It was two days later, on Friday when we both, were summoned in the capacity of student council members.
“So, is there any activity after school, today?”
“Seems like it… Although I feel, it should only be self introductions, today.”
During the lunch break, while spreading her luxurious bento in the next seat, Kirasaka asked without looking over here. I also, while leaning back on the window frame, answered her as such.
Inside the classroom, half of the students had not gone to the cafeteria and were eating their own bento. For Yuuto, it depends on his mood for that particular day. Sometimes he buys bento from convenience stores and sometimes, he eats at the cafeteria.
Shizuku brings her own bento always and seems to eat with her classmates in the courtyard, between the first and second building.
One year back, I was also interested in eating at the courtyard. But since, it was very crowded, it was difficult to eat a meal, there.
So, I always eat the bento made by Kaede, on my seat. And since, I had already finished today’s bento, I was scanning over some papers, provided by the president previously.
In those papers, the one year schedule for the student council and roughly, the work I would be in charge of, as the secretary in the council, were written.
“Creating and maintaining the records of the student council meetings. Furthermore, assisting in the progression of meetings….”
It was a bit different from the work I had imagined doing as the secretary, but especially, there was nothing unusual. If I memorize the way of doing it, I should be able to manage.
While I was looking at the past documents to understand the workings of it, as if interested, Kirasaka peered over here, from the side.
“…What is it?”
“No, I was just interested in what work, you are going to do.”
She looked over the documents containing my job description, I had left on the top of the desk after reading.
“Won’t it be fine, even if it was not Shinra-kun, who did it?”
“…”
Her thoughts were reasonable. Certainly, the student council work may be hectic, but it doesn’t necessary have to be me.
Rather, whether it is her, Yuuto or Shizuku; they will be more competent for it. No, even apart from them, there should be many people who can do better than me.
Assuming being appointed by the president, since even I don’t think myself as talented, surely she won’t have thought of me as an outstanding personnel, too.
“Why did she nominate you….?”
“…”
Kirasaka, while putting her bangs behind her ears, muttered so. While glancing sideways at her, I recalled the words, the president told me that day.
“…I am student council’s secretary?”
“Yes, that is right.”
While I was trying to exit the student council room, I was stopped by the unexpected words, coming from the president. Turning back, I could only see the smile on president’s face.
“…What kind of joke is this?”
“This is not a joke. I have truly nominated you as a student council personnel, from my recommendation quota.”
The president went over to the desk with the plate, “Vice President” and pulled out a paper similar to a photocopy, from inside and gave it to me. Receiving that paper, I scanned over the written content.
In the document, largely written was the heading “Student Council President Personnel Recommendation”. The name was written underneath, with a penmanship unlike mine.
“… Can I not refuse this?”
“If it was a normal recommendation, there was some possibility. But regarding this recommendation only, one cannot refuse.”
The president stated the fact, disinterestedly. I tried thinking desperately for the sake of not become a member of the council, but no great idea came to mind.
The president kept speaking, as if to corner me further.
“Incidentally, the teacher in charge of the student council, is the student counselor, Sudou-sensei…. He is pretty scary, you know.”
“…Are you serious…”
Sudou-sensei is the teacher in charge of student guidance, in Sakuranogaoka. He is pretty famous for being as strict as a demon. I could see him every morning, standing at the front of the school gate and taking away the late coming students to the student guidance room.
Last year, one of my classmates was seen by Sudou-sensei, riding a bicycle together with a girl. Afterwards, I remember the classmate making noise in the class, over being forced to listen to a long lecture as well as writing an apology letter.
“The original copy has been given to Sudou-sensei. Please give up.”
After listening to the last words of president, I dropped my shoulders. Sitting at a nearby chair, I unintentionally looked towards the ceiling.
“…Why did you recommend me?”
Originally I had wanted to ask this and had forgotten, so I turned towards the president, who sat in the opposite seat and enquired.
“That’s true.. I have to explain about it.”
After saying this, the president looked towards me.. And then towards Hino-kun, who had changed from his earlier mood.
“After I graduate and leave the student council, the one leading will be the two people, the vice president and the treasurer. However, as I said before, the vice president is timid. The treasurer is also someone, who is obedient and doesn’t state her opinions.”
The president, watching over the seats of the currently absent vice president and treasurer, looked like an older sister watching over her younger siblings. There are occasions when, Kaede also looks this way towards me.
I don’t want you to misunderstand. I am the older brother and Kaede, the younger sister.
The president once again, turned her gaze towards me and resumed talking.
“I am sure, they obediently respond to the request from the students. If the other party uses a forceful manner of speaking, then even more… But at that time, I found you.”
President paused speaking for a while, as if ascertaining our expressions. After confirming that we were listening, she told the final deciding factor which became the reason.
“I don’t want a person with high popularity or someone with excellent grades… What I want, is a person who can make impartial judgements.”
“…Impartial judgements, huh…”
In this school, the student council possesses great power regarding events.
Therefore, making fair and unbiased judgement is an indispensable factor for the student council. In the school, what is necessary and unnecessary, concerning students. Friends, lover, club activities and such; even if you talk with people close with such matters, you have to omit the unnecessary. Kindness is an unnecessary trait for the evaluation criteria.
The president judged that it is still difficult for the current vice president and others.
“For me, I thought if it was you, you can definitely make that judgement.”
“…You are overestimating me, too much.”
In response to my words, the president only smiled and said nothing. She returned back to her seat. While bowing once to the president who didn’t discuss anything more afterwards, I went outside the student council room.
It was two days later, on Friday when we both, were summoned in the capacity of student council members.
“So, is there any activity after school, today?”
“Seems like it… Although I feel, it should only be self introductions, today.”
During the lunch break, while spreading her luxurious bento in the next seat, Kirasaka asked without looking over here. I also, while leaning back on the window frame, answered her as such.
Inside the classroom, half of the students had not gone to the cafeteria and were eating their own bento. For Yuuto, it depends on his mood for that particular day. Sometimes he buys bento from convenience stores and sometimes, he eats at the cafeteria.
Shizuku brings her own bento always and seems to eat with her classmates in the courtyard, between the first and second building.
One year back, I was also interested in eating at the courtyard. But since, it was very crowded, it was difficult to eat a meal, there.
So, I always eat the bento made by Kaede, on my seat. And since, I had already finished today’s bento, I was scanning over some papers, provided by the president previously.
In those papers, the one year schedule for the student council and roughly, the work I would be in charge of, as the secretary in the council, were written.
“Creating and maintaining the records of the student council meetings. Furthermore, assisting in the progression of meetings….”
It was a bit different from the work I had imagined doing as the secretary, but especially, there was nothing unusual. If I memorize the way of doing it, I should be able to manage.
While I was looking at the past documents to understand the workings of it, as if interested, Kirasaka peered over here, from the side.
“…What is it?”
“No, I was just interested in what work, you are going to do.”
She looked over the documents containing my job description, I had left on the top of the desk after reading.
“Won’t it be fine, even if it was not Shinra-kun, who did it?”
“…”
Her thoughts were reasonable. Certainly, the student council work may be hectic, but it doesn’t necessary have to be me.
Rather, whether it is her, Yuuto or Shizuku; they will be more competent for it. No, even apart from them, there should be many people who can do better than me.
Assuming being appointed by the president, since even I don’t think myself as talented, surely she won’t have thought of me as an outstanding personnel, too.
“Why did she nominate you….?”
“…”
Kirasaka, while putting her bangs behind her ears, muttered so. While glancing sideways at her, I recalled the words, the president told me that day.
“…I am student council’s secretary?”
“Yes, that is right.”
While I was trying to exit the student council room, I was stopped by the unexpected words, coming from the president. Turning back, I could only see the smile on president’s face.
“…What kind of joke is this?”
“This is not a joke. I have truly nominated you as a student council personnel, from my recommendation quota.”
The president went over to the desk with the plate, “Vice President” and pulled out a paper similar to a photocopy, from inside and gave it to me. Receiving that paper, I scanned over the written content.
In the document, largely written was the heading “Student Council President Personnel Recommendation”. The name was written underneath, with a penmanship unlike mine.
“… Can I not refuse this?”
“If it was a normal recommendation, there was some possibility. But regarding this recommendation only, one cannot refuse.”
The president stated the fact, disinterestedly. I tried thinking desperately for the sake of not become a member of the council, but no great idea came to mind.
The president kept speaking, as if to corner me further.
“Incidentally, the teacher in charge of the student council, is the student counselor, Sudou-sensei…. He is pretty scary, you know.”
“…Are you serious…”
Sudou-sensei is the teacher in charge of student guidance, in Sakuranogaoka. He is pretty famous for being as strict as a demon. I could see him every morning, standing at the front of the school gate and taking away the late coming students to the student guidance room.
Last year, one of my classmates was seen by Sudou-sensei, riding a bicycle together with a girl. Afterwards, I remember the classmate making noise in the class, over being forced to listen to a long lecture as well as writing an apology letter.
“The original copy has been given to Sudou-sensei. Please give up.”
After listening to the last words of president, I dropped my shoulders. Sitting at a nearby chair, I unintentionally looked towards the ceiling.
“…Why did you recommend me?”
Originally I had wanted to ask this and had forgotten, so I turned towards the president, who sat in the opposite seat and enquired.
“That’s true.. I have to explain about it.”
After saying this, the president looked towards me.. And then towards Hino-kun, who had changed from his earlier mood.
“After I graduate and leave the student council, the one leading will be the two people, the vice president and the treasurer. However, as I said before, the vice president is timid. The treasurer is also someone, who is obedient and doesn’t state her opinions.”
The president, watching over the seats of the currently absent vice president and treasurer, looked like an older sister watching over her younger siblings. There are occasions when, Kaede also looks this way towards me.
I don’t want you to misunderstand. I am the older brother and Kaede, the younger sister.
The president once again, turned her gaze towards me and resumed talking.
“I am sure, they obediently respond to the request from the students. If the other party uses a forceful manner of speaking, then even more… But at that time, I found you.”
President paused speaking for a while, as if ascertaining our expressions. After confirming that we were listening, she told the final deciding factor which became the reason.
“I don’t want a person with high popularity or someone with excellent grades… What I want, is a person who can make impartial judgements.”
“…Impartial judgements, huh…”
In this school, the student council possesses great power regarding events.
Therefore, making fair and unbiased judgement is an indispensable factor for the student council. In the school, what is necessary and unnecessary, concerning students. Friends, lover, club activities and such; even if you talk with people close with such matters, you have to omit the unnecessary. Kindness is an unnecessary trait for the evaluation criteria.
The president judged that it is still difficult for the current vice president and others.
“For me, I thought if it was you, you can definitely make that judgement.”
“…You are overestimating me, too much.”
In response to my words, the president only smiled and said nothing. She returned back to her seat. While bowing once to the president who didn’t discuss anything more afterwards, I went outside the student council room.
