Best Student Council

Kaori's Letter

Kaori clutched the envelope to her chest. She giggled with glee, something so out of character that a passing Nanaho stopped in her tracks and looked back with her eyebrows raised.

"Uh... Kaori?"

Kaori jumped, startled. "W-what?" She grasped the letter even tighter against her chest.

Nanaho eyed it suspiciously. "What's that you have there? A love letter?"

Kaori knew it was a joke, but she spluttered. "Who told you...!"

Nanaho smiled and reached out towards it. "So it is a love letter. Interesting!"

"Its not!" Kaori tried to sidestep Nanaho, but the Assault Squad leader snatched the letter away easily.

"Not a love letter? Then why is is pink?"

Kaori shrunk away.

"And why does it have little red hearts on the front?"

Kaori sank to the floor.

"And why does it have... Kanade's name?"

Kaori whimpered. "I...I..."
"Kaori! Spill it!"

"I... I couldn't help myself!" she cried.

"Couldn't help what?" Nanaho asked, stepping closer.

"My feelings!" Kaori spilled, her cheeks as red as ripened tomatoes.

Nanaho pressed a finger to her chin. "So it was you, was it?"

"Me?"

"Who was always hiding behind the bushes and watching Kanade."

Kaori jumped to her feet. "I can explain...!"

"Who was always leaving tracks when she sneaked into Kanade's dorm."

"But I was just-"

"Who was always calling Kanade then hanging up before she said a word! The one who is scaring the hell out of her!"

"Alright!" Kaori waved her arms in the air in exasperation. "I did it all! But I couldn't help it! I love her!"

Nanaho laughed out loud. "Come on, Kaori. You? In love?"

"Why not?" Kaori asked defensively.

"Well... I just can't picture it, that's all. I can't picture you swooning all over the place behind the scenes over someone who is clearly infatuated with Ri-" She coughed awkwardly. "I mean 'someone else.'"

"Someone... else?" Kaori was furious. "That stupid Rando girl! I'll kill her!"

"Calm down before you hurt yourself, Kaori. Rino doesn't even realise, so don't do anything crazy to her."

"Or what?"

"Or you'll have me to deal with."

"And me." Kanade appeared from around the corner, a smile on her face revealing that she did not mean the threat.

Kaori seized up. "Kana-I mean, President. How much did you hear?"

"Just Nanaho telling you not to do anything to Rino." She strode over to the pair. "So what has you so angry with Rino, Kaori? Maybe I can help."

"I... I didn't..."

Nanaho, feeling a little bad, tried to hide the letter in her pocket. "It was nothing, President. Please ignore us."

"I see... but what is that letter? Is it for me?"

Kaori struck quickly, trying to snatch the letter from Nanaho. However, it was caught in her pocket and as Kaori tugged at it, it tore.

"Oh dear," Kanade said, shrugging. "I hope it wasn't important."

"Not... important?" Kaori felt tears welling in her eyes.

Nanaho raised her hands in innocence. "I'm sorry, Kaori. It wasn't my fault though."

"No, you're right President," Kaori said quietly. "It wasn't important."

Kanade stared at Kaori curiously. "Kaori, is something wrong?"

Kaori didn't answer. She ran down the hall as fast as her legs could take her and disappeared.

One Hour Later

"Kaori."

"Go away," Kaori sniffed, sitting at a lone table in the dining hall.

Nanaho huffed. "Alright then, don't accept your letter that I just spent my free time fixing up."

Kaori's head snapped up. "What?"

Nanaho slipped the letter in front of her on the table. It had been sticky taped back together and slipped back into a new baby blue envelope with Kanade's name printed neatly on the front.

"The hearts were a little too embarrassing for me to draw in, so that will have to do."

Kaori's cheeks flamed. "Nanaho... thank you."

"Don't call me Nanaho. Its Vice President... and you're welcome. Just promise me one thing."

"Of course. What is it?"

Nanaho leaned close, her eyes studying Kanade at the other end of the hall. "Before the end of the day, give it to her. It may lead to unsurprising events."

"But I..."

There was no point in Kaori arguing. Nanaho had already slipped from the room.

Four Hours Later

"Come in."

Kaori slipped into Kanade's office, her hands shaking as she clutched the letter.

Kanade smiled. "Ahh, hello Kaori. I was wondering where you had wandered off to. Is everything alright?"

"I... uhh... have this for you." Kaori shot across the room, threw the letter on the desk, and ran out again as fast as she had come.

Kanade stared after her in surprise, then once she had gone, she lifted the envelope and tore it open. She unfolded the letter inside and read it carefully. Her cheeks flamed, but she kept her composure. Once she had finished reading it she sat it back down on the desk and called out.

"Kaori, come back in here, please."

Kaori swore and slipped back into the office, looking sheepish for eavesdropping.

Kanade nodded her head at a chair at her desk. "Sit down please, Kaori."

Nervously, Kaori obeyed.

Kanade watched her carefully. "Kaori, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I... well..."

"It is nothing to be ashamed of."

"But it's embarrassing."

Kanade smiled and closed her eyes. "You are not the first. I have an entire drawer full of these."

Kaori stared back at her. "Seriously?"

"Yes, but none of them are quite so poetic."

Kaori's cheeks went bright red again. "Th-thank you."

"If you like, Kaori, you can join me and Rino for dinner tonight, and maybe other nights if you are free. You are welcome to eat with us whenever you like."

Kaori's heart fluttered. "But... I don't want to intrude."

Kanade smiled again. "Please, I insist, and someone else suggested it first."

Kaori knew immediately that she was referring to Nanaho. That mole! That wonderful, clever mole!

"And as for this letter..." Kanade lifted it from her desk and slipped it into an empty drawer. "I think it deserves a special place of its own."

Once dismissed from Kanade's office, Kaori skipped down the halls ecstatically, singing the poem in her head.

Kanade, with hair of the sky

A bird with wings spread to fly.

Her eyes that sparkle in the night.

Her hands that touch gentle and light.

She is my morning sun

She is my evening star

She is the only one

Who I smile at from afar

Kaori didn't care if Nanaho had laughed at the poem, and she didn't care if Kanade threw it out into the trash once she was gone. She was one step closer to being one with the President, and she didn't have to hide behind bushes anymore.