Authors Note: The plot thickens from here on out. I hope things don't get too wild! Anyway, it will probably be a few weeks before the next chapter. I'm going to be really busy for a while, so my story takes a back seat for now . I hope to come back with a vengeance though, so fear not if you like this story. It shall continue!
Also, note that text blocks in ITALICS are meant to be fourth wall breaking dialogue from Yuu. This is a spoof/parody of house of cards after all, and it wouldn't be complete without that element
Why, hello dear reader. It's been far too long since we last talked. Were you beginning to miss me? I'm sure you were. In any case, I'm happy to see you again. I'm almost as happy to see Yukiko Amagi. Why, you ask, am I happy to see my primary competitor for the Presidency? Don't make the mistake of thinking she's not my friend dear reader. Politics is just politics, and our friendship will survive this student council business. I'm happy to see her because I've just learned some wonderful news. This news is going to assure my political victory, and if Yukiko can feel which way the wind is blowing, it'll assure victory for her as well.
"Yuu!" she calls with a shy smile as her eyes fall upon me.
I sense the genuine happiness she feels when she sees me, it radiates from her. We haven't spent any real time together over that last few days, and I know she wants more than simple friendship between us. It must take great restraint for her to keep from following through on those urges. I admire that and I greet her with a smile in turn.
"Would you like a flyer? I'm running for Council President," she informs me coyly. I take the flyer and examine it, not forgetting to tell her how amazing it is that she's running in the election.
"Thanks Yuu! Although, I see you're running as well," she confesses. A brief silence develops, but I respond quickly before it gets awkward.
"That's right. I thought I'd be able to bring some changes if I won. But you'd be a great President too, probably even better than me," I admit. "To me it's really about beating the current student executive. Have you noticed how they keep cancelling all the student clubs?"
She confirms that she has, and that she's very concerned about it as well. She's blushing a little bit; she usually blushes when we find ourselves away from prying eyes.
"Yuu…" she begins timidly, "do you really think I'd be a good president? I can't imagine that I'd be better at it than you" she reveals, seemingly in disbelief of the compliment.
I nod my head, making sure to maintain eye contact with her. "There is no question in my mind, Yukiko. You'd be a great president. I think you're a really important part of this town, and the students here think so too. I mean, your family has been running the Inn for so long that you're part of the social fabric of Inaba. Even High School students value that kind of history and dedication."
"Aw, Yuu, that's sweet of you to say. But I'm not sure how much of that can be attributed to me. I should confess that I don't really think that I can win." she confides, averting her eyes to the floor and slipping her hands low behind her back. "The truth is I have another reason for doing this."
Yukiko is the most modest person I know, dear reader. I consider modesty to be endearing; it's another trait that I appreciate. Overconfidence and pomposity suit no one. I know full well what that 'other reason' is simply by the way she holds herself. I'm flattered by her sentiment, honestly.
"Frankly, I'm not sure I can win this thing either. It sort of feels like I'm not quite accepted by everyone in town yet," I admit solemnly.
She looks at me with sympathetic eyes; there seems to be sadness buried in her gaze as well.
"It pains me to say it, but some people in this town are so closed minded. They resist change, and feel threatened by anything they don't know. In fact, a crowd of anti-Junes protesters just marched by before you came along. It was very strange!"
Do you recall that good news I spoke of, dear reader? There it is. The 'Friends of Inaba Shopping District' have proven to be true friends indeed. Who do you think told them there was a girl staging a protest against Junes in the first place? It was yours truly. I was visiting Junes with Nanako and just happened to come upon Chie as she climbed into that freezer, and the security guards caught her a short time later. I seized a golden opportunity. Granted, I didn't anticipate that they'd arrive on the scene so quickly, or be so successful in getting media attention, but it works to my advantage. I wanted to turn Chie into a local hero, and it seems I've done just that by tapping into the anti-Junes sentiment.
Poor Yosuke, meanwhile, may simply have to endure the 'Friends of Inaba' for the time being. The things we do for the greater good….
"Yeah, I spoke to them downstairs. They were looking for Chie, because they think she was part of some kind of protest at Junes yesterday. They wanted to thank her for confronting Junes," I explain.
"A protest against Junes? That doesn't sound like the Chie I know! Are they sure they have the right person? I mean…..that's where she buys her steaks. She loves Junes' steaks!" she blurts, unable to fathom that Chie would engage in such behaviour. She knows her friend well.
"I think the whole thing was a big misunderstanding. I think Yosuke had something to do with it. Chie was really mad at him. I'm not sure what exactly happened between them, but it must have been something pretty bad to get her so worked up. She stormed off halfway through lunch. In any case, she got banned from Junes for a year," I lament.
"What?!" That's so unfair," she shrieks. "What did Yosuke do?!"
"I wish I knew. I'm just happy he went after Chie to apologize before that mob showed up. If they would have ran into the 'Prince of Junes', things might have gotten ugly."
"Things might still get ugly for him if I find out he's being a jerk to Chie!" Yukiko stammers. "Where did Chie go anyway?"
"I'm not sure. She ran off after Yosuke said her report card was going to be bad," I reply.
"That jerk! As if he should be talking down to her about grades. He's no Einstein himself. I know for a fact that she's been studying really hard!" Yukiko fumes. It's rare that she gets so flustered, but right now her skin tone almost matches her shirt.
"I'll tell Yosuke to think before he speaks from now on," I assure her, trying to calm her down.
She takes a deep breath.
"I think he's got a crush on her to be honest," I confide.
Yukiko's jaw drops. I'm worried for a moment that I've just spoken blasphemy, but her expression relaxes when the cogs in her brain start to move, process the information and accept it.
"He's not so good with girls, is he?" she sighs.
"Nope," I agree bluntly. "Let's head to class before we're late. We wouldn't want to get after school detention with Kashiwagi."
Yukiko and I enter the classroom together, and I immediately feel a deathly stare on me. My teacher, Ms Kashiwagi seems to be jealous of Yukiko. This is what males in her class must put up with every day. She wants to relive her youth or something, but I don't see any of the girls in class showing that much cleavage. That must have been a thing in the 1980's, back in her glory days.
The bell rings before I have taken my seat. Kashiwagi wastes no time.
"DE-TEN-TION!" she howls as she springs to her hooves, singling me out with a boney index finger. "How many more times must I repeat myself!? Be on time for class! You're supposed to be in here learning with me, not gallivanting around with your insignificant girlfriend! Do you think you can learn anything from her!? Do you?! Now you're going to spend your afternoon helping me finish some paperwork! But don't worry, we might find time for an extra credit assignment."
I decide to bite my lip. I don't want to have detention for two days.
She straightens her blouse and sits back down at her desk. I think she may have undone another button. I'm not looking forward to detention, alone, with this woman…
AN: I hope some of those elements were funny and I hope some were surprising. So, until next time, may the Force be with you.