Comfort and Clubs

The time was right.

Toudou Shizuka didn't react with the same shock or indignation as everyone else. He quietly made his way through the somewhat noisy crowd and stopped beside Ichinose Honami. His voice was low, but carried a gentle, steady strength that reached her clearly:

"Ichinose, don't take this result too much to heart. I don't think it necessarily has anything to do with your abilities."

Ichinose gave a slight start and looked at Toudou Shizuka, a questioning look in her eyes.

Toudou Shizuka met her gaze, his expression sincere and calm. "I... well, I happened to overhear some upperclassmen chatting once."

"It seems Horikita Student Council President... when he was a first-year, he never accepted first-year New Students into the Student Council's core departments." He used the vague but plausible excuse that he'd "happened to hear it."

"Huh?" Ichinose Honami was stunned.

"Is that true?" Kobashi Yume came over, too.

Kanzaki Ryuji fixed Toudou Shizuka with a sharp gaze, clearly assessing the reliability of this information.

Toudou Shizuka nodded. His tone was somewhat speculative, but he sounded certain. "I think this might be some sort of unwritten tradition within the Student Council, or... perhaps the President wants to observe the New Students for a while?

"After all, we've only just enrolled, and we're still unfamiliar with the school's rules and how things work. Putting first-years directly in positions where they can make decisions might be a little risky. So this recruitment may be more of a formality—or perhaps the start of some kind of observation and test. The President will probably consider bringing in New Students with real potential once he gets to know them better."

His words deftly combined "rumors from upperclassmen" with reasonable speculation about how the Student Council operated, drawing on fragments of his memories from a previous life. Not only did this explain that Ichinose had been rejected for reasons unrelated to her abilities, it also suggested that there was still hope for the future ("once he gets to know them better") and raised the possibility of a "test," in keeping with the Chairman's emphasis on "Special Exams." He had turned what was purely a failure into a "hurdle" that could be overcome with patience and ability.

The disappointment and confusion in Ichinose Honami's eyes melted away like snow in the sun. She looked at Toudou Shizuka, and his gentle, confident expression and clear analysis felt like a cool spring flowing into her troubled heart.

That's right. If there's an unwritten rule like that, rather than my abilities being insufficient, then it all makes sense! And Toudou's analysis makes a lot of sense, too. Maybe this really is just the beginning—a test!

[Ichinose Honami Affection +5 (Provided key information, greatly eased her disappointment and self-doubt, and gave her hope). Current: 31 (Friendly) -> Target: 50 (Close).]

"Toudou..." Ichinose Honami's voice regained its usual brightness, filled with heartfelt gratitude and renewed determination. "Thank you for telling me all this! You really... helped me a lot!

"You're right, this might just be the beginning! I won't lose heart! I'll keep working hard to prove what I can do and show Horikita President the value of Class B—and of me!" Her A-rank leadership charisma shone once more, now tempered with a newfound resilience.

"Yeah! Keep it up, Class Leader!"

"Exactly! Honami's the best!"

"We'll all work hard together, Class B!"

Seeing Ichinose quickly regain her spirits, the Class B Students were fired up again and cheered her on. Kanzaki Ryuji watched Toudou Shizuka, his eyes behind his glasses probing more deeply, with a trace of approval that was hard to detect.

[Kanzaki Ryuji Affection +3 (Highly approved of the value of the information and his stabilizing influence at a critical moment). Current: 27 (Neutral) -> Target: 45 (Recognition).]

[Shiranami Chihiro Affection +2 (Admired him for providing key information to help the Class Leader). Current: 20 (Neutral) -> Target: 40 (Close).]

[Kobashi Yume Affection +1 (Was happy to see the Class Leader recover her spirits). Current: 32 (Friendly) -> Target: 40 (Close).]

The crisis had been averted, and had even become an opportunity to unite the class. Standing amid the crowd with the same smile as everyone else as they cheered on their Class Leader, Toudou Shizuka remained perfectly clear-headed.

[Simulation Points +20 (Successfully guided a key plot development and eased a crisis involving a Core Member). Current: 90 points.]

[10 more points needed to purchase [Deep Sleep].]

He watched the rising Affection scores on the System Interface, especially Ichinose Honami's, which was drawing ever closer to the target of 50, as well as Kanzaki's and Shiranami's steadily climbing scores.

The Student Council election had been just a side story. The real "Special Exam" had yet to come. But Toudou Shizuka knew he had already made a crucial move, quietly placing a piece on this Survival of the Fittest chessboard.

By providing precisely the right information and guiding people's emotions at just the right moment, he had not only solidified his place in the class's inner circle, but also earned valuable trust and Affection.

His next step: wait patiently for his points to pass 100, or keep building his Affection with Shiranami Chihiro and unlock the useful B-rank Information Synthesis Ability?

He glanced at Shiranami Chihiro, who had returned to work with a determined look, and knew the answer. Improving his basic ability to process information was the most pressing task. He strolled over to Shiranami's desk as if by chance and pointed to the complicated document she was sorting about the application process for club funding on campus. In a warm tone, he asked:

"Shiranami, this document's a little jumbled. Would you like me to separate the basic requirements from the special clauses first? That might make it easier for you to organize the key points."

Shiranami Chihiro looked up at Toudou Shizuka's warm smile and nodded lightly without hesitation. "Yes, sorry for the trouble, Toudou." Her voice was still soft, but the trust between them had already begun to grow, unnoticed.

Under Toudou Shizuka's careful tending, the seedling of Affection was quietly growing toward the fruit of an unlocked skill.

The setting sun painted the Open Space in front of the club building a warm orange-red. Booths from all kinds of clubs spread out like a small fair, and calls, music, and performances blended together in a lively din. The Class B Students also split into small groups to look for clubs that interested them.

Toudou Shizuka had a clear goal. He calmly surveyed the noisy crowd and headed straight for a relatively quiet area where the atmosphere was more focused: the recruitment booths for the martial arts clubs. Karate, judo, kendo... Finally, he stopped in front of a simple sign that read "Sanda Club."

Behind the booth stood several lean male students in black training clothes. Their steady bearing and sharp eyes marked them as upperclassmen. The one at the front was a tall student with a crew cut, a faint scar at his brow, and eyes as steady as bedrock. With his arms crossed, he made no effort to hawk the club like the others. He simply observed the passing New Students in silence, his gaze appraising.