Lunchtime was Hara Kei's favorite part of the day at school.
For someone who disliked group life as much as he did, simply staying in the classroom drained a considerable amount of both physical energy and mental focus. That made a personal resting spot—a place to recharge—absolutely essential.
The small classroom he had discovered earlier served exactly that purpose. Originally, in the game world, this room existed for certain special scenarios or "plays," but Hara Kei treated it purely as a lunchroom and a quiet retreat.
If only it were like the game… I could do anything here without being discovered… he thought with a twinge of regret as he entered his loyal little refuge. The room was silent, completely empty.
Normally, he would eat the lunch he brought in his designated seat, then pass the time reading, quietly accumulating "solitude energy." But today he was unusually tired.
Shizuka Hiratsuka and Yukinoshita Yukino—the two "heroines"—had drained his mental energy considerably.
Frustrated that his calm, private life had been interrupted, Hara Kei pushed three chairs together in a row and lay down across them like a makeshift bed.
A gentle breeze drifted in through the slightly opened window, and the warm sunlight seeped slowly into him, melting the lingering shadows in his mind bit by bit.
Ah… this is what life should feel like…
His eyes, barely open, slowly closed again, and his consciousness began to blur.
There was no need to resist sleep. He fully shut his eyes.
He had no idea how much time passed.
"Time to get up, Hara Kei."
"…Hmm…"
Who was disturbing his peaceful nap?
"If you sleep any longer, your lunch will get cold."
Lunch? Ah, right… he hadn't eaten yet.
Still, sleep was tempting.
But the voice persisted, growing louder, and a small, soft hand gently touched him as if trying to shake him awake.
Finally, Hara Kei opened his eyes.
What greeted him was a delicately proportioned face, capable of conveying both mild annoyance and joy.
It was Yukinoshita Yukino.
"…."
She bent slightly, looking down at him lying across the chairs, and placed her hands on her thighs to prevent her skirt from riding up. The position subtly emphasized her barely noticeable chest, but in a way that was natural and graceful, almost like a poised orchid.
Truly, a beautiful girl made any action look good.
If life's greatest pleasures were ranked, being woken in the morning by a newlywed wife would probably top the list. But Yukino's expression wasn't shy like a lotus trembling in the cool wind. Hara Kei, who intended to remain single for life, felt no romantic stirrings.
If anything, it reminded him sharply of a bitter truth: this private space, once entirely his, was no longer solely his.
That realization stung.
Seeing that she had successfully roused him, Yukino nodded satisfactorily and returned to her seat, while Hara Kei vented his irritation on the lunch in front of him.
"After I returned home yesterday, I carefully read through the St. Eden Academy Student Code," Yukino said, pulling a palm-sized book from her pocket. Hara Kei had one too, but hers clearly showed signs of careful study—sticky notes and neat annotations littered the pages. "I've roughly figured out how the Student Council election process works."
"In short, it's essentially a presidential system. The student council president is elected by joint votes from all clubs. Once in office, the president can appoint four positions: vice president, secretary, public relations officer, and treasurer. According to the student code, those chosen have no right to refuse and must serve at least three months before resigning."
Yukino furrowed her brows into a perfect inverted "V." "Honestly, I was shocked when I first read these rules. The president's power is enormous—if someone with bad intentions were in that role, they could completely…" She didn't continue, but Hara Kei understood her concern perfectly.
Her worry was valid. In an unconventional game, unconventional rules served unconventional purposes. In the original game, the Student Council path was the easiest "harem route." Becoming president basically allowed one to declare, "The entire student council is mine!"
"All you need is to become Student Council President," Hara Kei said between bites, his voice steady. "You, Yukinoshita-san, will appoint based on merit, won't you?"
"Of course," she said resolutely.
"But it's too early to think about that. Right now, we have only one task—"
"Campaigning. And not to individual students, but to the clubs."
Although St. Eden used elections, it did not distribute ballots to individual students. Instead, ballots were held by club leaders. Furthermore, each club's voting power varied based on size, prestige, and—most importantly—annual achievements.
Considering that the Student Council controlled almost all club funds, this system made perfect sense.
Exactly, Hara Kei thought. To run for Student Council, Yukino will soon be busy negotiating with every club. She probably wanted me to help, but if I act incompetent enough, she'll lose interest in me quickly and find like-minded allies. Then I can return to my single, noble lifestyle.
Just as Hara Kei was silently thinking, "Yes! Freedom!" Yukino asked:
"Hara Kei, have you ever heard of the name Touma Hasa?"
"Huh?" Touma Hasa? Why was she bringing up that name now?
"I actually received a commission through Shizuka-sensei from the string club's president," Yukino explained, seeing his confused expression. "Not just for me—this commission was issued to all St. Eden students."
"'If you can convince Touma Hasa to return to the string club, you'll receive all of the string club's votes.' That's the president's exact words."
What? Touma Hasa quit the string club? She… stopped playing piano?