The Act is the Game
AN: This is a political suspense/romance story, so for the purposes of this fic there isn't a planting club. Koki is really OOC mainly because it's the only way I could have included him in this fanfic; I don't really care for him much, also this is there second year.
Disclaimer: I don't own Imadoki or its characters only the one's I create.
Chapter I: Forty
After the ballet box had been taken to be counted the student body waited eagerly for the return of the results, the two proponents stood wayside as the meticulous counting seemed to wage for hours, girls made gawking sounds as the heavily favored proponent made small gestures that through their hormones for a loop. Finally at 8:37 a.m. the Principle Uetai-sama walked out with a minced grin on his face, walking up to the podium he tapped the microphone and cleared his throat.
"Student body" he said appraisingly "as principle of Meio Academy I'm happy to announce your new student body president…" he paused, much to the dislike of the crowd.
"Koki Kugyo!" Every female jumped to their feet in applause, screaming in admiration as he contentedly took in his new position with a fake surprise. The loser, on the other hand stood gritting his teeth as he shot his head up at the sly smirk on Uetai's face bastard he thought.
Taking the podium Koki repeated his thanks to the female student body and began spilling a rhetoric speech which he had obviously practice as it was flawless in its execution, Koki looked over at his past competitor and extended his hand but was met with cold resistance so Koki retracted, in a serious tone Koki turned back to the podium looking out at an eager student body.
"Let's all congratulate Aoi Kyogoku, a very close competitor" he said as the fading sound of pomp and cheer rang about, Aoi watched as Kugyo milked the moment and shook hands with students like he was making underhand deals. Discussed, Aoi took to his feet and started for the opposite side of the stage when he walked past Uetai.
"Just forty votes Kyogoku, too bad" he said with a grin.
Gritting his teeth he calmly answered "yeah… that's to bad"
Uetai turned around as Aoi walked past him and continued his heckling "Probably should rethink who you let run your campaign"
Aoi turned around sharply "You leave her out of this!" he said vigorously.
A large grin encompassed Uetai's face as the reaction he expected was received, glaring Aoi held back for hitting him and with the glare still on his face he continued walking. At the edge of the stage stood Aoi's only aid in his failed attempt at politics, as he stanched toward her she looked up and he quickly darted his eyes upward toward the stage curtains.
"We lost" she said.
Still staring up he answered "yeeah… by forty"
"Forty?" she asked "better than the last term"
Aoi felt a smirk cross his face as she mention it, turning his head toward her he let out a sigh "yeah maybe by next term I'll only be down by thirty" he said sarcastically.
"Maybe, maybe less" she said humbly.
Aoi smirked as he grabbed his school bag and jumped over the side of the stage "always the optimist huh Sagare?" She threw the courier strap over her shoulder and stood up to straighten her skirt.
"Well you've yet to retract so its plausible." She said
He huffed out a sigh "Yeah well it's another semester of Kugyo as student prez, which means absolutely nothing will change he only reforms what daddy agrees with, and since daddy made the rules to begin with they aren't going to change with Jr. in charge." He said as they started walking towards the auditorium door.
"Aoi, if you think that than how would you do any better?" she asked.
Looking over at her concerned face he answered "I don't know" he said trailing off, "but I would"
Class 2-D was bustled with chatter when Aoi and Sagare enter the room, it was only homeroom and the newly elected student president had yet to return from his platform in the auditorium. Probably personally getting to know some of his new fellow studentsAoi thought to himself. Taking his seat in the back row Aoi tossed his head up to the board and read: Please welcome the new transfer student, looking over at where Sagare sat he mouthed transfer student?She shrugged her shoulders unaware as he was, when the teacher announced;
"Everyone please give me your attention, we have a new transfer student from Hokkaido" groaning filled the classroom, as the students returned to the laptops. A guy from in front of Aoi yelled "that's it, not even a foreign student? Well then who cares!" some of his friends around him started giggling when the teacher quieted them down, Aoi thought to himself; Hokkaido huh, more like Hicksville. The teacher continued…
"Everyone please welcome Tanpopo Yamazaki"
As she walked in the class paid little to no attention to her, still with a bright smile on her face Tanpopo thanked the teacher for the introduction and began an in-depth detail about her entry to Meio Academy, Aoi; who could have cared less looked over at Sagare who out of everyone was the only one vehemently listening to Yamazaki, Aoi through out a sigh
"It figures" he said under his breath.
Aoi looked up at the new girl and vaguely listened to her as she was rapping up with her introduction. She bowed but received no acknowledgement from the class, but to Aoi's surprise she kept her smile on as she took her seat in the first row. Then finally class was about to begin.
"Sensei!" came a voice just outside the door
The teacher looked up and nearly dropped his glasses, quickly he called the classes' attention but as Kugyo walked in it was no longer necessary the squeal of the girls and the admiration of the boys drew everyone's attention to the front, Koki took his place at the podium and looked directly at Aoi; grinning he began to address the class.
"As your new student body president, I Koki Kugyo will do everything in my power to make this year better than the last; I'll start by adding to my cabinet Miss Erika Yanahara."
A pale thin girl gently rose from her desk and was applauded by everyone, Aoi rolled his eye's as he flicked on his MP3 player and made the sleep formation with his hands towards Sagare, she smirked when silence fell on the class when Yamazaki asked
"Are there going to be anymore openings?" she said smiling.
Koki was as stunned as his classmates collected himself and turned his head toward the obviously oblivious girl.
"And who might you be?" he asked with a bit of annoyance.
With a bright smile she answered "I' am Tanpopo Yamazaki, a transfer student from…" she said trailing off.
"A transfer student?" he asked condescendingly.
Aoi flicked off his player as he watched the scene play out; smiling he thought I think I could get to like her, Koki for the first time was uncouth.
Koki stared at her blank smile as he search for his train of thought, finally he answered "I have all of my previsions, but thanks for the concern." Everyone applauded as his face returned to a more reassured state, but to the continued surprise of Aoi Tanpopo edged on.
"Don't you think outside opinions of your fellow classmates matter?" she asked with the same demeanor.
Koki dug his nails into the sides of the podium, with a discussed look he stared at her as if he wanted to shoot her which only made Aoi grin even more. But as Erika looked up with a timid smile Koki gathered a smirk and answered.
"Not at this time, but were looking into it." He said with applause from the class
Tanpopo relented with a confused look on her face which caused some of the other students to snicker about how she was out debated by Kugyo. Koki went on about his plan of reformation and how with the corporations of the student body it would all be possible; taking a bow which was heavily noticed by the class Koki took his seat in the second row next to Erika.
Aoi turned to roll his eyes at Sagare but notice she was staring at Yamazaki, as if she felt for her feeling slumped he turned back toward his monitor and opened up his Instant Messenger and sent a nudge to Sagare, the muted jingle turned her toward the screen and a smile crossed her face. She opened the flashing orange box and responded:
What is it? She typed
He snickered Yamazaki seems interesting to ya…hehe
Yeah, but not in the way your insinuating.
Aoi laughed again I know I find her interesting as well; she gave Kugyo a run for his chops.
She smiled and typed 'bout time.
The chiming of the clock in the court signaled that class was over, Aoi rose to his feet and passed his laptop into its case, he looked up at Yamazaki who hadn't yet moved from her seat as students walked past her and spilled out insults under the breath. Sagare walked over toward Aoi and watched as Yamazaki gathered her things and headed for the door.
"Hey Yamazaki" Aoi hollered.
Tanpopo turned her head up when she heard her name called, two students walked towards her with comforting smiles on their faces.
"Yes?" she answered peppery.
Aoi reached her first and said frankly "That was pretty ballsy of you to talk back to Kugyo, especially a girl."
Confused, Tanpopo asked "Why would it be ballsy?"
Aoi snickered, "Because Kugyo is full of himself, but I'm glad ya did it was nice to see him on edge, oh I'm Aoi Kyogoku by the way."
Tanpopo smiled as she felt she had tipped a friendship with him. "Yeah" she said looking over at the girl at his side she smiled and introduced herself.
"Yamazaki" Sagare asked, "Did you really want to join Kugyo's cabinet?" she asked concern.
Tanpopo looked at her and thought about it "yeah, I think my opinion would make a great impact for this school." She said whole heartily.
Sagare smile when she heard Yamazaki's innocent answer but knew that it would never fly, Aoi busted up laughing at Yamazaki's response which made her question her previous thought.
"That's rich" Aoi said as he calmed down "like Kugyo would ever let you into his oligarchy"
Tanpopo started for the door tailed by Aoi and Sagare, "Have you ever tried Kyogoku?" frozen in step Aoi felt like she had just slammed him, reminding him of his loss this morning to Kugyo but he remained composed. Man she's knows were to hit he thought
"Yeah I tried, only by forty votes this time though." He said looking forward.
"Forty…votes?" Tanpopo asked perplexed.
"He ran for student body president and lost by forty votes." Sagare intervened.
Tanpopo nodded in compliance, "Oh, I see" she said as she looked from Sagare to Aoi, he had a grim looming over his face as he thought about Uetai and his mix with him on stage.
"Well for Kugyo he needs friends in high places to get anything, the fact that his father owns the school pretty much guarantee he will be Student body prez tell he gets bored with it or hell freezes over, which ever happens first." Aoi said begrudgingly.
As they walked out into the court yard Tanpopo wondered if Kugyo was really as powerful or as fearful as he was being described.
End of Chapter- the next chapter will be more about the politics.