Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093087122434729/episodes/16818093093984447925
Our student council president, Sanada Tsubaki, is a talented young woman who excels in sports and possesses excellent communication skills.
She consistently ranks first in national mock exams. According to what I’ve heard, she has been taking piano lessons since childhood and has even won awards at some famous competitions.
However, even such a seemingly perfect girl has her shortcomings.
That is…
“The reason I asked you all to gather here today is because I want you to count the number of school supplies.”
““…””
We, the class committee members, remained silent. The reason was obvious.
The toy glasses covering the beautiful girl’s face. The plastic nose and mustache attached below them made a strange mechanical sound as they moved.
—Yes, the student council president, the brilliant Sanada Tsubaki, is a well-known eccentric and oddball.
“Hmm, this year’s class committee members are good. They’re listening to me very seriously.”
“No, President. It’s your odd behavior that’s intimidating us.”
The one who whispered in Kansai dialect to President Sanada was the vice president, Honjo Yashiro, who was also a second-year student… I think.
Her brown bob hair contrasts sharply with Sanada Tsubaki’s straight black long hair. She is at the top of her class among the second-year students. Her tone of voice is strong, but she is a girl who is as serious as can be.
“Hmm? Is that true? I gathered many students from all grades. It was out of consideration so that they wouldn’t be nervous.”
While muttering that kids these days are difficult, the president took off her toy glasses.
The toy was so striking that I didn’t notice, but the president was wearing black gloves. Is she sensitive to the cold?
“What about that sash? What is it? Today’s student council president?”
Carefully reading the words written on the sash, Honjo pulled it off with a tug.
“Wait! Honjo-kun! This is a one-of-a-kind sash that I stayed up all night to make yesterday! It’ll tear!”
This speed, this crisp timing of the comebacks. She must be quite experienced at this. She must be from a famous comedian family.
“The president is an unusual person, isn’t she?”
Kazekawa said with a wry smile. I don’t know how to describe it. It’s that kind of feeling.
“That’s good. Come on, president. Continue. No more jokes, okay?”
Chairman Sanada, stripped of her sash and toy glasses, glared at Honjo and opened her mouth.
“Ahem. Today, I want you guys to count the number of desks in the empty classrooms. The locations are the five classrooms on the third floor of the old school building, starting from the left corner, and the four classrooms on the first floor. It shouldn’t take too long.”
What does she plan to do with the number of desks? Just as I was wondering that, my eyes met Chairman Sanada’s.
“The reason is simple. We’re going to donate the unused desks to a nearby middle school, so I want to know the total number.”
“I see…”
It seemed that a question mark had appeared above my head. She had seen through me. Sanada Tsubaki is formidable.
“Count them, excluding any that are wobbly or badly damaged. Alright, everyone. Please do your best.”
Sanada-chairman clapped her hands and signaled for everyone to disperse. The students who had gathered began to leave the student council room one after another.
Let’s get this over with quickly. I followed suit and headed toward the door.
However.
“Hey, you’re over here, Hayami-kun.”
“Huh?”
Chairman Sanada, wearing smooth gloves, grabbed my arm.
“You used to be in the sports club, right? Then let’s tidy up the storage room next door together.”
“I don’t think I’ll be much help…”
I didn’t go into detail, but I’m not in the best of health.
“Don’t worry, I won’t push you too hard. If you want, I can get someone else to help…”
“Then I’ll help too.”
Saying that, Shiramine grabbed my other arm.
“Mihoshi. Since that’s the case, can I ask you a favor?”
“Sure, no problem. Then, Tsuki-senpai, let’s go together!”
“Uh, yeah. Got it. Hayami-kun, do your best too.”
Koganei pulled me by the arm, and Kazekawa also left the room. Now, the only ones left in the student council room were me, Shiramine, President Sanada, and Honjo.
“Hmm? You’re Shiramine-kun, the first-year student, right? I saw you with Hayami-kun in the hallway the other day.”
“Yes, that’s right. I’m Shiramine Hisui. Please remember my name.”
“Well well. Hmm, I see.”
President Sanada looked back and forth between my face and Shiramine’s, smiling smugly. Was something wrong?
“President. That’s enough. Please hurry up. I have paperwork to do here.”
“Hmm, Honjo-kun. I’m sorry.”
“There’s no need for the chairman to apologize. No one could have known that the accounting student would transfer schools.”
Honjo said that, but she sighed as she sat down and picked up the pile of documents.
“Oh, Hayami-kun?”
As if remembering something, Honjo’s eyes turned toward me.
“Y-Yes”
“That girl skips a lot, so keep an eye on her.”
“Y-Yes”
I replied politely without thinking, but I was thinking to myself,
Kansai dialect really grates on my nerves.
＊＊＊
It was a distant day in June, with summer fast approaching. The whistle echoed across the dirt field of the city park.
It was the summer prefectural preliminaries, the semifinals.
Our soccer team lost 1-2.
“Thank you very much.”
The final greeting was cut short, partly because of the tears flowing from my regret, but more because my knee was in severe pain.
Looking back now, perhaps the ligament in my knee was already torn at that point.
“Hayami, are you okay? maybe..”
The coach’s voice echoed in my ears, bouncing back as if it had hit the back of my head.
The last ten minutes. I hadn’t been able to run properly, so it was only natural that he would notice.
“…I’m going to the bathroom. Coach, please don’t tell him, okay?”
“I understand. I’ll take you to the hospital right after this.”
I left the field still wearing my uniform, with a wet towel on my head.
Dragging my feet to hide my injury, enduring the seeping pain, I made my way to a bench next to the washroom in the corner of the square.
“…Damn it!”
A burning sense of regret rose in my chest. My body, weighed down by despair, felt unbearably heavy.
“Are you okay?”
A voice came from in front of me. But I was looking down, and with a towel over my head, I couldn’t see who it was.
But it didn’t matter. They were probably just a stranger who noticed something was wrong with me and came over to check.
“If I was okay… I could have kept running. I probably wouldn’t have lost the game.”
I clenched my fist tightly. I didn’t know where to direct my anger or sense of defeat.
“It’s pathetic, isn’t it? Hiding injury and playing in the game… and in the end, I couldn’t even run. I thought I could be of help, but all I did was cause trouble.”
“… ”
All I could hear was the sound of someone swallowing. It must have been confusing. I just randomly spoke, and then that person said something like that.
“I don’t think it’s pathetic, Hayami-san.”
“Haha… You knew my name. This is even more awkward now.”
Unlike him, I don’t think anyone would be a fan of someone like me who has no charm. So, this girl who approached me must be just a soccer fan.
Losing the game and being seen sulking like this is just so embarrassing.
“When did you get injured?”
“A little before this tournament started. I was already feeling the strain.”
The instability, pain, and discomfort in my knee had been there since then. Still, I kept using it, so this was the inevitable outcome.
“Then why…”
“Because if I stopped here, I felt like I’d never catch up to him again.”
I didn’t want to lose to him. I wanted to prove him wrong through my efforts, even though he was called a genius.
Because.
“Because—everyone wants to be the protagonist, right?”
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