In the conference room, Yabuki tells Tsubaki is that how it
is, he understands what he means, and whether he will take that request or not,
he’ll see his [Tsubaki’s] answer. And while that is happening, Kanoko is busy
analyzing the probability of who would vote for the top three for presidency.
Then, she looks at the clock which is already at around 8:08. She thinks that
this has become a morning habit after going to school that she didn’t notice
the school bell ringing. Tsubaki hugs her from behind and greets her a good
morning. She says that she thought he’ll be absent, and he’s heavy so let go. He
tells her that he’s tired and she’s noisy. Gently pushing him away, Kanoko asks
if he overslept that he rushed here. He tells her that he talked with Yabuki
about something like ‘leaving Kanoko to you’ type of thing. Kanoko is shocked. She remembered that they
talk about her concentrating with the election and he’ll do her club activity
yesterday. She felt that Tsubaki is treating her like a kid even if they are in
the same year since he even went to talk with Yabuki about taking care of her.
Then, she has an evil smile and thinks that perhaps this is a good thing. The
school has a new gossip and it is about Tsubaki and Yabuki being extra chummy
that Yabuki smiled for a second. Ouji [the flyaway hair underling] calls out to
Hijiri and tells him that Yabuki and Tsubaki are hugging each other this
morning and happily walk together laughing. Hijiri tells him to calm down for
it is impossible for cold Yabuki to be doing that. Ouji insists that it is true
so Hijiri brought up the rumor before about Ouji and Yabuki [chapter 14]. After
saying that rumor before was a lie, Ouji is relieved for he thought that Yabuki
and Tsubaki had teamed up. Hijiri thinks that is their motive is to provoke by
using the same method he used before by taking advantage of the girls’ gossip.
Ouji says that since Yabuki seems to be doing something, should they go and
tell Sayuri about it. Recalling Sayuri telling him that it is not too late to
team up with Tsubaki, Hijiri refuses to go and declares that he’ll think of a
way so it is alright. Ouji insists on telling this to Sayuri but Hijiri asks if
until he wasn’t able to do what he said and he would use his own strength to
make Sayuri president. He thinks that it has always been like that until now.
At the conference room, Kanoko is reporting to Yabuki about Sayuri’s selling
point – she is still in second year so she can stay at the council a bit longer
next year but that was forgotten because of the rumor between Yabuki and
Tsubaki that they are thinking if Yabuki is thinking of Tsubaki as his
replacement. So, Hijiri would later publicize that Sayuri is the only female
among..
Then, Kanoko stops talking and asks who is that guy
[watering the cactus]. The guy asks if he still hasn’t introduced himself, he
is Mizukami Korekiyo of 3-E. He is the vice-president of the student council,
and he has been classmates with You-chan [Yabuki] during the first and second
year. Kanoko says that she isn’t referring to that but why is he in the battle
meeting. Mizukami says that is to stop her from attacking[/seduce] You-chan. Yabuki
says that it is forbidden for a guy and a girl be alone in using the conference
room[/while talking; since people might misunderstand]. Kanoko says that she
knows that but why Mizukami. Yabuki says that he wants Mizukami to be his vice-president
if he gets elected. While exchanging greetings and smiling with Mizukami,
Kanoko thinks that since Yabuki trusts Mizukami. And, if she were Hijiri, she
will definitely use this person because it is a very simple thing to instigate
the enemy’s ally. She wonders how Tsubaki is doing at the club. At the club,
Tsubaki is busy manipulating the timid president and vice-president that they
are now going to have to do the work of four to the work of three. After
school, Tsubaki is grumbling over being tired and cannot do things well if he
isn’t familiar with it. Kanoko meets up with him at the shoe lockers and says that
she waited for him. While riding the bicycle, Kanoko is worried about him about
the club so she waited for him but it seems everything is okay. Tsubaki happily
says that it is rare for them to go home together so why don’t they go eat
outside. At a fast food restaurant, Kanoko asks him if he is already okay with
Hijiri. Carrying their food on a tray, Tsubaki happily says no, their
relationship is not good enough to the point where they can quarrel. Kanoko wonders
why Tsubaki is in such a good mood. He asks her about things with Yabuki. She
tells him that the proposal will soon be denied. At the train, Mizukami says
that You-chan is too strict and he thought that he[Yabuki] likes Kanoko. Yabuki
asks how is that possible. Mizukami asks why he is having a battle meeting with
her. Yabuki says that it is because she is very suspicious and both Otabe and
Sayuri’s camp aren’t making any moves yet. Back at the restaurant, Kanoko
gloomily tells Tsubaki that Yabuki is suspicious of her and thinks that she is
a spy. Tsubaki thinks that Yabuki is thinking that after Kanoko helps Yabuki,
she would later on trick him. Kanoko darkly complains about totally not being
trusted and it seems that today, Sayuri and Hijiri are pretending to act coldly
[towards each other]. She wonders if that is a tactic to make them relax their
vigilant tactics. Tsubaki tells her that they could have quarreled.
Kanoko doesn’t believe him for what idiot would do that
during this decisive time. He tells her that about the proposal to work
together with Yabuki, Hijiri didn’t mention it to Sayuri. Kanoko shouts who
said that. Tsubaki says he did. He apologizes for not telling her earlier since
he was busy. Then, Kanoko starts to overthink over the reason whether it is
some sort of tactic to it. Tsubaki tells her isn’t it a satisfying reason that
they [Sayuri and Hijiri] don’t want to collaborate since they would be ordered
around by Yabuki or something like they hate Yabuki. Kanoko asks why, when they
had direct contact before with Yabuki so why would they hate him..why, why,
why.. She starts screaming at him over confusing her with that kind of reasoning
and what’s up with what he said. Tsubaki starts becoming dark over why she is
quarreling with him when she was so cute to tell him that she waited for him so
that they can go home together. He is surprised when Kanoko darkly tells him
that strictly speaking she is older than him. Kanoko is already 16 years old
and Tsubaki is 15 since his birthday hasn’t passed yet. She shouts for him not
to treat her half-heartedly as if she is a kid. Tsubaki starts imagining her as
a kid asking ‘why, why, why’ that he laughs. This made Kanoko asks why he is
laughing. Tsubaki says that he only felt that it is quite cute. Just when
Kanoko is telling him not to treat her like a kid, Tsubaki suddenly stands up
and sits beside her. She asks him what’s up. Tsubaki smiles and asks if he can
treat her like an adult. He whispers into her ear, “You’re really very cute.”
He asks her if she is satisfied with this. This made Kanoko blush and says that
he’s an idiot. She shouts that he isn’t treating her like an adult and that is
treating her like an idiot. Tsubaki laughs and apologizes. He says that her ear
is quite sharp to which Kanoko shouts for him to shut up. Then, Tsubaki tells
her that she is better when she is in a good mood. He says that if Yabuki doesn’t
trust her, then show her strength in front of him. It is very unlike her to be
lacking in fighting spirit, and he likes that about her. This made Kanoko smile
and says that he can still really posture around. She thinks of him as her kind
best friend who posture around to encourage her when she is lack fighting
spirit. Running around in school, Kanoko wonders when she started having that naïve
way of thinking and getting used to Tsubaki doing the things she asked ever since
the start of April. She decides to first depend on what she can do regardless if
she isn’t trusted or if their relationship isn’t good. Kanoko starts spying
around on people who would vote for Sayuri. In 3-A, Mizukami asks Yabuki if
Kanoko isn’t coming and Yabuki said some mean things to her when he [Mizukami] felt
that Kanoko’s proposal is good. Yabuki tells him that Kanoko isn’t the only one
who can give an idea, and it doesn’t matter if she is an unrivalled genius, for
what he wants is putting that thinking into practice. Mizukami says that it isn’t
really Kanoko whom he needs.
By the courtyard behind some bushes, Kanoko is busy
analyzing the voting trends of the different clubs. Then, she spots Otabe that
she quickly bends lower with hope that she won’t be seen. Then, she overhears
Otabe asking if this is it and the other person says yes, that is the election
speech. Recognizing the other voice, Kanoko turns to look and it is Mizukami. Otabe
says that it is useful. Mizukami smiles and says that they are in the same boat.
Kanoko wonders if those two’s relationship is quite good and isn’t that bad
since Mizukami is Yabuki’s. While Otabe is busy looking at a phone, Mizukami
sees Kanoko. Mizukami puts his finger on his mouth to gesture ‘secret’. Shocked
Kanoko thinks that this is ‘what remains unseen is deemed to be clean’ and this
guy is a traitor. Quickly retreating, Kanoko thinks that she must quickly think
of a plan and wonders if Yabuki would believe her or Mizukami. In front of her
classroom’s door, Kanoko is weighing whether to tell Yabuki or not. She is
unexpectedly vexed by this and Mizukami is quite cunning. Then, she meets with
Tsubaki who is going out of the classroom. She asks him where he is going when
lunch break is almost over. He tells her that he has to do some club activity.
He turns down her offer to go with him. While taking her seat, Kanoko thinks
that she unconsciously became dominated by naïve way of thinking since Hijiri
lying to Sayuri and Mizukami lying to Yabuki. Trusting is quite dangerous stuff
for in this world, there is no people who don’t lie. Tsubaki enters a room and
apologizes to Yabuki for coming late. At the clubroom, Hitoyoshi and Okyou are
surprised over a piece of paper since Tsubaki and Kanoko are joining the
elections as candidates for secretary. So, while Kanoko is busy being troubled
over whether to tell Yabuki or not, she totally doesn’t know what she is
getting herself involved with.
Comment: And, the theme of this chapter is ‘betrayal’ by a
close confidant/friend. It is something that usually happens in war especially
after the long time one has been with that person. Lowering one’s guard and
taking things for granted is always part of the possible of having close
friends/allies especially if those people have intentions different from your
own. To be too trusting does have its perils and it can be quite a headache to
overanalyze the others’ motives. What Tsubaki is doing though seems for the
good of Kanoko. Since she loves all these strategies and stuff, it would be
more fun if she is in the student council which is a much higher position than
being in a club that will soon be headed by Okyou. Maybe that is what Tsubaki
meant when he talked with Yabuki about ‘taking care of Kanoko’. It makes me
wonder if the ‘end’ of this series would be Kanoko becoming president or maybe
Tsubaki is the president and she’ll be the strategist behind it. As for Hijiri,
it is a matter of pride and jealousy that is why he seems to be ‘betraying’ Sayuri
by going against her wish but of course, he is still pursuing the same goal.
So, the only problem would be Mizukami. Is he really betraying Yabuki or he
also has an ulterior motive to it? Though, he does seem to favor Kanoko’s ideas.
I think Yabuki is quite good as a president. He doesn’t get easily swayed by
sweet talk especially by ‘newcomers’ but would rather see things happening
rather than just hearing about it. Thankfully, Kanoko is going that way thanks
to what Tsubaki said. It does seem that Kanoko’s ‘deviousness’ is starting to
rub on Tsubaki when he got to say his true feelings ‘you’re cute’, and at the
same time, help her while doing that. He also get more good points favorable from
Kanoko. ^^ Scans by 红莲汉化组.
Word of the day:
As you live each day, ask God to help you accompany your
words with actions. When we allow God to show Himself through us, it’s a
powerful demonstration of His grace and love. ~ Our Daily Bread