Chapter 39: Pressure

Pressure

"Rejected."

In the student council room, the student council president said this as soon as he saw me and Ayanokoji.

"I haven't said anything yet...!"

"It's not going to be anything good anyway."

This guy just made assumptions without thinking...

"Hey……!"

As I tried to grab Ijuin, Ayanokoji stopped me with one hand.

"You can decide whether it's a good thing or not after you've heard everything. Or are you taking your anger out on me out of jealousy because I took Saotome-san away from you? How shameful."　

……Eh?

A-Ayanokoji-san?

Ayanokoji took a step ahead of me and glared at Ijuin with a resolute attitude.

"Somehow, Ayanokoji's tone..."

"Um, ah... I'm sorry. When I'm in front of Ijuin-kun and Onizuka-kun, I always end up reverting to my old way of speaking."

I, I see...

So Ayanokoji didn't start off speaking like a young lady either.

Did she acquire such gentleness in a strict family environment?

You can kind of see the blood, sweat and tears that went into it.

"...If you say so, then let me ask you, what are you here for?"

Ijuin intertwined his fingers and rested his chin on them.

"...I would like to select a few students to participate in a charity event at the church."

"Rejected."

Ijuin still has no interest in listening.

However, Ayanokoji was not willing to listen either.

"First, we post an announcement about bridal photos on the message board and invite participants. After that, we post the participants' photos on the message board and hold a vote. The two people selected will be photographed in a wedding dress and tuxedo, and the photo will be posted on social media."

While calmly and quickly explaining the situation, Ayanokoji approached Ijuin, who was sitting in the student council president's seat.

"Rejected. What's even the benefit in it?"

Bang!

Ayanokoji slammed the student council president's desk.

Then she put her mouth close to Ijuin's ear.

"...Don't you want to see Saotome-san in wedding dress?"

"...!?"

Hey, I can hear you!

I mean, I don't plan on participating.

It's true that I'm a beautiful girl, but I have no interest in wedding dresses.

It seems like it would be difficult to put on, and even just wearing it would be tiring.

If I participate, I might end up raising the romantic flag again.

"There is a possibility that Ijuin-kun and Saotome-san will be chosen as a result of the vote."

"...!?!?"

Ijuin's cheeks clearly turned red.

Hey, what are you imagining?

As I said, I'm not going to participate.

Does Ayanokoji think I'm supposed to be participating?

Ijuin looked down and then up at the ceiling for a while, then.

"...I understand, I'll allow it."

He said.

"We did it, Saotome-san!"

Ayanokoji turned to me with a big smile.

Whatever we did, it's clear that there have been casualties now.

"Ayanokoji, I..."

"Eh? Did you say something, Saotome-san?"

Such a strong pressure.

"No, it's nothing..."

"Thank you!"

The pressure of a beautiful girl is intense.

Scary!

In fact, she's scarier than the skinheads in the abandoned warehouse.

And so, I ended up participating in a bridal photo charity event.

─Well, as long as I'm not chosen by vote, it's fine.

From the next day, Nagumo and I were called in to help Ayanokoji.

Having successfully secured the backing of the student council president, Ayanokoji has even managed to get the teachers under her control, though it's unclear what tricks she used.

The school accepted the public call for proposals for a charity event.

While Nagumo and I were stunned, Ayanokoji was preparing the poster.

During lunch break, the three of us split up and worked on putting up posters on bulletin boards scattered all over the place.

"Hmm, ugh...!"

The poster was quite large, so it had to be hung up in a high position, which was a challenge.

I'm not tall at all.

Rather, I'm short.

Even a height that Ayanokoji or Nagumo could easily reach would be impossible to reach without stretching for me.

Even so, I must aim for even greater heights, so I'm frantically pasting each piece on.

My hands were trembling as I held the thumbtacks to secure the corners of the poster.

An even larger hand encircled that hand.

"What are you doing?"

A familiar low voice.

I looked up and saw Onizuka standing behind me, looking down at me.

The red hair that had been hanging over his ear fell smoothly, and he smelled of shampoo.

"Let me borrow it."

He took the thumbtacks and posters from me and effortlessly stuck them on the bulletin board.

This is the highest poster I've ever put up.

"...Bridal photos? Charity event?"

Onizuka looks between the poster and me with a blank look.

I nodded.

"It's a project that Ayanokoji passed on to a subsidiary of Ayanokoji."

"...What is this thing called recruiting participants?"

"They're looking for people to wear wedding dresses and tuxedos and be photographed. Apparently they're recruiting from students at this school."

"Are you going to apply?"

Does that bother you?

"Even if I apply, if I don't get selected in the subsequent vote, I won't be the subject..."

Bang!

Onizuka put his hand on the bulletin board.

I'm sandwiched between Onizuka and the message board.

This is the second kabedon I received from you.

"Hey, what's going on..."

I was about to tease him by saying, "Come on, not again," but Onizuka had a surprisingly serious look in his eyes.

"I was asking if you were going to apply."

His voice was deeper and more gruff than usual.

It was a tone of voice that had only ever worked on someone in a fight.

That's why delinquents' true intentions are scary.

I succumbed to the fear and stammered.

"I'm not saying I'm going to apply, but I'm being forced to apply..."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

I briefly explained the process that led to the installation of this poster.

For example, Ijuin is taking a chance on a wedding photo shoot with me.

"...Ijuin is also participating...?"

Onizuka seemed to understand, and finally put his hand down from the wall and moved away.

"Hmm."

And he held out one hand to me.

What?

"Hm."

I placed my right fist on Onizuka's palm.

Smack!

Onizuka shook off my hand forcefully.

"No, not your hands! You have to put up the rest of the posters right? I said I'd help you!"

"You didn't say anything! Do you think I'll understand just from you saying 'Hmm'?"

Despite all the fuss, Onizuka helped put up the posters.