CH 148

The same evening, several boys and girls were gathered at Shinra household at a time, at the time when one would have been soaking in the bath instead.

No, I was the one who asked them to gather.

To be exact, I picked up Shizuku from her house, while Kirasaka and Yuuto asked by Kaede to come here.

After confirming that everyone had gathered, Kaede handed out coffee to each of them, and after making sure that everyone was settled, I began to talk.

“Sorry for calling you on such short notice…”

They sat down across from me and I bowed once to them and then waited for their response.

Yuuto smiled and nodded as usual.

Kirasaka was also sitting meditatively with her arms folded.

However, Shizuku was the only one staring at me with her cheeks puffed.

“I’m still not satisfied with what happened today.”

After saying this, Shizuku shifted her gaze to Kirasaka next to her, seeking her agreement.

“I agree with her, but the fact that I came here is a sign of my grace and that I am willing to talk.”

“… A grace?”

She is as rude and boisterous as ever, and after letting out a sigh, she turned her attention to Yuuto.

He is the only one who doesn’t know what he is being called in to discuss, and he’s just letting the situation take care of itself.

“I’m sorry, but something has come up that concerns you as well.”

“I was bored anyway, don’t worry about it, so when you say I have something to do with it, do you mean the student council?”

Yuuto knows that I have been participating in the study camp in the student council until today.

He seemed to have guessed that he was inevitably called here to talk about something from the student council.

He is a very perceptive guy indeed.

I nodded in reply to Yuuto’s question and proceeded to the main topic of conversation.

“The story is about the student council presidential elections …and the fact that there was a candidate other than Koizumi, the vice president, caused a few problems.”

I briefed the series of events to Yuuto.

Just as we thought Koizumi was going to be the student council president, Shiraishi stood up as a candidate.

Shiraishi wants Shizuku, Kirasaka, and him to join the student council.

The two girls were of the opposing opinion.

Finally, to conclude, Shiraishi is very clumsy, yet has a very brilliant mind that can anticipate the flow of conversation and the talks of other people.

Above all, that she strongly holds her own ideals and wants them to come true.

After explaining the situation in detail, as much as I could talk, but as little as possible so that he would get the jest of it, Yuuto asked a question.

“So, did you hear why this Shiraishi-san girl is so obsessed with us?”

“…”

It is a perfectly natural question.

However, the answer to this question is a private concern of Shiraishi.

So, I gave a somewhat vague answer.

“She wants to build something with you guys from the ground up …You’ll have to ask her directly about the rest.”

They would be facing each other in the near future in any case.

As for the personal feelings part, I’ll let her tell you in person.

Yuuto is probably organizing the story, but he keeps his mouth shut.

In the meantime, I looked at the other two, but it seems that they have not changed their minds.

Shizuku shakes her head and Kirasaka doesn’t even react.

” …Still haven’t changed your minds?”

“Yes, …I don’t think we need to, though.”

Certainly, Shizuku assured us that the current members of the student council are also very talented and that there is no need for them to join us.

If the three of them were to run for the Student Council, they would most certainly be elected.

If that were to happen, someone would naturally have to leave the current student council.

Shizuku, who does not think this is a good idea, has not changed her opinion.

Kirasaka on the other hand was drinking her coffee quietly, as if she wasn’t interested in whatever we were discussing.

Then, Yuuto, perhaps having reached his own conclusion, joined the conversation again.

“Well, it’s not so bad because Minato and the student council sounds like fun …but I don’t think I’d want to take a current member’s place to join.”

“I see…”

Yuuto had a similar opinion.

But at the same time, I was relieved.

If no one is willing to join the student council, it is easier for us to proceed with the plan.

Once the three of us had come to an agreement, we decided to start talking about alternative executive committee members.

“Then… how about joining the Sakura committee in the second semester?”

“Sakura committee?”

Shizuku was the first to react.

They do not need to explain about the Sakura committee, they are aware of it.

It is only natural that they know what kind of activities they are involved in, having experienced last year’s Cultural Festival and Sports Festival.

At first glance, I could tell from their reactions that they did not have a bad impression of it, and then I added a few more words.

“I’ll participate as a student council member, too, but only for a limited time, and if more talented students are on the executive committee, the better.”

“That’s right… I remember you were busy last year.”

…This could work.

Shizuku is just one more push away, and I can see the possibility that if I offer some benefits, they would agree.

Here’s where I change the subject to the next person before any negative comments make her waver in her decision.

“…Kirazaka, too, if you’d like–“

“No.”

“Too fast…”

As I had feared, Kirasaka was in denial.

After expressing her refusal, she succeeded rapidly.

“I’m not good at that kind of organizational activity, and I don’t see the benefit of my participation in it.”

…Surely, she’s not good at group activities.

She’s like me in that aspect.

And it doesn’t help when teachers say that there is something to be gained through activities.

I thought the same.

Only those who had a comfortable position in the group can get something out of it, and most of them have negative opinions such as ‘it was hard’, ‘I’m tired’, or ‘I don’t want to do it anymore.’

That’s why it’s so troublesome to convince her.

With the few pieces I have, I have no choice but to take a stand.

“I’ll listen to at least one of your requests if it’s within my capabilities, …but if it’s not enough then…”

“I’ll do it.”

“…You’re switching way too fast for.”

When I was stunned by how quickly she switched, Kirasaka’s mouth twisted into a grin.

That’s the same expression when she’s up to something.

“You’ve already made your offer, so you can’t take it back.”

“…What are you planning to do?”

When I asked her this, she just smiled and never replied.

The fact that I did not know what she might say, made me even more wary.

“If you say you don’t like it, it’s easy to imagine that you would offer me something in return because of your personality. And as you don’t like to get help from others, I could have you listen to my wishes as much as I like.”

“You sound like a bad guy…”

Kirasaka, who sat deep on the sofa with confidence, had nothing further to say.

She was satisfied that things had gone as she had expected.

But now the troublesome party was resolved.

When I shifted my gaze to ask Shizuku once more, there was no hesitation in her expression.

“I’ll be happy to go home with you after the …activities.”

“I see …I wouldn’t mind that much.”

“I just have one question.”

When Shizuku says this, she casts her gaze down once.

Then she asked in a tone of voice that sounded a little like a mixture of anxiety.

“Why is Minato-kun helping… Shiraishi-san to such an extent?”

Shizuku has been watching me more closely than anyone else.

From her point of view, it must be unnatural for me to work so cooperatively for a particular person.

At Shizuku’s words, Yuuto, who had been quietly watching the conversation, asked the same question.

“I also wanted to ask you about that …it’s not like Minato, is it?

“Not like me…?”

I have always made it a priority to live comfortably and not interact with those around me more than necessary.

I avoid trouble, and even if I am alone, I don’t mind if it goes against my own ideas.

That hasn’t changed.

But I guess I am acting against that belief now.

This is just self-satisfaction.

It’s a reminder to myself that I had previously refused their wishes and made wrong decisions based on my own speculation.

“I guess it’s because the way I looked when Shiraishi asked me to do it …resembled you guys during spring break.”

Shortly, I answered that.

It was no wonder that Shizuku and Yuuto were uncomfortable about this.

I had turned them down last time and accepted this time.

In particular, it was the reason Yuuto and I have become a little distant from each other is because of that one incident.

I told him that, knowing very well that I was saying something convenient, and waited for a response from the two of them.

“Then ….it’ll be the three of us together this time.”

Yuuto said this with his usual innocent smile.