Once the curry was ready, I carried it to the table along with a bowl of salad. It ended up being just the two of us for dinner.
"So, what did you mean when you said everything was settled?"
Rui brought the conversation back to the previous topic before she’d even taken her first bite.
Since Himesaki and I had already made up, I figured it was safe to tell her the truth.
"Look, Rui. The truth is..."
I laid out the whole situation regarding Himesaki.
Rui listened to my story without a single change in her expression.
"...I see. To think Himesaki-san would do something like that."
"W-well, it's all resolved now. And since her real aim was just to get close to me, maybe you could find it in you to forgive her?"
"If anything, the fact that her goal was you, Ryouta-kun... makes it even harder to forgive, don't you think?"
"W-what’s that supposed to mean?"
"Because, Ryouta-kun... you’re the one I’ve chosen to be the Vice President in my Student Council. I'm not letting her have you. ♡"
Rui’s lips curved into a smile, her voice dripping with calculated charm.
Well, I was the one who told her I wanted the position, so there was no way I was going to back out now anyway.
"Wait, did you even know who Himesaki was, Rui?"
"Of course. She’s by far the most beautiful girl in this year's freshman class. The teachers were even saying her academic scores are on par with mine from back when I was a first-year."
Was Himesaki really that big of a deal?
Given that she didn't even know what a pervert was, I’d assumed I had the upper hand, but... I guess as a returnee, she must be incredibly sharp.
"More importantly... she’s definitely going to run for Student Council President."
The look in Rui’s eyes shifted instantly.
I knew the upcoming election was incredibly important to a perfectionist like Rui, but her entire aura changed the moment the subject came up.
"Freshmen have the right to run for president, but it almost never happens. I was even encouraged to run during my first year, but I turned them down because I was too busy with track and field."
"Huh. Well, then wouldn't Himesaki just pass on it too?"
"...No. In her case, she has the popularity and the reputation to back it up. Combine that with the fact that she isn't in any clubs, and it becomes a very real possibility."
Come to think of it, Himesaki is in the Go-home club... but I wonder.
I had a hard time imagining someone with her personality going toe-to-toe with Rui.
"As far as I can tell, there’s already a movement within the school to get her to run. People see her as the only viable opponent against me."
"Are you serious?"
"The candidacy period starts next week, so I don't know for sure how it will play out... but I plan to file my papers immediately to stake my claim. If she still decides to run... I’ll be fighting with everything I’ve got."
The fire in Rui’s eyes was unmistakable.
Himesaki and Rui—the most popular and well-known students of the first and second-year classes.
If they actually go head-to-head in the election next week, things are going to be absolute chaos...