The day of the elections was rapidly approaching.

Thanks to the continuously increasing tension, I was starting to feel worried about the outcome. It was hard to tell who will win, since the main candidates are not far from each other in terms of the chances.

I have my experience and popularity on my side, Nakayama-san has a solid program which gives him an edge, and the home economics club has an overwhelming popularity, coupled with their populist program.

History knows examples of populists winning. A few of them even show what is the aftermath.

I started thinking of history, because it was the history lesson. After which will come the lunch break, when Tomo-chan and I were going to spend some time together.

I was writing down the timeline of the pre-war history, when the teacher called out to me.

“Minohara-san, can you bring me my workbook? I happened to forget it in the teachers’ room.” In the middle of the lesson I was sent to fetch an item. A relatively easy quest, which only required me to go and bring the teacher’s papers.

That was until I walked into a bunch of strangers, in the school, in the hallway.

There were a lot of people wearing suits, and most of them looked like salarymen. I was going to step aside and give way, but as they were passing by me, one of them stopped and looked at the workbook in my hands. Or to be precise, the notes sticking out of it.

“Student, please give me the book you are holding.” (S)

“I am sorry, but who are you?”

“We are from the Ministry of Education.” The official showed me a badge for a moment, and I cautiously gave the workbook.

Immediately, the other people from that group started surrounding him, and for a minute they were looking at the workbook. After they were done, the closest official to me turned around and returned me the workbook.

“Hurry back to your classroom, student.” The man’s stern expression was a bit frightening, so I silently bowed and walked away.

That would have been but another funny story I would’ve talked about with Tomo-chan, if not for what happened after the bell rang.

‘DIIIIING’

When the class started putting away the workbooks, an announcement came from the loudspeakers.

“Minohara Yuki-san, please, come to the director’s office. Minohara Yuki-san, please, come to the director’s office.”

It was the first time I was called in such a way. Most of the times there were announcements made were related to… people like Toshiba-san…

With this uneasy feeling I entered the office, where were sitting the director, and the entire group of the officials. The director had a very stiff expression.

“T-this is… our student council… president…” The director showed at me, and the officials started gazing at me.

“Is there anything wrong?” However, I was not showing that I am nervous too. After all, if the Council was to f* up, I would’ve known it by now, because I would’ve been dragged away right in the middle of the lesson by either Kurosawa-kun, or Hoshino-san.

“Minohara-kun.” One of the officials, a middle-aged woman stepped towards me.

“How did you steal the answers for an examination?” Her next words shook me to the core.

“WHAT?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!”

“Do not play a fool. You may think we wouldn’t notice, but we saw a draft of an examination paper hidden in your workbook. It would be better for you to confess, otherwise…” The woman glanced at the director, making the man straighten his tie in fluster.

“But I did not do anything! That workbook belonged to our teacher, and I was asked to bring it. There were teachers in the room, there is our teacher, there are students, all of which can confirm that I neither stole anything, nor that it was my workbook to begin with!”

The woman turned towards the director.

“Is this how you educate the children here? This student does not even get embarrassed telling a lie!” At her words I did become red.

I was shocked by her outrageous words, but before I could express my shock, the director said his own words.

“Minohara-kun was always exemplary student. How about we first heed her words and look into this, before jumping to conclusions?” The director’s shaking voice seemed to finally reach the officials.