"Thank you for attending this homecoming and a welcoming party for the freshmen, sophomores, seniors, and alumni," The man wearing his lenses settles on the stairs while he announces his message. He scans our faces and checks for our expression before pouring the lady at his side a drink with a glass of fine wine.
"We could not have done it without your participation! Cheers for a fresh start, students, and warmest congratulations to our graduating seniors!" The woman wearing the same uniform holds up her wineglass and raises it in front of us. Her silver dyed hair swings on her shoulders as she approaches the stage.
They share a matching charisma that spells confidence and leadership glimmering in their eyes as the two of them handle the crowd. We set our eyes towards their figures, standing tall at the centre of the lobby.
"Who are they?"
"Do you not know the previous president and vice-president of this school?"
"Idiot, don't be too loud, or they will hear you!"
Those are the gossips I have been hearing since the appearance of the two students before us. According to their stories, these two scholars were the previous elites seated on the precedent student council. They played a substantial role in the school's improvements that earned them the titles "Eagle and the White Tiger of the school".
I also heard that the council takes part in the government, making this academy prestigious in Tokyo, Japan. They handle the affairs and the future recommendations and education of the students, despite being pupils themselves.
"The night has turned old, and the party's end draws near. Yet, we are here for you tonight to bring you such tremendous news."
The student's cheers resound the entire room as if there is a concert playing in the background. With a single gesture of the president, the noise dies abruptly, making room for the two elites to continue their speech.
"We are here to find talented individuals that can lead our school as we had done before. I, Washi Nakamura, and my former vice-president, Byakko Suzuki, will assiduously pick and elect students in the next student council elections."
"I am Byakko Suzuki, and I promise everyone that this will be a fair and skill-based evaluation to look for potential candidates that can replace our seats!"
Each of the students inside the room grows silent, thinking to themselves everything that two student councils have regarded. We all share a hint of interest in their offers as we continue to lend our ears to these students on stage.
"We all know that every one of you finds it strenuous to accept our offer!"
"Which is why we added something that can grab your attention."
All the teachers from our subjects climb on the stage, with their eyes supervising everyone in the hall.
"We will exempt you from all academic courses, aside from their quizzes and major exams."
"Your professors will mark your activities, projects, and graded recitations with perfect scores as long as you are doing a job as a prominent leader of the student council."
The two of them simultaneously finish their sentences while taking another glass of wine in their hands and stretch them to the audience.
"The competition for the said announcement will begin tomorrow!"
"To all aspiring scholars wanting to take part in this benevolent event, I wish you the best of luck to enter our podium."
As soon as they conclude their sentences, the student body noisily gives the two student council members their applauds and appreciation. We are all motivated by the speech, making us want to compete for the council right here and right now.
"Yuki, I know you are planning to join that," Roxanne recommends the drink to me from the cup she took from the butler. Roxanne knows too well that I cannot stand drinking any alcoholic beverages like her.
I reach out for the goblet and take an elegant sip before returning it to the table. Drinking more from the cup might make my head spin and nauseous, so I need to be careful.
Roxanne xertz down the liquid to her throat like a cold fizzy drink found inside a fridge. It is not something that an elegant lady would do. But this is Roxanne we are talking about here.
That etiquette does not apply to her. She will do whatever she thinks is fun and correct, and that is totally okay.
"Yeah. I want that position." I shift my gaze over to Roxane, up to now struggling to balance herself on the table. With that minuscule amount of liquor, she becomes this fragile and vulnerable.
"And you got yourself tipsy all of a sudden,"
"Who yer calling me tipsy?" Roxanne clasps her hands into mine while she hopelessly waltzes from the crowd.
Fortunately for us, the students have their eyes focused on the two figures in front of us. It makes fleeing from the scene uncomplicated for me to carry Roxanne out of the room. The moonglades reflecting from the lake pave our way towards the distant car park from the other side.
The interspace from the hotel and the car are too distant for me to travel, chiefly when I have to carry the half-awake and half-dazed Roxanne on my shoulders.
"Roxanne, you've gained some weight." I could not help but express my voice and grunt while dragging my feet towards the concrete tiles.
My friend could only reply with incoherent wails enough to creep into the living creatures inside of me.
But before I can even arrive inside the park, my legs stumble upon something tiny and slide me away. Like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, my entire body plummets to the ground and is about to hit the wall.
At the very least, that is what I had expected the outcome to be for my body. Not until a man wearing the same suit and tie catches my waist and grabs Roxanne with his free hand.
"You!"
"You should be careful with your dress,"
I can see Nickson's eyes right next to me at point-blank range, with his hands still tightly wrapping around my hips.
His features become crystal upon inspecting his face up close to mine. Thanks to my hands holding his temples, his glasses would have fallen on my face. One accidental move and our lips would meet against each other.
As luck would have it, none of that happens to me, as I hastily pick myself up, together with Roxanne lying on the ground.
"Thank you for doing that," I resume walking towards my destination, not even batting an eye to Nickson behind me.
"Do you want me to-,"
"Nope! I am totally in control of my life."
Even before he could finish his sentence, I motion my hand and give him a sign that I am currently okay despite the tumble I have experienced.
Nickson-being the man who does not want to be annoyed, agrees to my response and soon walks away without uttering a single word.
"You're welcome!" Nickson shouts back at me while striding over to the other side, with a man also wearing a black suit meets him in front of his wheels. I could not see his vehicle behind the wall blocking my view.
I soon notice my car stationed at the far end corner of the parking lot, with my dad fast asleep in the driver's seat.
"You should stay right next to the entrance, dad!" I grumble to myself while continuously switching my feet back and forth until I reach the automobile.
I slam my hand on my dad's bare shoulder, resting on the window, and wake him up during the process. He abruptly jolts from his seat and produces a wild groan from the excruciating pain coming from my slap.
"Yuki! Don't scare me like that!" My father rubs his shoulder and checks for any signs of wounds on his arm. Upon noticing that there is no blood dripping on his hand, he opens the door and lets us inside.
"Sorry, dad, but you are soundly sleeping at an abandoned park,"
"What do you mean by abandoned? We are in front of your building!" He retaliates while starting the engine of the vehicle.
"But mom loves to do it,"
"Yeah. But I do not!"
After his reply, the two of us laugh in unison about the ridiculousness happening around us. Not until Roxanne joins in and ghastly chuckles like an evil witch of some sort gone loose from her abode. She, later on, halts her chortles and snores to sleep.
"Is she drunk?" My dad asks and points his forefinger at the wasted Roxy.
"Who knows? Roxanne took a sip, got dizzy, and we have this," I give my dad my answer while judgingly stare at the inhumane body of Roxane, curling around at the passenger's seat as my old man stirs the wheel and proceeds onwards down the road.
"How was the party?"
"It was fun, grand, and very tiring, dad. There are a lot of dishes made by each country. Although, they are quite lacking in the sweet department." I pick up my phone and open an app for me to type something.
"Anything else happened, Yuki?"
"Well, you see, dad," I catch his attention, making the car slow down its pace on the empty road.
"What is, Yuki?"
"I want to join the student council and become the president."