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Okay, fine. You did have ulterior motives when you set your sights on the student council members. But who could blame you?
You were a student like many others with unrestricted internet access and a lot of free time that left you bored out of your mind. From your point of view in the middle of Akademi's social structure, the student council were the aristocracy. Being a part of them gave you the most clout a teenager could possibly get. The mere prospect of wearing such a unique uniform, bossing teachers and students around, and having the freedom to show up late in class was quite the lucrative deal.
But the student council were known for being picky with who could join their inner circle. Many students had tried to apply for a position, only to get politely turned down.
However, you were stubborn and could figure your way around a problem. You always took pride in your charisma and firmly believed you could melt even the coldest of hearts.
Of course, you had no such experience at the tender age of a high school student. But you were more than willing to try and prove yourself right. And what better target practice than the five omnipresent entities of Akademi?
~
Kuroko Kamenaga
You were feeling quite adventurous when you first embarked on this quest and chose to aim first for the most rigid member of them all. The former president, Kuroko Kamenaga, was a no-nonsense and unwavering model student. She was difficult to befriend and even more so to date.
She enjoyed social harmony but gave you no praise for being a part of it. She favoured excellent students but didn't bother any further with them. The only way to insert yourself in her life was by tugging at the threads of the fabric of her reality.
Instead of mopping the floors during cleaning time, you found yourself huddled behind one of the bookcases in the student council room, watching as Kuroko sorted out a bunch of confiscated objects. After laying her eyes on a particularly saucy magazine cover, she took off her glasses to massage the epicentre of irritation between her eyebrows. This was your chance.
In a flash, you jumped out of your hiding spot and snatched the glasses from her hand. Judging by the bewildered twitch of her eyelids, Kuroko was blind as a bat without them.
"Huh? Wha- Who's there? Give me my glasses back at once!"
She tried to reach for your blurry figure, only to be met with your amused giggles instead. "Oh, these? Miss Kamenaga, in all due respect, you can do better. The lens are dirty and the rim doesn't even frame your eyes right. And don't get me started on that chain..."
Kuroko retaliated by taking a few uncoordinated steps forward, navigating by keeping one hand pressed against the table. "I'll have you know that this kind of disrespect won't go unpunished!"
You took a step back. She bumped into a chair. It was almost comical. You clicked your tongue in pity.
"You know, you're always so stuck-up that it's starting to get to you. Don't you think you deserve a little break?"
By holding her glasses hostage, you managed to lure Kuroko out of school. Having nothing but your hand in hers as guidance, the former president was surrounded by nothing but colourful blurs. You could tell letting someone else take the lead for once was quite the relief for her.
When you let go of her hand and placed her spectacles on their rightful place on the ridge of her nose, she was greeted by a panoramic view of Buraza town with the sun melting into a pot of yellow, orange and red in the horizon.
For a moment, astonishment was written all over her perpetually stoic face, as though she had never witnessed a sunset before. But she was quick to cover up this shred of vulnerability by tugging at her pearl-lined chain and clearing her throat.
"A most pleasing view, but I'll pass. You have wasted enough of my time today, so don't think I'll let you off the hook easily."
You rolled your eyes, barely shaken by her empty threats. "Yeah, right. So, you're not coming here same time tomorrow?"
She did. And the day after that. And the day after that...
Akane Toriyasu
You'd be a fool to believe that Akane was as ditzy as she made herself out to be. But of course, you could tell she was much smarter than she let on. Well, so were you. And you were beyond excited to use her own tactics against her.
Akane was undeniably stunning and naturally had quite a lot of admirers amidst the general student population. It was obvious that her ambience aided in diffusing situations so, why not arm yourself with that very same aura?
It took you a while to get there. You started hitting on students, taking a lot more care of your appearance, helping out wherever you could, and even had the nerve to blow kisses to Akane herself. Before long, the spotlight had shifted onto you.
Akane was quick to note that her usual charms no longer worked, especially when you stepped in, accompanied by small cupids and a myriad of hearts. Oh, that nerve of yours...
So, it had come to this. Akane was nowhere near confrontational but she just had to figure you out. Which is precisely what led to her trapping you in one of the storage rooms during cleaning time.
Of course, you allowed yourself to be cornered, practically vibrating with anticipation. You put on your popular trademark smile and turned to face her.
"Oh, miss Toriyasu! You look quite lovely today."
Akane wasn't fooled. She reflected your mesmerizing grin right back at you. "So do you, sweetness. Now... why don't you tell me what exactly you're up to?"
You innocently fluttered your eyelashes at her, silently hoping that she didn't notice the thud of your heart in your chest. "What do you mean? Mrs Nabatame asked me to get some more sponges is all."
Akane stepped closer, allowing you a faint glimpse of her vivid orange eyes beneath her bushy lashes. Her expression didn't falter one bit. "Don't play coy, dear. I've seen how you carry yourself. So, I suggest you put that mouth of yours to good use."
The above statement can be interpreted in many ways. So, you couldn't possibly be held legally responsible for leaning in and pressing a quick kiss to Akane's pinkish lips.
You stepped back to admire the genuine bafflement written all over her face. For a hot minute, you feared you had caused a malfunction in her brain. But your worries dissipated the moment Akane snapped out of it. And this time, a different kind of spark highlighted her features.
She brought a finger to her lips and opened her eyes a little wider. "My, my... when did you get so daring, sweetheart?" She mused.
Your lips curled in a devious smile once more. "Did you not like it?" you asked sincerely.
Akane shook her head gently, causing the two feathers behind her ear to shudder. "Like it? Darling, it's not often I find girls as reckless as you."
She approached the door and beckoned you to follow her with a simple gesture of her hand. "Come with me. The student council room provides more privacy."
Aoi Ryugoku
The intimidating enforcer of the student council posed quite the challenge for you. But a spooky eyepatch and a cutthroat attitude were no concerns of yours. After all, it was about time someone shattered Aoi's "bad boy" persona.
The only way to get her attention outside of joining your school's resident group of hoodlums (which, to be fair, you had zero chances at), was by falling victim to them.
You were determined, ecstatic that you had made it this far and not at all discouraged by the prospect of a little beating. So, foolish and stubborn as you were, you walked up to the leader of the delinquents, Umeji Kizuguchi, and got a rise out of him.
When you stumbled into Aoi's field of view, you were sporting a bleeding nose, a black eye and many other smaller bruises. She was quick to rush to your side, hands already balled in fists.
"Damn it, what happened to you?"
You leaned against her dramatically, looking up at her with glistening eyes and grabbing onto the fabric of her jacket.
"The delinquents... did this to me", you uttered in a tremulous voice, which was no theatric of yours considering your injuries were very much real.
Aoi simply sighed and placed a hand against your back to support your weight. "I'll deal with them later. Come on, let's get you to the nurse's office."
After that incident, you paid no mind to the catastrophic domino effect you caused. Instead, you spent your breaks following Aoi around like a lost puppy, clinging onto her at the slightest hint of conflict, always earning a frustrated scoff from her. It was clear she wasn't exactly happy to have her private bubble popped by some damsel in distress.
"The delinquents got expelled", she'd hiss under her breath, "they're not around anymore. Now, get off me."
And you'd shake your head stubbornly, fluttering your eyelashes in mock innocence as you fawned over her sturdy build. "I still don't feel safe. And you're the only one who can protect me."
Aoi was seriously considering pushing for a restraining order system in Akademi just to get you away from her. But one day, as she made her way up the stairs to the rooftop, you failed to pop up from behind the corner like you usually did. And you weren't anywhere on her patrol grounds either.
Abrupt changes in schedule were quite the hassle for Aoi. She'd have to ask around about your whereabouts and appearing desperate for someone was the last label she wanted associated with her name. But you saved her the trouble when you reemerged from the nurse's office. Her single eye immediately zeroed in on the band-aids glued to your knees.
She seized you by the shoulders, ready to dish out knuckle-sandwiches to whoever you pointed her to. "Who hurt you this time?", she growled.
You responded with a blank look of earnest confusion before laughing giddily. "Oh, that. Don't worry, I just tripped down the stairs on my way to the bathroom."
Aoi narrowed her eye at you, scanning your expression for any hints of deception. She found none. Just you and your scatterbrained manners.
She huffed, throwing an arm over your shoulders, much to the surprise of the nearby students. "Maybe you were right. Turns out you do need someone to look out for you."
Shiromi Torayoshi
At first, Shiromi's unfaltering veil of nonchalance and general air of mystique slowed you down significantly. You just didn't know which angle to approach her from. But you eventually figured out that subversion was the key.
Owing to her know-it-all attitude, Shiromi was painfully bored. You could see it in her yawns and the flat tone of her voice. Not even juicy pieces of gossip or fights amongst students could draw a significant reaction from her.
And so, you chose to start digging. You snuck into the student council room once more and began your excavations through her bag. Apart from all the chewed pencils and fortune cookie slips, one thing stood out to you the most. The most lewd magazine you've ever laid eyes on. Perhaps it was the one Kuroko confiscated the other day.
Regardless, the plan orchestrated itself. You'd get the word out that Shiromi Torayoshi indulges in unholy reading material and watch everything crumble from afar. She'd either get kicked out of the student council or become vulnerable enough for you to worm your way past.
But just as you were about to turn around and bolt, you were met with none other than a familiar pair of half-lidded dusky eyes.
"Tch... sloppy. You gotta be more sneaky than that." Shiromi clicked her tongue in faux disapproval.
You clapped back right away, not allowing her to take advantage of your momentary shock and ruin your progress. "Well, we'll see what the counsellor has to say about this." You pointed to the magazine cover for emphasis.
Shiromi raised an eyebrow. It wasn't everyday someone went through the effort of threatening her. "My, my... you're going to blackmail a student council member? How bold."
She took a few calculated steps forward. You took a few back, angling yourself near the door, just in case she tried to pull out her pepper spray. But instead, she leaned forward, examining your face with more interest than you have ever seen her display.
Shiromi hummed softly under her breath. Something peculiar caught her eye.
"Tell you what... I like seeing that kind of bite. It keeps things interesting." She mused, lips quirking upwards in a sly grin.
You could tell where this was going. You were in the endgame and if you played your cards right, victory would be as good as yours. So, you loosened up.
"There's more where that came from." You tilted your head to the side in a frisky manner, securing her undivided attention. You had to push just a little further.
"I'd be glad to entertain you some more if you let me in." You raised an eyebrow to mirror Shiromi's expression, giving her a brief taste of her own medicine.
To your delight, she was more than pleased with this anomaly of sorts. Clearly, she wasn't about to let such a promising specimen slip between her fingers like sand. Not when those past few months had been nothing but a bleak routine.
"Well, how about I keep you around then? You scratch my back, I scratch yours."
Well... mission successful then?
~
Sure, Megami had already been told that Akademi was a mess internally. But she was hoping her fellow student council members would be able to maintain control while she was absent at the very least. Needless to say, she didn't expect to find them caught in such a trash fire upon her return.
While each member was competent enough on her own, Megami had come to realize that they all lacked greatly in communication. Unless she was there to get them on track, they'd scatter like mice. And the circus before her was proof of that.
The girls were caught in a fiery argument, talking over each other and blatantly ignoring their bewildered leader at the door. Megami would've assumed they were debating the ethics of their positions before her gaze landed on a new face; you.
You were throned on top of the table, clad in their iconic red and white uniform and filing your nails, blissfully ignorant of the chaos unfolding just a few feet away from you.
Megami was utterly lost. A new student council member? One that was allowed to join without her authorization or knowledge whatsoever? Things had truly gone out of her control.
"Hey!" She barked out.
The girls immediately piped down upon hearing such a familiar voice and all eyes shifted onto the president. Megami crossed her arms and regarded them with a condescending glint in her silver eyes. The silence was so thick you could cut it with a knife.
With a curt nod of her head, she gestured towards you. "Care to explain who this is?"
Megami clearly didn't want a sound out of you. So, Akane stepped up to introduce you with her usual honeyed voice. "This is Y/N. She's our newest member."
Shiromi fixed her patterned scarf and strode towards you to tuck a strand of your hair behind your ear. "She's a common friend, if you will. We figured we'd wait for you to come meet her in person."
It's important to note that your separate crusades of each girl happened around the same time. A combination of your incredible foresight and their aforementioned failure to properly communicate with each other led to this. It was only on that morning they all realized they had been pining after the same person. One they had carelessly incorporated in their inner circle mere days before.
Megami raised a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose in irritation. Of course this had to happen. She knew taking a few weeks off school would end badly.
"And you didn't think of notifying me?"
Kuroko awkwardly cleared her throat and lowered her head in shame. "A dereliction of our duties..." she mumbled.
Aoi followed this up with a scoff as she leaned against the wall. "Nonsense. Y/N is not a threat. And you were due to return soon anyway."
Akane clasped her hands together and nodded in agreement. "Mhm. And if you must know, Y/N is quite the model student."
Megami shot another glare your way. You reciprocated indifferently. Unbeknownst to her, you were secretly plotting on how to win her over like the rest.
"I see. And why were all of you fighting just now?"
Nobody answered. In fact, none of the four girls wanted to come forward and admit that they let possessiveness get the best of them. That would mean proving that they let their emotions get in the way of their responsibilities.
Megami sighed, sensing the remaining tension in the air. She knew better than to interrogate or lecture them at a time like this. Allowing them to let some steam off was her best option.
"Very well. We'll talk about this later. Now go. On your patrols."
With their tails between their legs, the girls went on their separate ways. As soon as the door slid shut behind them, Megami heaved an exasperated sigh and collapsed against the leather armchair behind the desk. She had so much work to do...
"Some tea perhaps?"
Megami startled. She glanced to her left, only to be met with your doe-like eyes and meek smile. A small porcelain plate with a steaming cup of green tea rested in your hands like a sacrificial offering. You seemed unreachable.
After a long moment of consideration, Megami allowed you to metaphorically rub the agitation away from her shoulders as she gingerly brought the rim to her lips.
"Thank you." She murmured.
Okay, maybe she did get the appeal after all.