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!?

Akane Shinjo.

She’s the childhood friend I reunited with in high school, and the number one person I didn’t want to get involved with. She’s a nuisance who interacts with me more than I would like, even though I want nothing to do with her.

“Hey…”

That said, Akane won the student council election and became the next student council president. From now on, she will be busy gathering members and preparing documents.

So, I should finally be free from her interference.

“Hey, wait!”

So, this voice must be a hallucination, and it surely wasn’t directed at me!

“Heyyy!”

Who is that? Someone answer her already.

“Kazuki Sato!! Can you hear me!?”

…It was me.

Sighing, I turned around to find Akane glaring at me with her hands on her hips.

“You finally looked at me!! Don’t ignore me!! Really!!”

Really, nothing… Please give me a break. This is the second time we’re having this conversation.

“Haah… What do you want?”

“Wait, don’t… don’t sigh so loudly. It hurts normally. Um… I have something I want to consult with Kazuki about.”

“I refuse!”

“Why!?”

“Let me guess, you’re troubled because you can’t decide on the student council members?”

“What!? How did you know… Wait!! Please, at least listen to me!!”

Akane grabbed my right hand as I tried to leave, as if pleading with me.

I had hit the nail on the head, and gathering student council members was outside of our agreement. She should figure that out on her own.

“Didn’t I tell you that I would help you only until the student council elections?”

Moreover, I’ve finally become free. I have a list of over 50 things I want to do.

In other words, I don’t have time to deal with you anymore!!

“Please!! At least listen to me!! Don’t abandon me!!”

“Hey!! Don’t phrase it in a way that causes misunderstandings…!!”

Because Akane, who wouldn’t let go of my hand, was shouting with teary eyes, the surrounding students were looking at us.

“Isn’t that Princess and Sato… She’s saying ‘don’t abandon me’.”

“Eh? Is Sato-kun planning to… dump Shinjo-san after getting what he wants…?”

“Really… Sato is the worst.”

“He’s also close with Nakano-san, right?”

“Is he going to dump her because he has Nakano-san who’s convenient!?”

Wait!? This is bad!! This is really bad!! They’re completely misunderstanding!!

“This is really the last time, okay!?”

I reluctantly agreed to listen to her and we headed to the student council room for now.

“…So? What’s this consultation about?”

Akane and I decided to get to the point while enjoying high-quality gyokuro tea and premium sweets in the student council room.

“It’s been a week since the student council elections ended, and after a fierce battle, I became the student council president…”

“I’m going home if this is going to be a long story.”

“A-ah, I’m sorry… please don’t go…!!”

“…So? What’s the conclusion?”

“A week has passed and not a single student council member has been decided yet…”

Usually, those who continued from the previous term or those who gave a supporting speech would become student council members.

Especially in her case, she was the vice-president, so normally the members would be filled immediately…

“I’ve been reaching out to everyone, but they all say they’re not capable enough…”

In her case, the policy of the student council is to reform the school. Reform means doing something that no one has done before.

Making all school events and decisions student-led, implementing new initiatives in collaboration with the junior high school department, full digitization, etc. To realize what Akane talked about in her speech, we need to do more than the usual work of the student council.

Naturally, academic ability, communication skills, practical skills, and other abilities beyond those of previous student council members are required.

All members of the student council are extremely busy. It probably wouldn’t last long if they joined. That’s why nobody wants to do it.

Unless we gather very capable members, it might collapse immediately.

“…What about Nakano? Didn’t you say you were going to invite her?”

“I did invite Futaba to be the student council’s accountant… but she refused.”

Well, Nakano is not the type to want to be involved in student council activities… I thought she might accept Akane’s invitation, but it seems it didn’t work.

Well, she is highly capable, so it feels like a waste.

“Well, that alone would have been okay… but Futaba might be leaving school.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Before… I saw her leaving the staff room. I was curious, so I asked the teacher, and they said that at this rate, she won’t have enough attendance.”

“Nakano herself doesn’t seem to be bothered by that.”

She nodded at my words.

In a normal high school, there are cases where you can’t advance to the next grade due to grades, but here in Hekireki Academy, one of the leading prestigious schools in Japan, you could be expelled if your grades are poor or if you don’t have enough attendance days.

In Nakano’s case, her grades are unquestionably excellent, but she might be expelled because she doesn’t have enough attendance.

“I want you to find out if Futaba really intends to leave this school.”

“Shouldn’t Akane be the one to do that?”

“…It’s the opposite. There are things I can’t say because it’s me.”

…That might be true.

“Besides, you’re good at messing with people’s emotions and getting the truth out of them!”

“What the hell are you saying…”

That’s not true, right? …It’s not, right?

“Well, fine… I understand. I’ll take care of it.”

Akane looked at me with a puzzled expression, perhaps surprised that I agreed so readily.

“…You’re strangely straightforward and proactive when it comes to Futaba, aren’t you?”

“…Am I?”

“Yes! By the way… what do you… what do you think about Futaba?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know… like, do you find her cute as a member of the opposite sex, or does she pique your interest… or not?”

She asked in a somewhat muffled voice.

“No, not particularly… I mean, I enjoy being with her, but not in a romantic way.”

The moment I said that, Akane showed a clearly relieved expression.

“…For now.”

The moment I said that, Akane’s face turned pale all at once.

“For now!?”

She leaned in, bringing her face closer to mine.

Her face is very close…

“Well, yeah. Nakano is quite cute. We have similar hobbies, and as we hang out more, I might develop romantic feelings.”

Upon hearing this, Akane looked stunned, then said,

“H-ha! I-I see! It must be those huge breasts, right!? Ha, no way, no way! You seem disinterested but you’re thinking naughty things, aren’t you? Men are always like that.”

She said, somewhat hysterically.

Isn’t that a huge leap in thought? Even a monkey in heat wouldn’t think like that.

“It’s not about her breasts… it’s all about her personality.”

“Really? Her breasts don’t matter?”

“Not at all.”

“Hmm… well, I’ll let it pass this time. But let me tell you, I won’t forgive you if you make a move on Futaba.”

“Alright, alright.”

Why is she looking down on me like that? It’s like being suspected of cheating by a lover.

…But, if what Akane said is true, it’s better to deal with it sooner.

“Well then, I’m off.”

“Eh? Where are you going?”

“I’m going to Nakano’s house to ask her directly.”

“O-okay. I’m counting on you… Get information about her potential drop-out from Futaba, and persuade her to join the student council!”

“Didn’t the request just get bigger?”