Chapter 10: Student Council’s First Meeting (2)

“Fujimoto!”

Hiiragi-senpai’s firm voice cut across the student council conference room.

Fujimoto flinched, straightened his posture, and blinked.

“It’s not good to show your competitive spirit so openly. What’s important here is not whether you’re 4th or 3rd.”

“Yes, I understand…”

“And Kurosawasan is not a member of the student council yet. Besides, entrance scores are confidential school information. Disclosing confidential information to an outsider is a violation of student council rules, right?”

“I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful next time.”

Fujimoto slumped his shoulders, dejected.

But his gaze still felt like it was aimed at me.

However… whether Fujimoto was burning with a sense of rivalry after seeing me or not, only one word was echoing in my head.

‘3rd? Ah, so, I’m 3rd?’

In the novel, Fujimoto repeating 3rd and 4th place means that there is someone he is competing with for that rank.

I didn’t remember Fujimoto’s name right away because he was neglecting student council work because he was studying, and because his presence in the novel was close to that of a mob.

‘So, the person Fujimoto originally considered as a rival is me? Kurosawa Rina?’

Since Aya and Mizuki, whose set specs are in the realm of God, are there, there will naturally be human-level mob characters competing below them.

So… maybe I’ve become a character around that level.

‘Come to think of it… she had higher specs than I thought for a mob character.’

Even if I had memories of my past life, the fact that I could keep up with classes itself wasn’t at the level where, as the protagonist of the novel said, ‘classes are so fast-paced that I want to give up.’

My appearance was also quite cute, and although I haven’t been able to properly use my athletic ability yet, I felt strangely refreshed when I woke up in the morning, and I didn’t feel like I was out of breath even when I ran.

A transfer student female mob character who was fitted into the place where the protagonist disappeared, around 3rd or 4th place.

That might be Kurosawa Rina.

And since the protagonist disappeared, I would naturally attract the attention of Aya or Mizuki.

Aya would naturally wonder who the girl with a higher score than Fujimoto, a member of the student council, was, and Mizuki could move the academy to have me assigned to the same class.

Ah, the puzzle fits together.

The points that were strange until now began to make sense, and I can decide what to do from now on.

‘Yeah, at this point, my plan for an ordinary school life is completely out the window.’

While I was thinking alone, I noticed something lightly placed on the desk.

When I looked up, Aya was smiling quietly at me.

‘…What?’

I carefully unfolded the small note.

‘Fujimoto has a strong desire to win, so don’t worry too much about it (,,,~~~) ♡’

Aya’s handwriting with a face that seems to be smiling brightly and a heart.

At that moment, my heart seemed to stop for a moment.

‘Wh, what is this…?!’

Feeling my face heat up quickly, I hurriedly folded the note and held it in my hand.

Aya in the novel would never do something like casually handing over such a cute note.

I secretly glanced at Aya.

Aya was still smiling softly and tilting her head slightly.

That gaze seemed to contain the meaning, ‘Are you okay?’

‘This is just, she’s worrying about me as a friend, right? Right..? Right? Right?’

I cleared my throat meaninglessly and smiled awkwardly.

However, my heart, regardless of my will, beat twice, no, three times faster.

‘If it goes on like this, something really big might happen… No, it’s already completely different from the novel.’

In the novel, Aya was a character with few friends, like many other silver-haired, blue-eyed heroines in romantic comedies.

Mizuki was an exception because the two had grown up together since they were young, but Aya was a character who maintained a distance while showing a perfect and kind appearance to everyone.

Most of the people who approached such Aya expressed simple curiosity or admiration, regardless of gender, or came to confess, so it’s natural that they didn’t become friends.

So, in the academy called Takamari, there are many people who admire Aya, but there is no one next to Aya.

Aya didn’t care much about this environment.

The concept of ‘friend’ was like a luxury to Aya. Mizuki was there in the first place, and it was enough to go towards the goal she wanted.

But… me?

I, the mob ‘Kurosawa Rina’ in this novel?

To Aya, I am a ‘harmless friend’ who she became friends with for the first time after entering high school, without any special meaning.

A presence that can fill the side indifferently, keeping an appropriate distance without giving a burden.

That was me now.

‘Th, that’s right, this position isn’t bad.’

I fiddled with the note.

There’s no way Aya has any special feelings for me in the first place.

Just a position of a ‘harmless friend’ who can get along comfortably, who she has just made friends with.

But… the more I was conscious of Aya’s gaze, the more I felt a strange tightness in my heart.

Aya was still watching my reaction curiously, and when I avoided her eyes, she smiled slightly and turned her gaze back.

My heart pounds at that one small smile.

‘Th, this is why there are so many kids who want to confess to Aya…’

Because I was a man just a few days ago, I am naturally weak to the attention of a beautiful girl.

But now I have to keep my center and remain a harmless friend.

I made a vow inside and carefully put Aya’s note in my bag.

I am just a harmless friend, I just need to remember that.

“Ahem.”

What pulled me out of my reverie was the sound of vice president Hiiragi-senpai clearing his throat.

“Okay, okay, today’s agenda was a discussion on the club activity guidance for transfer students.”

With his words as a signal, the meeting returned to its original track.

As expected, the meeting proceeded naturally among the student council members.

The way they discussed in detail how to organize the club activity guidance, prepare the overall materials, and even the presentation method was truly the aspect of a student council.

I just listened to their conversation quietly.

The speed at which they exchanged opinions was fast and logical, and above all, the atmosphere itself looked heavy and dignified.

Aya and Mizuki, who seemed familiar with the atmosphere, occasionally added opinions and naturally blended into the conversation, but I…

‘Yeah… I can’t fit into this atmosphere.’

I quietly held my breath in my seat.

This is what the student council is originally like.

If I can’t understand the flow here, the best thing to do is just listen silently.

Then, I was startled by the sudden voice of Hiiragi-senpai.

“Kurosawasan.”

“Yes?!”

Startled, I reflexively looked up.

Everyone’s eyes were on me.

“As a transfer student, do you have any opinions on this club activity guidance?”

It was a sudden question from Hiiragi-senpai.

‘Why, why me…! Ah, since I came here, it can’t be helped.’

I tried to hide my embarrassment and carefully opened my mouth.

“I… um, I think it would be good if the content was more friendly so that transfer students wouldn’t feel too burdened when participating. So… I think it would be good to organize it in a participatory way.”

After I finished speaking, the conference room was momentarily silent.

‘Ah, I shouldn’t have said anything…!’

But Hiiragi-senpai thought for a moment, then nodded as if satisfied and opened his mouth.

“That’s a good opinion. It’s an opinion that actually considered the perspective of a transfer student, so it’s worth referring to.”

When his words ended, the student council members nodded to each other and started taking notes.

Only then did I slightly relax my shoulders and quietly exhale a sigh of relief.

‘Phew… Fortunately, I got over the hurdle.’

Mizuki smiled playfully and looked at me.

And Aya was still watching me with that characteristic warm smile of hers.

‘…This atmosphere, it’s so awkward.’

I quietly clenched my fist under the desk.

Based on my opinion, the meeting became a little more lively.

“Participatory… that’s a good idea.”

“For example, how about demonstrating club activities? So that transfer students can experience it themselves.”

Shiraizuka-senpai added her opinion, tapping the document with her fingertips.

Her formal way of speaking still felt distant, but I was a little relieved that she seemed to acknowledge my suggestion.

But I really want to give her a fan…

But it was still too early to relax.

I tried to be as inconspicuous as possible, but I felt the gazes of the student council members somehow keep turning to me.

In particular, Hiiragi-senpai’s gaze was still directed at me, as if he was looking into my soul.

As if testing whether I, as a transfer student, could adapt to this place.

‘Yeah, I shouldn’t have come… I hope it ends soon… Is there about 15 minutes left of lunch time?’

Then, Aya quietly touched my arm.

Aya, unlike before, smiled slightly playfully and pushed a small note in front of me.

‘Rina, you’re doing better than I thought at the meeting. Just a little more effort♡’

Wait, was Aya a character with this many hearts?

I had to use all my reason to hold back the corners of my mouth that were forcibly rising.

If I laugh now, I’ll just get more attention… I couldn’t even look at Aya’s face.

Fortunately, the meeting continued, and it flowed into detailed adjustments to the method of explaining club activities.

Everyone seriously discussed from adjusting the budget to the process of selecting the club activities that students would be most interested in.

As time passed, the bell rang 10 minutes before the end of lunch time.

Hiiragi-senpai glanced at his wristwatch and opened his mouth.

“It’s quite late, so let’s postpone the discussion on new members to the next meeting.”

“Yes.”

“I understand~”

When the meeting ended, the student council members organized the materials they had brought and got up one by one.

Mizuki, sitting next to me, nudged me with her elbow, smiled slightly, and said.

“Rina, this isn’t bad, right?”

“Ah, um… I guess so.”

“You’re adapting well~ Better than I expected?”

I was startled inside at Mizuki’s words.

This is better than expected, I just wanted to get through it quietly.

It was then, Hiiragi-senpai quietly looked at me and said.

“Kurosawasan.”

“Yes?!”

I reflexively shrugged.

Hiiragi-senpai smiled slightly and said.

“Are you interested in student council activities? I think it would be a great help to the student council if you were here, what do you think?”

At that moment, I froze.

Student council…?

In my head, the word going-home club kept echoing.

But Aya and Mizuki, and the eyes of the student council members are all directed at me now…

Can I, really, run away?