Volume 2 - CH 11

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Give up now

After Shigure's consultation, I didn't prepare to head home but instead went back inside the school building again.

I didn't have an appointment with anyone, nor did I have any task to do.

I opened the door to the meeting room, thinking that if they weren't there, I would just leave.

"―― Oh, Jimichi-kun. What's wrong? Did you forget something?"

Yukinaga-senpai was inside, illuminated by the setting sun. Neither Tateyama-senpai nor anyone else from the student council was there, and Senpai seemed to be sorting through paperwork alone.

Senpai's black hair, lit up the sunset, looked several shades more beautiful than usual.

"Speaking of forgetting something, I did forget to help Senpai."

"...What are you going to do if you make me fall in love you any more than this..."

"Did you say something?"

"Not really. Still Jimichi-kun, I'm glad you're offering to help, but I'm almost done."

Senpai then showed me a piece of paper.

There, the conditions of the equipment and the list of purchases needed from that session in the gym earlier were listed, and most entries were already filled out.

"Senpai's handwriting is beautiful."

"I was learning calligraphy."

I thought it was kind of fitting, Senpai choosing the path of calligraphy and all that.

It was nicely written and was very easy to read, but...

"...But why manually write it? Didn't you buy new computer?"

"I was going to ask you for that, about the initial setup."

"I think anyone can do that."

"...I wanted to ask you to do it! Geez, just hurry and set it up."

I was pushed towards a computer that no one should have meddled with yet.

I sat down next to Senpai and turned on the computer.

"Username, huh...kumadaisuki...there."

"It's seitokai01! That's not my personal property, you know?!"

"Let's set your birthday as your password."

"Oh my, does that mean I can expect something for my birthday?"

"Can I use a bear as the wallpaper?"

"That...please do so."

The work was done in a comfortable manner, with occasional jokes mixed in.

Senpai continued her handwritten list, while I entered it to the computer.

Completely double the work. Both Senpai and I noticed it, but neither of us said anything and resumed working.

"That reminds me. Can I call you Ikuto?"

"Huh, I don't really mind."

Yukinaga-senpai said that all of a sudden. I looked at her and saw that her gaze was still fixed on the documents and not on me.

It seemed that her hand was shaking and she couldn't write well, but I should pretend I didn't see that.

"You can call me Mutsuki, too."

"Then, Mutsuki. Let's go out and have fun next time, okay? I'll give you a good time."

"A-at least add a senpai at the end?! Or rather, why are you acting like that all of a sudden?! I'll still come with you, though!"

Senpai, who didn't turn to face me all this time, finally did, perhaps annoyed at being called without honorifics.

Her expression as of the moment was surprise rather than anger. It seemed that this playboy character was amusingly effective for Senpai.

"I'm just kidding, Mutsuki-senpai."

"...It might have been better if you didn’t add an honorific after all."

"Mutsuki-san?"

"Don't add 'san', either."

"No but, I couldn't just call Senpai without an honorific..."

"It's fine! You don't need to!"

That was what Senpai said, but I couldn't do so as expected.

I knew how to respect seniority, and there was no way that I, a simple kouhai, could do that to the student council president of all people.

I told Senpai this, but her mouth formed into a pout.

"...Then, call me Mutsuki when we're alone."

"Hm~n...but if I get used to that, I might say it accidentally in front of others."

"So do your best! Good luck!"

"Was Senpai that kind of character?"

The dignified and beautiful student council president was starting to fall apart a bit.

If I was the only who could see her like that, then I felt a sense of superiority, but...I also had the desire for her to remain somewhat the elegant senpai she was.

Either way, I was concerned about misunderstandings if I did omit it in public, so I still decided to add 'senpai' at the end.

"Other than that, Ikuto-kun. Is it fine for you be here at his hour? It's going to get dark soon, you know?"

"I'll stay with you until we finish. Rather, I'll send you home after, especially if it got dark."

"...Like I said, what are you going to do if I fall in love with you more than this..."

"I'm not really going to do anything, you know?"

"Wha?! Why did you hear that this time?!"

Senpai, who yelled in surprise, had her cheeks gradually blush. And it wasn't because of the setting sun by any means.

I also normally heard Senpai earlier. I let it pass once, thinking that it might have been an unconscious remark, but the fact that she said it twice probably meant she had little intention of hiding it.

If she wanted to keep it secret, I would keep quiet, but if she didn't, I would react.

"I'm right next to you, so I could hear it."

"...Stupid. That's the kind of thing you pretend not to hear."

"Then, let's forget about it."

"It's fine. But this time, I am going to make it clearer."

Yukinaga-senpai turned her body towards me from where she sat and stared at me firmly in the eye.

Perhaps nervous as you might expect, Senpai was trembling a bit. Still, she didn't take her eyes off me and slowly opened her mouth.

"I have feelings for you. It's the first time I have ever felt this time, and I don't what this is, but I think it's something important."

"I also have feelings for Senpai too, you know."

"What I'm feeling is different from that of a friend like yours, and more like romantic, though?"

"...Romantic, is it."

I also had feelings for Senpai. It might be love.

But just like with Shigure, I couldn't come up with an answer. I didn't even think it was strange.

I was moving on the completed route. But I wasn't the one who made that path.

Was it evident on my expression? Did I let that thought out on my face?

Senpai, who stared at me, had her expression turn into something sad for a moment.

"However, I'm convinced by your reaction. You don't have me in your sights yet."

"That's not..."

"It's fine. Then from now on, I'll do my best to make you fall in love with me. Someday, I'll make you mine."

Senpai let out a fearless smile, looking beautiful and very dignified.

It was very hard to believe this was the same mechanically challenged person or one who had a twinkle in her eye for bears.

I wondered if these various aspects of Yukinaga Mutsuki were what made her so appealing.

"What exactly are going to do?"

"Do you normally ask to hear this kind of thing? Well, for now...I could have you join the student council."

"No."

"W-why?! I can even give you the special position of a president's assistant right now!"

I felt like I was already kind of that.

The student council seemed busy, so I didn't really want to be involved.

After that, I continued to lazily pass the time, and brushed off invitations from Senpai.