Vol 2 Chapter 2 (1/2)
VOLUME 2
[2nd Discussion ~ The Reflecting Student Council ~]
“By learning from our past failures, we can move forward!”
As usual, the president stuck out her small chest and proudly spoke as if she were reciting something she probably read in some book.
Today’s theme was already written up on the whiteboard. She didn’t even get our acknowledgement yet.
<the first=”” student=”” council=”” ma.s.s=”” reflection=”” meeting=””>
It seemed like today would also head towards a topic that would be extremely boring for me, but since the president was already raring to go, it was probably impossible to change course now.
However, Minatsu let out a dissatisfied “Ehhh?” in my stead.
“You want us to reflect, but we’ve only been active for two months now…”
“Minatsu! You’ve been active since last year!”
“B, but well, today it’s about the ‘current student council,’ isn’t it? In that case……”
Minatsu was clearly fl.u.s.tered and reluctant.
Yeah that’s right, this time the ones who are supposed to be the seniors are the president, Chizuru-san, and even the casual speaking Minatsu, who have had a year’s worth of experience…… Unlike the student council now, since last year’s student council seemed to be pretty enthusiastic, and due to her personality, she stopped being able to use honorifics.
Maybe in reaction to that, Minatsu this year seriously hates discussions. It could also be due to the current student council’s very lax atmosphere. She must’ve become accustomed to the comfort here. That was probably why she found today’s mention of a reflection meeting to be absurd.
At Minatsu’s displeased face, the president slammed her hands down on the desk and shouted.
“It’s that kind of halfhearted way of thinking that caused this student council to degrade!”
“Degrade huh?”
I interrupted her without thinking. I mean…… the student council may be lax, but I felt like taking it that far was just too cruel…… Mafuyu and I, both newly joined this year, showed a complex and bitter smile. Chizuru-san alone secretly pointed out the truth, saying “I’m sure the reason for this atmosphere is eighty percent due to Aka-chan’s laziness……”but was kind enough to make sure that the president wouldn’t hear it.
The president s.h.i.+fted her point of view from Minatsu to me and once again slammed on the desk…… That behavior, I wondered if she planned to keep “strongly and imposingly” slamming the desk. If she did, then she was like a child just throwing a tantrum for no reason, and I that’s all I could see. It was oddly pleasant.
“You’ve got a ton of points you need to reflect on, Sugisaki! In fact, you only have points you need to reflect on!”
“So you’re rejecting my entire personality?”
“Eh? You have positive points then?”
She very innocently tilted her head in question…… so cruel…
“Well yeah I do. Even I’ve got some good points, right?”
I faced the other student council members and asked. When I did, everyone uttered “Um…” and the mood turned quiet. Only Minatsu, who was opposing the president just a moment ago, spoke up.
“We…… should probably have that reflection meeting.”
“Whoa whoa! What’s with the sudden about-face?”
“When…… when Mafuyu looks at Sugisaki-senpai, Mafuyu feels that we need to hold a reflection meeting right away.”
“Mafuyu-chan, you know you inadvertently said something pretty d.a.m.n mean right!
“I’m sure Key-kun was born for the sole sake of reflecting on his actions.”
“Would there be such a sad child who would be born for that sake?!”
This is bad. This flow is similar to last time with the rehabilitation and stuff. I was headed in an extremely bad direction. But…… they were almost already set on holding a reflection meeting. In that case……
I brought out my trump card.
“That’s right, I’m full of points I need to reflect on!”
I became serious. The president didn’t seem to expect this. She blinked in surprise.
“However that reality has been obvious ever since I was born! That’s exactly why it’s a waste of time for you to pressure me into reflecting! Since that’s the case, all of the other members should be the ones to reflect today!”
“Ooh…… That does sound pretty convincing… even though I disagree with all of it.”
The president was won over by my words. Chizuru-san and the s.h.i.+na sisters were also pulled in. I took this opportunity and continued the conversation. Yes, The Master of Ceremonies (1)…… In short, if I could take the moderator’s position, it was the same as taking control of the flow of the conversation!
“First up is Prez! As the chief executive here, you should be the one to take the initiative and reflect!”
“Ugh!”
I jabbed my finger at her and the president jumped back in surprise. At the same time, the other members went with the flow saying, “That makes sense……”
Since I confirmed that I the leader role, I once again continued the conversation.
“Now then, Prez. First, please tell us all the points you need to reflect on that you can think of.”
“P, points I need to reflect on?”
The president crossed her arms and began to think. For the president…… she should have a mountain of points. Even though I was an outsider, I could already roughly count many of them just by thinking a bit, but the amount was more than the number of worldly desires. (2)
I’m sure Chizuru-san, Minatsu, and Mafuyu-chan were thinking the same thing. Each of them seemed to recall dozens of points that the president needed to reflect on as they s.p.a.ced out.
With that, probably because there were so many, the president thought carefully for five minutes. I was ready for it and she told me.
–
“None.”
–
“Just how easy can you go on yourself d.a.m.n it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
“Wah! Sugisaki snapped! He suddenly snapped! Modern youths who snap without reason are scary!”
“I have plenty of reason! Even an ancient old person would snap!”
As proof of that, I could see veins popping on Chizuru-san, Minatsu, and even Mafuyu-chan’s foreheads. (3)
Seeing all our reactions, the president tilted her head in confusion with a, “H, huh?”
“Umm…… Is everyone angry at something? Why? A, ah, is everyone a bit jealous that I’m too perfect? Sorry, I guess I’m one of the chosen, so I don’t really have any flaws!”
*Snap Snap Snap Snap*
The student council room was filled with an aura of rage…… Yeah, I understand now. A reflection meeting is definitely necessary.
It’s…… about time an adult taught this childish president a lesson! That’s something I must do! (4)
“Prez! Sit in seiza here!” (5)
“Y, yes!”
At my change of att.i.tude, the president quickly took off her shoes and earnestly sat seiza in her chair.
I stood up and started lecturing while looking down on her.
“Now listen up, Prez.”
“R, right……”
“By learning from our past failures, we can move forward.”
“Th, that’s my saying-”
“Silence!”
“Eek!”
“The wise Prince Shotoku once said this: ‘It is impossible for man to appear in Getsuku without reflection.’” (6)
“I don’t think he said that at all……”
“Silence!”
“Eek!”
“You don’t need to worry about when it was said! The point is that you must reflect!”
“Then say that in the first place……”
“Anyways! You must reflect, Prez! If you don’t reflect, you won’t have a future!”
“I, if you say it like that it makes me wonder if I’m really that bad……”
“You are that bad!”
“You outright said it!”
“On Ori**n’s ‘Student Council Presidents Who Should Reflect’ ranking, you were the #1 spot for three years!”
“O**con keeps track of things like that too?!” (7)
“Well, you’re #1 in Sugisaki Ken’s ‘Pretty Loli Girls I want to Hug ranking’ with a commanding lead.”
“I didn’t want to hear that info!”
“And so, you should reflect, Prez! Even in a s.e.xual way!”
“Even in a s.e.xual way?!”
“Well that lesson, or should I say training, will come later……”
“My future looks bleak! Even if I reflect, I’ll have no future anyway!”
“Now then…… I got it. Starting from Mafuyu-chan, let’s name all of Prez’s points to reflect on.”
Saying that, I handed the topic over to Mafuyu-chan. In a rare bout of particular excitement, Mafuyu-chan eagerly joined the conversation, saying, “Ah, yes.” …….It seemed like when it came to the topic of the president’s points to reflect on, she surprisingly had a stock of points thought up. The president faltered, saying, “Whoa…”
Chizuru-san and Minatsu waited for their turns and watched over Mafuyu-chan as she timidly stood up and began speaking.
“Umm, first up is…… Right, Prez-san should think more before doing something, is what Mafuyu thinks.”
“Guh!”
It was a sudden sharp attack. Mafuyu-chan…… her verbal attacks are powerful.
“Mafuyu gets the impression that Prez-san says her idea only two seconds after she just thought of it.”
“Guhuh……”
“The wise Edison one said this: ‘In order to defeat the boss, you must level up enough first.’”
“No, like I said, I’m pretty sure he didn’t say that……”
“That’s not the problem! The point is, if you’re going to do something, you need to properly prepare for it!”
“Still, like I said…… do you really need to make up wise people’s sayings, Sugisaki?”
“Prez-san! Please stop fighting back and properly reflect!”
“I think the fact that you need to tell me to not retort is a problem within itself!”
“Prez-san…… Mafuyu is disappointed with you. Is retorting really that important?”
“It’s important! If I go with the flow it’ll be chaos! You don’t get it at all!”
“You’re the one who doesn’t get it, Prez-san!”
“Mafuyu-chan, shouldn’t you be saying that to Sugisaki?!”
“So now you’re pus.h.i.+ng blame onto others……”
“I’m not pus.h.i.+ng it! I’m a.s.signing blame to where it’s supposed to be!”
“That’s it. Mafuyu no longer has anything else to say……”
Mafuyu-chan muttered as the sighed and sat back down.
“Eh, what’s with that ending?! That just makes it looks like I’m insanely selfis.h.!.+”
The president shouted something, but our disappointed mood didn’t change. For crying out loud…… this is why the president is so……
“No, seriously, what’s with this mood?! What I’m saying is basically true, right?”
“…………”
“…… I guess this student council rejects me sometimes, huh……”
The president sighed and fell silent. Seeing that, this time Minatsu stood up.
“Alright, next up I’ve got things to say……”
“I just realized, but isn’t this bullying? Right now, in the student council room, I’m pretty sure I’m being bullied.”
“Shut it Prez! That ‘Everyone but me is bad’ mindset you have is no good!
“Ooh…… I was pretty tempted to start reflecting there, but just now I realized I’m definitely right ……”
“Shut it, you d.a.m.n rotten Prez! Feh!”
“Now that’s just too cruel! Wait, I mean, that’s going too far against your senior! Minatsu!”
“Shut up! Seniors who don’t reflect don’t count as seniors! Instead of repeating a year, you should go back a year!”
“What’s with that new system?! That’s scary! Going back a year is scary!”
“If you don’t want it to end up like that, then reflect!”
“O, ooh……”
As the president lamented, Minatsu cleared her throat with a cough and recollected herself.
“The first point I think Prez should reflect on is her weak childish appearance.”
“You’re instantly going for something unreasonable! Why go after my appearance?!”
“I’m telling you, you gotta eat meat! Aim for a muscled buff body! You’re the student council president aren’t you?!”
“I need to discard my femininity to become president?!”
“Even women become body builders!”
“But I don’t see the need for the president to become one!”
“Good grief. Alright, listen up Prez-san. The wise Youkihi once said this: ‘Women can’t be missing protein or the gym!’”
“Not only did she definitely not say that, I feel like Youkihi’s personality is a bit off……”
“Shut it! Are you only able to toss out retorts?!”
“Only because certain people keep fooling around!”
“Give me a break…… this is pointless. Nothing’s getting through.”
Minatsu said that and returned to her seat. The president made a fuss, shouting, “what’s with this atmosphere?! It’s like I’m the away team! I’m the student council president, but the student council room isn’t my home field!”
At last, the star performer …… Chizuru-san took action towards the president who didn’t show any signs of reflecting.
Chizuru-san flipped her long, sleek hair, then quickly and coldly narrowed her eyes, glaring at the president.
“Aka-chan…… I’m disappointed in you.”
“You too Chizuru……?”
“The wise man Vege** often shouted this: ‘KA**ROTTTTTTTTTTTTT!’”
“Seriously, what are you talking about?!”
“Basically, it means that if you look back on your actions, you can lead this student council, and even this school to an even better future.”
“There’s no way ‘KA**ROTTTTTTTTTT!’ has that kind of deep meaning!”
“Are you denying Veg*ta……?”
“Ve**ta doesn’t matter! I’m not denying him!”
“Could it be that you’re part of the Ra**tz faction?”
“I’m not part of any faction! I don’t have a favorite Sai**an!”
“So you’re turned on by Na**kians or something……”
“What’s with this topic?! Just what are we talking about!?”
“We’re talking about how Tori**** Akira is a genius, aren’t we?”
“That’s not it! Today’s topic is reflection meetings!”
“Ah, I guess you could say that GT was a useless addition. But that has its own circ.u.mstances……”
“We’re not reflecting on D**gon *all! I mean who do you think you are?!” (8)
“Oh? I guess it can’t be helped…… If you’re so against talking about Ju*p, then how about Su*day? (9)
“Enough with the shounen manga! Right now – ”
“Right now?”
–
“We’re talking about points I need to reflect on!”
–
“You got it.”
“Ah.”
Chizuru-san grinned broadly. The president’s face turned pale.