The students gathered in the auditorium quieted when the Headmaster took his place behind the podium at the center of the stage. Like the week before, the students had lined up with their classes with the girls in front of the boys.
The teachers stood off to the sides of their respective homerooms with notable aisles between the grade levels. It was just like every other gathering with the first years on the west side and the third years on the east. Each class one was closest to the stage while each class twelve was in the back.
At the front of each aisle a table had been placed. The teachers of the computer and business electives were stationed at each table. The computer course instructor was in charge of a laptop while the other had a stack of ballots.
Kurumu stood on the stage to the left of the podium beside Tashikana and the current student council. Only Utsutei was expected to talk but he had encouraged the secretary, Komeichi, and the treasurer, Okumatsu, to stand with him. The daughter of the mayor of Aserutani was holding her hands behind her as she regarded the crowd impassively. It was more difficult to read Okumatsu with his ruffled, black hair hanging over his eyes.
Every student in the auditorium was dressed in school attire except the members of the PSC whom stood in the back of the room near the doors. Since the jacket and the sweater were optional attire, Kurumu was only wearing the blouse and skirt.
To their left was Machida's group. The husky guy with the greasy black crew cut straightened his red tie. Mizudake lingered on his right with her school jacket left open, absently fussing with her bluish tresses tipped with pink highlights. Favoring the crowd a sour expression, Berijisu stood on Machida's left with his thick, boxy glasses resting upon his broad nose. The scrawny Kanekichi nervously adjusted his slender glasses with oval lenses. Both gnomes had their school jackets closed with red ties, just like Machida.
On the other side of the podium was Ginei and his running mates. The werewolf had foregone the bandana and had actually closed up his jacket for a change. He was even wearing a tie. The slender Yokan was dressed in a similar fashion, though his long sable tresses pulled back in a ponytail and the hime cut bangs made him look like a girl dressing like a boy.
Hajihachi hovered close to Ginei with a hand innocently placed on the small of his back. She leaned away from him, whispering into Shikichi's ear. The stiff tengu nodded, managing a smile. Both girls had the red bows at their collars. Their green jackets were closed up with the hems hanging over their tan slacks.
Mikomi and her entourage stood at the far end of the front of the stage to the right of Ginei's group. She and Amatsu had opted to wear the sweater vests with red bows. Like most female students, they were wearing skirts. Nijiro and Ishikure hovered behind the girls, lacking the jacket and tie most male students wore. Nijiro had told her that they wanted a more casual look.
"Good morning, Students."
The greeting drew her attention back to the Headmaster at the podium. As always, he wore that white robe with the hood which obscured his face. His gnarled hands gripped the sides of the podium as he breathed into the microphone placed in its holster.
"Normally I would turn things over to Mr. Utsutei right away but I wanted a moment to speak."
He paused, allowing the murmurings within the crowd to silence.
"As you all are aware, my retirement is rapidly approaching. And while I might be able to stand before you all another time, it would be wise if I regarded this as my last chance to address my students."
Kurumu frowned, curious with that sentiment.
"Next term you will have a new Headmaster. Yokai Academy, the school that I founded, and the ideas for which it was founded upon, shall persevere without my continued guidance and supervision. I will leave the future in your capable hands."
Kurumu glanced at Tashikana but the guy's attention was fixed upon the Headmaster.
"In my tenure as your Headmaster, I have done many things, good and bad. I make no excuses for my failings, aware that these have been the cause of much tension between Fairy Tale and Yokai Academy. I did what I felt was best, regardless of the feelings of those whom were inconvenienced by my choices. I would do so again. I have no regrets."
Kurumu huffed, wanting to say something about that and certain that Yukari would feel the same way.
"It is my hope that the next Fairy Tale prefectural officer shall be one whom is genuinely interested in improving the lives of the residents of Mononoke. I shall trust the judgment of Lord Sendou and the city elders about allowing Fairy Tale more presence within Mononoke. I will no longer stand in the way."
The Headmaster paused once again.
"It has always been my wish for a future of peace. Between our many races and with the humans. I pray that true coexistence shall occur in your time. It saddens me to say that this simple dream has eluded me despite my many efforts and schemes over the decades."
The Headmaster caressed the top of the podium.
"This school is my life. I don't have any new beginnings left. Take care of it for me."
A long moment of silence followed that remark, making Kurumu think about what would happen to the Headmaster once he retired. She had assumed that he would remain as an advisor. She was unaware of any family or any other desires he might want to pursue. As far as she knew, the school was all he had.
"Thank you all for humoring my tenure as your Headmaster for all of these years. I shall turn things over to Mr. Utsutei so that you may continue with what you have all gathered here for today."
There was no applause as the Headmaster retreated from the podium. Utsutei swiftly strolled over to the podium, grabbing the microphone to adjust it. He flashed a smile and gestured at the Headmaster.
"And thank you, Headmaster. We all shall do our best to uphold your ideals in our lives, wherever our futures may take us."
Utsutei started a brisk clap which the crowd quickly joined in. The Headmaster's slow stride did not falter as the man made his way to the stairs which led down into the short hallway to the girls' locker room. He did not look back but his shoulders straightened up some.
"I don't have a whole lot to say, since I offered this role to Mr. Tashikana. I'll spare him of explaining the process which my peers and the second years already understand. Each student will approach the table to fill out a ballot. We prefer to do this one at a time to avoid any complications. Your ballot will be given to another teacher whom will record your vote. The whole process takes a couple of hours, so please be patient and keep your conversations quiet. We ask that everyone remain here as situations might arise which may require restarting the vote."
Utsutei turned, gesturing to Tashikana.
"And now I shall turn things over to our hosts."
Tashikana patted her slightly on the back before he took off at a steady gait. Kurumu smiled nervously, feeling the eyes of interested boys as she followed the young man. Utsutei stepped aside, surrendering his spot to Tashikana.
"Thank you, Mr. Utsutei. Everyone give the former student council a hand for their year of service."
Kurumu settled in on Tashikana's left as the crowd clapped their hands. Utsutei nodded at Tashikana before he walked away to join the other student council members. Kurumu forced a smile as Tashikana waited for the polite applause to die out.
"I know it will sound strange, but I miss doing the daily announcements. So when I was asked if I'd like to host the election, I jumped at the opportunity."
He chuckled, patting Kurumu's right shoulder.
"But no great man does anything on his own. Not a single candidate on this stage could handle the tasks required of the student council by themselves. Just like I wasn't able to shoulder the entire broadcasting club on my shoulders. My good friend, Iwayuru Yowai, has helped me every step of the way."
Tashikana paused, grabbing the microphone and wiggling it out of the holster. Bringing the microphone to his chest, he slipped behind Kurumu to stand on her other side.
"Before we get to the voting, I want to introduce my companion, Kurono Kurumu, though I'm sure that everybody is quite aware whom she is. I asked her to help me today, since she agreed to take over my broadcasting club."
Kurumu's eyes widened in disbelief. He smirked at her, resting his hand on her left shoulder.
"Do you have anything you'd like to say?"
Kurumu snatched the offered microphone, shaking her head as a few students laughed.
"Yes. I'll start with the fact that I haven't even turned in a form for your club. I can change my mind."
He leaned in close to her, speaking into the microphone against her breast.
"Everyone would love to hear your voice giving the morning announcements. Clap if you agree."
Many students followed his suggestion. He backed off a step, favoring her a smug grin. She pursed her lips, slightly annoyed. He was just as bad as Ginei. She sighed, waiting for the applause to cease.
"For the record, I have officially joined the choir. I might take over his club if he behaves himself."
Some laughter followed her remark. With a chuckle, he leaned back in.
"I promise that I'll make the transition painless for you."
"Sure. I should totally put my trust in a guy whom resorted to criminal behavior to force his crush into becoming his girlfriend."
"If she has a complaint, she can tell the whole student body."
Kurumu smirked at him, shaking her head. She looked out at the crowd.
"I should apologize. I know some clubs might be disappointed that I didn't join them. But I did have fun visiting with you. It's just that the choir felt very right for me."
Kurumu paused, feeling her heart flutter.
"I feel as anxious standing up here as I did back in July. Hard to believe that I'm in a different club now and with a different boyfriend. My mother died."
The sudden silence in the room was deafening. Kurumu stared off, thinking how much she wished that she could have another conversation with mommy. The things she would say.
Tashikana's pat on her shoulder reminded her of her environment.
"Sorry. Headmaster's speech made me think about how we never know when we will have our last talk with friends and family. Change is inevitable and why we are gathered here today. To vote in a new student council. Was there anything else you wanted me to say?"
He chuckled, taking the microphone from her.
"No. I wasn't expecting you to have a serious soliloquy there."
"What's a soliloquy?"
"Ask your friends in the drama club."
Tashikana stepped away from her, holding the microphone to his mouth.
"One thing Mr. Utsutei failed to mention is that we have some student athletes that have a bus to catch. All the volleyball and basketball players should move to the front of the line to cast their votes first."
As Tashikana put the microphone back into its holster, Kurumu continued pondering what a soliloquy was. She doubted it was something to be embarrassed about since the crowd had not laughed at his remark. She hoped that she would not have to ask Yukari about it.
"I think we've delayed this long enough. The candidates will give some closing comments before the voting starts. We will start with Ms. Sawayaka."
Tashikana gestured to Mikomi whom promptly started walking towards the podium. Grinning, the young man stepped back to stand at Kurumu's side. Mikomi smiled nervously as she reached the podium. She adjusted the microphone slightly before looking out to the crowd.
"Thank you, Mr. Tashikana. And thanks to everyone for coming today. I know many of you may not think that showing up is a big deal but there have been years where only two thirds of the student population attended this optional event. I'm glad that this isn't one of those years."
Mikomi took in a deep breath, smiling softly. The choice of the sweater vest really made her look like a normal girl instead of the elegant, distant beauty she often came across as.
"I want this. More than the others. This isn't a whim or something to put on my resume. It's something I want to do for the school and for my community."
She timidly placed her hands upon the podium, wetting her lips.
"I've tried to reach out to as many clubs as I could this past week. I wish I could have done more. I want you all to know that I value the concerns of small clubs. The door will always be open for you."
Mikomi smiled, regarding the crowd.
"We have looked into the lunch plan suggested by Mr. Machida. This is not a promise any student council can make. What we can do is call for a student body meeting in which we vote upon this proposal. A two thirds majority would be required for it to pass. The faculty could change our lunch schedule without our approval but I doubt that Mr. Machida intended to pursue that route. It should be decided by students."
Mikomi paused with another deep breath.
"As for the school trip, we have done some research on that and feel that it may be best to delay such an adventure. There is nothing preventing a school trip for third years, and if it is done early enough in the school year, it would not interfere with their academics. Depending on weather and destination, a first term school trip may be more attractive than one during the third term. Naturally more discussion will be required, but I am confident that we can deliver on that promise."
The young woman smiled, patting the podium with the tips of her fingers.
"I believe that is all I have to say. I hope that you do give me a chance. Thank you all."
Mikomi stepped out from behind the podium and gave a formal bow to the crowd. Kurumu clapped her hands and several students joined in. Mikomi straightened up with flush cheeks and a smile. She nodded again, retreating from the podium. Kurumu continued to clap until the girl made it back to her group.
Tashikana chuckled, stepping up to the podium. He made a quieting gesture and the applause ended quickly. He leaned closer to the microphone, gesturing to his left.
"And next we have Mr. Machida. Let's find out how much applause it will take to make him blush."
Kurumu snickered as Tashikana promptly started to clap. She joined in though without any intentions of matching his enthusiasm. Several boys added shouts to the clamor as Machida marched over to the podium with a determined expression. Kurumu flashed the stiff guy a smile which went unnoticed. It was mildly disappointing that the stocky guy had no reaction to their efforts as he took his place.
"Thank you, Mr. Tashikana. Fellow students."
Machida hesitated to speak any further, allowing the crowd to settle down. He stood there for a long moment, waiting with a blank expression. Once reasonable silence was established, Machida pulled an index card from his jacket pocket.
"I obviously don't have a rebuttal planned. It is true that my hopes for the changes to the lunch hour required the support of the student body as a whole. And I think I understand her reason for exposing the way such a change would go about. I only need more votes than my opponents to win this election. I would need much more than that to actually achieve my promise of changing the lunch hour."
He tossed his card onto the podium, looking up at the crowd.
"With that said, if my lunch hour proposal was the basis to not vote for me, you may disregard it. Such a change is only possible if we all want it to happen. It is not my intention to inconvenience those whom still harbor a naive belief that the current system is better."
Kurumu snorted, thinking that was not a nice way to appeal to voters.
"As for the school trip, I think that Ms. Sawayaka is overlooking the fact that we have student athletes. If you push things into the first term, you have a soccer team which may no longer be able to attend. And as she is a local girl, she must be unaware that most of Japan has a rainy season which starts in June. So you can't push things later than that unless you are planning for a trip to Hokkaido or Okinawa."
Kurumu smirked, suspecting that a trip to Okinawa would be fine with Ginei. She glanced across the podium, noting his wide grin.
"The cost of a school trip hinges as much on location and time as it does on participation. Regardless of whom wins this election, a school trip committee will need to be established to determine a time and place which the most students will be able to attend. I believe that I am more qualified to see this school trip through when compared to a young lady whom has never set foot outside of Mononoke and a carefree man child whom relies on others to fulfill his promises."
Machida tapped the index card on the podium.
"What I was prepared to talk about was the lack of attention towards our seniors. I did not see anyone from either Mr. Morioka's party or Ms. Sawayaka's crew spend any significant time with the third years. I have spent most of my past week chatting with the seniors to learn what they desire from us."
Machida straightened up, puffing out his chest.
"I think my adversaries have forgotten that it is the duty of the student council to handle the graduation ceremony. If funding allows, we may even be able to put together a celebration for them and our retiring teachers. This election is not just for those of us whom will return next year."
The stocky guy snatched up his index card and brandished it to the crowd.
"I am the best choice for the future of Yokai Academy. And I have faith that your votes will reflect this truth. Thank you all for your time."
Machida stepped aside and offered a quick, stiff bow. A few students clapped at his retreat though it did not match the level of his predecessor. Tashikana chuckled, stepping over to the podium.
"Thank you, Mr. Machida. It is important to respect your seniors and teachers. I don't know if I'm the only one here that feels this way, but I still haven't gotten used to being a third year. It probably has much to do with being in a club with very inactive juniors so I don't exactly feel like an older student. You'll spoil me rotten, won't you, Ms. Kurono?"
Kurumu smirked at him, waving a dismissive hand. Still chuckling, Tashikana gestured to Ginei.
"Last we will hear some words from Mr. Morioka, the man whom helped my poor club get reinstated. For that alone, you would get my vote if I was allowed to have one."
Kurumu sighed as Ginei approached the podium with a wide grin. She had not realized until it was too late that agreeing to be up here on the stage meant she would be forfeiting her vote. She hoped that Mikomi would have enough votes without hers.
Ginei was making quite the show of his arrival, waving to the crowd which was clapping for him. The werewolf gripped the sides of the podium, flashing a confident grin. He waited for the silence.
"Thank you, Tashikana. I'd like to start this with a simple exercise. I want everybody whom has been to an event planned and carried out by Mr. Machida to raise their hands."
Kurumu snickered, glancing out to the crowd. Only a few hands were raised among the second years.
"That's what I thought. All words without nothing to back it up. He'll ramble on about Ms. Sawayaka's inexperience when he has none of his own."
Kurumu smiled in his pause, glad that he had stood up for Mikomi.
"Now how about we have a show of hands of whom all participated in the popularity contest we had back in July. Don't be shy."
Kurumu laughed, raising her hand. Tashikana also raised his and so did everyone in Mikomi's party. A glance out over the crowd revealed that nearly every student was brave enough to admit that they had been there. Ginei thumped the podium top firmly.
"Experience over promises. I know how to organize a party. While I confess that I was unaware of the student council's role in the graduation ceremony, it is nothing that myself or Ms. Sawayaka could not handle. I could throw a better party in my sleep than Mr. Machida could with weeks of preparation. He would hire a bunch of motivational speakers when a dance would be more enjoyable."
There was no reaction from the crowd though it was somewhat apparent Ginei had hoped for one. He let out a sigh, grabbing the side of the podium firmly as he leaned back.
"I won't pretend that I have superior knowledge on how things should work. I'm glad that Ms. Sawayaka and Mr. Machida did some research on the school trip. I have some experience when it comes to putting together fundraisers if one is required to offset the costs. I can promise you that if it is something that I want, it will get done."
Ginei chuckled into the microphone.
"You can count on that. I get things done. The newspaper club has covered many of our fellow clubs. You can trust that I will look out for the little guy. I have three dependable, gorgeous young ladies to help me accomplish my goals."
He paused, allowing the crowd to chuckle at Yokan's notable discomfort.
"Numerous contacts among the local businesses. Even faculty. I can do this job."
Ginei took in a deep breath. He leaned in, flashing the crowd a mischievous grin.
"And I found out that the donation center won't take panties even if they haven't been worn. If any third year girls are interested, please swing by my room and I will gladly help you-"
His sentence was cut off when Hajihachi yanked him away from the podium by his collar, causing him to grab at his throat. Kurumu snickered, shaking her head as he struggled to keep on his feet. He stumbled backwards as his girlfriend led him away.
"But we have to think of the third years."
Tashikana chuckled along with many in the crowd as he stepped behind the podium.
"Let the voting begin."
"Would you be interested in going on a date this afternoon?"
Kurumu grinned up at Nijiro, entwining her fingers with his.
"That depends on what you have in mind."
Nijiro smirked though his face was flush. He glanced out at the assembly which was methodically voting.
"Nothing fancy."
Kurumu smiled, turning her attention to the crowd. The silver haired Moka was waiting patiently for her turn as the other girls of class eleven filled out their ballots and returned them to Mr. Shirakawa. The business instructor surrendered the sheets to Mr. Karatsuki to enter into his spreadsheet. Both teachers had short, black hair and were dressed like the typical office worker. White dress shirts, black ties, black slacks and black shoes. It looked so boring.
"We should change clothes. I want to look nice and want you to look nice for me."
"You look pretty enough as you are."
Kurumu pouted at his compliment.
"I can look prettier."
"Maybe so, but I'm about as good as I'll get."
"Nonsense. I'll help you pick out something."
"If I let you in my room, we'll never make it anywhere else."
Kurumu grinned mischievously, cocking her head.
"Is that a bad thing?"
"Yes. And if Ms. Sawayaka wins, I'm sure that she would want me at her side to celebrate her victory."
"When she wins."
He smiled, meekly trying to let go of her hands.
"Would you object to hanging out with us as a group?"
"If they don't mind me flirting with you nonstop."
"Can I have my hands back?"
Kurumu breathed in deep, relaxing her fingers. He quickly withdrew, crossing his arms. She sighed as they moved a short distance to be with the rest of Mikomi's proposed student council. Amatsu was chatting quietly with Mikomi while Ishikure stood silently, cleaning his squared, green glasses with a pastel blue cloth for the hundredth time.
"How much longer will this take?"
"Maybe an hour at most."
Kurumu sighed again, suspecting they were almost at two hours by now. Moka was filling out her ballot with Michiko and Kiki waiting in line behind her. Then Mr. Kishita, whom was that guy with the cyan locks styled in a feathered crew cut, would start the boys of class eleven. Only class twelve was left.
She glanced at the second year table which was ran by Mr. Yokoyama and Mr. Kosaka. Both second year instructors were dressed exactly the same way as their first year counterparts. Both also had dark, short hair. Mr. Kosaka, the computer instructor, had thick boxy glasses held in a black frame. Miyamoto Haiji was going to be the last boy of class eleven and his turn would be next. His ashen gray locks were a spiky, wild mess. Tashiro Jirito from the track team would be the first of the girls from class twelve.
The teachers in charge of the third year table were at least being sociable. The lady working the laptop was Ms. Hanada. She had her caramel, feathered tresses braided into twin tails behind her ears and was wearing a white dress jacket over a black blouse with white capris. The grinning guy with the ballots was Mr. Agano whom was also the music club advisor. He had short caramel locks which were feathered and he was unfortunately dressed the same way as the other male teachers.
Both of these teachers were tengu which had Kurumu wondering if there was something going on that Ms. Hanada had not mentioned during her interview with Moka about her taking over the gymnastics club. Then again, Mr. Agano was much older than Ms. Hanada. He might have even been her teacher when she had attended Yokai Academy.
The third year voting was nearly finished. The last guy in line with the wavy, cerulean hair was Kawakuchi Chifu, whom was from Nijiro's village. The band student was class twelve's representative and one of the top twenty students among the third years.
"Kurono!"
Tashikana stood at the podium, beckoning her. She sighed, not wanting to do another skit. In the five they had done thus far, she was always the one getting bullied.
"Come on, Ms. Kurono. You can flirt with your boyfriend later."
She blushed, shaking her head as she jogged behind Ginei's group. Ginei was practically glued to his flush girlfriend. Hajihachi was leaning back against him, holding his hands firmly at her waist to keep him behaved as she tried to chat with the other girls. Shikichi was amused as Mizudake suggested another girly hairstyles for Yokan. His long, gorgeous hair allowed for so many possibilities.
"You'll never see me behaving so inappropriately with Lady Hineri."
Kurumu pouted as she reached the podium.
"I wasn't even touching him."
"You were holding hands a moment ago."
"Big deal."
"You were probably using your succubus powers, sucking his vital essence out of his palms."
"That isn't how it works."
"Enlighten me, then. Where do you suck his vital essence out from?"
Kurumu blushed as he freed the microphone from its holster.
"What did you want?"
Tashikana tugged on the cord to get more length before handing it over to Kurumu.
"I want you to entertain the crowd with your lovely personality while I get the results of the vote."
"Will they be ready soon?"
"Only one way to find out. Entertain the crowd."
"How do you expect me to do that?"
"Maybe sing? But don't dance. The boys won't be able to focus."
Kurumu snickered as he hopped off the stage. He moved with swift, determined strides to the third year table which was down to only four guys. The second years were now on the girls of class twelve while the first year boys of class eleven were taking their turns.
"Looks like we are almost done with voting. Mr. Tashikana is trying to use his charm to get those totals faster so we can all enjoy the rest of our weekend sooner."
She smiled as Utsutei wandered over to her. Komeichi and Okumatsu remained in their spot, chatting animatedly over something but in a hushed tone which prevented their words from being clear without trying to overhear them. Beyond them were the three guys of Machida's group, looking all grim like they were attending a funeral.
"Needing a partner?"
Kurumu grinned at Utsutei. She had been wondering about something for over an hour now.
"Do you mind if I ask you something personal?"
She held the microphone towards him which prompted him to step closer.
"Depends on the question."
"Are you dating Ms. Shikichi's friend?"
He chuckled sheepishly with a slight shake of his head.
"No. My feelings were not reciprocated."
Kurumu gasped, genuinely shocked.
"You were turned down?"
"It happens, Ms. Kurono."
"But you are one of the most popular guys on campus. Top ten."
He smiled softly with resignation in his golden eyes.
"That doesn't mean that I had special privileges. A young woman has every right to reject me."
"A young woman should be smart enough not to turn down a good guy."
"This auditorium is full of good guys, Ms. Kurono. A young lady should have as much agency in whom she ends up with as a man does."
Kurumu knew he was talking sensibly but she could not fathom what was going through Noboru's head to reject this guy.
"Maybe you could ask her again."
"I will respect her decision."
Kurumu smirked, aware that many guys refused to accept rejection.
"Do you hear that, Tashikana? A guy should respect a girl's decision."
"The most popular guy in Yokai Academy does not bow down to the whims of a fickle heart."
Kurumu wagged the microphone at the young man standing next to Ms. Hanada. The teacher was recording the last stack of ballots with no more coming in.
"It's the mature thing to do."
"No sense being mature if it makes you miserable."
Several students chuckled, including Utsutei.
"I think the situation between Mr. Tashikana and Ms. Hineri is different, Ms. Kurono. The two had a history while I have had almost no meaningful interaction with Ms. Noboru prior to this."
Kurumu smiled softly, supposing he had a point.
"I was trying to avoid using her name."
"I think most students are aware of whom we were discussing. I wish nothing but happiness for her."
"You probably asked the only girl on campus whom would turn you down."
"I am aware of that. I suspect that was part of the reason why I found her so attractive."
Kurumu smirked at his confession.
"Is this a conquest thing?"
"If conquest was my goal, I would ask again or try asking other girls. Having a girlfriend was never a priority for me, especially in high school. I'll take this life lesson with me to college."
Kurumu felt sorry for this guy. He had such a commanding, regal aura about him. He truly lived up to his namesake. Suzume still used the most respectful honorifics when discussing him.
"And I'm sure that you will have a very successful life. She's going to regret this decision."
"I hope not. I have faith that she will find someone more suited to her tastes."
Kurumu smiled upon noticing Tashikana was returning to the stage while waving a slip of paper. She handed Utsutei the microphone before heading over to the edge of the stage. Tashikana held the paper up, prompting her to bend over to retrieve it.
"Keep these results to yourself for now. We don't want to say anything which might impact the students whom haven't voted yet."
Kurumu nodded as she glanced over the numbers. Her heart sank. Mikomi had only forty eight votes. Machida had more than twice that with one hundred six votes. Ginei was in the middle with seventy votes. While they did have two more grades to add to these totals, Kurumu wondered if Mikomi could make up the difference.
"I'll get you the other totals when they are ready."
Tashikana trotted off for the second year table. Only three guys from Ginei's homeroom remained in the line to vote. At the first year table, Iko was filling out her ballot with Umou and Utachi patiently waiting to go next. The Takeuchi twins had already cast their votes.
Knowing there was no honest thing that she could do to help Mikomi win, Kurumu drifted back to the podium where Utsutei remained. The senior grinned, holding the microphone to her. She responded by handing him the slip with the vote tallies.
"What do you think about this?"
Keeping the microphone, Utsutei took the paper and glanced it over.
"I'm thinking I need to shut this off."
With a chuckle, he turned the microphone over in his hands to find the button which would turn it off. The speakers made a slight thump, signifying he had succeeded.
"Is that normal?"
"It happens. We had a twenty two vote lead over Ms. Herikuda by the third years alone. You could say that was why we won, though I won't pretend that Mr. Midou's presence was insignificant."
"Kaneshiro made it sound like Midou only ran so that he could win."
"Mr. Midou might have stolen some votes from Ms. Herikuda but he probably took some of ours too. It's difficult to say. He was more than forty votes behind Ms. Herikuda at the end."
Kurumu nodded thoughtfully, not too interested in Kaneshiro's scheming.
"Do you think Mr. Machida will win?"
"He put in a lot of effort to appeal to my grade. He was at the school every single day last week. I believe he talked to every third year classroom."
"But Ginei said quite clearly that he could handle the graduation ceremony."
"I think Mr. Morioka would have fared better if he had not tried to pawn off his surplus stock of thongs."
Kurumu snorted, glancing over at the werewolf. He was too busy nuzzling his nose against Hajihachi's ear to notice his surroundings. The poor girl looked dangerously relaxed, making Kurumu wonder if he had done something naughty.
"I don't know if that idiot is even trying to win."
"I think he wants to win despite his obvious flaws. Here. I imagine you will need this."
Kurumu smiled, taking the slip of paper back. Utsutei turned the microphone back on, causing the speakers to thump again. He held it out to her and she simply shook her head.
The second years were finished. Mr. Kosaka was methodically diminishing the pile of ballots placed next to his laptop. Tashikana was chatting amicably with Mr. Yokoyama whom had no idea what smiling was.
Her instincts told her that Ginei would win the second years. He was far more popular than forgettable Machida. But his repeated attempts to remind everyone about his obsession with thongs might make the margin of victory much smaller than it should have been. And Kurumu had absolutely no idea how Mikomi would fare. She imagined Mikomi's only hope rested in a huge win among the first years.
"I want to be fucked tonight."
"What was that?"
Kurumu blushed as Utsutei lowered the microphone to her.
"I said that I'm going on a date with my boyfriend after this. I'll run home, change into some pretty clothes and we'll have a good time."
"Planning to catch the new movie?"
"Oh? Are you a Harry Potter fan?"
"Not a fan but I don't live under a rock. I know it's a big movie."
"I didn't get to see the first three in a theater so I'm definitely going to see this one. It's a good plan for all you boys struggling with ideas for a date."
"I think you are forgetting that many of us have exams next week. We'll be saving our romantic dates for next weekend."
Kurumu blushed, realizing she had forgotten about that. While she had no reason to study this weekend, Nijiro might not want to spend the whole weekend with her.
"I know that. That's why I'm going on a date today. I'll have to leave my boyfriend alone tomorrow so that he can study something other than me."
Several students laughed along with Utsutei. Kurumu could feel the eyes of many young men lusting for her body. They had to be envious of Nijiro with how naughty their thoughts were.
"Ms. Kurono will share the third year results once the last vote has been cast."
Utsutei gestured to the first year table which was starting on the boys from class twelve. The shortest of that lot was Tamura Shigo of the film club. He stood beside Murata Kenta of the music club. It would not take much longer. Five minutes at most.
"I will also ask Ms. Mizudake to return to her party."
Mizudake sighed dramatically, abandoning her efforts to braid Yokan's hair. She pranced away from the other girls, waving at Kurumu as she passed by. Kurumu giggled, watching the girl skip her way across the stage to join the dour trio.
Ginei was going to lose the second year vote. She suddenly knew it. Mizudake was more popular than any of the girls in Ginei's group. Kurumu blushed, realizing she had momentarily included Yokan in that but it was his fault for looking so feminine.
There were still two first year boys waiting to vote when Tashikana took a slip of paper from Mr. Kosaka. He trotted over to the stage, prompting Kurumu to walk over and meet him.
"Go ahead and give the results now. It'll make for great suspense."
Kurumu snorted, taking the sheet of paper from the grinning guy. She glanced at the numbers, sighing. She had been right. Machida had also won the second years with fifteen more votes than Ginei. Mikomi was four votes behind Ginei. Mikomi needed eighty more votes than Machida to win.
She sauntered back over to Utsutei whom held the microphone out to her. She sighed again, glancing at the first year table. Tashikana had already gone over there and the last vote was being cast by the plump Katosagi from band. She took the microphone, holding it to her breast.
"Give me a moment to add these votes."
"You can share the results by grade level. I'll tell you the totals."
Kurumu smiled at Utsutei, nodding. She switched the sheet with the second year totals into the hand with the microphone, holding the other one up.
"For the third years, Machida has one hundred six votes. Ginei has seventy and Mikomi has forty eight."
"Please be more formal with the names, Ms. Kurono."
Kurumu blushed at the reprimand, handing the sheet with the third year totals over to him.
"I can't help that."
"Please continue."
Kurumu took the other sheet with her free hand. She shook it and held it up, taking in a deep breath.
"For the second years, Mr. Machida has eighty nine votes. Mr. Morioka has seventy four and Ms. Sawayaka has seventy."
The crowd murmured in response as Utsutei gestured for the microphone and sheet. She handed over both, taking a cursory look about the stage. Machida remained impassive though Mizudake was visibly thrilled with the results. She was grabbing hold of his arm, hopping with excitement. Kanekichi looked like he had just been accused of a crime while Berijisu seemed angry to have been born.
None of the members of Ginei's group seemed the least bit interested in the results. Shikichi was busy helping Yokan straighten out his hair while Ginei continued to cuddle with his flush girlfriend.
"For tentative totals, Mr. Machida has the lead with one hundred ninety five votes. Mr. Morioka is in second with one hundred forty four votes and Ms. Sawayaka is in third with one hundred eighteen."
The buzz in the crowd picked up in volume. Mikomi bit her lower lip, fidgeting with the hem of sweater vest while Amatsu comforted her with words and gentle touches. Ishikure decided to clean his glasses once again. Nijiro's eyes met Kurumu's and he managed a smile, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Calm down, everyone. I should remind you that our victory last year was only by twenty seven votes. We still have a whole grade to add to our totals."
While that sounded promising, Kurumu had her doubts. She had no idea how popular Machida would be among the first years. And even if he wasn't, Mizudake would surely sway some votes in that direction. It had never crossed her mind that this nobody would stand a chance against Ginei and Mikomi. She clearly misunderstood what other students felt were important qualities for being student council president.
Tashikana was grinning and carrying on a conversation with Mr. Shirakawa as Mr. Karatsuki entered the votes from the remaining stack of ballots. Kurumu sighed, drifting closer to Utsutei.
"What do you think?"
"About what?"
"Being in two clubs. Can I really be the president of one club and a reliable member of another?"
"Most people would have the common sense to not try that."
Kurumu huffed at his amused remark, aware that his words had carried over the speakers.
"I guess it's a good thing that I don't have common sense then."
"In your case, I think you'll be fine. Most of the activity for the broadcasting club is in the morning. Being the club president would only require you to attend the occasional weekend meeting with the student council if your club needs something. It most likely won't conflict with your choir activities."
Kurumu smiled, thankful for his input. She was warming up to the idea of being an active club president instead of being just a name written in. It could be fun talking into the PA system every morning, but if his cousin wanted that spotlight, she would respectfully stand aside. She would never allow her whims to be more important than another person's passion.
Kurumu sighed, noting that Mr. Karatsuki was still not finished with the first year votes.
"Are you going to study after this?"
"I'll have lunch first."
Kurumu rolled her eyes, feeling that was like admitting he would walk to his room first.
"You know what I meant."
"I would like to break the top five at least once in my high school career. As horrible as it sounds, I feel like that might happen now that Mr. Kaneshiro is unable to participate."
Kurumu smirked, restraining the urge to agree that he was a horrible person to think that way.
"I do have an adorable friend whom would go on a date with you in a heartbeat."
"Trying to sabotage my academic future?"
"I'm saying that you have options. We could have a double date. I'm sure that Nijiro won't mind."
"How about I make a promise instead? I will return for the cultural festival next year. If your friend is still interested in me, I will go on that double date."
Kurumu giggled, wondering if she would even remember such a promise that far away.
"Deal. But she's a great girl. She might find someone else before then."
"Ms. Kurono. I will never regard love as a limited time offer."
Kurumu pouted, trying to think up a response when she noticed that Tashikana was walking away from the first year table with a slip of paper in hand. Handing Utsutei the microphone, she trotted over to the edge of the stage to retrieve the final vote results. Tashikana grinned, holding the paper up.
"Doing a great job. You two have excellent chemistry."
Kurumu stuck her tongue out at his grin as she swiped the slip of paper out of his hand. She straightened up, glancing down at the numbers.
Her heart fluttered. Mikomi had more votes than the other two combined. It was more than the eighty needed to win. Unable to mask her excitement, Kurumu turned on her heel. She sashayed over to Utsutei, holding her hand out.
"I'm sensing an upset."
"Give it to me."
In that moment, many guys in the room had the same lewd thought. She shuddered as they substituted the microphone for other things. Pressing her lips together, she endured those next few seconds. At least she did not drop the microphone when it was given to her.
Kurumu turned about to face the crowd, taking in a deep, steadying breath. Some silly boys were still thinking about giving it to her. She had half a mind to say something about Nijiro better be giving it to her tonight. But she had to be a good girl. For now.
"I'll start out by saying that Mr. Morioka got stomped because he talked way too much about thongs."
That helped diminish their naughty thoughts. The crowd chuckled as she glanced over at Ginei's group. He gave Hajihachi a squeeze as he grinned at Kurumu.
"Don't look at me like that. You got fifty four votes from the first years which is the same number of votes Mr. Machida got. You didn't beat him."
"It's a sham!"
Kurumu stuck her tongue out at him before turning back to the audience.
"Mikomi got one hundred thirty eight votes from the first years. She wins the election."
"Hold up there. Let me see the paper."
Kurumu frowned as Utsutei stepped in, taking the paper out of her hand.
"I'm not lying."
"Not saying you are. Just that we need the proper totals."
Kurumu continued to frown as he pulled the other vote tallies from his pocket.
"I'm not that bad at math."
"I know. Mr. Morioka has a total of one hundred ninety eight votes."
"It's not right. I can't have less votes than I did in July."
"Oh hush! This is about the student council. Not how cool you are."
The way he laughed at her retort made her question why he had even ran.
"Ms. Sawayaka does have the victory but the margin isn't enough. She has two hundred fifty six votes while Mr. Machida has two hundred forty nine."
"But she has more."
"The bylaws state that a student council election must be won by more than ten votes. If Mr. Machida insists, a revote must be held."
A collective groan could be heard from the audience. Nobody sounded happy about spending another two hours in this auditorium.
"Are you serious?"
"It's the rules, Ms. Kurono. I will have a quick chat with Mr. Machida to determine what he wants to do. In the meantime, would Mr. Morioka like to have a word with the crowd? It's not necessary but it might entertain our fellow students."
Ginei sighed dramatically, pushing gently on Hajihachi. He murmured something in her ear and the girl straightened up. She turned and shared a very quick, polite kiss. The okami staggered away, grabbing Shikichi by the shoulder as Ginei chuckled. The werewolf strolled over to the podium.
"Sure, I suppose I can do that."
Kurumu stepped up to the side of the podium as Ginei took the microphone from Utsutei. As the senior walked away to chat with Machida, Ginei returned the microphone to the holster.
"You look so devastated by this loss."
"I know. But it spares me the trouble of finding a new club president. And Mika will now be free to take over the fashion club."
"What did you do to her?"
Ginei grinned, placing his hand over the microphone to muffle the sound.
"Being close to me for hours is getting her in the mood. She might go into her cycle prematurely."
"You're full of it."
"I'm not. Tori is going to take her home and I'm going to have an emergency club meeting right after this. Mostly discussing how we want to proceed since Mika shouldn't be around me for any extended period of time for the rest of the term."
"Don't you have a speech to do?"
Ginei chuckled, uncovering the microphone which had picked up parts of that conversation.
"Yes. I suppose I should admit that I never fully expected to win. I knew that if I did, it would mostly be because of the capable ladies whom I selected to run my student council."
"You owe Mr. Yokan big for all these shots at his gender."
Ginei snickered, waving at her to step back.
"I can only hope that Mr. Machida won't force us all to spend more hours on the chance that the people voting for me will pick him over Ms. Sawayaka. And if Ms. Sawayaka ever is in need, I will always be willing to lend a hand. Though she looks like she could only handle one finger."
Kurumu stepped up to swat his arm as he chuckled. She could feel the guys respond to that joke.
"What is wrong with you?"
"Thank you all for your support. And don't forget that I do have free thongs. Ladies only."
Kurumu swatted him again but almost missed him when he stepped away from the podium. He flashed her a mischievous grin as he stalked back over to his group. Shikichi shook her head at him, scowling while holding Hajihachi close to her side. The okami was nuzzling her head against Shikichi's neck.
Kurumu sighed, grabbing the microphone and adjusting it as she lifted up on her toes.
"That boy makes no sense. He's like the big brother you never wanted."
She was slightly surprised with how funny the other students found that offhand remark. She smiled, settling back down on her feet. She wondered if she should take the microphone back out, glancing over at Utsutei. He was having a discussion with at least three members of Machida's group. Kanekichi was simply just there while the other three clearly had opinions about it.
Motion drew her attention to the edge of the stage as Tashikana clambered up onto the platform. She smirked as he made his way over to the podium.
"What exactly happens in a revote?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. Everyone lines up and votes again."
Kurumu grimaced at the idea. Not everyone had followed the suggestion of staying here and they were missing the basketball and volleyball teams. It felt unfair though she had no idea if those missing votes would help Mikomi or not.
"Looks like your win."
His comment brought her attention to Machida's group. The stocky boy shook hands with Utsutei as a scowling Berijisu walked off with Kanekichi in tow. Mizudake offered her a wave, retreating back a step.
"Just like that?"
"I suspect that Mr. Machida realizes that this is a losing scenario for him. Even people whom voted for him might vote against him for holding them here longer."
Machida offered a nod in Mikomi's direction before following Mizudake to the stairs leading off the stage. Several students clapped as the conclusion was apparent. Kurumu was compelled to join in, grinning as Utsutei passed by his fellow former student council members.
"Are you happy, Ms. Kurono?"
"Very much so."
Both Utsutei and Tashikana chuckled as the former student council vice president took his place behind the podium. He adjusted the microphone and favored the crowd a grin.
"Mr. Machida has declined the option of a revote. It is my privilege to introduce you to your next student council president, Ms. Sawayaka."
Utsutei gestured to his right where Mikomi's group stood. Ginei must have retreated when Kurumu was not looking as the werewolf and his trio were already off the stage. Kurumu shared a smile with Nijiro.
"Come here and deliver your acceptance speech."
A flush Mikomi hurried over to them. Utsutei moved aside, allowing Mikomi to take the podium. He gestured for Kurumu to step back with him. She acquiesced and so did Tashikana. Mikomi stood alone with a bright smile.
"Thank you. Truly. Thank you. All of you. My fellow students. This opportunity means so much to me. I promise to make the most of it."
The girl took in a deep breath.
"Thank you, Mr. Machida. I do hope that you will aid me during my tenure. And I also plan to take Mr. Morioka up on his offer, provided that he keeps his hands to himself."
"I suppose it's fine if you just want to watch."
Mikomi relaxed her shoulders as attention shifted to Ginei. He was standing by Tsukune, likely arranging that emergency meeting he had mentioned.
"Anyways. I also want to thank Mr. Utsutei, Ms. Komeichi and Mr. Okumatsu. I hope that you will remain available to guide us through this transitional phase."
Mikomi paused, brushing her tresses behind her ear.
"Today is a new beginning for Yokai Academy and for Mononoke. I had a silly speech typed out for this but I think we all know that actions matter more than words. So I will spare you the speech and let you all enjoy the rest of your weekend. Be that studying for your exams or socializing with your friends. In the words of my predecessor Mr. Kaneshiro, we will have peace in our school and our community."
Mikomi stepped back and bowed stiffly as many students clapped. Mikomi remained bowed for a long moment. It allowed Kurumu to appreciate the significance of this even more. A local monstrel had become the student council president at Yokai Academy.
Mikomi stood up with a deep breath. Smiling, she walked over to join her group, getting a brief hug from Amatsu and nods from the two guys.
"What are you planning on wearing to this date?"
Kurumu smirked at Tashikana. She sashayed away from him.
"Whatever my boyfriend wants."
"That was surprisingly fun."
Kurumu grinned, handing her golf club to Ms. Kibaguchi standing behind the front counter of Sinkhole. This native of Mononoke had her dark hair pulled back in a bun and was grinning so wide that her beady eyes were closed and her inhuman fangs were bared. She wore a black polo with a silver golf emblem etched over her right breast just like she had the other two times Kurumu had visited this place.
"It certainly was much better than the other times I came here."
"I can't even remember the last time I was here."
Mikomi smiled warmly as she offered her club to the worker. Amatsu frowned while dropping her yellow golf ball into the bin. The blond and Mikomi were still dressed in their casual school attire.
"Did you play better this time?"
Kurumu laughed, waving a dismissive hand as the blond surrendered her club to Ms. Kibaguchi.
"I just didn't feel hustled."
Not wanting the girls to feel out of place, Kurumu had allowed Mikomi and Amatsu to pick out her attire for this outing. The girls had agreed upon this bright pink sundress. Despite their protests, Kurumu had ditched her crimson bra, not wanting the straps to be seen. She had joked about going without panties but had kept her red lace pair on.
"Hustled? What made you feel like that?"
Kurumu smiled at Nijiro, wishing he had changed into something nicer. It was not like they had lacked the time or opportunity. Both of these boring boys had decided to wait outside Baratoge for Iwa to change clothes instead of swinging by their dorm.
"My first time here we had a bet that the person with the worst scored owed the person with the best score a favor. I didn't expect golf to be one of Umizake's hobbies so I owe him a favor."
"What kind of favor?"
Kurumu shrugged as the guys returned their balls and clubs.
"Don't know yet. I'll have to ask him when I see him again."
"Will he be back for the exams?"
Iwa was dressed in a black tee shirt with a silver tree design. A pair of white denim shorts hugged her hips with the hem halfway down her thighs. The gnome had actually played worse than Kurumu which was impressive for all of the wrong reasons.
"I'm hoping that he comes back for Mizore's birthday. It is next Wednesday."
"Thank you again for the free game, Ms. Kibaguchi."
"You are welcome. Congratulations on your victory."
Kurumu had not expected the woman to give them a free game when she had shared the news. Mikomi had stammered out a refusal but Ms. Kibaguchi had insisted. The woman had been at the funeral for Mikomi's father, having been his student like so many others from the community. She was a 91 graduate but did not recall Kurumu's mother. She knew Yukari's mother, though only by reputation. Kurumu would have found out more if the others had not prompted her to leave the poor woman alone.
"What shall we do next?"
Kurumu grinned when Nijiro placed his arm around her. She leaned against him as they shuffled towards the main door. Ishikure arrived first, holding the door open for them.
"We could check out that movie. My sister is a fan."
Kurumu giggled as they stepped out into the afternoon. The Sinkhole was a single story building near the edge of town. All the windows had been painted over which had left Kurumu with the impression that the place was just another abandoned building. She was glad that Ginei had made her aware of it.
"We'll be watching the movie tomorrow after our gaming session."
"Gaming session?"
"Dungeons and Dragons. Ms. Kurono will be with us."
"I wasn't aware that you were into that sort of thing."
"It's fun. We haven't played a single session since I started dating you."
"I had to finish up Kaori's campaign and come up with a short adventure for your two groups to meet."
"I'm surprised that you're still into that."
Iwa frowned at her brother.
"I'm surprised that you're not. It was you that forced me to be your dungeon master for your friends."
"That was back in junior high. We've grown out of that."
"Mr. Ganjou wouldn't mind if I started a new campaign for you."
"If he was interested, he would have said something by now."
Ganjou was in the computer club with Iwa's brother. The other gnome girls often teased her over having a crush on the guy. Kurumu had no idea why Iwa would find that boring guy attractive.
"Was Ganjou really into this roleplay stuff?"
"Yea. He was the thief of my brother's group."
"A thief that learned magic which allowed him to steal the panties off of girls."
Iwa giggled, waving a dismissive hand.
"That was a gag. You all thought it was funny."
"I'll admit that he was very creative with his character. He got us into so much trouble."
"Whom else was in your group?"
Ishikure snorted, taking off his glasses and pulling out his cloth to clean them.
"Guys that didn't want to attend Yokai Academy."
"It is after three. What should we do?"
"I suggest that we go to the Gates of Heaven."
Kurumu grinned at Mikomi's response to Amatsu's inquiry.
"That could be fun. Today is Hatoko's first day as a maid."
"Hatoko?"
"One of my friends. She's part of the group that helped Tora learn how to fly. I want to see how she looks in her maid outfit."
"And I want to see Fuwaki's reaction to the news. Come along."
Mikomi started off to the right, prompting everyone to follow. They passed by a large building on their right which was probably abandoned. Beyond it was the intersection with the main street which went all the way across town to the hospital.
"Could we visit the site where they will be the new school?"
Mikomi laughed softly as they reached the intersection. She turned to her left, ignoring the buildings about them. Not much further up was the theater on their right and the abandoned community center.
"You seem very fixated on that school, Ms. Kurono."
"I guess so. I think it's crazy that your town hasn't had one in years."
Nijiro squeezed her gently as they walked along the street with an arm behind each other.
"It's not uncommon for villages to resort to homeschooling."
"Aranami is smaller than Mononoke and it has a primary school."
"I know. I'm just saying that some villages don't."
Mikomi sighed heavily as they started passing by the large theater.
"There isn't much for you to see. It's just an empty lot across the street from Tensai's estate."
"It would be a quick trip then."
"A wasted trip. It would have been nice to have a school when I was growing up. It was supposed to have been built for Tobi. Now she's going to graduate high school before they even break ground."
Kurumu smiled at the resigned disappointment in Mikomi's voice.
"I don't understand why it took so long. I know that Kuyo made the funding impossible, but the school burned down in the summer of 88. That's almost six whole years before Kuyo came to Yokai Academy."
"It was mostly bickering among the town elders. They never figured out whom started the fire or if it was an accident. And nobody wanted to pay for it which brought up arguments over the lack of presence of Fairy Tale. It was a mess."
They crossed the intersection, walking by the multistory buildings on the other side. This squat building coming up on their left before the alleyway was Sengoku which did furniture restoration. Across the street from Sengoku was the Arata Suki establishment which provided landscaping services.
"After two years of nothing, Mr. Tensai decided to take matters into his own hands. He started buying up the local houses in the block across the street from his home. He bought newer, nicer homes for sixteen families, just so that he could tear down a bunch of old homes. He nearly went broke doing that."
"Were you one of the families he relocated?"
Mikomi laughed, shaking her head as they passed by more vacant buildings on their left.
"No. We moved into our current home in February the same year Kuyo arrived. The school expansion project which nearly bankrupted Mr. Tensai started in the fall of 92. He had already demolished all of those homes by that point. He was relying on Yokai Academy paying him for that expansion project to fund the building of his new school."
They turned right at the next intersection. It was a short walk down this street to the canopy which was drawn over the entrance to the Gates of Heaven. This place used to be an office building which was why the windows were higher up and smaller than most mercantile establishments. The window frames had been painted gold while the stone walls had been given a fresh layer of white paint over the summer.
"I don't remember much of my life in our old home."
Mikomi stopped beneath the canopy, turning a soft smile upon them.
"The memories of my mother are broken. Incomplete. I don't remember my brother at all."
Kurumu matched that soft smile. Mikomi's brother had been killed over the summer of 92 for being a monstrel. Not long after that, Mikomi's mother had attempted to kill herself and Mikomi.
"That's probably normal. I can't say that I have any clear memories before the age of three."
"It's not that I don't know about them. But Father got rid of most of their things during the move. I do remember that. I remember crying a lot. It was the move that made me fully understand their loss."
"We should go inside."
Kurumu nodded at Amatsu's suggestion. Ishikure hopped over to the door to hold it open for them. Mikomi entered first with Amatsu on her heels. Kurumu shivered upon entering, wondering if the air conditioning was still necessary in December. Not that it felt like December outside.
"Well look who we have here? The new student council president."
The blond haired man behind the counter grinned at them. That was Mr. Okada, the store's owner. He had on a white dress shirt and black slacks. The wraparound counter he stood behind had a shiny white top and was lined with chairs which had golden painted metal frames and white cushions. Kurumu had yet to see anybody sit at his counter.
"Afternoon, Mr. Okada."
"I'll treat you and your friends to one meal if you promise not to tell the wife."
"You are much too kind."
"How many tables do you need?"
Kurumu glanced at Satsuki whom stood behind the podium. She had traded her PSC outfit for a baby blue, short sleeved maid outfit plagued with white lace at every hem. She had a baby blue choker and matching armlets which were crimped and lined with lace. A frilly apron was tied about her waist and up over her shoulders, betraying the swell of her bosom.
"Hey Satsuki. Have you been busy today?"
"It was chaos for the lunch hour but it's been dead for about a half hour now."
Kurumu nodded, looking over the dining area. Easily half of the building had been gutted into a wide open space. The concrete floor was painted a glossy black which reflected the lights dangling from golden painted cords. The overhead structure had all been painted white, matching the walls.
Most of the tables in the open space were round with white tops and metal framing. Almost every table was flanked by four chairs which were the same style as the ones pushed up against the counter. Only three tables had customers at the moment. Two were occupied by lone guys whom were likely here to enjoy the scenery.
The last table was occupied with a familiar trio of second year students from the band. They were part of Sagimori's group but Kurumu honestly could not recall their names. The tall guy with the fine, chocolate locks was a kirin from Watasora. The two short guys were from Aranoiji.
"I think we'll need two. Squeezing six around one table might be an issue."
Kurumu grinned at Amatsu, leaning her head against Nijiro.
"I could sit in Nijiro's lap."
Iwa giggled, shaking her head.
"Well I'm not sitting in my brother's lap. Two tables."
"How shall we split this up?"
"I suggest that the lovers have their own table."
"I'm behaving myself."
Nijiro chuckled, giving her a squeeze.
"I'm surprised that you're protesting alone time."
"It's a wide open room. That's not alone time."
Satsuki huffed, pulling a stack of menus off the podium to tuck under her arm.
"I could put you in tables far apart."
"I'm guessing that unless you've got a private booth, Kurumu will want to be close to the others."
"Follow me then."
Satsuki stalked off from behind the podium, revealing that she was wearing black tights to cover her legs which would be bared by the maid outfit which ended halfway down her thighs. She guided them to the first table she came across, placing menus on the table in front of each chair.
"Any preference in servers?"
"I want to share the news with Fuwaki."
Satsuki snorted as Mikomi took the chair which allowed a clear view of the black door next to the old register sitting on the counter. That opened into a hallway which went to the restrooms and the kitchen.
"She's well aware of your victory. Wanibuchi has been gushing about it for hours. It's annoying."
Kurumu giggled as Amatsu sat in the chair to the left of Mikomi, facing the entrance. The siblings claimed the other two chairs with Iwa on Mikomi's right.
"I would like my table served by Hatoko."
Satsuki smirked, walking over to the adjacent table. She deliberately placed the menus in front of the chairs facing the wall.
"Don't give her a hard time. She's already been sent to the kitchen twice today to cool off."
Kurumu snickered, taking the chair which was closer to the other table.
"I thought she was being paid to be mean."
"There is a limit to what you can get away with. I'll go fetch the others."
Satsuki walked away with a determined stride. It only took her a few seconds to reach the black door. The owner grinned as the girl slipped out of sight.
"It's such a joy having an assortment of lovely maids."
"Is Hatoko working out for you?"
"The customers she served had no complaints. Having her cool off was more for her sake than theirs."
"You have some strange customers."
"Are you seriously going to give us a free meal?"
Mr. Okada laughed at Iwa's inquiry.
"Of course. A local kid has never been elected student council president. Not even in the eighties when we had as many as forty kids per grade."
"You're the first?"
"That was part of my campaign, Ms. Kurono."
Kurumu could only shake her head in disbelief.
"I don't know which is more surprising. That you're the first or that there were forty kids per grade."
"Mononoke was at its peak population in the eighties. Then the fire happened. That was not just a bunch of lost property. A lot of good folks died."
Kurumu frowned, trying to recall what she had been told about the fire. A part of her had assumed it was just the school but she knew it had been more.
"Wasn't it just a residential block?"
"Oh, heavens no. More like ten blocks. There used to be homes all the way down to the parking lot."
Kurumu's eyes widened at the revelation.
"I just assumed that the school was near the Siren's Lullaby."
"It was closer to that parking lot. The Lullaby was part of a four building apartment complex. It would have been torn down with the rest of the damaged buildings along that street but the owner insisted on doing the repairs himself. Took him eight whole years before he reopened the place as a karaoke house."
"The school was in an old poor neighborhood surrounded by low income housing."
Mr. Okada nodded at Mikomi's addition.
"And that is part of why many people suspected arson. Most poor folk tend to be monstrels. They saw this tragedy as a malevolent plot against us."
The black door swung open and a short girl with sickly green blondish hair stepped out. She was dressed in a maid outfit almost identical to the one Satsuki had on with only the color being different. The girl let out a happy cry, prancing across the room in her canary yellow attire. White stockings covered her legs.
"I heard the news!"
"So I've been told. How are you?"
Arai Fuwaki stopped shy of Mikomi's table with a wide grin. She had been dragged into Yoshii's schemes when he had returned to Yokai Academy. Luckily they had scared Yoshii away from her household before he carried out his threats against her poor, single mother.
"Awesome. This is going to be my best birthday ever."
"Birthday?"
Fuwaki blushed, nodding at Kurumu.
"I turn fourteen on the ninth."
Kurumu smiled apologetically. Mostly because this cute girl did not look like a fourteen year old. She was more like Yukari, though not as short.
"Do you have any plans for it?"
"Just being with my mom."
"Don't start. You have exams after that weekend."
Kurumu huffed at Nijiro.
"I can visit. Maybe we could have a study sleepover at Mikomi's place."
"I might agree to that if we're not inviting a bunch of boys."
"We should probably think about our order."
Iwa giggled, nodding at Amatsu's suggestion.
"True. Though I'm not that hungry."
"Well we did have a late lunch."
Originally they had planned to have a cheap and quick lunch at Bottomless Bowls. On the way through town, Mikomi had walked into several stores to share the news of her victory to friends of her father. When she had shared the news with the Satomura family, the burly restaurant owner had insisted upon treating them to a free lunch.
"I can always make room for dessert."
"We can save some for later, right?"
Fuwaki nodded at Iwa as the black door opened with the chatter of girls.
"-rather do dishes."
"It's Kurono. She'd probably go back there and get you if you refused."
Kurumu laughed at Satsuki remark. The nekomusume had returned with two other girls. The gorgeous blond with the wavy tresses was Wanibuchi Bunii. She was the owner's niece and was wearing a pastel pink version of the maid attire. She also had white stockings.
Kurumu turned her smirk upon Hatoko. The tengu girl looked amazing despite her scowl. Her maid outfit was a fiery red while the lace for hers was golden instead of the usual white. While the other three girls had full body aprons, Hatoko's apron only wrapped around her waist. It was probably an oversight, but her legs were bared beneath the frills of her skirt.
"What ya want?"
Kurumu grinned as the trio stopped in front of her table. Hatoko crossed her arms which succeeded in accentuating her bosom.
"Are you wearing a bra?"
"Fuck off."
"You look fantastic, Hatoko. You should go to school like that."
"Kill me now."
Satsuki snickered, clapping a hand on Hatoko's shoulder.
"You can drop the act."
"Are ya ordering or not?"
Kurumu smiled, glancing over the menu without any real interest.
"I'm serious, Hatoko. You look great."
"What of it?"
Doubting this chat would get any better, Kurumu turned her gaze upon Wanibuchi.
"I missed you at the sewing club meeting on Thursday."
"You attended a sewing club meeting?"
"Mhm. And you were the only one absent. Other than the third years."
"But our meetings our optional and Kori shouldn't walk home alone."
"I'm just teasing you. How would you say Hatoko is doing for her first day?"
"Better than Ms. Unari."
"I didn't do that bad."
"You spilled tea on three customers."
Satsuki huffed, thumbing at Hatoko.
"She got tea on someone."
"Throwing it in his face is different than an accident."
"What?!"
"He asked for it."
"What did he do?"
Wanibuchi giggled nervously at Kurumu's alarm.
"He literally asked for it. It was by his request."
Kurumu laughed in relief.
"Oh. Okay. I thought he might have groped you or something."
"Get more than tea in his face if done that!"
"Most of our customers are smart enough to not touch us. The few that don't know those boundaries are asked never to come back."
Satsuki nodded at Wanibuchi's remark.
"Yea. Manager can be scary when he wants to be. The brute that touched Fuwaki pissed himself."
Kurumu glanced at the cheerful guy behind the counter, trying to envision that. He had shown a very serious side when he had refused Asuka's petition to work here without parental permission.
"So are you going to stay here and work instead of going home for winter break?"
Hatoko huffed, pulling an order booklet free from the apron cord tied about her waist.
"This again? Talked yesterday bouts it."
"I was thinking you'd have a change of heart."
"Naw. Customers bunch of freaks but no worse than the dummies at school. Not minds the work."
Kurumu smiled softly as the girl freed a pencil from the spiral binding at the top of the order booklet.
"At least go home over spring break. Make peace with your mother."
"Bah. Ya ordering or what? Gots better things to do."
Kurumu laughed, supposed could always pester Hatoko about this the next time they shared lunch.
"I honestly have never ordered anything off this menu other than tea and taiyaki. Do you have any suggestions for me?"
"Leaving."
Nijiro chuckled, tapping a finger against the menu he was holding up.
"I know how much a fan you are of sour citrus stuff. Perhaps you would like this manju with yuzu filling?"
"They have that?"
"It's in the small print below the manju."
Kurumu bit her lip upon realizing he was right. There was a list of fillings they could put into their manju, including red bean paste, matcha, lemon and other fruits.
"That could be different. Do you mind if I get a manju, Mikomi?"
Mikomi giggled as she handed over her menu to Fuwaki.
"I'm spoiling myself with strawberry cheesecake. I think they are the only place in town that makes it."
"We are. Ever since Mrs. Morihana closed up her cake shop five years ago, you could only get cheesecake by buying the ingredients in the store and making it yourself."
Kurumu smiled at Wanibuchi's confirmation. She took in a deep breath.
"Then I'll take the manju with yuzu filling."
"Drink?"
"Yuzu tea. Oh and a bag of taiyaki to go."
"We already ordered a bag."
Kurumu grinned at Amatsu, nodding.
"I was thinking of taking some home to Moka and Yukari. You don't mind, right?"
Nijiro snickered as the other girls sounded their approval.
"Aren't you the big spender."
Kurumu stuck her tongue out at him before handing her menu to Wanibuchi.
"It's on the house."