Another Like Me - Part I (CoTE x OC) ✔

Chapter 40 - Loyal Junior

(I will be referring to Manabu as Horikita-senpai and Suzune as Horikita, just to avoid confusion)

The view from the stage was significant.

Never in a million years had I thought that I would actually have to get up on stage. I don't do well with crowds, after all. I think this is what they call 'stage fright' — that uncanny feeling that you'll be booed and thrown shoes at for no fault of yours.

Maybe my uneasiness did not amount to something major like complete nonsense muttering on the stage. I hadn't quite entered the realm known as 'stage fright'. Considering this is my first time ever on a platform, maybe this was the excitement of a new experience.

I was seated next to President Horikita, who was on my right, and Ichinose Honami to my left. She was the one who was most surprised at my sudden arrival in the Council Room yesterday.

I had noticed that Class D students don't get preference even here, in interviews for the Student Council. Every single member of the Council was from Class A, spread across the 3 Years, except for Ichinose-san and myself. Kiriyama-senpai was a part of Class A, but dropped down to Class B in special exam battles. I'm apparently the first Class D member in the history of this school to have made it into the Student Council.

That being the case, my name is already making rounds in the entire Second and Third Year student bodies.

My Class 1-D had got to know about me joining the Student Council only yesterday, via Kushida's 'huge information network'. I was bombarded with questions by pretty much everyone in the Class except Horikita, Chiaki, Yosuke and Kiyotaka. They were the only ones who were already aware of this development.

My thoughts were interrupted by the moderator announcing the arrival of the current President. Horikita-senpai slowly took the stage, and stood in front of the microphone.

My trained eyes searched for a specific person in the assembled gathering.

Horikita was there, standing amid the throng. A younger Horikita would have immediately palpitated and shrunk away from her elder brother's imposing aura. But she stood her place, intently staring at the stage with hope and determination in her eyes.

For a moment, our eyes met, and I cracked a soft smile.

And she returned a small one as well.

My untrained heart was not ready for such high level attacks already. I quickly averted my eyes, and proceeded to stare a hole into Horikita-senpai's head. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Horikita herself surprised at her involuntary reaction, and she pursed her lips to avoid any sort of reaction to leak out.

That'll be one point for me, tsundere.

"I'm very proud to have led the Student Council for nearly 2 years. I'm also very grateful. Thank you very much," Horikita-senpai said to the crowd. His speech was brief and unemotional, delivered with the air of solemn obligation, and he retreated back to his seat beside me once he was done.

"President Horikita, thank you for all your hard work. Now then, we'd like to invite Nagumo Miyabi, a second year Class A and the next Student Council President, to say a few words."

Nagumo walked onstage and stood in front of the microphone.

"Hello. I'm Nagumo, second-year Class A. Student Council President Horikita, I'd like to express my respect for you, while also emphasizing what an honor it's been to serve alongside the most capable President in this school's history. You've exhibited the strongest leadership possible."

He bowed his head deeply towards the President's direction.

"Allow me to introduce myself once more. My name is Nagumo Miyabi, and I'll be assuming the position of Student Council President here at the Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School. I sincerely look forward to working with all of you."