School let out for the day.
With the election campaign officially kicking off today, this afternoon marked the first chance for the candidates to hit the ground running.
Rui, however, was stuck at track practice and couldn't participate. Tanaka was also a no-show, as she seemed content to conduct her entire campaign from the digital shadows.
That left Himesaki with a total monopoly on after-school visibility. Realizing we couldn't just let her run unopposed, the three of us decided to step in and support Rui even in her absence... or at least, that was the plan.
"Why the hell is there a draft between my legs again?"
It was true: for reasons beyond my control, I was once again wearing that wig and a girl's school uniform, with Rui Kuroki’s campaign sash draped over my shoulder.
Rewind thirty minutes.
I’d been dragged into an Empty Classroom under the guise of "campaign prep." The second I stepped inside, Yuria attacked my legs with hair removal cream while Airi went to work on my face with a makeup kit, leading to my current predicament.
"And so, for the next week, our lovely Ryo-chan will be standing in for Rui every day after school!"
"Yay! You look so cute, Ryo-chan!"
The two of them showered me with praise in front of the School Entrance. I wasn't flattered in the slightest; my head was swimming with nothing but grievances.
"Hey, Yuria. Airi. You two just wanted an excuse to do this, didn't you? That's the real reason we're campaigning after school."
"That's not it at all! Even Rui-chan said that Ryouta-kun has quite the following when he's in drag."
Then I wasn't going to forgive Rui, either. Definitely not.
"Anyway, whose uniform is this? It smells like Rui."
"Ugh, gross. How can you even tell?"
"Wait, then this uniform... it's actually hers?"
I see. Since Rui was busy with her club, she’d lent me her uniform for the duration of the campaign. A soothing, lavender-like scent—the unmistakable essence of Rui—enveloped me.
"Hey, Ryouta. Down there. Look down for a second."
"Eh? Ah! Sorry!"
I had inadvertently gotten a little too excited in my head, and Yuria pointed it out with a judgmental look at my skirt.
"Look, getting a rager while you're in a dress is some next-level perversion."
"I—! I don't want to hear that from the people who forced me into this!"
"Ah! Ryo—wait, Ryouta-senpai?"
I looked up to find Himesaki standing right there at the School Entrance, ready for her own campaign activities.
This was bad. I’d worked so hard to maintain some semblance of "cool upperclassman" dignity around her, and now it was all up in smoke.
Himesaki froze for a few seconds, but then she suddenly snapped into action, pulling her smartphone out of her pocket. I heard the unmistakable click of a camera shutter.
"Hey, Himesaki! Don't take pictures!"
"Eeeek! You look so good in girl's clothes, Ryouta-senpai! So cute!"
She never made those kinds of shrill, excited sounds when we were hanging out normally. Damn it, why did I feel such a stinging sense of defeat?
"Hey, Ryouta. Don't tell me you're connected with this Himesaki girl, too?"
"Well, in a few ways."
"Hmm. Nice to meet you, Himesaki-san. I’m Ryouta’s number one Understander, second-year Yuria Ichinose. Nice to meet you."
What kind of introduction was that? She sounded like she was asserting her status as the primary wife.
"Wow, amazing! You're the Ichinose-senpai! I'm so happy to talk to you! I follow you on social media; I love your nails and your fashion sense! My name is Nozomi Himesaki!"
"Eh? Oh, yeah... you follow me? Thanks."
Yuria’s tough-girl facade crumbled instantly. My easily-flattered gyaru friend actually looked a little bashful. It was almost cute.
"Airi wants to introduce herself too! I'm Airi Miyama! Nice to meet you, Nozomi-chan!"
"Yes! I know Miyama-senpai too. The boys in my class are always gossiping about you!"
"Gossiping? About what? Tell me everything!"
"Um, just that since you're always going to lunch or to Snoto after school with Ryouta-senpai, they wonder if you're dating and things like that."
"Heh, a-ah, Ryouta and I aren't quite at that stage yet! Honestly!"
Airi denied it while smirking. I really felt like she should have denied it more firmly for her own sake, but she’d probably completely forgotten about the "fake boyfriend" lie we'd cooked up.
"Hey, Airi, don't be won over so easily. She's technically Rui's rival."
I decided not to point out that Yuria had been blushing from the praise just a second ago.
"Himesaki, I see you're wearing a sash too. I assume you're starting your campaign?"
"Yes, exactly. It seems my classmates made this sash for me as a surprise."
Himesaki gripped her sash tightly, the look in her eyes shifting to something more competitive.
"I won't lose to you... 'Ryo-chan' senpai."
"Don't call me that."
"Ahaha, did I make you mad, Ryouta-senpai?"
"I see... so you've already steeled yourself for the fight."
I had no intention of getting into a shouting match, so we moved to a spot slightly further away from Himesaki to begin our work.
"Airi, Yuria. As long as I'm wearing Rui's uniform and sash, I'm carrying her hopes with me. If it’s for the sake of Rui’s perfect record, I’ll drag it up or do whatever else is necessary!"
"Look at you, finally acting like a man. That’s the Ryouta I know."
"Seriously? What part of me looks manly to you right now?"
"Ryouta, you look so cool. Can Airi take a picture? I want to make it my LIME home screen."
"Absolutely not! Just get moving, we have a campaign to run!"
And so, Rui’s election campaign got off to a somewhat messy start.