Vol 1 Chapter 3 (2/2)
“No one’s going to suddenly become student council president in their first year,” Homura pointed out. “Students formally announce their candidacy in their second year, right?”
“A female-dominant community, huh?”
Touya nodded in understanding.
“Well, whatever. More importantly, the issue right now is you.”
“Y-Yeah.”
“Since you decided it yourself, Hinooka-san, it’s not my place to meddle.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
“But I really don’t understand. The [Yamato Nades.h.i.+ko Contest] is basically a beauty contest, right? Why not that one?”
“You’re completely meddling right now, aren’t you?”
Her female cla.s.smate also pressed Homura on the matter.
“That’s right. Hinooka-san would definitely be able to win. Rather, I’d like to see Hinooka-san in a kimono~”
“She definitely would get full scores in a swimsuit at least.”
“Hey, you two.”
As Homura faltered, a crowd of even more male and female students joined in from behind her.
They questioned Homura with immense curiosity.
“Hinooka-san is partic.i.p.ating in the [Yamato Nades.h.i.+ko Contest]?” “I’ll also be cheering for you, okay?”
“I’m from the Swimming Club. I’d love it if you partic.i.p.ated, Hinooka-san.”
“I’m from the Tea Ceremony Club. If you want, I can give you a crash course in it.” “Hey, that’s rigging the game.”
“N-No, umm? I’m thinking of partic.i.p.ating in the [Boxed Lunch Contest]—”
Pressured by the festival-loving spirit of the other students, Homura turned around to search for Touya, but he was conversing with the girl from earlier while wearing an expression of admiration.
“Hinooka is really popular, isn’t she?”
“You’re only noticing this now, Touya-kun?” the female student asked.
Gugugu, d.a.m.n him, is he just another perverted boy in the end? Hinooka cursed in her heart.
Unintentionally going with the flow of the excited atmosphere around her was one of Homura’s weaknesses.
But this time, she couldn’t afford to give in.
Timely help came from an unexpected place.
“Hmm. The Boxed Lunch Contest, huh?”
The person who peeked at the poster from behind Homura over her shoulder was the teacher Fujimori.
“Ah, Mori-chan.”
“Fujimori… sensei.”
Fujimori spoke to Homura unconcernedly.
“Isn’t that fine? Go ahead and give it a try.”
“You’ll cheer for me?”
“I can’t, so isn’t that fine?”
“…Yes.”
Taken aback, Homura nodded firmly.
“What a terrible teacher.”
“Don’t get caught up in s.e.x appeal, young first year boys. Appet.i.te is more important than s.e.x appeal in life.”
Fujimori lightly warded off Touya’s words of reproach and then left to go to the staff room.
In the end, Homura stated that she wouldn’t be partic.i.p.ating in the [Yamato Nades.h.i.+ko Contest], and as a result the crowd dispersed and the corridor became spa.r.s.ely crowded once again.
As Homura sighed in relief, Touya spoke up.
“Well anyway, even though I said that stuff earlier, if you really have your heart set on this, then I wish you luck, Hinooka. I’ll do what I can to support you in my own way.”
“Yeah, thank you… By the way, what exactly will you do, concretely?”
“Let’s talk about the details later.”
True, recess was about to end.
She had to take her cla.s.s materials for the afternoon elective cla.s.s back to the cla.s.sroom.
Parting with Touya, Homura was about to leave the corridor with the bulletin in the company of the female cla.s.smate from earlier who was still loitering there when she suddenly noticed a certain female student.
She was standing alone, holding her cla.s.s materials against her chest while looking slightly forlornly at the posters.
Homura spoke up to her with a smile.
“Kujou-san?”
It was Kujou Orie from her cla.s.s.
This was the first time Homura had spoken to her since Kujou had given her the cold shoulder when Homura had tried to walk home together with her.
“Are you going to partic.i.p.ate in one of the events, Kujou-san?”
“……No.”
Kujou shook her head slightly.
“It’s voluntary partic.i.p.ation, after all.”
“Yeah, that’s true, but it’s basically a festival. There are events that have nothing to do with winning or losing.”
“You’re going to be partic.i.p.ating, aren’t you?”
“I was thinking of joining this [Boxed Lunch Contest].”
Kujou looked at Homura expressionlessly.
“I see.”
After murmuring that, Kujou suddenly turned on her heels and walked off to the special cla.s.sroom.
The bell for afternoon lessons began to ring.
While walking together at a hurried pace, Homura’s female cla.s.smate whispered beside her.
“Kujou-san… gives off a scary vibe.”
“Eh? That’s not true, you know? I was in the same middle school as her.”
“I know that, but she always goes home right after school ends and is hard to talk to.”
“Hmm…”
Homura didn’t say anything about Kujou being in the Going-Home Club.
Homura once again thought to herself that she didn’t know anything about Kujou.
Chapter 3 END
<script>