Chapter 45: 2

「……Aaanyway, just like I've been telling you, all applications for the student council presidency start being accepted today, kayy. Those running, make sure to hand in your forms…… As for the voting…… uhh, looks like it's gonna be Friday this week. Please submit your application to me or the class Election Committee member. Or drop it in the candidacy box in front of the staff room…… I think that's it from me? Kayy, well then, stand up.」[1]

So announced Kawamura-sensei in her usual languid tone of voice. I see, that's right. She did say it last week, but today's already the day, is it? She's talking about the candidacy form that Hinami received.

With homeroom over, it was now the short break before the start of first period. With a sheet of paper in hand, Hinami walked over to Kawamura-sensei. Umu. For the candidacy, no doubt. The question was who would end up becoming her endorser. Until now, she hadn't touched on the subject at all. With too many other things on my mind, I hadn't had the chance to ask her either. I'm not sure how to put it, but with things this way, even as I wondered if it could possibly be me, I had an ominous premonition.

Upon noticing the sight of Hinami returning from submitting her application, the warm shouts of encouragement from our classmates began to fly about.

「It's all yours, Aoi!」「I'll be voting for you～」「Loosen up the school rules, okay!」「You’re sure to win!」

Hinami, the most famous person in our school. It was likely that the fact she would be running was something students from the other classes just knew. In which case, there was likely nobody who would even think of contesting her. Or rather, they probably felt like entrusting the post to Hinami. In a sense, I had the premonition that this would end up being a peaceful election.

Or so I thought.

And was duly surprised.

「I'm in your care!」

So came those words in a light, not particularly serious tone of voice. As for the speaker ── it was Mimimi.

Though I hadn't seen too clearly from a distance, she had handed in to our homeroom teacher a sheet of paper about the same size as the one Hinami had submitted earlier.

「Oh, you too, Nanami? To think our class would have two students running for election. It's great to have such a motivated bunch.」

In other words, what Mimimi had submitted was a notification of her student council president candidacy.

With our teacher's voice acting as a cue, all eyes turned to face Mimimi.

「Ohh! So Mimimi's running too!」「I'm cheering for you!」「You have my vote!」「How brave~!」

Naturally, since Mimimi too had her own share of popularity, the response was favourable. Encouraging comments accumulated. However, that 'How brave~!' likely carried the meaning of 『Even though you're up against that Hinami』.

Even as everyone else was focused on Mimimi in such a fashion, my own gaze reflexively turned to face Hinami. While it hadn't been enough to throw her expression off balance, to my eyes, it did seem like she was genuinely astonished.

「Both Aoi and Mimimi, huhh!」「Looks like it'll be a good match!」「It's going to have to be either one of them, don't you think?」

The class grew more and more excited. 『It'll be a good match』.『Either one of them』. While I didn't know if such words were were said in seriousness or out of consideration for Mimimi, I honestly couldn't imagine a situation with Hinami losing. Still, it was true that if I tried thinking about it, Mimimi's communication skills were on a roughly similar level to Hinami's. Not to mention that her grades were also pretty good, and she played an active role in club activities. In other words, were Hinami to also spend her time on other things while Mimimi single mindedly focused on the election, then it was quite possible that…

「Ehhh! So Mimimi's running too! Aww, no wayyy!」

The class lightly laughed at Hinami's crude and extremely honest『no wayyy』.

「A showdown for our school records. I won't lose you know～！」

With a reply that held back nothing, Mimimi too caused the class to laugh. Following which, with a pleasant atmosphere, the elections continued to be the topic of discussion.

Translator Notes:

[1] There's this Stand up. Attention. Bow. Sit Down. (Kiritsu. Ki o tsuke. Rei. Chakuseki.) custom for when class starts/ends in Japan. At least up until the end of high school.

It was now the break time before fourth period on Monday. Just like always, I headed to the library.

「Hello.」

「Hey.」

I responded to her almost whispered greeting that resembled the rustling of a large phantom tree that wrapped up the world, and our reading circle commenced.

As the two of us sat side by side reading our books much in the same way we had a week ago, Kikuchi-san suddenly spoke to me.

「It's a little serious……don't you think?」

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「Hm? Serious? What is?」

「Um, the student council election……」

Kikuchi-san turned her gaze towards me as she spoke, a dark night descending upon the forests of her pupils. I wonder what the matter is.

「Nanami-san…… she said she was standing for election, didn't she? I was just wondering why……」

A surprising topic.

「Well, she herself did joke around talking about getting it on her school record, though………」

「Yes. But I imagine that's……not the real reason.」

Kikuchi-san slowly shook her head. Her now almost completely hidden pupils were like waxing crescent moons, giving the impression of a mystical night sky.

「Well, you're probably right. Perhaps it's 'I want to change the school', or 'I want to change myself''. Something along those lines.」

「Is that…… so?」

Kikuchi-san began to ponder, gently placing a long, pale finger on her cheek. It felt like if she were to simply hold it out, a small bird would come and alight on it. Seeing her speak less formally once in a while like this felt pleasant, and was a sign she was opening up to me.[1]

「But, I too have that feeling of wanting to change myself……so I think I might understand.」

「Eh? Is that so? You want to change, meaning?」

I tried asking what she meant in a casual tone of voice. However.

「……Um. S-Secret!」

「Eh.」

Glancing at her, through the gaps in those beautiful strands of hair that hung gently and mystically, I could see her reddened cheeks, their beauty reminiscent of the forbidden fruit consumed by Adam and Eve. It took my breath away.

H-hm, I wonder what Kikuchi-san wants to change.

「……A-Are you okay?」

「Y-Yes, I'm fine. It's……nothing.」

The sounds of her somewhat sensual *suu*’s and *haa*s as she breathed in and out were accompanied by the rise and fall of her thin, delicate, almost glasswork-like shoulders. Shortly thereafter, Kikuchi-san raised her head. Intricate tremors filled her moist eyes, like a miraculous spring shining in seven colours only once a year. It seemed like by moving just a little closer, I would easily fall in.

「Umm, alright.」

「……Un.」

With a mystical expression, Kikuchi-san gazed at me. No matter how you looked at it, this space with just the two of us belonged to the extraordinary.

To the extent that one would be able to clearly see the the individual grains of sand falling from an hourglass, time flowed ever so slowly.

「B…bye then……!」

The first to break free of this flow of time as it coiled about endlessly was Kikuchi-san, who hurriedly picked up her book and left in a half run.

「P-Phew.」

And so I was left behind in this space that had now returned to normal. 'For now let's just read this book, yeah', I thought. What does she mean, 'secret'?! And 'I want to change'?! What's with that girl?! A real enchantress!

Translator Notes:

[1] Uhh couldn't find any decent way to TL this, but basically her previous line was spoken slightly less formally than usual. Recall that she speaks… rather… politely, even when talking to her classmates of the same age.

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