The day after I was summoned to the Student Council Room.
"Good morning, Tomonari-san."
I was about to enter the Class 2-A classroom when a female student called out to me.
"I’m with the Student Council Press Team. I usually serve as the Vice President. I’ll be shadowing you all day today, so I look forward to working with you."
"I look forward to working with you as well."
She was the same person who had served the tea in the Student Council Room yesterday.
She held a binder in one hand, and a small camera was peeking out from her breast pocket. She looked every bit the professional reporter.
"Class is about to start. I’ll just be observing, so please, Tomonari-san, behave as you normally would."
"Aren't you attending your own classes, Vice President?"
"I’ve been granted an official exemption for the duration of the interviews."
This was more serious than I had expected.
Still, I intended to follow her advice and maintain my usual behavior. The whole point of this coverage was to show the student body an unpolished, genuine look at the candidates.
First period was chemistry. The Class 2-C Homeroom Teacher arrived in the classroom.
As the lesson progressed, the students took notes with focused intensity. The post-event lethargy from the Management Game still lingered in the air, but the fact that they could switch gears so effectively during class was a testament to how diligent the students of Kikou Academy truly were.
(In the past, I used to pray desperately that I wouldn't be called on...)
Back then, I’d get nervous every time I was singled out to solve a problem in front of everyone. I used to think I’d never be free from that tension at this academy, but—
"Now then... Tomonari-kun, would you take question seven?"
"Yes, sir."
I stood up and wrote the answer on the blackboard.
"Correct. You’ve clearly been studying hard."
"Thank you, sir."
I returned to my seat amidst light applause.
When you’ve perfectly handled both your preparation and review, you don't feel nervous; if anything, you almost want the teacher to call on you. It was a surprising change, even to me. Armed with a little confidence, even the lessons had started to feel enjoyable. If I hadn't studied desperately just to keep up with my classmates, I never would have discovered the joy of learning.
Glancing toward the hallway, I saw the Vice President’s pen racing across the paper clipped to her binder.
I hoped it would lead to a favorable evaluation, but staring too much might make it look like I wasn't concentrating. I turned my gaze back to the blackboard.
The lesson proceeded without a hitch until it was time for the break.
(Next is PE...)
Looking toward the hallway, I caught the Vice President's eye, and she gave me a small nod. It seemed she would be observing PE as well.
Since I figured it would be strange to talk to her too much if she wanted to capture my "natural" state, I simply gave a polite nod and headed to the gymnasium with Taisho and the others.
Second period. PE class began.
We had covered badminton and basketball so far, but today was the start of the table tennis unit. After some simple rally and serve practice, the singles and doubles matches began.
"Tomonari, now!"
"Right!"
Paired with Taisho for doubles, I responded to his shout by driving a smash. The ping-pong ball slammed into the table and skipped away toward the wall.
"Nice! You really can do everything, Tomonari!"
"It was just luck."
Having won the match, I high-fived Taisho and headed toward the spectator benches.
Since Kikou Academy was filled with sheltered young ladies and refined young masters, I had assumed they wouldn't play intense sports, but as it turned out, I couldn't have been more wrong. On the contrary, they were taught everything from ball games to martial arts and track and field. The students here possessed not only the delicate sensibilities cultivated at home but also a hardy resilience forged through rigorous physical education.
"It's been getting chilly lately, but you definitely work up a sweat when you're moving."
"That's true."
I wiped my face with a towel alongside Taisho.
The students here never used their shirts to wipe away sweat. Except for the heat of a match, everyone took the time to use a towel they had brought specifically for the purpose. In moments like this, the academy's refined nature really showed.
As I was drying my forehead, Kita-kun approached me from across the gym.
"Tomonari-kun. If you have any tips for serving, I’d love to hear them..."
"Let's see... in your case, Kita-kun, I think it would be better if you kept the toss a little lower..."
I’d been able to handle PE relatively well since shortly after I transferred, but it was only recently that people had started to rely on me like this.
Being good at sports and being someone others feel comfortable turning to are two completely different things. Most likely, it was because enough time had passed for my character to become common knowledge. Thinking about it that way, the idea of writing an article to convey a candidate's personality for the Student Council Election seemed like an extremely effective move.
However, I wasn't the only one whose personality had become better known, leading to more people relying on them.
The person for whom this change was most evident was... undoubtedly Narika.
Glancing over at the girls' side, I saw Narika in the middle of a doubles match.
"Ah!?"
Narika’s partner swung and missed the ball.
The girl’s face turned pale instantly. Regret at having held Narika back was written all over her expression.
"M-Miyakojima-san, I'm so sorry...!"
"No, don't worry about it," Narika said with a reassuring smile.
She looked at her dejected partner with a reliable air.
"You gave it your all. There's nothing to be ashamed of."
At Narika's response, the girl’s cheeks flushed bright red.
"...Onesama."
As Narika went to pick up the ball, the girl stared at her back with an ecstatic, rapturous expression.
She wasn't the only one directing an intense gaze at Narika. The other female students waiting at the edge of the court were also staring blankly at her.
"I wonder why... lately, just looking at Miyakojima-san makes my heart feel like it's going to burst..."
"Me too... what on earth is this throbbing in my chest...?"
I decided to ignore the conversation drifting my way.
Having undergone such rapid growth through the Management Game, Narika was now beginning to disrupt the natural order of the academy.
◆
Fourth period ended, and it was lunch break—
The moment the chime rang, a surge of tension ran through me.
(Now—what do I do?)
I looked toward the hallway to see the Vice President silently watching me. I had hoped she would leave to eat, but it appeared she intended to keep her eyes on me for the duration of the break.
Compared to when I first transferred, I had completely adjusted to the academic side of things, but there was still one thing I struggled with.
"Tomonari, are you heading out again today?"
"...Sorry."
As I tried to slip out of the classroom with my lunch box in hand, Taisho and Asahi-san approached me.
"You know, rumors have been going around. People are wondering exactly where you disappear to during lunch break..."
"There are all sorts of theories," Asahi-san added. "The theory that you're secretly concentrating on your studies alone. The theory that you're a picky eater and are too embarrassed to eat in front of anyone....And then there's the one where your true identity is actually a spy, and you're reporting to headquarters during lunch."
Where even is this "headquarters"?
To be honest, it wouldn't be surprising if there were spies at Kikou Academy, but it definitely wasn't me.
"They're all wrong. Actually, my family's business has been busy lately, and I've been helping out with that."
"Oh, is that all it is?"
After giving a vague excuse, I left the classroom.
And then—I immediately bolted down the stairs.
"Ah—wait!? T-Tomonari-san!?"
The Vice President, who had been observing from the hallway, let out a cry of pure shock. I pretended not to hear her and sprinted through the corridors, heading for the Old Student Council Building.
When I reached the rooftop, Hinako was already there.
"Itsuki... hey..."
"Yeah. Sorry, I'm a little late."
I sat down next to Hinako and opened my lunch box.
"Say 'ah'."
I slowly brought a piece of food I’d picked up with my chopsticks to Hinako's mouth.
I certainly couldn't let the Press Team see this. If our relationship were to be exposed to the entire academy, the election would be the least of our worries.
While feeding Hinako a thin slice of meat, I fell into thought.
"Itsuki, is something wrong...?"
"No... I was just thinking that I'll need to come up with a new excuse soon."
I had been asked many times where I went during lunch. Each time, I’d cycled through excuses like taking a breather or a nap, but I was finally starting to run out of material.
"Should we stop... while you're being interviewed...?"
"...No. I like relaxing with you like this, too, Hinako. Let's keep doing it."
When I said that, Hinako gave a soft, gentle smile.
"Me too... meeting secretly like this, just the two of us... it feels like a shojo manga. It's fun."
For Hinako, this seemed to be a precious moment of escapism.
After that, I let Hinako use my lap as a pillow, and the two of us spent the time staring blankly at the sky. Hinako fell asleep almost immediately, so I lay back and thought about my classes from fifth period onward.
When the sun dipped behind the clouds, I checked the time on my phone.
"It's about time to head back."
"Mm."
I always left the Old Student Council Building twenty minutes before the warning bell. There was still plenty of time, but I couldn't risk making Hinako late, so the timing was just right.
After we left the building together, the nearby garden caught my eye.
As we approached the pond, several carp broke the surface of the water, looking for a meal.