CH 83

Translator – Vodka

So, March is here, yes. Like I had announced before in my Sober thoughts, chapters will become bi-monthly. This is the first of the month. I don’t have a co-translator yet, but let’s see. Well, don’t worry. Unless Covid-19 gets me, I will keep translating. By the way, damn that corona had to come and infect the world now of all times. I am literally scheduled for an April fool’s departure. Won’t it be truly vodka style if my 1st April flight got cancelled?

Miura’s raised hand had naturally garnered everyone’s attention.

She confirmed that everyone was listening to her, and then, proceeded to express her opinion.

“In this case, won’t it be best to decide on a day and time?”

“……”

It was the easiest and quickest strategy. Moreover, it could be easily implemented too.

In the light of the student’s opinions, it could even be said to be quite a considerable compromise.

“What about you, Koizumi?”

“Th-that is right, I too think that Miura-san’s plan is good.”

Koizumi nodded to show his agreement.

I turned to look at Hino-kun, while posing the same question. He too only nodded back.

Hino-kun was new to this school. There were lots of things that he didn’t know about those three. He didn’t even have the requisite information to base his opinion on.

……As always, it would seem that he still didn’t have any friends.

I closed my eyes for a moment and thought.

In discussing this agenda, there were two directions.

One was to do as Miura had said. We could roll out that plan that closely served the students’ opinions.

The other one was to consult with the three of them to come up with an answer.

If we were to think about what the best course of action was, the only thing that I could come up with, was to not give in to the students’ demands of arranging a place for confession.

In all likelihood, this would probably be what Shizuku and the guys would want.

Those three were probably not desirous of this whole confession thing either.

Well, it was just my opinion, based on what I had gathered from their behaviour, conduct and personality, over the long years I had been acquainted with them.

For the ordinary student, this was just one of those many events that happened in the course of their lives.

They would call that a memory, youth.

The number of students who were serious about their confessions was exceedingly few. Having somewhat perceived this themselves, the way they would conduct themselves while confessing, made them seem like people buying lottery tickets.

They didn’t really believe that they would succeed in their confession. They would only think about what would happen after they received the green signal.

They were, by no means, thinking that they could actually go out with them.

That was why even if they were to be rejected, the matter would end, without them having received much damage.

As expected, it didn’t work out.

They would think to themselves.

They didn’t think about the feelings of the party rejecting them. They only ever cared about their own.

Their so-called memories and youth were something like that.

However, it was certain that the great majority of them would have the desire to confess.

When it came to the three who were at the top of the food chain in Sakuranogaoka school, their chances of getting an opportunity to confess were exceedingly small.

One of the main causes of that was the fact that those three were way too popular.

Even calling out to them proved to be a herculean task. It was because they were surrounded by students every day, that they would have to be called out to, without being seen.

Well, it would be a different matter if they didn’t care about doing it in front of everyone……

It must be tough for pubescent high school boys and girls though.

After all, they would only become the subject matter of much talking. They would become the centre of a lot of unwanted attention.

“Well, in that case, should we talk to them and decide on a day and time?”

“I guess so, huh? Should I talk to them? Or, would it be better if Shinra-kun went instead?”

With Miura’s opinion at the centre, the conversation progressed.

The president maintained her silence, as she played the spectator to the situation before us.

“President?”

“A, ahh, sorry, I was thinking about something.”

From that expression of hers, it could be seen that she was doing a little bit of thinking. The moment we called out to her, she raised her head.

It wasn’t only me, but everyone in the room was curious about what was on her mind. Everyone’s gazes were gathered on the president.

However, the president shook her head.

“True, there is something that has been on my mind, but the information is still unclear. I want to talk about it to you guys after I have confirmed the same. So, this time……”

Until then, she intended to entrust this matter to us, didn’t she?

It might be wrong to say that she was attempting something. It was more like she was listening to our conversation and trying to confirm something. Her pupils gave off that kind of a feeling.

Maybe, she wanted to ascertain if we could function effectively as the future student council without her. She might have wanted to see how we proceeded to solve the topic without her help.

If that was the case, it should be fine even if I opposed Miura’s plan.

“……Miura’s plan is no good, let’s go with some other plan.”

I said this before too, but, even if they were popular, at the end of the day, they were still ordinary students. I couldn’t force them to be tied down.

Like every other student’s, we ought to respect their freedom and opinions too.

As per Miura and Koizumi’s plan, we would be catering too much to the opinions of the students.

The original purpose of this meeting was to present a plan that put both sides on even ground.

That was why I couldn’t approve of this plan that only catered to the opinions of the confessing side.

“If we did that, that would be would focusing too much on the opinions of the students. If we were to think about Shizuku and the guys, it isn’t a good idea.”

“Then, what do you think we should do, Shinra?”

The president broke her silence and uttered these words.

How should I answer this?……

I was against their plan, but by no means, was I thinking that my opinion was the correct one either.

We had to be able to carry out an event for something as important as confession, that would make the students somewhat satisfied, and not tie down Shizuku and the guys.

I had to think up an answer that satisfied all these conditions.

Under the concentrated gazes of everyone inside the room, I was racking my brains.

We didn’t need to come up with some original plan or ingenious tactic. Normal would do.

After all, no matter what we did, some form of displeasure or doubt would always be left behind.

I wasn’t capable of coming up with the perfect answer.

Just that, the president must have said that I would be the most qualified one for handling this matter because she must have had thought that Miura or Koizumi would end up leaning towards the students’ side.

A method that gave the students a sense of accomplishment for having been able confess, that didn’t tie down those three……

What came to mind, was an exceedingly ordinary plan, that had not a hint of appeal in it.

“Well then, how about this——”

After I was done explaining my plan, I checked out their reactions. They were as I had expected them to be.

There was neither surprise nor despondency. It was as if they were asking, “Would it be fine with just that?”.

“Well then, for the time being, we will have to talk to the three of them. Can I leave it you, Shinra?”

“……I don’t mind, but, just in case, I will be presenting the two plans, both mine and Miura’s, to them.”

If those three have no issues with Miura’s plan, I don’t have a problem.

All the members of the student council nodded at my words. For the time being, I received everyone’s approval.

After I received this confirmation, the president announced the dissolution of today’s student council.

One by one, everyone left the council room. I was at the tail of the queue. As I was going to leave, the president issued a few words.

“Do you think the students won’t oppose to your plan?”

That was what I heard.

“Of course, there are going to be oppositions……but if you can express your feelings, there shouldn’t be any problems with this agenda.”

[TN – Can anyone help? I don’t know how to translate the 形なりに part in 形なりにも思いを伝えられれば今回の議題については問題ないはずですからね]

Truth be told, it could result in no more than postponing of this issue.

We had to give the students a place for their confession, provide them with a sense of accomplishment for having been able to take part in the confession event, all while not tying Shizuku and the others down.

We had to make sure that, at least, these three points were co-existing to some extent, in that plan of ours. If we did that, there shouldn’t be any problem with the answer that the student council comes up with.

“Well, Ren is like my younger sister. I am happy that she will have less to worry about.”

“Isn’t that great for her……”

“It’s very much like you to propose an extremely ordinary plan, that could be carried out easily. I like it, that idea……just that, I have a concern.”

It was the thing from earlier, right?

She didn’t want to share it with us, because she wasn’t sure if the information was accurate.

Perhaps, she would be working towards confirming the authenticity of that information from here on out.

As a result, I wouldn’t be able to know how that concern of hers would be related to the issue at hand.

However, it was clear that there was no point in thinking about something I didn’t understand.

The moment I opened the door of the council room, the president wore a smile.

For sure, the president could have had come up with the best plan that everyone could agree to.

However, even if I was going to talk about possibilities, nothing would change.

I put my hands inside my pockets and walked down the still noisy corridor.

“Well then……how should I explain this?”

What I was going to say, won’t be interesting to them. And then, there was also my ultra-ordinary plan.

Where should I talk to them about this? The classroom, or maybe the roof?

I took out my phone from my pocket and rang their respective numbers.

I had no evidence, but I felt like those three were still in the school.

I put my ear against the phone. After the phone rang a few times, I heard a voice that I had gotten used to hearing, emanating from the other side.

“Have you finished your student council work, Minato-kun?”

“As expected, you were still in school……I will be returning soon.”

I could hear Shizuku’s voice from the other end of the phone. I had a feeling that I heard another voice expressing displeasure, “Why is it not me?”.

I resumed the footsteps that had come to a halt and started advancing towards the classroom.

Well then, this is gonna be a pain in the ass, but let’s present the plans, and see how it goes, shall we?……