Then that afternoon after school, on the way to the student council room following Sakata Gintoki.
"Your grades meet the standard, and your popularity among the girls is obvious to all. Anyway, the result is definitely guaranteed, so go ahead and start early to get used to it."
"Is this really okay? It feels like some kind of behind-the-scenes manipulation."
"What does it matter? You're getting there based on your actual ability. No one will say anything. The only ones who would are those sour, incompetent sour grapes - don't pay attention to them."
Sakata Gintoki had his hands in his pockets, a rich chocolate Pocky stick in his mouth that he'd gotten from a girl they'd passed earlier. As he spoke, he looked out the window with an uncaring expression on his face.
"But we still need to follow the proper procedures. Since only one student council vice president position is vacant this time, we won't go through the trouble of an offline election. Probably the news department will simply announce it on the school bulletin board, then let students vote voluntarily on the school website.
So remember to write up a campaign speech and give it to me later - it'll need to be posted. You control the word count yourself. And also..."
Sakata Gintoki pulled out his phone, took two steps forward to face Murakami Yuu, then slowly walked backwards.
"Come on, smile."
Murakami Yuu looked straight ahead and ignored him.
"Click."
The shutter sound rang out.
Sakata Gintoki looked at the finished photo on his phone.
"Not bad. This photo will work. Just a casual shot and it has the feel of a male model on a magazine cover. My photography skills really are excellent."
Murakami Yuu wanted to retort, but felt that doing so would make him seem too arrogant, so after thinking about it, he said nothing.
Whatever makes you happy, Sakata-sensei.
"There's one more thing I need to tell you."
"What is it?"
"Anna Kinomiya - be careful when working with her in the future... how should I put this, be mindful of boundaries and distance."
Sakata Gintoki became serious.
"What do you mean?"
Murakami Yuu continued asking.
"Anna Kinomiya is a good student - beautiful appearance, clear mind, upright conduct. You could say she has all three essential elements, a lady among ladies."
"Mm, I know. You can tell from everyday interactions. She's a great class president and a great student council president. She's well-liked in class, and I remember her popularity in school has always been high, with approval ratings consistently staying up."
"But beneath that, there are always some invisible things."
Sakata Gintoki sighed.
"Being evasive isn't your style, Sakata-sensei."
"Even though you used respectful language with me, why don't I feel any respect in your tone at all?"
Murakami Yuu glanced at Sakata Gintoki, thinking about that excessively sweet red bean rice bowl from earlier, thinking to himself that if you were just a bit more normal, it wouldn't have come to this.
Sakata Gintoki's nature was casual anyway, so he didn't mind. He stopped walking - just a bit further ahead was the student council room.
"I originally didn't want to tell you, but thinking about how you'll be working with her from now on, I felt it was necessary to give you a heads up."
Sakata Gintoki leaned on the windowsill, overlooking the vigorous students engaging in club activities on the field below, and spoke.
"Anna Kinomiya's mother is Sophia Kinomiya - that fairly famous female government official with rather conservative political views."
"I do know that. I actually ran into her once before."
Murakami Yuu thought about the encounter during that hot spring trip.
Sakata Gintoki didn't show much surprise, thinking they probably met somewhere at school. He continued.
"Her mother works at the Youth Policy Headquarters directly under the Prime Minister's Office, so she's very averse to unhealthy, improper interactions between young people. This personality trait from her work has also influenced her educational philosophy - outdated and conservative - and it manifests specifically in Anna Kinomiya."
Seeing Sakata Gintoki look at him, Murakami Yuu nodded to show he was listening carefully.
"Then let me tell you something else. On Anna Kinomiya's first day of enrollment, her mother came to me and said that all courses related to physiological knowledge didn't need to be arranged for Anna Kinomiya, and asked me to cooperate with this arrangement."
Murakami Yuu finally showed some emotion, following his mental speculation with somewhat disbelieving voice.
"No way? Even in high school like this, then what about middle school and elementary school..."
"Same thing. Anna Kinomiya was absent from all physiology classes. Her mother told me this herself. She hopes to protect Anna Kinomiya in this smoky, sexually open modern society, so from childhood she's strictly prohibited her from having any contact with anything related to sex, nipping danger in the bud."
Sakata Gintoki covered his face, unable to bear watching.
"Last time I confiscated some H-books from students and left them on my office desk. When Kinomiya passed by, she curiously asked me why those big sisters were wearing so little.
Whether it's academic performance or athletic achievements, Anna Kinomiya is at the top, but when it comes to the unspeakable structure of the human body, she's a complete newbie baby, as blank as a sheet of paper."
Murakami Yuu was speechless.
"Like this, how will she stand on her own in society in the future? Won't she be easily deceived by others?"
"I mentioned this problem to Kinomiya's mother, but her response was that she would protect her daughter well and I didn't need to worry.
With that response, I had nothing more to say. Her status and position are far above me, a small teacher, and she's the primary guardian, so I could only do as she said."
Murakami Yuu held his forehead.
"I think I understand. Basically, you want me to keep my distance from Anna Kinomiya and be careful not to say things I shouldn't say in front of her, right?"
"Right, exactly. Because the secretary and accountant in the student council are both female, I'm only specifically warning you - be careful, don't say things you shouldn't say, not even suggestive dirty jokes."
"I understand. I won't speak carelessly and will try to maintain distance."
"Good that you understand. You don't need to worry too much though. Actually, aside from this one point, Anna Kinomiya is a very easy person to get along with. Every time I ask her to help distribute materials or handle matters, she resolves them perfectly. As long as it doesn't involve obscene things, she's an excellent ordinary person."
Sakata Gintoki patted Murakami Yuu's shoulder. The latter brushed off his hand and nodded.
"Let's go then."
The two came to the door of the student council room one after the other.
After knocking and receiving permission to enter.
Pushing open the door, Anna Kinomiya was sitting at the long conference table, with two unfamiliar girls beside her.
"Good afternoon, Sakata-sensei."
She stood up, bowed, and greeted with a smile.
"Good afternoon, Kinomiya. As I mentioned before about finding you a vice president as an assistant - you already know him."
Sakata Gintoki stepped aside. Murakami Yuu took two steps forward and bowed his head slightly.
"Good afternoon, Kinomiya-san."
...