Even the Student Council Has Its Holes! ~I Reincarnated but My Science Grades Are Still Hopeless~
Mizunoe Ume is a genius—at humanities, anyway. Perfect scores in Japanese and social studies, literary awards under his belt, top of the year. There's just one problem: his math and science grades are so catastrophically bad that he's one makeup exam away from being held back. And to make matters worse, he's been reincarnated—with memories of a past life where he was *also* hopeless at science. No cheat skills. No second chances. Just the same weaknesses, carried over intact.
Enter Hiratsuka-se
Even the Student Council Has Its Holes! ~I Reincarnated but My Science Grades Are Still Hopeless~ - The president drops the documents.
The hallway after school was bustling with students heading home.
Mizunoe Ume climbed the main building stairs against the flow of traffic. The western sun through the windows shone through his short black hair. The slight bedhead cowlick—which he'd desperately tried to tame with water that morning—was already asserting itself again.
"...Seriously, why am I doing student council stuff?"
In his pocket, the usual paperback. On his left wrist, an old watch he'd won as a prize in a humanities mock exam. His navy blazer was still neat for the end of the day.
When he reached the top of the stairs, Ume stopped.
The east end of the third floor. At the end of the hallway was that room. An old plate on the door read "Student Council." The intercom was broken, and apparently the knock had a distinctive rhythm.
"Knock knock knock, knock."
Ume rapped on the door with the rhythm he'd been taught.
...No response.
"...Huh? Did nobody come yet?"
Ume tilted his head.
No, wait. Today was Monday. The day of the three-times-a-week regular meeting. Hiratsuka Toshimi had told him to come to the student council room after class.
"...I'm coming in."
Ume slowly opened the door.
—And in that instant.
"U-um...!"
A voice like a startled yelp flew out from inside the room.
Ume looked up.
Standing there was a tall girl with long, straight black hair.
She was 168 centimeters—taller than Ume. Good posture, the kind that came from years of kendo. Piercing black eyes. A small piercing hole in her left ear. Calluses on her palms from a bamboo sword.
Private Fujinari Academy High School, second year, class one. Student council president, Kotobuki Hisako.
"So you're the new secretary assistant, Mizunoe-kun."
Hisako smiled at him.
Talented in both academics and athletics, fair and kind to everyone. Deeply trusted by the students. The perfect president's smile.
—Or so it should have been.
The next moment.
The instant Hisako's eyes met Ume's face, she turned bright red—so red you could almost hear the sizzle.
"...Huh?"
Ume instinctively took a step back.
Hisako stood frozen in place. The stack of papers in her hands slipped through her fingers.
Flutter flutter flutter!
The documents cascaded to the floor like an avalanche.
"...Uh, wait—are you okay!?"
Ume rushed toward her.
"I-I'm fine! I'm fine! Totally fine!"
Hisako thrust both hands out to stop him. Her face was even redder than before. Red all the way to her ears.
"...Are you really okay? Your face is really red."
"Eh!? A-ah, that's, um... it's just a little hot! Yes, hot! It's October, isn't that weird! Ahaha..."
Hisako let out a dry laugh.
Ume mentally fired off a retort.
(I mean, it's October. It's not hot. And what has this person been doing this whole time? Dropping papers, face all red...)
"Hey, Mizunoe."
A low voice came from behind him.
He turned to find Hiratsuka Toshimi, the head of the grade, standing there. A male teacher in his forties. Chewing on an unlit cigarette, he looked at Hisako with exasperation.
"Mr. Hiratsuka..."
"Don't mind her. Hisako's just bad at talking to guys."
Hiratsuka spoke while pinching the cigarette between his fingers.
"Haah... bad at talking to guys..."
Ume glanced at Hisako.
She was gathering the scattered papers from the floor. Her hands were trembling slightly.
(...Is that really just 'bad at it'? This?)
"Well, get used to it. She's a good person at heart. And she's good at her job."
Hiratsuka said that and clapped Ume on the shoulder.
"...Haah."
Ume decided to just accept it for now.
"U-um...!"
Hisako stood up, clutching the papers.
"I-I'm sorry! I'm the student council president, Kotobuki Hisako! Second year, class one! P-please treat me well!"
Hisako bowed deeply.
"Ah, nice to meet you. First year, class three, Mizunoe Ume. I'll be in your care as secretary assistant starting today."
Ume bowed as well.
"Y-yes! Likewise! Nice to meet you!"
Hisako's voice cracked.
Ume thought to himself.
(Is this person really the student council president...?)
—And so, Ume's student council life began in earnest.
The regular meeting was held at the long table in the center of the student council room.
Ume, Hisako, and Hiratsuka sat at the six-seat table. The other members hadn't arrived yet.
"Are the other members not coming today?"
When Ume asked, Hiratsuka answered.
"Treasurer Terui's got a part-time job, PR rep Otori has middle school business, and general affairs Mutsu still isn't back to full form. Today it's just you and Hisako—learn the ropes."
"...Just the two of us."
Ume glanced at Hisako.
The moment their eyes met, Hisako's shoulders jerked.
(...Is this going to be okay?)
"Alright, I've got a faculty meeting, so you two handle the rest."
Hiratsuka said that and left the student council room.
—Silence.
An awkward silence filled the room.
"...Um."
"Y-yes!"
Hisako straightened her back with a jolt.
"No, you don't have to be that nervous. I'm not going to bite."
"B-bite!? I-I wasn't thinking that! Not at all!"
Hisako waved her hands, face bright red.
"...No, that was a figure of speech. A figure of speech."
Ume sighed.
"A-anyway! Let me teach you the minutes format!"
Hisako held out a sheet of paper with trembling hands.
"Th-this is the minutes format. I-if you don't understand something, just ask."
Her voice was shaking. Her eyes wouldn't meet his.
"...Thank you."
Ume took the paper.
The minutes format was simpler than he'd expected. Date, attendees, agenda, decisions, carryover items. Just summarize each item concisely.
(...I can do this.)
Ume was a genius at humanities subjects. He had absolute confidence in his writing.
"Let me try practicing. With some random agenda item."
"Eh? A-ah, yes! Right! Then... um..."
Hisako's eyes darted around.
"...Um, Mizunoe-kun, why did you join the student council?"
"Eh?"
"A-ah, sorry! Asking something weird out of nowhere! But when you said agenda, I couldn't think of anything..."
Hisako shrank back apologetically.
"...Well, it's fine. It's to avoid being held back a year."
"Held back!?"
Hisako looked up in surprise.
"My science subjects are catastrophically bad. I'm top of the year in Japanese and social studies, but I'm failing math and science. I can't reach the 60-point average needed to advance."
"I see... But being top of the year in Japanese and social studies is amazing!"
Hisako's eyes sparkled.
"Well, if it's just humanities, I won't lose to anyone."
Ume said with a hint of pride.
"That's wonderful! I'm decent at humanities but better at sciences... So I really admire people who are good at humanities!"
Hisako leaned forward as she spoke.
—In that moment.
The distance between Ume and Hisako suddenly closed.
"...Ah."
Hisako pulled back as if snapping to her senses.
"S-sorry! I just..."
"No, it's fine."
Ume gave a wry smile.
(This person's emotional swings are really extreme...)
"L-let's start practicing the minutes!"
Hisako said, trying to pull herself together.
"Sure. Then the agenda will be... 'Regarding Mizunoe Ume's Admission to the Student Council.'"
"Eh? You're making that the agenda?"
"It's practice. Anything works."
"R-right! Let's go with that then!"
Hisako gripped her pen.
—Snap.
"...Eh?"
The pen tip had broken in her hand.
"...Are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine! I just put a little too much force into it! Ahaha..."
Hisako placed the broken pen at the corner of the desk.
(...Breaking a pen tip—how much force was she using?)
Ume mentally retorted.
"Okay, from the top. ...Um, attendees are me and Mizunoe-kun. Agenda is Mizunoe-kun's admission to the student council. Decisions are..."
Hisako pulled out a new pen and began writing the minutes.
Ume also began practicing the minutes on his own.
—For a while, the two worked in silence.
Ume was writing with a serious expression.
(...He looks cool.)
Hisako stole a glance at Ume's profile.
His profile was utterly serious. His short black hair swayed softly. His deep brown eyes looked straight at the paper.
(...What do I do? My heart is pounding. Wh-what am I even thinking? Toward a first-year boy I just met...!)
Hisako covered her face with both hands.
Her face was so hot it felt like it might catch fire.
(N-no. Calm down. I'm the student council president. I need to pull myself together. ...But Mizunoe-kun really is cool...)
Hisako peeked at Ume's profile through the gaps between her fingers.
Ume kept practicing the minutes.
"...Um, Kotobuki-senpai."
"Y-yes!?"
Hisako straightened with a jolt.
"What should I write in this 'carryover items' column?"
"Ah, um, that's..."
Hisako tried to explain.
—But just then.
Hisako's hand knocked over the materials on the desk.
Flutter!
"...Ah."
The papers scattered across the floor.
"I-I'm sorry! I'll pick them up!"
Hisako crouched down in a panic.
"No, I'll get them. You stay seated, senpai."
Ume crouched down too.
—Their hands reached for the same sheet at the same time.
Almost touching.
"...!"
Hisako yanked her hand back as if shocked.
"I-I'm sorry!"
"No, that's nothing to apologize for..."
Ume glanced at Hisako as he gathered the papers.
Hisako stayed crouched, face bright red, staring at the floor.
(...Is this person really okay? I mean, she's been making way too many mistakes.)
Ume sighed internally.
"...Senpai, are you really okay? You seem really off."
"I-I'm fine! Really fine! Don't worry about it!"
Hisako waved her hands desperately.
"...If you say so."
Ume stopped pressing further.
(Well, she did say she's bad at talking to guys. I'll leave her be until she gets used to it.)
Ume placed the gathered papers on the desk.
"Let's continue."
"Y-yes!"
Hisako stood up.
—Thunk!
"...Ow!?"
Hisako banged her foot on the corner of the desk and crouched down again.
"...Are you okay!?"
Ume rushed over.
"I-I'm fine! I'm okay! Really okay!"
Hisako backed away, face bright red.
"But that was a loud sound. Let me see your foot."
"N-no! I can't show you! It's embarrassing! ...Ah, no, that's not it! I'm really fine! Don't worry about it!"
Hisako waved her hands desperately from her crouched position.
"...Are you really okay?"
"I-I'm fine! Really! Mizunoe-kun, just keep practicing the minutes!"
"...Understood."
Ume returned to his seat, looking worried.
(...Is this student council going to be okay...?)
Ume heaved a deep internal sigh.
After that, the regular meeting ended safely (?).
No—whether you could call it "safely" was debatable.
Ume had mastered how to write the minutes.
Hisako, her heart pounding the whole time she was alone with Ume, somehow managed to fulfill her duties as president.
And on the way out—
"Thank you for everything today. I'll be in your care starting tomorrow."
Ume bowed.
"Y-yes! Nice to meet you! ...Ah."
Thunk.
Hisako banged her foot on the desk corner again.
"Ow...!"
Hisako crouched down.
"...Are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine! Really fine! So just go home! Good work today!"
Hisako waved desperately from her crouched position.
"...Understood. I'll be going then."
Ume left the student council room, looking concerned.
The door closed.
Hisako stayed crouched there for a while, unable to move.
"...Haah. What am I even doing?"
Enduring the pain in her foot and the pounding of her heart, Hisako let out a small sigh.
"...But Mizunoe-kun was kind. He was worried about me. ...He was cool."
Hisako stood up, face still flushed.
Outside the window, the setting sun dyed the cherry trees in the courtyard orange.
Hisako stared at her right hand.
—It was trembling faintly.
"...What's gotten into me?"
Hisako gently wrapped her trembling right hand with her left.
Just then.
"You're way too obvious."
An exasperated voice came from behind her.
"Eek!?"
Hisako jumped and spun around.
There stood Hiratsuka Toshimi, cigarette bobbing as he looked at her with half-lidded eyes.
"Wh-what are you talking ab
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