Volume 2 - CH 8

Volume 2, Chapter 8: The Kind Of Argument You Partake In If You Think You Can Win

Go with Umi to the club

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Hi, I am Jimichi Ikuto, a member of the sports festival committee.

Oh, by the way, I was the representative of Class 3, 2nd Year. Or rather, it would more accurate to call it a sacrifice.

Worshipped by my fanatic classmates, I was the one appointed to participate in these executive committee meetings to take responsibility for their brainwashing.

"First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for taking on the role of a member of the sport festival committee.

We were gathered at the gymnasium, and I stared dazedly at our student council president Yukinaga Mutsuki, who greeted the students with elegance on the stage.

It seemed that all members of the student council were around Senpai, and one of them was even a good-looking guy with glasses that looked awfully fitting on him.

Looking around me, it seemed that some students were very motivated, while others looked bored and absentminded.

Hm? Which one was I?

Of course, it was the former. Now that I have been entrusted with this job, I would give it my all. For the sake of those brainwashed who chose me, I wouldn't dare do this inappropriately.

"Haa...annoying."

Oops, words that I didn't mean to say just came out of my mouth.

Fear not, that was just my vocal cords spasming. They did so from time to time.

"Your help is needed to make our sports festival a success. I’m looking forward to a good job."

Yukinaga-senpai slightly bowed, receiving a mix of heartfelt and applause.

Of course, I was on the lively side. I was good at clapping loudly for nothing.

Yukinaga-senpai took a step back, and it was the handsome glasses from earlier who took over instead.

Apparently, he was the vice-president. Perhaps to join the student council, one must have a certain amount of good looks?

Then I should be able to join. It might be interesting to try for running for president next year.

The topic went off a bit, but the handsome senpai began to explain the work and schedule of the committee members.

Something tedious is about to start, and I don't like it, don't wanna do it, and it's scary... It was when I was thinking that.

Was it my imagination? I felt like Yukinaga-senpai's gaze was fixed on me...but I wasn't sure.

Of course, if a beautiful girl stared at you like that, you'd be woken up.

I stared at back at Senpai's eyes and began listening seriously, rather than halfheartedly earlier, to what Tateyama-senpai had to say.

――――

――

―

After vice president Tateyama-senpai was finished, I was deliberating about what he said when the lone teacher started talking.

He said that today was mainly about meeting up, so there wasn't any particular work to be done.

First of all, they were going to decide on the events then check the equipment to be used, of which would be divided up over the next few days.

What should I do? I wasn't sure whether I was better at using my head of muscles...because I was excellent at both.

On the stage, the teacher was rambling on about how the event was to be led by the students and none of the teachers, but I immediately felt that it was contradictory.

...I was bored. I would rather much listen to the principal that this.

I looked around to see what kind of students were elected.

So, what did I think? I took a closer inspection and noticed a rather high percentage of girls.

Around seven to three. When talking about sports festival, I thought that more guys, the better.

Anyway, with this ratio, I was going to be using my muscles.

"Hmm...?"

Suddenly, I felt a gaze on my back, so I turned around.

I could feel them. Not just one, but about five or six pairs of eyes were on me.

The row in front were third-year students, and the row behind were first-years. I was bathed in heated gazes from several female kouhais.

"Kyaa, he just looked at me."

"He really is handsome."

"I might be in the Jimichi faction~."

"Tateyama-senpai is good, but...hm, I'm lost."

The whispering kouhais were quite lively.

Since there was only one member for each class, the total number wasn't anything big.

Which was why they stood out. I stopped looking behind me and was about to face in front.

"..."

My eyes met with a beautiful girl I had already met before. Her cuteness was distinguishable among the first-years.

I lightly smiled and waved a bit to her.

"~~~!"

"Hey, hey. He waved at me."

"No~, it must have been me at this angle."

"That smile is so cool..."

"He's a Toshishita (Junior) Killer."

Satisfied at the sight of that girl turning red and looking down, I turned in front again.

How pitiful, Shigure Airi. You were sacrificed, too.

As I shed tears in my heart at this, a sharp gaze came from in front.

"..."

Yukinaga-senpai seemed mad. Her cold eyes were staring at me, shoulders slightly shaking.

I plead innocence with my eyes. Without blinking, I stared back at her to transmit my feelings to her.

Senpai didn't look away. This was now a game of communicating feelings, and I couldn't look away from her.

"...!"

I won. I seemed to have conveyed it to Senpai.

Although it was bit far to see clearly, when Senpai looked away, she had a slight redness in her cheeks.

Satisfied, I shifted my gaze back to the teacher who was still talking.

――――

――

―

"Senpai, senpai!"

"I've now become a fan of senpai!"

"I'm so glad I became a member of the sports festival committee~.'

As soon as the meeting was over, I was surrounded by a bunch of girls, and I couldn’t get away.

More than half of them were kouhais. Included was Shigure.

Shigure seemed a bit overwhelmed, so she was a bit farther away.

"By the way, Senpai! Who did you just wave to earlier?!"

The words of one female kouhai caught everyone's attention.

Those who were second-years had question marks on their heads, but the kouhais looked expectant.

"I guess it's the girl I found the cutest."

"C-could it be me?!"

"Or me..."

"Hawawawa..."

Well, it wasn't possible to say who it was in a situation like this, so I shouldn't.

That wave was momentary, and it was too vague to know who I sent a gaze to.

"Other than that, we should get to know the others."

I said as I turned my attention to the other crowd.

A short distance from where I was, there was a gathering of people led by the vice president Tateyama-senpai.

To put it clearly, the executive committee members were divided into two groups. They were either with me, or with Tateyama-senpai.

"We need to interact with people from there, too...no wait."

My eyes met with those of Tateyama-senpai.

I thought we both had a similar expression of being troubled, but his was different.

What was up with that challenging gaze? No, it looked more like of triumph.

"Ah~, I also have to say hello to them, too. I'm off ――"

"―― No, stay here."

I called out to the girl who was about to leave, and stopped her with a serious look on my face.

The girl went back to me, blushing.

"You guys stay here, too. I won't allow you to leave me."

""Y-yes.""

Fine. Challenge accepted.

Please don't look down on me just because I am your kouhai. This is a rebellion.

I was roped into a competition as to who could attract more people, and I decided to accept.

The other side was mostly composed of first-year students, and on mine was the contrary, mostly first-years.

However, because majority of the student council members were there, I was a bit outnumbered.

Then, I should come up with a plan. I dub it, the "Water here is sweet" strategy.

"Shigure, come here for a moment."

"Eh? O-okay."

Shigure was surprised when I suddenly called out to her, but she silently obeyed and went to me.

I grabbed Shigure by the shoulders and adjusted my position. Shigure had gone red up to her ears, but please bear with this for a moment.

"Um, I-Ikuto-senpai...?"

"It's fine. Don't worry, you're cute."

"R-really?! But why so suddenly?"

The strategy was to push Shigure, a pretty girl, out front and steal all the guys over there.

Of all the girls here, Shigure was definitely on par with Yukinaga-senpai.

"Shigure, can you try calling them over here, just for a bit?"

"...If you owe me a favor, I'll do it."

"No problem, we have a deal. You can do it."

"Yes! I-I'll do my best."

Smiling, Shigure began waving her hand towards the guys.

Then as you'd have guessed, I caught a bigger game than I expected. Truly, the fearful Senpai Killer.

"Jimichi-kun? What are you doing?"

"Hahaha, I won."

The final nail in the coffin. The other beauty, Yukinaga-senpai, entered the stage.

The stand must have been shaking by now...I once heard my mother say. I didn't know anything about that.

I took Senpai's arm and pulled on her with a bit of force before she could change her mind.

"W-wait? What's going on all of a sudden?"

"Senpai is mine. I won't give her to you."

"Wha...what are you saying?! Even if you suddenly tell me such a thing..."

Leaving Senpai to herself who blew her fuse, I sent a winning smile to Tateyama-senpai.

We were still outnumbered, but now that Shigure and Yukinaga-senpai were here, the flow of people was decided.

Come, let the men start moving! The water here is sweet!

When I sent such a look to the other side, it was Tateyama-senpai himself instead who sighed.

When he walked towards me, he spoke with an apologetic expression on his face.

"Ahaha, sorry sorry. I was just playing around a bit. Will you forgive me?"

"Was that the case? (What a sore loser!)"

Apparently, he made that expression just for fun and didn't think it would be this big of a deal.

I got heated up, too. I should apologize to Senpai, Shigure, and my kouhais later.

"But I didn't think the president would be taken... President?"

"W-what was that all about...what did he mean...what do I do..."

Yukinaga-senpai was mumbling about something.

"...What's this?"

"I-I wonder as well."

It wasn't until Yukinaga-senpai recovered that we continued. The committee members got along well, but that was a story for another time.