Classroom of the Elite, I Also Want to Be a Good Person

Placing the three books from his arms onto the table, Shiina immediately picked up the one on top and held it out with both hands for Aoyama to see.

The cover of the book was very minimalist, appearing to be a work from a long-gone era.

"Hardboiled author, huh? You and Suzune should have plenty to talk about, Shiina."

Cornell Woolrich, one of the founders of the American hardboiled genre.

In Horikita Suzune's room, Aoyama had seen the book Farewell, My Lovely, whose author, Raymond Chandler, was also one of the representative figures of the hardboiled genre.

Sometimes, when he was full, he wouldn't leave Horikita's room immediately, and he had browsed through a portion of the books on her desk.

"Horikita-san? Which author does she like?" A look of interest appeared on Shiina's face.

Having a book-loving friend with the same interests must be a wonderful thing.

"I've seen Raymond Chandler's books on her desk; the most recent one was Farewell, My Lovely."

"Ah, I was just thinking of recommending that one to Yamamura."

Smiling even more happily, Shiina handed Rear Window to Aoyama, then immediately picked up one of the two remaining books on the table.

"Although the story is a bit sad, I think it's a classic that is very worth reading and quite interesting."

"I will read it carefully, Shiina."

Watching Shiina, who looked very happy, Yamamura was also infected by her mood and smiled as she took the book Shiina handed her.

"Then let's begin." Putting her hands together in front of her chest and clapping them silently, Shiina, her eyes filled with smiles, picked up the third book.

"Then let's begin."

Responding to Shiina in a very gentle tone, Aoyama Shiki opened the first page of the book.

Chapter 34: Sudden Change

After finishing the book with Shiina that day, Aoyama's schedule for Saturday, besides the morning study session, now included reading together at the library in the afternoon.

Time passed slowly, and the midterm exams arrived quickly, ending just as fast.

All four classes of the first year passed safely.

"The muscles in your shoulders are getting harder. You seem to be very concerned with physical training."

In the girls' dormitory, Horikita Suzune pressed her hands onto Aoyama's shoulders, working hard to knead them as payment for her debt.

There were two solutions for this midterm exam: one was for the whole class to cooperate to lower the average score, and the other was to purchase past exam papers from second-year students.

In the small quizzes, there were three questions that went beyond the first-year curriculum, and even long after the exams were over, the teachers didn't mention any errors in the questions.

If one were to delve into this anomaly, they would discover that the entrance quizzes for the second and third years were identical, as were the midterm exams following the quizzes.

Before the exam, Horikita Suzune had thought of the first method, but given the situation in Class D, her prestige was not enough to make the high-achieving students in Class D risk expulsion by intentionally scoring low.

In the final week before the exam, she had no choice but to seek help from Aoyama Shiki.

And then, she obtained the second solution.

"Isn't there a saying that boys who run fast at the Sports Festival are very popular?" Aoyama said comfortably, closing his eyes to enjoy the massage from the beautiful girl.

"As long as you change your arrogant nature, you would be very popular too."

"Heh, then why don't you change yours?"

Two self-centered, arrogant people.

Recalling the rumors in the first year that he and Horikita were a good match, Aoyama found it somewhat amusing.

"I don't want to be popular." Horikita Suzune increased the pressure of her kneading. "The Sports Festival in October, right? There are about three months left. If nothing goes wrong, it will be another class competition."

"You didn't seem to do anything for this midterm exam. With your personality, you wouldn't be thinking about profiting from it, would you?"

If I could, I would want to.

Aoyama knew exactly what he was worth; the final interpretation of the midterm exams belonged to the school, and there were risks in exploiting loopholes.

If he sold answers to failing students and got set up, and the midterm exam questions turned out to be different from the past papers, he would be done for.

Although he could set up text traps in advance to avoid taking the blame, his reputation for integrity couldn't be ruined; if it were, no one would ask him to do anything.

"Didn't I profit? I'm getting massage services from the Student Council President's sister, and for three months at that."

"...Sometimes I really want to punch you."

"But you don't have the standing to do so."

Unfazed, Aoyama pointed out Horikita Suzune's weak position between the two of them.

Horikita Suzune looked easy to talk to now, but that was only because she clearly understood that she was the one taking advantage of the situation.

He was neither a classmate nor a friend, so helping Class D was like providing poverty relief.

From the first time he traded with Horikita Suzune, he had instilled in her the philosophy that things could only be done with money.

"It'll be June in a couple of days. Every class that passes the midterm exam will receive one hundred class points. It's time for Class D to save up some class funds."

After enjoying Horikita Suzune's massage, Aoyama revealed a piece of information that wasn't exactly trivial.

Three hundred and fifty class points meant thirty-five thousand personal points.

At the very least, I have to draw ten thousand.

"A reward of one hundred class points, that's good news."

Nodding slightly, Horikita Suzune also understood what Aoyama meant.

The poverty alleviation program would likely end in June, and after that, there would be no more talk of working off debts.

June 1st.

The first-year students in the classroom were all eagerly awaiting the arrival of their homeroom teacher.

It wasn't that they were anxious about the changes in class points, but rather that when they woke up that morning, the personal points on their mobile terminals hadn't changed at all.

"Mashima-sensei, not a single personal point was deposited today."

"It shouldn't be that all nine hundred-plus points were deducted, right?"

With a stern face identical to Katsuragi's, the moment Mashima appeared at the classroom door, Totsuka, whose savings had already hit rock bottom, shouted out loud.

In April, like most students, he had visited the Keyaki Mall quite a few times.

And in May, he had used the majority of the ninety-thousand-plus points he received to pay back Katsuragi.

"There was a dispute this time, and the changes to class points for classes other than Class A have not yet been finalized."

"After deliberation, the school has decided to delay the distribution of points until the Student Council finishes handling the dispute involving classes B, C, and D."

With no major change in his expression, Mashima stepped onto the podium and explained the reason why the personal points hadn't arrived immediately.

In his words, he also revealed that this conflict involved classes B, C, and D.

"Mashima-sensei, I would like to ask a question."

While the students of Class A were whispering in complaint or helplessness, Katsuragi stood up from his seat.

"When it comes to changes in class points, shouldn't the authority to handle it rest with the teachers?"

"The Student Council, as the name implies, is composed of students. Doesn't that make them both the referee and the participants?"

"Isn't the power of the Student Council a bit too great?"

Both a referee and a participant—a very vivid analogy.

But that was the Student Council.

They handled what the teachers could manage, and they handled even more of what the teachers couldn't.

Acting first and reporting later, with special permission from the school.

The corners of his mouth curled up; Aoyama thought of something amusing.

If the power wasn't great, would he have joined the Student Council just for fun? Wouldn't it be better to be close to beautiful girls every day?

"I have already said several times that teachers are prohibited from participating in disputes between students. There is nothing inappropriate about the school granting the Student Council such extensive power."

"Do not forget, Katsuragi-kun, every student has the right to join the Student Council, provided you have the ability."

Without a hint of impatience, Mashima calmly answered Katsuragi's question.

Since everyone was the same, there was no such thing as fairness or unfairness.

"Then why not just let Aoyama take over this task and judge the other classes to have more points deducted? That would count as a rare contribution to the class."

As Katsuragi sat down in silence, an untimely voice suddenly rang out in the classroom.

Machida, you brat, are you looking for a beating?

Because his name was mentioned, Aoyama immediately looked toward the source of the voice.

The owner of the camel-colored short hair in his line of sight was Machida Koji, whom he had confronted before and who was one of the students supporting Arisu as the leader.

"The Student Council also has the power to expel students. You'd better pray you don't fall into my hands, Machida."

In front of the entire class, Aoyama's first sentence was a threat.

"I was just joking. When the time comes, I'll use my public position for private gain to protect you."

As Machida looked at Mashima with an ugly expression, he added another sentence before the teacher could speak.

Only, the smile on his face looked malicious no matter how you looked at it.

"As long as one does not violate school rules too severely, I believe the Student Council cannot expel students at will."

"Do not worry, Machida-kun."

Smiling calmly, Arisu spoke up to relieve Machida's distress.

Aoyama just gave a sinister laugh, then withdrew his gaze from the classroom and looked out the window.

Whether or not one violated school rules wasn't for them to decide.

Besides, there were things like special exams; if they kept pushing their luck, he wouldn't be polite.

Chapter 35: Student Council Meeting

The Student Council room.

The students from the two classes involved in the dispute, along with their teachers, were already seated.

The seat at the very center of the long table, the position of the Student Council President, was also occupied.

"Regarding the violent incident that occurred on May 30th, we will now proceed with the cross-examination of the parties involved."

"The proceedings will be conducted by me—Student Council Secretary Kamuro."

Standing beside the Student Council President's chair, Kamuro finished speaking with a straight face before taking a step back to stand behind the chair.

There were two dispute incidents that occurred on May 30th: one between Class 1-C and Class 1-B, and the other between Class 1-C and Class D.

As Student Council President, Horikita Manabu took charge of the case involving his younger sister's Class 1-C and Class D, while he delegated the other case to Aoyama.

"As expected of the number one handsome guy on the rankings; he's even more dashing up close. He's exactly my type."

"Please mind your image, Teacher Chie."

The one teasing the Student Council Vice President Aoyama right from the start was the Class B homeroom teacher, Hoshinomiya Chie. Despite being nearly thirty, she looked like a bright and ditzy college student.

Her wavy, brownish hair, which had a slight natural curl, fell to her shoulders, and the fruit on her slender waist was of a size befitting her age.

In short, she was young, had a great figure, and was lively.

The one who reminded Hoshinomiya to mind her image was the leader of Class B, Ichinose Honami.

Even though she was a student, her figure was even better than that of her homeroom teacher, who was over a decade her senior.

Her delicate face beneath her crossed bangs looked like that of an idol, and she radiated an atmosphere that made people want to get close to her.

"Please refrain from making comments unrelated to the topic."

Glaring slightly at the eccentric Hoshinomiya, Kamuro briefly explained to both sides the summary of the incident that the Student Council had already received.

May 31st, which was yesterday.

Kanzaki Ryuji of Class 1-B and Ryuen Kakeru of Class 1-C had gotten into a fight in a secluded area of the school without surveillance cameras, and a Class C girl named Yabuna Nanami had also been present.