My Story of Falling for the Class President Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Life Consultation with the Class President [Side: Rena Kashii]

I'm the type of person who often gets consulted by others. That's because I have the influence, the track record, and the diligence to always be considerate. My older sister says, 'Isn't it a hassle to go that far?' but it's just my nature.

On a Wednesday with no club activities, I was getting ready to head ho after finishing my class president duties. Our current horoom teacher, Mr. Yanagi, is an art teacher, but he's pretty lazy and imdiately delegates tasks whenever sothing cos up. The other class president, Sotomachi-kun, likes duties like leading etings or giving speeches as the class representative, but he absolutely refuses to do mundane tasks like collecting assignnts, organizing them by attendance number, handling supplies, or visiting truant students.

We're told to submit assignnts, handouts, and other materials in attendance number order, so the work just piles up (angry). Because of that, I was given the key to the art room and secured a space there to do this work and keep it out of others' sight.

While I was getting ready, I heard Tachibana-kun's voice.

'Ise-san, wanna head ho together?'

'Eh? Well, it's hot today, so treat to a popsicle♡'

My mood dropped with a thud.

When we changed seats, and Tachibana-kun suddenly started praising Ise-san's na and flirting with her, I thought my soul would leave my body. Though, when I found out it was because she shared the sa na as his favorite historical figure, I nearly faceplanted.

But lately, those two have genuinely been getting closer... I had underestimated the situation since I'd never seen him talk to any other girl besides . I thought other girls wouldn't easily notice Tachibana-kun's good points, but I grit my teeth at my own naive assumptions.

But heading ho together? He's never invited !

It's been quite a while since the incident with Aoi-kun's confession, where I scolded Tachibana-kun for fighting, saying both sides were at fault, and he told he wanted to 'keep so distance.' It was fall back then, and now it's gone through winter, spring, and almost sumr, but we still haven't talked much.

Whenever I try to talk, sothing interrupts, and if I, soone who stands out, approach him, Tachibana-kun gets jealousy from others. Plus, lately, Ise-san has been monopolizing him.

(Just because he doesn't have friends in class, he's always with Ise-san...!)

I was pretty angry.

(I've known him longer!)

I couldn't tell if this frustration was directed at Tachibana-kun for telling to keep my distance, at Ise-san for suddenly getting close to him, or at myself for just watching it happen silently.

Even as I carried tools and took a breather, thinking absentmindedly about such things, the workload didn't decrease.

Sighing, I started reorganizing the career surveys to get through the work when my phone rang.

♪♫

'Hello, this is Kashii♪'

'Ah-shi! It's Ah-shi, okay?'

'Ah-shi Ah-shi scam?'

'No way! It's Ah-shi, I said!'

I know because the na is displayed.

'Co over right now?'

'Why? What's the matter?'

'Just co! Just co right now! You're off from club activities, right?'

'Eh? I have work to do... Is it urgent?'

'Just co! Head straight out the gate, turn right! I'm in the north area, so co over!'

What's with her! That girl always only cares about her own business!

(Should I say sothing clearly this ti?)

Thinking that, I hurried over. What could it be? She called out because she needed sothing, but I have no idea what.

I left the gate and jogged to the designated spot. I'm good at keeping up with people like this, but it's a double-edged sword.

When I got there, Ise-san and Tachibana-kun were there.

Co to think of it, didn't they leave school together?

What? Why was I called here?

(If... these two say they're dating or sothing... what should I do? Can I congratulate them? No, I can't...

I might end up crying...)

Regardless of my feelings, this carefree girl spoke up.

'You're late, Rena Kashii!'

'It's because Ise-san suddenly called out! What's this about!'

Ise-san smirked and said,

'Well, from here on, Rena Kashii, you listen! It's not about what you hear, but who you hear it from, right? I think you should talk to Kousuke-kun next. When we et again, Haagen-Dazs will do, okay?'

'Rena Kashii, you were helped too, right? Since he's struggling so much, just listen to him, okay? Even with your 'for everyone's sake' attitude, there are people who slip through the cracks, right? You owe one.'

Ise-san laughed with a 'Nihihi♪,' but her eyes looked sad.

I really don't understand Ise-san.

It seems Tachibana-kun was consulting Ise-san about sothing.

If it's a consultation, he could've just co to from the start! I'm a bit relieved it wasn't about dating, and my mood lifted a little...

I waited a bit, but Tachibana-kun wouldn't talk.

(He consulted Ise-san but won't talk to ?)

I'm sad. Yeah, that's right, that's why he ignored for over half a year after telling to keep my distance.

Even when I finally tried talking to him after a long ti,

'I'm fine, see ya.'

He says stuff like that and runs off, right? Am I actually hated? Even though I put myself on the line to help, does he think I'm just an annoying girl who only cares about appearances?

I was on the verge of tears.

But sohow, Tachibana-kun also looks like he's about to cry?

(First, I'll listen. It must be sothing important.)

What Tachibana-kun started talking about, which he apparently also told Ise-san, was sothing personal about himself.

Just to confirm, I had him tell everything from the beginning, but

What Kousuke-kun told , the bullying story I already knew, and what happened after.

The story of him venting his emotions at Aoi, the first ti I heard about his brother's heart condition, and his parents working desperately for that reason.

And then,

He hates his current self, he hates his childhood self.

He hates himself for not being able to do anything while his brother suffers.

He hates himself for only being able to smile helplessly while his parents work so hard. He shared his struggles with .

(If it were , I wouldn't be able to tell anyone. But he consulted Ise-san first...)

I felt jealous of Ise-san for earning so much trust in such a short ti.

Tachibana-kun briefly told what he consulted Ise-san about and what she said in response.

(Hmm, isn't her advice pretty spot-on? That girl is so selfish, yet she's incredibly sensitive to emotions and empathy. I have to admire that. And her chest.)

'I agree with Ise-san's analysis.'

As a supplent, I told him that I think it's not the debt itself that's his complex, but rather that the debt feels like an insult to his hardworking parents and intensifies his sense of powerlessness. After all, the reason for the debt is to help his brother, so there's no reason to be ashad.

Moving forward, I'll be careful not to hurt Tachibana-kun in that regard.

I listened to everything, everything. Before I knew it, it was evening. We stopped walking and sat side by side in a small park with just a bench.

Honestly, it wasn't a fun conversation. But today, I got to see the inner side of the boy nad Sho Tachibana completely.

(How pure, shy, and sensitive this boy is.

Why does he have to get hurt so much for things outside himself?

No, that's not it. It's because he can work so hard for things outside himself that I...)

I understood my own feelings. No, I already knew, but I reconfird them.

I don't know why Ise-san passed this consultation on to , I don't know, but...

(Owing her one isn't enough.)

That's what I thought.

Anyway, the conversation continued out of inertia.

Tachibana-kun was pretty out of it, probably from the tension of opening up about his weaknesses for the first ti, being accepted, and the drastic shift between stress and relief (doubled since he told two people).

I was also dazed from learning so much for the first ti, the sheer volu of information, thinking about the future, and the intense stimuli of Tachibana-kun's trust in Ise-san, among other things.

In other words, we were both in a daze from the shock, stress, and relief, just conversing absentmindedly. But I was still listening carefully because I wanted to know more about Tachibana-kun.

When you talk out of inertia, you sotis end up repeating the sa conversation.

That's exactly how it felt.

'So, Tachibana-kun, why did you resolve Aoi-kun's bullying issue?'

(Wait, didn't I already ask this? I just absentmindedly heard the sa story again.)

'Well, it was for my own sake and because Kashii-san was in trouble...'

(I heard this before, but I'm still happy. It wasn't just for , but I'm still happy!)

There was more.

'With the bullying issue, Kashii-san was troubled, worried, and crying. I've liked Kashii-san since we were kids, so I don't want to see her cry. If the girl you like is crying, a guy has to put himself on the line.'

'I see.'

'What did you say?!'

I was utterly shocked.