When I read the heart of the never-smiling princess, for some reason she had already fallen head over heels in love for me.

Chapter 17: Greeting rehearsal with The Princess and rest of us

“Good morning.”

“Good morning♪”

“Good morning!”

“Good mor…ning.”

On a Monday morning in April, as the new school year began, the student council executive members—Minami, Saeki, Jiro, Hoshino, and I—lined up along the school gate to greet the arriving students.

The students either ignored us or glanced briefly at Minami before walking away. No one returned our greetings back. Although I had somewhat expected this, the actual response was even worse than anticipated.

(Well, I guess being high schoolers now, they aren’t going to greet us back with cheerful smiles.)

After the entrance ceremony, we started our real student council activities. One of these activities is the weekly greeting campaign. As this has been a tradition carried on by successive student councils, and we are continuing it as well.

However, I had heard rumors that this activity had become quite perfunctory—That is, it is still being done, but only in name.

I now understood the reason. It’s demoralizing to keep at it with no response. Previous student councils till now must have been doing it out of a sense of duty. After all, I don’t blame the students. I, too, ignored the student council till the last year. After all, it’s awkward and embarrassing to greet your seniors who name, or actually anything and everything you don’t really know anything about.

Especially for high school students who are the creatures who try to avoid standing out at all costs, this result is quite inevitable.

My ears felt ticklish.

“Fwaaah?!”

As I turned around, holding my ears, I find Saeki standing right next to me. She had been on her tiptoes, and was bringing her face close to my shoulder, but quickly stood back with her hands on her hips. The ticklish sensation from before, was it probably her blowing into my ear?

“…What are you doing?” As I protested, she glared back at me.

“Raise your voice more, like Taro. Everyone is ignoring us see.”

“It’s not my fault at all. Also don’t blow into my ear.”

“Uwaa, gross, were you perhaps enjoying it?”

“When did anyone ever say that?!”

Even as I retorted, she just sighed loudly. Ahahaha, this girl…

Then I heard an annoyed voice in my head.

(‘What a pain to have to nag him like this… though, I guess it’s understandable with his condition. Seriously, if only I could give a good kick, that would’ve done the trick.’)

I guess this was Saeki’s inner voice. Welp, being so close to me to blow into my ear might’ve activated my ability.

(But she does care about my condition, in her own way huh.)

Maybe I can take this as being acknowledged as a fellow student council member. Even though her method is questionable. Also, kicking would definitely be an assault.

My ears tickled again.

“Fwaah!?”

As I turned the other way, covering my ears, I saw Minami standing there, with her mouth forming a pout. She was also on her tiptoes, close to my shoulder. No matter how you look at it, she was clearly mimicking Saeki and trying to blow air into my ear.

“We’re in the middle of our greeting campaign. Please focus both of you.”

(‘This is so unfair. Even though I was yet to do that.’)

Sorry, Minami-san, but your inner voice ruins your dignity.

Also, don’t immediately copy others just because you’re frustrated.

As I moved away to avoid activating my ability again, But this time Saeki approached me again.

“Ah, sorry, Minami?”

(‘Right, let’s get him scolded together.’)

“But you should tell him too. That Saiga’s voice is too quiet.”

Saeki jumped in, blatantly try to lower my evaluation. Does she have a grudge against me? Well yes, she does, doesn’t she.

“Is that so? I thought his voice was fine.”

“See, Minami thinks so too. Besides, Saeki, you weren’t as loud as Jiro either, right.”

“What about me, Takaki!” Jiro turned around.

“It will only get things complicated, so don’t come into this as well,” Saeki waved him off dismissively.

“If I were to make a stupidly big voice like Jiro, I’d come off as bossy. Men should draw attention with their voices, while women should smile gracefully and greet people to create a refreshing impression. Isn’t that common sense.”

What a blatantly self-serving argument.

While I was considering for that rebuttal, Minami put her hand on her chin in a thoughtful pose.

“I see, Sure your point does have sense.”

(‘See~ See~, Minami gets it! I knew! You’re the only one on my level!’)

Saeki’s inner smug voice was just too annoying. Her proximity to me when she interrupted brought her within my ability’s range.

As I tried to distance myself from Saeki, this time, Minami moved in front of me. As my ability time from before has also expired, and she was now more than 30 centimeters away, so my ability didn’t activate. Really what is she up to now?

“Impromptu, but I’ll teach you a method to project your voice using diaphragmatic breathing. First, breathe in by pulling your stomach in.”

Muu, well, I had no choice. I did as she instructed and breathed in.

“Clasp your hands behind your back, and look up at a 45-degree angle, then tuck your chin in, and imagine projecting your voice from the top of your head.”

Following her instructions, I could see her raise her hand out from the corner of my eye. Maybe her gesture for explanation brought her within the range of my ability.

Ah this is bad.

“Now, say ‘Good Morning’ loudly.”

(‘Your neck looks as lewd and seductive as always~.’)

“Good moronono—ughwuu!”

I choked with all my might.

“Just what are you doing in front of Minami!”

(‘Aahn~, Kou-kun’s drool is all over my face! …Let’s skip bath for tonight~.’)

As In one hand Saeki was furious, and another Minami’s inner voice was attacking my sanity, it took a long time for me to recover from choking altogether.

As this whole commotion was widely witnessed by many students surrounding us, it in turn made Saeki even more irritated.