—

12.0

—

I fixed my clothes and went to the mirror to check my hair. The eye bags I had gotten were no longer visible, which was a relief. Everything was ready, and the stage had been set. Then I heard a knock at my front door, which surprised me. I hadn't asked anyone in the group to meet with me, and even if they had something important to share, we had a secondary group chat for that purpose.

The knocking persisted, relentless and impatient. My brows furrowed as I realised who it must be. I made my way to the door, the knocking showing no sign of stopping. My palm hovered above the knob, as I mentally braced for what was to come. I eventually opened the door to see my demon of a younger sister, Kailey, standing there.

“You were taking your sweet time, weren't you?” She remarked, breezing past me into the room without any hesitation.

“What are you doing here so early?” I asked as I walked over to my desk to pack up the things I needed for the day into my bag.

“Can’t your cute little sister grace you with her presence?” Kailey replied, plopping down on my bed and making herself comfortable.

“Woah. I definitely do feel honoured,” I said with an evident roll of my eyes.

Kailey sighed loudly, but then her tone softened. “Good luck,” she said quietly.

“What?” I asked, pretending I didn’t catch what she had said.

“I said good luck, alright,” she repeated, turning her face away from mine.

“How about saying that to my face, huh?” I teased, a faint smile forming on my lips.

“That’s the best you are going to get from me,” she said as she got up and walked into my kitchen, grabbing a cup.

“I see. Well, thanks. At least you are displaying human traits and emotions,” I replied, watching her laugh as she opened the fridge and scanned the contents before placing her hand on a carton of fruit juice.

“I'll be taking this,” she announced.

“Just make sure not to finish it,” I said as she opened the juice and poured a portion into the cup, chugging it down in one go.

“When are you leaving for school?” she asked, placing the empty carton back in the refrigerator.

“In about ten minutes,” I answered, zipping up my bag.

“Well, I am going right now,” Kailey remarked, placing the cup on the counter without washing it.

“Did you want to walk me to school or something?” I asked jokingly, and she rolled her eyes.

“Be sure to win, alright, or you owe me,” she remarked as she walked towards the door.

“Why would I owe you for losing?” I asked, following her to the doorway.

“Because I have done a lot of work to help you. I do deserve some form of compensation,” Kailey stated matter-of-factly.

“Me being your brother is enough compensation,” I said with a smirk.

She laughed out loud. “Stop joking, alright,” she said, opening the door. “Seriously, good luck today. Don’t mess it up.”

“Thanks, Kailey,” I said, my voice sincere.

—

12.1

—

The violinist performed with grace and finesse that only a professional could attain. Each strum and stroke was executed with conviction and emotion, resulting in a mesmerising experience. A gentle touch on my shoulder, snapping me out of the trance. My eyes opened, and I saw Hazel setting down her bag on the cushion chair next to me. I used both hands to remove my headphones, which had blocked out the sound of the world.

“Hey,” I greeted Hazel.

“You got here pretty early,” she said.

“That’s because I wanted to have a clear head and calm my nerves,” I admitted, noticing the surprise on her face.

“What? Are you nervous?” she asked, her voice carrying a hint of surprise.

“Of course I am,” I confessed.

“I just thought that…” she began, then trailed off, her expression indicating she was rethinking her assumptions about me.

“I’m not a god, you know. I’m very much human,” I answered, attempting to ease her curiosity and concern.

“I know,” she replied, nodding slightly.

“I get nervous a lot of the time, though I tend not to show it. It's a weakness of mine that I can't get rid of, but that is not a bad thing in itself,” I explained. “Don’t you feel nervous?” I asked, and she hesitated.

“I am. I…” she trailed off again, her gaze shifting to the floor.

“It is normal to be nervous,” I reassured her, noticing the weight of her thoughts on her face.

“I can't explain it, but I do want to get rid of that feeling of nervousness as best as I can,” she said with a heavy breath.

“Want to listen?” I asked, pointing to my headphones.

“Huh?” she appeared bewildered.

“I was just trying to show you the way I deal with nervousness,” I explained, trying not to pressure her into it.

“What were you listening to?” she asked, curious.

“Classical music. It helps calm my mind,” I answered, watching her think about it for a moment. “Not your type of music?” I asked.

“I haven't really given it a chance,” she confessed as she approached and sat next to me.

“Understandable. I myself was not an avid listener, but I heard a few tracks by accident and slowly found myself sucked in,” I said.

“Let me listen in,” she replied, taking the headphones from me and putting them over her ears. I took my phone and resumed playing the track I had been listening to. She didn’t give off many signs that I could pick up on to indicate whether she was enjoying it, but I appreciated that she was at least willing to try it out.

“Damn, this person goes even harder than Diya,” she remarked, smiling slightly.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“Oh yeah, I remember that Diya plays as well,” I said, but she didn’t seem to hear me. She removed the headphones.

“What did you say?” she asked.

“I just mentioned that I remember that Diya played the violin as well,” I repeated.

“She does, and she is really good at it. She said she has been playing since she was six years old,” Hazel explained.

“So young,” I said, impressed.

I was going to say something else when the sound of the door opening caught our attention. Kusumoto and Sullivan walked inside the room.

“Hey guys,” Kusumoto said, quickly setting her stuff aside.

“Hey. Alright, it seems like everyone is here,” I said as I stood up and walked towards the board, taking a piece of chalk in my hand. “We are not going to waste any time. So let's go over our game plan one more time.”

Everyone nodded in response, indicating I could continue.

—

12.2

—

The day's activities were held at the Kurosawa Auditorium. With enough room to accommodate every student in middle and high school, it was the second-largest auditorium on the campus. It was also the venue for the general assembly. The time was 9:53, and I could hear the hum of voices coming from the audience as I stood backstage. We had seven minutes before the event began.

“Marcus,” Sullivan said as he ran up to me, brandishing a piece of paper. “This is the printout,” he said, handing it over. I went through the contents, making sure everything was right and in order.

“Where's Hazel?” he asked.

“She'll be back in a second. How's everything going so far?” I replied.

“The hall is filled up, and teachers are already seated. I even spotted one of the board members present,” he answered.

“A board member? Is the student council election really such a big deal?” I voiced out, surprised.

“Yep, it is,” another voice answered. We turned to see Hazel approaching us. “You ready?” she asked.

“As ready as I'll ever be,” I responded.

The moment was near, and we had done all we could to tilt things in our favour. Now it was up to Hazel and me to deliver our stage performances and secure the victory.

“And who do we have here?” a boisterous voice said. We turned our attention to see Cohen, accompanied by his election team and Harley.

“Are you quaking in your shoes?” Cohen teased as he went up to me, attempting to intimidate me with his imposing physique. I showed no reaction to his attempt, which clearly disappointed him. “Well, all I can say is good luck. You’ll definitely need it,” he said, walking away with his team, leaving Harley behind.

There were no words said, but the tension in the air was evident. We soon heard a voice speaking into a microphone and amplified by the speakers. It was nearly time, and we listened closely for our cue.

“Now let us present the election teams from each class,” the voice over the speaker announced. That was our signal.

With that, I took the lead, and the rest followed suit. A quick glance ensured that Harley was also coming along with us. Stepping onto the stage from the backstage area was truly a moment to remember. The lights and sounds from the audience clapping created a unique ambience in the auditorium, one that could only be experienced by being up on stage.

The faces of those in the front rows were visible, but the further back I looked, the harder it was to identify them. As I stood at our designated spot, my eyes swept over the entire auditorium. The hall had a capacity of about 570 people, and from simple calculations, I could discern that the student population was 540. This left the remaining seats for teachers and other staff members, ensuring the entire hall was at full capacity.

Three podiums were set up, one for each class. We had been advised ahead of time on which platform to stand on and other relevant protocols as the event continued. We stood shoulder to shoulder, just a few meters away from our podium, waiting for everyone else to file onto the stage.

“These are your election teams from Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3. Today, one of them shall constitute the new members of the student council through the power of your vote,” the announcer stated, his voice resounding throughout the auditorium. “Let the introductions begin,” he added.

I stepped forward to the podium, adjusting my stance so that the microphone could clearly pick up my voice. The bright stage lights momentarily blinded me, but I quickly adjusted, focusing on the task at hand.

“Good morning, everyone,” I began, my voice amplified by the speakers. “My name is Marcus Luna, the student council president representative from Class 1. Behind me are my teammates: Hazel Terrel, my vice president; Sullivan Kramer, my secretary; and Harley Sherman, my treasurer.”

Each of them raised their hands in acknowledgement. Hazel stood tall and confident, Sullivan gave a small wave, and Harley remained composed.

“It’s an honour to be here,” I finished the introduction, taking a step back to join my teammates.

I heard footsteps, and my eyes followed the next person making her way to the podium. Her stride was full of confidence and grace. She had medium brown hair with dyed white tips and wore thin black glasses. She didn't appear to participate in any active sports, but that was due to our uniform.

“Good morning, everyone,” she began with a soft voice. “My name is Nanako Tomiko, the student council president representative for Class 2. Behind me are my teammates: Asato Diachi, my vice president; Chanel, my secretary; and Kazuki, my treasurer. It is an honour to be here,” she concluded with a slight bow and turned to rejoin her group.

Our eyes locked briefly, but she didn't react, leaving me to wonder what was going on in her mind. From my encounter with her, I could tell that she was going to be a formidable opponent; what mattered, however, was if she was going to keep her word.

Next, an imposing person strode up to the platform in a casual, swag-driven motion. He exuded confidence, and I half-expected him to keep his hands in his pockets to complete the vibe he gave off.

“Good morning, everyone. My name is Cohen Higgins, the student council president representative of Class 3,” he said. His earlier aggressive tone had softened substantially, becoming more welcoming.

“Behind me are my teammates: Amelie Solace, my vice president; Zane Farrell, my secretary; and Cale Horne, my treasurer. It’s an honour to be here,” he concluded, before returning to his teammates.

“The introduction of the teams is complete,” the announcer said. “We will now begin the Officiate Question Round.”

A middle-aged man, who I did not recognise, came onto the stage. He was balding in parts and wore a grey suit complete with suspenders.

“It is an honour to present Mr. Sinclair, head of the accounting department, who will conduct the Officiate Round,” the announcer continued. A resounding applause followed.

Mr. Sinclair approached me, and we extended our hands to shake. He then repeated the gesture with the other candidates on stage before stepping down and walking to a desk in the front row that had been set up for the event.

The desk was raised slightly, making it a focal point aside from the stage. Alongside Mr. Sinclair, nine other individuals were already seated. From there, I recognised and named three: the director, Furuya Itsuki-sensei; the deputy director; and the outgoing student council president, Haku Hotaka-senpai.

Among the others, I could see they were important figures in the school administration. I also noticed another male student beside Haku-senpai, whom I recalled as the student council vice president. It made sense for him to be present at this event.

An electronic board off to the right displayed a timer set to 30 seconds, the time allotted for each of us in this round.

“Is everyone ready?” Mr. Sinclair inquired, his voice resonating through the auditorium. We all nodded in silence. “Let us begin the Officiate Question Round,” he declared, and on cue, Hazel stepped forward along with Asato and Amelie. This round was to be answered by the vice presidents.

“Question one: What is your main objective?” Mr. Sinclair's voice was authoritative, and as he posed the question, the countdown began. Hazel took a deep breath and began.

“The objective of our group is to create a fun and more relaxed system of learning without sacrificing the quality of education offered at the school,” Hazel stated clearly and concisely. Her words were steady and measured, ensuring each word would be properly heard by everyone in the auditorium. “Creating an environment where students can easily de-stress and engage in exciting activities allows them to feel refreshed when learning opportunities present themselves.” With about seven seconds left on the clock, she ended her segment. The timer reset to 30 seconds, and the countdown began again.

Asato was next. “There has been a massive uptick in the cost of products on campus, about a 30% increase. Education is the fundamental backbone that makes up the school; however, student life is also imperative and should be a priority topic. The increase in the price of products and services has made the cost of living rise over the past year, making it difficult for students. Our main objective is to tackle this issue.” Asato finished his statement with four seconds remaining. I knew he was Tomiko’s right-hand man and always by her side. His loyalty seemed unwavering, which was likely why she chose him as her vice president.

Finally, it was Amelie's turn. “Competition fuels the soul and drives us to push ourselves, whether in education, sports, or recreational activities. The thrilling joy of overcoming challenges and proving oneself is exhilarating. Our objective is simple: to implement the spirit of competition in the school in a way that encourages self-improvement without feeling forced.” Her tone was confident and well-rehearsed. She finished with a second left on the timer. Despite her quiet nature, her participation in the election had surprised many, but her public speaking skills were impressive.

“Question two: How would you achieve your main objective?” Mr. Sinclair asked promptly. I observed that the timer was set to 20 seconds for this question. So, these were some of the unexpected challenges Hazel and the others had warned me about.

I smiled with excitement. This may be an exciting event full of twists and turns, and that didn't even count what I had planned.

“Let’s see if I can come out on top in this,” I said to myself.