Me? To confront Akimoto-kun?

"Please give us a vote, please give Nishida-san a vote."

"Please, thank you, please support Nishida Yuki."

"Nishida Yuki, Nishida Yuki."

"..."

When Akimoto Yoichi put on the mascot costume and started handing out flyers again, the effect was completely different.

Everyone curiously crowded around when they saw the mascot, but once they got close and saw the Blondie face of Akimoto Yoichi, which was completely at odds with the cute fairy-tale aesthetic, they were taken aback.

Most people's reactions were a mix of shock and curiosity; the air filled with a sense of amusement, and the flyers were finally being handed out.

Although handing out flyers didn't mean people would definitely support you, at least they were being distributed.

More importantly, it was a good start.

As more people learned that a Blondie was wearing a kindergarten-style mascot costume to hand out flyers, even more people gathered around.

Facts proved that while everyone feels terrified when they see a tiger.

If that tiger is from an anime, people don't find the tiger quite as scary.

The plan was developing in the good direction originally envisioned.

However, these things had nothing to do with those ordinary, average students.

For example, Fukayama Midori and his newly acquainted buddy, Tachikawa Tokuo.

"I really didn't expect that guy from the next class who looks so fierce would actually put on a mascot costume. Looking at him like this, he might actually have a chance at becoming the vice president."

Tachikawa Tokuo leaned against the window, gazing at Akimoto Yoichi in the mascot costume surrounded by several girls, and sighed with emotion.

Beside him, Fukayama Midori watched the scene below, his eyes looking somewhat complicated as he stared at Suzuran Ayano and Nishida Yuki standing next to Akimoto Yoichi.

But his face remained as indifferent as ever.

"Akimoto-kun, it wouldn't be strange even if he became vice president. He's very capable."

"True, he's also way too tall. I was shocked when I first saw him. Even though we're all high school students, why is he so tall? How tall are you, Fukayama?"

"Me? One meter sixty-seven... no, I think I'm already one meter sixty-eight now. I feel like I've grown a bit more recently."

"One meter sixty-eight? That's not bad. I'm about the same as you. If I were over one meter eighty, would I have as many cute, beautiful girls around me as he does?"

"..."

Fukayama Midori didn't respond to Tachikawa Tokuo's words.

He wore an expression like someone who had bitten into a pebble while eating.

Because he knew all the beautiful girls around Akimoto Yoichi: one was his childhood neighbor Suzuran Ayano, and the other was Kuroo Maya, a good friend and childhood companion from middle school.

The last one was Nishida Yuki, who had struck up a conversation with him at the opening ceremony, shared little secrets, and even though she was a classmate in his own class, she was completely unfamiliar with the rest of the class.

"Sigh, looks like even in high school, we won't be able to find girlfriends. We're in a completely different world from this Akimoto-kun. Maybe I should try dyeing my hair too; it might attract some attention from girls."

Tachikawa Tokuo, still talking to himself, didn't notice the three figures from the neighboring seats walking up behind him.

With a "bang," Tachikawa Tokuo's desk was kicked hard.

Startled, Fukayama Midori and Tachikawa Tokuo turned around in a panic and saw Nagase Kumari standing before them with two other gyaru.

"Ahahahahaha, did you just say you wanted to find a girlfriend, you little shrimp? Huh?"

"You want to find a girlfriend? Forget it. You're obviously a virgin. A virgin like you, without any skills, wants to date someone? How hilarious."

The voices of the tanned gyaru and the tall gyaru made others in Class B look over, and the collective gaze made Tachikawa Tokuo wish he could crawl under the desk.

Fortunately, Nagase Kumari spoke up to stop her two companions at that moment.

"Alright, you two, stop making fun of them. This must be a very important matter for them."

"Kumari, you're absolutely right, it really is important. If he can't find a girlfriend in high school, a guy like him will definitely be a virgin for life, hahahahaha."

"Oi~ how about I help you out? But you'll have to pay. It's not much, just fifty thousand yen. Earning fifty thousand yen in three minutes is a great deal, right? I'm so smart!"

Loud laughter echoed through Class B, and Nagase Kumari couldn't help but feel helpless as she watched her two airheaded companions leaning in to tease Tachikawa Tokuo.

Although she wasn't exactly smart herself.

Looking at Fukayama Midori, who wanted to run but didn't dare to, Nagase Kumari smiled and apologized.

"Sorry, Fukayama-kun, I hope you don't mind what they said."

"It's fine, Nagase-san." Although Fukayama Midori wasn't very good at dealing with Nagase Kumari's two friends, he didn't dislike Nagase Kumari.

She wasn't as unapproachable as she looked on the outside.

Conversely, once you got used to her outgoing personality, you would find that Nagase Kumari was actually quite cute.

"What were you guys talking about? Let me see." With that, Nagase Kumari knelt directly on Fukayama Midori's lap and leaned over the window next to him to look outside.

"Ah, wait a second, Nagase-san, don't crowd into my seat... uh."

Looking at the chest Nagase Kumari had pressed directly against his face, Fukayama Midori could smell her scent as he breathed while trying to speak.

Coupled with the sensation on his lap, he instantly lost his composure.

Fortunately, Nagase Kumari quickly pulled her body back from the window.

"Oh, you guys were looking at that Blondie from the next class? It seems he's running for vice president?" She didn't seem to realize at all how much of a shock her previous actions had been to a virgin.

Nagase Kumari continued the previous topic with a calm expression.

"Ah, yeah, that's right, Akimoto-kun is quite impressive." Leaning forward slightly, Fukayama Midori answered awkwardly.

"Oh, then why don't you run for the election too, Otaku-kun? For student council president or something."

Nagase Kumari smiled.

"Huh? Me? I should run for student council president?" Fukayama Midori was bewildered.

Running for student council president—wouldn't that mean competing on the same stage as Akimoto-kun and Nishida-san?

How could that be possible? That was Fukayama Midori's first reaction.

He couldn't find a single thing about himself that could compare to the likes of Akimoto Yoichi and the others.

"That's right. Since that Blondie you know can run for vice president, you can run for president too, right, Otaku-kun? You're no worse than him; how will you know if you can do it if you don't try?"

Nagase Kumari was serious; at least, Fukayama Midori couldn't tell if she was lying.

In Nagase Kumari's eyes, was he really not worse than them?

Unconsciously, a bit of confidence suddenly welled up in Fukayama Midori.

"Th-that's true, maybe I could actually get elected, ahahahaha." Fukayama Midori laughed awkwardly.

Even though he said that, he wasn't quite that arrogant.

He had assumed this casual, joking topic would just be brushed aside.

Who would have thought that Nagase Kumari across from him would grab his arm and pull him up from his seat.

"Then let's go! You can definitely do it, Otaku-kun. Let's go; even if we don't get elected, we don't lose anything, right? The important thing is the experience!"

"You're serious? No, wait a second, I haven't made up my mind yet."

"Don't worry, leave it to me!"

"...Wait a second, Nagase-san!"

Under the puzzled gazes of the others in the classroom, the two of them ran out of the room.