The room seemed to close in on me as she walked in—a girl with a calm presence, carrying herself like she belonged, yet unfamiliar to everyone here. The same person who I meet in front of the teacher's office. I couldn't shake the feeling that our paths had crossed, and for a moment, I forgot why I was even here.
"You…" "You're…"
We spoke at the same time, surprise evident in our voices. Although I couldn't remember anything specific about her, something in my gut told him they weren't strangers.
Imelda's eyebrows shot up, and her lips curved into a grin. "Oh? You two know each other already?"
I shook my head, trying to ignore the lingering sense of déjà vu. "Not exactly. We just… met once," I said, though it didn't feel entirely true. This was more than just familiarity; it felt as though I'd been looking for her my whole life.
It doesn't mean that I desperately want to have a relationship with her like someone who is only looking for benefits. I have no reason or interest in such a relationship. With the beauty and style he has, I am sure others would only think that if they looked from the outside, so I clarified my thoughts.
Imelda's lips curled into a knowing smile as she stepped forward. "Then let me properly introduce you," she said, turning to the girl. "This beautiful girl is Violet Edina, a new transfer student and our newest member of the Student Council."
The girl—Violet—gave me a small, polite smile, a soft and composed look in her eyes. "Nice to meet you," she said gently, bowing her head slightly.
Without stopping, Imelda continued to introduce us. "Maybe you've seen her before in some way, Ishimaru Alysha, the vice president of the council," Imelda continued. "And this cool guy is Ishimaru Naozumi, also like you, he is a transfer student and will become a new member of the student council."
This introduction caught me completely off guard. For almost one semester. I'd been searching, following vague leads to find this girl, and now, without warning, she was standing right in front of me.
She was the younger sister of someone who mattered deeply to me—someone whose memory still weighed heavily on my heart. I'd never seen her face before; I only knew of her through her brother's descriptions. Evan had tried his best to paint her likeness for me, but looking at her now, I realized he hadn't quite done her justice. I suppose he was always a little clumsy with words.
Still, I couldn't understand why I couldn't recall her face. Her reputation was almost as well-known as Alysha's, both marked by their unique ID statuses. Maybe the stress had been getting to me, clouding my mind and dulling my focus, making it harder to recognize the face of someone I'd come here to protect.
And yet… I felt a strange familiarity with her. Perhaps that was why I'd sensed her presence before I'd ever put a name to it.
Alysha smiled and nodded in greeting, but I caught a flicker of something else in her expression—a blend of uncertainty, curiosity, and perhaps even sadness. I couldn't quite decipher it. It seemed her feelings were mixed. Even though it's faint I still realize it.
When Imelda introduced Me as another new member of the Student Council, I raised an eyebrow. Only moments ago, I'd refused her offer. But now, with Violet here, I felt my stance wavering. This wasn't just any girl; this was the younger sister of my late friend, the one who had given me the heart that now beat in my chest.
"Damn Controller," I muttered with a wry smile.
As I said before, when you spend too much time around Imelda, you inevitably get carried away by her desires. Even though I had only been with her for a few minutes, following her wishes felt natural to me. She wanted me to join the student council, and the key to my joining was Violet. In the end, her wish was fulfilled.
I took a deep breath, realizing there was only one answer I could give. "I'll join," he said, surprising Imelda with his sudden commitment. "But I'm here on my terms—consider me an intern." He gave Imelda a serious look.
Imelda nodded, satisfied. "Fine, fine. An intern it is." But the glint in her eye told me she'd still find ways to push me into council work.
Violet gave us a small bow, her voice soft and polite. "Thank you for having me. I'll do my best."
There was something in Violet's expression that made me feel strangely at peace, even though inside, I was anything but calm. Violet radiated a quiet gentleness, so unlike her brother's energetic boom energy, but her presence still tugged at memories of him.
I saw Imelda's eyes dart between us, her usual mischievous expression replaced by something softer. But, of course, she couldn't resist her own brand of humor for long. "So does this mean I get both Ishimaru's in the council? Talk about a two-for-one deal!"
I really need to avoid more trouble with her in the future.
"It's unusual that you waver so easily." asked my twin sister.
"It's okay. Without me telling you, you'll understand," I answered with an ambiguous answer.
It's not that I don't want my sister to know. But, I trust her that she will understand on her own. Besides, if I speak now and Violet finds out, she might get mad at me and I won't be able to repay the favor. Therefore, I want Alysha to find out on her own.
Moments later, Alysha fell silent. She then sat back on the sofa and closed her eyes.
Alysha just stayed silent, seemingly trying to concentrate. I guess this will take a while. She always gets to focus on things that make her curious, and she will always search until she gets the answer. Or so it is for her current state. I'm not sure.
"Alysha~"
"..."
I called her while waving my hand in front of her face. She still didn't respond and got lost in her thoughts. I even patted her shoulder a few times, but the result was nothing. She often ignored her surroundings when trying to remember and think hard.
Meanwhile, Imelda could only smile wryly and shake her head. She was used to seeing Alysha's behavior like that, so I guess she also knew Alysha's condition right now.
On the other hand, Violet, who I guess had never seen anything like this, could only be confused by this situation.
"Yup, it is quite worrying if you don't know Alysha's nature."
"Is Senior Ishimaru okay?" Violet asked worriedly.
"It's fine. Don't worry. She's always like that."
It was normal considering Alysha's behavior. Maybe there are people like Alysha. But if I compared myself to her, I couldn't match her concentration. That's what made her the thinker in the student council.
Realizing something I had just thought of, I immediately turned my gaze to Imelda.
"Imelda. You didn't make Alysha do your tasks, did you?"
Considering Imelda's personality, she probably would. Definitely! I'm sure of it. Without a doubt.
She was startled, not expecting me to scold her. "Fu~.. fu~.." Imelda just averted her gaze, trying to whistle but producing no sound.
From her behavior, I think my suspicion was correct. And it was this attitude of hers that made me not want to join the student council again. I just facepalmed, seeing Imelda's reliance on others.
"Sorry, Edina. Are you really going to join the student council? I'm a bit hesitant."
"Yes. Is Senior Ishimaru not joining?"
"...Just call me Naozumi. It would be confusing if there were two Ishimarus here," I replied after a brief pause.
If she called me that, it would cause trouble later on. So, it's easier to just use my name. Also, it's rare for people to use surnames instead of their names.
"Eh?... Senior Naozumi."
For some reason, I felt a bit embarrassed, and it seemed like Violet did too. Usually, I don't think much about it. But somehow, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I guess she's also not used to calling someone by their first name directly. To ease the awkwardness, I shifted the topic to my response.
"Regarding the question about joining the student council, it depends on the situation. And also, why are you joining?"
If she decided not to join the student council, I might have more freedom in making my choice. But if she did join, it would depend on her answer. She is a first-year student, and I might not see her often. Though I hate to admit it, the best option would be to join the student council, which would make it easier for us to meet.
"A-ah, yes. I just want to help people. My big brother once told me that people in the Student Council are always helping others." She paused, then added with a gentle smile, "I've never been part of a student council before, so when Senior Imelda invited me, I thought I'd give it a try."
"Brother...." I muttered softly.
I found myself lost in the sense of duty I felt toward her, the gratitude, the need to make things right. My thoughts drifted to Evan's sacrifice, the guilt that had been festering beneath the surface. Without realizing it, as I bowed my head, Violet called my name several times, but I unknowingly ignored her.
Seeing me not responding made her confused a bit. She might have thought her words offended me and made her feel guilty.
Alysha, who had been thinking on the sofa, also noticed the situation and looked at us. Without warning, I felt Alysha's arms wrap around me. I looked down, startled, as she hugged me tightly, her head resting on my shoulder. Her embrace was firm, grounding. She didn't say a word, but she didn't need to. She knew exactly what I was feeling—she always did. In her silence, she told me everything: that she understood, that she saw the burden I carried, and that it wasn't mine alone to bear.
"Alysha…" I whispered, but she just tightened her hold, silently telling me to let it out.
We stayed like that for a moment, and for the first time since I'd made my decision, I felt something loosen inside me. I'd always thought I could carry this weight on my own, but Alysha reminded me I didn't have to. She pulled back, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "You don't have to do this alone, Brother. I'm here too."
I nodded, barely able to speak, and gave her hand a grateful squeeze. "Thank you, Alysha."
I took a slow breath, grounding myself. When I looked at Violet, I felt the weight of my promise settle in. I knew what I had to do, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like I was where I was supposed to be.
I caught Imelda's gaze and, once again, stepped closer to her. My voice was low, meant only for her. "Violet is my priority, Imelda. I'm here for her, not for any other reason. Don't expect me to be a typical council member."
For once, her usual smugness softened. She held my gaze and nodded. "Understood. Violet's well-being is yours to protect."
Actually, if Imelda didn't often impose her will, I would gladly join the student council. But she has many desires and often makes things difficult. I know she's not too bad at getting things done. Her weakness is relying too much on others, which makes her give her own tasks to others and reduces her workload. I want her to sometimes do her tasks fully by herself.
The others began talking amongst themselves, but I could barely hear it. My mind was fixed on the commitment I'd just made. This was more than joining the Student Council. This was honoring the promise bound by a heartbeat, a promise that I'd carry forward with every step I took.
As I glanced at Violet one last time, I knew there was no going back.