As I said, I'm ready to move on.
That doesn't mean I've fallen in love with Ayame-san, but I do want to know more about her.
I know she's intelligent, popular, and holds a high social standing. More than that, she's kind and caring—she even worries about me.
Despite all that, I don't really know anything about her. What are her hobbies? Her favorite food? I want to have a normal, casual conversation with her someday.
However, Ryuichi warned me to be careful about how I interact with her—and maybe with others too. Since my common sense is different from theirs, I need to stay mindful.
And because I always overthink everything… before I knew it, I was already on the auditorium stage, helping Ryuichi with his request.
"For the safety of male students, a new facility should be built for exclusive male-only lessons," Ryuichi declared.
"I disagree. As the most prestigious co-ed academy, we shouldn't create separation between men and women. Instead, we should be learning how to interact with each other," said the beautiful student council president.
Sometimes I wonder if I should just ignore all of Ryuichi's requests and advice. I mean, I totally agree with the president.
But when I start thinking like that, I remember my best friend. Whenever I had a problem, he was always there trying to help, even if he didn't always solve it.
Ryuichi and I are just first-year students, yet he's already out here trying to support guys who are afraid of women…
Actually—are they?...
Stop. I shouldn't make assumptions based on my own common sense.
Anyway, I want to help him. I know he's a good guy. I just hope someday he meets a girl he actually likes.
"I'd like to hear from the male student who received the scholarship." – The student council president said, turning her gaze toward me.
"There's no need to pressure the other male students. I represent their voices," Ryuichi responded firmly.
"Satou-san, are you aware that a male scholarship student is expected to at least demonstrate basic interaction with female students?"
The whole auditorium began whispering, most of them agreeing with the president.
"Sorry, Tomoki. I was naive."
"It's cool. Don't worry about it."
Acting like a big brother who would take care of everything, I stepped onto the stage.
I suddenly realized everyone was watching me. Not just the first-years—but second-years, third-years, and even university students.
The entire auditorium had gone completely silent.
Maybe I'll need to change my underwear after this.
"Morikawa-san, right? What are your thoughts on the male student representative?" the president asked with a small smile.
For god's sake… what do I say now? Should I go with my honest opinion—or Ryuichi's?
No time to think. Let's try both at the same time.
"Well… as you all know, I'm a student who received the male scholarship."
The room remained quiet.
"When I enrolled here, I was hoping to have healthy interaction with girls."
A few whispers floated in the air. Ryuichi looked worried, while the president offered a small smile.
"However, I think we can all agree that we shouldn't force someone to interact with others."
The whispers grew louder. Ryuichi looked relieved, while the president's expression turned serious.
"Excuse me, but we're not forcing anyone. It's simply absurd to segregate male and female students in a co-ed academy," she retorted.
I completely agree with her. But at the same time… I don't want to let Ryuichi down.
Look at him—the most popular guy in the entire high school—is looking up to me now.
"Sorry, what I'm trying to say is that we can't just ignore the anxiety of male students. If we do, enrollment in co-ed schools might drop even further."
The room filled with chatter.
"You raise a valid point, Morikawa-san. But what's the point of a co-ed school if it's only co-ed in name?"
"You're right. That's why I have a proposal."
The auditorium went silent again.
Ugh, this is nerve-wracking.
"I'm all ears," the president replied.
"Before I continue, I want to make it clear that I haven't discussed this plan with any of the boys yet. So I'd like to raise this as a future agenda item." - I cleared my throat and took a deep breath.- "What if, periodically, male students could express their concerns through a representative? That way, their identities would be protected to some extent."
"Whoa…" murmured several students.
"Hmm. That's interesting," the president said with a small smile.
"And this would apply to female students as well."
"!?"
No one expected that—not even Ryuichi or the president.
"This way, everyone can voice their concerns, opinions, or experiences. The main goal is to help us all interact more easily. If we know what the other side is thinking, it might help us feel more secure."
The auditorium erupted into discussion once more.
Ryuichi and the president exchanged looks, seemingly coming to an unspoken agreement.
"Today's debate about male safety in the academy will be continued at a later date. As the student council president, I'll discuss Morikawa-san's proposal with the other council members—and I hope you all will, too."
That marked the end of the debate.
Man, I'm glad that's over.
♦♦♦
"Tomoki, good work!"
"Thanks. But honestly, I couldn't come up with a strong argument for your proposal."
"That's okay. I figured it wouldn't be easy to get it approved. Still, as expected of someone who earned the scholarship—you gave a really thoughtful answer."
"Glad you liked it. It's getting late—I should head out. My mom's probably already waiting in the car."
"Of course. Have a good weekend."
"You too. See ya."
Now I can finally relax. Hopefully that was the last time I'll have to speak in front of everyone.
As I headed for the entrance, Ayame-san greeted me.
"Congratulations, Tomoki-kun. You did well."
"Thanks, Ayame-san. I somehow managed to speak without passing out."
"You did more than that. I really liked your idea."
"You think so? That's kind of embarrassing… haha."
I hadn't been able to hold a proper conversation with Ayame-san since the first day. Just small greetings, nothing more. After all, I usually talk with Ryuichi.
She's the only girl I really interact with. I mean, starting a conversation out of nowhere with other girls… that's tough.
"Tomoki-kun, you said that understanding others can bring a sense of security, right?"
"Yeah. Fear of the unknown is pretty normal."
"I see… Tomoki-kun, if you knew the real me, would you still accept me?"
She was smiling, but… it felt like the light in her eyes had dimmed.
I didn't know the right answer.
But if I want a genuine relationship with her, I'll need the courage to make one.