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~ - Kotobuki Diner's Perverted Meeting
Late Saturday morning. The sky over Kagamihara City was a flawless autumn blue, not a cloud in sight.
Mizunoe Ume walked through the Minami-dori shopping arcade, phone map in one hand. His short black hair was sticking up again today. He'd tamed his bedhead with water, but once it dried it bounced right back. No navy blazer today—just a hoodie and chinos. A paperback novel sat in his pocket, as always.
"...Kotobuki Diner. Right up ahead, then a right."
Ume compared the map on his screen with the street in front of him.
Three days after episode two. The student council meeting was being held at the president's family restaurant. Normally they used the council room, but today was Saturday—and Hisako had suggested they "change things up and talk somewhere relaxed."
(Well, doesn't matter to me where we do it.)
Ume passed under the arcade's roof.
Minami-dori was bustling with Saturday shoppers. Outside the old wagashi shop Mitsubaya, steam rose in white curls—the famous Kagamihara buns had just come out of the steamer. At the bookstore Books Nagai, new paperbacks were stacked high on the display table.
(Oh, that's the one I was curious about. Maybe I'll stop by on the way back.)
He paused for a moment in front of the shop.
"Hey, if it isn't Ume!"
From the back of the store emerged the owner, Nagai Genta, his hair streaked with white. A friendly man in his sixties. He knew perfectly well that Ume was a regular.
"Ah, Nagai-san. Hello."
"Saturday and you're coming from school? ...Wait, you're in street clothes. A date?"
Nagai grinned.
"N-no, nothing like that. Student council meeting."
Ume denied it a little too quickly.
"Student council? Ah, Hisako-chan's place. Kotobuki Diner, right? Their set meals are great. The fried horse mackerel especially."
"You've been there, Nagai-san?"
"Course I have. Doing business in this arcade, you get around. Genta's set meals are big portions and cheap. A student's best friend."
Nagai gave a thumbs-up.
"Ha... looking forward to it."
Ume meant it.
Truth was, he hadn't eaten anything since morning. He was hungry. Maybe he could grab something before the meeting. No—the meeting came first. No, an empty stomach wins no battles, as they say.
(...Not that we're fighting any.)
Ume smirked at his own internal comeback.
"Well then, Nagai-san. See you."
"Take care. Say hi to Hisako-chan for me."
Ume left the bookstore and continued deeper into Minami-dori.
The arcade ended and the street opened into a residential neighborhood. After a short walk, a red noren curtain came into view.
"Kotobuki Diner."
An old wooden building, but well maintained. Beside the entrance hung a handwritten menu board.
"...This is the place."
Ume pushed through the curtain.
—And the moment he did.
"Welcome!"
A bright voice rang out.
Behind the counter stood a woman, mid-forties perhaps. She wore an apron, and her smile was dazzling. And more than that—
(...Huge.)
Ume instinctively looked away.
Kotobuki Sumire. Hisako's mother. A chest that rivaled her daughter's—impossible to miss, even under the apron.
"Oh, so you're Ume-kun?"
Sumire leaned over the counter and studied him.
"Y-yes. Mizunoe Ume. I'm here for the meeting today..."
"Hisako's been restless since yesterday. 'Ume-kun's coming, I have to clean my room'—she must've tidied up five times."
Sumire giggled.
"...I see."
Ume had no idea how to respond, so he gave a vague nod.
"Hey, Hisako! Ume-kun's here!"
Sumire called toward the back of the shop.
"What!? H-he's already here!?"
A flustered voice came from the back.
Thump, thump, thump!
The sound of someone racing down the stairs. And then—
"M-Mizunoe-kun! Welcome!"
Hisako appeared, her face bright red.
She was in street clothes—a white blouse and a floral long skirt. Her long black hair flowed as neatly as ever. She stood at the entrance of the shop, all five-foot-six of her somehow looking small.
"Ah, thanks. Sorry to intrude."
Ume gave a slight bow.
"Y-yeah! Um, come in! This way!"
Her voice cracked as she tried to lead him inside.
That was when—
"Ah, so you're the Ume-kun Hisako's been talking about!"
A man with a sturdy build emerged from the kitchen. Apron on, knife in hand. Dark tan, hair cropped short. Late forties. Hisako's father—Kotobuki Genta.
"Y-yes. Mizunoe."
"Must be nice being popular! This is the first time in Hisako's life she's brought a boy home!"
Genta laughed heartily.
"Dad! Th-that's not it! It's a meeting! Just a student council meeting—we're only borrowing the house!"
Hisako waved both hands frantically, denying it with everything she had.
"Oh my, she's so embarrassed. Mom's rooting for you."
Sumire piled on, beaming.
"R-rooting for what!? Mom, what are you even saying!?"
Hisako's face went even redder. Her ears were scarlet.
Ume thought to himself.
(...Is this whole family like this?)
"Anyway, come on in. You haven't had lunch, right? Eat something before your meeting."
Genta spun his knife around and headed back to the kitchen.
"Ah, no, I'm just here for the meeting..."
"Don't be shy! If I can't even feed my daughter's boyfriend, this shop's sign might as well come down!"
"I-I'm not her boyfriend, Dad!"
Hisako's voice echoed through the whole restaurant.
—In the end, Ume ate a set meal at Kotobuki Diner before the meeting.
The shop hummed with the lively energy of a proper diner.
Six counter seats. Three four-person tables. Handwritten menus plastered all over the walls.
"Daily special, 650 yen." "Fried horse mackerel set, 700 yen." "Katsudon, 750 yen."—All of them looked massive.
Ume took a counter seat. Hisako sat beside him.
"...Um, Mizunoe-kun. I'm really sorry. My family's so loud."
Hisako said apologetically.
"Nah, it's fine. I think it's nice—lively."
Ume meant it.
"Yeah? ...Thank you."
Hisako smiled in relief.
—And seeing that smile, Ume's heart skipped, just a little.
(...Wait, why is my heart skipping?)
He mentally scolded himself.
"Here you go, sorry for the wait!"
Sumire set a set meal in front of Ume.
"Whoa... looks amazing."
Fried horse mackerel set. Two freshly fried fillets. Shredded cabbage, miso soup, rice. The savory aroma tickled his nose.
"Our fried mackerel is the best in Kagamihara."
Genta boasted from the kitchen.
"Thanks for the food."
Ume picked up his chopsticks.
One bite of the mackerel.
Crisp.
The batter was thin, the inside fluffy. No sauce needed—plenty of flavor on its own.
"...Delicious."
The words slipped out.
"Right?"
Hisako smiled happily.
"Ume-kun, do you like our set meals?"
Sumire asked from across the counter.
"Yeah, a lot. I could eat this every day."
"Oh, what a nice thing to say. Hisako, aren't you glad? Ume-kun likes it."
"Wh-why are you dragging me into this!?"
Hisako's face went red again.
That was when—
"Ah, it's Big Sis's boyfriend!"
A boy who looked about elementary school age came bursting out from the back.
A buzz cut, T-shirt and shorts. A mischievous face. Kotobuki Daikon—Hisako's little brother.
"Daikon! I keep telling you he's not my boyfriend!"
"But I've never seen you eat with a guy before, Big Sis!"
Daikon plopped down next to Ume.
"Hey, hey, mister. What do you like about my big sister?"
Daikon asked, eyes sparkling.
"Bff!?"
Ume nearly spat out his miso soup.
"Daikon! Stop it! You're bothering Mizunoe-kun!"
Hisako smacked Daikon lightly on the head.
"But I wanna know! Last night, Big Sis kept saying 'Ume-kun, Ume-kun' in her sleep—"
"Gyaaaaa! Stop! Don't say that!"
Hisako clamped her hand over Daikon's mouth.
"...My name? In your sleep?"
Ume looked at Hisako.
"Th-that's not it! It's not! Daikon's just making things up! I wasn't talking in my sleep! I wasn't!"
Hisako denied it desperately, face crimson.
"Oh my, Hisako. Calling a boy's name in your sleep—how youthful."
Sumire said, beaming.
"Mom! Stop! It's really not what you think!"
"Big Sis, your face is so red. You're so obvious."
Daikon cackled.
Ume thought to himself.
(...This whole family really is like this.)
After lunch, the meeting was held in a tatami room at the back of the shop.
A six-mat Japanese room. Ume and Hisako sat across from each other at a low table.
"...Okay, so, starting with the agenda for next week's regular meeting."
Hisako opened her notebook.
"Right."
Ume took out his memo pad.
"Next week: the sports festival review, cultural festival prep. Also a few club budget requests."
"Got it."
Ume nodded, taking notes.
—The meeting went smoothly.
Hisako was every bit the student council president—clear, efficient, moving through the agenda briskly. Ume, as assistant secretary, drafted the minutes.
"...So then, about the cultural festival theme proposal."
Hisako turned a page.
"The cultural festival... Are we doing something new this year?"
"I think so. Last year was mostly class exhibits and food stalls, so this year I want more student council-led events."
"Oh? Like what?"
"...It's a secret."
Hisako smiled mischievously.
"A secret...?"
"It's not officially decided yet. Once it is, you'll be the first to know, Ume-kun."
She said it while looking him straight in the eye.
(...First to know, huh.)
The words lingered oddly in his chest.
—That was when.
"Ume-bro, what do you think of my big sister?"
A voice came from the doorway of the tatami room.
He turned. A girl who looked about middle school age stood there.
Black hair to her shoulders. A slightly precocious air. Hisako's little sister—Kotobuki Sakura.
"Sa-Sakura!? What are you saying!?"
Hisako shot to her feet.
"I mean, I'm curious. You've been talking about nothing but Ume-bro since yesterday."
Sakura sat down beside the low table.
"Sakura! You too! Don't interrupt the meeting!"
"I'm not interrupting. I just asked a question."
Sakura stared at Ume's face.
"So? Do you like my big sister?"
"Bff!?"
This time Ume really did almost spit out his tea.
"Oh my, Sakura, you're so direct."
Sumire was suddenly standing in the doorway too.
"Mom, not you too!"
"But I'm curious too. This is the first time Hisako's brought a boy home."
Sumire sat down beside the table, smiling.
"I keep telling you, he's not my boyfriend! It's a student council meeting!"
"Hisako's always been all about kendo, never any interest in boys. You're the first, kid."
Now Genta appeared in the doorway too.
"Dad too!? Everyone, don't you have work!?"
"It's lunch break."
Genta sat down in front of Ume.
"...Um."
Ume was completely surrounded.
"Ume-kun, let me see your hands."
Genta said with a serious face.
"Huh? My hands?"
Ume held out his right hand.
Genta studied it.
"...Hm. Long fingers. Average grip. No calluses on the palm. You're a humanities type."
"...Yes, I'm a humanities type."
"Humanities. Hisako did kendo—she's got shinai calluses on her palms. You're her exact opposite."
Genta let go of Ume's hand.
"...Her exact opposite."
"Yeah. But sometimes opposites are exactly what works."
Genta grinned.
"Dad, what are you saying!? You're bothering Ume-kun!"
Hisako tugged at her father's arm.
"No, it's fine. I'm not bothered."
Ume said.
It was true. He wasn't bothered.
If anything—
(...What a warm family.)
That's what he thought.
Loud, a little perverted, zero delicacy. But they genuinely cared about Hisako. He could feel it.
"...Ume-kun, I'm really sorry about my family."
Hisako said quietly.
"You don't have to apologize. I don't mind this kind of thing."
"...Really?"
"Really. I'm an only child, so I've always kind of envied people with siblings."
Ume said, looking at Sakura and Daikon.
"Ume-bro, you're an only child!"
Sakura's eyes lit up.
"Then if you marry my big sister, you'll have siblings!"
Daikon said innocently.
"Da-Daikon! What are you saying!?"
Hisako's face went red again.
"M-marriage!? That's a huge leap!"
Ume's voice cracked too.
"Ahaha, Daikon, nice!"
Sakura high-fived
Novelia is an AI-powered platform to read original light novels and fan fiction, create your own in just a few taps, and chat with the characters. New, illustrated episodes arrive daily — free to start.