After meeting Minato-san, I went to the civic hall, where the party would be held.
It had started snowing a while ago, so the area around the hall had turned white. According to the weather forecast, it would keep snowing as the temperature continued to drop.
"I always thought a White Christmas was a nuisance because the road would be slippery…"
Because of the cloudy sky, the various lights installed around the city were lit.
The orange light of the street lamps, the colorful lights decorating the trees, buildings and streets, along with the snow falling gently from the sky… It was truly a Christmas-like scene.
I had always kept my gaze locked to my feet, but after seeing this, maybe I should stop doing that…
"Whoa!"
As I was thinking about that, I slipped and almost fell on my butt.
I pulled my hand out of my pocket to break my fall–
"Whoops. If you do that, you'll sprain your wrist, you know?"
Then someone caught me from behind.
"Ah, sorry for the trouble… I was a bit dazed…"
"Because of the snow, the street is more slippery than usual, so you'll have to pay more attention to your footing, Maehara-kun."
"P-Prez? S-Sorry…"
The one who helped me was the student council president.
It was embarrassing to be helped by a stranger, but to be saved by an acquaintance was even more embarrassing. Moreover, she was Nozomu's sister, imagine if he were to find out about this… Yeah, he definitely wouldn't let me hear the end of it…
I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks.
"B-By the way, aren't you a little too early, Prez? The meeting doesn't start for another thirty minutes, right?"
"The venue has already been set up, so I have to check it out. Besides, aren't you the one who's early, Maehara-kun?"
"Well… This is my first time coming to this kind of event… I'm a little nervous…"
"Is that so? While you're at it, why don't you join me? You'll get used to the atmosphere quicker that way and if we can finish some work while we're at it, we can relax a little when the event starts."
"…Alright, I'll do just that."
Actually, the main reason why I was nervous is not the party itself, but the other thing I had to do. I mean, I'll only need to follow Prez' instructions during the party so I don't need to worry about messing up. Umi and the others will be there too, so I won't be lonely.
We planned to meet up in the venue later, so I had to wait a little longer to see Umi and Amami-san's dress.
I arrived at the venue together with Prez and prepared the reception desks for the participants.
According to her, there will be around 200 to 300 people attending the party, so to avoid confusion, they set it up so that each school gets their own reception desk.
"Ah, right, you haven't gotten this yet, right, Maehara-kun?"
"The staff armband? Yeah, you haven't… Wait, this is?"
She gave me a red hat with a white furball on the tip, a Santa hat.
"The armband wouldn't be enough since this place will be crowded, so that's why we'll be wearing this. Take three of these armbands and hats, each for Asanagi-san, Amami-san and… my idiotic brother."
"Got it."
The hat looked cheesy, but it would be noticeable enough in the crowd. For example, the Prez, since she was taller than average, she would be more conspicuous than usual when wearing it and it would be easy to find her.
"By the way, Maehara-kun, can I ask you something?"
"Yes?"
"Can you stop calling me 'Prez'? I may be the student council president now, but I'll retire next year, so…"
I see. Once everyone started calling her 'Prez' it seemed like it was hard for them to stop calling her that even when she stepped down from her position. I guess I could understand her feelings.
"Alright… Tomoo-senpai?"
"Yes, something like that… But, Maehara-kun, aren't you a bold one? Suddenly calling me by my first name like that?"
"I mean, if I call you by your last name, I might mistook you for Nozomu, senpai."
"Ah, right, that guy exists."
"He's your little brother, you know?"
At first I thought Tomoo-senpai would be more uptight, but after talking to her for a while, she was actually a mischievous person.
I guess it was because she was like this that the student council members seemed really close to each other.
"Then, I'll call you Maki-kun from now on. Let's do our best today, Maki-kun."
"Yes, I'll be in your care, senpai."
After we shook hands, we continued our work to arrange the reception desks. Meanwhile, the number of people gathering near the venue was gradually increasing.
"I'm here, Maki."
"Hey~ Maki-kun~"
Nozomu arrived at the venue first, followed by Amami-san. Nozomu came in his school uniform because Tomoo-senpai assigned him backstage despite his protests. Meanwhile Amami-san was wearing a light blue dress that suited her well. Then again, it was Amami-san, I'm sure she'd look good in anything.
'Damn, look at her…'
'Blonde hair… Is she a foreigner?'
Naturally, students from other schools started to make a fuss after they saw her.
Amami-san should have heard them, but she completely ignored them and instead she was chatting with the Prez. I guess she was used to this kind of situation by now, huh? I wish I could be like her.
"Amami-san, where's Umi?"
"Ah, yeah, she came with me, but she went to the bathroom so I went ahead… Speak of the devil, Umi~ We're here!~"
After noticing us, Umi ran toward us.
"Yuu, did you tell Maki more nonsense again?"
"I'm not~ Right, Maki-kun?"
"Ah, yeah… She didn't say anything to me…"
She actually tried to imply something and I noticed it, but I'll pretend not to notice.
I handed the armbands and hats to the three of them and we went to the reception desks together. The four of us would standby at our school's reception desk while Tomoo-senpai went to help the other school's desks.
"…Um, Umi…"
"Y-Yes?"
"Uh… That dress looks good on you."
I held her hand secretly under the desk as I told her that.
It was a black lace, off-shoulder dress. It revealed her skin from her neck to her shoulders.
She said that she wouldn't dress up as much as she did when we had our date, but, man…
"I see. Well, your vocabulary is lacking, but I'll accept that since it's your honest impression."
"I mean, you look pretty, what else should I say?"
"I-I got it, so stop saying that out loud!"
"Okay, okay."
I noticed Amami-san grinning at us, so I immediately let Umi's hand go and went back to work.
Amami-san might have looked pretty tonight, but Umi definitely looked prettier.
…I think I love Umi a little bit too much…