It was over. It was really over.
Looking at the application form in his hands, now stamped with approval, Fukayama Midori truly felt that it was over.
He admitted that he had acted on impulse.
Who didn't dream of having a colorful high school life? But Fukayama Midori didn't want to go through too much trouble, either.
So most of his plans never got past the "thinking about it" stage. The enthusiasm would fade after a while anyway.
Of course, every time, Suzuran Ayano and his little sister would get frustrated with him and try to spur him into action. It never worked.
This time, though, things were different.
For the first time, Fukayama Midori had experienced being praised and nudged forward from behind, rather than being dragged along by force.
"Otaku-kun, look! This is a picture from middle school. What do you think? Wasn't I adorable and fresh-faced?"
Nagase Kumari leaned over to show Fukayama Midori the photo she had submitted for her Vice President candidacy.
Nagase Kumari had been a gyaru since middle school.
She did look younger in the photo than she did now, but Fukayama Midori could also see that her smile was forced, and that there was a shadow in her eyes.
Thinking back to the lunches Nagase had bought at the little takeout restaurant earlier, Fukayama Midori couldn't help but worry.
"Nagase..." Fukayama Midori looked at the girl before him, who always seemed so cheerful, and wanted to ask her about herself.
For example, why had she become a gyaru? And why didn't she have enough money for food? Was things bad at home?
Those were all things Fukayama Midori wanted to know.
"Hm? What's wrong? Am I not cute?" Nagase Kumari looked at him with a radiant smile.
"You're really cute, hahaha." Fukayama Midori scratched the back of his head.
He still didn't have the courage to ask. He was afraid she would dislike him if he brought it up.
"Right? I think so too!"
Looking at Nagase Kumari's cheerful smile, Fukayama Midori felt that things were fine just as they were.
At that moment, he felt as if his high school life really was starting to change.
"Okay, now that we've signed up, we need to make flyers!"
"Actually, instead of just writing stuff like those other girls, why don't we draw them by hand? If we make them cute, people are sure to like them!"
"Yabai~ The more I think about it, the more excited I get! What do you think of my idea, Otaku-kun?"
As she spoke, Nagase Kumari unconsciously hooked her arm around Fukayama Midori's.
Feeling her against his arm, Fukayama Midori tensed up instinctively. It was the first time a girl had acted so close with him.
Though Suzuran Ayano was Fukayama Midori's childhood friend, she would never hook her arm around his.
She'd even get mad if he so much as walked too close to her, saying things like, "Hmph, if you weren't friendless, I wouldn't want to walk with you."
Breathing in the scent drifting from Nagase Kumari, Fukayama Midori couldn't help letting his thoughts wander.
"Uh, yes. Okay, I think it's great."
"Right? Then leave it to me! I'll take care of making the flyers. You might not think it to look at me, but I'm actually pretty good at drawing."
Only then did Fukayama Midori react.
"Nagase, you can draw?"
Seeing Fukayama Midori's surprised expression, Nagase Kumari proudly thrust out her already ample chest, pressing even closer against him.
"How about that? Surprised, right? I've always loved drawing. I mostly draw cute, pretty anime characters, of course. Look at the makeup on my face— I did it myself. Cute, right?"
"Yeah, I, I think it looks great too." Fukayama Midori scratched the back of his head and nodded.
Up close, Fukayama Midori could see Nagase Kumari more clearly.
Nagase Kumari was dressed like a gyaru, too, but her style was simpler and cuter than that of her two gyaru friends.
Those two seemed to want to hang every cool-looking thing they could find on themselves, but Nagase Kumari wasn't like that.
Her eyelashes, lipstick, colored contacts, and conspicuously dyed hair weren't so over-the-top that they frightened people at first glance. The more you looked, the more captivating she became.
Fukayama Midori had once thought about changing his image, too, but that idea had quickly been nipped in the bud by his bullying childhood friend and his little sister.
They'd even reported him to their parents, who cut off his allowance for a long time.
"By the way, Otaku-kun, could you lend me a little more money? Hehehe~"
As if only now remembering the "important matter," Nagase Kumari gave Fukayama Midori an embarrassed wink.
"..." He'd just thought she was cute, and now she wanted to borrow money?
The smile froze on Fukayama Midori's face, but there was nothing he could do.
He felt around in his pocket. A few coins clinked together inside.
"Sorry, Nagase. I didn't bring much money with me today."
"I've only got three hundred yen. I was going to use it to buy juice."
A new magical-girl figurine had come out yesterday, along with a few idol photo books he'd been following for a while.
Fukayama Midori had to save his pocket money.
"Oh, I see. Never mind, then." Seeing that he only had three hundred yen, Nagase Kumari waved her hand and didn't take it.
"Nagase, are you going to be okay? If you don't have money for food, maybe I could borrow some from someone else for you."
Remembering how Nagase Kumari had bought a pile of expired bread and bread crusts earlier, Fukayama Midori said guiltily.
"Ahahahaha, it's fine, really. Don't worry. I'll figure something else out. I've always managed somehow." Nagase Kumari kept smiling cheerfully.
Fukayama Midori could only nod. He thought he'd ask his parents, who were working overseas, for some extra pocket money when he got home.
The two of them then started talking about their student council election flyers—what pictures to draw and what to write to make them more interesting.
When the topic turned to anime, Fukayama Midori became quite talkative.
Unlike Suzuran Ayano, Nagase Kumari knew a lot about anime, too. The two of them even started discussing the latest shows.
They had a great time planning the flyers.
Although Fukayama Midori noticed people around them looking his way, he didn't care at all. This was undoubtedly the wonderful scene that had appeared in his dreams.
Just as the mood was this good, a hand suddenly reached from behind and grabbed Nagase Kumari.
"Kumari, what are you doing here? Why didn't you reply to my message last night? And who's this guy?"
"Osawa-senpai." Nagase Kumari recognized the upperclassman before her.
At the same time, she let go of Fukayama Midori's arm.
"This is my classmate. Is something wrong, Osawa-senpai? I was busy last night."
"Hello, senpai."
Fukayama Midori hurriedly bowed to him.
"Classmate?" Osawa Nobuhiko looked Fukayama Midori over, then immediately lost interest in him.
"Nagase, you'd rather make a move on this guy than answer my calls? 'Busy' is just an excuse, isn't it? Are you planning to switch to someone else again?"
Switch to someone else? Make a move?
Hearing those words, Fukayama Midori couldn't help piecing them together into a few sentences in his mind.
Nagase Kumari looked flustered, too. She hurriedly pulled Osawa Nobuhiko toward the stairs, saying, "Osawa-senpai, what are you talking about? Let's go somewhere else to talk. I'll explain."
"See you later, Otaku-kun. Go back to the classroom first. I'll be right back."
"Come on, Osawa-senpai. Let's go. Honestly, don't say things like that in front of my classmate."
Watching Nagase Kumari walk away, pulling someone else along, Fukayama Midori stood there in a daze.
But as he looked at the student council election approval form in his hand, he clenched his fist, then let it relax.
"It's not like I wanted to run for the student council that badly anyway," Fukayama Midori muttered. He turned and tossed the approval form into the trash.
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