On Tuesday afternoon, the echoes of the dismissal bell had yet to fade.
Outside the student council office, Natsukawa Sosuke and Horikita Suzune stood side by side.
Horikita's uniform was as impeccably neat as ever, and she held a document envelope in her hands. Her face wore its usual cold expression, but her tightly pressed lips still gave away her inner tension.
Natsukawa Sosuke had not wanted to come in the first place.
But when he thought about how Horikita Suzune would turn into a quail that could only lower its head the moment she saw her brother—perhaps even unable to speak properly—he ultimately decided to come along and back her up.
Besides, watching her get shut down in front of the student council president was decent entertainment in its own right.
When they pushed open the heavy wooden door, the oppressive, solemn atmosphere inside the office hit them head-on.
Both sides of the long conference table were already occupied.
On one side sat Ishizaki Daichi, Komiya Yogo, Kondo Reon, and their Class C homeroom teacher.
On the other side, Chabashira Sae and Sudo Ken had arrived early. Sudo sat with his arms folded across his chest, shaking one leg impatiently, looking ready to explode at any moment.
At the head of the table sat none other than student council president Horikita Manabu. His expression was blank, his gaze sharp as a blade. Simply sitting there, he radiated an imposing pressure. Standing beside him was student council secretary Tachibana Akane.
Natsukawa and Horikita took the empty seats beside Sudo. From the moment she sat down, Horikita Suzune unconsciously avoided looking at the man at the head of the table, her body growing somewhat stiff.
"Everyone is here."
Horikita Manabu glanced at his watch and announced the start in an utterly