Confrontation

The afternoon sun streamed through the office window, casting shifting patterns on the fourth-floor corridor as Itozawa and Ichinose walked.

Clutching their completed application forms, they strode with purpose toward the Student Council office.

At the doorway of a classroom around the corner, a simple plaque reading "Student Council Office" stood out starkly in the setting sun.

A knock echoed in the quiet hallway, followed by a languid "Come in."

They pushed the door open. The office was simply furnished but functional, with long tables arranged in a circle, clearly designed for discussion and work.

Only one person was inside: a blond boy, who had been leaning back in his chair, feet propped on the desk, exuding an air of casual arrogance.

But upon seeing Ichinose enter, his eyes lit up, and he quickly adjusted his posture, becoming more composed.

His tone, however, couldn't quite shed its flippancy, carrying a hint of cynicism: "Oh, looks like we have new guests."

Ichinose stepped forward enthusiastically, about to hand over the application form, but Itozawa felt a prickle of unease.

Ichinose didn't know who he was, but Itozawa knew all too well—Nagumo Miyabi, Vice President of the Student Council, from Class 2-A.

In the Original Work, if his influence hadn't been limited to the first-year dormitories, Ichinose might have walked right into this trap during the class vote.

Now, if Ichinose were to repeat the same mistake and become part of Nagumo Miyabi's faction, the consequences would be unthinkable.

With the help of his abilities, Nagumo Miyabi might very well be capable of such a feat. Moreover, if Ichinose joined Nagumo's side, Horikita Manabu would undoubtedly stand by and watch, leaving Ichinose's ability to handle Nagumo Miyabi a huge question mark.

In the Original Work, after Ichinose was recruited by Nagumo Miyabi, he never made any attempt to change her mind.

Perhaps he believed Ichinose couldn't influence the situation between them, but this clearly showed his stance—cautiously maintaining his core territory, never expending too much energy on matters outside of class competition. This was why, under numerous attacks, he had always managed to keep Class A as Class A.

Conversely, he wouldn't pay much attention to those outside his core territory.

If he knew everything about Ayanokouji, why couldn't he grasp Ichinose, who was also a first-year?

Therefore, if they stepped outside this established territory, they would face complete isolation.

Though Itozawa's movement was subtle, it was enough to make Ichinose pause. She turned her head, looking at Itozawa with a questioning gaze, as if asking why he was stopping her.

Itozawa took a deep breath and stepped forward. His voice was calm, tinged with a feigned curiosity: "Excuse me, who are you?" He acted natural, even though he knew Nagumo Miyabi's identity perfectly well.

A flicker of amusement crossed Nagumo Miyabi's eyes. He seemed pleased by Itozawa's question, as it allowed him to naturally reveal his identity.

He introduced himself frankly: "I am Nagumo Miyabi, from Class 2-A, the Vice President of the Student Council. It's the same if you hand your application forms to me."

Upon hearing the introduction, a spark flashed in Ichinose's eyes. She was about to hand the application form to Nagumo Miyabi.

Itozawa stopped her again, his voice carrying a barely perceptible challenge: "Vice President Nagumo, I wonder if President Horikita will agree to your proposal?"

The words were like a needle, lightly pricking Nagumo Miyabi's pride. His expression darkened.

But he quickly masked his displeasure, regaining his composed demeanor: "President Horikita will naturally make a fair judgment on my proposal."

Itozawa smiled slightly, his eyes holding a hint of challenge: "Of course, we trust President Horikita's judgment. However, we still wish to submit the application form directly to Tachibana Senpai, as she is our direct contact."

Ichinose, realizing the delicate situation, nodded in agreement with Itozawa's statement: "Yes, we wish to proceed according to the normal procedure."

Facing the persistence of Itozawa and Ichinose, Nagumo Miyabi did not give up. He tried to persuade them: "Tachibana Senpai and President Horikita are very busy. You can trust me and give the application form to me."

His tone revealed a hint of urgency, which made Ichinose even more suspicious of Nagumo Miyabi.

She clutched the application form tightly, her resolve unwavering.

Seeing Ichinose's determined expression, Nagumo Miyabi shook his head in disappointment. A flicker of resolve flashed in his eyes, as if he were about to resort to forceful measures.

Itozawa noticed Nagumo Miyabi's change and, with a flash of inspiration, stepped to his left, cleverly blocking Nagumo Miyabi's line of sight to Ichinose.

Then, feigning anger, he said: "Nagumo Miyabi, you're lying. Tachibana Senpai explicitly arranged for us to come to the office this afternoon."

Simultaneously, Itozawa raced against time to activate Ichinose's ability, causing it to expand outwards.

The only way now was to make Ichinose's aura attract attention, which might break this deadlock.

Hearing Itozawa's words, Nagumo Miyabi hesitated. He instinctively felt something was wrong, but couldn't pinpoint what it was.

So he leaned back casually, while observing Ichinose's profile from the corner of his eye, trying to find clues in her reaction.