Student Council Interview

Until the weekend, Kushida hadn't contacted Konoe since that incident, seemingly certain he wouldn't tell anyone her secret.

Konoe tidied his clothes and hair in front of the mirror. Next, he had an interview at the Student Council. Although it was just a formality, he still needed to show respect to the other candidates.

Arriving at the Student Council entrance, he found many students already gathered, forming a line in the hallway. They all appeared to be first-year students applying for positions.

Konoe spotted a bald man in the crowd. The last time he went to Class A to sell information, the man had refused him, stating he wouldn't pay for baseless speculation. His name was Katsuragi Kouhei.

Looking back, Class A indeed had no need for information from him.

As if sensing he was being watched, the bald man walked towards Konoe.

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

"Uh... hello, Katsuragi-kun." Did he notice me 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 if it's you, I can understand to some extent. I hope we both perform at our best and get the results we deserve."

"Mm... I look forward to working with you." Hearing such a positive response, Konoe, who was already internally selected, didn't want to chat further and replied briefly.

Katsuragi seems pretty capable.

Katsuragi returned to the queue after speaking. Someone in the line swapped places with him, indicating he had arranged for someone to hold his spot earlier.

Looking at the twenty-odd students lined up before him, Konoe sighed and reluctantly took his place at the end of the line.

"Sigh..."

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

Startled by the voice from behind, Konoe turned around to see a beautiful girl with long, straight pink hair.

He seemed to have seen her before near the teachers' office. She had a very cheerful demeanor, and her cute eyes always gave a sense of reassurance. She looked at Konoe with a smile.

"Hello, I'm Konoe Hirakawa from first-year Class D." Konoe felt curious about her and wanted to know the name of this cute girl.

"I know you. You came to Class B last time to share information, didn't you? I'm Ichinose Honami from first-year Class B. Please take care of me, Konoe-kun."

"...Please take care of me. Rather than sharing information, it was more of a mutually beneficial exchange, and... never mind." Konoe hesitated, feeling awkward about mentioning Class D's performance.

"Even so, I'm very grateful to you! Without your information, the gap between Class B and Class A wouldn't have been so small. And Kanzaki got such valuable information for so few points, is that okay? I can compensate you with some points if you need it."

"...The transaction is complete. I can't take your points now, and at the time, there was no proof that what I said was true. But judging by your tone, have you become the representative of Class B?" Konoe asked, confused. He didn't think she was the representative when he visited Class B last time.

"It's just that everyone in Class B trusts me, and I have to live up to their expectations! Since Konoe-kun is running for the Student Council, you represent Class D to some extent, right?" Ichinose's tone was cute and energetic.

"Not at all, I represent myself."

"Eh?" Ichinose tilted her head in confusion.

"In any case, Class D has its own way of doing things... Class Points, you saw them yourself," Konoe said with a sigh.

"...I see. Konoe-kun, it seems you've had a tough time too."

"I don't feel like it's been tough, but Class B's excellence is truly beyond my imagination."

"Thank you for the compliment. Konoe-kun is also very excellent. Teacher Hoshinomiya and Kanzaki-kun seem very interested in you. Teacher Hoshinomiya even complained, 'Why isn't Konoe-kun in Class B?'"

"Teacher Hoshinomiya's original words definitely weren't about my excellence, were they?" Recalling the look in Teacher Hoshinomiya's eyes, Konoe suspected that if there were no one else around him, she would grab him and hug him tightly.

"Haha... Being cute is also an advantage."

Hearing such an excellent bishoujo call him cute, Konoe felt inexplicably embarrassed, his ears gradually turning red.

"An-anyway, you should think about how to answer the Student Council interview. That's all." Konoe turned his head away, not wanting to talk to her anymore.

"Oh, come on... Let's chat a little longer. Waiting in such a long line is boring."

"..."

"At least... at least let's exchange contact information, okay?" Ichinose grabbed Konoe's sleeve, her tone becoming a little subdued.

Konoe couldn't bear to refuse and turned back: "Alright..."

"Yay! As expected, Konoe-kun is still very cute!" Ichinose said happily after exchanging contact information with Konoe.

From then on, no matter what Ichinose said, the annoyed Konoe never looked back. He only heard the girl's constant praise and flattery behind him, making the roots of his ears turn red.

The line finally reached Konoe. Just as he knocked on the door and was about to enter.

Someone suddenly leaned close to his ear beside him. Konoe could even feel her pink hair tickling his ear.

"Good luck."

A soft whisper of encouragement came, making Konoe shudder. He turned back in disbelief to look at Ichinose.

"If you don't go in now, it'll be too late. Do you want the people inside to wait, Konoe-kun?" Ichinose said with a smile.

So mean! This woman is so mean! Is she trying to disrupt my interview rhythm...?

Konoe indeed didn't dare to keep the people inside waiting. He entered the Student Council room with a flushed face.

Only Horikita Manabu and Tachibana Akane were in the room. The Student Council should have more members than this; perhaps the others were busy, Konoe thought.

After politely greeting them as in a normal interview, Konoe received a questionnaire. Horikita Manabu gestured for him to sit on the sofa and fill it out at his leisure.

There were only five questions on it, such as "What are the school rules?" and "What should you do in an emergency?" The first four questions were very simple for Konoe, until the last one.

It contained an extremely difficult math problem, requiring both differentiation and integration, which clearly exceeded the scope of study for all students at this school.

"What's wrong? Junior, if you can't solve 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 seem entirely friendly.

"...Senpai, once I join the Student Council, I'll have you pour me tea..." Konoe closed his eyes and activated his Mind Palace before the other party could reply.

After a long time, he used his Mind Palace twice to finish this problem.

"...Hoo... this question... can anyone in the school actually solve it? Hoo..." Konoe was panting heavily, no longer caring that he was being interviewed, and slumped onto the sofa.

The sound of a cup meeting the tabletop came, and Konoe looked up to see Tachibana Senpai pouring him a glass of water.

"...Good work. The President's judgment is as excellent as ever," Tachibana Senpai's calm voice came through.

"You could at least praise me..." Konoe picked up the cup and drank it in one gulp.

"I didn't expect you to have actually solved the previous mini-test questions directly, Konoe Hirakawa. And the other things before..." Horikita Manabu pushed up his glasses with admiration and said with satisfaction.

Could the mini-test questions really be solved in other ways? Not by students solving them themselves, not by textbooks... Konoe pondered, seemingly close to the answer. However, 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 one thing. I wonder if you'd be willing?" Horikita Manabu asked after a moment of hesitation.

"If it's work-related, I'll do my best within my capabilities." Since it was an interview, Konoe decided to answer as well as possible.

"What if it's not work, but a personal request?"

Could he want me to help him with class competition? No, that's impossible. Konoe shook his head and replied in a non-refusing tone, "I don't mind just listening."

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

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

"...Are you serious?" Konoe's tone changed from the formal interview demeanor to icy cold.

"That's right. Since you saw it that night, you must know the target. You seem to need points quite badly. I'll give you Five Million, and we can sign an agreement."

"I refuse. While I said I'd be responsible for points, I won't do anything and everything. We have different paths, we can't plan together. Goodbye." With that, Konoe stood up to leave.

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

"You're not going to say this was just a test, are you? How can you prove it?"

"Don't doubt the President. Also, watch your tone, Junior." Tachibana Senpai's displeased voice came through.

"I don't need proof. You'll observe it yourself after joining the Student Council. Just maintain your current vigilance. Or have you given up?"

"...Since Senpai has said so, I will join the Student Council. But let's be clear first, I am a timid person. If Senpai asks me to do something that a normal student shouldn't do... Senpai will also have to bear certain consequences."

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

"Tachibana," Horikita Manabu stopped her and then said, "I don't know where your confidence comes from, but I admire you. I've seen your entrance evaluation. Although you've only been at the school for a little over a month, if you were to take the entrance exam again now, I believe you wouldn't be placed in Class D. Konoe, if you have a goal you want to achieve, strive forward. However..."

Horikita Manabu paused and then said:

"The act of framing someone and the inability to frame someone are two different things. Since you want to maintain your naive ideals, think hard about the difference."

Konoe politely acknowledged him and left with a cold expression. He couldn't quite grasp Horikita Manabu's true intentions and could only go back to his Mind Palace to ponder.

As soon as he stepped outside, Konoe prepared to remind Ichinose that the next interview had arrived, only to find her making some strange movements.

Ichinose was continuously drawing something in the air on her hand with her index finger, then she opened her small mouth and swallowed it.

"Pfft..."

"...Konoe-classmate, peeking is not a good thing," Ichinose said with a blush, but quickly composed herself. "It's my turn, right?"

"Don't be nervous, Ichinose-classmate. And... be careful of Horikita Manabu Senpai."

"Eh? What do you mean..."

Konoe left without responding.