CH 168

The repeated victories did not change the winners and losers.

Still, the girl does not give up.

What drives her so strongly?

The games continued in my room, day after day, endlessly.

“A match!”

Shiraishi declared loudly, and then told us what she was thinking.

Shiraishi, who was moving the conversation of the student’s council matters in the direction she intended with her skillful communication skills, must have had a bitter smile on her face when she heard Shizuku’s words.

But the next moment, she pointed her finger in the direction where Shizuku and Kirasaka were sitting.

If you think about it in terms of merits and demerits, there is no need to accept the match.

In fact, it would be better not to accept.

Naturally, Shizuku and the others knew that.

That is why none of them seemed distraught at Shiraishi’s comment.

In fact, there would have been no problem if the meeting had ended here.

However, the last thing that echoed in the silent room was a full-blown provocation.

“Perhaps you two are afraid of losing to me?”

“…It’s not that I’m afraid of losing or anything.”

“…”

Who would be influenced by such childish and blatant provocation?

In the first place, she didn’t even tell them what exactly she would want a match for.

The words sounded rather ill-conceived and desperate for Shiraishi, but they were useful only to a certain person.

“You said it you little girl…”

A terribly cold voice.

A low, dignified voice that sent chills through the core of her body, clouded the expression on Shiraishi’s face, who was smiling.

Kirasaka Rei stood up.

The cold gaze, as if looking down at someone, with an appearance befitting of the Ice queen.

“Fine …let’s play whatever you want, even if it’s something you’re good at, go ahead and challenge me with whatever you like.”

Shiraishi flinched at Kirasaka’s confident words.

If I were in Shiraishi’s shoes, I would probably take a few steps back if Kirasaka said that to me.

That’s how confident she was and how powerful her cold stare was.

“Eh, uh… is it okay if I play a game I’m good at?”

“Yeah… if by any chance you could beat me even once, then I promise you that I will positively consider the negotiations but only if you lose then…”

“If I lose then…?”

“Well, …for every five times, I’ll ask you to grant me one trivial wish.”

…I’ve seen that smile before.

It’s the devil’s smile.

Shiraishi didn’t notice this, and the game between the two began.

The game changed from everyday, but the winner remained the same for entirety of the week.

Everyday, they gathered at the same time and continued the game all day long.

What a waste of summer vacation.

Even though I was not directly involved in the games, I was honestly beyond stunned to see the same scene unfold in my room everyday for a week.

If asked what it was, of course, it was, Kirasaka’s strength, but also Shiraishi’s unwillingness to give up.

It could be said to be willpower, or perhaps it is a matter of her pride.

But what is certain is that her passion for the student council is much stronger than what we had imagined.

So, we have come to the present day, and although she came very close several times, Shiraishi was never able to win in the end.

When the game had been decided several dozen times in total, Kirasaka let out a sigh of frustration.

“Give up, no matter how many times you try, it won’t change the outcome.”

“No …if you can still challenge me, please! …I should have something to in which I can, something I can beat the senpais at.”

Kirasaka reluctantly agreed to Shiraishi who bowed her head and asked for a rematch, and the one-on-one serious game started again.

Shizuku had already retreated from the room to help Kaede with her chores.

At first, she was participating in some kind of game along with the two of them, but when Shiraishi’s target narrowed down to Kirasaka alone, she took the position of watching instead of participating in the game herself.

Yuuto was in my room with me, watching the two.

He was leaning against a wall a short distance away from the room, asking me a question.

“I just lost to Kirasaka-san just now, so I don’t have the right to say, but do you really think you can win, Shiraishi-san?”

“…”

Shogi, chess and Go.

Even card games and sometimes physically demanding tennis or badminton.

All of these games were proposed by Shiraishi, but no matter which one she mentioned, she never once beat Kirasaka.

The absolute wall between a genius and a prodigy.

However, Shiraishi did not casually mention that the reason for her defeat was because she was a genius.

She must have already researched the fact that Kirasaka tends to dislike that kind of language.

That is why she looked for it.

What is the one thing that can beat this senpai, the one thing she has a chance to win?

But without an answer, I was beginning to feel a sense of bitterness at the way she repeatedly challenged him.

I, Yuuto, Shizuku, and Kirasaka.

“I tried to persuade her several times after hearing what you had to say …but I guess you could say she is strong-willed, but she just laughed it off and said ‘it’s still a possibility’.”

“…I guess that possibility is this.”

Perhaps Shiraishi had assumed that Shizuku and the others would be aware of the student council rules. 

Even if it would be in the form of a half-incitement, there was a possibility if she could bring it to a game.

Or the situation regarding Shizuku…

Shiraishi excels at deep reading and anticipation of conversations and situations.

She is probably better than the aforementioned Shizuku and Kirasaka.

But even Shiraishi could not predict Kirasaka’s ability.

No, she could not have grasped Shizuku’s ability either.

She had a few games with Shizuku when she was taking a break from Kirasaka, but even there, she never won.

I don’t see much difference between Kirasaka and Shizuku.

I was the only one who was not a fan of Kirasaka’s. Kirasaka was certainly better in terms of academic ability, but on the other hand, Shizuku was slightly better in terms of athletics.

The only difference is whether she is good at interacting with people or not.

In other words, Kirasaka boasts unparalleled strength in individual events.

On the other hand, Shizuku’s ability can be fully demonstrated in group events and in which she cooperates with others.

Even if one judges the current situation objectively and without any personal feelings, it is hard to imagine Shiraishi winning.

“I really wish I could have persuaded her or told her about other options before this happened…”

Yuuto told me apologetically while shaking his head silently.

This might have been impossible even for Yuuto.

“It’s difficult to persuade her even for Yuuto …That’s a kind of ability to not give up she possess.”

Normally, I would have given up.

If one has to experience defeat from geniuses in front of people with real talent this many times, that person will compromise and reason with oneself that it is impossible for him.

But Shiraishi, who did not do so, can be said to possess a certain kind of talent.

“…This means I win this match, too.”

“…”

Before my eyes, another victory was decided.

On the table there was a game of Hanafuda (Japanese playing cards), that I didn’t know the rules of.

But when Kirasaka quietly told her so and Shiraishi, whose expression turned dark, was about to say something again, I interrupted her and said.

“That’s enough…”

I’m sorry, but that’s it.

No matter how you think about it, as long as you can’t imagine any changes happening in the future, it will be a waste of time to keep this competitive chain of events going.

At the words with such meaning, Kirasaka sighed softly and Shiraishi distorted her expressions in frustration.

<TL> : 2 more to go.