[27]

"…Oh? So our esteemed president still remembers her position as the student council president?"

Tsukiji remarked sarcastically, his tone detached.

"Haha, stop joking around," Aoko brushed off the vice president's grumbling as she plopped into the president's seat.

"I still have to attend school and take classes, you know. I'm aiming to get into Tokyo University, after all."

"Then at least finish your share of the work!"

Tsukiji immediately dumped a large stack of documents onto Aozaki Aoko's desk, grumbling with dissatisfaction.

"While you were away, students kept submitting all sorts of strange applications," he continued.

"Like a ridiculous club proposal for a 'Wild Bird Enthusiasts Club.' There's absolutely no need for clubs like that—all they do is waste the school's budget!"

"Then why didn't you just reject those applications?"

Aoko asked, skimming through the documents.

"No point dragging things out with them, right?"

"Good question!"

Tsukiji huffed.

"But as the vice president, I don't have that authority! If you find it so troublesome, why not just hand over the president's position to me?"

"Not happening," Aoko replied, grabbing a pen and processing the paperwork at a speed nearly impossible to follow. Glancing at Tsukiji, she added, "I'm not the type to give up power so easily."

"I thought so…"

With a sigh, Tsukiji reluctantly returned to his seat, flipping through the remaining files.

"By the way, did we recruit a new member for the student council?"

Aoko asked as she continued to review documents.

"Shizuki Soujuurou," Tsukiji explained.

"He's a new student who just enrolled this semester. Diligent and hardworking, so I had him join as the general affairs officer."

"Oh."

Aoko didn't inquire further. For her in this timeline, this young man's role was largely complete. Even if he joined the student council, it wouldn't have much impact on her.

"Phew!"

Shizuki Soujuurou paused from cleaning, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. Only then did he notice a red-haired girl, who appeared to be working intently, sitting in the president's seat.

Is that the student council president, Aozaki? He hadn't been paying attention to the earlier conversation between Tsukiji and her. Since he hadn't seen the president since joining, it was a bit odd to finally see her now.

But he wasn't one to be overly curious. Out in the mountains, curiosity could get you killed.

"Good work, Shizuki-kun."

Kumanari handed him a freshly brewed cup of oolong tea. After he accepted it, she went to pour tea for Tsukiji and finally for the red-haired girl, the student council president.

"Thank you."

Soujuurou didn't pay much attention as Kumanari walked away. He simply followed the rules he had learned. His grandfather had taught him that receiving someone's kindness required a proper expression of gratitude; it was the key to community life.

After finishing his cleaning duties, Soujuurou sat down at the general affairs desk, took out his study materials and notebook, and began his daily catch-up routine.

Time had flown by—over two months had passed since he left the deep mountains. Since enrolling, Soujuurou's life has been tough, both in terms of work and studies. However, he was fortunate to have supportive people both at school and at his part-time job, which helped him keep up despite his lack of experience. For that, he was very grateful; he understood that these people didn't owe him anything, helping purely out of kindness, and he deeply appreciated it.

The only sounds in the student council office were the rustling of pages and the scratching of pens on paper.

About half an hour later, Aoko let out a sigh and tossed her pen into the holder beside her.

"All done," she said, interlocking her fingers and leaning back in her chair. "This pile is approved, and that pile is rejected."

"So fast?!"

Tsukiji couldn't believe it. He immediately stood to inspect Aoko's work, fearing she had been slacking off. But as he reviewed the documents, he found each application meticulously processed. The rejected forms had well-reasoned explanations, leaving no room for complaint.

Tsukiji couldn't help but be impressed. He truly admired Aozaki Aoko.

Despite her frequent absences, she maintained top ranks in school exams, far ahead of her peers. Her efficiency in handling these applications was proof that her academic prowess was no fluke.

What made her even more remarkable was that she was also stunningly beautiful. Life truly wasn't fair.

That's what Tsukiji thought to himself.

If Aoko had known what he was thinking, she would have laughed at how out of touch he was.

After all, Tsukiji himself was also a beneficiary of life's unfairness. Coming from a wealthy family—a typical child blessed by fortune. Though the Tsukiji family wasn't as powerful as the Kuonji family in Misaki, they were one of the top-tier conglomerates in town.

However, Tsukiji was an illegitimate child, which made his childhood in the family difficult. He'd often been bullied and ostracized by his siblings.

But Tsukiji was tenacious. Through relentless effort and natural talent, he was eventually recognized by the head of the Tsukiji family as the heir to the family business. From then on, his once-bullying siblings became fearful and avoided him. This experience had made him extremely cold and distant when he first entered high school, earning him a reputation as one of the school's most aloof and handsome students.

Now, Tsukiji was much more approachable. At least, he no longer looked down on others. He even showed empathy, going out of his way to help someone like Shizuki Soujuurou, a guy who supposedly came from the mountains. It was touching!

But who had made Tsukiji more understanding of ordinary people's lives?

Aoko blinked, unable to remember the tearful complaints of boys she had once ruthlessly rejected and publicly humiliated after their confessions. Tsukiji had witnessed those events as a freshman, watching the tragic fate of his seniors.

Oh well, it couldn't have been me, right? Haha.