Chapter 289 Communication after three years
Ayase Kotone kept staring at the strange number on her phone, standing there in a daze, without any response.

"President, you won't answer it?"

The silence was broken by Shimizu's voice.

Ayase Kotone suddenly came to her senses and said apologetically, "I'm sorry..."

However, Ayase Kotone did not answer the strange call, nor did she say anything. Instead, she gently turned off the phone screen and put it back on the long table.

That's right, even if it was Shimizu Mi, when he received a call from such an unfamiliar number, he would immediately think that the other party had dialed the wrong number, or it was a harassment or sales call.

However, because of this phone call, Ayase Kotone had an inexplicable premonition in her heart. Although the number was unfamiliar, it seemed to carry some familiar message.

"Kuroda, today's work is almost done, you can go back first. Didn't you just say your boyfriend is waiting for you?"

"Ah, thank you, President."

After thanking Vice President Kuroda, she left the student council room. Ayase Kotone brought some of the remaining documents from her side to her side.

Then, Ayase Kotone picked up the registration form that Amamiya Iori had just filled out.

"Well, there are no problems with the registration form. After that, Amamiya-san just needs to submit a joint recommendation to me."

"Joint recommendation?"

Because he suddenly heard unfamiliar words, Amamiya Iori asked subconsciously.

"That's right. The candidate for the student council president must be jointly recommended by thirty people."

In other words, if you want to formally run for student union president, you must first have someone jointly recommend you.

However, this is understandable.

Otherwise, if someone who is totally unpopular comes out to run for election, everyone in the school will just treat it as a joke, and there may even be some people who sign up with the intention of deliberately causing trouble or just to join in the fun.

The emergence of a large number of people like this would only cause trouble for the student union, so the initial threshold of joint recommendation should be set.

On the other hand, as long as a certain number of joint recommendations are reached, registration can be completed.

Of course, getting a joint recommendation from thirty people is not a difficult task for Amamiya Iori.

If the students in her class knew that she was going to run for student union president, most of them would express their support. After all, who doesn't want the next student union president to be born in their class?

Shimizu glanced at Amamiya Iori who was sitting next to him.

If we talk about competitiveness, her "fighting power" is unexpectedly high.

Girls like Amamiya Iori naturally give people the first impression of being cute, and quite cute. With just one glance, they can easily meet the ideal standard of a beautiful girl in the minds of ordinary students.

Coupled with her gentle and sunny image, she must be one of the most popular girls among boys in the school.

As the heroine of the game, Amamiya Iori, like Ayase Kotone, can always naturally become the focus of everyone's attention no matter when and where, just like a bright star, always the shining point in the crowd.

Of course, in a high school student council election like this, the real focus is not on the candidates' manifestos or their suggestions for the school.

Just like the presidential elections in the outside world, all the words said during the election were just talk, and no one has ever tried to fulfill them.

In fact, everyone knows that even if the student council president candidate proposes to reform the school system, the possibility of it being realized is very slim.

A candidate for student council president might say that after he takes office he wants to allow students to wear whatever casual clothes they like to school and to relax school rules, but in reality very few of these things are actually achieved.

After eliminating these half-true and half-false declarations, the answer to what the real competition is about becomes obvious - it is purely based on the popularity of the candidates.

To put it bluntly, the student union election is the equivalent of a popularity vote.

Girls who are pretty and cute are naturally more popular with everyone and are naturally more likely to get votes from students.

Even if it were Shimizu Mi, among a group of candidates he didn't know well, he would be more willing to vote for a beautiful girl like Amamiya Iori.

So in general, Shimizu Mi still very much believes that Amamiya Iori can win the election for the student council president candidate.

After that, Ayase Kotone told Amemiya Iori some detailed rules about the student council election.

The light in the student union gradually dimmed as time went by. In contrast, the sky outside the window was dyed a fiery red.

As autumn approaches, night falls earlier and earlier.

During this time, Shimizu noticed the document on the table that Vice President Kuroda had just handed to Ayase Kotone.

Because Amamiya Iori was still discussing the student council president election with Ayase Kotone, Shimizu saw that he had nothing to do, so he picked it up and took a look.

It seems to be written about the forest school activities that will be organized by the school later, but the specific time has not been decided yet.

Shimizu was passing the time by looking at the document about "School in the Forest".

After chatting with Ayase Kotone for nearly twenty minutes, Amemiya Iori had a general understanding of the election process for the student union president, and then took a form from Ayase Kotone to fill out the student joint recommendation.

The joint recommendation needs to be filled out by at least thirty people with their real names, and it must be submitted to the Student Union before this weekend at the latest. Otherwise, the application form for the election of Student Union President will be deemed invalid.

After thanking Ayase Kotone, Amamiya Iori left the student council room with Shimizu Mi.

Because Reina Shimizu was busy with the general cleaning and couldn't come, Amamiya Iori took the application form for the student union secretary with him.

After leaving the student union room, the two did not stay long as the bell urging students to leave school echoed clearly in the corridor. They went downstairs and left the school.

On the way home from school, Shimizu Mi and Amamiya Iori walked slowly along the street, basking in the setting sun.

Shimizu looked at the profile of Amamiya Iori who was walking side by side with him.

"Iori, are you really determined to become the student council president?"

Although it may seem a little early to say this now, but if nothing unexpected happens, Amamiya Iori should be able to win like she did last week and become the next student council president after Ayase Kotone.

"What's the matter, dear, don't you want me to be elected?"

If this was Amamiya Iori's own wish, Shimizu would certainly support her without hesitation.

"However, the election campaign will begin next week, so I should prepare my campaign speech in the next few days."

Considering that Amemiya Iori had never participated in this kind of election before, the time was a bit tight as she had to find enough students to recommend her and write a perfect speech.

"It's okay, dear, don't worry. I've almost figured out how to write my speech and campaign manifesto."

"So fast?"

It was not long since they left school, and Shimizu was a little surprised at how efficient Amamiya Iori was.

"Well, if I am elected successfully, the first thing I will do is to change the current school rules."

Change school rules?

She has to do such a big job right from the start?

If Qingshuijian remembered correctly, the school rules were last changed about four or five years ago.

Shimizu Mi used her eyes to confirm with Amamiya Iori if she was serious?
"Of course, in order to enable students to learn and grow better in the future, the first thing I will do is to abolish the school rules that prohibit students from dating."

Amamiya Iori raised his chin proudly and spoke righteously.

However, no matter how she sounds, it seems that this is completely out of personal selfishness, right?
Out of curiosity, Qingshuijian tried to ask her why she wanted to do this.

Then, Amamiya Iori replied:

"Because President Ayase just said that if I become the president, I will definitely be watched by many people. No matter what I do or who I am with, it will be magnified infinitely. So if there is a school rule prohibiting male and female relationships, it will be very troublesome to be with my dear at that time."

Indeed, if Amamiya Iori becomes the student council president, she will definitely become more noticeable in school than before. Not only will her actions be magnified, but she may even be criticized by some people and deliberately cause trouble for her. After all, the human species is also diverse.

Of course, it is not so easy to really change the school rules.

Although it seems that most students in the school will support Amamiya Iori in abolishing the school rule prohibiting male and female students from dating, it is not enough to just get the support of the students. If the school strongly opposes it, it still will not work.

However, Shimizu Mi still has this confidence in Amemiya Iori.

……

……

Student Union Room.

At this time, only Ayase Kotone was left in the empty student union room sitting at the long table.

After Shimizu Mi and Amemiya Iori left, Ayase Kotone immediately picked up the phone on the table.

After unlocking the screen, Ayase Kotone looked at the photo she had received earlier with complicated eyes.

The girl in the photo had long hair that was as smooth as a waterfall of sky-blue silk. The unique hair color and the impressive face immediately evoked the memories deep in Ayase Kotone's heart.

"Zhixi..."

Although the face in the photo looks a bit more mature than the youthful one in memory, Ayase Kotone can still be recognized at a glance.

Looking at the photo, Ayase Kotone was stunned for several minutes, then slowly opened the previous call records.

The call record shows the strange phone call just now.

The previous call before this strange phone call was a record of communication with parents from a month ago.

Ayase Kotone's eyes were fixed on the unfamiliar number. After some hesitation, she finally made up her mind, touched the screen with her fingertips, and dialed the number.

After the ringtone rang several times in a low voice, the call was connected.

"..."

"..."

After the call was connected, no one spoke on either end.

After the atmosphere was silent for a moment amidst the sound of Ayase Kotone's heartbeat, a clear and familiar voice echoed in the air.

“Why didn’t you answer it then?”

The other person's voice made Ayase Kotone's heartbeat seem to pause for a beat.

"S-Sorry... Y-Is it Shiki?"

Although it was the same as she had guessed, Ayase Kotone still felt a little incredible to hear her voice after a long time.

"It seems that Xiao Qinyin hasn't forgotten my voice."

"Is it really... is it really you? Zhixi..."

"Since you guessed it was me, why didn't you answer the phone just now?"

Although the other party's voice did not sound angry, Ayase Kotone subconsciously tightened her grip on the phone and hesitated:

"Sorry... it was a little inconvenient at that time."

"Not convenient? Let me guess, which boy are you with?"

"Yes, there are girls too..." Ayase Kotone added in a low voice.

"If that's the case, could it be that Xiao Qinyin has already found the person she was looking for?"

The other party's question made Ayase Kotone silent for a moment, and then she slowly spoke:
"Sorry……"

"Why do you have to say sorry to me? Xiao Qinyin didn't do anything to offend me. At that time, you just made the decision you wanted to make."

"..."

Ayase Kotone did not reply, but fell silent again.

The female voice on the other end of the phone continued:
"But then again, Xiao Qinyin is still as slow as ever in this regard. The other person has been right beside you, but you haven't noticed it yet. Sigh——"

Through the phone, Ayase Kotone heard the other party pretending to let out a slight, long sigh.

"Eh? You mean..."

Ayase Kotone asked the question subconsciously.

"Of course I'm talking about the boy you've been looking for. I can't believe that Qinyin has spent more than three years and still hasn't found him."

"Wait, wait...Zhixi, what you just said, does that mean you know who that person is?"

Ayase Kotone's voice suddenly became a few pitches higher because of excitement.

"..."

After hearing this, the other party was silent for a while, and then Ayase Kotone heard her meaningful "hum~~"

"Zhi, Zhixi?"

To make sure the other party was still listening, Ayase Kotone asked softly.

"Xiao Qinyin, do you want to know?"

Ayase Kotone hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Um... why did Zhixi know?"

"Well, of course it's because I'm not as slow as you."

"Well, that's nothing..." Ayase Kotone made a somewhat displeased sound.

"I was just joking, but I do know who the boy is that Xiao Qinyin has been looking for."

"Really?"

"This is not a scam call. Is there any need to lie to you?"

Although she didn't understand why the other party knew it before her, based on Ayase Kotone's understanding of her, the other party should not be joking to make her happy.

"Who is that?"

After asking this question, Ayase Kotone became nervous unconsciously.

"Do you really want to know, Xiaoqinyin?"

Ayase Kotone was a little surprised why the other party kept confirming it like this. After she said "hmm" in affirmation, the voice on the other end of the phone suddenly disappeared.

A full long while passed, and when Ayase Kotone was wondering if the call had been hung up, a voice came from the phone again.

"Xiao Qinyin, let's meet somewhere."

"……Eh?"

"After three years, don't you want to see me?"

(End of this chapter)