Nagumo Miyabi

Horikita Manabu's expression remained unchanged, but Amasawa Yuto knew he had likely guessed correctly.

The reason was Horikita Manabu's prolonged silence.

"I didn't expect that despite your stern demeanor, you actually care for your sister quite a bit." Amasawa Yuto was somewhat surprised, even though it was his own hypothesis.

"Even so, as the student council president, I have an obligation to carry out the school's policies to the end, for as long as I remain in this position." Horikita Manabu seemed to want to end the conversation. "So, Amasawa, what is your answer?"

"I will join the student council, but I will decide my stance on Nagumo's reforms only after I have seen them with my own eyes," Amasawa Yuto replied.

"That is enough." Horikita Manabu nodded.

"Tell me, President Horikita, aren't you being a bit too unconfident in your own sister? She is undoubtedly capable, and she should benefit from Nagumo's reforms."

"No, I know Suzune too well. She hasn't changed at all from three years ago; she is still just as... disappointing." Horikita Manabu's tone carried a hint of sorrow.

It seems the situation is quite complicated, Amasawa Yuto thought.

"Very well. Tachibana, take Amasawa to handle the paperwork. From now on, he is the vice president of the student council."

Ichinose Honami walked down the hallway, looking somewhat dazed. The student council president's merciless words were like a thorn stuck in her heart, impossible to shake off.

She was so distracted that she didn't even notice someone calling her name.

"Excuse me? Are you alright?"

Ichinose looked up abruptly, only to realize she had almost bumped into a blonde-haired boy who was looking at her with concern.

"I am Nagumo Miyabi from Class 2-A. Did you just come from the student council room?"

Ichinose quickly introduced herself. "I am Ichinose Honami from Class 1-B. I'm sorry, I was just a bit absent-minded."

"It's no problem." A flash of admiration crossed Nagumo Miyabi's eyes; this girl was quite cute. "Are you here to join the student council?"

If such a cute girl could join the student council, it might be fun to turn her into his own plaything.

Having salt rubbed into her fresh wound, Ichinose offered a strained smile. "Yes, but I lacked the ability, so I was rejected by President Horikita."

Nagumo Miyabi put on an expression of surprise and let out a heavy sigh. "Sigh, how could President Horikita do that? How could he reject you just because you're in Class B?"

So she was rejected by President Horikita, Nagumo thought. It seems I can destroy her spirit even more effectively now, and then rebuild a fortress in my own image upon the ruins.

The sympathetic words nearly caused Ichinose's tear ducts to lose control, but she held back. "You just said... it was because I'm in Class B?"

"That's right. All that talk about 'ability supremacy' is just a front for President Horikita. He only allows members from Class A to join the student council, you know. If you don't believe me, look at the six current members—aren't they all from Class A?"

"How could that be..." Ichinose felt a wave of injustice. "It's not like we get to decide which class we are assigned to..."

Nagumo nodded. "Actually, I faced quite a bit of resistance when I first joined the student council, because I started out in Class B as a first-year. Surprising, right?"

Ichinose was astonished. "Nagumo-senpai... you were too..."

"That's right. I rose from Class B to Class A, and it was only after I reached Class A that President Horikita's attitude toward me slowly began to improve."

Nagumo's words were a mix of truth and lies, carefully steered to paint Horikita Manabu in a negative light.

When he had joined the student council years ago, Horikita Manabu was not yet president, and he had certainly not faced any ostracization.

But how could Ichinose Honami possibly know that?

"So, Ichinose, we are very similar." Nagumo put on a thoughtful expression. "Actually, I can help you get into the student council."

"Really?" Ichinose's eyes lit up, then dimmed. "But what about President Horikita..."

"Don't worry about President Horikita. I have a fair amount of say in the student council myself."

Seeing Ichinose's trust in him growing, Nagumo wore a satisfied smile.

Later that day, Amasawa Yuto sent Ichinose a message, asking to meet and talk.

The two met at Palette.

"Horikita Manabu's words were a bit too harsh," Amasawa Yuto began.

Ichinose waved her hand. "Ah... that... it's fine. I was the one who was a bit immature."

Ichinose's state of mind seemed to have improved significantly.

"There's something I want to tell you first, Ichinose." Amasawa Yuto looked into her eyes. "I've joined the student council."

"I knew it... Amasawa-kun is so capable, and you're in Class A. President Horikita must think very highly of you..." A flash of disappointment crossed Ichinose's eyes.

"Regarding President Horikita, there shouldn't be any issues on his end anymore. If you go to him now to ask about joining the student council, he should approve it."

"Eh?" The unexpected words took Ichinose by surprise. "What do you mean?"

"It means that his attitude this afternoon was just an act. It was purely to keep the first-year underclassmen in check and maintain the dignity of the president."

Amasawa Yuto had come up with this method to smooth things over for him.

"Actually, there were hints. You saw how Akane Tachibana-senpai clearly didn't expect him to say those things, and she looked a bit flustered in the background, right?"

Ichinose thought about it, and it was true.

"But I heard that President Horikita only lets Class A students join the student council, and that Nagumo-senpai faced a lot of trouble when he joined—ah, so that was the kind of trouble it was!"

It is a necessary process for entering society, much like teaching recruits the rules of the unit or having newcomers establish respect for their seniors.

However, Class A...

"Regarding Class A, I think it's just survivorship bias. Generally, the lower classes are busy trying to climb the ranks; not many people would be willing to join the student council, right?" Amasawa Yuto said.

Ichinose thought about it and felt it made perfect sense. "In that case, can I join the student council too?"

"That's right. Your application form was left in the student council room, so I resubmitted it for you. There shouldn't be any issues if you join now."

"Thank you, Amasawa-kun!" Ichinose flashed a brilliant smile and, unable to help herself, clasped Amasawa Yuto's hands in both of hers.

She realized what she had done immediately, retracting her hands in embarrassment as her cheeks flushed slightly.

It was still that familiar citrus scent; it seemed Ichinose was quite fond of that perfume.

"Anyway, regarding your position in the student council, I'm currently missing a secretary. Would you like to take the role?"

This was Amasawa Yuto's original purpose for bringing Ichinose into the student council.

According to the regulations, both the student council president and the vice president are to be assigned a secretary responsible for organizing records.

Horikita Manabu had Akane Tachibana, and Nagumo Miyabi had Kiriyama Ikuto.

Compared to having a secretary placed by his side to monitor him by either Horikita Manabu or Nagumo Miyabi—those two dogfish who were at each other's throats—it was far more worry-free to find one himself.

Ichinose Honami was a good choice, and she had the ambition to join the student council as well.

As for Katsuragi... come on, between Katsuragi and Ichinose, surely no one would actually choose Katsuragi?