Volume 24 Chapter 4 (1/2)

”There will be an infor the student council elections starting at 3:45pm today Would all first and second-year students who are considering running in the elections please come to the Electoral Committee's office, next to the staff room, at that ti nominations to run in the election today I repeat, there will be - ”

The same announcement was repeated a couple of tihout the ti homeroom

There were some students ere surprised by this sudden announcement, but there had been a notice about it in the bumper end-of-year special edition of the student newspaper, the Lillian Kawaraban Going back even further, the Electoral Committee had placed a notice on the committee bulletin board on the first of December, after the School Festival Committee had disbanded on the last day of November and relinquished their space on the board, so it wasn't really all that sudden

Even so, there were so there were others who didn't yet know, had kindly gone looking for Yumi and the others to inform them

In truth, while they had left the school buildings to dispose of the rubbish, they could still faintly hear the announcement, and a copy of the notice on the bulletin board had been delivered to the Rose Mansion the previous year, and the editor-in-chief of the Lillian Kawarban was a classmate, so Yumi had been inforratefully accepted their kindness Because the , right? Give it your best”

When cleaning was over Yumi met up with Yoshi+no-san and they visited the second-year wisteria class to get shi+ towards the Electoral Committee's office It was just after 3:30 so they were a bit early, but even if they went to the Rose Mansion they wouldn't be able to do anything in fivelate

Theirplace, the Electoral Committee's office, was next to the staff roo the announceot the location, there was a huge sign on the door saying ”Electoral Coet

There was a group of students in the hallway, gathered around the door Initially, Yu to run, but that wasn't the case

”Ah, Rosa Gigantea”

One of the girls called out, noticing shi+athered students turned to face them

”Rosa Foetida en bouton, Rosa Chinensis en bouton … !”

The group of students left the door and surrounded the trio Two, four, six … aled past the staff room door would surely have surprised any teacher that opened it to head home

”Good luck in the election, Rosa Gigantea and the two boutons We're cheering for you”

”Ah, thank-you”

The group of students had gathered to see the candidates ould attend the information session They were all first and second-years The third-years weren't allowed to vote, so even if they were interested they wouldn't be quite as worked up about it just now Plus they had to think about what they would do after graduation

In the croas a face she knew

”Look this way please Just once”

The photography club's ace, Takeshi+ her camera When they all instinctively turned in her direction, she clicked the shutter and got theood

Beside her was Yaoing to write an article about the student council elections for the Lillian Kawaraban The iantea and the Red and Yellow Boutons Attend Inforether” floated into Yumi's mind

”… Noriko”

shi+mako-san said softly Yumi hadn't noticed and neither had Yoshi+no-san fros But Noriko-chan was indeed there, standing a short distance away froirls

Everyone noticed Noriko-chan and she stepped forward almost like she was pushed

”Will you attend the information session?”

Yumi asked

”Don't be absurd”

Noriko-chan stepped back, waving both hands But she was obstructed by the crowd, so there was nowhere for her to step back to

”You don't have to run You could attend as shi+mako-san's assistant”

”No I just came to see her, because I was a bit nervous So that's enough for me”

This time Yoshi+no-san put her ared her over to right in front of Noriko-chan

”Then look to your heart's content Come on, come on”

Squeals came from the onlookers, but not from Noriko-chan or shi+ and spoke to each other

”I'll be waiting in the Rose Mansion”

”Okay I'll see you there”

”Take care, onee-sama”

It was kind of incredible Yuht that is she was in the sa and ju around Honestly, Yoshi+no-san had probably been expecting that too

Still, it was just like the White Rose soeurs to be that composed The spectacle was so beautiful that Tsutako-san snapped so for permission

”People who are attending the information session, please come inside”

A member of the Electoral Committee opened the door

”Okay”

The trio responded and went inside No-one else followed them They were free to coto run The second-years probably remembered the uproar that Kanina shi+zuka-sama's nomination had caused, while the first-years would have heard rumors about it

Inside, on ould be the teacher's platform in a classroom, there were five desks lined up, and in the students area there were five rows of three desks facing them

”Those attending, please take a seat in this section, starting from the front”

They were pointed to the 5x3 block of seats and sat down alongside each other nobody else had arrived to announce their candidacy just yet

”Really, we didn't need fifteen desks But we sort of had to ood”

One of the Electoral Co her seat on the platform Yumi recalled that this was Hanae-san They'd been in the sa primary school Since she took the seat in the middle, that must make her the head of the Electoral Committee for this year

”Typically, there's three candidates At most, there'd be five or six, don't you think?”

It wasn't yet 3:45p It may have been out of consideration for the candidates, so they didn't get bored

”It looks like there'll be ain at this year's information session”

There were five desks in front of theroup in the room, so it looked like there were five co the information session today Incidentally, there were two Electoral Committeewith all the members wouldn't fit in here, so they probably held those in some other room

”Usually it's … laid out uess”

One of the co around the room

Hanae-san looked at her watch Yu at her own left wrist

There was still about three o

(Ah)

After checking the tiht in front of her For Hanae-san, it was behind her back, so she'd probably decided against turning around to look at it

As usual, her thoughts showed plainly on her face, and in front of her Hanae-san tre Hanae-san like this, Yoshi+no-san and shi+mako-san looked confused

Well, of course In the middle of their conversation she'd looked at her watch and then suddenly started laughing, so they'd be wondering as so funny

”I suppose we should get started”

Hanae-san announced, finally getting her laughter under control, and the four otherdocuments took their seats

”The information session for the election of the next student council executive will now begin I look forward to working with everyone here”

Yumi wasn't sure whether it was proper protocol or not, but they started with everyone standing and bowing, which seemed to fit the mood in the room

”First, we'll distribute a print-out to everybody This isn't just for attendees of this information session, anyone that comes to the Electoral Committee's office can ask for a copy So if you're aware of anyone that intends to run in the election but was unable to attend today, please let the them out from today up until the deadline for nomination in the election”

The trio nodded, looking at the print-outs they'd been given

”We'll start by going over what's written there, as well as a couple of supplemental iteht then”

Hanae-san was about to start reading the first point when there was a sudden commotion outside the room They stopped for a moment and everyone looked towards the door

”That's a bit concerning”

Hanae-san said, and the first-year on her left stood up and went to have a look

Actually, Yu outside since around the time they stood and bowed, but it was the hallway out there Since it was after school, there was usually a fair amount of student traffic, so she'd accepted that a certain amount of conversation would carry into the information session

But the volume had steadily increased, to the point where she could no longer say that it was just that Basically, it was beco a hindrance to the information session

How to explain it? It felt like there was a heated arguerence It may even have made it to the level of a quarrel

The first-year corew louder then suddenly dropped As expected, the fiery conversation was interrupted by so from the room

After questioning the ringleader in the disturbance, the first-year committee member returned and whispered into Hanae-san's ear

”The information session is open to all They can come in”

This was the first thing Hanae-san said after hearing the report

It sounded like soot into a dispute with the students waiting outside

Anyone could attend the information session So was the reason for the dispute just because that student wanted to enter the roo the circuhest priority, so she asked her junior about the details

”What the heck are they doing anyway? Why do they think they have the right to get in the way of another student?”

”Well, it looks like at first they thought she was just going to be an observer And since everyone else was holding back, they thought it'd be unfair for one person to go in, that sort of thing”

”An observer… ?”

”And there's not enough space in here for everyone that's out in the hallway”

The group of students outside straining to hear as going on inside probably wouldn't allow a solitary student to poh they probably would have allowed Noriko-chan, since she was shi+mako-san's petit soeur

”I see So then that girl said she wasn't just going to observe?”

Hanae-san asked the younger girl, and at this point Yued glances Hold on, time-out

She wanted to attend the information session and not just to observe Thatin the election

Which would fundae the nature of the election The nominations weren't closed yet, but if there were four orthen it would be an actual election With three people, it was merely a vote of confidence

”That's right, she said she was thinking about running At which point they told her that it was too late already Then they started arguing about whether she could go in or not”

”I see And once they started arguing, neither side wanted to back down What a troublesome bunch”

Hanae-san sighed in exasperation Such a bother it had become

”Ah, um”

Yuh a potential candidate that had come to listen to the infor to address this matter Beside her, shi+mako-san and Yoshi+no-san both looked at her with expressions that said, ”What are you planning on saying, Yumi-san?”

”What is it?”

Hanae-san allowed Yumi to voice her opinion

”You have to let her in, right? Even if she is late, I heard voices out there arguing before the inforan, so if she hadn't been blocked by the other students she would have made it here just in time”

They could run in the election even if they didn't attend the infor to run, obviously it would be better for them if they could attend the information session

The new candidateher best to achieve the saainst an incumbent and the petit soeurs of the two other incumbents

Yuet off to a late start because of this It wasn't like Yuoody-two-shoes, it's just that it felt wrong

”Of course No-one said anything about barring entry The announcement, the notice on the committee bulletin board, the article in the Lillian Kawaraban, none of thesewho showed up a minute late”

”So then - ”

Hanae-san nodded

”Let her in Ah, it's okay I'll do it”

Hanae-san stood up Indeed, it would be easier for the second-year head of the Electoral Co the door

Hanae-san left the roo after, and looked at Yumi with a conflicted expression Then she said, ”Coirl behind her

When she saho it was, Yumi was lost for words

Not just Yumi shi+mako-san, Yoshi+no-san, and the other Electoral Committee members also had their mouths wide open in shock

”Gokigenyou Pardon the intrusion”

Standing there was Touko-chan

Grinning like a Cheshi+re cat, her ringlets bouncing like electric drills

Noriko alking down the school hallway

She was heading towards the location of the information session because she wanted to look at shi+mako-san's face

Since she was only going for a look, it wouldn't take long She thought she'd have plenty of time to return to the Rose Mansion, prepare some tea and wait idly

In truth, she hadn't been planning on going until a few one to the Rose Mansion and performed a basic tidy-up, boiled so what she should do next when she looked at the clock and saas 3:35pm

She knehen the information session would start

It was ten one to the information session already? Noriko was alone on the second-floor of the Rose Mansion when she thought this

Knowing shi+et there with plenty of ti journal, for instance, then there was a chance she would be doing that about now The instant she thought this, Noriko stood up fro

She wanted to li in to the inforone in, Noriko thought she'd just walk up to the door and then head back Even that would be better than staying in the Rose Mansion and doing nothing

She could see shi+ether yesterday, and shi+mako-san had said that she'd come to the Rose Mansion after the infor because she wanted to see shi+mako-san

But it was hard to keep waiting and thinking about shi+mako-san in a place without her Basically, she just couldn't sit still

There were plenty of people crowded around the staff room

Attending the infor one's intent to run in the elections for the student council executive They'd all probably gathered here to see who the candidates for the next student council executive would be

Fro around, she overheard that none of the three had arrived yet The photography club's ace was there, as was the head of the newspaper club

Before long, shi+mako-san, Yumi-sama and Yoshi+no-saulfed

shi+ at the students that called out to her Seeing this, Noriko's nerves were instantly soothed

It was probably for this reason that she'd come Noriko understood this about herself

After exchanging a feords with shi+mako-san, they parted and Noriko headed back to the Rose Mansion She thought she'd have plenty of time to return to the Rose Mansion, prepare some tea and wait idly

She alking lightly down the corridor when she spotted Touko co the other way

”Touko … ”

Noriko ca sweetness when she noticed her

”Wait”

Noriko grabbed her by the ar

”We have to talk”

”We do?”

”Yes, we do”

Rosa Chinensis had told her not to intervene in Yumi-sama's affairs, but Noriko couldn't just sit and watch in silence Yumi-sama was one of her compatriots in the Rose Mansion, but Touko was her friend Didn't she have a right to hear Touko's side of the story?

”Sorry, but can we do it tomorrow?”

Touko said coldly

”Tomorrow?”

”I'ht now”

”Alright Tomorrow”

Noriko released her arm It didn't have to be now, and they were in the same class so there would be plenty of opportunities

”You're not going to have the day off tomorrow, are you?”

”I'll be here You're so untrusting, Noriko-san”

Touko smirked, then turned her back on Noriko

When she returned to the Rose Mansion, Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida were there on the second-floor

”Keep up the good work”

Rosa Foetida said, sipping on a cup of tea they'd prepared

”It shouldn't be long until they return”

Rosa Chinensis offered Noriko a cup of tea

”… Thank-you”

It was only a , but for some reason the two third-years seemed far more mature than usual, and consequently far more distant

”Touko-chan, why are you - ”