Of Yokai and Hopeless Romantics

Chapter 2

" This tastes great Beni-chan," Yayaka said as she devoured her omelet.

" Yayaka-chan is right, it's always a treat to eat your food," Noriko said.

" Thank you," she said happy that her food was being enjoyed by her friends.

" The food is great, I hope you'll cater my victory party when I win tonight," Mari said a devil-may-care smile on her face.

" Isn't it too early in the morning for you start stirring things up?" Inna told Mari.

" I'm not stirring anything up," Mari said looking as innocent as possible.

" Did you watch Love Letter Lovelies yesterday?" Noriko said changing the subject. Love Letter Lovelies was a yuri drama series all the girls were big fans of. " I still can't believe what Yui did."

" I knew Yui wasn't the innocent girl everyone always thought she was," Mari said. She was probably telling the truth, Mari was a super fan, the pajama pants she was wearing had pictures of the characters from the show all over them. The girls continued their conversation until finally, they had to get up and do their dishes. The girls then went off to do their own things. Yayaka went off with Inna, likely to do something Benihime didn't want the details of. The same was true of Mari, she was going off to start her own chaos. Noriko went to meet up with her new boyfriend Shoji, he had finally confessed to Noriko like Benihime had suggested he do when he turned down her own confession. As for herself, Benihime went to her room and decided to finish her homework, there was no reason to put it off when she had free time.

Finally, the time came for Benihime to make her way to the auditorium for the voting. She put on the dress that she had bought with Yayaka the day before. It was a knee length, light blue dress with silver trim, and a silver bow on her chest. Benihime thought she looked cute as she combed her hair and put on some light makeup. When she was done Benihime waited for her roommate Honga Iko to finish getting ready. The two weren't particularly close, Iko was too much of a gossip for Benihime's liking, but they were always courteous to each other. When Benihime stepped out of her room she was met by Yayaka and Inna. Yayaka was stunning in her little black dress, emphasis on the little, it seemed to be painted on. Inna wore a more modest outfit, a black skirt, and a pink blouse. The group made their way to the auditorium where the elections would be held. Calling the building an auditorium was a bit misleading as it was as big as a concert hall and designed to rival any building in the area. The outside was styled like a traditional Japanese building but was made from white precast concrete, with the pitched roof being made of red zinc panels. Benihime's favorite aspect of the building though were the windows, which were made to look like geometric trees. It was an impressive structure, one of many that made up Sasayama Academy and made it such a prestigious school.

The girls used the bridge to cross over the koi pond that was in front of the entrance and walked into the auditorium. The lobby was as spectacular as the exterior, covered in a luscious red carpet, with a mural of the heavens painted on the ceiling. The lobby was full of students. The students already in the lobby turned and watched as the group entered, Benihime's and Yayaka's yokai aura caused humans to be attracted to them. Though if Benihime was honest, most of the boys were looking at the succubus walking next to her in the low cut dress. That was an advantage Yayaka had over all the other girls in the Student Council Election, she was certain to get the majority of the male vote. It wasn't that none of the other girls had male admirers and followers, in fact, all four girls even Mari, had boys that admired them, but Yayaka just got the hormones raging in a way none of the other three could.

Benihime got in line to vote, as she did she noticed Mari enter, and then Noriko and Shoji enter together. When Benihime got up to the voting booth, she kept her word and voted for Mari. As she punched a hole next to Mari's name, Benihime got the feeling she was just asking for a ton of chaos in her life, at a time when she could use some peace. If she won though, she would just let Mari play matchmaker, while focusing fully on her job as President and her Cooking Club activities. If she did not win, Mari would make for a good plan b, having the catgirl helping her might make it easier to decide what path she should choose. Benihime did wonder if her parents would approve of her getting outside help, Kurosawa refused to give Benihime advice after all. Benihime wasn't a nine-tailed fox though, she was a teenaged yuki-onna, knowing when you needed help was also a type of wisdom according to her parents.

Benihime put aside her impending decision about her fate and focused on the matter at hand, as she took her seat in the front row with the other candidates from the other grades. Yayaka and Mari took a seat next to her, the two were up to the friendly bickering they always did. Inna had to take a seat in the balcony with the rest of the first years. Noriko and Shoji showed up together, Shoji covering the election for the school paper didn't have to leave Noriko's side.

" It seems we all know who you voted for in the end Shoji-kun," Yayaka said in a teasing matter not holding any grudge against Noriko for having won Shoji's heart.

" I think you might be surprised Yayaka-chan, aren't I right Shoji-san?" Mari asked, her usual mischievous smile on her face.

Shoji sighed, " I actually voted for Mari-san, she would only help me with my plan to confess to Noriko-chan if I promised to vote for her." So Mari wasn't stretching the truth when she said she was playing matchmaker for Noriko. Benihime couldn't deny feeling a sense of hope. While she had agreed to Mari's deal without placing much hope in her actually finding her a boyfriend, seeing Noriko and Shoji together got her thinking that maybe Mari would deliver on her deal.

" Oh, you little sneak," Noriko said looking at Mari. " She made a bet with me yesterday, I was so nervous about the election I couldn't sleep. She said if I followed her she would show me something that would make me not only forget about the election but not care about it at all and if she did I had to vote for her."

" She told me that come Saturday morning, Noriko-san and Shoji-san would walk into the cafeteria a happy couple and if I voted for her, she would play matchmaker for me," Benihime said paraphrasing the agreement she had with Mari, there was no need to bring everyone's mood down, by letting them know she might be returning to the Yokai World.

All eyes turned to Yayaka, " I voted for her too, we made an agreement." That was all Yayaka would say. Benihime was curious what agreement her best friend had made, but knew if she wouldn't say it out loud, it is something she'd have to ask in private.

" You played us all," Shoji said lightheartedly accusing Mari. Benihime had to agree, she really wondered what game Mari was truly playing and started to fear that the crafty cat would end up winning the election.

" That's called running a great campaign, even my opponent's vote for me," Mari said laughing, the other girls rather than holding a grudge joined in the laughter.

Soon enough everyone fell silent as Kurosawa came on stage to read off the election results. The first year results were the last ones to be read, so Benihime waited, her anxiety building up on the inside, while she wore the same calm exterior as usual. As Kurosawa got to the first years, Benihime held her breath and made a final wish, but in the end, her wish was to be left unfulfilled. When Kurosawa read the name of the next first-year Student Council President, it was Yayaka who won. There would be no easy solution to Benihime's problems. That was something she had to deal with at another time, right then and there, it was more important to be a good friend to Yayaka.

" Congratulations Yayaka-chan," Benihime said as she hugged her best friend.

" Looks like sex appeal beat out brains," Mari said with a joking smile.

" That's not very appropriate," Benihime rebuked Mari.

" It's alright, I just knew how to use what nature gave me better," Yayaka said sticking out her tongue at Mari. Benihime shook her head, those two would never learn how to behave.

Yayaka went to the stage and gave her victory speech. It was a bittersweet moment for Benihime. Besides the effect the win could have had on her future, there was also all the effort she had put into her campaign, just to end in a loss. All the girls were going through the same emotions, each dealing with them in their own manner at that moment.

" Well, nothing left to do now but celebrate," Mari said.