Student Council Interview

By the weekend, Kushida still hadn't contacted Konoe since the incident. She seemed certain he wouldn't tell anyone her secret.

Konoe tidied his clothes and hair in the mirror. He was about to attend his Student Council interview. It was only a formality, but he still had to show the other candidates the respect they deserved.

When he reached the Student Council room, he found a crowd of students gathered outside. They were lined up in the hallway, apparently all First Year students hoping to join the Student Council.

In the crowd, Konoe spotted a bald student. The last time he'd gone to sell information to Class A, this student had refused to pay for baseless speculation. His name was Katsuragi Kouhei.

As it turned out, Class A really hadn't needed information from him.

The bald student seemed to notice Konoe looking at him and walked over.

"I believe we've met before. You're Konoe from Class D, right?"

"Uh... hello, Katsuragi." Had he noticed Konoe staring at his bald head? Konoe felt a little guilty.

"I didn't expect Class D to send someone to run for the Student Council, but I can understand why you'd do it. I hope we both give it our best and get the results we deserve."

"Uh... likewise." Hearing such a positive response, Konoe, who'd already been chosen for the position, didn't want to keep chatting. He gave a brief reply.

Katsuragi seemed pretty capable, too.

After that, Katsuragi returned to the line. Someone exchanged places with him, so it seemed he'd asked them to hold his spot earlier.

Looking at the more than twenty students lined up in front of him, Konoe sighed and reluctantly joined the end of the queue.

"Ugh..."

"If you keep sighing like that, happiness will slip away from you."

Startled by the voice behind him, Konoe turned around. A beautiful girl with long, straight pink hair stood there.

He seemed to have seen her near the Teacher's Office last time. She looked very cheerful, and her adorable eyes still had a reassuring quality to them. She was smiling brightly at him.

"Hello, I'm Konoe Hirakawa from Class 1-D." Konoe was curious about her and wanted to know the cute girl's name.

"I know you! You came to Class B and shared information with us, right? I'm Ichinose Honami from Class 1-B. It's nice to meet you, Konoe."

"...Likewise. Rather than sharing information, it was more of a mutually beneficial exchange, and besides... Never mind." Konoe trailed off, too embarrassed to mention how Class D had acted.

"I'm still grateful! Without your information, the gap between Class B and Class A wouldn't have been this small. And Kanzaki got such valuable information for so few points. Is that all right? I don't mind making up the difference in points."

"...The deal's already done. I can't ask you for more points. Besides, there was no proof at the time that what I told you was true. But judging by how you're talking, have you already become the representative of Class B?" Konoe asked, confused. The last time he'd visited Class B, she didn't seem to be its representative.

"It's just that everyone in Class B trusts me, so I have to live up to their expectations! Since you're here to run for the Student Council, you must represent Class D to some extent, too, right?" Ichinose sounded cute and energetic.

"Not at all. I represent myself."

"Huh?" Ichinose tilted her head, puzzled.

"Anyway, Class D has its own way of doing things... You've seen our Class Points." Konoe sighed.

"...I see. It sounds like things aren't easy for you, either, Konoe."

"I don't think it's difficult, but Class B is more impressive than I expected."

"Thanks for the compliment. You're impressive too, Konoe. Hoshinomiya-sensei and Kanzaki seem very interested in you. Hoshinomiya-sensei even complained, 'Why isn't Konoe in Class B?'"

"I'm sure Hoshinomiya-sensei didn't say that because she thought I was impressive, right?" Remembering the look in Hoshinomiya-sensei's eyes, Konoe suspected that if they'd been alone, she would have grabbed him and pulled him into her arms.

"Haha... Being cute is an advantage, too."

Hearing such an impressive beauty call him cute, Konoe felt strangely embarrassed, and his ears gradually turned red.

"Anyway, you should focus on how you'll answer the questions at your Student Council interview. I'm done talking." Konoe turned his head away, unwilling to say anything more to her.

"Aw, come on... Talk to me a little longer. It's so boring waiting in such a long line."

"..."

"At least... at least exchange Contact Methods with me, okay?" Ichinose tugged on Konoe's sleeve, her voice growing softer.

Unable to bring himself to refuse, Konoe turned back. "All right..."

"Yay! You really are so cute, Konoe!" Ichinose said happily after they exchanged Contact Methods.

After that, no matter what Ichinose said, the irritated Konoe refused to turn around again. He only listened as the girl behind him kept praising and flattering him, and the tips of his ears grew red.

At last, it was Konoe's turn. He'd just finished knocking and was about to go in when—

Someone suddenly pressed her face close to his ear. Konoe could even feel her pink hair tickling it.

"Good luck."

At the quiet encouragement, Konoe shuddered and looked back at Ichinose in disbelief.

"You should go in, or it'll be too late. Surely you don't want to keep the people inside waiting, do you?" Ichinose said with a smile.

How mean! She's so mean! Is she trying to throw off my interview...?

Konoe didn't dare keep the people inside waiting, so he entered the Student Council room, his face bright red.

Horikita Manabu and Tachibana Akane were still inside. There should have been more people in the Student Council, but perhaps the others were busy, Konoe thought.

Just like a normal interview, after exchanging polite greetings, Konoe received a questionnaire. Horikita Manabu gestured for him to sit on the sofa and fill it out at his own pace.

There were only five questions, such as what the School Rules were and what he should do in an emergency. The first four were simple enough for Konoe, but then he reached the last one.

It was an extremely difficult math problem. It required both differentiation and integration, and was clearly beyond what any student at this school needed to learn.

"What's the matter, underclassman? If you can't do it, just leave it blank. No one will blame you. After all, you've already... right?" Tachibana Senpai's voice reminded him, but her tone didn't sound particularly kind.

"...Senpai, once I join the Student Council, I'm going to make you pour me tea..." Without waiting for her to reply, Konoe closed his eyes and activated his Mind Palace.

A long time passed. He used his Mind Palace twice before he finally solved the problem.

"...Phew... Could anyone at this school really solve that? Phew..." Konoe panted with exhaustion, no longer caring that he was in the middle of an interview. He slumped onto the sofa.

He heard a cup touch the table and looked up to see a glass of water Tachibana Senpai had poured for him.

"...Thanks for your effort. The President's eye for talent is as sharp as ever." Tachibana Senpai spoke in a flat voice.

"Couldn't you just praise me?" Konoe picked up the glass and drained it in one go.

"I didn't expect you to have solved that Mini-test question on your own, Konoe Hirakawa. And that other matter, too..." Horikita Manabu pushed up his glasses and praised him, looking pleased.

Could there really have been another way to solve that Mini-test question? Without the student working it out, without a textbook...? Konoe pondered, feeling he was close to the answer. But he quickly sat up straight and replied, "Thank you for the praise, Horikita Senpai."

"...Once you join the Student Council, I'll need you to do something for me. Would you be willing?" Horikita Manabu asked after hesitating for a moment.

"If it's work-related, I'll do my best within my abilities." Since it was an interview, Konoe tried to give the best answer he could.

"What if it isn't work-related, but a personal request from me?"

Does he want me to help him with the class competition? No, that can't be it. Konoe shook his head and replied without outright refusing, "I don't mind hearing you out."

"...What if I wanted you to frame someone and get them expelled?"

As soon as Horikita Manabu finished speaking, Tachibana glanced at him in surprise, but said nothing.

"...Are you serious?" Konoe's tone shifted from formal interview politeness to icy coldness.

"I am. Since you saw what happened that night, I imagine you know who the target is. You seem to need points, so I'll give you five million. We can draw up a contract."

"I refuse. I said I'd do what I had to for points, but that doesn't mean I'll do just anything. We're not on the same path, so there's nothing more to discuss. Goodbye." Konoe started to get up and leave.

"...You passed. Come to the Student Council after school tomorrow, and I'll introduce you to the others."

"Don't tell me you're going to say this was just a test. How are you going to prove it?"

"Don't doubt the President. And watch your tone, underclassman." Tachibana Senpai sounded displeased.

"I don't need to prove anything. Once you've joined the Student Council, you can see for yourself. Just stay as wary as you are now—or have you given up?"

"...Since you put it that way, Senpai, I'll join the Student Council. But let me make one thing clear: I'm a coward. If you ask me to do something no normal student should do... you'll have to accept the consequences, too."

"...You!" Tachibana Senpai was about to say something when—

"Tachibana." Horikita Manabu stopped her, then continued, "I don't know where you got your confidence, but I admire you. I've read your entrance evaluation. You've only been here a little over a month, but if you took the entrance exam again now, I'm certain you wouldn't be placed in Class D. Konoe, if there's something you want to achieve, then keep moving forward. Just..."

Horikita Manabu paused before continuing:

"Wanting to frame someone and acting on it are one thing; having the ability to frame someone is another. If you want to hold on to your naivety, then think hard about the difference."

Konoe gave a polite reply and left with a cold expression. He still couldn't figure out what Horikita Manabu was really thinking, so he'd have to go back and examine it in his Mind Palace.

As soon as he stepped outside, Konoe was about to tell Ichinose that it was her turn for the interview when he noticed she seemed to be making some strange gestures.

Ichinose traced something in the air on her hand with her index finger, then opened her mouth and swallowed it.

"Pfft..."

"...Peeking isn't very nice, Konoe," Ichinose said, her face red. But she quickly composed herself. "It's my turn, right?"

"Don't be nervous, Ichinose. Also... be careful around Horikita Manabu."

"Huh? What do you mean...?"

Konoe left without answering.