Career failure

7 years ago, a young Rosa found herself smiling before the student body on stage. "My fellow students, I am Rosa. I'm running to become your next student council president. I've always had a fascination with the democratic process, perhaps due to my family background. I also have many policies I'd push to implement if elected president. These include..." 

...

Rosa frowned as she stared at the results for the first round of voting. Only the top 2 vote getters advanced to the next round, assuming nobody achieved more than 50% of the overall vote. Naturally, Rosa had failed to advance or win, but this was only her first year of junior high. She still had many opportunities to win. 

The very next year, she once again failed to advance, and since third years couldn't run for office, she had to wait two more years until her first year of high school to try and win again. That was where she managed to get into the finals, and better yet, be pitted against a weak opponent. 

"So, Oda Takuto, why should we elect you?" the student MC asked an overweight bespectacled boy with a clean-shaven head. 

"That's easy. Elect me, you can bring ero magazines to school, read em in class, and not get in trouble," Takuto boldly chuckled. 

Silent snickers ran rampant through the crowd. Even Rosa couldn't help but chuckle herself at how ludicrous the promise was. 

"First of all, the teachers would not allow such a drastic reversal of policy. We thank you for boldly declaring your fetishes and habits to the world, but it's time to get down to business. Checking with teachers, I can confirm that my core promises such as offering some leniency in regards to the dress code, expanding the lunch menu, and increasing the vending machine count and variety are all achievable policies under a presidency headed by me," Rosa smiled. 

"You got plans for a ero magazine vending machine?"  Takuto asked. 

"Shall I say "no" in 3 different languages?" 

"No, cuz I only know 1." 

"Going back to Takuto, what qualities about yourself do you believe make you more qualified to lead the student body than Rosa?" the student MC asked. 

Takuto smirked and began squeezing his flabby belly. "I don't care about the oppression the scales lord over us. I wanna eat cake, I eat that shit as I watch hentai and flatten the scales. I also reject the 3D propaganda the government forces upon us. 2D is loyal for life and way sexier. Just looking out at the crowd... sorry, but y'all look more like NPCs than protags. Where's the pink n' green hair?" 

Quiet laughter ensured once more. 

"Just so you know, there's a cute girl next to you with natural pink hair, so I'd kindly ask you not diss real women so quickly. You can't make babies with 2D women," Rosa smiled as she flicked her hair. 

"Who cares. I'm based and into 2D men," Takuto smirked as he adjusted his glasses. 

The room went silent. 

"W- Well, you've certainly got a personality," the student MC nervously smiled as she turned the mic back to Rosa. 

"Indeed. It's admirable Takuto can be so open about himself, but I don't think we need a student council president that can't keep their fetishes in their pants. Decorum is a virtue you know. That being said, I respect individuality and want to give students more of a way to express that, hence my proposal to make the dress code more lenient in regards to accessories and hair color and style. I do enjoy sweets from time to time, but there is a reason it's not healthy to diet exclusively on them. There are some healthy and sweet staple foods at the 10-11, however, none of those goods can be procured from either the lunch room or any of the current vending machines, hence my proposal to add more as I believe people are happier when they can eat what they want. And don't worry, there would be cake days too at the cafeteria, but only if you elect me student council president," Rosa smiled. 

The debate continued smoothly for Rosa as did the rest of her campaign. However, the day the votes were tallied, there was a massive upset. By just two votes, Takuto won. Rosa was so shocked by the votes she was unable to process things properly for a few days. Things only got worse when Takuto took office and began mismanaging things. Rosa attempted to volunteer her services to the student council, but Takuto refused. Thus began a long year of hostility between the two. 

Eventually, it came time for student council elections again with Rosa emerging as the top challenger to Takuto. However, she never got the chance at a rematch as another girl managed to edge her out to advance to the second round with Takuto. Many tears were shed from Rosa that day, but she still held out hope that the girl that had beaten her would at the very least win and be a more favorable student council president to her. Then came the day of the debate. 

"For my first, and only speech... I endorse Takuto!" the girl smiled. 

Rosa's eye twitched. "What do you mean!? You're running against him, are you not!?" 

The girl blushed and smiled as she held up a yaoi manga. "I'm pro-2D men. I wanna be able to continue reading my yaoi in peace in the student council room." 

"B- But you campaigned against Takuto!" 

"I was lost. Now I'm found." 

Rosa clenched her fist as fury spread across her face. "YOU WERE A PLANT FROM THE START!" 

"Silence! Kureha, are you dropping out of the race?" a teacher asked as he took the stage. 

"Does doing so mean Takuto wins?" 

"Yes. The campaign's been ongoing, so should you drop out, he'll win."

"Then I drop out!" 

Takuto smirked and adjusted his glasses as he stared directly at Rosa. "You should have accepted the ways of the 2D yaoi stan, but you bared your true oppressive side by opposing me for a whole year. This is my little present for you," he thought. 

Unable to accept this, Rosa rushed on stage, fury consuming her as she slugged Kureha as hard as she could and took over the podium. "I WON'T STAND FOR THIS INJUSTICE! I FINISHED THIRD, SO SHE DROPS OUT, I BECOME SECOND! My fellow students, this man did nothing but harm to our esteemed school, converting our coveted student council room to a yaoi goon cave, slacking on his own studies and bringing shame to the office of student council president. He was unqualified then, and still is! You saw what dirty plays he used to-" 

"ENOUGH! Kagerosa, you're suspended, and Takuto is the student council president!" the teacher barked as he began dragging Rosa off. 

""Qualifications" are just ways for the elites to keep out the common bros like me. All I did to Kureha was ask if she liked yaoi the other day, and she said "yes". It's her decision to endorse me, and I welcome it. All you are is another elite trying to climb the latter to corrupted power. Hey y'all, if that bitch thinks she's so qualified, why didn't she win ever?" Takuto called out to the crowd. 

"Because we like you, bro!" the crowd called out. 

And that was when Rosa truly broke. She had never considered her professionalism and favorable polices would lose so badly, or that Takuto would stage such a cunning and successful reelection campaign. She was ostracized by her peers shortly after and quickly lost her confidence. Her grades dropped, and eventually she became a shut-in, refusing to leave her room. 

Yet despite it all, she couldn't stop herself from watching videos of political speeches and diplomats in action. It had always been her dream to one day become prime minister, yet now that seemed to be impossible. Hope still remained tucked in the deepest corner of her mind though, leading to her slowly getting back on her feet and leaving her room. Things had still gone roughly with her meeting Aoi and all the stuff that had happened with Winona, but with the ability to tag along with the delegation to Buvaria, Rosa finally had hope again that maybe she'd be able to springboard her dream into a reality. 

Yet now, she was faced with a different opponent compared to her school days; the overwhelming and experienced Nagako. 

"If mother hadn't stopped me... would I have messed things up again? ... She's already done so much for me... and I'm not repaying it. Perhaps, politics and diplomacy never was meant for me," Rosa dejectedly thought as she followed the others back to the city's entrance.