I Was Supposed to Be Giving Love Advice on the School Radio, but Before I Knew It, the Beautiful Girls at School Were Hitting on Me
The classroom was as lively as ever, and amid the commotion, our homeroom teacher entered with a clatter.
“Okay, let’s start the first homeroom class of the second semester.”
Even though summer was over, our homeroom teacher was still looking tired as usual. Some of my classmates still couldn’t believe that summer was over, and even though their bodies were facing the teacher, their voices were still noisy.
However, as expected of a teacher, he must have seen this kind of behavior many times before, because he just glanced at the class and continued with his speech.
“Well, even though the second semester has started, there’s not much to talk about in today’s homeroom…but I’d like to at least decide on this year’s Cultural Festival E.C.”
Cultural Festival E.C…..the moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere in the class seemed to freeze. The once noisy space suddenly became tense.
Whether he noticed the change in the air or not, the laid-back homeroom teacher continued in the same tone.
“We already have a candidate from the boys’ side, so all we need now is one girl to volunteer.”
At that moment, the tension among the boys, including myself, was released. Most of us sighed in relief. Needless to say, I was one of them.
However, the girls, who still had no candidate, were filled with tension. Despite the earlier excitement, they were now glaring at each other with caution…
“Hey, Kageyama kun. What’s ‘Cultural Festival E.C’?”
…Except for the girl sitting next to me, who had probably never been involved in a cultural festival event before.
…Are you serious? To be honest, I couldn’t believe it, but it was something that Kitahara might say… I looked at Kitahara, who was staring blankly, with a cold gaze, and began to explain.
“Well, Cultural Festival E.C is short for Executive Committee, and basically refers to the people in charge of preparing and running the cultural festival.”
“Heh, there’s a committee like that?”
“…I’m not talking to my mom right now, am I? I’m talking to my classmate, right?”
“It can’t be helped. I haven’t really participated in any events before.”
Kitahara turned away. Well, it seems she intends to participate this year, so let’s just leave it at that for now. The second-year students, who now understood the meaning of Cultural Festival E.C, looked around the class again and tilted their heads in confusion.
“…So, why are you all pushing this on each other? Is it unpopular?”
“That’s a bit too direct…but you’re not entirely wrong.”
Even though the boys’ side seems to have already decided, it’s awkward to talk about this in a normal voice. I moved my chair closer to Kitahara and whispered in her ear.
“Our Cultural Festival E.C is…to put it simply, extremely busy.”
“Busy?”
“Yeah, unless something unusual happens, we’re tied up with the committee after school. It’s best to assume we won’t be able to participate in class or club activities.”
“Huh…”
“Plus, we won’t be able to play much on the day of the event either. We’ll be handling visitors, dealing with any issues, and making sure the trash is sorted properly…well, there’s a lot to do.”
“It’s kind of dull, but it sounds tough…”
Of course, there are glamorous roles like emceeing the stage, but that’s a whole different world from what Kitahara and I do.
Kitahara finally seems to have begun to understand the seriousness of the situation, looking around with a tense expression. Seeing that, I nodded solemnly.
“In any case, you should be prepared for the fact that you won’t be able to enjoy the kind of sparkling, happy cultural festival you might imagine in a manga.”
“I’m not really that type of person, but…I see, I understand.’
The young lady surveys the class situation with understanding. But perhaps thinking she’s not part of the chaos, she leans in with a relaxed expression.
“By the way, the male members of the executive committee are already decided, right?”
“Well, I don’t know who they are, but there are some peculiar ones among them.”
‘Peculiar…you’re just saying whatever you want because you’re not involved, aren’t you?”
Kitahara sighs in exasperation.
“No, no, I’m really grateful. I think this kind of thing should be done by someone with a sense of mission.”
“The right person in the right place, noblesse oblige, I suppose.”
“…Yes, that’s right.”
Kitahara’s words give her a vague feeling of foreboding, but she shakes her head to dispel it.
“Here !”
It was just at that moment. The class was on the verge of chaos, with conversations clearly unrelated to literature beginning to pop up here and there, when a hand rose gently from the crowd. The eyes of the noisy crowd turned toward it in an instant.
The girl who raised her hand had curly brown hair tied in a ponytail and looked like a typical ‘gal.’ She didn’t seem to care that she was suddenly the center of attention, and continued speaking while waving her raised hand from side to side.
“Okay, if no one else is going to do it, I’ll do it !”
The class stirred for a moment. The other girls around her also turned their heads toward her in surprise.
“Hey, Mikuri ! Are you serious? Are you really gonna do it?”
“Don’t do it ! You won’t be able to hang out after school !”
“Hmm? Well, this is something only high schoolers can do, and besides, don’t you want good grades?”
Ignoring her friends’ concerns, the gal spoke casually. I wonder if it’s appropriate to talk about grades in front of the teacher… Kitahara whispered to me with a puzzled look on her face.
“That person…I think it’s Shirahama-san, right? I didn’t think she was the type to do something like that.”
“That’s true.”
I’ve been in the same class as her—Shirahama Mikuri—since our first year, but even though she’s always with her gal friends, she doesn’t seem to actively participate in events like this. But it seems I’m not the only one who finds it surprising.
“Mikuri, if you join the cultural festival committee, you won’t be able to hang out with your boyfriend on the day of the event. You said you were looking forward to it because it’s a chance to invite people from outside the school.”
“Well, I guess it’ll work out somehow. It’ll be fine.”
“Mikuri, you’re too carefree…”
Her friends were worried, but she didn’t seem to care. The homeroom teacher, who had been watching their exchange blankly, raised his body.
“Hmm, then, is Shirahama okay for the female executive committee?”
“Totes.”
Shirahama raised her hand again and replied politely. I could feel the atmosphere among the girls relax. The homeroom teacher straightened his back with satisfaction and began his closing remarks.
So, Shirahama is the girls’ executive committee member…with her around, it’ll be difficult for the boys’ executive committee to do their job…I clasp my hands together in my heart. Namu.
“Okay, then, the executive committee members for our class will be Shirahama for the girls and Kageyama for the boys. Please take care of it.”
“Eh?”
I thought I heard something I couldn’t miss, so I reflexively spoke up. But the homeroom teacher, who had finished the lengthy process of deciding on the officers, didn’t stop.
“Alright, that’s the end of homeroom. Class leader, give the command.”
“Wait, just a moment !”
“Stand at attention, bow !
“Thank you very much.”
Ignoring my confusion, my classmates, relieved that the trouble was over, bowed casually… After bowing like everyone else, the girl next to me glanced over at me.
“Um…Good luck with the committee.”
Her words made me realize that I hadn’t misheard earlier.
Kitahara looked at me with a puzzled expression, wondering about the fact that I was actually running for office despite having criticized the executive committee so much and from the outside I looked like a masochist. I was stunned and could only shake my head from side to side in silence.
Maitoshi