Chapter 103: Student council party

As soon as I got home, I dropped my suitcase and collapsed onto the sofa. Ugh… Even though I’d gotten a ride from a friend, two and a half hours on a plane followed by an hour in a car had left me stiff and exhausted.

Mom, seeing my sprawled-out form, poked me and asked,

“Did you have fun?”
“Yeah! It was so much fun.”
“Really? That much fun?”

I smiled back at Mom’s warm smile.
Even though the beach trip was over, my heart still felt like it was there.
Thinking about Aya, Mizuki, Reina-senpai, and Sena-senpai made my chest tingle.

“I hung out with my friends… and I also met Sena-senpai.”
“Sena-senpai?”
“Yeah, she’s amazing. She graduated from our school and is a YouTuber with 4.5 million subscribers.”
“Whoa, really?”
“Yeah… She’s really talented. And I heard she was a great student too.”

Mom looked at me curiously. I smiled and continued,

“You know, Mom.”
“Yes?”
“What do… you want me to do in the future?”

Mom thought for a moment before replying,

“Hmm~ A doctor? A lawyer? Or a judge? I think most mothers would want that for their children.”
“Ah…”

The preference for prestigious professions seemed to be the same in both Korea and Japan. Come to think of it, I’d been just as surprised when I’d learned that my father was a legal expert. He worked in the legal team of a large company and had a law license, which was probably why he was rarely home, even on weekends.

“A doctor…”
“Well, with your grades, you could do anything, Rina. Or do you want to be an influencer?”
“No, no! Absolutely not!”

I waved my hands frantically.
Me? An influencer?
Sure, the social media campaign that earned us the title “Trinity” had been a huge success, but I absolutely hated the idea of being in the spotlight.

“Should I aim for medical school then?”
“Being a doctor is good. You save lives, heal people, and it’s a stable job.”

Come to think of it, I’d wanted to go to medical school in my past life too. Not being able to was one of my biggest regrets. I wondered if the same was true for Kurosawa Rina, before my memories resurfaced.

“Mom, what did I want to be when I was younger?”
“Well, Rina always wanted to do everything, didn’t she? She did say she wanted to be a doctor once.”

Mom gazed into the distance, lost in thought.
If Mom remembered that, then maybe Kurosawa Rina had truly wanted to become a doctor.
Honestly, with my current grades, medical school was definitely within reach. Even the prestigious medical departments of universities in Tokyo.
Although AI was expected to replace many jobs in the future, I doubted they could ever fully replace doctors, who worked directly with the human body.

“Okay… Then I’ll aim for medical school this time…”

Even as I tried to recall more of Kurosawa Rina’s memories, it seemed like she, like me, hadn’t really thought much about the distant future, only focusing on the immediate future. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to fulfill the dream of my past self, who, just three years older, had been a repeat student preparing for university entrance exams.

****

During the rest of my summer vacation, I dedicated myself to… relaxing.
The biggest hurdle of the summer—the swimsuit event—was over! And with that, my motivation to exercise vanished.

So… I was spending my days lounging around in my room, eating ice cream, when…

I got a LINE message.

Aya: It looks like we’re going on a student council retreat.
Rina: Eh…? A retreat, all of a sudden?
Aya: Yes. What do you think, Rina?
Rina: It sounds alright. Where are we going?
Aya: Probably somewhere with a mountain stream.

Honestly, when it came to student council retreats, Fujimoto’s antics were a slight concern. But after I completely crushed his ego during the first semester, he hadn’t dared to bother me again, so I wasn’t too worried.

Aya: Some of the alumni will be joining us too.
Rina: Eh…? Alumni? We’re meeting with them?
Aya: Sena-senpai isn’t coming since she wasn’t in the student council. Celebrities can’t join the student council.
Rina: Ah…! That’s right!
Rina: Still… alumni… I’m a little nervous.

Despite my initial nonchalance, I started to feel apprehensive about the retreat.
It was only for a day, but having the alumni there added a certain level of pressure.

Aya sent me the date and a brief itinerary through LINE.
‘Hmm… A week from now.’

I checked my phone and marked the date on my calendar.
It was only a one-day trip, but I hadn’t expected to go from the beach to the mountains.

‘If we’re going to a mountain stream, I’ll need insect repellent, right? I was practically eaten alive by bugs in Okinawa…’

Then I suddenly remembered the incident from the novel that occurred during the retreat. A wild wolf appeared during the student council’s outing at the mountain stream.
Of course, the protagonist in the novel easily took care of it with brute force…

“…But what am I supposed to do?”

This was why I’d been avoiding the student council.
Should I prepare something like an electric fly swatter? The buzzing sound would probably scare the wolf away… No, that wouldn’t work!

Worried, I flopped back onto my bed. Wasn’t gun ownership illegal in Japan? Then how was I supposed to fight off a wolf…?

Lying on my stomach, I spent the rest of the day scrolling through my phone, searching for ways to deal with wild animals.

****

“Ugh…”

Were girls’ bodies naturally prone to gaining weight?
I was fine during the school term because I moved around a lot, but after spending my summer vacation lazing around at home and eating ice cream, I’d developed a small pouch of belly fat.

I poked at my soft belly, feeling a little depressed, but quickly pulled myself together and left the house. Today was the day of the student council retreat.

We were supposed to meet in front of the school and take a bus to the retreat location, so I hurried towards the school gate. As the school came into view, I spotted some familiar faces in the distance.

“Aya~!”
“Rina-tan, you’re here?”

Mizuki waved with a bright smile, and Aya also smiled gently at me.
Seeing them after a week, I couldn’t help but smile brightly as well.

Aya was wearing her usual elegant dress, and Mizuki still had her pink hair, though… her natural brown roots were starting to show.

‘It must be hard to maintain that hair color…’

Mizuki, noticing my gaze, scratched at her roots and said,

“Ah~ Hehe, I have to go back to my original hair color when vacation is over.”
“Come on, Mizuki, you look good with any hair color.”
“Hehe, really?”

Just then, we heard the click-clack of approaching heels. It was the kind of sound that announced the arrival of someone with an overwhelming presence.

“Oh my, are these the famous Trinity?”

We turned around at the smooth, elegant voice.
Standing there, smiling, was a woman who looked too mature and sophisticated to be a student. An alumna, with long, black hair cascading down her back, a doll-like face, and sharp, cat-like eyes. She exuded the aura of a perfect noble lady.

I immediately recognized her. The eldest daughter of a large corporation, a leading figure in Japanese high society, a Takamari Academy student council alumna, and currently a 21-year-old university student.

Nishizono Shizue-senpai.
Yes… She was also part of the protagonist’s romantic comedy harem…

“It’s a pleasure to meet you all. I’m Nishizono Shizue.”
“H-Hello, senpai!”

I bowed slightly, feeling a little nervous. Shizue-senpai smiled leisurely and looked us over.

“I was curious about the Trinity I’d heard so much about. You certainly have distinct personalities.”
“Thank you.”

Aya replied politely, and Shizue-senpai nodded slightly, maintaining her smile.

“Especially you, Kurosawa Rina. I’ve heard a lot about you. I look forward to working with you.”
“Yes, I look forward to working with you too, senpai…”

Wait, why was she singling me out?
Was it because I’d taken the protagonist’s place… and become more noticeable as a result?
Nishizono-senpai smiled faintly and then walked away gracefully to talk with the other alumni.

“Whew… She’s a little intimidating, isn’t she…?”
“Right?”

Mizuki whispered, and Aya nodded in agreement.
Nishizono-senpai had a powerful presence that even the protagonist found overwhelming.

Just then,

“Hello, senpais~!”

A small girl with bright blonde hair approached us energetically, greeting us with a cheerful wave. A girl with bright blue eyes and doll-like features. It was Emilia Howell, whom we’d met before.

“Ah, Emilia-chan! It’s been a while!”

Emilia’s eyes sparkled as she smiled brightly.
In the novel, she was the one who got attacked during the wolf incident at the retreat.

“I’m really looking forward to the retreat today. I’m so happy I get to spend time with you, senpais!”
“Yes, us too.”

I replied with a smile, and Emilia beamed, waving her hand.

“See you on the bus!”

Emilia then skipped off to greet other students.
Just then, the student council president, seeing that everyone had arrived, waved his hand and announced,

“Alright, everyone, let’s get going! Please board the bus!”

The bus doors opened, and I naturally sat next to Aya. As always, Aya took my hand, and I smiled at the warmth of her touch.