The next day I got up, got ready and went to class.

 

I was a little apprehensive about what might happen today but I can’t just skip class, I have face it eventually anyway. I mean the news will be out tomorrow morning anyway.

 

As I got to class I saw everyone was staring me, more than usual.

 

I as usual ignored it and went and sat at my seat. Everyone was looking like they wanted to speak to me but  it looked like they were hesitating.

 

I then noticed the shadow of someone approaching from the side, I looked up and saw it was Sato Megumi.

 

She looked unsure of what to say for then tentatively with a small smile said, “Hi…”.

 

I smiled back and said, “Hello..”.

 

She looked a bit relieved at my response and spoke with a bit more confident voice, “You are Takeru-kun right? I am Megumi. And..umm…I was just wondering is it true that you killed an A rank monster yesterday during a mission with the Student Council Vice-President?”. Don’t know why she was nervous in the first place, it’s not like I am an animal and am going to eat he.

 

Anyway I said, “Yes I am Takeru and yes that’s true. But it was a team effort. I wouldn’t have been able to defeat it, if the senpai’s with me didn’t distract it”. What I said was true, I am not being humble, I am stating facts.

 

She looked at me for a second and then said, “I  didn’t know you were so humble”.

 

I shook my head and said, “No I am not being humble, I am just stating facts. In any battle which involves a team, teamwork is essential. If I were true humble I would have said that I didn’t do anything at all”, and smile.

 

She was startled then shook her head. She then hesitated a bit before saying, “Hey..um…can we be friends? We are classmates after all, so we can be of help to each other if we are friends”.

 

I looked at her and smiled and said, “Of course I would love to”. And we shook hands. She became my first “friend” in this school.

 

After that everyone else in the class got over their indecisiveness and came to me wanting to be friends.

 

I accepted them. But honestly in my mind I am ridiculing them. All this they didn’t even think about approaching me but now that I have an achievement they suddenly flock towards me? I know I have a bad reputation but they could have at least tried to approach me, I know I could have too but I didn’t cause I was a bit afraid that people will be more afraid than happy about that.

 

These people probably want to get close to me so that they could ask for my help with things, since the Student Council’s report about me was good. This goes for Megumi too, she is not different from the others.

 

But I still accepted it because talking with people will help pass my time, I don’t mind being alone however it gets boring sometimes.  Also being friends means that I can ask them for favors too, so they can be of use to me. Who knows when you need someone.

 

After that all the classmates talked and introduced themselves to me. Then the homeroom teacher came, everyone quieted down and classes started.

 

Lunch time came, I was talking with my classmates when I got a message in the academy app on my phone, asking me to go to  the Student Council. I excused myself and Megumi said , “They might be asking you to join them”.

 

I shrugged and said ,”Who knows?”, and made my way to the Student Council room.

 

Well the thought occurred to me too. But I hope that’s not the case. As I have said before I don’t want to be a part of the plot and put my life in danger. My saving grace here is that my reputation is bad so they might not suggest that and ask me to join he Knights instead, which is good enough for me as that’s what I need, being in the Knights and getting some experience will help me taking over my father’s company and most night’s members don’t get called during the plot, as it is always a mission of the Protagonist and Student Council.

 

And even if they invite me to the Student Council, I can still reject that ask to join the Knights instead, I have already thought of a reason for rejection but I hope I don’t have to go through this.

 

I arrived at the front of the Student Council room and took a deep breath.

 

“Come in”, I heard the Sakura say.

 

I entered and saw there were only Sakura and Ayaka in the room.  Sakura was smiling at me and Ayaka just looked serious but not wary of me like yesterday.

 

Then Sakura said with a smile, “Ah Takeru-kun you are finally here. First of all I would like to thank you for your contribution yesterday”.

 

“It was nothing. I just did my job and the senpai’s helped me as well. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without them”.

 

“Hoho how humble”, said Sakura with a smile.

 

I shook my head and said, “No I was just telling the truth”.

 

Sakura still smiling them said, “Anyway congratulations, you are invited to join the Student Council as a representative of first years as a secretary”.

 

I froze. My worst fear has become real but I can’t lose focus now. So I calmed myself and said, “Um President I have something to say”.

 

“What is it?”, asked Sakura.

 

“Umm you see I am happy that you have considered me for such a sought after position and as a representative of the first years but I have to respectfully decline. You see I don’t have any interest in joining the Student Council. Rather than that I will be happy if you can let me join the Knights instead as my sole purpose in this school is to gain experience and I don’t really want to do the paperwork that the Student Council entails”.

 

Please work! Please just work!

 

“What? You are giving up a chance to join the Student Council? And for such a small reason? Are you sane?”, spoke Ayaka for the first time, she was clearly agitated. Can’t blame her, my response is unconventional after all.

 

“Yes I am sane and sure Vice-President”, I said clearly and confidently.

 

Ayaka looked at me as if she couldn’t believe what I had said but she didn’t say anything.

 

Sakura sighed and looked at me with a serious expression and asked, “Are you sure about this Takeru-kun?”.

 

“Yes I am absolutely sure”, I replied calmly and clearly.

 

Sakura sighed again and said, “As you wish. From now on you are a member of the Knights. Give me your I.D. card”.

 

I said with a smile, “Thank You”, and gave her my card, she put it in the card slot in her computer and the logo of the Knights which is two swords inside a circle appeared in my card which signified that I have become a member of the Knights.

 

After taking the card I said, “Thank You” and prepared to leave.

 

Then I heard Sakura call me from behind, “Takeru-kun, I just wanted you to know that we really wanted you to be in the Student Council”.

 

I looked back at her and smiled and said, “I am sorry but I really can’t help”, to which she nodded and I left.

 

After closing the door I sighed in relief as I dodged a bullet.

 

I had nowhere else to go as the Knights didn’t really have a base, several students were recognized and Knights and they were  only called if the Student Council needed them for a mission, so the induction process was complete. I was also added to the Knights group in the academy app where other members congratulated me and I said, “Thank You”.

 

I quickly had a small lunch as it was already late and lunch time was almost over.

 

After I went to class and told everyone. Everyone congratulated me and some even tried to console me that I didn’t get into the Student Council, that included Megumi as maybe she felt guilty as she was the one who brought the Student Council speculation  but I told them it was ok. Which was true  as I rejected it myself but they don’t know that.

 

Anyway the rest of the day went without any problems.

 

Watanabe Sakura POV:

 

When I first saw Takeru-kun my first thoughts was that he was not like the rumors. He looked just like a normal student who was nervous.

 

But the others may be agree with me as they let their perception be clouded with rumors unlike me who only judges what I see before my eyes.

 

Even his school records were clean till now, he didn’t cause any trouble. He was an A rank, stronger than most people in his class, so I was curious to see how he would do and if he is good enough I would invite him to the Student council.

 

Ayaka my friend and the Vice-President on the other hand seemed to be affected by the rumors and she didn’t agree with me.

 

Ever the serious person she continued to be wary of Takeru throughout the conversation. I know she is a strickler for rules but I wish she would be a bit more easy going, cause it makes her unapproachable but I know she is a good and kind girl inside.

 

Anyway after coming back from the fight she changed his opinion of him after hearing the captain of his team’s opinion. And she agreed in letting him join the Student Council.

 

But she insisted that she should be serious and strict with new members as she normally is but that’s ok as that’s what she is.

 

She had that serious look on her face when we met Takeru-kun again regarding the offer.

 

But surprising both of us Takeru-kun rejected the offer for a flimsy reason and wanted to join the Knights instead.

 

Ayaka was even more surprised than me I think cause she even blurted out her thoughts that she normally didn’t do.

 

Takeru-kun was adamant so I relented. Before he left I offered him again saying that “I wanted him in the Student Council” but he still rejected it and left. He had more conviction in rejecting it than most students I have seen.

 

After he left there was silence for sometimes then Ayaka spoke, “Sakura? Why? Why did you think he rejected joining the Student Council? His actual reason may be different right? Since he is a member of the Minori family he will have to deal with paperwork later right? So this should have been a good practice for him. So this doesn’t make sense right?”.

 

I looked at Ayaka and sighed, yes she does have a point but it’s not possible to know the real reason unless he speaks that himself and we cannot force him to join the Student Council if he doesn’t want to.

 

But I decided to tease Ayaka and smiled and said, “Maybe he didn’t want to join because he was scared of you?”.

 

“Scared of..me?”, asked Ayaka surprised.

 

“Yes, yesterday you were glaring ta him with hostility despite it was us inviting him and even today you looked too  serious. Maybe that scared him and he opted to join the Knights instead. That’s why I tell you to not always be so serious about everything”, I replied teasingly but kept my expression serous.

 

“He was scared of me? He didn’t join…because of me”, Ayaka became very serious as she was continuously whispering to herself.

 

I thought I would say that I was just teasing her so as to not make her worry but then I thought, “What if this helps her to loosen up a bit? It’s for her own good”, so I kept my mouth shut.