really this clumsy at her work?

“So, I started redoing it, but then I accidentally used last year’s format halfway through, and my brain just blanked out on what to do.” (Nadeshiko)

“Don’t say ‘blanked out on what to do’. You made a careless mistake and fell asleep.” (Takaki)

“Well, you could put it that way too.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami must have realized that she was in a disadvantageous position so she pursed her lips and fell silent.

I straightened up on the sofa’s backrest and started the conversation a bit more brightly.

“Well, for now, it’s clear that Togami is very clumsy.” (Takaki)

“W-What do you mean by clumsy!” (Nadeshiko)

Togami responded with discontent.

“You accidentally deleted documents, made mistakes in the template, brewed coffee and even fell asleep. Plus, you’ve bumped into the desk multiple times already.” (Takaki)

“Ugh…” (Nadeshiko)

Togami pressed her hands against her chest and bent over. I wondered what she was doing, but then I saw her whispering something into her phone.

“Hey Siri, help me…” (Nadeshiko)

“Siri might be smart, but she’s not much use in situations like this.” (Takaki)

“W-Well, what else can I do?! I don’t have any other friends I can rely on!” (Nadeshiko)

“I unexpectedly learned something sad…” (Takaki)

Well, being respected by others and having reliable friends are two different matters. There’s a saying about keeping respect at a distance, after all.

“Or rather, Gujou-san, aren’t you also seen as an outsider at school?” (Nadeshiko)

“Well, saying that to my face…” (Takaki)

“Heh, I can’t afford to worry about such things. Are you really in a position to say that about me, Gujou-san?” (Nadeshiko)

“But, I have Arisu.” (Takaki)

“She’s more like a childhood friend than just a friend, right?” (Nadeshiko)

“Well, yeah…” (Takaki)

“Do you have any guy friends?” (Nadeshiko)

“Then I’ll ask you, do you have childhood friends?” (Takaki)

“Isn’t that unfair?” (Nadeshiko)

“…” (Takaki)

“…” (Nadeshiko)

“…Shouldn’t we stop this conversation? It’s just going to hurt both of us.” (Takaki)

“…Yeah.” (Nadeshiko)

An awkward silence filled the air, and we both fell silent.

Soon, Togami buried her head in her hands and collapsed onto the table.

“Haa… It’s over… My career as the student council president ends here.” (Nadeshiko)

“Career? You’ve only just started.” (Takaki)

It hadn’t even been a week since the new student council was established.

“Gujou-san, with this as evidence, you’re going to expose me as a useless klutz who acts all high and mighty as president and ruin my reputation, aren’t you?” (Nadeshiko)

“I’m not going to do anything like that!” (Takaki)

“Haha, well, congratulations… The student council presidency position is all yours now.” (Nadeshiko)

“I’m not particularly interested in being the student council president.” (Takaki)

Most people wouldn’t be. Frankly, being the student council president seems like a hassle.

Nevertheless, Togami’s negative mindset persisted.

“I’ll be expelled from the student council, branded as ‘the incompetent former student council president’ for the rest of my life…” (Nadeshiko)

“Even if that happens, it’ll all be over once we graduate high school.” (Takaki)

“Heh, you seem so confident, future student council president…” (Nadeshiko)

“I told you, I’m not going to be one.” (Takaki)

“Please, scatter my ashes on a hill overlooking the sea…” (Nadeshiko)

“Don’t turn into ashes! And I won’t scatter anything!” (Takaki)

Seeing Togami’s worn-out expression, I sighed.

I couldn’t just leave her like this.

I pulled the laptop closer and glanced at the nearby documents.

Indeed, there were many blank sections, but the template was already prepared. Given the amount left, we could finish it in an hour.

“We’re going to finish this now.” (Takaki)

“Huh?” (Nadeshiko)

“The document. With two people, we can get it done quicker. Not finishing it now would be inefficient.” (Takaki)

When I said this, Togami’s eyes widened in surprise.

But she quickly recovered and sat up straight on the sofa.

“Y-Yes… you’re right. Then, I’ll handle the typing. I have some confidence in my typing speed.” (Nadeshiko)

“Got it. I’ll leave that to you.” (Takaki)

After that, we proceeded to work on the document together.

Togami’s claim about her typing speed turned out to be true. As long as I gave her precise instructions, the work progressed smoothly. Although, occasionally, she would make a mistake..

Her basic capabilities were indeed high. Well, if they were too low, there wouldn’t be much that could be done to fix things.

Once we focused on the task at hand, everything was a straightforward process. In less than an hour, the document was completed.

By then, it was already past 8 PM.

I’m usually in charge of cooking at home, but today I’ll settle for some frozen food or discounted supermarket bento.

“Togami. Did you tell your family you’d be late?” (Takaki)

I asked, suddenly feeling curious.

Knowing Togami, there’s a good chance she completely forgot.

As expected, Togami shook her head, but she didn’t seem particularly concerned.

“It’s fine. No one there worries about me anyways.” (Nadeshiko)

Her words seem to have a hint of something, but our relationship isn’t close enough for me to pry into it.

“Well, as long as you’re okay, Togami, there’s no problem.” (Takaki)

With a daughter as beautiful as her, you’d think her parents might be a bit overprotective. But it’s not my place to comment on someone’s family situation.

After locking up the student council room, Togami and I walked together towards the school gate.

Just as we were about to reach the gate, Togami, who had seemed like she wanted to say something, finally spoke up.

“Um, Gujou-san, about today…” (Nadeshiko)

“Do you think it’s better if I don’t tell the other student council members?” (Takaki)

When I anticipated what she was going to ask, she immediately bowed her head.

“Please. I’m begging you.” (Nadeshiko)

“Hey, you don’t have to say it like that. Come on, lift your head.” (Takaki)

I glanced around involuntarily, but there was no one else in the school at this hour.

Togami’s long hair blended into the darkness, and her pale skin stood out. Her faintly glowing face wore a serious expression.

“Today was just a coincidence, so please don’t worry about it. I’ll be more careful to prevent such things from happening in the future.” (Nadeshiko)

“If something troubles you next time, let me know sooner. We’re teammates in the student council after all.” (Takaki)

“No. From now on, I won’t make any such mistakes, so there’s no need to worry. I am the student council president, after all.” (Nadeshiko)

“Well, as long as it doesn’t affect our work, it’s fine.” (Takaki)

“Thank you very much for today. I’ll be going this way now. Bye.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami briskly walked past the security office and headed in the direction of the station. Without looking back, she continued on her way.

Watching her retreating figure, I muttered to myself.

“Actually, I’m going the same way.” (Takaki)

As expected, Togami still had her moments of being a klutz.

---

Thanks for reading!

Oof, that couple one is unfortunate. If the student council had more people and more cliques, then they could simply not interact with each other.

Suggestion box is like one of the classic student council things. My school also implemented such a thing and although I wasn’t the one managing it (yes, I was in student council), I heard some of the suggestions given were “Buy and keep fishes in a tank in the student lounge area”, “Have a sandwich-making machine for when stalls are closed after club activities”, “Put more games in the student lounge area”, and “Extend recess time”. These are the only ones I remember.

Apparently, the school announced they were going to do the sandwich-making one, but I graduated before I could see it be implemented so idk if it worked.

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1. Apparently, it’s pretty common for a school to have their very own seven mysteries, probably to tell ghost stories.

The day after I became a student council member in exchange for preventing my retention…

I dragged my heavy feet to the student council room after school.

Over the past six months, perhaps due to actively avoiding troublesome matters, I had developed a strong aversion to work.

If possible, I wanted to shove the work onto the other members and take it easy… 

As I entertained such wicked thoughts, I arrived at the student council room.

Each member was given a key to the student council room. Unlike in middle school, there was no need to go to the staff room, call a teacher, and get the key, which was a relief.

Standing in front of the door, I sensed someone already inside, so I opened it.

“Gujou-san, good afternoon. You’re here early.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami, who was standing by the window of the student council room, turned towards me.

He was holding a small red watering can. Apparently, she had been watering the potted plant placed by the window.

“You’re the earlier one, Togami.” (Takaki)

“Well, today is my first official duty of the student council. I need to be fully prepared.” (Nadeshiko)

With that, Togami smiled warmly.

While I was busy thinking about ways to avoid work instead of getting pumped up, I felt a slight twinge of guilt and averted my gaze.

After waiting for a while, Arisu arrived.

“Oh, you two are early.” (Arisu)

“You’re late, Arisu.” (Takaki)

“Good afternoon, Yura-san.” (Nadeshiko)

As we exchanged greetings, Arisu placed her bag on the reception sofa and sat down.

She glanced around the room for a moment and then murmured softly.

“You know, with just a few of us, this place feels quite spacious. Even the quality of the furnishings seems good, and having a room like this inside the school feels strange.” (Arisu)

“The student council has a long history, so items brought in by previous members have remained. Besides, as the student council of Reishuu High School, a certain level of prestige is required.” (Nadeshiko)

“Is that how it is…?” (Arisu)

It seemed that even the student council is expected to maintain a certain level of prestige at this school.

I began to worry if it was really okay to include a slacker like me in the student council.

At that moment, the door of the student council room swung open with a loud noise.

“Everyone, sorry I’m late!” (?)

With an energetic tone, a girl with black hair tied in a ponytail burst into the room.

She was as beautiful as Togami, but her slightly droopy eyes made her approachable rather than intimidating, giving off a somewhat friendly vibe.

Her healthy complexion and toned physique gave off the impression of being a very active person.

Judging by the color of her tie, she’s a second-year student.

She must be the last remaining student council member.

“Good afternoon, Hourai-senpai.” (Nadeshiko)

“Hey, Togami. Sorry, homeroom took longer than expected.” (Misuzu)

The senpai, called Hourai, apologized to Togami with a remorseful look.

“We just arrived ourselves, so please don’t worry about it. Besides, classes and homeroom should take priority.” (Nadeshiko)

“I see, that’s a relief… Oh! These two must be the first-years who joined.” (Misuzu)

Hourai-senpai turned towards us, her ponytail swaying, and flashed a charming smile.

“I’m Hourai Misuzu, a second-year. I was the secretary in last year’s student council, and this year, I’m continuing as vice president. Nice to meet you!” (Misuzu)

Hourai-senpai extended her hand gracefully.

For a moment, I was puzzled, unsure of what was happening, but it seemed she was asking for a handshake.

“T-Thank you. I’m Gujou from Class 1-B. I’ll be serving as the secretary this year.” (Takaki)

I shook her hand back, conscious of not sweating.

Her palm felt surprisingly firm for a girl. Perhaps she played a sport. From my first impression, it seemed like she could be into kendo¹ or naginata².

“Ah, so you’re Gujou-kun! I’ve heard a few things about you.” (Misuzu)

“Haha… I hope they weren’t bad things.” (Takaki)

“Don’t worry about it. It’s premature to judge someone based solely on rumors.” (Misuzu)

“That’s basically confirming that you heard bad things about me.” (Takaki)

“You catch on quickly. You seem dependable as a student council member.” (Misuzu)

Despite the circumstances, I was complimented somehow. I couldn’t help but feel pleased with myself for it, which probably made me quite easy to please.

At that moment, Arisu, who was next to me, gave me a sharp glare.

“How long are you going to keep holding hands…” (Arisu)

She muttered quietly, but I heard it.

I mean, it’s not like I wanted to hold hands in the first place. I quickly released her hand while making excuses in my mind. Suddenly, Arisu swiftly cut in from the side. Her agility reminded me of a seagull swooping in to snatch food from tourists at the beach.

“Um, senpai! I’m Yura from Class 1-F. Nice to meet you.” (Arisu)

“Oh, you’re the treasurer, right? Thank you so much for joining the student council!” (Misuzu)

Arisu, who seemed unusually guarded, stared intently at senpai. Senpai, on the other hand, seemed unfazed and shook her hand firmly. She appeared straightforward and genuine.

“By the way, your hair color is quite unusual.” (Misuzu)

Hourai-senpai couldn’t help but stare at Arisu’s silver hair.

Silver hair is uncommon among high school students, which can be surprising for someone seeing it for the first time unless they’re an adult.

“Oh, um, it’s not dyed, actually… My mother is from Northern Europe.” (Arisu)

Arisu wore a somewhat uncomfortable expression. While she has a bright personality nowadays, she had been teased about her hair color a lot in elementary school, which sometimes made her feel down.

When asked about her hair color by someone she just met, it might have brought back memories of those times.

As I pondered whether to intervene, Hourai-senpai nodded thoughtfully.

“I see. I thought your hair was quite beautiful. I’m envious.” (Misuzu)

“Oh… really? Um, thank you.” (Arisu)

Arisu’s eyes widened in surprise. She seemed taken aback by her senpai’s sincere words.

After releasing her hand, Arisu returned to my side and whispered softly.

“She’s a nice person, that senpai.” (Arisu)

I have no right to say this, but she’s quite easy to please, isn’t she?

Togami, who had been watching the two interact, smiled happily.

“Now that everyone’s introduced themselves, let’s begin our student council activities.” (Nadeshiko)

And so, the first official duties of the student council commenced.

This year’s student council consisted of Togami as president, Hourai-senpai as vice president, myself as secretary, and Arisu as treasurer. We really could use a general affairs officer, but there’s no helping it if we don’t have one.

“Let’s start by explaining the duties of the student council.” (Nadeshiko)

As Togami said this, Hourai-senpai handed out a thin booklet. The cover read “Student Council Manual – Latest Reiwa³ Edition”. It sounded like some mysterious product with questionable Japanese from Amazon.

“The basic contents are written in this manual. It’s also stored on the student council’s shared server, so if you ever need it, please refer to it.” (Nadeshiko)

Flipping through the pages, the second one displayed Reishuu High School’s organizational chart.

The executive bodies of Reishuu High School consisted of the student council and various committees, alongside independent associations like the Sports Union and Cultural Union. While the student council held higher authority in terms of power balance, committees and club unions also wielded significant influence. That seemed to be the general structure.

Subsequent pages illustrated the flow of the school year centered around events. Alongside were entries detailing the student council’s tasks organized by time period.

Key responsibilities included allocating budgets for clubs and committees, organizing school events such as cultural festivals, sports days, Christmas events, as well as managing ceremonies like entrance and graduation ceremonies, and overseeing inter-school charity events in collaboration with neighboring high schools. They also help coordinate school clubs when they participate in local festivals and events.

“Also included are tasks like consulting on club activities, mediating disputes, handling media relations for students who attract attention, writing columns for the alumni newsletter sent to former students, and sometimes dealing with detailed requests from the teachers.” (Nadeshiko)

In short, it seemed like a job overseeing school events and various miscellaneous tasks.

Seems like a hassle… I sighed inwardly, only for Togami to add another blow.

“In addition to those, starting this year, we also have to manage the ‘Suggestion Box’.” (Nadeshiko)

“Suggestion Box?” (Takaki)

Come to think of it, I vaguely remember him mentioning that during his speech.

“Is the ‘Suggestion Box’ where we collect various opinions from students?” (Arisu)

Togami nodded in response to Arisu’s question.

“Yes, that’s right. The goal of this year’s student council is to be ‘a student council that empathizes with the students’. So, we want to accept a wide range of suggestions not only for the school but also for student life concerns.” (Nadeshiko)

“That’s a commendable approach.” (Misuzu)

Hourai-senpai praised, and Togami blinked bashfully. Arisu also looked at Togami with admiration.

“Can I say something?” (Takaki)

I spoke up, and Togami turned to me with a composed expression.

“Yes, what is it?” (Nadeshiko)

“Well, considering we already have a shortage of members in the student council this year, I don’t think it’s wise to increase our workload by adding the ‘Suggestion Box’. It’s just going to make things more burdensome for us.” (Takaki)

That’s my honest opinion, though I believe this statement hits the mark quite well.

“Hmm, now that you mention it…” (Arisu)

Arisu looked thoughtful, seeming to agree somewhat.

I felt like one more push could seal the deal. However, Togami shook her head.

“We are indeed short-handed, but this was one of our campaign promises.” (Nadeshiko)

“Nobody remembers campaign promises from speeches anyway.” (Takaki)

My candid thoughts slipped out unintentionally. However, Hourai-senpai responded firmly.

“Ignoring campaign promises would go against the student council rules. As Togami said, let’s go ahead with setting up the Suggestion Box.” (Misuzu)

“Student council rules?” (Takaki)

When I asked about the unfamiliar term, Hourai-senpai showed me the back pages of the student handbook.

She pointed to a section that read like this:

—To fulfill the campaign promises of the student council within the limits of the law and school regulations.

“…Sounds unnecessarily grand.” (Takaki)

“Haha, well, it was written a long time ago. Essentially, it means the student council must uphold its promises to the fullest extent while adhering to school regulations. It takes precedence over club and committee regulations.” (Misuzu)

“So our school has a lot of these complicated rules, huh?” (Takaki)

“The student council operates under various rules, so it’s good to have them memorized.” (Misuzu)

“Seriously…” (Takaki)

It felt burdensome, especially for someone like me who hadn’t even properly memorized an English vocabulary list.

Seeing me looking dejected, Togami smiled softly. Feeling embarrassed, I scratched my head and looked away.

“So, where are we going to set up the Suggestion Box?” (Arisu)

Togami smoothly responded.

“We’ll set up a wooden box next to the student council room hallway. Additionally, we’ll accept suggestions through the official student council social media accounts.” (Nadeshiko)

“Oh, that sounds pretty modern! By the way, are you planning to buy a wooden box?” (Misuzu)

“No, we’ll just repurpose one from several generations ago when the student council also had a Suggestion Box.” (Nadeshiko)

Saying this, Togami proudly pulled out the box from the back of the cupboard.

On the front of the box, there’s a plate labeled “Suggestion Box”, with a long horizontal slot on the top. It feels like a wooden version of the election boxes I’ve seen on the news. There’s a door on the back with a key, which gives access to the contents inside.

“With this, the explanation of our duties is complete. Now, I’ll go ahead and place this outside.” (Nadeshiko)

“Are you okay going alone?” (Arisu)

“Yes, no problem at all.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami carried the box and left the room.

A slightly relaxed atmosphere filled the room, and unknowingly, I felt the tension leaving my body.

“I feel tired even though we haven’t done any work yet…” (Arisu)

Arisu slumped over the desk with a sigh of exhaustion. I felt the same.

Hourai-senpai, who was watching us, smiled gently

“Good job, both of you. Just wait a moment, I’ll go make some tea.” (Misuzu)

She took a tea canister from the cupboard and skillfully brewed cups of tea for us. It was impressive that the student council room was equipped with an electric kettle and tea set.

As we sipped from our tea cups, Hourai-senpai began to speak.

“By the way, there’s something I wanted to ask you two as members of the student council.” (Misuzu)

“What is it?” (Arisu)

When Arisu and I turned our gaze towards her, Hourai-senpai placed her hand over her mouth and spoke with a hint of embarrassment.

“Um… are you two dating?” (Misuzu)

“Eh?” (Takaki)

“Whaaat!?” (Arisu)

Arisu and I responded in sync.

Perhaps flustered by the question, Arisu hastily set down her tea cup.

“N-No, it’s not like that at all.” (Arisu)

“Is that so? You two seemed quite close.” (Misuzu)

Hourai-senpai still seemed skeptical, prompting Arisu to blush and explain further.

“W-We’re just childhood friends! We just coincidentally happened to be put together by Sashiki-sensei into the student council! it’s not like I joined the student council so that I can spend more time together with him after school or anything like that!” (Arisu)

“I see, sorry for asking something rude. I just wanted to clarify before we start working.” (Misuzu)

Hourai-senpai spoke with a distant look in her eyes.

“Actually, there was a couple in last year’s student council. They were so close that everyone could see it, and the other council members quietly cheered them on from the sidelines..” (Misuzu)

“Is that so?” (Nadeshiko)

“We would subtly allocate tasks they could do together, or create opportunities for them to be alone. Even though it wasn’t about me, it was quite enjoyable in its own way.” (Misuzu)

“That’s nice… being supported by those around you in a relationship…” (Arisu)

Arisu murmured with a dreamy expression.

“Do you think so, Yura?” (Misuzu)

“Yes! I mean, if you’re going to be together, wouldn’t you want everyone’s support? Like getting encouragement when you confess, and having people to talk to after you start dating… I think those are every girl’s dream!” (Arisu)

“Hmm, that sounds romantic. I like that kind of thing too.” (Misuzu)

“Right? Right?” (Arisu)

Watching Yura cheerfully talk, Hourai-senpai smiled softly. Despite her initially stern demeanor, she seemed to harbor a longing for romance.

However, her expression darkened, and in a slightly lower tone, she continued.

“But you see, then… Just before the end of their term in the student council, that couple broke up.” (Misuzu)

“Eh?” (Arisu)

“No matter how close they used to be, being together at work after such an event must have been unbearable. It was like hell… They couldn’t avoid each other because of work, but having them together made the atmosphere heavy… We were all concerned, and it affected our efficiency…” (Misuzu)

Hourai-senpai sighed heavily.

Certainly, there are indeed risks involved when couples form within such a group.

Even in middle school, I’ve heard several stories about couples within clubs breaking up, causing tension within the whole group. In university, I’ve heard there are even people known as “circle crashers”, who disrupt circles (clubs), and I’ve even heard that some companies have strict policies against office romances.

“So, that’s what I was worried about if you two were dating. But if you’re not, then that’s irrelevant! I’m relieved!” (Misuzu)

“Y-Yes, that’s right… Hahaha…” (Arisu)

Arisu answered in a somewhat awkward tone while Hourai-senpai looked relieved.

She sure is lively, going from cheerful to downcast to relieved.

I was unsure of what to say from the beginning and was silently hoping that Togami would come back soon.

Just as the silence fell, the door opened and Togami returned.

“Sorry about that, I had a bit of trouble cleaning up the place.” (Nadeshiko)

“No, no, we were just having fun talking, so don’t worry about it. If anything, if it was difficult, I should have offered to help.” (Misuzu)

“Setting up the suggestion box was more of a personal whim, so please don’t worry about it.” (Nadeshiko)

With that, Togami brewed a cup of coffee, took a mug, and settled onto the sofa.

Looks like we’re taking a break.

Everyone sipped their drinks, and a calm atmosphere settled in. While the student council itself was troublesome, moments like these weren’t so bad after all.

Lost in such thoughts, Togami suddenly spoke up.

“Um, there’s something I wanted to ask Gujou-san and Yura-san.” (Nadeshiko)

“What is it?” (Arisu)

Togami looked at Arisu and then turned to me.

What is it…?

Eventually gathering her courage, Togami blushed slightly and asked.

“Are you two… dating?” (Nadeshiko)

“Bufuu—!!” (Arisu)

Arisu spewed out the tea she had in her mouth, aiming it right at my face.

“Idiot! Don’t aim it at me!!” (Takaki)

“*cough cough* I-It can’t be helped *cough*!” (Arisu)

I hurriedly grabbed tissues from the box and wiped my soaked face.

Arisu also took out a handkerchief to cover her mouth, but it seemed like some of the tea had gone down the wrong way, causing her to cough for a while.

Several seconds passed.

Finally seeing both of us calm down, Togami nodded as if understanding something.

“Judging from that reaction… you two are dating, aren’t you?” (Nadeshiko)

“No!!” (Takaki & Arisu)

Our voices synchronized perfectly in denial.

---

Thanks for reading!

Oof, that couple one is unfortunate. If the student council had more people and more cliques, then they could simply not interact with each other.

Suggestion box is like one of the classic student council things. My school also implemented such a thing and although I wasn’t the one managing it (yes, I was in student council), I heard some of the suggestions given were “Buy and keep fishes in a tank in the student lounge area”, “Have a sandwich-making machine for when stalls are closed after club activities”, “Put more games in the student lounge area”, and “Extend recess time”. These are the only ones I remember.

Apparently, the school announced they were going to do the sandwich-making one, but I graduated before I could see it be implemented so idk if it worked.

---

1. Kendo is the one where they used bamboo swords to fight.
2. Naginata is the one where they used a spear-like weapon thing to fight. Just imagine a spear, but more japanese if that makes any sense.
3. Reiwa era is the current era of Japan, and it started from 2019.

“Gujou-san, you’re joining the student council.” (?)

“…Huh?” (Takaki)

During the early October after school…

As usual, I was summoned to the staff room and was currently facing my homeroom teacher, Sashiki-sensei, in the reception area which was separated by partitions.

I felt like I had just heard the name of some mysterious organization called the student council.

For now, I stayed silent, and Sashiki-sensei continued talking without seeming to mind.

“Didn’t you hear that? Gujou-san, you will be joining the student council. As for your position, let’s see, for now, you’ll be the secretary~” (Sashiki)

“Sorry, this is too sudden, I can’t comprehend it.” (Takaki)

“To put it simply, Gujou-san, at this rate, you will have to repeat the year. The only way to avoid that is to join the student council.” (Sashiki)

Despite saying something so terrifying, Sashiki-sensei smiled sweetly and tilted her head.

She was a young teacher in her mid-twenties, and her main teaching subject was World History.

Her loosely wavy, semi-long brown hair suited her somewhat youthful face well. Yet, her attire—a white blouse and a moss-green skirt—exuded a mature composure.

It is unclear whether this has connections to her popularity among male students, but it was said that there were hardly any students sleeping during Sashiki-sensei’s classes. Instead, the vending machines in the school would be sold out of canned coffee and energy drinks before her lessons.

It was a touching display of effort from the male students.

“Repeating a year? Did I do something wrong?” (Takaki)

“Being late, sleeping in class, failing grades, and not submitting assignments… I told you before summer break that at this rate, you might be held back a year, didn’t I?” (Sashiki)

“I might have heard rumors of such things.” (Takaki)

“Why are you speaking as if I never told you? This isn’t the first or second time you’ve been called here, right!?” (Sashiki)

Sashiki-sensei puffed out her cheeks in anger.

It was amazing how this gesture came off as genuinely cute rather than harsh. No wonder the male students tried so hard to impress her.

I found myself in these one-on-one meetings with Sashiki-sensei quite frequently.

Writing it this way might make it seem enviable among the boys, but it’s nothing of the sort.

She was just providing much-needed guidance to the most notorious failing student in her class.

Usually, this kind of “much-needed guidance” wasn’t appreciated by the recipient.

“Still, Gujou-san, I don’t remember your entrance exam scores being that bad. How did it come to this?” (Sashiki)

“They say it’s never too late for a person to change.”  (Takaki)

“I believe that’s meant to be used in a positive context…” (Sashiki)

Seeing the troubled look on her face, I couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty. She’s a good teacher, genuinely concerned about her students’ grades.

But then again, I’m not failing because I want to fail.

Just before starting school, there was a lot of turmoil at home, and during spring break, I couldn’t focus on studying at all.

Because of that, I started high school on the wrong foot. I missed the time to join clubs and I couldn’t keep up with my studies.

Having friends would have made it a bit easier, but I also failed at making friends.

I hate to admit it, but I have a menacing look in my eyes. My facial muscles are oddly stiff, making my entire expression unfriendly. My voice is often described as intimidating.

There was a time when I was smiling while watching cute animal videos on my phone, and Arisu said, “You look like a criminal from Detective Conan¹ when they’re setting up a trap.” That’s an extreme opposite of a smile.

Still, until elementary school, just living in the neighborhood was enough to make friends. Even when half of my middle school classmates were the same in elementary school, I managed to get along.

In fact, there was even a running joke when they would tell me “Your face is too scary!” to which I would respond, “It’s just how I was born!”

I genuinely believed that I would quickly make friends in high school too.

However, after a while, I noticed that my classmates were strangely avoiding me. When I talked to them, they seemed unusually tense and forced a smile. They quickly ended the conversation and hastily left the scene.

I even checked the mirror multiple times, wondering if there was something on my face.

Then, one day in May, while looking in the mirror, it suddenly dawned on me.

Could it be that I’m scary?

There were plenty of reasons to consider. Reishuu High School was the top school in the area, and you rarely saw delinquent-looking people there, unlike in middle school. 

While old acquaintances might overlook my appearance, new people might judge me solely on my looks and think, “He seems dangerous.” After all, apparently, I had the face of a culprit from Detective Conan.

Realizing this one morning before school, I immediately began practicing a non-threatening smile.

Even after leaving home, I would walk while checking my face with my phone’s front camera.

And then—I fell down the stairs and broke my ankle.

The hospitalization only lasted two weeks, but during that time, I couldn’t study at all.

High school tends to gather students with similar academic levels, unlike public middle schools, where the children just come from the neighborhood.

In middle school, I was one of the top students, but in high school, at best, I was below average.

Coupling this with a brief period of hospitalization, my grades in the midterm exams of the first semester were a disaster.

As a result, after starting high school, I ended up being unable to study, not joining any clubs, and having no friends.

Thus, I completely lost all motivation for high school life.

If I couldn’t get up in the morning, I’d be late, and during classes, I would just zone out or fall asleep. My grumpy face right after waking up probably looked even scarier, causing my classmates to be visibly frightened more often.

As a result, I got labeled as the “dropout delinquent”.

I’m not really a delinquent, but at this point, I don’t feel like correcting anyone’s misunderstanding. Besides, I didn’t even know who to explain this to.

The only person I know from before who moved on to the same high school is Arisu. She occasionally talks to me, but since we’re in different classes, it’s not very frequent. 

Lately, we might chat a bit if we end up on the same train, but even those opportunities have dwindled due to me being late for school.

Also, I’m worried that I might inconvenience Arisu by being around her. It makes me hesitate to talk to her myself.

And so, this negative spiral has only intensified, leading to where I am now.

Sashiki-sensei let out a small sigh.

“The school has some discretion in handling these matters, but Gujou-san, your reputation among the teachers isn’t great either~ It wouldn’t be surprising if the possibility of repeating a year comes up.” (Sashiki)

“I’d appreciate it if you could put me in a more positive light, Sensei.” (Takaki)

“If there’s a way for me to, I would.” (Sashiki)

In other words, I was being told there weren’t many positive things to say about me.

Through our conversations, I’ve come to realize this teacher has quite a sharp tongue, despite her attractive appearance.

“Well then, with that in mind, you can earn some commendations through student council activities!” (Sashiki)

She raised her index finger as if to say it was a brilliant idea.

“Oh, is that why the student council was brought up?” (Takaki)

“It’s a straightforward solution, isn’t it?” (Sashiki)

“I understand it’s important to earn commendations. But why the student council?” (Takaki)

When I asked, Sashiki-sensei put her hand to her cheek and made a troubled expression.

“Well, truth be told, I was kind of pushed into… no, I mean, I humbly accepted the role as the advisor due to being a young teacher.” (Sashiki)

“You’re letting your true feelings slip.” (Takaki)

“Let’s leave the adult reasons aside.” (Sashiki)

She clapped her hands together and changed the subject.

“Adult reasons” is such a convenient phrase. I wish I could skirt around things with “child reasons” too.

“This year, the number of people wishing to join the student council has been low, and we still don’t have enough members.” (Sashiki)

“Not enough members?” (Takaki)

“That’s right. We need to cover various positions to run the student council such as president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary…” (Sashiki)

The term “not enough people” was something I had only heard in the context of public high school entrance exams.

“The new president is the one who gave that speech, right?” (Takaki)

I remember she was elected smoothly through a vote of confidence.

“Yes, that’s right. It’s Togami Nadeshiko from Class 1-H.” (Sashiki)

“Seems like she’s quite popular, though. Shouldn’t you have no trouble gathering members?” (Takaki)

“Well~ that’s what I thought too. But maybe it’s because she’s popular that makes it difficult for students to approach her about it. Or maybe they felt like it’s okay to not join since others will handle it.” (Sashiki)

I see. Sometimes, admiration can create a barrier, making it difficult to approach someone. Or perhaps being around someone impressive highlights your own shortcomings and makes you uncomfortable.

And of course, there’s also the simple possibility that the student council work seems like too much hassle.

“Wait, so how many members are there supposed to be in total?” (Takaki)

“The quota is four people, and currently, including the president, we only have two.” (Sashiki)

“Seriously?” (Takaki)

“We’d ideally like five or more, but we can’t afford to be picky.” (Sashiki)

With only half of the positions filled, the situation was more dire than I had imagined.

“So, that’s why I’ve been stressed lately.” (Sashiki)

“…And then along came me with my terrible grades, so you thought, ‘Here’s my chance,’ and pushed the position onto me.” (Takaki)

“Gujo-san, please don’t say it like it’s a bad thing. This is a win-win situation.” (Sashiki)

“Well, if it means I can avoid repeating a year, it works for me too.” (Takaki)

If I had been okay with repeating a year, I wouldn’t be here at school right now. If such a situation was tossed onto me out of nowhere, I would definitely start to panic.

These days, I know there are other paths available if you wish to stray away from the norm. Still, the fear of taking those paths remains, and some people, despite feeling constrained, still want to aim for a safer future.

“Alright then, it’s settled~ I’ll give you the paperwork, so please fill it out quickly here. Let’s assign you as the secretary.” (Sashiki)

Sashiki-sensei, humming cheerfully, handed me a ballpoint pen and the documents.

“Well, I’m fine with it, but… we still need one more person to fill the positions, right? Do you have someone in mind for that?” (Takaki)

“Hehe, well~” (Sashiki)

As I asked, Sashiki-sensei gently pressed a finger to her lips.

Was that a signal to keep quiet?

Then, with swift movements, she stood up from the sofa and peeked over the partition that divided the room.

“Yura-san, how about it?” (Sashiki)

“Eh!? H-How did you know…?!” (Arisu)

A familiar scream echoed through the room.

“Don’t raise your voice too loud. There are other teachers in the staff room.” (Sashiki)

“W-well, that’s true but…” (Arisu)

“Hey, Arisu, what are you doing?” (Takaki)

Peeking over the teacher’s shoulder, I caught sight of my childhood friend, Arisu, stumbling backward.

It seemed she had been eavesdropping on our conversation.

She looked at my face and immediately regretted it.

“How long have you been here?” (Takaki)

“Since the ‘Gujou-san will join the student council’ part…” (Arisu)

“From the beginning then.” (Takaki)

“Tch, it’s not like that, Takaki! I was just passing by on a walk and happened to hear you. I wasn’t spying because you went into the staff room or anything!” (Arisu)

No matter the route she chose, there was no way Arisu would have wandered into the depths of the staff room during her walk.

She noticed me heading towards the staff room on my way back, and out of curiosity, followed me all the way here. That’s probably about the gist of it.

She really does have a lot of free time, or maybe she’s just very attentive.

“Hmm, so you were eavesdropping?” (Sashiki)

“W-Well, that’s…” (Arisu)

“By the way, Yura-san. I think you heard our conversation, but are you interested in joining the student council?” (Sashiki)

“Huh? You’re asking me all of a sudden…” (Arisu)

Arisu looked bewildered, glancing back and forth between me and Sashiki-sensei.

Well, that’s understandable.

If it weren’t for the risk of repeating a year, I wouldn’t have considered joining either. There’s no reason for Arisu to join.

It might be more reasonable to find one more student who’s struggling with their grades.

But then, having half of the student council made up of failing students would be another issue in itself.

“Well, if Yura-san isn’t interested, we’ll just have to find someone else.” (Sashiki)

“By the way, who are the other members besides Takaki?” (Arisu)

“So far, it’s Togami-san, a second-year girl, and Gujo-san. If we add one more girl, Gujou-san can have his own little harem, right?” (Sashiki)

“Please stop with the jokes.” (Takaki)

“Nono, Sensei is serious! Sensei recognizes that Gujou-san can be reliable at times and if he is serious, he can keep up with his studies.” (Sashiki)

“You’re just exaggerating.” (Takaki)

“Maybe we’ll even see a couple form in the student council!” (Sashiki)

“I’m joining the student council! Let me do it!” (Arisu)

Somewhere along the way, Arisu decisively raised her hand.

Seeing this, Sashiki-sensei smiled intriguingly for some reason.

“Are you really okay with this, Arisu? You don’t have to force yourself.” (Takaki)

“I’ll be fine. If you end up isolated in the student council, it’ll affect my sleep too.” (Arisu)

“Why are you worrying so much about that? My solitude shouldn’t affect you.” (Takaki)

“I said it’s fine! If I’m saying I’ll join, just be quiet and be happy about it!” (Arisu)

“Well, if Arisu insists, then it’s fine.” (Takaki)

No matter what was said to Arisu, once she’s made up her mind, arguing with her is futile.

“Ufufu, it’s settled then~ Yura-san, you’ll handle the treasurer’s duties.” (Sashiki)

Sashiki-sensei clasped her hands together and smiled warmly.

She retrieved another set of documents and a pen from the drawer, handing them over to Arisu.

“Please fill these out. Once you’re done, submit them to the student council room.” (Sashiki)

Her tone was gentle, yet there was an undeniable forceful tone beneath it.

Despite her youth, if she’s like this now, I wonder how she’ll be in five years.

In my heart, I silently paid respects to Sashiki-sensei’s future students.

After finishing the paperwork, we visited the student council room together with Sashiki-sensei.

Located deep in a corner of the practical training building, the student council room felt secluded with no students around. It had quietly become evening, with the slanting rays of the setting sun shining through the window glass.

Unlike other classrooms, the door to the student council room had a chic wood grain design. Instead of sliding, it was the type you open by turning the doorknob.

Feeling somewhat awkward, I glanced at Sashiki-sensei, who smiled encouragingly. It seemed like she wanted me to open it myself.

Gathering my courage, I knocked on the door.

“Come in.” (?)

With a clear voice that could be heard through the door, there was a reply. I slowly opened the door.

The student council room was about half the size of a regular classroom, surrounded by cream-colored wallpaper. Steel cabinets and wooden shelves lined the walls, displaying files, certificates, plaques, and such. Chairs were arranged around simple desks, and there was also what appeared to be a reception table and a sofa.

Standing in front of the reception set was a female student.

—Togami Nadeshiko.

She had just been elected as the student council president of Reishuu High School.

She excelled both academically and athletically, came from a prestigious family, and was immensely popular among students and teachers alike. Truly a perfect superhuman.

Her figure, bathed in the sun’s rays casting through the window, was picturesque, especially with her long, straight hair cascading elegantly.

Her large eyes held a mysterious color reminiscent of the depths of the sea.

Staring at her, one couldn’t help but feel drawn in as if being pulled into her gaze.

“Welcome. Do you need something from the student council? …Oh, isn’t that Sashiki-sensei?” (Nadeshiko)

“Yes, that’s me~” (Sashiki)

Peeking from behind me, Sashiki-sensei greeted her pretty casually. As the student council advisor, it was natural for her to already be acquainted with Togami.

While pushing me and Arisu’s back, Sashiki-sensei stepped into the student council room.

Togami looked at us and asked, “Who are these two?”

Sashiki-sensei then spread her arms and introduced us.

“These are our long-awaited student council members! With them, we’ve secured the minimum four members needed to officially establish the student council!” (Sashiki)

“Eh!? Is that true?” (Nadeshiko)

Togami’s eyes widened as she alternated her gaze between me and Arisu.

“That’s why, both of you, please submit your documents. Come on, quickly!” (Sashiki)

I handed the documents to Togami, thinking she sounded like a pushy salesperson rushing a contract.

Togami quickly glanced over the papers and fell silent with a subtle expression.

After a brief pause, she looked up and asked me,

“…Forgive me, but are you that Gujou-san?” (Nadeshiko)

“I don’t know which Gujou you’re specifically referring to, but my family name is indeed Gujou.” (Takaki)

“I apologize. Gujou-san is, well, quite famous.” (Nadeshiko)

I can’t help but laugh at the idea of being famous. If anything, the right term is more likely to be infamous.

As I’ve mentioned before, I stick out like a sore thumb in this school. I’m even feared by some teachers, so Togami must have heard some rumors about me at least.

“…I see.” (Takaki)

Unable to come up with a good response, the conversation trails off vaguely.

This isn’t good. Since starting high school, my social circle has thinned out, and now I’m not sure how to talk to someone I’ve just met.

It would be weird to suddenly blurt out, “I’m not a delinquent,” wouldn’t it?

When Togami looked at me, she flinched slightly, and her shoulders tensed up. Damn. It seems my intimidating gaze unintentionally startled him.

It was Arisu who cut through the awkward tension.

Interrupting the atmosphere, she handed over the documents and introduced herself in a cheerful voice.

“Nice to meet you! I’m Yura from Class 1-F. I’m also a first year!” (Arisu)

“Yura-san, is it? Nice to meet you.” (Nadeshiko)

“This guy and I are childhood friends. Let me tell you, his fierce look and appearance are just his natural look. He’s not glaring at you or anything, so don’t worry about it.” (Arisu)

“Is that so?” (Nadeshiko)

“Yeah. Everyone thinks he’s a delinquent, but that’s not it. He’s just in his rebellious phase.” (Arisu)

“Hey, rebellious phase? Seriously?” (Takaki)

“But it’s true! Not having friends, bad grades, bad attitude in class—all that could be fixed if you tried hard enough.” (Arisu)

“I’ve got my own circumstances too.” (Takaki)

“From my perspective, it just looks like you’re going through your rebellious phase.” (Arisu)

“A rebellious phase, huh… hehe.” (Nadeshiko)

Arisu’s choice of words made Togami smile faintly.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, I scratched my head and offered an explanation.

“Well, I don’t intend to cause any trouble, so rest assured. Besides, I’d be in trouble myself if I had to repeat a year.” (Takaki)

“Repeat a year…?” (Nadeshiko)

“Yeah. I agreed to become a member in exchange for avoiding repeating a year.” (Takaki)

“…Sashiki-sensei, what’s the meaning of this?” (Nadeshiko)

Togami turned to Sashiki-sensei with a surprised expression. It’s natural for her to be bewildered.

Sashiki-sensei wore her usual enigmatic smile, showing no hint of remorse.

“Gujou-san is telling the truth~ Due to accumulating various behavioral issues, it seemed likely that he was to repeat a year. So, I decided to make him a student council member to allow him to advance to the next grade as per usual.” (Sashiki)

Sashiki-sensei continued to explain the process.

After hearing the explanation with a serious expression, Togami let out a troubled sigh.

“To think that such a sacred position as student council member would be offered in exchange for that…” (Nadeshiko)

Whether being a student council member is truly a sacred role is debatable, but Togami’s concerns are valid.

It’s natural to feel uneasy upon hearing that a student on the verge of repeating a year would become a member of the student council.

The student council is currently struggling with a shortage of members, but if Togami shows reluctance, I wonder what will happen to me. 

Could my fate of repeating a year be sealed right here?

However, Sashiki-sensei continued to speak without appearing concerned.

“At the moment, it’s just a possibility of repeating a year. Besides, as the advisor, I’m responsible for the smooth operation of the student council, so I wouldn’t appoint a troublesome student as a member. If Gujou-san was truly a delinquent, he wouldn’t have followed me all the way here obediently.” (Sashiki)

“That’s true…” (Nadeshiko)

“Despite appearances, Gujou-san has a gentle personality. I believe he won’t engage in any strange behavior once he’s in the student council. If he starts slacking off, please inform me. Yura-san will also help keep him in check.” (Sashiki)

“I also think Takaki will be fine. He used to be the student council president in middle school.” (Arisu)

Arisu also chimed in.

“I understand. I will trust everyone’s judgment.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami nodded in understanding. Then, bowed her head towards me.

“I apologize for being rude earlier.” (Nadeshiko)

“Don’t worry about it. Rumors are circulating, so I can see why someone would be rude towards me.” (Takaki)

“I-I’m really sorry…” (Nadeshiko)

“Come on, don’t make Togami-san feel bad more than she already is.” (Arisu)

Arisu lightly smacked my head.

Indeed, I might have overdone it. Seeing Togami’s composed demeanor, I couldn’t help but want to tease her a little.

“My bad. I really don’t mind at all. Anyways, I look forward to working with you.” (Takaki)

“Yes, likewise. I look forward to working with you too, Gujo-san. And you as well, Yura-san.” (Nadeshiko)

“Me too! I look forward to working with you, Togami-san!” (Arisu)

Arisu also raised her hand with a smile.

Seeing this, Togami smiled warmly and made a gesture to welcome us.

“With that… Welcome to Reishuu High School’s Student Council!” (Nadeshiko)

Her expression, to put it mildly… was quite charming.

After Togami mentioned having a few things to do before leaving, we left the student council room first.

We’re supposed to get a detailed explanation of our tasks tomorrow when the vice president is also present.

The vice president was a girl who served as secretary in the student council last year. It seems that she was the only one continuing from the previous year.

I vaguely recall seeing some of the previous student council members at events, but I can’t quite remember. I guess it’s because I wasn’t interested in the school itself.

“Haah, but still, I was surprised that Takaki joined the student council. You said you didn’t want to when I asked during the day of the speech.” (Arisu)

“If you were eavesdropping, you should know. Besides, half of the reason was basically a threat.” (Takaki)

“Even so, you chose to be a student council member rather than face the shame of repeating a year, right?” (Arisu)

With that, Arisu looked up at me with a smug expression.

She usually seems carefree, but sometimes she says things as if she can see right through me.

“Frankly, I’m a little relieved.” (Arisu)

“Why’s that?” (Takaki)

“I was a bit worried you might actually end up repeating a year.” (Arisu)

“I don’t have the guts for that.” (Takaki)

“Ahaha, I guess you’re right.” (Arisu)

“You seem to be in a good mood.” (Takaki)

“Of course, it’s because I think Takaki’s going to turn over a new leaf.” (Arisu)

“You can’t exactly call this ‘turning over a new leaf’.” (Takaki)

“Well, maybe not. You don’t have the kind of guts to do that either.” (Arisu)

“Are you making fun of me?” (Takaki)

“Teenage boys in their rebellious phase are kind of asking for it, don’t you think?” (Arisu)

With a somewhat parental expression, Arisu smiled.

---

Thanks for reading!

I have always wondered why the student council in Japan is always so small. Idk if this is a LN thing or a real thing, but having 4 people is really small. In my school, there’s like 10-20 from each batch which totals up to around 80ish.

All this time, I thought Nadeshiko was her family name and Togami was her first name, but it’s the other way around. I should have known something was wrong when MC referred to her by Togami inside his head.

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1. Detective Conan is a show about a high school detective or something. I never watched it.

I had a dream.

As expected, the contents were wild. I was dancing around school with my middle school friend when suddenly, a silver-haired beauty of a monster yelled, “Wake up!” Then, I found myself reincarnated in another world, riding a subway. When the monster in the seat next to me shook my shoulder, it pulled out a sword that only a hero could draw, and just as the monster was about to wake me up…

“Get up, Takaki! Seriously, wake up!” (?)

“Mmm…” (Takaki)

I felt my shoulder being shaken vigorously, and I jerked awake.

As I slowly opened my eyes, I found myself in an empty classroom.

Standing right beside me was a girl, looking down at me lying face-down on the desk with an exasperated expression.

“Arisu… Earlier, the subway was delayed because a monster showed up…” (Takaki)

“Don’t tell me you’re still half-asleep! If a monster really appeared, the subway delay would be the last thing on anyone’s mind. Come on, get up already.” (Arisu)

My childhood friend, Yura Arisu, cut through my words with a single stroke.

She had inherited her mother’s beautiful silver short bob hairstyle, and her determined almond-shaped eyes¹ left a strong impression.

“You know, we were told that there’s a speech for the student council election after school today. Look, everyone’s already moving.” (Arisu)

My brain, which has just returned from the dream world, reluctantly grasped the current situation.

Glancing at the clock in front of the classroom, I realized school hours had long ended.

We were supposed to be heading to the gymnasium to listen to a speech. However, I had apparently fallen asleep during the last class and continued sleeping through it until now.

I was left behind in the empty classroom because no one in my class bothered to wake me up. My reputation in class was basically at the Dead Sea level by now, so it wasn’t surprising.

If Arisu were in the same class as me, things might have been different, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. We rarely even had a chance to talk at school. I guess Childhood friends aren’t always the universal solution.

At that moment, the classroom door swung open.

“What are you all doing here! Hurry up and move to the gymnasium!” (Teacher)

The teacher’s booming voice echoed as he entered.

He must have been checking if there were any students left in the classroom.

“Hey, you, move along already.” (Teacher)

When I was told this, I managed to shake off my drowsiness and stood up, meeting the gaze of a middle-aged teacher with glasses. Perhaps because I had just woken up and struggled to open my eyes, I might have unintentionally glared at him.

“Um… what is it?” (Takaki)

My voice, still not quite awake, sounded somewhat gruff.

“G-Gujou, huh…” (Teacher)

I vaguely remembered seeing him around the school building a few times, but I didn’t know the teacher’s name. However, it seemed like he knew me. Not that he probably had any good impressions of me.

Unfortunately, I’m treated like an outcast at school and even labeled as a “delinquent dropout”. It’s not something I’m proud of, but it’s a fact that I’m indeed a repeat offender when it comes to failing exams, so I can’t really argue against it.

The teacher then shifted his gaze to Arisu, who was next to me.

“Ahem. Um, Yura. Instead of slacking off, hurry up and move to the gymnasium.” (Teacher)

“Huh? M-Me!?” (Arisu)

Arisu, who was suddenly called out, let out a startled voice.

Well, of course she would be surprised. She was just the one who woke me up after I was left behind in the classroom.

“Quit the excuses. Your attitude towards school life leaves much to be desired.” (Teacher)

“But…” (Arisu)

Arisu murmured, dropping her gaze to the floor.

“Anyways, just hurry up and move.” (Teacher) 

As if he had nothing more to add, he began to walk away briskly.

Before I knew it, I found myself taking a step forward.

“Excuse me, Sensei.” (Takaki)

Calling out to stop him, the teacher flinched slightly and turned around.

No, I didn’t mean to startle you that much…

Nevertheless, I couldn’t just let the teacher go like this, so I tried to speak in a more composed tone than earlier. My body swayed slightly as I spoke, not in an attempt to intimidate like a delinquent, but simply because I was still groggy and off balance.

“W-What is it?” (Teacher)

“Arisu… Yura just woke me up from sleeping at my desk. She wasn’t slacking off. If you want to scold someone, do it to me instead.” (Takaki)

“Is that so? Well then, Gujou, hurry up and move along.” (Teacher)

The teacher nodded with a somewhat vague expression after listening to my explanation.

But that wasn’t exactly what I wanted to hear.

“I’ll move now. But before I do, please take back what you said to Yura earlier.” (Takaki)

“Huh?” (Teacher)

“You said things like ‘slacking off’ and ‘your attitude towards school life leaves much to be desired’ to Arisu, didn’t you? That wasn’t fair considering she didn’t do anything like that. So, please retract what you said and apologize to her.” (Takaki)

“Takaki…” (Arisu)

Arisu let out a small gasp, but I kept my focus on the teacher.

The teacher hesitated for a moment, then finally lowered his head towards Arisu.

“You’re right… Yura. I jumped to conclusions earlier and said something rude. I apologize.” (Teacher)

“U-Um, it’s okay. I’m not really bothered by it.” (Arisu)

Upon hearing her response, the teacher seemed relieved and glanced briefly at me. I nodded, thinking I should say something in response, but the teacher swiftly exited the classroom.

Come to think of it, the teacher didn’t seem angry at me… Well, it’s a bit too late now, it would be weird to have him come back to scold me.

“Phew. Shall we go too?” (Takaki)

“Yeah!” (Arisu)

With that, Arisu and I left the classroom.

“Um, thank you for earlier, for standing up for me.” (Arisu)

“Hmm?” (Takaki)

As we walked down the hallway, Arisu spoke to me.

“Like how you told sensei to retract his words earlier.” (Arisu)

“I just did it because I felt like it. Sorry if it was a bother.” (Takaki)

“No way! I was really happy about it.” (Arisu)

“I see. Well, I’m glad then.” (Takaki)

Arisu smiled with narrowed eyes. I did it for self-satisfaction, but if it made her happy, then that’s all that mattered.

“And Arisu, thanks for waking me up earlier.” (Takaki)

“You’re welcome.” (Arisu)

“But how did you notice I wasn’t there? Even though we’re in different classes.” (Takaki)

“Fue!? W-Well, um, it’s just, you know…” (Arisu)

When I asked, Arisu suddenly blushed and began to fluster.

Was my question really that awkward?

“I’m not saying you have to force yourself to answer…” (Takaki)

“N-No, it’s not like that at all! Well, yeah, even though we’re in different classes, if you weren’t there, I’d notice… I mean, it’s not like I was watching you or anything weird like that. It’s just that, you know, it’s like a childhood friend’s intuition!” (Arisu)

“Uh, yeah… Well, if that’s the case, then it’s fine.” (Takaki)

She rattled off her explanation at lightning speed, leaving me somewhat confused but it’s fine. It wasn’t really a big deal anyway.

As we talked, we reached the entrance to the gymnasium.

A different teacher was standing next to the entrance. He widened his eyes in surprise as we arrived late.

“Oh, you’re just getting here?” (Teacher)

“Sorry, this guy was sleeping in the classroom…” (Arisu)

“Yeah, sorry about that.” (Takaki)

As Arisu and I apologized, the teacher glanced at his watch with a slightly troubled expression.

“Hmm, well, the speeches are about to begin. Would you two mind sitting at the back?” (Teacher)

Arisu and I nodded in agreement, and the teacher gestured for us to step into the gymnasium.

Speech for the Student Council President election.

Among the numerous school events, this one is particularly lackluster.

In anime and manga, there are scenes where protagonists and heroines struggle to fight and win the Student Council President election.

But for regular students who aren’t directly involved, that’s not something they care about.

To make matters worse. this time there seemed to be only one candidate, so a vote of confidence² was held, making it even less exciting.

As I silently complain in my mind like this, I hear the voice of a student who seems to be an election committee member from the speaker.

“Now, we will begin the student council election speeches. There is only one candidate for the upcoming student council election…” (Speaker)

After the explanation about the election, a girl appeared from behind the stage curtain.

Even from a distance, I could sense something different about her.

I had noticed it as she walked, but once she stood at the podium on the stage, her excellent posture became even more apparent.

She touched the microphone on the podium, and a tapping sound echoed.

In the next moment, a refreshing breeze blew through the stifling air of the gymnasium.

“Good afternoon, everyone. I’m Togami Nadeshiko, a first-year student running for student council president at Reishuu High School. The reason I decided to run for student council president is…” (Nadeshiko)

Togami Nadeshiko.

She’s a famous student at our private Reishuu High School and everyone knew her name.

With her almond-shaped, serene eyes, a well-defined nose, and elegant, light pink lips, she exuded an air of elegance. Her straight black hair, reaching down to her back, evoked the image of a calm night sea.

She was a beauty of a level rarely seen, not just in school but in the entire town.

Her cool, pleasant voice was something I could listen to forever.

My drowsiness had completely vanished, and I was captivated by her speech.

Arisu, sitting next to me, was also silently watching with her mouth closed.

“…I promise to establish this ‘suggestion box’ as a part of the student council’s commitments. I will not just be a facilitator for school events but will work sincerely to create a student council that stands by the students. Thank you all for listening.” (Nadeshiko)

With that, Togami concluded her speech and bowed gracefully.

A genuine, enthusiastic round of applause resounded, not just a perfunctory clapping.

As Togami walked off the stage, enveloped in applause, her movements were mesmerizing.

Apparently, she’s popular among the girls too, as I can hear “Kyaa~” from somewhere.

“You know, Togami-san on top of her appearance, is also pretty smart and athletic.” (Arisu)

Arisu remarked while glancing at me briefly as she clapped.

“Wow, that’s impressive.” (Takaki)

“And apparently, her family is super wealthy. I heard her dad is the president of a company.” (Arisu)

“Well, that sounds about right for a student at this school.” (Takaki)

Reishuu High School is a prestigious institution in the Tokai region. Given its high school fees, naturally, most students come from wealthy families. However, there is also a scholarship system that exempts the fees based on family financial situations.

I, too, was a beneficiary of that scholarship system. Without it, I would have attended a different high school.

“When Togami-san announced her candidacy, I heard the vice president from the previous year withdrew immediately. They said there’s no chance to win against Togami-san.” (Arisu)

“That’s unfortunate.” (Takaki)

Student council elections are usually nothing more than popularity contests. If the candidates are at the same level, people might vote for the previous year’s vice president. 

But if one candidate is significantly more popular, they’ll likely get most of the votes. The vice president likely decided that withdrawing would hurt less than losing in the election.

“Hey, aren’t you going to join the student council?” (Arisu)

“Huh? Why would I?” (Takaki)

“Because you were the student council president back in middle school, weren’t you?” (Arisu)

It’s true that I was the student council president back in middle school.

But that was just youthful enthusiasm. I understand better than anyone that I’m not qualified for that now.

“That was a long time ago. I’m pretty much a dropout now; I’m not cut out for that anymore.” (Takaki)

“Well, if you say so, Takaki, then I guess it’s fine…” (Arisu)

When I replied, Arisu pursed her lips in dissatisfaction. She fiddled with the ends of her hair that hung over her shoulder. It was a clear sign of her displeasure.

I felt a pang of guilt, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it.

Watching Togami, I was reminded that there are “perfect” beings in this world.

She was someone chosen for something, completely different from me.

If someone like Togami became the student council president, surely only the most talented members would gather around her. Such a place would undoubtedly be unsuitable for a dropout like me.

It felt like a story from a distant world.

◆

After the uneventful voting, Togami was elected as the student council president.

On another note, rumors spread for a while that “Gujou from Class 1-B was cornering a teacher in the classroom.”

It was probably witnessed by students who were late in moving to the gym. It’s not like I actually cornered anyone.

It seems like the image attached to me is quite persistent. It would be impossible to dispel it by ordinary means.

That is unless I do something like joining the student council.

---

Thanks for reading!

THIS IS SO TRUE. If all the candidates give a normal speech, and does everything normally, then the election basically becomes a popularity contest. 

I remember during one of the elections at my school, I picked someone who I think was serious about it.

After submitting the vote, my classmates were going around asking each other who they picked, and when they asked me, I just answered the most popular candidate’s name to avoid standing out.

I think it’s because of stuff like this that I didn’t hear any of the less popular candidate’s name out loud. And, yeh if you’re wondering, the most popular student candidate won, duh.

Also, I was wondering if I should change from Arisu to Alice.

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1. Almond eyes are oval shaped, mimicking the shape of an almond nut, which means they are wider than they are tall.
2. I could be wrong, but I think vote of confidence is basically a yes/no, whether you support the decision or not. Well, I mean, unless you’re infamous, there’s no way to lose this election.

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Spoiler Warning Obviously

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Last updated: 15th June 2024

Spoilers up to Vol 1 Prologue

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Main characters

Gujou Takaki
The MC. A 1st year student. To others, he looks and acts like a delinquent. Has a bad reputation in class.

Nadeshiko Togami
The student council president. A 1st year student. She has straight black hair and normally exudes an air of elegance.

Yura Arisu
MC’s childhood friend. A 1st year student. Has silver short bob hair and almond-shaped eyes.