Don’t Lie to That Smile

As Yotsuba spoke, she placed her hand on her chest and displayed a smile.

"If he can change me, he can also change this school!"

"He can make me smile, and he can surely make everyone smile!"

"If he alone isn't enough, I'll help too! Just like everyone who helped me in the forest school, I want this school, all my classmates, Asada-san, and everyone to have a fulfilling life every day while smiling!"

Despite her naivety eliciting laughter, Yotsuba concluded her words seriously and bowed deeply.

"This is my wish, thank you for listening."

The ninety-degree bow lasted for a few seconds.

As she slowly raised her head, the rabbit-eared headband tilted upward, and her characteristic energetic smile reappeared on her face.

"It's over!" She looked relaxed, her cheeks slightly reddened, and she chuckled somewhat shyly.

"Aa haha, I'm really nervous~ I can't believe I'm on stage like this, you know?"

Shinichi reassured her casually.

"It's okay. You spoke very well. Don't worry about going on stage. You can speak in front of 150 second-year students. Three times more shouldn't be a problem."

Without showing his feelings, he looked at the other two.

"What do you think?"

"Haaa..." Itsuki sighed slightly disappointed, but there was a smile at the corner of her mouth.

"Even though I thought I was well-prepared, as expected, I'm still far behind you two..."

She said calmly: "Well, what can you do? Just look forward to Nino's fruit sundae."

"You'll get fat," Nino looked at her coldly.

Itsuki covered her ears and smiled hopefully—such punches no longer affected her.

"If you don't listen to the introduction and conclusion, your conversation will seem predestined... That's true."

Fumino complained, but as she spoke, her tone was relieved.

"Um, although I'm not directly involved, Yotsuba-san's last words really touched me."

She glanced at Shinichi.

"If the support election is left to Yotsuba-san, Asada-san's chances of becoming president will surely be higher than mine... If I think so, it means I've willingly given up."

"Itsuki, Furuhashi-san..." Yotsuba bit her lip, with a slightly guilty expression on her face, "Sorry, I clearly joined the interview suddenly, and being the last one, I took advantage of it..."

Itsuki said with a smile: "It has nothing to do with that, it's just that your desire to help Asada-kun is stronger than all of us."

Fumino winked at her and said cheerfully: "Don't apologize to the winner? Even if it's an innocuous victory or defeat, it's still the case."

Ichika also spoke beside her, smiling meaningfully: "As for Yotsuba, Shinichi-kun, I leave it to you~"

Nino crossed her arms and nodded seriously: "Don't disappoint my sundae, you have to do well."

Miku looked serious: "Cheer up, Yotsuba! Shinichi's future is entrusted to you!"

"Everyone..." Yotsuba's eyes welled up.

"I understand! On behalf of Nakano Yotsuba, I will never betray everyone's trust!"

Yotsuba pledged earnestly, then suddenly turned to Shinichi and said:

"Asada-san, I will definitely make you the president! Please entrust your support speech to me!"

"Um..."

Shinichi's eyes looked a bit strange, and he glanced around at the girls who were all cheering for Yotsuba.

Why does he suddenly feel like the love war is about to end, and everyone is saying, "Your happiness depends on you?"

If Shinichi were the heroine, he would hold Yotsuba's arm right now, smile happily, and say, "Okay, then I'll entrust half of my life to you!"

Then the ending theme would start playing, the production team list would scroll, and they would kiss affectionately with everyone's blessings.

[Do you want to go straight to Yotsuba's ending line?]

(What is this, it's not a dating game)

Shinichi dismissed the inexplicable selective options from his mind.

"Let's cheer for the student council election."

He reached out to Yotsuba and smiled.

Even though it was strange why he emphasized the words "student council election," Yotsuba still held her hand.

"Okay, let's do our best together!"

△

After Mafuyu and Rizu returned, it was almost time to leave school.

Mafuyu had to go to the staff room to handle the remaining official tasks, while Fumino helped Rizu, who seemed to have lost half of her life and looked pale, go home, and then they went to the Ogata Udon restaurant for dinner.

It was natural for the quintuplets to return together. Shinichi didn't stay alone cleaning the study room; instead, he asked the uninvited people to help clean and followed them to the school gate.

"See you tomorrow."

After bidding farewell to the quintuplets, Shinichi walked home alone.

His route to school was different from theirs. It must be said the opposite. If they didn't go home together as the five of them, Shinichi would have to walk longer.

It was already late, and it was basic etiquette for a man to escort a girl home.

He took out his phone and was about to reread the election rules on the way when a message suddenly arrived.

[Asada-san, I'm really bad at lying.]

It came from Yotsuba.

This meaningless message made Shinichi frown as he thought about how to reply.

[I don't want Furuhashi-san and the others to snatch Asada-san away from me, so I came to your interview in the middle of club activities.]

[Sorry, I haven't dared to face them.]

Seeing these two paragraphs, Shinichi sighed, then tapped the screen.

[I'm the one who has to face it. There's no reason in the world for a beautiful and energetic girl to apologize to a scoundrel.]

[Yes, Asada-san, who clearly likes Furuhashi-san but knows nothing about us, is indeed a scoundrel.]

Shinichi grinned. After Yotsuba said it bluntly, his heart hurt, and he felt the pleasure of being accustomed to this kind of pain.

Yotsuba surprisingly could see clearly, even though she usually acted as if she didn't notice anything.

As Shinichi sighed, he sent another message.

[Even if I don't want to see you like someone else, can I still like you?]

"..."

He widened his eyes and unconsciously stopped.

There was a lot of traffic around, and he was the only one who couldn't keep up with the city's rhythm.

After freezing like this for a long time, Shinichi moved his finger.

The message was sent.

[I don't want to see you like someone else, so... of course.]

A standard scoundrel's answer, full of selfish desires.

Even so, facing a girl who couldn't lie, Shinichi didn't want to lie to her.

[Alright, thank you.]

[Starting tomorrow, please continue to give me more advice!]

[Yes, Yotsuba-sama.]

Shinichi put down his phone and gazed at the sky.

"The stars... Huh, I found them."

He laughed.

"Tomorrow, we still have to keep working hard."

Regardless of the election or anything else.

It doesn't matter if there's someone behind supporting him.

Don't lie to that smile, Shinichi decided.