“Ah, I see, that is a problem. It’s fine; please rest in the room next door until we’re finished. Everyone else is okay with that, right?”
Sara-senpai glanced around the room.
She hadn’t said anything in particular, but there was an air about her that brooked no argument.
“Y-Yes, of course...”
“If you’re feeling unwell, please, take your time and rest.”
“Exactly. We rarely use the break room anyway.”
“Make yourself at home~”
As if overwhelmed by her presence, the council members voiced their agreement one after another.
Is it really okay? I wondered, feeling a bit guilty.
“Takanashi-kun, in all seriousness, don’t worry about it. Besides, since you're here, I actually have something I’d like to consult with you about once we're done.”
“President, if there is something to discuss, I shall listen on his behalf.”
I felt a sense of déjà vu. I was sure we had been through this exact exchange before. But the Student Council President had said it was a consultation for me, so I felt I should be the one to hear it.
“Sara-senpai, I’ll make sure to listen to what he has to say properly.”
“I see. If that is what you wish, Takanashi-san.”
!!!!
“...Satsukawa-senpai didn't even hesitate!?”
“...What? Who even is that guy!?”
“...They’re not actually a couple, are they!? Tell me they aren’t!”
“...Calm down, calm down, calm down.”
“...You’re the one who needs to calm down.”
“...So that’s the ‘Takanashi-san’ person from the other day...”
What was going on?
I got the strange impression they already knew who I was. Since we had arrived, it felt like they had been whispering about me non-stop.
“I thought as much... well then, please make yourself comfortable.”
The President made a gesture as if he had confirmed something to himself.
“Excuse me, then. I’m sorry for the intrusion...”
“Takanashi-san, please, come this way.”
Senpai opened a door located inside the Student Council Room.
When I entered and looked around, I saw shelves lining the walls filled with files—likely official documents. There was a staggering amount of them. However, aside from the records, the room featured a table and a relatively large sofa. It looked big enough to lie down on.
“Takanashi-san, please rest on this sofa. It shouldn't take long... I apologize for being so selfish.”
“Senpai, you’re doing all this for my sake, so...”
“Fufu... that’s right. I’ll keep that in mind.”
It seemed she understood what I meant without me having to explain it in full. It was the kind of conversation that made me truly feel like we were on the same wavelength.
Senpai opened her bag and pulled out a large towel.
“I brought this thinking there might be a chance I’d need it, and it seems I was right to do so.”
Holding the towel, she folded it several times and then rolled it up to a decent thickness before handing it to me.
“Please use this as a substitute for a pillow. To be honest, I would prefer to give you a lap pillow, but since I have a meeting starting now... Come, please lie down and rest.”
Since the door remained open, the voices from the other room carried over clearly. It might have been poor manners to eavesdrop, but I couldn't help but be curious.
“She said ‘lap pillow’... She really said it, didn't she?”
“Pull yourself together. It’s not like we ever had a chance anyway.”
“If Satsukawa-san became my wife, would she be that kind to me? I’m so jealous... I’m so jealous...”
“...Hey, hey, are those two already a thing? Are they lovers?”
“Nah, looking at them, they’re still less than lovers.”
“Satsukawa-san is so different from usual, it’s like she’s a different person...”
While some were intensely curious, others seemed to be in a state of total shock. Well, if one knew the usual Satsukawa-san, her treatment of Takanashi-kun was night and day. It was immediately obvious how she felt about him.
However, since the two of them claimed to be just friends...
Well, as long as they were already that intimate, it would only take one small trigger for them to realize it.
More importantly, this was the perfect opportunity. I truly wanted Takanashi-kun to join the Student Council.
I recalled the conversation I had with Natsumi over the phone the other day.
“Huh? You want Takanashi-kun in the Student Council?”
“Yeah. I’d really like his help.”
It was something I had been considering ever since I saw them together recently.
“...Daichi, what are you plotting? Takanashi-kun is my friend, you know.”
“Of course I know that. There’s no way I’d try anything strange with your friend, Natsumi... I’m not exactly eager to die just yet.”
“It’s not me you should worry about, it’s Sara. If you involve Takanashi-kun in something weird... there’s no telling what she’ll do. Right now, if anything happens to him, that girl will be truly merciless. Even I probably couldn’t stop her.”
“—I’ll keep that firmly in mind...”
Hearing her say that actually sent a bit of a chill down my spine. Given how Satsukawa-san usually acted, I truly couldn't imagine how terrifying she would be if she were ever truly enraged over Takanashi-kun.
“Knowing that, what are you planning?”
“I’m not ‘plotting’ anything. I saw Satsukawa-san when she was with him the other day, and she was so honest—rather, it was the first time I’ve ever seen her look so kind and approachable.”
“Well, of course, because Sara likes him. I only realized it after seeing them together, but it seems she’s always had that side to her. Although, the difference between him and everyone else is staggering.”
“Exactly. That’s when it hit me. I want Takanashi-kun to join the Student Council to assist her.”
“...Are you planning to use Takanashi-kun as a buffer?”
With just the word ‘assist,’ Natsumi had perfectly identified my goal. She was as sharp as ever.
“I should have expected nothing less from you, Natsumi. If we go through Takanashi-kun, it’ll be easier for the other Student Council Members to make requests or confirm things with Satsukawa-san. And by having him around, her mood will improve and she’ll be less stressed. Whenever she’s worried about something, it’s usually about him, so having them together should solve that.”
I dressed it up with plenty of official excuses, but my true intention was indeed to have a buffer.
Between her inherent strictness and the walls she built around herself—which I’d heard about from Natsumi—Satsukawa-san wasn't exactly the most approachable person. If anything, she was harsh, so even the council members who were used to her still found themselves intimidated. If we put him in the middle...
“Hmm... I don’t like the idea of you using Takanashi-kun to manipulate Sara... but Sara would be happy, wouldn't she? It’s not like she necessarily enjoys being Vice President, after all...”
“So, what do you think?”
It seemed I was going to get Natsumi’s blessing.
“Ask Takanashi-kun directly. If he says yes, I won’t complain. But if you don’t want to incur Sara’s wrath, don’t try anything unnecessary.”
For now, I would look for the right moment while we carried out our meeting.