Make Blondie Cute

"Please support Nishida Yuki!"

"Support the current Student Council President, Takasu! This is Takasu's second year as president."

"Vote for Aikawa Eri! She just won a literary award in Tokyo. If Aikawa Eri becomes Vice President, we'll get to see more of her stories and novels!"

"Nishida Yuki was Student Council President in both elementary and middle school."

"Morii Jinpachi! Morii Jinpachi! The Baseball Club Captain, Morii Jinpachi!"

"Nishida Yuki, the freshman representative, is only a first-year, but she's very capable. Please put your trust in her!"

"Sakagami Honoka wants to replace the school uniforms! We want cuter skirts and better-looking uniforms!"

"Vote for Nishida Yuki!"

"..."

Standing at the entrance to the cafeteria by the convenience store, Suzuran Ayano, Akimoto Yoichi, Nishida Yuki, Kuroo Maya, and the others were handing out flyers.

The flyers naturally contained information about the Student Council election, with Nishida Yuki and Akimoto Yoichi as their main focus.

The other Student Council candidates were handing out flyers too.

However, the second- and third-year students weren't there in person. Most had their campaign members hand out flyers for them. Only Nishida Yuki and Akimoto Yoichi had shown up themselves, hoping to raise their profiles.

After all, the current Student Council President, Takasu Takao, and Vice President, Kido Chiharu, were already well-known. The other candidates, Sakagami Honoka and Aikawa Eri, were the Literature Club's president and vice president.

Morii Jinpachi was also the popular Baseball Club Captain, and this year he had a chance to lead Izuki Academy's baseball team to Koshien.

Every candidate for president or vice president was well-known.

Nishida Yuki was fairly famous too, what with being the freshman representative. Her wealthy background and dignified, pretty looks had also left a deep impression on people.

But whenever students came and went from the cafeteria, they chose to walk around Akimoto Yoichi and his group.

Even though Akimoto Yoichi had left the flyer distribution to Suzuran Ayano and the others, the students still didn't dare approach them, afraid that some troublesome person might take notice of them.

Watching the other candidates draw a crowd while their own group stood alone, Ayano couldn't help feeling discouraged.

"These people are hopeless. Why do they judge everyone by their looks? Have they ever seen Akimoto-kun bully anyone? Do they think he's a delinquent just because of his appearance?"

Ayano set the huge stack of flyers in her hands on the table, took a big drink of water, and complained.

"No, no. His appearance is enough, isn't it? I'd think the same thing." Kuroo Maya's words were as sweet as honey.

Then Ayano pinched her cheek.

"Akimoto-kun, why not dye your hair back to its natural color? That bright yellow really stands out," Nishida Yuki teased as she looked at Akimoto Yoichi's hair.

"Yeah, can you dye it back? I think black would look better," Ayano said, surprisingly agreeing with Nishida Yuki.

Yellow hair had practically become Akimoto-kun's trademark, but if he didn't want to get expelled, he needed to make an effort to look like a good student.

"I can't dye my hair back. Maybe the dye I used before was strange, but my hair won't turn black again."

Akimoto Yoichi had tried dyeing it back. Wherever he went with his yellow hair, it felt like he was handing out business cards.

Unfortunately, he'd had no luck, whether he went to a salon or bought dye and did it himself.

The blond hair had probably become part of his soul. He was stuck with it forever.

"Really? Then there's nothing we can do." Ayano sighed.

Akimoto Yoichi looked at the flyers before them, hardly any of which had been handed out. At this rate, he was definitely going to be expelled.

The whole school would vote in a week, choosing from among the candidates.

Until then, everyone would do their utmost to win votes.

If Akimoto Yoichi had some talent to show off, he might be able to change people's stereotyped impression of him. Unfortunately, his greatest talent was his fists.

After all their discussion, the only thing they could do was hand out flyers like the other candidates.

But they could all see how things were going. People ignored their flyers. Forget supporting them—no one even came close.

"What about putting on a mascot costume or something? It'd draw attention, wouldn't it?"

As Akimoto fretted, Nishida Yuki clapped her hands and offered an idea.

"Oh, that's great! It'd be hilarious to see Akimoto-kun in a mascot costume! Maybe people wouldn't be afraid of him anymore! I really want to see it!"

Kuroo Maya was the first to raise her hand in agreement, looking eagerly at Akimoto Yoichi.

"...A mascot costume? It might make Akimoto-kun seem less intimidating." Suzuran Ayano looked at Akimoto Yoichi hesitantly.

But she couldn't think of anything else they could try.

"Then I'll wear one. It's just a costume. I'll treat it like a part-time job." Akimoto Yoichi didn't seem bothered at all.

"Then let's go!"

Thrilled that Akimoto Yoichi had agreed, Nishida Yuki clapped her hands and stood up.

The group left the cafeteria and went into the clubroom. When they saw the box Nishida Yuki had opened, they understood at once.

Nishida Yuki had prepared the mascot costumes in advance.

While they'd still been worrying about how to change people's impression of Akimoto Yoichi, Nishida Yuki had already made her preparations.

Looking at the cute costumes in front of them—little rabbits, kittens, and bears, all the sort of outfits you might find at a kindergarten—Ayano saw right through Nishida Yuki's intentions.

"Did you do this on purpose? You wanted to watch Akimoto-kun get wrapped around your finger, didn't you? You're making him wear a costume like this—and one that shows his face, at that!"

"I absolutely refuse to wear one of these! If it covers my face, that's fine, even if it's hot. But I can't accept showing my face." Maya shook her twin tails, looking thoroughly opposed.

Akimoto Yoichi didn't fuss like the girls. He went straight over and picked one.

The three girls left the room and waited outside for Akimoto Yoichi to change into the costume.

Nishida Yuki took the opportunity to bring up another topic.

"What about Midori-kun?" she asked Ayano.

Fukayama Midori, who usually followed the group around, was nowhere to be seen today.

Maybe he thought he couldn't help, or maybe he simply didn't want to get caught up in trouble. Perhaps he was somewhere watching the show.

Ayano couldn't claim to know her childhood friend inside out, but she could guess what he was thinking most of the time.

Ayano glared at her and snapped, "I don't know. How am I supposed to know what he's doing?"

"Aren't you childhood friends? You're always together, aren't you?" Nishida Yuki's smile only made Ayano angrier.

"So what? I'm not that Fukayama guy's mother. He can do whatever he wants. Why should I care?"

"Then why do you care about Akimoto-kun? Have you fallen for someone else?" Nishida Yuki finally got to the point, leaving Ayano speechless.

Maya looked a little nervous. She'd said something similar before.

But she'd only been joking. Now that Nishida Yuki had asked the same question, Maya was curious about how Ayano felt too.

"You! Nishida, please don't say things like that. It's very rude to Akimoto-kun!" Ayano scolded her.

Nishida Yuki smiled provocatively. "Oh? Are you trying to dodge the question? If you like Midori-kun, I'll support you too."

Ayano didn't want to admit she liked Fukayama Midori, because she was tsundere.

But she didn't want to say she didn't like Fukayama Midori either. Wouldn't that be like admitting defeat to Nishida Yuki?

Just then, Akimoto Yoichi opened the door and came out in his mascot costume.

"Suzuran and I are friends. We haven't known each other long, but she's kind and friendly. I wouldn't have been able to study properly without her, and I'll support Ayano with all I've got."

A smile appeared on Ayano's face at Akimoto Yoichi's answer.

She pouted at Akimoto Yoichi, who was dressed as a little lion, and said with mild dissatisfaction, "Just friends? Didn't we also agree to make a cake at my house in a few days? I thought our relationship was like Maya's and mine—we'd become such good friends that we could tell each other anything, like besties!"

"Pfft! Akimoto-kun really does look like a sweet, considerate guy bestie dressed like that!" Maya watched Akimoto Yoichi, relishing the sight.

"Guy bestie? Works for me." Akimoto shrugged, unbothered.

Nishida Yuki's eyes narrowed slightly as she watched the three of them, full of amusement.