CH 140

<Author>This is my first update for this year.

Happy New Year!

<TL> Double sized chap!

She had a fearless smile on her face.

Those fearless, yet serious words caused a stir in the room.

“If you don’t use what you can, whether you’re a senior or a junior, in the end it will be nothing but just your imagination.”

The way she said it was annoying, but it was the kind of answer I liked.

Shiraishi’s words were mixed with statements that sometimes made sense to me.

I hate the word “trust”.

I hate the word “friendship”.

It’s so easily spoken and can be easily broken.

I don’t know why I can’t trust those words when I hear them yet I use them often.

It’s a way of thinking that is unique to people with twisted personalities, and may not be understood by other people.

However, this is my way of thinking, and I will never waver from it.

Rather than being explained away with words like “trust” and “friendship,” it would be more refreshing to be told honestly that I want to use you.

I would feel much better if she honestly said that she wanted to use me.

There is no need to think about expectations or distrust.

That’s why I was able to understand what Shiraishi Momiji said.

She was not very good at saying, “Senpai is necessary for the student council!” I would have kicked her out of the room if she had said something like that.

“…Isn’t it okay to use whatever can be used? It’s better to bold if she wants to become the student council president.”

“Minato-kun…”

I eased myself up and turned to Shiraishi and told her.

I heard Shizuku gasp in amazement next to me, but it wasn’t the first time.

This time we were talking about who would be the student council president, not about my personal ideas.

Hearing my words, Shiraishi continued with an even stronger stance.

“Shinra-senpai is the crucial person to bring the seniors together to create my ideal student council. If the seniors have no reason to join the student council, then we just have to make one…In order to secure the necessary human resources—“

“—but I didn’t say that I’ll be on the student council next year, did I?”

I told this in a higher voice so as to interrupt her.

Yes, I didn’t say it.

I never said that I would continue to be a part of this student council next year.

The only reason I’m here now is because Akane Hiiragi made me join the council.

I’m not complaining ring now, but it doesn’t mean I didn’t have dissatisfaction at the beginning.

However, once I decided to start, I couldn’t abandon it till the next year.

This is not a matter of student council or anything like that, but my own personal determination.

It’s easy to run away and say you can’t do it or that it’s not worth it, but that’s only when you start something on your own.

I don’t want to abandon something where people are expecting something from me.

It’s my petty pride.

But that was going to end when Akane Hiiragi’s student council finished.

There would be no seat for me in the student council led by Koizumi.

If I may use Shiraishi’s way of thinking, then it could be said that the right person should be in the right place.

This school has plenty of talent.

There is no place for a half-hearted person like me.

At these words, the student council members, including the president, darkened their expressions a little.

As if they knew I was going to do that, no one interjected.

“Eh …but, in principle, the student organization members will continue to work …if there are no opposing candidates.”

“That’s something that applies to students elected in regular student council elections, and has nothing to do with me or Hino-kun.”

In response to Shiraishi’s genuine question, I responded immediately with a stronger voice.

This is an undeniable fact.

I had asked Sudo-sensei, the teacher in charge of the student council, about this once before.

I asked whether or not it was necessary for me to join the newly established student council after the president graduated.

As Shiraishi said, in principle, the student council members are supposed to continue their activities if there are no opposing candidates.

The position of president’s assistant is not well known among the students, since it was created by Akane Hiiragi on her own.

That’s why we were free to leave or continue, was the answer Sudo-sensei gave me.

Originally, it was a special case that we joined the student council, and it was only because of Akane Hiiragi’s achievements and the strong support from the faculty that she was able to force us to join.

It was also unclear whether I would have to continue to participate in the student council next year.

Because it was unclear, I decided that it would be appropriate to visit the teacher in charge, Sudo-sensei, rather than the president herself.　

In other words, there was no need for me to act under Shiraishi’s direction in the new student council.

Shizuku, Kirasaka, and Yuuto are not bound to join …because of me.

The students would not be happy if they were represented by someone with such an immoral reason for joining the student council.

The problems that are the cause of the problem should be eliminated in advance.

“B,But the seat for assistant to the president is not a regular student council election position…”

“…It’s the whims of president if I say I’m here.”

After saying that, I shift my eyes to the president.

Where president was present with a slight smile on her face.

I don’t really know if it was a whim or not.

I don’t feel good about telling someone I’ve never met before what I’m not sure about, but if I ask her now what it really was, I’m sure she’ll just say nothing.

Listening to me, Shiraishi turned her head in thought.

She put her hand on her chin and put her left hand on her elbow to think, similar to Kirasaka.

She is probably organizing the information from the conversation so far in her mind.

She’s certainly excellent, as she isn’t making any hasty moves.

It also proves that she has an accurate grasp of the current situation.

There’s nothing wrong with using what you can, I said that.

But if I’m going to be used, I won’t let them use me easily.

This is the Shinra Minato-kun’s style.

…Don’t judge whether he’s twisted or innocent now.

Human beings consider themselves to be the most important, and they do not like to have something decided without their permission.

Even if it is right or wrong.

“Having advance information—“

“Having advance information is good, but you didn’t get enough of it. Go start over from the grade school committee instead of the student council.”

“…Don’t say my lines… And the last sentence was unnecessary.”

I was about to put an end to this conversation with a stern look on my face, but Kirasaka next to me completely took the best part.

And she added her own poisonous words at the end.

“…”

Shiraishi’s gaze directed at us was not as sharp as before.

I guess it can’t be helped that the mechanism she assumed was different from the way I and Hino-kun joined.

It’s only natural for first-year students who don’t know about last year’s student council elections to think that, so soon after entering the school, people in the student council are joining in ways other than the usual.

“Rei, and Shinra, don’t make too much fun of first-year student …Sorry, we’ll call it a day. Also sorry for calling you on your summer break.

“No, I’m sorry”

Responding briefly to the president’s words, Shiraishi bowed and left the student council room.

I was expecting her to take some kind of action, so I was prepared to end it quickly.

I don’t think it was my imagination that Shiraishi’s back seemed smaller than when she had entered the room.

Sighs echoed through the student council room.

Miura, Hino-kun, and Koizumi, who had remained silent throughout, let out deep breaths as if they were extremely exhausted.

“Shinra…when did you visit your teacher?”

President turned to me and asked.

“As soon as we talked about me joining the student council, I was wondering what would happen if the president left…”

“That’s good preparation.”

After saying so, she left her body on the chair with a wry smile.

The President seemed to be tired, and a moment of silence spread out.

The silence was ended by Miura’s question.

“From what I’ve seen today, I don’t think he’s going to lose now…”

Koizumi, who was sitting next to Miura, bent down a little as if to curl his back and shrink at those words.

He looked unreliable, as if his lack of self-confidence was oozing out of him.

‘That’s because there’s no one here to support her, and Shiraishi’s opinion is something that the majority of students have thought about at least once.”

Well, that would certainly be true.

No one would deny if Shizuku, Kirasaka, and Yuuto were to join the student council.

It’s the perfect thing to do.

It’s the thing that everyone will agree on.

“Since…Yuuto and the others are popular, it would have been be a troublesome election.”

“That’s right.”

Shrugging her shoulders, president turned to Hino-kun in the corner of the room.

“Is this student, Momiji Shiraishi, usually like that? She seemed a little different from what I ‘d heard from the teachers.”

“No, I was under the impression that she was more talkative and smiled more …I was also surprised at the extent to which she was different from what she was supposed to be.”

It is certainly different from today’s impression.

I don’t know much about her, so I can’t say for sure…

“…Isn’t that your true self?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know her very well either, so I can’t what’s true and what’s not…”

…Does she usually play the role of an honor student, or was she playing the role of a tough student today?

In either case, it’s clear that there are sides to her that are not her true self.

“…I’m going to get a drink.”

I left my seat and put my hand on the door of the classroom.

When I turned around, I saw the president of the school and other members of the class planning future measures based on the conversation that had just taken place.

The deserted hallway echoed with the sound of footsteps.

There was no sound of talking since there was no club activity going on today.

The hallway, which seemed deserted, felt chilly even though it was summer.

It would be nice to talk with others, but I prefer to be alone.

It’s quieter than usual, so it’s the perfect environment for thinking.

As I walked around the school building and was wondering what to drink from the vending machine in the cafeteria on the second floor, I heard a familiar voice.

As I turned my body to look into it, I saw something small and round.

“What should I do, I failed …There is no way to join the student organization other than the election.”

“…”

Why did this kid shriveling up at the edge of the cafeteria?

Shiraishi Momiji, who was trying to hide in a gym-like sitting position while holding her knees, took out a small notebook from her pocket.

It was hard to see from here, but there were some words written all over it.

“But I was able to follow the expected flow of conversation for the most part …This should have left a strong impression…”

“What the hell are you doing…?”

“K,Kyaa!”

She shouted and then immediately stood up.

I couldn’t have imagined her to be the Momiji Shiraishi of a few minutes ago, as there stood was a student with her eyes trembling weakly.