My Story of Falling for the Class President

Chapter 30: Fainting and Admiration [Aoi's Perspective]

Since I was a kid, I always thought I was strong. I never lost at arm wrestling, and I considered myself a top-tier physical elite in fitness tests.

Even in kendo, which I started in middle school, my strength was a weapon. If you're strong, no one complains. There are still seniors I can't beat, but I'll surpass them soon.

My buddy from another town is smart and well-liked. After entering middle school, at his request, I started bullying some introverts. That Tachibana was like Atsuki's lackey, and even after Atsuki transferred, she'd talk back when we bullied the weaklings, so I had no objections.

We all nominated the class president just to nitpick everything they said, harassed them, badmouthed them, got the classmates to join in and gang up on them, tampered with their submissions to force apologies, and even fed bad rumors to the teachers. We bullied them hard.

I laughed so hard when the class president got removed.

Ah, is this the end? I thought after being cornered like that, they might not come to school anymore, but they showed up as if nothing happened.

Let's just finish this.

Irritated, I kept bullying Tanaka and Saho, and when I got violent, Saho stopped coming to school right away. Well, that's the normal reaction.

I ambushed them once but lost. I couldn't accept it, so the next week, I spotted Tachibana, chased her down, and finally cornered her at the riverside park.

I ran so much that my breathing was ragged, and my legs were giving out.

Tachibana started saying something weird.

'Aoi, I'll give you 3 minutes. Catch your breath.'

'Haa haa, Tachibana, you're way too calm!'

(Seriously? What an idiot w)

I thought I was saved.

If I could just catch my breath, there's no way I'd lose, at the very least.

I swung my fist hard and cursed at her.

'Always smirking! You're so annoying! You introvert!'

'I don't get it.'

But I couldn't land a hit. My breath was running out again. This is bad.

'I'm done playing, Aoi! I won't dodge next time, so come at me for real, okay?'

'You're looking down on me!!'

I was furious. To be looked down on by someone I saw as beneath me!

Tachibana really didn't dodge. If I could just land a hit, I'd win! My right fist connected with her left cheek. I thought I had it.

The next moment, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Tachibana swung her right fist lightly, and it hit my left cheek.

My vision was shaking, and my legs wouldn't hold me up. Is Tachibana's fist slowly hitting my jaw?

When I came to, I was lying on the ground. It feels... nice? Why?

What time is it? What was I doing again?

My mind was hazy, and I had no idea how much time had passed.

Me! Tachibana and!

Finally, my memory pieced itself together.

I was still dazed, but my body felt like it was tied up with something?

I heard some voices talking.

About me? I wasn't sure, but I was gradually waking up.

But if they noticed I was awake, it might be bad, so I decided to pretend I was still out and observe my surroundings for a while.

Is Tachibana talking to someone?

Probably the one who egged her on was from another town. I think they treat me like a mad dog, the vanguard and muscle for the Sotomachi group.

Back when I was still in elementary school, I went with Acchan and the others to catch stag beetles a few times. On a day when I couldn't catch any, Aoi gave me a stag beetle. What did they say back then?

Yeah, something like that might've happened.

Tachibana continued.

Would Aoi be satisfied with being taken down like prey caught in traps?

Of course, we have to win, but winning with schemes leaves bad blood.

In a delinquent manga I read at Acchan's place, the leader of a prestigious biker gang said something.

That's why, in the end, the leaders settle it with a one-on-one fight.

Also, Kashii-san has been worried about class issues. She's hurt by the bullying and teasing.

This time too, she got involved. That girl thinks she can do anything.

She believes that if everyone can smile, that's all that matters, and she thinks she can make it happen. I want to help her achieve that.

That means leaving as little bad blood as possible.

That's what Tachibana said. So Tachibana likes Kashii too, huh? She's a popular girl, after all.

I'm not into nagging women, though. The guy from another town likes Kashii too, right?

Thinking back.

'Aoi, I'll give you 3 minutes. Catch your breath.'

Indeed, Tachibana waited for me while I was exhausted.

'Aoi, next time I won't dodge, so come at me for real, okay?'

Even in the first fight, didn't she always let me throw a punch before hitting back?

Unbelievable. Is there really a person like this?

I was shocked.

'Deal with him? Deal with him?'

Probably Saho. I was violent toward him. Is he here for revenge...?

Tachibana stopped Saho.

She said, let's try talking first.

I want to talk too. I lost twice, so it's not a fluke anymore.

Was I bullying someone this strong?

Did she fight me fairly because she didn't want to leave bad blood, even after I bullied her?

I want to know more about Tachibana. Wasn't she just Atsuki's lackey, a mouthy introvert like the guy from another town said?

After that, Tachibana spoke.

'If talking doesn't work, if I can't stop the bullying and violence... then I'll...'

I swallowed hard. The resolve she brought to this situation was completely different from mine.

For the first time, I felt afraid of Tachibana.

I learned through casual chatter. Apparently, there are three pitfalls dug around here.

The original plan was to drop me into a pitfall, immobilize me with damage, tie me up with zip ties, mentally break me until I wet myself, record a video, and use it to blackmail me. I was stunned.

(So I was already saved by Tachibana...)

A few people are gathered, seemingly disguised to intimidate me, but are they all here?

Guess I should make up my mind and get up. I know I've done enough to deserve getting ganged up on and beaten.

When I opened my eyes, there were six people wearing glowing fluorescent masks. Each held a bat, a hammer, a sturdy umbrella, a spiked bat, a huge triangular ruler?!

Is that a dull, shiny industrial hand mixer with three heads attached? I couldn't help but do a double take.

The hand mixer is the scariest.

Six people besides Tachibana, huh? I've earned a lot of grudges.

Honestly, I'm scared.

'You awake, Aoi?'

'Yeah.'

'You lost.'

'Yeah.'

I lost twice. I don't feel like fighting anymore. I told them to do whatever they wanted.

Then, shall we talk? Tachibana started speaking bit by bit about herself.

About being shy, meeting Atsuki, being a warlord nerd, wanting to be a real man, how Kashii is troubled by the bullying and teasing, how three timid kids are suffering from my bullying, and how she herself was bullied and knew the pain.

She asked me to talk about myself—about my confidence in my strength, my obsession with being strong, how I'm bad at studying, how I like old swordmasters, how I secretly like sweets, how I admired extroverts and got carried away, how I was moved by Tachibana waiting 3 minutes and letting me hit first, how I want to be a real man too, and how I'll never bully or tease again.

While tied up and rolled around, I spoke for an hour. No one mocked or interrupted. It was a strange conversation, like we were talking to ourselves.

Then Tachibana demanded that I swear never to bully or tease again.

(Swear? That's just a verbal promise, right?)

'A promise between men. If you break it, I'll make sure you feel ashamed for the rest of your life. Even if I forget, Aoi, you won't forget breaking your oath, right? You'll live with yourself forever.'

(Ah, so this is the kind of man Tachibana Sho is. She sees me as a man too.)

My heart felt warm, and I couldn't stop the tears.

'I swear. The men here are my witnesses.'

'Kuchun♪'

A woman sneezed.

'Auntie! Shhh!'

'Didn't I tell you to stop calling me Auntie?!'

Probably the scariest one with the industrial hand mixer is Kashii, and the one with the triangular ruler is Obata.

—————————————

Sometimes, Kashii-san shortens Obata-san to 'Auntie.'

'Auntie! Ah!'

'Reina, seriously, stop it!'

Obata-san absolutely hates being called Auntie.