Don't Tell Anyone You Learned It From Me / You Seem a Little Disloyal

"Well, unlike other classes, the attitude of the Leader of Ryuen Class basically reflects the attitude of the entire class. Since he said we need to wait a little longer, it means that Class D is indeed waiting."

As he spoke, Kitagawa Ryo suddenly asked Horikita Suzune a question:

"What does Suzune think Ryuen is waiting for?"

"Um..."

When faced with Kitagawa Ryo's question, Horikita Suzune merely frowned slightly and pondered for a moment before immediately giving her answer:

"Waiting for the market to open."

"Even the results of our Special Exam at the end of last year were put up for sale. I don't believe that the so-called Investment and Finance Classroom at the Keyaki Mall can resist putting up a sale for something like this Student Council election."

"Ryuen has already made money from this twice, so he's waiting for this one too. Compared to the final election results of the Student Council, he only cares about how many Private Points he can earn through this opportunity, and that's the source of his confidence that he can quickly gather Twenty Million Personal Points."

"Really."

Seeing that even though Suzune had been overwhelmed by various activities and chores these past few days, she still managed to maintain such a clear mind and thought, Kitagawa Ryo nodded with some satisfaction:

"That so-called Investment and Finance Classroom was actually created by Tsukishiro to indirectly interfere with the actions of students on campus through a guessing game. But as you said, Suzune, after the first two times, everyone, especially the First Year students, has gradually gotten used to it. Even if Tsukishiro leaves and the Chairman Sakayanagi abolishes it, this 'tradition' will probably continue in our year."

Although he won twice in this game, Kitagawa Ryo clearly didn't have a good impression of this kind of gambling disguised as a prediction contest.

"That's getting off topic... Actually, it's not just Ryuen; quite a few students are probably looking forward to this opening and the odds. And just like how I was treated during the last Sports Festival, Suzune, your challenge will probably only truly begin around that time."

"Is it because my odds will definitely be set to the lowest?"

"Yes, after all, everyone has witnessed Suzune's performance, and I've already announced that I will fully support your candidacy. It's safe to say that among the four candidates, you are definitely the one with the highest popularity, as can be seen from the student votes in the last forum."

After receiving the seemingly casual yet natural praise from Kitagawa Ryo, Horikita Suzune felt her face flush slightly, but she accepted the recognition calmly, because, just as he said, the position of Student Council should have been hers to hold.

Whether in terms of seniority or overall contribution to the Student Council, her hard work and sweat in the Student Council over the past year can prove it all. This is also the true source of her courage to face Sakayanagi Arisu, and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka Katsuragi Kohei without wavering, without having to ask anyone else for anything.

Chapter 450: Don't mention you learned it from me after you get out.

"So, this is probably the idea that Ryuen is holding right now."

While Kitagawa Ryo and Horikita Suzune were chatting, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and Katsuragi Kohei were having a similar discussion in Class 1-C.

They had, of course, contacted Ryuen Kakeru and Class 1-D. Although they did not receive any clear answer, they were able to deduce Ryuen Kakeru's true thoughts from his rather ambiguous attitude.

In this Student Council election, the situation of the second-year students was already set. With the cooperation of Kitagawa Ryo and Kiryuin Fuka, Asahina Nazuna successfully replaced Miyabi Nagumo and became the new core figure of the second-year system. Kiriyama Ikuto suffered a crushing defeat and once again went into hiding.

However, this does not mean that Horikita Suzune's position as student council president is already within her grasp. After all, the third-year classes, except for Class A, are still firmly controlled by Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. Following the last Mixed Training Camp Special Exam, Class A's status as Class A in the Class 3-A year is almost unshakeable. Compared to placing their hopes on the graduation exam in less than two months, more and more students are being persuaded by their respective class Leader to gamble their last bit of time on their future. After all, if they are fooled, there is not much loss.

However, if successful, those who fail to graduate from Class A will still receive a substantial grant, which is indeed very tempting.

As for the First Year, Class B has already openly sided with Horikita Suzune, while Class C will definitely vote for Ayanokoji. Therefore, Class D' s attitude naturally becomes quite important.

In fact, at this point, if the two candidates from Class 1-A could give up the competition like they did in Class C and put all the votes of the class on one person, then Horikita Suzune could almost be said to have secured the victory. But unfortunately, this kind of thing is unlikely to happen to Sakayanagi Arisu and Horikita Suzune.

It has to be said that this is a kind of Fate. Horikita Suzune clearly wants the position of Student Council, while Sakayanagi Arisu is actually pursuing the position of class Leader. However, the timing of their competition is just right. At this moment, where one move affects the whole situation, they can only choose to win both or lose everything.

However, on the other hand, it was precisely because Sakayanagi Arisu and Horikita Suzune were bound to cause a serious split in votes that Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and Class 1-C were given the opportunity to compete.

From this perspective, Kitagawa Ryo's sudden appointment as acting Student Council isn't necessarily bad news for Class C. After all, being put in this position means that many things he used to be able to do are no longer possible.

To be honest, Tsukishiro's move was actually quite ingenious in Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's eyes, because it was equivalent to indirectly curbing the actions of Kitagawa Ryo and even Horikita Suzune, slightly balancing the strength of both sides on the chessboard, and even focusing not only on the current First Year, but also on the upcoming second year.

First of all, it should be stated that every Student Council, after taking office, always needs to build a team that they can command. Even if their abilities are not up to par, their loyalty must be guaranteed. This is similar to the roles played by Tachibana Akane, the secretary during Horikita Manabu's time, and Mizowaki and Tonokawa, the two secretaries during Miyabi Nagumo's time.

These students could have joined the Student Council before or were recruited later, since the Student Council's two recruitment drives each year are essentially for this purpose, and Horikita Manabu Nagumo both belong to the former category.

However, Horikita Suzune is different from them because she doesn't have someone like Tachibana Akane, Tonokawa Mizowaki were close friends from the start and joined the Student Council together. Sakayanagi Arisu theoretically in the same class as her and is a natural ally, but her personality means she is not willing to work for Horikita Suzune. This can be seen from the current irreconcilable conflict between the two.

Therefore, if Horikita Suzune successfully takes over, she will inevitably need to recruit a new batch of students from the grade to help her, otherwise she will become a completely lone commander.

In Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's view, both publicly and privately, he believed that Kitagawa Ryo was the right choice for Horikita Suzune, and that even if the chairman were replaced by Sakayanagi Arisu, this outcome would not change.

As a legendary observer who had closely observed Kitagawa Ryo's interpersonal relationships over the past year and successfully studied several pages of his "book of love, "Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was quite confident in his deduction.

After all, the precedent of Karuizawa Kei and Ichinose Honami wasting Twenty Million Personal Points on each other is still fresh in everyone's mind.

If we trace this line of reasoning back to the present, we'll find that Kitagawa Ryo's position as acting chairman is not only a constraint on him personally, but also a subtle shackle on Horikita Suzune and Sakayanagi Arisu, because Miyabi Nagumo is still serving as another negative example while lying in her hospital bed.

Once you're in the Student Council position, even if it's just as an acting president, any mistake you make will be magnified, and the consequence of making a mistake is being stripped of all your positions in the Student Council, which is equivalent to being deprived of your political rights for life.

Therefore, even if Horikita Suzune and Sakayanagi Arisu wanted to become the next Student Council, they absolutely could not encourage, and even had to stop, any behavior by Kitagawa Ryo that might be attacked. After all, to some extent, one of the reasons these two wanted to become Student Council was Kitagawa Ryo himself.

This was one of the true intentions behind Tsukishiro's sudden comparison of Miyabi Nagumo and Kitagawa Ryo at that commendation meeting.

Of course, after Kitagawa Ryo pointed out why the Acting Chairman would suddenly do him such a favor, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka quickly understood.

However, what makes Ayanokoji Kiyotaka slightly impatient is that he is indeed somewhat dissatisfied with the other party's mindset, which is always focused on things outside of school, as if the three years of high school life at Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School and with Kitagawa Ryo were just an insignificant experience in their lives.

To be honest...

Perhaps he wanted to preserve this experience on campus throughout his life, which is why he was willing to confront and try to change everything outside of school.

Those novel experiences and feelings never before felt, the emotions of each moment and the memories condensed from each instant, are things that cannot be obtained in White Room.

For example, right now.

After a brief discussion with Katsuragi Kohei about Student Council matters, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka suddenly changed the subject and began talking about something else:

"A girl in my class asked me out on Valentine's Day."

Katsuragi Kohei touched his shiny bald head, naturally giving off a puzzled look that seemed to say, "Do you think I'm the kind of person who can give you advice?"

It seems that every Valentine's Day, he only receives obligatory chocolates from his sister.

To be honest, he wasn't too surprised.

After all, while Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's looks might not be on par with a certain popular internet celebrity, he was definitely one of the better students in his First Year. However, he had always been obsessed with playing the role of a lackey, and was always mentioned by others in comparison to Totsuka Yahiko. He also had almost no interaction with other students in his class, so naturally he wasn't popular, let alone attracting the attention of any girls.

Aside from Kushida Kikyo, Tian who accepts everyone, and a certain Yamamura- kun who was chosen because she lacked presence, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka doesn't seem to have much interaction with other girls in the class.

But now the situation is completely different. As Ayanokoji Kiyotaka has gradually emerged as a prominent figure, he has made a strong comeback, leading the class to a victory in the Mixed Training Camp Special Exam and replacing him as the class's apparent Leader. It is quite normal for him to attract the attention of some girls.

Who is it?

"Motodoi Chikako."

"Oh, it's her."

Katsuragi Kohei was quite familiar with this name, after all, the other person had been secretly in love with him for a long time, or rather, had clearly shown his affection for Hashimoto Masayoshi in his class. However, Hashimoto Masayoshi's outward behavior was all a facade, so he had never given her a direct response.

After that, with Hashimoto Masayoshi sacrificing himself for the class twice, his reputation in the grade plummeted due to Class B's revenge and publicizing it. Only then did Motodoi Chikako finally let go of this unrequited love, but she never expected that she would now have her eye on Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

"So, Ayanokoji, did you say yes to her?"

Seemingly unable to express himself clearly in words, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka didn't even answer immediately. Instead, he lowered his head and wrote down their entire conversation on a piece of paper.

"I have a rather strange question... Ayanokoji, do you have someone you're dating?"

"Uh, what does this mean?"

"It means exactly what it says. It means whether you have a girlfriend or not... What do you think?"

No, there isn't.

"Oh—I see... So, can I consider you as someone who's looking for a girlfriend?"

"We can start as friends—how about exchanging phone numbers?"

"Okay, I understand."

"Okay, thanks a lot!"

"Um, I have to ask a really tactless question. Why did you suddenly ask for my contact information?"

"As for why... on the Uninhabited Island, at the Sports Festival, and during the last Mixed Training Camp, should I say you were incredibly cool? Or should I say that even though you've been so close, I haven't noticed you at all? I originally thought Hashimoto was the best in the class, but I didn't expect him to be that kind of person, so I guess I can't help it."

"Ah, so I guess that means I no longer think you're inferior to Hashimoto- kun? To be honest, looking closely, you seem even more handsome than Hirata, and you appear both composed and gentle... Anyway, that's the gist of it!"

"So, so, Ayanokoji, do you want to go out with me next Sunday?"

"If there's nothing else..."

"That's true, after all, Ayanokoji is a member of the Student Council. Let's get in touch again later!"

After reading this long dialogue written by Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, Katsuragi Kohei was once again speechless with emotion.

No, buddy.

Is this the practical result of your long-term observation of Beichuan?

Chapter 451: You Seem to Be a Little Disloyal

"The matters concerning the second year are basically all taken care of... finally."

Looking at Asahina Nazuna- senpai, who had let out a long sigh and was lounging lazily on the coffee table, Kitagawa Ryo tenderly pushed the freshly brewed black tea and some tea snacks he usually baked in his spare time towards her, offering a comforting word:

"Hard."

I don't know when it started, but the place where the two of them chatted and drank tea changed from the coffee shop near the Keyaki Mall to his own dormitory room.

Thinking about it carefully, it seems to have started from that time when the other person took the initiative to ask to come to his dorm room to see a certain kitten that, not just rumored, but actually can do backflips, was currently curled up in his hoodie for warmth.

"This is only the first wave; there are still many senior students you'll have to worry about later."

"OK..."

Asahina Nazuna lazily sat up from the coffee table and responded. The single dormitory room wasn't very big, and the air quickly filled with a sweet warmth. It felt especially comfortable at the end of winter, and even her thoughts became comfortably sluggish, as if she were soaking in thick, sweet honey.

"The next issue is Nagumo, who will be discharged from the hospital and return to school this month. After all, only by dealing with him and expelling him can the second year be considered to have completed its renewal process."

"If Nagumo were to drop out, it would mean that Class 2-A would have to pay the price of 300 Class Points. After all, there wouldn't be any more Special Exam available during this period. So, while dealing with Nagumo, Class 2-A itself also needs to make full preparations."

"In ANHS, Class A is Class A not always because it's the strongest class, but simply because it has more Class Points than the other three classes. Although Nagumo's second-year system has given Class A significant advantage, 300 Class Points is still a considerable amount, and it will inevitably cause some people to have ulterior motives."

"Uh-huh..."

"Seriously, are you even listening, senior?"

"Of course I was listening!"

"Okay, then tell me what the second most pressing issue is?"

"Ah, let me think."

After being half-tested and half-reminded by Kitagawa Ryo's question, Asahina Nazuna rested her arms on the table, propped her chin on her hands, and unconsciously tapped her cheeks lightly with her index and middle fingers for a while before tentatively speaking to Kitagawa Ryo:

"Should we ask them to vote for Horikita supports?"

"... You could say it touched on the edge. Actually, the real question is how to get them to obey you, the new Leader, in the same way they used to obey Nagumo. In fact, the first step you need to take, dealing with Nagumo, is one of the prerequisites for completing this mission."

Facing his senior, who was a year older than him but had clear, innocent eyes, Kitagawa Ryo was a little unsure whether she was genuinely confused or simply wanted to tease him and chat with him. Nevertheless, he patiently explained the current situation to Asahina Nazuna.

First, it must be made clear that although Asahina Nazuna does outwardly overpower the other forces led by Kiriyama Ikuto, this does not mean that she has officially taken over from Miyabi Nagumo. Her control over the entire second year is not actually that high, let alone like Nagumo did before.

"So, in the final analysis, you need to demonstrate two things to them, senior: first, you need to show them abilities at least on par with Nagumo's, meaning you can continue to guide them in identifying the loopholes in each Special Exam and maximizing their gains."

"Secondly, there's the difference in attitude Nagumo. Although there's a saying that dragon slayers eventually become dragons themselves, such a change doesn't happen overnight. Of course, I also believe that you can do better in this regard, since many second-year students are willing to recommend you to replace Nagumo, which is actually for this reason."

Similar to Kushida Kikyo's role in the First Year, Asahina Nazuna is also known for her wide social circle and good reputation in the second year. After all, she is willing to treat students from other classes as true friends even in the distorted environment of the second year, and even feels sad and sheds tears when they drop out. Even if a few people think she is putting on an act and being fakely compassionate, most students would rather be good friends with her, especially with precedents like Miyabi Nagumo as a comparison.

"Simply put, what the senior student needs to do is both continue to expand the pie of the second-year students and also share as much as possible with the students in the lower-ranked classes. If she can do both of these things, even if Nagumo really wants to do something, the other second-year students won't agree."

"Okay, I understand."

Kitagawa Ryo had already broken down the logic to this extent, Asahina Nazuna naturally couldn't pretend to be stupid anymore. While chewing on a butter cookie, she nodded vaguely in agreement.

After finishing this rather serious topic, Kitagawa Ryo finally had a moment to reach out and grab a cookie to tide him over. However, his fingertips abruptly touched nothing. Looking up, he saw that the two small plates of tea snacks in front of him had been completely devoured by the other person at some point.

Asahina Nazuna also noticed Kitagawa Ryo's right hand awkwardly hovering in mid-air, and she pursed her lips, feeling a little embarrassed herself.

"It's gone before you know it. Every time I think about it, I feel like it's such a waste that Liang doesn't open a dessert shop. I feel like he could earn millions of Private Points a month."

"The school doesn't allow students to engage in this kind of commercial activity. Making some gifts privately is fine, and we actually did it during the last Cultural Festival."

"I didn't get to eat it that time either -- so it doesn't count."

At this point, Asahina Nazuna licked the last bit of crumb from her fingertips with lingering relish, looking even more like a little glutton than the lazy little cat opposite her that had already crawled out of Kitagawa Ryo's hood.

"Then I'll bring you some to take home and eat?"

"Okay, but I've already eaten this week's worth today. Sigh, girls always have to be careful about their weight and calorie and sugar intake. If you want to send me something cold, how about next week? Sunday would be nice. By the way, I think I'll really crave chocolate that day."

Looking at his senior, who was swaying back and forth in front of him, subtly probing him, Kitagawa Ryo couldn't help but chuckle. Involuntarily, he recalled another thing Horikita Suzune had told him yesterday.

In fact, even if Kitagawa Ryo couldn't get the truth about Class D from Ryuen Kakeru or Shiina Hiyori, Horikita Suzune had her own way, namely Ibuki Mio, who had been learning to cook with her since last year.

Although Kitagawa Ryo himself felt that this girl from a dojo family was a bit stubborn, it was undeniable that she was indeed the second-in-command of Class 1-D, second only to Shiina Hiyori. So from this perspective, Suzune could barely shake off the label of being completely unsocial.

Moreover, through the last Mixed Training Camp Special Exam, Shiina Hiyori, the top girl in Class D, has also been recruited to Suzune's side. In fact, she has infiltrated half of Class 1-D, but she hasn't been able to play this card yet.

However, Ibuki Mio's contact with Horikita Suzune these past two days wasn't about the Student Council election, but rather because she carried the expectations of many girls in Class D and wanted to ask for advice on baking homemade chocolates for Valentine's Day.