CH 196

Why is my heart so stirred and irritated?

The game we wanted, the confrontation we started.

A confrontation in a way we did not want, that came after all the actions we hoped for ourselves

Where did our path deviate from the desired one?

It must be the relationships with those around us.

There are many things that Ogiwara Yuuto has that I do not.

But, there’s also a few things that I have that Yuuto doesn’t.

There are people around me that I can put my trust in, but not around him.

Even though Ogiwara Yuuto does not have a wide circle of friends, he’s still the prince for everyone.

He is popular, adored by others, and conversely, unable to build relationships that he himself can trust.

He has made the mistake of expressing kindness in the wrong way.

His attempt to treat everyone equally has led him to think that broad and shallow relationships are the correct.

I, who had always disregarded relationships until my second year, could not have said that.

I shifted my gaze from the blackboard to Yuuto’s seat just once.

Kirasaka, who also noticed this insignificant momentary change in my gaze, muttered in a small voice that only I, who was sitting next to him, could hear.

“There is no need for mercy in a game.”

“…I can’t afford that here.”

I know, and yet I looked out the window to escape from her gaze, as if a child was being dishonest after being pointed out.

The sky was clear, contrary to my unsettled state of mind.

I wonder if I was subconsciously hoping for a more shounen manga-like development…

Did I really believe that we could talk honestly with each other and understand each other on the election arena?

I couldn’t answer that question now.

The chime that signaled the end of the day rang, and many classmates gathered around Yuuto in the bustling classroom.

I guess he’s going to start campaigning today.

I was just watching from my seat as they walked out of the classroom.

I was not the slightest bit concerned if we were going to do the same, so Shizuku walked up to me with her bag and asked.

“Minato-kun, why don’t we move near the freshmen’s elevator?”

“…”

For a moment, I let my thoughts wander over the question and then shook my head.

At the sight of me, Shizuku wondered.

“Why?”

A slightly sharp look came from her.

The same thought might have occurred to Kirasaka as it did to Shizuku.

However, I expressed my own intentions as if to also tell Kirasaka, who was sitting next to me.

“…I’ve already used my big cards, so now it’s time to gather votes steadily.”

No more conventional speeches could be expected to be effective in this short period of time.

If that’s the case, it would be wise to shift the direction of the campaign to gathering votes steadily rather than speeches that would attract even more attention.

The incident at lunchtime should have attracted more than enough attention from the students, even if they didn’t like it.

Now that the Internet has become mainstream in our age, information is transmitted among students at an unusually rapid pace.

Even though the contents might be a bit different, a topic will spread if it has to.

“I’m not being modest to Yuuto, I’m just …moving up the schedule a bit.”

Making a convincing but wry expression at the two of them, I stood up with my luggage.

The two of them followed behind with their own luggage in hand, as if they understood what I was talking about.

“Shizuku, do you know any students in the clubs?”

“Yes, …I know some girls in sports clubs to some extent.”

“If they are in an athletic club, …then let’s take Koizumi with us.”

Koizumi must have a friendly relationship with students who are involved in club activities on their days off.

Then using Shizuku’s connections and Koizumi’s credibility to strike might not be a bad idea.

…The only concern is that I’m not a fan of lively sporty girls.

That’s really all.

Yep, that’s it.

They’re the opposite sex, outdoorsy, and have nothing in common with me in every way, so we don’t have anything to talk about…

Well, as far as today is concerned, I have people around me, so that fear is probably unfounded.

I have to ask Shizuku to help me in that sense, but I had something else I wanted to ask Kirasaka to do.

“Kirasaka… can I ask you to do a manuscript for me?”

“Manuscript?” …Is it for Shinra-kun on the day of the election?

“I’ve thought of that myself to some extent, so it’s no problem, …it’s the manuscript for my supporter’s speech.”

Then she took out a printed piece of paper from her bag.

The sheet of paper contained a schedule for the day of the election.

Kirasaka took a look at it, grasped what it had, and then nodded.

“Okay, who am I supposed to write it for?”

Kirasaka’s question puzzled me for a moment.

…I’m sure he’ll definitely object to it.

No, even if he doesn’t object, there’s a chance he’ll be blatantly disgusted.

However, I answered hesitantly, because I expected that asking that guy would be the most ideal, from my point of view.

“…Hino-kun.”

The moment she heard my words, all emotion vanished from her face.

It was no exaggeration to say that the motivation itself was gone.

Shizuku also looked blatantly uncomfortable, so he was probably way off their imaginations.

“…May I ask why, just to be sure?”

“In order to join the student organization and to get the first year votes, which are important to us in this election, it would necessarily be more persuasive to ask for support from first year students.”

“In that case, wouldn’t Shiraishi-san be a better choice?”

Shizuku interrupted me and asked an obvious question.

I had expected that question too, so I gave my answer without a second thought.

“Shiraishi is, for better or worse, a calculating type of person, and people around her appreciate a genuinely straightforward type of speech more than one that’s a no-brainer supporting speech.”

“But, Aren’t I the one who is going to write the script?”

“It’s just a basis. …I want Kirasaka to come up with the original text so that Hino-kun can add his own words to it and speak.”

When I requested this, the girls did not ask any more questions.

Knowing Shiraishi’s character and respecting my ideas, Kirasaka nodded, albeit reluctantly.

“Okay…”

“Sorry…”

After leaving the classroom and exchanging words in the hallway where the student count was beginning to dwindle, we headed to the gymnasium, passing Koizumi’s class and Kirasaka headed to the library to think about her manuscript.

When I apologized to her as we parted, she smiled a crooked smile and left.

I visited Koizumi’s class along with Shizuku. Koizumi was just getting ready to join us, so I explained to him what had happened and we headed to the gymnasium.

We visited the indoor sports clubs first, and then the clubs on the field, last.

The first club we visited was the girls’ basketball club, where the members were stretching, and our conversation went surprisingly well.　

Shizuku was the first to greet the girls and draw their attention, then Koizumi asked the head of the club to make a little time for me, and then I made my appearance, full of energy.

At that moment, the female students gave me a ‘Who is this guy?’ look and seemed to have question marks floating around for a moment, but then the perception that I was the weird guy at lunchtime spread.

Then they could guess that the visit was in regards to the election…

“…What a turn of events.”

I was standing alone on the basketball court with the ball in my hand.

The girls were surrounding the court, happily looking at me, and Shizuku and Koizumi had joined the circle.

“If you can make two out of five free throws, we’ll listen to you.”

When one of the girls in the group, a sophomore and the new head of the club, declared this, then the girls started to make noise as if a festival had begun.

They are definitely having fun…

Also, Shizuku is enjoying it too.

After all, I’m confidently predicting how many female members will join.

Koizumi is Koizumi, and he’s looking at me with a clenched fist and a passionate look and as if saying, “Good luck!”…

This is why I don’t like crowded places, I thought as I threw the ball towards the basket.

I never expected it to be a shounen manga like development…

“I’m running for the …elections, and I’d like you all to support me.”

They went in, the free throws.

Having said that, I can’t say it was easy because I got two just in time, but as they say, luck is part of skill.

When I turned to the girls, who were sitting on the gymnasium floor and listening quietly to me, no one directed them to do so, but applause echoed through the gymnasium.

I would have liked to talk about my reasons for running for the position and my personal plans for activities after being elected, but time was limited.

Also, I couldn’t spend precious time on club activities, so it was a great accomplishment that they listened to me, even if it was only the bare minimum.

As the three of us were leaving the gymnasium after thanking them, I remembered something I had forgotten to mention.

From the gymnasium door, I made a short run back to the basketball team’s place and added one word.

“Just vote for …whoever you’d want to.”

Shortly after I told that to them, I quickly turned away and started to run.

At his back, the girls’ basketball team looked at him with a blank expression and then started laughing after the three of them disappeared.

After that, I visited with the girls’ kendo, track, and tennis clubs and asked to be allowed to have a similar talk with them.

All of the clubs were willing to do so because Shizuku and Koizumi were present, and I was able to create a situation where they would listen to what I had to say, albeit somewhat.

The girls in Yuuto’s group share the same active lifestyle, but their friendships naturally change depending on whether or not they are part of a group.

The club activities fortunately seemed to be untouched by those gyaru girls, and no one had any negative words or opinions to offer.

It may not be a bad tactic to draw in the athletic clubs aggressively.

I guess my personality hadn’t lost its passive way of thinking and perceiving things.

It was a rather humble activity in which we kept going to the clubs until dusk, but I have to thank the two of them for their participation.

Although I did not offer them anything, today’s activity ended when I secretly decided in my heart to buy them something they would like to eat later on.

“…I’m grateful for staying with me until this late.”

“It’s okay, I already said I would help in any way I could.”

Koizumi smiled without a hint of displeasure and exchanged a few words with me in front of the school gate.

It was a day that reminded me of the valuable and significant relationships that have been built up by this unassuming student.

I parted from Koizumi at the school gate and was about to call Shizuku and Kirasaka to go home when Shizuku stopped and said.

“I’m going home with Kirasaka-san today.”

“Do you have some …business to attend to?”

I’m going in the same direction as you, you know?

If she had something to do, like shopping or something, I thought it was now her turn to ask since I had been keeping her company busy until now, but Shizuku shook her head.

“Today, Minato-kun doesn’t need us.”

She then turned her eyes behind me.

I turned around to see what was going on, and there I saw a figure I knew very well.

“Nii-san, let’s go home together.”

“Kaede… why are you here?”

My younger sister Kaede was standing in front of Sakuranaoka Academy, the opposite of the girls’ high school she attended.

Shizuku answered my question instead of Kaede.

“I called her. Kirasaka-san seemed to have the same opinion. We thought it would be better for Minato-kun to talk to someone with whom he could express his true feelings with right now.”

I couldn’t face Shizuku’s expression as she smiled.

I am ashamed to say but it seems that she has seen through my feelings that I was trying not to express, but I don’t feel bad about it.

To be honest, I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the look on Kaede’s face.

It was as if I was slightly relieved from the irritation that had been going on since lunchtime.

Maybe it was because we were family, and there was no need to put on a strange air of pretense.

“Let’s go home now, Nii-san!”

Kaede, who had moved from behind to next to me, gently grasped my left hand, said with a smile.

I did not refuse the hand that pulled me, and I started to walk in the direction of my home, but I soon turned around.

I told Shizuku, who was still in front of the gate waving her hands and cheeks, and Kirasaka, who was not present, to pass the message on to her.

“Wake me up so I don’t oversleep tomorrow morning…”

“…Yes, I’ll take care of it!”

I said this to Shizuku, who nodded with the biggest smile on her face, and we siblings proceeded on our way through the residential area in the evening twilight.