CH 161

President explained the sequence of the events.

“Is it okay to think that there’s some degree of …romantic feelings involved?”

I asked this question after sorting out the story and reviewing it in my brain.

If she confirms, that she had more or less romantic feelings for me, it would make sense that she was positively considering the offer.

But if not, it is difficult for me to understand.

If I was told that there was some adultery involved, even the president would be reluctant to refuse the marriage.

“No, I’m sorry to say that I don’t have any romantic feelings for you.”

After a moment of silence, what came out in response to my question was a complete denial.

It was a clean, straightforward denial.

That in itself does not make me feel bad.

I don’t remember raising flags with the president, and I don’t believe I have the protagonist’s plot armor to be able to romantically capture so many people in the first place.

That’s why I had to ask.

Why me?

“…Then, why me?”

Mine and her looks, academic ability, and popularity, that’s not even worth comparing.

The only thing we share is the student council.

We’re not even that close to be able to see each other in private.

I had my doubts, but the president seemed calm and began to talk.

“I’ve never had a chance to fall in love with someone in my life, and I’ve never been in a relationship with the opposite sex.”

“…”

“It’s not that I’m not interested in them, …it’s just that they don’t fit my criteria.”

It seems that she is not uninterested in topics to which all high schoolers are hypersensitive about, love.

It’s a good thing, I suppose, because it makes them feel close to each other…

But when she said that the terms didn’t fit, two options floated around in my mind.

First is the competence issue.

It’s hard to imagine that someone as good as the president would not be a good fit because her abilities don’t match theirs, but that’s one option.

And the second one is something along the lines of a personal problem.

Not primarily an external issue such as personality or ability issue like academics, but but problem as a person.

In the current situation, I thought it was reasonable to say that the second one, personal issues, is the reason here.

“Is there no one with whom you feel comfortable with?”

President smiled at the question that was based on my own thoughts.

I did not know what that smile meant until the president opened her mouth.

“Shinra is very helpful at getting to the conclusion without having to ask anything extra …but it’s a little different.”

After telling me this, president continued her story.

I haven’t heard of anything like this before.

“I became student body president believing that I could be depended on by everyone and that I wanted to do something for others. I do not have the slightest regret about that choice …and I will never change that way of thinking.”

However, …there was a short pause as she continued further.

The sigh that escaped from the president’s mouth sounded like exhaustion.

“I don’t want to be that kind of myself at home …that is what I mean want to say.”

“You mean you want a …househusband?”

Isn’t it the best condition for those who write their first choice as someone who don’t wanna work in their career aspiration sheet.

If this gets out to the public, there will be no end to the number of people lining up to marry the president.　

…Well, I guess that’s not what she meant.

President denied what she had heard half-jokingly by shaking her head.

I knew it.

“What I look for in a life partner with peace of mind and I prefer someone who doesn’t seek the perfect Akane, but someone who treats me as an individual.”

When the president talked about her ideal partner, she drank the tea that she had been brewing.

I felt it was meant to be a break from the conversation, so I took a sip of the tea in front of me as well.

“I’m proud to say that I’m still reasonably popular with men, but my father was concerned that I hadn’t found a particular partner, which is why he proposed the idea of an arranged marriage.”

“So you’re saying it’s me, because our fathers knew each other and we’re close in age.”

“Ah, about that …I heard there were several other candidates, but I turned them all down. I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that I accepted because it’s Shinra.”

…What an honor.

President’s ideals are not particularly high.

Her ideal future is something that anyone could have.

‘I want to feel secure at home.’

It’s a very standard idea, which is why I thought it was difficult.

Hiiragi Akane is an extraordinary individual.

Her appearance, academic ability, and probably her housework in general.

Based on that, the other party would probably take the president for granted.

Even though her words said that she wouldn’t want to be perfect at home, I thought I understood a little of the president’s thoughts on wanting to refuse a marriage with someone whose personality was unclear to her.

In that respect, she would have been able to make a reasonable assessment of me, because she’d seen me at school.

But not as much as to say that she was considering it positively.

“Why would you give it positive consideration? …I don’t honestly think I’m doing anything that highly regarded.”

I asked a genuine question.

I too think that the president is a perfect person.

Of all the people I’ve seen, no one is better than her.

“Whoever the other person is, you are not someone who treats them differently because of admiration, respect, or emotion, are you?”

“I don’t know why… but I don’t feel like I’m being praised.”

“You’re a self-contained person who is always yourself, who avoids doing things that are beyond your capabilities, and who, even when things are beyond your control, solves problems to the best of your ability. You never depend on others, but you never force your ideas on them.”

Could it be …that I simply lack communicative skills?

This thought was floating around in my brain, but I’ll won’t be picky and accept president’s evaluation.

The most important thing to remember is to accept compliments from others, that’s the Shinra Minato way.

Contrary to the president who spoke calmly, I had to sharpen my senses so as not to miss a word, and at the same time, as my brain was trying to interpret it, I looked like a completely devoted listener.

“I wanted to make it simple, but did I make it sound tedious? Well, what I actually mean is that I have decided that Shinra, who neither denies nor affirms the way people are, is the person I feel most comfortable with.”

Saying this, president stood up and put her hand on the door.

She turned around, smiled, and finally announced.

“I want to graduate from college, and I want Shinra to go on with his own career path. So this is just one of the possibilities for the future, but if Shinra is willing, we could get engaged.”

Finally, with a rare teasing grin on her face, president left the room.

She probably went to pick up her family and two other people in the other room.

I let out a sigh in the private room, which was now all to myself.

Being alone allowed me to calmly sort out the situation, but at the same time, I could imagine a scene with two Shura-like figures, that was about to come in the near future.

Maybe …those two will not be convinced.

“Haa …it’s going to be a hassle, isn’t it?’

What leaked out unconsciously were the words from my usual habit, as always.