CH 180

In front of the classroom I turned back to, three groups of students were coming out.

It could be said that the discussion had just finished.

Among those classmates, I spotted Shizuku and Yuuto.

They exchanged parting greetings with their classmates and walked down the hallway, exchanging some words with each other.

I was standing where they had turned their gaze to.

I proceeded along the wall towards them, out of the way of the narrow hallway.

“Oh, Minato-kun was still here.”

Shizuku asked a natural question.　

Yuuto next to him also had a surprised look on his face.

“Hey, …Yuuto, do you have a few minutes?

“I don’t have any particular plans, but it’s unusual for Minato to talk to me first.”

Yuuto followed behind with a smile.

It is difficult to talk about it here.

Today the campaign is being held in front of the school gate.

If so, the courtyard should be less crowded, and we could talk there quietly.

Yuuto did not listen to what I said, but just followed silently.

Shizuku, too, looked hesitant for a moment, but then decided to follow us from behind.

Since it was not a conversation that she had anything to do with, there wasn’t any need to stop her.

We went down the stairs and proceeded along the cobblestone pathway that connected the two buildings.

I have been wondering about this since I first entered the school, but this high school just has one tennis court separating the first and second year buildings.

It is mainly used by the boys who are not in any club. We walked past the tennis court and arrived at the courtyard.

As expected, there were no students in sight, since most of the students who spend their after-school hours inside the school went to take a glance at the student council campaigns.

The benches in the courtyard had been temporarily removed for the election, so the three of us sat in a circle in an appropriate position.

Shizuku looked back and forth between me and Yuuto and looked at us as if she was about to say something.

“Yuuto …you’re running for the position of a student council member?”

No need for any pretense.

I threw the question straight at him without trying to hide anything.

Yuuto looks surprised for a moment, but then quickly reverts back to his normal smiling face.

“You heard it from Shiraishi-san, right? …But how could you have known that even though I didn’t go into that much detail?”

“It’s just that the most likely thing was you running for a position, …not that there was any basis for it.”

In fact, if Yuuto had denied it here, the conversation would have ended.

I could have been wrong, and he would really only have been asking something at random.

However, if he has affirmed, that it would mean that could take the most unpleasant route I had imagined.

I pondered while staring at the grass below.

The question that arises, is why?

What is his reason for joining the student council, that has to be the biggest point of discussion.

“But, didn’t Ogiwara-kun say before that he would not join the student council?”

Shizuku, who was not following the conversation, asked in a puzzled manner.

From her point of view, the conversation has taken a turn for the worse and she must not be able to understand what is going on.

If I were in Shizuku’s shoes, I would have a lot of question marks floating around my head like in a manga.

“I was not planning on joining the student council, but I changed my mind and thought it would be best for us if we joined the student council.”

“We…?”

“Yes, us, the three of us, including Kirasaka-san.”

Pointing to each person, said Yuuto.

I could not understand the meaning of those words without any explanations.

The same goes for Shizuku, who must not think that joining the student council would be beneficial for her either.

Seeing the two of us, Yuuto quietly said in a gentle tone.

“Joining the student council would free us from the hassles of the classes.”

He said in a voice that sounded gloomy.

At his words, Shizuku and I just listened as if we had to shut up.

“I don’t think Minato is right about everything he’s saying, but there are some issues that we’re in the middle of, and that’s making things complicated.”

“…You mean the sports festival?”

“Yeah, but this is just the first problem, we have a school trip and a cultural festival right ahead of us. And even then, I can see that every time there’s a similar problem, we’d be in a situation like we’re in now.”

Shizuku also seemed to be struggling with the meaning of Yuuto’s words, and her expression darkened after a while when she looked away.

Even if the current situation could be avoided in a way that everyone could agree on, the next one would still come sooner or later.

“So, the student council, huh?”

“Ah, for better or worse, being on the student council is an important role in this school. If that’s the reason, it’ll be easier to avoid the hassles in class.”

Yuuto told her, turning his gaze to Shizuku.

It sounds as if he is suggesting this to her as well.

It is true that if they join the student council, and it is the student council that conducts and manages most of the events.

They are involved in most of the work at the events in terms of managing.

From the point of view of two people who have a personality that makes it difficult to refuse requests from others, it can be the most effective and easiest way to avoid the situation for them.

The election of student council members is held on a different date than the presidential election.

Therefore, it cannot directly affect the contest between Shiraishi and Koizumi.

However, the situation will change depending on which side Yuuto supports and runs for in the student council.

Tomorrow is the last day of the election period, and during homerooms, all students will gather in the school gym to listen to the speeches in front of the entire student body.

At that time, there will be a support speech, in which someone other than the candidate will represent him or her, but if someone as talented as Yuuto were to appear at that place, the situation could change drastically.

There’s a great possibility that even students who had planned to vote for Koizumi will switch to Shiraishi’s side.

Therefore, this could lead to the worst possible timing for their candidacy for the Student Council officers.

Perhaps sensing the thoughts I’ve had so far, Yuuto’s smile faded and his eyes turned serious.

“I’m sure both Koizumi-kun and Shiraishi-san would make excellent student council presidents, so I don’t want to pick a side, but realistically, Shiraishi-san’s ideal student council chart is probably closer to my ideal as well.”

“…”

It was a decisive statement.

I want to avoid that, and what I’m going to do is to have Yuuto stay put until the two of them can compete on their own abilities alone, without having others shoulder them.

However, I haven’t come up with a way to stop it.

I just came here with the urge to catch Yuuto and talk to him before the day ended.

“Of course, I wasn’t going to run for office without telling Minato. And I was just about to call you when I got home today. …So, you could say that your timing was perfect.”

Smiling and changing his expression to his usual cheerful one, Yuuto eased himself into a position as if he had just released a heavy burden.

Probably, in his own way, he was trying to prove his actions.

If the candidate’s intention to run for the position is firm, then we have to respect it.

If that is the case, there is only one course of action that can be taken.

“Let them fight the presidential election alone…”

There are only so many cards I can play.

That is why I have no choice but to ask.

I don’t intend to ask people to choose one side or the other.

It is natural to ask people to vote for the side you support.

However, if you are going to come out and act, please wait two more days, until after the voting is over.

Then we can both accept the results and move on to the next step.

I explained this to Yuuto.

What I did not expect was his reaction.

“I don’t mind, I’m still in the process of looking into the election and figuring out my own motivations and such.”

He accepted it without hesitation.

I really didn’t expect it, and I had expected some kind of denial due to yesterday’s incident.

It was an unexpected event for me. I didn’t think it could be so easy just because we’re friends.

“If it’s that, …then there’s nothing for me to worry about.”

“I wouldn’t have intervened in their election in the first place! …Minato is as doubtful as ever.”

“I’m really sorry about that.”

Somehow, the conversation unfolds as before, as if we had returned to our previous relationship a while ago.

Shizuku also breathed out a sigh of relief, but when Yuuto looked at her again, she adjusted her back.

“So now it’s on me to recruit Kanazaki-san into running for the student council.”

Naturally, Kirasaka-san will also be there …or so added Yuuto.

Shizuku responds with a thoughtful look, turning her eyes to him just once.

“It’s too urgent to answer here in a hurry, and …there’s still time before the deadline, so can I think about it a little?”

Of course, I’m going to ask Kirasaka-san to join us in the future, and I’ll also ask Hiiragi-senpai to meet us again after I get more information about the election.

A brief interlude, perhaps.

The tense atmosphere is now calm.

A natural smile came to Shizuku’s face, and I knew that this was going to be a good way to end the conversation.

“Also, If Minato and all of us are together, the student council might be a lot of fun.”

Shizuku said.

If things were to continue as they were, either Shiraishi or Koizumi could become president without anyone having to step down.

The one who loses will be the vice president, and Yuuto and others will run for other positions.

I can’t help but feel that the student council would end up being identical to what Shiraishi had originally envisioned.

I think someone once said that dreams and ideals are meaningless unless you put them into words, and not just keep them in your heart.　

I was thinking that once the presidential election was over, I could talk about something that would make Shiraishi happy, just when Yuuto told her with firm words.

“No, Minato is not needed in the student council.”

“Eh?”

A really dumb and dry voice spilled out from Shizuku’s mouth.

The same smile and open eyes do not give the slightest hint of a joke.

As if to reassure her again, Yuuto said once more.

“The next student council does not need Minato.”

Yuuto’s gaze, which had shifted from Shizuku, met my gaze.

It’s a look I’ve never seen before.

I see, so that’s your decision.

Just as I abandoned my class and relationships with those around me, he must have decided to make a new decision for himself.

A proposal to join the student council so that he could avoid excessive requests from his classmates.

And the recruitment of Shizuku and Kirasaka, who were in the same situation.

I was the one who had been convinced.

This scene would have come soon, anyways.

It was just sooner than I had expected.

“…All right then, I’ve been asked to take care of the election.”

“Minato-kun…”

“It’s all right, I had that feeling too.”

I stood up so as to avoid any further inquiries.

For a moment, I looked at Shizuku’s face. She looked anxious, as if she was about to burst into tears.

I don’t know if I can reassure her, but I smiled and made eye contact with her for a few seconds before I moved away from the courtyard alone.

For probably the first time in my life, I was to experience a moment on this day when my friends and I had different paths.

…It is the result of hoping for quiet days.

I had no right to say anything, and as I was walking along, the sound of footsteps running up behind me reached my ears.