Chapter 86

"Shiro-nami and I were classmates who sat next to each other for quite some time, so we knew each other and could be considered friends."

"In this situation, if she confesses her feelings to me and wants to get closer to me, what reason do I have to refuse?"

A girlfriend is just a female friend with whom you can sleep and with a certain chance of getting married in the future.

Aragaki Shun has always taken a laissez-faire approach to this.

If possible, he would prefer a partner who is someone he can commit to for life and never leave.

But since it's a high school romance, it's best not to be too attached to it.

Human nature is unpredictable; it's best to focus your energy on improving your own abilities.

As long as he is strong enough, he can easily solve any problem he encounters in the future, so there's no need to worry about trivial matters.

"I can't understand it. Your views on love are still quite strange."

Kushida Kikyo sighed. "I really don't know what Shiranami Chihiro is thinking. She must know that you already have a fiancée, right?"

"I wouldn't deliberately hide something like this; Shiro-nami naturally knows."

"That's even more outrageous!" The girl's expression was one of utter bewilderment. "What on earth was she thinking?"

"Everyone has their own personality," Aragaki Shun casually replied, not intending to discuss Shiro-nami's character with Kushida. "You came all the way to my dorm, you didn't just come to chat, did you?"

"The floors below are all boys' dormitories. You and I are both Advanced Nurturing and well-known figures, always attracting a lot of attention. If someone sees you walking into my dormitory, Kushida, the image you've always maintained will be shattered."

Although it's hard to understand, Kushida Kikyo has always tried to make friends with everyone. She once told Aragaki Shun: "Only by gaining the trust of others can a girl's life have meaning."

Therefore, she cannot form a romantic relationship with any boy, and she has always tried her best to maintain a proper distance in her relationships with all her friends.

To be honest, Aragaki Shun was quite surprised that Kushida would actually barge into his dorm room today without any regard for the consequences.

"Are you regretting it now that you heard I have a girlfriend?"

"Don't flatter me!" Kushida deliberately made a disgusted gesture, looking at him as if he were some kind of non-combustible garbage. "Why would I come to you for such a ridiculous reason?"

Regret? There's no way I'd ever feel that way!

Even if becoming Aragaki Shun's girlfriend meant sharing his fame, status, and glory, and being more easily admired and looked up to by the public... Kushida Kikyo would not regret losing this opportunity.

While it's easy to win without effort, it can never compare to the solid foundation of success achieved through hard work and taking one step at a time.

However, it's really tiring to work hard alone, and you'll often encounter some inexplicable troubles.

"Why not let that sickly girl Sakayanagi Arisu drop out of school? You could definitely do that, right?"

In front of Aragaki Shun, Kushida completely shed his usual pretense, revealing a dark side he never showed to others.

If those young girls' admirers knew about this vicious tone that directly attacked their sore spots, their fantasies would surely be shattered, wouldn't they?

But Kushida no longer cared about this at all!

She wants Sakayanagi Arisu right now!

Even though the target of the rumors and attacks was Aragaki Shun, and even though Aragaki Shun himself thought the matter was over, Kushida Kikyo still couldn't let it go.

Among all the students at Advanced Nurturing, her malice towards Sakayanagi was definitely among the highest.

153. Overestimated his own worth; Kushida has a lot of students dropping out of school.

"On what grounds are you questioning me about this?"

Aragaki Shun understands Kushida Kikyo's thoughts, but doesn't care.

"I've already gotten what I wanted from the Board Chairman, so there's no need for me to keep chasing after Sakayanagi."

"Furthermore, the school has already introduced policies to strengthen control over rumors and slander, but the power to implement these policies rests with the Student Council union."

"I am the Vice President of the Student Council and the next Student Council President. I believe that after this experience, no one will be foolish enough to continue to court disaster in this regard."

The chairman only has one daughter named Sakayanagi Arisu!

Even she paid a heavy price for her reckless behavior. Others with less powerful backgrounds, no matter how muddled their minds, should at least learn from her example, right?

"And there's no need to worry about Sakayanagi using similar methods again in the future."

"The Board Chairman will be leaving the school next semester. After Sakayanagi returns from her suspension, she will be watched by all the students. Anyone could spread rumors. It's impossible for someone with a criminal record like her to fall into the same trap again."

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Because everyone knows she did this kind of thing, if a similar incident happens again, everyone will immediately think of Sakayanagi Arisu.

It's safe to say that after this incident, Sakayanagi is definitely the last person who wants anyone in Advanced Nurturing to be subjected to widespread rumors again.

If such a thing were to happen, she would have to do everything she could to prove her innocence, otherwise most of the first-year students would immediately suspect her.

However, Kushida Kikyo wasn't impressed with Aragaki Shun's explanation. She leaned closer to Aragaki Shun and, somewhat annoyed, made a request. "My situation is different from yours. Even though Sakayanagi is restricted, there are still students in this school who attended the same junior high school as me."

"As long as she's around, my past could be exposed at any time, so I hope you can help me get that guy expelled from school."

At the school-wide assembly this morning, the school did announce new regulations prohibiting students from spreading rumors and slandering each other, as well as from viewing school files and spying on others' privacy.

In either of these cases, if the case is appealed to the Student Council, the perpetrator will be severely punished, and may be expelled from school.

The problem is that all rules are enforced by people. If simply establishing rules could eliminate crime, the world would have already entered a utopian society.

The school forbids the use of rumors to spread falsehoods and frame others, but what if we simply tell the truth?

The guy she wanted to drop out of school was her classmate in middle school; he definitely knew about her past.

Once that person reveals her past scandals, there's no need for extensive publicity. Just a casual conversation between two people in the class, and people eager for a spectacle will naturally spread the information further and further.

At that time, everything she has worked so hard to maintain will collapse, and she will return to the state where everyone hates her.

This must absolutely not be allowed to happen!

"A junior high school classmate?" Aragaki Shun was somewhat surprised. "Advanced Nurturing recruits students from junior high schools all over the country. Under such circumstances, you actually managed to run into a junior high school classmate. I don't know how to describe your luck."

Indeed, if someone shares information about their junior high school days with a classmate, and the information isn't deliberately distorted, it doesn't really qualify as spreading rumors.

After all, it's inevitable that high school students will talk about funny things that happened in elementary and middle school during their internal interactions. The school can't just ban students from bragging and chatting, can it?

Don't be ridiculous. Even overt pranks and passive-aggressive bullying are difficult to control in schools, so how can you expect the school to dedicate special effort to dealing with this?

It's better to avoid trouble. As long as things don't escalate to an irreparable point, the school will at most try to smooth things over.

"Who is this junior high classmate you're talking about? It's been over two months. If she knew about your past and wanted to use it to blackmail you, there must have been some kind of response, right?"

Kushida Kikyo glanced at Aragaki Shun with a complicated expression, then uttered a name expressionlessly, "That person is Horikita Suzune, the one you brought into the Student Council."

Aragaki Shun: "???"

Ha~ Horikita Suzune knows about your situation?

I've been trying to get her involved in the Student Council for so long, but I've never heard her mention your name.

"If it's her, what are you worried about?"

"She doesn't even have a single friend she can talk to normally. Even if she really wanted to expose your dark past, she wouldn't have any way to spread rumors."

"Besides, I tend to think she doesn't know anything about you. Given her temperament, do you think she would have paid attention to other people's gossip during junior high school?"

What you said makes perfect sense; there's no way to refute it.

Kushida Kikyo pursed her lips. Having pestered Horikita for so long, the girl naturally knew what kind of person he was. She also knew that he was arrogant and didn't take her seriously at all, let alone spread her embarrassing past.

But what if?

Whether she wants to or not is one thing, whether she can or not is another!

Rather than living in constant fear, it's certainly more reassuring to simply expel them from school.

"Just tell me, will you help me or not? I'm going to expel her from school. Whose side are you on?"

"Then of course I'm on Horikita President!"

Aragaki Shun rolled his eyes at Kushida and said without hesitation, "As long as Suzune- san is still under my control, Manabu Horikita will fully support me in becoming the next Student Council President."

"What would I gain by helping you drop out of school, Horikita Suzune, besides turning against the student council president?"

Kushida Kikyo felt a sting under the gaze of the Leader of Class A, because Aragaki Shun's cold eyes clearly told her—have you overestimated your worth?

The brown-haired girl ground her teeth hard; at that moment, she once again loathed her ordinariness.

She had experienced the bitterness of not being able to stand out from the crowd no matter how much sweat she put in, whether it was academic performance or physical fitness.

But now it seems that there is one more important attribute that makes me inferior to others: family background and social standing.

Damn it, how come there are so many people with connections at this school? The Board Chairman's daughter, the Student Council President's sister, the heir to a conglomerate... Why do all these bastards have to be in the same year as her?!

Kushida's face was contorted; she simply couldn't accept that her conflict with Horikita Suzune had failed because of such an external factor.

"Help me drop out of school, Horikita Suzune, and I'll agree to anything you ask, whether it's becoming your girlfriend in public or your secret relationship..."

"Stop!" Aragaki Shun reached out and pinched the girl's cheek with a slight headache, and said bluntly, "What exactly is the source of your deep resentment towards Horikita Suzune? Are you willing to pay such a high price just because she might know about your past?"

"This is none of your business!"

She first replied coldly, then Kushida reverted to her usual gentle and energetic demeanor. The girl gave a cute smile, bringing her face close to Aragaki Shun's palm, and said in a coquettish tone, "Haven't you always wanted me, Aragaki -kun? Fine, I've always wanted to find a handsome, considerate person to rely on."

"You're making it sound like I got a huge advantage."

Aragaki Shun sighed; his enhanced mental attributes allowed him to easily suppress the restless impulses of his body.

At this moment, he was observing Kushida's actions from the perspective of an outsider, completely unmoved by the temptation.

"As I said before, the value is not equivalent!"

"Kushida, why do you think that offering your body can change my decision? I'm much more popular among girls than you are among boys."

"If I were truly lustful, wouldn't it be better to go straight for Horikita Suzune? Just looking at her appearance, she's much prettier than you. Why risk a falling out with the Student Council President and expelling her from school?"

To be fair, if we only consider appearance and ignore personality, Horikita Suzune's looks are among the best of all the beautiful girls in Advanced Nurturing.

As for his aloof, eccentric, and self-righteous personality, it wasn't a big deal for Aragaki Shun.

Although Horikita Suzune lacks empathy and teamwork, this is because the girl is confident that she is better than her peers and does not need to rely on anyone. Once the other party's false strength is exposed, she is actually quite weak-willed.

At least in front of Aragaki Shun, Horikita had long been rendered powerless by her. When working in the Student Council, she was also quite obedient, completing any tasks assigned to her honestly, making it very easy for the boy to order her around.

In conclusion, Horikita Suzune may have low emotional intelligence; her bluntness can easily hurt others, making it difficult for her to make friends.

However, if you want to treat her as a subordinate, as long as you can suppress her and make her genuinely acknowledge your strength, then Horikita will be a very qualified servant. After all, she is stubborn and inflexible, and once she agrees to a task, she will grit her teeth and complete it no matter how difficult it is.

What's even more satisfying is that, given her practically negative emotional intelligence, there's absolutely no need to worry about her being bribed by competitors to hide and stab them in the back.

In contrast, a scheming and wicked woman like Kushida Kikyo is more troublesome.

"You actually think she's prettier than me?!"

However, Kushida seemed to have completely ignored the reasons given earlier, only noticing the latter part, and immediately exploded.

"Are you blind? What's so attractive about her zombie-like face that she doesn't give a damn about to anyone compared to me?"

"Pervert, lecher, scumbag, blind man—I suggest you go wash your eyes and update your standards of beauty!"

Aragaki Shun: "..."

He reached out and pinched the girl's chin without saying a word, nodding as he watched Kushida's resentful expression. "As expected, your malice towards Horikita Suzune isn't just because she might expose your past, or rather, that's only a small part of the reason."

"In fact, you simply don't get along with her and you dislike her way of doing things from the bottom of your heart, which is why you are so determined to expel her from school."

"Tsk tsk~ A woman who lives for the trust of others and is single-mindedly pursuing fame is truly terrifying."

Shaking his head, Aragaki Shun roughly guessed what Kushida was thinking.

At first, she might have genuinely been worried that her true colors would be exposed, which is why she went to great lengths to befriend Horikita Suzune.

But after being repeatedly rejected, and with his enthusiasm met with indifference, Kushida grew to truly hate the other person after a long period of frustration. He decided that if he couldn't solve the problem, he would eliminate the other person entirely.

This likely involves the conflict between their personalities. After all, compared to Kushida's pretense, Horikita Suzune's straightforward and self-assured lifestyle is far too unrestrained.

In this situation, the fact that the other party still enjoys considerable popularity is almost like a mockery of all of Kushida's past efforts.

No wonder Kushida's animosity towards Horikita is growing stronger.

"You really have nothing better to do than worry about this kind of thing every day."

"Enough! How could a monster like you possibly understand the aspirations of an ordinary person like me!"

"I'm not denying your pursuit," Aragaki Shun said coldly, releasing the other person. "The problem is that you clearly can't handle the pressure that comes with this process. Otherwise, you wouldn't need to hide away every now and then to vent your negative emotions."

"Not to mention, you've now reached the point where you're not even trying to improve yourself, but instead trying to drive out your competitors..."

"Nonsense!" Kushida, of course, would never admit to that. "I wanted Horikita to drop out of school simply to eliminate any potential problems. Is there anything wrong with that?"

"Whether it's right or wrong is none of my business; you can judge for yourself."