When I reunited with my arrogant childhood friend, she had become a talented and beautiful girl – Even though she has probably forgotten about me and I don’t want to be toyed with, for some reason she keeps getting involved with me!?

“…Why me? There are many more excellent students around me, right?”

For example, the student council members of the middle school.

Not only that, considering her looks, achievements, and abilities, there would be plenty of sophomores and juniors who would follow her if she were to recruit them.

There should be far more suitable candidates than me. I don’t understand why both Akane and Fumiko are so fixated on me.

“Do you think so? I think you’re quite exceptional since you were able to transfer to this school. Besides, aren’t you highly regarded by Student Council President Shinjo?”

Did she know?

Well, it was a fairly big fuss, so it’s only natural she would know.

It may be an exaggeration to say I’m being relied upon.

“That’s overstating it. I just helped the student council because they were short-handed at the time.”

“Was that really all there was to it?”

Her expression suggested she was convinced there was more to it.

“…I thought for sure you were going to run with Vice President Shinjo, but when I checked, that wasn’t the case.”

She had researched that far…

“More than anything, you are… no, never mind.”

I was curious about what she wanted to say, but there was only one answer I could give to Fumiko.

“I’m sorry, but I have no intention of running with anyone.”

“…With anyone. So, you were indeed invited by Senior Shinjo.”

“…Well, yeah. I turned him down, just like I did with you.”

Hearing that, she seemed somewhat relieved.

Did she feel relieved because she realized it wasn’t her fault that I declined?

“….I understand. I wanted you to run with me, but it can’t be helped. It seems you’re not interested in joining the student council at all.”

“I appreciate your understanding.”

“It’s a shame, really…”

A shame, huh? She’s overestimating me.

“By the way, who’s going to give the support speech for Vice President Shinjo? It seems not decided yet…”

She asked that probably as part of her information gathering. Well, it’s not something I need to hide, so I might as well tell her.

“Ah, that’s me.”

“What?”

I got chills down my spine.

Huh? Fumiko? She’s kind of scary.

Her voice had completely cooled down, as if all the heat from a moment ago had disappeared. It’s as if the room has gotten chilly.

Her mood seemed to have soured quite noticeably.

….Why?

“You’re giving the support speech? Supporting someone else… not me…?”

“No, no… it’s… It’s just that, it’s a request from the student council president! It just so happened that I agreed to give Shinjo’s support speech…”

I hurriedly tried to soothe Fumiko.

What’s this…? I haven’t done anything wrong, but I feel like I’m the one at fault…!!

“Stupid, stupid, idiot…”

She hit my shoulder repeatedly, looking as dissatisfied as a child.

“Ouch, ouch…!! I’m sorry, okay!”

Fumiko glared at me, her cheeks puffed up in annoyance.

I felt overwhelmed by the pressure she was emitting, making me feel guilty.

“Well, all I’m doing is helping out and giving the support speech. Once that’s done, I won’t be involved anymore.”

“Oh, is that so?”

She turned away from me with a displeased look on her face. This is what it means to be left without a lifeline.

“Um, if you become the student council president and have any problems, let me know. I’ll help as much as I can.”

I intend to do my best to help Akane win by giving her the support speech.

But, in the end, the final outcome depends on Akane. There’s a good chance that Fumiko could win.

“I suppose you’re saying the same thing to Vice President Shinjo, aren’t you?”

“No, not at all! You’re the only one I’m saying this to! Really!!”

Wait, what? Did I just sound like a womanizer?

“Hmm…so, if I asked you, would you help me with things like morning dress checks, picking up lunch trash, and other tasks, right beside me?”

“Ah, of course!”

Well, there are plenty of capable people in the student council, so they probably won’t need my help.

“Hmm? Well, that’s fine. I’ll compromise with that.”

Despite calling it a compromise, she seemed quite satisfied.

Phew, good. Her mood seems to have improved considerably.

“I had decided on the student council members in my mind, but I guess I’ll have to rethink.”

I wonder who she would have chosen if I hadn’t declined?

“By the way, who were you thinking of?”

“Well, I would be the president, and you would be the vice president. That’s it.”

“What about the treasurer, secretary, and general affairs!?”

You can’t run the student council with just two people!

“Huh? Just the two of us, you and me, should be enough, right? If it’s you, you can handle being the vice president, treasurer, secretary, committee federation oversight, and club federation oversight.”

No, no, that’s impossible!! She’s expecting too much of me!

“In fact, I don’t want anyone other than you in my student council. They would just get in the way.”

Huh? What’s with her…? She’s scary…!!

“Well, that’s obviously a joke.”

“W-what? A joke…”

I was a bit surprised that Fumiko would make such a joke.

She’s quite a unique junior.

“Obviously, that would be too much for you to handle. If I were the president, I would handle the accounting and secretarial work, and you, as the vice president, would manage the club federation and committee federation. That would be ideal, wouldn’t it?”

Fumiko is still scary after all.