Student Council President Election #3
Student Council President Election #3
Though she was acting a little rough, Woo Yu-ri was having the time of her life.
Slung around Kim Geun-cheol's shoulders, shoving her phone screen in his face and demanding that he take her side—this moment right now was pure bliss.
Kim Geun-cheol's eyes were glued to the screen, and his face was getting red enough to read easily.
'Easy to read. Embarrassed?'
She never meant to torment him, but she could do this forever. After all, Kim Geun-cheol was a guy who gave the best reactions.
She kept getting the urge to mess with him like this.
"Sorry! My bad! Let go!"
She grabbed Kim Geun-cheol, who was trying to run, and held him in place like a chokehold.
"Ah, looks like he still doesn't get it. I said I won't let go until you vote."
"U-aaaaahhh!!!"
"Oh? You're putting some muscle into it? Wanna arm-wrestle me right now? You did, didn't you?"
"I didn't! Hey! We're supposed to train!"
"Then break free!"
He was thrashing to escape, but she was stronger. If they weren't superhumans, Kim Geun-cheol, who was taller and bigger, would obviously have had more raw strength.
But they weren't ordinary people. So she was stronger.
As she overpowered Kim Geun-cheol and toyed with him, Woo Yu-ri felt a strange sensation. The guy was trapped in her arms, unable to break free.
"What the—how are you this strong...!"
"Yeah. Magic power difference. Hey. Judge before I get meaner."
"Tch...!"
Was he starting to give up?
Right then.
—Your memories!
From her phone came Kim Geun-cheol's singing voice. The video edited by the Broadcasting Club. It had moved on to the highlight of his song.
"This song...!"
"This bastard's fake-ass good-singer act is so gross!"
Woo Yu-ri had said it expecting him to argue that it wasn't an act—he really was good—but he just trembled and stayed silent.
"Huh? Hey. Why'd you go quiet? I said judge."
Her confusion didn't last.
"I can't...!"
Kim Geun-cheol's voice came out resolute.
"What?"
"That beautiful song awakened my soul! Right now I am more serious than anyone!"
"This bastard?"
"Do not think that I, Kim Geun-cheol, will bow my head to this kind of coercion, Woo Yu-ri! I do not yield to oppression! I will deliberate carefully and deliver a fair and honest evaluation!"
"Huh."
Here he was, caught by a delicate girl, completely helpless, and yet that voice overflowed with fighting spirit. This was why the feedback never got old.
"This punk dares to mouth off to his older sister? That waist—I really want to bend it."
"Heh-heh-heh, Yu-ri. Some things cannot be won by force. Now let me go and come at me. I'll prove it to you with my sword."
"Ah fuck, that voice! Hey!"
That hilariously over-the-top, exaggerated voice was a major irritation. She immediately let him go and grabbed a practice sword.
"You've gotten cocky thinking your skills have grown a little. Kim Geun-cheol, should I give you a re-education?"
"You talk too much, you fierce and strong Milky. Do you fight with your tongue instead of a sword?"
"You motherfucker!"
—Fwoosh.
She kicked off the ground and launched herself at Kim Geun-cheol. But the guy just reacted with irritating ease, raising his sword. Was he planning to use a dull blade?
Well, they had sparred plenty by now. She had the feeling that he was seeing through her moves.
And then.
—Boom!
Her attack, thrown with feints mixed in, was shattered by Kim Geun-cheol without a single tremor, with just one sword-stroke.
—Crack!
Her blade was deflected upward.
"Oh? This punk?"
That strange power again. He'd called it some new mana manipulation method. Her raw power was definitely higher, but he'd redirected it beautifully. And then came his counterattack.
"Witness my power!"
"Hup."
The vigorously swung sword was a feint. Mid-swing, he used the pommel as a lever, pulling it inward to deliver an irregular attack. It looked unstable for a guy who'd supposedly learned proper swordsmanship, but—
—Thud!
—because of that "strange power" behind the blade, it hit brutally hard. Instead of blocking or deflecting, Woo Yu-ri chose a full evasion.
"I'm not the old Kim Geun-cheol anymore! I'm a musician! An artist! Kim Geun-cheol!"
"What's he on about...!"
The frantic Kim Geun-cheol pressed his assault. Because she'd gone for a full evasion, she'd lost the chance to counter and had the tempo stolen.
'Oh.'
Honestly, she was impressed.
He'd already reached this point.
His skill was climbing ridiculously fast.
She'd always thought he was a fast grower, but this was genuinely amazing. The flurry of attacks Kim Geun-cheol was unleashing right now—it was hard to deal with.
What if this were real combat? What if a monsterkin with the same strength, appearance, and skill as Kim Geun-cheol appeared and they had to fight for their lives?
She'd win most of the time, but she might lose once in a while. His unpredictably wild offense had that kind of potential.
—Bam!
She braced, blocked an attack, and seized an opening to counter. But Kim Geun-cheol wasn't a pushover either. He wielded that strange power freely, trying to gain an edge in the contest of strength.
'Seriously, his future is bright.'
How strong would a guy like this be by graduation?
Woo Yu-ri was well aware that she herself was stronger than most active heroes. When it came down to it, what mattered for a superhuman was their magic power reserve and their sense for using it. Even if you graduated from the academy, without innate talent supporting you, you were just an average superhuman. Powerful heroes were born when talented individuals put in the work.
In that respect, Kim Geun-cheol was rewarding to teach. Talent and hard work—literally the perfect student.
Even now, as they crossed swords, she felt a warm satisfaction.
Of course, it was fun too.
"Kaaaaahp!"
—Fwoosh!
In an instant, Kim Geun-cheol drew out his power and prepared a mighty blow. Its preparation was swift and fast, with no drawn-out motion—he was trying to deliver the best move he could.
'Read it, dumbass.'
Having read it, Woo Yu-ri, with complete seriousness, brought out her own best move. She dropped her blade low, drew out her magic power, kicked off the ground into an explosive acceleration—
—Boom!
—and executed an upward slash one tempo faster, breaking through Kim Geun-cheol's strike.
"Ueak?!"
His sword deflected, Kim Geun-cheol couldn't respond any further. Meaning to land one on him, Woo Yu-ri immediately drove a blow into his side.
—Pow!
"Guhk...!"
Kim Geun-cheol's body crumpled forward.
—Thud.
Thus the spar ended in Woo Yu-ri's victory.
"Hey. That's what you get for mouthing off."
"Urrrgh..."
"Even so."
The bastard had gotten incredibly strong.
The move Woo Yu-ri had just used was, literally, her skill drawn out to its fullest. The second semester had just started and the guy had already pulled out her "maximum." She'd grown to the point where the match would have dragged on if she hadn't used it.
"Well done."
Crouching beside his head, Woo Yu-ri gently ruffled his hair and praised him.
"...Guhk."
No answer, naturally, from the guy writhing in agony. He just twisted like a loach pulled out of the water. It was honestly a little pitiful how much pain he looked to be in. She did feel a bit sorry for hitting him this hard, but this was how you trained in Superhuman Swordsmanship.
'Ah, but this bastard sure doesn't fall for me easily. What gives? Is my charm lacking? Or is it because Leona's around?'
Whatever the case, today was fun.
"Does it hurt? Here?"
"Too... much painaaak...! Gurk!"
Woo Yu-ri gently stroked Kim Geun-cheol's side and waited for him to recover.
* * *
"Ah, seriously, Yu-ri. My side still feels like crap."
The side she'd pummeled yesterday still hurt like a bitch. Fucking hell. It hurts like this? What the hell happened to my side? It feels like some insane shark took a bite out of me.
I mean, I'm glad my durability went up, but it still feels like it hasn't recovered.
"That's because I hit you seriously, seriously."
"Why'd you hit me seriously?!"
"You think training is a joke, dumbass? Huh?"
"W-Well, that's true but..."
She had a point.
"I definitely learned something from it, so I'll let it slide. That move you pulled at the end... it was incredible. I guess because you read me first."
"Yeah."
"I need to train my mental game more."
"Or practice dealing with ambushes. Increase your speed."
"Got it."
Anyway.
It was lunchtime now.
But we didn't even have time to eat. We had to make Leona's campaign materials. So Yu-ri and I went to the snack shop, grabbed some cheap chewy stuff, and came back to the classroom.
"Ah, Kim Geun-cheol. And Woo Yu-ri. You're back?"
"Yeah. Here. Banana milk."
"Thanks."
I set the banana milk at Leona's seat and handed the black bean soy milk to Si-hoo.
"Si-hoo, yours is black bean soy milk."
"Wha—why'd I get the weird one?!"
The way she grabbed her head in shock with both hands was kind of cute. Now that I looked closely, Si-hoo's gestures had an oddly adorable feel to them. Even though she was packing something ridiculous down there.
"Geun-cheol, gimme yours!"
"Actually, the black bean soy milk is mine. Here. This strawberry milk I bought for you—I'll be having it instead."
"Gaaaah!"
With the food distributed, we dove into making the promotional materials. We made placards, drafted and reviewed a short speech, and brainstormed the design together, the four of us.
Mostly I drew.
—Shk-shk.
I sketched out a simple picture. The student council members, arms crossed, stern expressions, staring down the voters.
"How's this?"
When I finished, I showed it to everyone.
"Uh, dude. Doesn't this look gangster as hell?"
"Geun-cheol, this is a threat poster. It looks like a challenge letter."
These two didn't get it.
"Hey, you know? Huh? A strong and trustworthy image. That's what it is. Leona, how is it? Looks good, right?"
"Mm, we'll put it on the candidate list. It definitely conveys strength. Kim Geun-cheol, you seem to have some talent for drawing."
"See, I told you! Ha! You get it, Leona!"
Now let's come up with a matching slogan!
"Si-hoo, quickly, put in a fitting slogan."
"A slogan, huh."
Si-hoo, arms still crossed, thought it over.
"Since it's the student council... Our Worker, Capable Worker? The Student Council Wants Your Vote?"
"What's with that commie slogan..."
"Wha—commie?! Yu-ri?!"
But it really did sound commie.
Yu-ri rolled her eyes and kept going.
"Is this bastard Lee Si-hoo harboring a red ideology or something?"
"No, it's nothing like that!"
Anyway, we stayed at our desks, polishing off bread and milk, and focused on making the promotional stuff.
"Oh! Chairwoman promo stuff! You're making it! I'll help with election activities, yo!"
"If we pool our strength, it'll be a landslide."
One by one, the others finished eating and filtered back in. Soon they noticed our work, gathered around, and each threw in an opinion. All thanks to the festival closing the distance between us.
Wait.
But Brian.
If you want to get a message across to people, you have to draw some aggro first, don't you?
"Hey. Brian."
"Oh. Geun-cheol?"
"Can you do a headspin?"
"Of course! Watashi ga draw aggro!"
Brian was the perfect guy for the job!