[Vol 2] The Cheeky Junior Gal Becomes Too Cute When She Gets Attached to Me Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - The Student Council Vice President, Kataseyama Rui

I, Kataseyama Rui, if I may say so myself, am living a pretty fulfilling high school life.

Even this morning, my friends were gathered around my desk as usual.

“Rui, I saw that live video of your band on YouTube! You’re such a good singer~!”

“Thanks~. I told them not to post it, though—it’s not like we’re good enough for that.”

“That’s not true! The whole country should see it!”

My friends’ words were soon met with nods and agreement from the others.

It’s not like I’m a professional or aiming to be one. But still, being praised feels nice.

Surrounded by friends I can relax around, working hard at club activities, and being part of the student council—it really is a fulfilling high school life.

It didn’t just happen by chance. From the very beginning, I worked hard to make it this way.

I showed up at every gathering I could, hung out with my friends as much as possible, and took my light music club seriously.

The result of all that effort is the fulfillment I have now.

“Hey, I heard you turned down another confession? That upperclassman from the tennis club, right?”

“Yeah, I’m busy with club activities right now.”

“Come on~. You’re cute and popular, so why not just get a boyfriend already?”

“Hmm, not right now, I think.”

Denying it too strongly would just sound arrogant.

There’s no point in unnecessarily poking at my friends’ pride. They just want to feel better about themselves because I don’t have a boyfriend. I should at least give them that one thing to feel superior about.

If I got a boyfriend, it would ruin this sense of fulfillment I’ve built. That’s why I don’t want one. I don’t want to be tied down by a boyfriend.

Still, everyone really loves talking about romance, huh.

As usual, I pretended to be interested and brushed off their assumptions.

Honestly, sometimes I hate how twisted I am. But I never let that show.

I’m supposed to be the flawless, perfect girl. That’s who I am.

And yet… I can’t shake this feeling of emptiness.

Even if I got a boyfriend, I doubt it would fill this hole in my heart.

“Oh, right! What about that guy? You know, the underclassman who’s been totally into you lately?”

“You mean Hayato? He’s a good kid, but…”

“No good, huh? Then how about the student council president? You two seem pretty close.”

“Are we really that close? It’s more of a professional relationship, honestly.”

“Wow, poor guy~. Guess he’s not even a friend in your book.”

“Of course you guys are my friends~!”

I laughed and playfully hugged them.

Yeah. These girls are my friends—friends that make my high school life feel fulfilling.

Because if I’m not fulfilled, I get anxious.

The only way I can hold myself together is by chasing the kind of happiness everyone else recognizes. It’s not like I have any real passions of my own.

God, I really do hate myself sometimes.

“You know, I still think it’s that guy for you. Hehe, Kuzuhara-senpai?”

“Ehh, President… Kuzuhara-senpai?”

“See? You’re not even denying it. He’s graduating soon, you know—you’ve got a lot of rivals!”

They all burst into laughter like they’d just caught me red-handed.

“It’s not like that.”

“Oh come on, your face is red! Aw, Rui, you’re actually kind of cute when you’re honest.”

And you’re all cute too—for being so easily fooled.

“Oh, speak of the devil.”

One of the girls looked toward the front door of the classroom.

Standing there was the former student council president—Kuzuhara-senpai.

“Rui!”

He called to me cheerfully and waved his hand.

The girls around me squealed, their voices high and excited.

“President!”

Just as they expected, I stood up with a bright, happy smile.

Looks like today’s gossip topic is going to be me again.

Being flawless isn’t enough. You need at least a bit of charm—like having an unrequited crush on an idol-like senior. That kind of thing keeps people interested.

“You and Tsujidou both call me President, huh?”

“In my mind, you’ll always be the President.”

“Haha, that’s exactly what Tsujidou says too.”

That stung a little, and I felt my smile tighten.

I hurried to fix my expression. That kind of face doesn’t suit me.

“Ahaha. You only show your true self when it involves Tsujidou, don’t you?”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Let’s just leave it at that. Anyway, I wanted to talk—let’s go somewhere else.”

“...Alright.”

I followed Kuzuhara-senpai out of the classroom. Ugh, my friends are totally going to tease me about this later.

We climbed the stairs together.

The third-years’ classrooms are on the top floor—but even after passing them, he didn’t stop.

“Are we going to the rooftop? You know it’s off-limits, right?”

“The rooftop has the student council’s storage room. It’s work-related, so it’s fine.”

“Oh? Do you usually bring girls up there too?”

“Oh? And what’s that supposed to mean?”

This time it was his turn to play dumb.

In truth, I’d been to that storage room many times. The teachers readily lent us the key if it was for student council business. I’m sure it’s the same for him as the former president.

And with him, I had no reason to worry about being alone. Even back when he was president, we’d been alone together plenty of times, and he never once tried anything. It’s frustrating in its own way, but he’s not the type to take that kind of risk.

He doesn’t need to, after all—there are plenty of girls already throwing themselves at him.

“So, what did you want to talk about? I’ve got to say, this is a pretty typical setup for a confession.”

We stepped out onto the roof, feeling the chill winter wind. The sky was clear, but the air was biting cold.

“It’s a charming setup, isn’t it? Getting confessed to on the rooftop is one of the perks of being a student council member.”

He smiled, his tone light, though we were the only two people there.

“But no, that’s not why I called you. …What do you think about Tsujidou lately?”

“Oh? You too, Senpai? Talking about love?”

“Not like that. You know what I mean.”

I knew he didn’t drag me up here just to gossip about romance—but I still didn’t quite understand what he was getting at.

“I think Masachika’s been doing well as president. It’s still early, so it’s hard to say for sure, but… I’m confident he’ll be fine.”

That wasn’t a lie. It was my honest opinion.

Masachika’s capable. He’s responsible.

With him as president, the year should go smoothly. After working with him last year, I’m sure of it.

“I see.”

“Well, Masachika and Senpai have different styles, though.”

Kuzuhara-senpai was the charismatic, lead-from-the-front type.

Masachika, on the other hand, excels in practical skills and organization.

It’s not a matter of which is better or worse—they’re just different kinds of leaders.

“You’re worried about him?”

“A little. I’m graduating soon, after all. I want to do what I can before I go.”

“If Masachika heard that, he’d probably call it unnecessary meddling.”

“Haha, we’ve never really gotten along that well.”

I knew that well—I’d seen it up close.

Honestly, I sided with Kuzuhara-senpai more often than not. It’s not that I disliked Masachika, though.

“Tell me, Rui—do you really want to keep following Tsujidou?”

“...What do you mean?”

“I mean, are you satisfied being under him? You don’t really respect him that much, do you?”

What a loaded question.

I’m not really interested in things like hierarchy or status. It’s just a title.

As long as I’m fulfilled, that’s enough for me…

“If you became student council president, you’d feel even more fulfilled.”

He said it like he could see straight through me.

“Honestly, Tsujidou’s been slipping lately. Causing problems with the teachers, trying to make his favorite girl a council member…”

“If you don’t like it, Senpai, you can just veto it. That’s why you’re one of the examiners, isn’t it?”

“That’s true. But hearing about this little test of his gave me an idea.”

Kuzuhara-senpai hooked his fingers on the mesh fence surrounding the roof, looking down at the schoolyard below.

It was like he was looking down on the entire student body, and it sent a chill down my spine.

“You know, I really do think highly of you, Rui. You were the one who supported me the most.”

“It’s a student council member’s duty to follow the president’s lead. That hasn’t changed.”

“That poise of yours is exactly what I like about you.”

“Was that a confession?”

“More like I’m complimenting your ability to steer the conversation away from dangerous territory. But if anything, this might be closer to a proposal.”

Kuzuhara-senpai turned around and held out his hand to me.

“Let’s take the president’s seat for ourselves.”

Even after school, I couldn’t get Kuzuhara-senpai’s words out of my head.

And that plan he told me afterward, too.

“Sigh…”

Alone in the student council room, I let out a deep sigh.

“Student council president, huh…”

I glanced at the president’s seat. It’s not like it’s an actual throne or anything, and anyone can sit there. But by custom, the seat by the window overlooking the room is reserved for the president.

Kuzuhara-senpai wanted me to take that chair for myself.

Before the elections, we’d talked about who should be president. I gave up the position willingly—I was already going to be the light music club president starting that summer, and I thought Masachika would be fine.

But if someone asked whether I truly admired him the way I did Kuzuhara-senpai… I couldn’t honestly say yes.

That doesn’t mean I think he’s unfit, but… I can’t deny that part of me believes I could handle it better.

He probably saw right through that feeling.

Seriously. That man’s dangerous. Truly.

He’s trying to shake up my calm, fulfilling high school life.

And yet… I couldn’t deny the excitement bubbling up inside me.

“E-Excuse me~!”

The door slid open slightly, and a girl peeked her head inside.

Ooba Monaka. The girl Masachika wants to appoint as the new general affairs officer.

“You can come in.”

“Yes!”

Stiff with nervousness, Monaka stepped into the student council room.

Seeing her up close again, she really is cute. Her features are well-balanced, and the blonde hair suits her perfectly.

Even her nervousness adds to her charm.

No wonder Masachika’s so taken with her. Getting that uptight guy to soften up like that—she’s got potential.

“Hehe, have a seat.”

I was the one who called her here. I’d told the other members not to come today.

“So, for my part of the test as the student council vice president, Kataseyama Rui…”

Sitting upright with perfect posture, Monaka looked so tense that I couldn’t help but smile.

Did I do something to scare her? I thought I was the friendly type with other girls.

“Yes!”

“It’s an interview.”

“Yes! …Interview?”

Apparently, she had already finished her tests with Matsuri and Hayato.

Not that this was ever meant to be an official thing—it was just something I came up with on a whim.

But it seems those two actually took it seriously. Masachika told me as much.

“You don’t need to be so stiff. Let’s just chat a bit. I don’t plan on failing you or anything.”

“Really!?”

Her face instantly brightened.

Of course I wasn’t going to fail her. If I did, it would just cause unnecessary tension—especially since I was the one who suggested this whole test idea.

“I wanted to do an interview because I wanted to take my time talking to you, Monaka-chan. You know, it’d be nice to get to know you better since we’ll be working side by side.”

“I see! Actually, I wanted to talk with you too, Senpai.”

“Aw, that makes me happy.”

“You’re kind of like an older sister! I really admire you!”

“Flattery won’t get you anything but a pass, you know~”

“So I am getting a pass then!”

For the first time since she came in, Monaka smiled brightly.

Ahh, this might be nice. Having this girl around could actually make things fun.

Though I still needed to get her to loosen up a bit more.

“Now that I said interview, I have no idea what to talk about.”

“Umm… maybe like, why I applied?”

“I already know that part~. It’s because you like Masachika, right?”

Maybe I actually do like talking about romance too.

When I teased her about it, Monaka didn’t avert her eyes—she nodded honestly.

“Yes. You figured it out, huh?”

“Hard not to, when you’re always looking at him with those lovestruck eyes~. So, what do you like about him?”

“Ehh…”

She didn’t flinch when I asked if she liked him, but asking for reasons seemed to embarrass her.

Her cheeks turned pink as she fidgeted with her tie.

“Senpai saved me three times.”

“Saved you?”

“Ah, he probably doesn’t remember the first time. It was during entrance exams, then when I was almost expelled, and then after that… He always said it was for his own sake or because he’s the student council president, but he never cared about his own safety.”

She didn’t give details, but I could imagine the kind of situations she meant.

That’s just the kind of person Masachika is—completely different from self-preserving me.

“Even if it wasn’t me, he would’ve helped anyone. But he was the only one who actually did help me.”

“Yeah, I can see why you’d fall for him.”

“Ah, but that’s not the only reason! At first, I just admired him because he helped me, but… the more time I spent with him, the more I fell for him.”

She smiled shyly, letting out a small giggle.

So pure. So straightforward. I can’t help but envy that.

“I thought if I became the general affairs officer, I could spend more time with him… I guess that’s not really the right mindset for a student council member, huh?”

“It’s fine. As long as you do your job properly.”

“Of course I will!”

“Okay. I mean, Masachika himself openly admitted he’s doing this for his own personal reasons, so honestly, the reason doesn’t even matter.”

It’s not like I have some grand ambition or anything, either.

So, when it comes to adding another general affairs officer, there’s really no reason for me to oppose it.

You can never have too many hands helping out, after all.

It’s just… yeah, maybe Kuzuhara-senpai was right.

Maybe I just didn’t like the idea of things going exactly how Masachika wanted.

“But you know, Masachika’s got it rough. He’s still a little hung up about his dad, right?”

“His dad…?”

“Oh, you didn’t know? Never mind, then.”

Monaka tilted her head in confusion. I see. Well, Masachika’s never been one to show weakness to others.

His father’s company was destroyed about a year ago. That was right around the time Masachika and I first became student council officers.

He was so crushed I could barely stand to watch him back then. That’s when I learned what really happened.

He looks like he’s moved on now, but in truth… it’s the opposite.

The trauma has stuck to him, buried deep within his heart.

But even then, Masachika can’t throw away his sense of justice. …Maybe I envy that about him. Maybe that’s why I can’t fully accept him.

While he acts for others even when he says it’s for himself, I only ever think about myself while pretending to act for others.

“Hehe, but I already know Senpai’s a little weird. I like who he is now, so whatever happened in the past doesn’t matter to me.”

“I see.”

How boring. I tried to tease her a little, but it didn’t work at all.

“Then, just hypothetically…”

Maybe I should think a little about what Kuzuhara-senpai said.

“If Masachika wasn’t the student council president… if he wasn’t even part of the student council, would you still want to be the general affairs officer?”

“…Huh?”

“Sorry, that was a pointless question.”

Normally, that’s a completely unnecessary hypothetical.

Masachika is the student council president right now, and Monaka wants to join because he’s there.

…If I were the one who became the student council president, I wonder if Matsuri-chan would follow me.

Hayato probably would. That kid looks up to me, after all.

“Alright then, that’s the end of your interview. Hand over your test sheet.”

“Please mark me as a pass!”

“Of course.”

I’m not going to fail her. Not me, at least.

As for what Kuzuhara-senpai will do… I don’t know.

“Three more people to go. Do your best.”

“Okay!”

As I handed back the signed test sheet, I said that with feigned cheerfulness.