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
Right after I decided that I would never be able to understand Shirahama, the gal.
With a clatter, the door at the front of the classroom opened, and a man who looked refreshingly cheerful and a woman wearing glasses entered. The man looked around the classroom as soon as he entered and narrowed his eyes.
“Sorry everyone, I’m sorry I’m late !”
Instantly, the gazes that had been scattered in all directions converged on him. But the cheerful senior seemed completely oblivious to the stares as he sat down directly in front of the blackboard. Then he clapped his hands lightly.
“Alright, let’s begin the first meeting of the Culture Festival Executive Committee.”
Instantly, the once-noisy high school students settled into their seats and adopted a posture ready to listen. Shirahama, who had been fiddling with her smartphone just moments ago, was now maintaining such a perfect posture that it seemed like she was using every ounce of her back muscles.
The man, who had made such a flawless entrance, flashed a friendly smile with a hint of nervousness.
“Ah, don’t be so tense ! Let’s relax !”
With those words, the tension seemed to ease, and the atmosphere relaxed instantly. He looked around the classroom again and nodded satisfactorily.
“Most of you are new here, aren’t you? I’m Aihara, a third-year student and this year’s cultural festival executive committee chairman ! And this intimidatingly beautiful woman with glasses is Kikuna, the vice-president. Nice to meet you !”
A round of applause broke out in response to Aihara senpai’s cheerful self-introduction. The glasses-wearing senior next to him, who had been described as intimidating, adjusted her glasses.
…Now that I think about it, I feel like I’ve seen these two at a school assembly or something. I never thought I’d join the cultural festival committee, so I didn’t pay much attention to them.
As for the girl in question, Shirahama Mikuri, she was clapping her hands with incredible force, as if she were trying to break them.
“Well, now that we’ve finished our self-introductions, I’d like to move on to everyone else’s self-introductions.”
After saying that, Aihara senpai glanced toward the door. Everyone raised their eyebrows and turned their gaze toward the door.
“This year’s cultural festival has a strong ally joining us, not just the executive committee ! Please welcome them !”
With that announcement, the door opened with a light click.
“Hello, everyone.”
Entering the classroom with an elegant greeting was our student council president, Saionji Chihaya, with her loose waves and outstanding style. After confirming that the president had sat down in the empty seat, Aihara senpai stopped clapping and clapped her hands once.
“So, thanks to President Saionji’s suggestion, we’ll be getting some help from the student council this year—let’s hear it for her !”
A bigger round of applause erupted than when Aihara senpai appeared. As expected of the president…I would have wanted to run away barefoot in such a situation, but the president calmly looked around the classroom… Oh, crap. Our eyes met.
Embarrassed, I immediately looked away, but the president smiled broadly and waved her hand at me as soon as she saw me. I bowed my head in embarrassment.
“Eh, do you know the president?”
“…Well, it’s a long story.”
Shirahama next to me looked at me with a puzzled expression, but I vaguely brushed it off. After the cheers for the president died down, Aihara senpai gave a shout.
“Alright, let’s start with the upperclassmen introducing themselves !”
At that shout, the male senior sitting at the front of the classroom stood up.
“Hi, I’m Kominato from 3-A. I’m in the badminton club, and this is my second year in the club. Nice to meet you all !”
“Kominato was in the stage department last year, right? He’s good at physical work, so we can rely on him.”
Each person introduced themselves, mentioning their name, club, and enthusiasm, and Aihara senpai added a few comments.　
“Um, I’m Kageyama from 2-C.”
This went on for a while, and finally it was my turn. I stood up and took a deep breath. The girl next to me gave me a smirk, but I didn’t care. I’m a broadcasting club member, so I’ll show you a perfect self-introduction…!
“Um, well, I’m in the broadcasting club, and I do the noon broadcasts… Erm, I’ll do my best within my capabilities, nice to meet you all…”
Seeing the sparse applause, I let out a sigh of relief, trying not to be noticed. The girl next to me continued to stare at me with a blank expression.
“It’s just normal.”
What the hell…? My effort to make a perfect first impression without causing any waves was dismissed as ‘just normal’…?
But whether she knew or not that we were feeling a bit awkward, Aihara senpai chimed in.
“Kageyama kun is in the broadcasting club? That love advice show at lunchtime is interesting ! I always wonder if I should ask for advice too~”
“Oh, really…”
“What about Kikuna chan? Have you ever done that?”
“Of course not.”
Honestly, I don’t think a senior like Aihara senpai, who is so outgoing, has any problems, so I don’t think there’s any need for me to get involved. Still, her social skills are impressive, and I want to learn from her.
“What about Saionji san?”
“Huh, me !?”
However, her social skills in bringing up the topic with the president are non-existent. Perhaps because she had seen the embarrassing behavior of her acquaintance, the president, who had been smiling for some reason, shifted her gaze for a moment, then cleared her throat.
“Well, yes. I think his radio show is wonderful, and as for me…”
“For me?”
“No, I mean, I think the cultural festival executive committee is also very busy, but I hope the broadcasting club will also do their best without neglecting their duties, yes.”
She seemed to be about to say something else, but the president settled for a safe conclusion.
…What did ‘for me’ mean? Perhaps she meant that she also wanted to be in charge of publicity for the student council. If that was the case, then his smirk made sense. I want to believe that he wasn’t laughing at the embarrassing situation.
“Then let’s move on to the next person. Next is…Shirahama san, right?”
“Y-yes !”
Shirahama stood up energetically when her name was called by Aihara senpai. Her lethargic look from before was gone, and she stood up in a way that sounded like it would be accompanied by a sound effect.
“Um, I’m Shirahama Mikuri from 2-C ! I….don’t do any club activities. But ! I’ll work hard here instead, so please take care of me !”
Shirahama finished her speech in one breath, exhaled, and sat down.
“You’re so stiff.”
“Shut up.”
My quiet mutter seemed to reach her, and she quietly but firmly retorted, looking embarrassed. However, our conversation was drowned out by a slightly louder round of applause than mine.
“I see, Shirahama san…was it?”
“Y-yes !”
“If you’re not in a club, then as you said, let’s work hard together on the cultural festival this year ! Nice to meet you !”
“Y-yes, nice to meet you !”
Shirahama nodded vigorously in response to Aihara-senpai’s refreshing comment.
(I see…)
That gaze was more intense than any I’d seen from her in class, and even I understood why she joined the executive committee…
…Wait, but didn’t she say she had a boyfriend?
Maitoshi