Chapter 48

I stood at the classroom door, holding the paper with the names and club affiliations of the students who had joined clubs, ready to deliver it to the student council room.

After getting everyone in the class to write down their information, just as I was about to head to the student council room, the class representative said, "Should I go alone?"

"Why is that?"

"Well, you know, there are rumors that the student council and Pivoine don't get along... And you are part of Pivoine, right?"

What do you mean "part of"? How rude.

"It's fine. Besides, this seems to be a kind of introduction to the student council for the class representative, so I'll go too. It should be over quickly once we hand it over."

"If you say so, I'm fine with it."

"Then let's go quickly. We can go home after we submit this."

I waved the paper in my hand to urge the class representative, and we headed to the student council room together.

This was my first time visiting the student council room. Since there are no student council members in the first year, I was not very familiar with it. I knocked on the door, announced our class and purpose, and received permission to enter.

"Excuse me."

Inside the student council room were individual desks, bookshelves, lockers, and a sofa and table in the center. Compared to Pivoine's salon, it was a much simpler room. But if you used Pivoine as a standard, everything would seem simple and plain. It certainly felt like a merit-based student council room, but the quality of the furnishings was still good, being at Suiran.

The class representative and I introduced ourselves and stated our purpose again.

"Club roster. Put it in that box."

We placed the roster in the box as instructed by the senior council member, and it was over in no time. Just as we were about to bow and leave, the door to the student council room suddenly opened forcefully.

"Hey! I brought food from the cafeteria, let's eat! I actually tried to steal some from Pivoine, but—!"

My heart skipped a beat.

"Hey, President! That girl is from Pivoine!"

"Huh?"

His eyes caught mine. A piercing gaze, a challenging smile, and a presence like the sun. The moment I saw him, a grand orchestra played in my head. That powerful, heart-pounding music, like Orff's "O Fortuna"!

"Why is a Pivoine girl here?"

What should I do? I can't look away. My heart is racing. What should I do, my heart is racing!

"Hey!"

Oh no! I've fallen in love!

After that, I somehow regained my composure and managed the situation. Fortunately, the senior council members interpreted my shock as a reaction to the president's comment about "stealing food from Pivoine." The president, while saying it was troublesome, also warned me with a dazzling smile, "Don't tell the Pivoine people about this." I swore to myself that I would never speak of it.

The dramatic person who appeared with "O Fortuna" was Tomegane Chizuru-senpai, a third-year student and the student council president. That's all the information I had, but it was enough. Ever since then, my head has been filled with the grand orchestral music of senpai's image, playing endlessly. Just thinking of senpai's face makes my chest tight!

But, that smile was so cool... "Don't tell the Pivoine people about this." Oh my!

I rolled around on my bed. When I got up, I felt a bit dizzy.

But what should I do now? We are in different grades, and I am not a student council member, so there is almost no chance for us to meet. Moreover, he is the student council president, who has a long-standing rivalry with Pivoine. There is no way I can get close to him. If only he wasn't the student council president!

Hmm?

...Isn't this like Romeo and Juliet?

Squeal! If Tomegane-senpai is Romeo, then I am Juliet!

Please, forget your name!

...Calm down.

I can't join the student council because I am in Pivoine. Even if I did, by the time I joined, senpai would have graduated. It's pointless.

...Senpai graduating. Romeo-senpai graduating! Romeo-senpai!

...Calm down, me.

First, I need to get him to remember my name and face.

Ah, today he was getting food from the cafeteria, so maybe he will be hungry after school. What about bringing homemade cookies?

"They're delicious. Juliet, you're such a good cook."

"Thank you, Romeo-senpai."

What should I do if he says something like that?! Me!

Okay, I'll do it!

Next...

I took out a brand new eraser from the drawer.

I don't really believe in this, but it was a popular charm when I was in middle school. "Write the name of the person you like on a new eraser, and if you use it without anyone else touching it, you will become a couple." I don't believe it, but since I have the chance, I might as well try it. I took out the eraser, wrote "Tomegane Chizuru" in small red letters, put it back in the case, and sent my thoughts to the eraser.

Please, God! Give me a chance!

My stomach growled after using my brain. It was time for dinner. Recently, my brother has been coming home early. He made it back in time for dinner today too. Eating with the family always makes the food taste better.

Ah, but I might not be able to eat because my heart is full. Love is making me suffer. Oh, braised beef in red wine is my favorite.

My brother smiled gently when our eyes met.

Hmm.

If the image of Tomegane-senpai is Orff's "O Fortuna," then my brother's image is Ravel's "Boléro." Aira's image is Liszt's "La Campanella," Yurie's image is Schubert's "Ave Maria." Enjo is Satie's "Gnossienne," and Iwamari's image is... "In the Persian Market," I guess.

And Tachibana is Mussorgsky's "Night on Bald Mountain."

A few days later, "In the Persian Market" Iwamari came to visit, so I secretly consulted her.

"What?! Rika, you have a crush?!"

"Don't tell my brother."

"...Ah, yeah."

I didn't reveal who the person was and asked for advice on how to get closer. Unfortunately, Iwamari didn't give me any good advice. She only said that homemade cookies are too heavy to receive from someone you're not close to, so I should avoid that. I'll follow that advice. Indeed, at Suiran, even Valentine's Day chocolates are not recommended to be homemade, so cookies might be the same. But I practiced so much. Tch.

Ah, but falling in love makes every day so much fun!