Chapter 9: Student Council’s First Meeting (2)

“Fujimoto!” Hiiragi-senpai’s firm voice cut through the student council room.

Fujimoto flinched, straightened up, and blinked.

“It’s not appropriate to be so openly competitive. The point here isn’t whether you’re third or fourth.”

“Yes, I understand…”

“And Kurosawa-san isn’t a student council member yet. Furthermore, entrance exam scores are confidential. Disclosing them to an outsider is a violation of student council regulations.”

“I apologize. I’ll be more careful next time.”

Fujimoto slumped in his seat, dejected. But his gaze, I felt, was still fixed on me. However… regardless of Fujimoto’s competitive spirit, only one thought echoed in my mind.

‘Third? Wait, I’m third?’

The fact that Fujimoto’s ranking fluctuated between third and fourth in the novel implied he had a rival.

I hadn’t immediately remembered Fujimoto’s name because, in the novel, he was so focused on his studies that he neglected his student council duties, making him almost a background character.

‘So, Fujimoto’s original rival… was me? Kurosawa Rina?’

With Aya and Mizuki occupying the god-tier of academic achievement, there were bound to be other, more human, students competing for the ranks below them. And… perhaps I was one of those students.

‘No wonder… my stats were a bit high for a background character.’

Even without my past life’s memories, keeping up with the classes wasn’t as difficult as the protagonist had made it out to be. I was relatively cute, and while I hadn’t tested my athletic abilities yet, I woke up feeling refreshed every morning and didn’t get easily winded when running.

A transfer student, ranked third or fourth, destined to be a background character. That was Kurosawa Rina.

And with the protagonist gone, I must have drawn Aya and Mizuki’s attention. Aya would naturally be curious about the girl who outranked Fujimoto, a fellow student council member, and Mizuki had the influence to arrange for us to be in the same class.

Ah, the pieces were falling into place. The oddities I’d noticed were starting to make sense. And now, I knew what I had to do.

‘Right, my plans for a peaceful school life are officially down the drain.’

Lost in thought, I felt something placed gently on my desk. I looked up to see Aya smiling at me.

‘…What’s this?’

I carefully unfolded the small note.

‘Fujimoto’s very competitive, so don’t mind him (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)♡’

Aya’s handwriting, adorned with a smiling face and a heart. My heart skipped a beat.

‘W-What is this…?!’

My face flushed, and I quickly folded the note, clutching it in my hand. This casual gesture of a cute, encouraging note was something the Aya from the novel would never have done.

I snuck a glance at Aya. She smiled softly, tilting her head slightly, her eyes asking, “Are you okay?”

‘This is just… friendly concern, right? Right…? Right?’

I cleared my throat awkwardly and forced a smile. But my heart, betraying my efforts to remain calm, was pounding in my chest.

‘This is bad… no, wait, this whole situation is already completely different from the novel.’

The Aya in the novel, like many other silver-haired, blue-eyed heroines in romantic comedies, had few friends.

Mizuki was an exception, their bond forged in childhood. But while Aya was kind and perfect to everyone, she maintained a certain distance, a reserved nature that kept people at arm’s length.

Those who approached her, regardless of gender, were driven by curiosity, admiration, or romantic intentions. It was natural that none of these interactions blossomed into friendships. So, while Aya was admired by many at Takamari Academy, she remained isolated.

Aya hadn’t minded this solitude. “Friendship” was a luxury she didn’t need. She had Mizuki, and that, along with her own ambitions, was enough.

But… what about me?

Me, the background character Kurosawa Rina?

To Aya, I was her first high school friend, a harmless presence, free of romantic baggage. Someone who wouldn’t be a burden, who wouldn’t demand too much, who could comfortably fill the space beside her. That was me.

‘W-Well, this position isn’t so bad…’

I fidgeted with the note in my hand. Aya couldn’t possibly have any special feelings for me. I was just a new, easygoing, harmless friend.

But… the more I became aware of her gaze, the more a strange tightness constricted my chest. Aya was still watching me, curious about my reaction. When I averted my gaze, she smiled softly and turned away. That small smile made my heart flutter.

‘T-This is why there’s a never-ending line of confessors…’

Having been a boy just a few days ago, I was naturally susceptible to the attention of a beautiful girl. But now, I needed to maintain my composure and remain a harmless friend.

I took a deep breath and carefully tucked Aya’s note into my bag. I was just a harmless friend. I had to keep reminding myself of that.

“Ahem.” Hiiragi-senpai’s voice, clearing his throat, snapped me out of my reverie. “Now, today’s agenda is the discussion of club activity guidance for the transfer students.”

With his words, the meeting resumed. As expected, the discussion flowed smoothly between the student council members. They meticulously planned the details of the club activity guidance session, from the overall structure and material preparation to the presentation format. I listened quietly, observing their efficient teamwork.

Their exchange of ideas was rapid and logical, and the atmosphere was serious and dignified. Aya and Mizuki, accustomed to this setting, occasionally offered their input, seamlessly integrating themselves into the discussion. But I…

‘As I thought… I don’t belong here.’

I sat quietly, holding my breath. This was the student council. If I couldn’t keep up, my best course of action was to remain silent. Just then, Hiiragi-senpai’s voice startled me.

“Kurosawa-san.”

“Yes?!” I looked up, startled. All eyes were on me.

“From a transfer student’s perspective, do you have any suggestions for the club activity guidance session?”

His sudden question caught me off guard.

‘Why, why me…! Oh, well, I guess it can’t be helped.’

I tried to hide my nervousness and spoke carefully. “I think… um, it would be good to make it less intimidating for transfer students, more approachable. Perhaps… a more interactive format?”

The room fell silent.

‘I shouldn’t have said anything…!’

But Hiiragi-senpai, after a moment of thought, nodded approvingly. “That’s a good suggestion. It’s valuable to have input from a transfer student’s perspective.”

The other members nodded in agreement, jotting down notes. I finally relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief.

‘Phew… I managed to get through that.’

Mizuki smiled mischievously, while Aya watched me with her usual warm smile.

‘…This atmosphere is so awkward.’

I clenched my fists under the table. The meeting continued, energized by my suggestion.

“Interactive… that’s a good idea.”

“For example, how about having club demonstrations? So transfer students can experience the activities firsthand.”

Shirazuka-senpai tapped her pen against the documents, offering her input. Her formal tone still felt distant, but I was relieved that she seemed to approve of my suggestion. I really wanted to hand her a fan, though…

But it was too early to relax. I was trying my best to blend in, but I could still feel their gazes lingering on me. Especially Hiiragi-senpai’s. His eyes seemed to pierce through me, as if testing whether I, as a transfer student, could adapt to this environment.

‘I shouldn’t have come… I hope this ends soon… Is there about fifteen minutes left of lunch break?’

Just then, Aya gently nudged my arm. Her expression was slightly mischievous, a departure from her usual gentle demeanor. She slid a small note towards me.

‘Rina, you’re doing great in the meeting. Just a little bit more! ♡’

Since when was Aya so fond of hearts? I had to summon all my willpower to suppress the smile that threatened to spread across my face. Smiling now would only draw more attention. I couldn’t even bring myself to look at her.

Thankfully, the meeting continued, moving on to the specifics of the club activity presentations. They discussed everything from budget adjustments to selecting the most appealing clubs, their focus unwavering.

Time passed, and the bell rang, signaling ten minutes until the end of lunch break. Hiiragi-senpai glanced at his watch.

“It’s getting late, so let’s postpone the discussion about new recruits until the next meeting.”

“Okay.”

“Sounds good~”

The meeting concluded, and the student council members gathered their materials and began to leave. Mizuki nudged me playfully. “Rina, not bad, huh?”

“Huh? Oh, um… I guess so.”

“You’re adapting well~ Better than expected!”

Her words made me flinch inwardly. Better than expected? I was just trying to keep a low profile.

“Kurosawa-san.”

“Yes?!” I instinctively recoiled.

Hiiragi-senpai smiled gently. “Are you interested in joining the student council? We could really use someone like you. What do you think?”

I froze.

The student council…?

The words “going home club” echoed in my mind. But with Aya, Mizuki, and the entire student council looking at me…

Could I really escape?