Deeply she drew her steady breaths like pulling well water. She rocked slowly from her toes to the balls of her feet. Her hand gripped the door handle as pain shot up her forearm. She stared ahead with the half resolve of a man convincing himself to die. The door was a thick oak, rich in color and witness to generations of her father's fathers. Her stomach churned as she let her heartbeat fill her ears. A weary sigh deflated her mind; she set her feet firmly on the ground.
She grit her teeth and shook her head as if to drive out the last of her frayed nerves. Squaring her shoulders, she stood straight; her head became level. Her fingers smoothed imaginary loose strands of hair. Finally, she opened the door.
The office had wood paneled walls as vivid as the entrance. An outdated red carpet muffled the din of her footsteps. Discreetly she closed the door behind her. At the furthest end behind a desk of more wood sat a woman with an average build and oddly ashen hair. Her grey blazer screamed it's tailored quality whenever it poked behind her morning paper. She watched her fold the news and set it aside. The slightly lined face of a woman in her mid thirties greeted her with calm eyes. As she felt herself be sized, it came with the energy of thorough experience.
Her voice was the even tempered warmth Nozomi imagined. She saw the rest of the desk contain a blue and white porcelain vase with a single carnation.
"Hello Ms. Tojo, rather early to leave class at the moment. Can I help you?"
"I…I'd like to nominate myself for the vacant Student Council Vice Presidency. If it's still open, Principal Minami."
The Principal leaned forward with her chin on her hands in rapt attention. She smiled happily with so much control it appeared uncannily polite. The sight made Nozomi awkwardly shrink back her posture. Thoughtfully the Principal nodded before digging into her drawers. Nozomi held her breath and fiddled her fingers together at her sides. There came a manila folder, then a sheet of paper. She trailed it as it was slid forward.
"You'll need to fill this out first; an interview with me will be held at lunch. Do be sure not to miss it."
"Thank you Principal Minami, I'll be on time surely."
"I'm rather impressed . You're the first to apply in some weeks; many girls have refused or quit shortly after."
A knock at the door made her stiffen. The Principal called to enter and a blonde girl emerged clutching a stack of files. Nozomi stood utterly still. The girl spoke with colorless formality.
"I'm here to turn in the latest budget reports for starting term."
"It's 'the starting term' Ms. Ayase. Though your Japanese has much improved in sound."
The girl stared intently at Nozomi; a glimmer of recognition dawned on her. It soon vanished as she coolly passed and set the stack down. Nozomi's eyes tracked her every move, spellbound. Just as once before she felt a keen familiarity bubble in her stomach. Again the girl spoke, now faintly wounded.
"Thank you, I will remember."
"You've come just in time. Ms. Tojo here is going to apply for the Vice Presidency. What do you think?" The Principal asked as she gestured toward Nozomi nonchalantly.
The girl squinted her eyes and Nozomi almost laughed at her comical seriousness. For the second time she was sized in the manner of passive half hearted interest that bordered on blase. It was the way a tuned out child feigned an opinion on unappealing clothes. The humor was sucked from Nozomi's face. The girl's voice, ever a chameleon thing Nozomi thought, shifted to bluntly distant.
"I'm Eli Ayase the Student Council President. I've seen you a few times in class. We spoke on the stairwell too I think."
"Not long enough. We should do more if we're going to work together; we might be very alike."
Eli's face recoiled then flushed in surprise. Her eyes had widened; Nozomi felt a grin. It rose into a smile when at last an emotion colored Eli. She swallowed the urge to chuckle. Principal Minami watched with her chin still on her hands.
"Are you always this bold?"
Nozomi laughed at last and met Eli's eyes easily.
"You'll soon see."