The Student Council President's intervention forced the two to stop arguing.
Miyabi Nagumo glared at Akasaka Ryunosuke, looking thoroughly displeased, and warned him again.
"If you dare lay a hand on Asahina Nazuna, you and I are through!"
This time, it was Akasaka's turn to wave a hand dismissively.
"Got it, got it. As long as you don't go after my Ichinose, I won't go after your childhood friend. Happy now?"
"You!" Miyabi was left speechless. He knew the other guy was deliberately provoking him, but he didn't dare take the chance.
His relationship with Asahina was already strained because he'd been entangled with other girls.
Asahina Nazuna might really start dating that guy in a fit of anger. He didn't dare risk it, because he genuinely liked her—he wasn't just looking for a fling.
Akasaka understood that the other guy had effectively agreed. He probably wouldn't bother Ichinose Honami again. The means had been a little underhanded, but as long as they worked, that was all that mattered.
Before leaving, Miyabi shot Akasaka Ryunosuke a glance. "We'll see about that!" he snarled, then stormed off.
Akasaka watched him leave without changing expression, wondering what he should have for dinner.
He hadn't paid the slightest attention to Miyabi's threat.
After all, with the script in his hands, he didn't take anyone else seriously—not counting the wild card, Ayanokoji.
As a certain big shot once put it, who would stoop to squabbling with a child? It would be beneath him.
Just as Akasaka was thinking about what to have for dinner, Ichinose Honami quietly came over and tugged at his sleeve, her voice tinged with worry.
"Akasaka, aren't you worried about Senior Nagumo's threat?"
Akasaka waved dismissively. "Don't worry. He can't make waves in front of me."
"If he really dares to make a move against me, I'd welcome it. I'm still short quite a few points, after all."
Ichinose looked curious. "Are you really short on Personal Points, Akasaka?"
"You're always so frugal with your meals. Is something bothering you? If you need points, I can lend you some."
As she spoke, Ichinose pulled out her Personal Terminal, ready to lend Akasaka her Personal Points.
She really has no guard up at all... Akasaka couldn't help thinking.
Ichinose checked her Personal Points. She only had 180,000 left, and she looked a little troubled. "These are all the Personal Points I have. I'm not sure if they'll be enough for you."
"To thank you for helping me this time, I can lend you all of them. Just pay me back whenever you can."
Ichinose held her Personal Mobile Terminal out in front of me. I could clearly see that the balance inside was over two million.
Ichinose seemed to realize what I was thinking and hurried to explain, afraid of being misunderstood.
"Akasaka, none of that is mine. My classmates pooled their Personal Points together so we'd have them in case of an emergency."
"Since they don't belong to me personally, I can't lend them to you."
Akasaka picked up a file from beside him and tapped Ichinose on the head with it.
"Ow, that hurts!"
Ichinose clutched her head with both hands, looking a little cross.
"What are you doing, Akasaka? That really hurt..."
"That's what you get for overthinking. Do you really think I'm that kind of person?"
"Huh? Aren't you?"
"Damn it!" Akasaka was nearly driven up the wall by Ichinose.
Ichinose playfully stuck out her little tongue, looking especially mischievous and cute.
"Honestly..." Horikita Manabu had had enough and interrupted their flirting.
"This is the office and the Student Council. If you want to show off your affection, do it outside. Don't bother me while I'm working."
Horikita Manabu shooed the two of them out, telling them to go flirt somewhere else and stop disturbing his work.
They immediately stopped fooling around, both looking embarrassed.
Akasaka signaled for Ichinose to head back first. He still had something to discuss with the President.
Ichinose still had things she wanted to say to Akasaka, but she understood and nodded before leaving.
The warmth Akasaka had shown Ichinose vanished in an instant. His expression turned blank, just like Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's. It had all been an act.
He'd put on that act deliberately so he wouldn't seem so strange.
After all, he was already an adult. If he acted too mature, people would think it was odd.
Horikita Manabu had watched it all and couldn't help voicing his admiration.
"You're a terrifying person. It's as if you've calculated every possibility."
"First, you used Ichinose to test Miyabi Nagumo's limits so you could figure out how to deal with him."
"Or maybe you deliberately got close to Ichinose. Are you planning to use her as a pawn?"
Akasaka let out a breath, his tone cool and composed.
"Horikita Student Council President, my only goal is to make money. I'll do whatever it takes."
"If you really want to use me to help your younger sister, you'd better have plenty of money ready."
"Otherwise, I might betray you at any time."
Akasaka looked calmly at him, and Horikita Manabu met his gaze without backing down.
After a long while, Horikita Manabu was the first to look away.
He'd confirmed that Akasaka wasn't joking.
To get him to do anything, he'd have to offer enough in return. Otherwise, Akasaka might turn on him at any moment.
Akasaka had also made his position clear to the President.
As long as the money was right, he'd even take care of a teacher for him. He genuinely had the confidence to do all of that.
He knew this world well from his previous life, and he was a hardcore 2D fan. He'd watched every episode of this anime several times and had long since gotten the walkthrough.
It was as if he had a god's-eye view; he knew exactly what these people would do next.
If he still lost under those circumstances, then his transmigration would have been for nothing.
The only person he wasn't confident he could handle was probably the wild card, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.
Still... as long as he didn't provoke him, there probably wouldn't be a problem.
At least for the time being, he didn't want to cross paths with him. There was nothing to gain from it.
Horikita Manabu arranged long-term paid leave for Akasaka.
In other words, he wanted to free up Akasaka's time so he could help his younger sister, Horikita Suzune.
And the reason he'd recruited a Student Council member was to fill in for him while he was away from work for a long stretch.
Akasaka didn't react much to anything Horikita Manabu did.
He was like a still lake, without a single ripple.
"If there's nothing else, I'll get going, President Horikita."
The President nodded helplessly. "Go ahead. The Student Council doesn't need you for now, so don't come by for a while. Just drop in occasionally to clock in and prove you're still around."
Akasaka smiled.
"You're abusing your authority, President."
Horikita Manabu rolled his eyes at me. "I'm graduating in a year anyway. I might as well make use of it."
"Hahaha, fair enough. I'll get going, then."
Akasaka stood up from his chair in the Student Council room, ready to leave.
Before going, he offered a friendly warning.
"Be careful of Miyabi Nagumo. He's not the honest sort. There's a good chance he'll cause trouble during your final year in office, so watch out."
Horikita Manabu merely nodded in response to my kind warning, not taking it to heart.
Seeing that, I prepared to leave too.
But judging by the President's reaction, he probably hadn't taken my warning seriously. I couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
After all, the Student Council President's money was my money, so I couldn't afford to be careless.
I absolutely couldn't let Senpai Tachibana end up needing to pay a huge number of points to get bailed out, like in the original story.
That would cause a financial loss, and I'd be partly responsible.
It looked like I'd have to step in when the time came...
Before you continue