Step Back

"You're kidding right?" Arata responded. This had to be some dumb joke by the girl. Why would she even think that this would be a good thing to ask of him.

"I'm not joking." She replied. "I really want you to help us out here." To her, she had a massive disadvantage compared to Misei who was the incumbent.

"She's right." Yurime backed her up. "Most people don't really think of us compared to her. So we need it more than her." They figured his default was to lend his support to the current president. Since he not only was friends with her, but also because he had been working with them for the past couple of months. That would lend to more familiarity since he would be continuing his work at the dual positions.

"Personally, I think what they're doing is silly." Hifumi took a different position despite her relationship with those two. "Arata, you should reject the offer."

"Why'd you come with us if you're just gonna sabotage us?" Ichiri asked, annoyed. When he thought about it, why was she against it? Sure, there was the obvious factor that she'd be alone in the committee and have to seek out new members. But if they won, then she'd have a leader that was close to her. Something like that seemed to be a net positive for the library.

"I'll have to agree with her." Misei stood up, referencing Hifumi's point. "We all know this to be some silly game to you. So I'd suggest simply recusing yourself from the election."

"This isn't a game to me." Ichiri defended herself. "I know I can run this school better than you. I'll show all of you that."

"Then do so on your own. Arata will be aiding us in our campaigns."

"That's not fair." She refused to back down. "Why should he only help you? Just because you've been friends longer?"

"It is quite simply how things have been arranged."

"Actually." Arata spoke up, seeing as this conversation was about him. Perhaps it would be best that he had some input on it. "I never agreed to help out anyone's campaigns. In fact, I hadn't really considered the idea."

"Really?" That one word response from Misei sent a chill down his spine. It was pretty obvious she didn't like what he just said.

"Great." Ichiri was a lot more happy to hear that. "Then you can pick me. I'm a lot more fun anyway."

"Actually." Yogi spoke up on behalf of Yuki. "If you haven't decided on who you want to help, then maybe you can help me and Yuki?" He didn't seem very concerned about the tension building between the other two girls. Probably because he wasn't taking it as seriously as they all were.

His cousin, on the other hand, was sweating bullets when he brought up their own offer. Mainly because she didn't wish to draw any ire from Misei and Ichiri who were currently in the middle of a stare down.

"It would be nice…" Yuki meekly said. "B-but, you don't have to if you don't want to." Why did she have to act like that? He understood making him not feel pressured to pick her. Yet acting so adorable almost made him seriously considered siding with them. Not to mention she'd also be the one to put the least amount of stress on him.

"Ohoho, it seems we've reached ourselves quite a conundrum, haven't we?" He did not like hearing the tone from Ichiri's voice when she said that. "There's only one way for use to settle this."

"I don't think I like where this is going." He said. For it really did mean one thing. That being all of them were going to make their pitches to him for the boy to decide. On one hand, that wasn't so bad since it would be his decision in the end. However, that also mean Arata was going to feel the pressure of each of them, whether secretly or openly, wanting him to pick them.

"All right, I'll start." Ichiri spoke up once they got him alone at a table. A part of him felt that this was ridiculous. At the same time, he was also taking it serious as this seemed to have important ramifications. "If people pick Misei again, that means we're getting complacent. That's not what we need in our youth." She appealed the direction of change, albeit for the sake of it. After all, a year is a long time for people their age. Should some really accept staying the same for so long when they know that they'll change a lot?

"You might have a point there." He responded. "But, what makes you the one to be the change for all of us?"

"Well, I'm clearly one of the brightest girls in our grade." Her tone made it sound more like bragging that she skipped a grade. Though, it was hard to deny her intelligence compared to her peers.

"But that also means you'll spend far less time at this school than most others in your grade." Misei countered.

"So? You had only been here for a year when everyone elected you." Ichiri didn't see any problem with that arrangement. "What did you even have to offer back then?"

"For starters, I had experience as class representative during both that year, and in my junior high years." She answered. "Both of which, we all know you lack."

"Hey, I'd say that running the culture festival play is plenty of experience." This didn't seem to be going anywhere. Worst of all, Arata could tell that a certain person had failed to speak up.

"Say, Yuki." He whispered over to her, while the other two were arguing. "Why did you want to run for president?" That seemed to make the least sense to him. While most of the others believed Ichiri to be doing this for the popularity and fame. They didn't seem to mind Yuki throwing her hat in the ring. Even though nothing about this fit her personality.

"…" She took a while for her answer. A bit of a red flag for him, since there had to be a reason. Whatever she told him, it was clear that it wasn't the true reason at all. "Well, I wonder if some people get intimated by her." Yuki referred to Misei's style. While she certainly looked the part of a capable leader, perhaps it may not be the best to inviting people who may wish to get help. "Please don't tell her I said that."

"I won't." Not that he was worried about how she'd take hearing that. They were all friends after all. "But what can you do? That's what I'm asking."

"Well, maybe the students might like someone more, comforting?" He got what she was talking about. Perhaps, they aren't looking for someone as rambunctious as Ichiri, or competent as Misei. It could be that they would like someone that is more caring and supportive to allow them the room to make their own choices in life. But he wasn't certain Yuki could be that type of person, without ending up being a doormat.

Though, at least with the help of Yogi, himself, and whoever ended up winning vice president. She'd have a lot of support behind her to make the right choices.

"All right, Arata listen to me." Ichiri broke away from talking with Misei to make one final plea. "You know better than anyone else, that sometimes what you've grown accustomed to isn't the best." She pointed to his forced change that led him to joining this group. "A lot of student may not think it right now, but I bet if they really thought about it. That I can be that better choice no one's considered yet."

"True." He couldn't deny that he was happier in this position, even if it wasn't for good reasons. "What about you, Misei?"

"I'd say that they already made the right choice last year." She replied. "It's one thing to be living the wrong life, but when you make the right decisions from the start. There's no need to change." Misei was also right. While he would say turning away from being that lonely boy was a good thing. It was only because being a loner isn't something people should be striving for. He knew this girl well, and would certainly say that her role as student council president had only been a positive experience for most in the school.

It seemed he hadn't considered Yuki too heavily here. Perhaps the race was only between these two, but is that really the case? They were quite pushy in fighting for their spots, but is that what this school really needed, or wanted? Or, did they need someone to help take a step back and let the students make their choices for themselves, like what Yuki would do?

"So, who will you choose?" They all asked him in unison. He tensed up as they gathered around him, waiting impatiently for his answer. This was bad, how was he going to choose between people he cared deeply about? Obviously, the ones who weren't picked would be very disappointment, and perhaps even have some animosity towards him. That wasn't something most people would want.

With all of them placing their eyes on him, Arata couldn't look at any one of them. Instead, he looked away, towards the others for respite. There was one person he paid close attention to, that being Misao. She had been sitting back, chatting with Yurime since those two were going to be competing in the vice president role.

Either way, there was something about her that caught his attention. Her hand, it almost seemed like she was directing something at him, as their eyes met. Four fingers were out, simply an open hand? No, that couldn't be it.

Then it hit him. She was showing him the number four. Now he knew what she was talking about. There were three girls here for him to pick from, but that didn't mean he only had three options. There was a decision that she had already advised him to consider before all of this went down.

Though, this number could also be like picking death.

"I'm not going to choose any of you." He finally answered after long consideration. "I just can't."

"Oh come on." Ichiri hung her head down in disappointment.

"What do you mean by you can't?" Misei glared at him.

"I mean because I'm already returning to the student council." Indeed, if he chose any one of them, that would bring a message to the school that he would like to work with that girl. Something like that would be too big of an endorsement over the others that it would be unfair.

"Right, it makes sense." Yuki was much more understanding than the other two. "The race would already be over if you picked tonight."

"Then, we'll all have to prove our own merits." Misei took a moment to consider it, and agreed with him. "If that's the case, I have no doubt I'll win this."

"Oh, don't get too cocky now..." Ichiri returned to arguing with her. Nothing so serious that he felt the need to stick with all of them. Maybe this would be the best choice after all. Arata really needed to take a moment to step back away from the lives of all his friends for once. At least, he hoped that what's will happen during this election.

He returned to the rest of the group, sitting down next to Misao. The two of them took a second to look at one another. Arata gave her a thumbs up for the support, to which she responded with an 'ok' symbol with her hand.