Double Date

Perhaps realizing the seriousness of the problem and the severity of the current situation, Hashimoto Masayoshi's face no longer held his usual frivolous smile. His usual jovial expression vanished, and he appeared unusually serious, calmly explaining the situation from his own perspective:

"I only recently met this senior from the Yamanaka, but we are not in a romantic relationship as she claims, and there has been no inappropriate behavior. At most, we are just ordinary friends who have exchanged contact information."

"Could you give a more specific timeframe for 'soon'?"

"After returning to school following the Mixed Training Camp Special Exam."

"OK."

After answering Kitagawa Ryo's sudden question, Hashimoto Masayoshi continued his explanation:

"But yesterday around noon, the other party suddenly sent me a long string of unidentified text and transferred a sum of Private Points to me."

As Hashimoto Masayoshi explained, Mizowaki, who controlled the conference room computer and whiteboard, also pulled up the chat log that the woman had submitted as one of the pieces of evidence on the projector screen. After a long string of read messages such as "I promise you," "Don't tell anyone about that," and "I can give you any points you want," there was a transfer record of about 40,000 Private Points.

"The plaintiff needs to provide supplementary information: the 40,000 shown in the image was actually the entire balance in Yamanaka's account at the time."

Seemingly feeling that the figure of 40,000 wasn't quite shocking enough, Kobayashi Hikaru stood up again and added a sentence. Although he spoke somewhat cryptically, the other students in the meeting room understood his meaning. After all, given the situation in the second year, with most of Miyabi Nagumo's Private Points being handed over each month, students outside Class A simply couldn't save up their Private Points. The 40,000 figure already reflected the fact that Miyabi Nagumo herself was away from ANHS at the beginning of the month due to hospitalization.

"I never asked her to transfer Private Points to me. Just like in this chat screenshot, I didn't reply to a single message. It was all a one-way action by the other party. This is undoubtedly a setup."

Hashimoto Masayoshi is trying to regain control of the game.

"It's because saying things like that will be screenshotted and recorded that you chose to say it to Yamanaka face to face. The content above was a choice that Yamanaka made after struggling with it for a whole night. It was only later that she couldn't stand it anymore and chose to expose it. Let me reiterate, in my opinion, this is an act that takes a lot of courage, because as far as I know, Hashimoto, this is probably not the first time you've deceived a girl's feelings, right?"

Just as Kobayashi Hikaru Teru opened his mouth with a cold laugh, Yamanaka Akie began to sob softly, as if performing a duet. Vice President Horikita Suzune had no choice but to take a pack of tissues and place it in front of her.

Faced with this well-prepared double attack from the other side, Hashimoto Masayoshi swallowed hard and turned his head slightly to look at his homeroom teacher, who had remained motionless and silent since entering the room. He then realized that the teacher's gaze was not even directed at him, but rather vaguely, or even more so, towards the Student Council area.

Seeing his homeroom teacher's indifferent attitude, Hashimoto Masayoshi had no choice but to turn his attention to the Student Council. He found that the two Student Council members from his class Katsuragi Kohei and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, were also standing there, pretending not to hear or understand, and had no intention of standing up for him.

Although he had always touted his survival rule that as long as he betrayed others first, he would never be betrayed by others, he had to admit that when he was actually in this Matoba he felt like he had been abandoned by everyone in an instant, Hashimoto Masayoshi couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

Before Kobayashi Hikaru's offensive round was over, he quickly raised his hand, indicating that he wanted to summon two witnesses to the scene for explanation.

It was Sato Maya from Class 1-A and Kanzaki Ryuji from Class B.

The former briefly explains how Chiyo Maezono Chiyo was encouraged by her boyfriend Hashimoto Masayoshi to engage in behavior that harmed the class at the end of last year, while the latter uses multiple facts to demonstrate that Hashimoto Masayoshi had already deceived a girl in the class emotionally using his "handsome man" tactic earlier, causing her great psychological harm.

After the two witnesses finished speaking and left, Kobayashi Hikaru immediately reiterated to the Student Council in charge of the trial:

"It is clear that the defendant has at least two precedents before, which is why I said that our classmate Yamanaka is a very courageous child. If she hadn't been willing to sacrifice her reputation to expose this, perhaps more girls would have been deceived in the future. As a class advisor, I also hope that the Student Council can make a fair and reasonable judgment and take appropriate disciplinary measures against Hashimoto."

"No, she came to me from the Yamanaka on her own. I only exchanged contact information with her because she said she wanted to get to know me."

"So, Hashimoto is the type who would readily agree to exchange contact information with a senior she doesn't know? Anyone would find that strange, right?"

Faced with Kobayashi's continued questioning, Hashimoto Masayoshi could only continue to try to defend himself:

"My classmates who know me well know that I never refuse this kind of request."

"Yeah, because you're the kind of jerk who plays with girls' feelings."

"Okay, even if we take a step back, how do you explain the accusations made by those two First Year students?"

When Kobayashi Hikaru asked him this much, Hashimoto Masayoshi felt a bitter taste in his mouth. He never expected that the frivolous playboy image he had deliberately cultivated after entering the university would become the stone that hit his foot. Not only was he forced to accept two "handsome man seduction" missions from Katsuragi Kohei and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, but now he was also falsely accused of this, and he really couldn't refute it.

However, by now, Hashimoto Masayoshi had become somewhat ruthless. He stopped trying to continue debating with Kobayashi Hikaru and instead turned his gaze directly to the Student Council, or more precisely, to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and Katsuragi Kohei, as if to say, "If you don't help me, I'll just self-destruct, and nobody will have a good time."

"We have a general understanding of the situation, but ultimately, the two students we just spoke with can only demonstrate what Hashimoto was like in the past. The case file submitted today, or rather, the case that we need to examine, is still about the matter between him and Yamanaka."

To be honest, when Kitagawa Ryo said those words, Hashimoto Masayoshi couldn't help but think, "Kitagawa is still an honest person."

Look, this is the strong friendship that blossomed after they recently shared a dorm room.

"Speaking objectively, the only evidence the plaintiff can currently provide is this chat log showing that Hashimoto did not make a single comment."

"Here's what we'll do, Hashimoto. Before they transfer these 30,000 Private Points to you, how many Private Points do you have?"

Faced with Kitagawa Ryo's question, Hashimoto Masayoshi immediately answered without hesitation:

"About two hundred and twenty-two thousand."

He always paid great attention to accumulating Private Points, and in addition, he had helped Kitagawa Ryo achieve first place in both the group and the overall group rankings in the recent Mixed Training Camp Special Exam, earning him a substantial reward.

What is the current Class Points for Class 1-C?

"Five hundred and fifty-nine."

"It seems strange, doesn't it? They clearly don't lack Private Points, not to mention they can get more than 50,000 Private Points every month just from Class Points. Under such circumstances, why would they try to trick someone out of a mere 40,000... I feel that logic doesn't hold water."

Seeing that Kitagawa Ryo's attitude seemed to be leaning towards Hashimoto Masayoshi's side, Kobayashi Hikaru Teru frowned and spoke again:

"Acting Chairman Kitagawa, I hope you understand that for students with Hashimoto's personality, gaining Private Points is sometimes not their ultimate goal, but merely a means to declare their complete subjugation of the other party and thus discipline their loyalty. Moreover, 40,000 Private Points is not a small amount; even as a simple fraud case, it is enough to warrant severe punishment."

Facing the homeroom teacher of Class 2-D who emphasized the word "proxy" so emphatically, Kitagawa Ryo simply rested his chin on his hand and smiled at him:

"It seems Ms. Kobayashi knows a lot about this stuff, but I just saw your name on the registration list for this matchmaking event a couple of days ago. That doesn't seem very convincing. Or have you done something similar to other girls before?"

As Kitagawa Ryo made this teasing remark, Chabashira Sae, who had been absent-minded and unresponsive throughout the hearing, couldn't help but chuckle. As a result, she was immediately met with scrutinizing gazes from Sakayanagi Arisu and Horikita Suzune.

"I don't think this is something the Student Council should say."

"No, I was just analyzing the case when Ms. Kobayashi suddenly started spouting a bunch of random speculations. Our Student Council always values evidence. We won't issue a verdict until we have concrete evidence proving that Hashimoto Masayoshi harmed or defrauded Yamanaka Akie."

"Isn't Yamanaka's current state enough to be considered evidence? I think you're the same kind of person as Hashimoto, on the forum..."

"Even though I'm just an acting representative, yelling at and slandering the Student Council during the hearing is still not allowed. If it happens again, you'll be kicked out, really."

Startled by Kitagawa Ryo's seemingly calm but clearly joking words, Kobayashi Hikaru swallowed back the words he was about to say, and irritably sat back down in his chair.

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

"As I said before, the Student Council will temporarily suspend the investigation of this matter until further conclusive evidence emerges."

"Of course, just like during last year's Uninhabited Island Special Exam, until the truth comes out, Hashimoto and this second-year student from Yamanaka, you will both voluntarily suspend your studies for a period of time until new evidence emerges or you are willing to reach a reconciliation."

The Student Council's right to voluntarily suspend classes can be seen as a manifestation of its power.

Although the Student Council does not have the direct authority to suspend or expel students, and even if it makes a decision, the school's approval is essential, a temporary voluntary suspension can still be granted.

The meaning is quite simple.

Whether it's faking illness or any other reason, students who are ordered to voluntarily suspend their studies should honestly find an excuse and then lock themselves in their dormitories to reflect on their actions.

"Alright, if there are no objections, then let's adjourn the meeting for today. Our Student Council has a lot of things to do."

After saying this, Kitagawa Ryo gave Hashimoto Masayoshi look.

As it turns out, outsourcing is indeed prone to problems.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka outsourced Hashimoto Masayoshi's work to Miyabi Nagumo, who then outsourced it to Yamanaka Akie Miyabi Nagumo.

Since nobody wants to get involved in this mess.

Then he would naturally have to let the muddy waters flow back.

Chapter 460: Double Date

Although the incident involving Hashimoto Masayoshi has been temporarily shelved, his personal reputation at Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School has inevitably suffered an irreversible and devastating blow.

In some ways, his reputation is even worse than that of Totsuka Yahiko before. After all, Totsuka Yahiko was only disliked in his class and grade, unlike Hashimoto Masayoshi, whose reputation was known throughout the school for deceiving girls at least three times, which could be considered a semi-social death.

However, Kitagawa Ryo didn't have time to keep up with the latest developments. He spoke up for Hashimoto Masayoshi Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, and partly because, as the acting Student Council, Kitagawa Ryo didn't want to encourage this kind of forum-based judgment that prejudicially sets public opinion, since the boomerang might come back to haunt him one day.

Ultimately, the underlying logic of Hashimoto Masayoshi's character and actions shows that the other party is not someone who can be easily manipulated. The positions of both parties can be completely reversed at the slightest change of the other party's mind. Therefore, he can only be used as a side move. If it is useful, great; if not, so be it. It is better not to drag oneself down in the end.

After temporarily resolving the Hashimoto Masayoshi incident, the Student Council, focused on their work, finally completed all preparations for the Valentine's Day celebration before the deadline.

"You've worked hard. Let's go out for dinner tonight. It's on me, as a reward."

Watching Mizowaki and the other Student Council members throw down their mice and slump wearily in their office chairs after submitting the last document Kitagawa Ryo clapped his hands, smiled and offered a word of encouragement to everyone before finally making this suggestion.

After all, putting together such a decent event in just two weeks seems difficult, but it's actually quite challenging, especially considering the need for a large scale and grand occasion. Fortunately, the Student Council already shared some of the school's power, making it easier to implement things without getting stuck. With everyone's hard work, they ultimately delivered a result that looks pretty good so far.

"I won't go over there, you guys have fun."

Amidst a chorus of agreement, it was Kiriyama Ikuto from Class 2-B who volunteered not to attend the dinner. After a certain point, his enthusiasm for the Student Council had waned considerably, but he didn't neglect his daily duties. His behavior during this period was that of a typical day student, completely different from Mizowaki and Tonokawa, who voluntarily worked overtime.

"Yes, senior, go back and get some rest."

However, Kitagawa Ryo didn't intend to force anyone. After saying this, he led the rest of the Student Council members out the door, and the group headed to a restaurant near the Keyaki Mall where they had already booked a private room.

Shortly after they left, the Student Council doors were pushed open again, and the familiar footsteps soon reached Kiriyama Ikuto's ears.

Even though it had only been less than a month since the other person last visited the Student Council, both Kiriyama Ikuto and Miyabi Nagumo, who walked in through the door, felt as if they had been separated by time when they saw each other again in this familiar Matoba.

After all, they had been openly and covertly fighting here for nearly two years.

From initial sincerity, then to hypocrisy and pretense, and finally back to the original genuine feelings.

It's fair to say that they spent a large portion of their time at Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School.

"I never expected that the ultimate victor in the Student Council and the second-year competition would be neither you nor me, but a First Year student who suddenly appeared out of nowhere."

After saying this with some emotion, Miyabi Nagumo, as was her habit, sat down opposite Kiriyama Ikuto in the manner of the host.

"First, we lost our status as Class A, then we lost our position Student Council, and now we're even being stripped of our class Leader and Student Council membership."

"Aren't you the same, Nagumo?"

Although he no longer had the chance to utter classic lines like "Remember, I am the Student Council" and "Nagumo, you'll regret this," Kiriyama Ikuto still habitually retorted:

"You might even lose your status as ANHS student soon."

"What does it matter? You don't think I cherish the opportunity to study here, do you? Rather, I've never been able to understand the way those students I expelled cried and sobbed as if it were a matter of life and death before they left."

At this point, Miyabi Nagumo suddenly snapped her fingers again:

"If it were in the past, I would probably have said the above, but now I have new thoughts, or rather, my mindset has changed."

"ANHS is indeed a good place, isn't it?"

Looking at Miyabi Nagumo, who was completely different from before, Kiriyama Ikuto frowned slightly, feeling that he seemed to be getting close to the truth about her sexual assault in the latter half of last year... no, her drastic change in personality.

However, Miyabi Nagumo seemed completely oblivious to Kiriyama Ikuto's thoughts, and continued talking to himself:

"Private Points, Class Points, and the 100% college admission and employment rate after graduating from Class A— looking back, these things don't seem that important, but perhaps they are indispensable because they truly created a completely different environment for ANHS —one that is entirely different from the outside world."

"The so-called new environment means that no matter what their status or position was before coming to this school, everyone is a student who receives 100,000 Private Points from the school every month during their first month here, just like everyone else. It means that everyone has to wear the same uniform and eat in the same cafeteria every day. At least at the starting line, everyone is seemingly put back together fairly."

"ANHS is better than other high schools because it is more thoroughly new. It is so new that it has no money, but it has Private Points are similar to money but can be earned more easily. It is so new that all kinds of Special Exam can test what each student lacks and what shines in each student who is not good enough."

He sounded like he was giving a speech at a welcome party for new students.

Until the next sentence is uttered.

"The good thing is that in this environment, your own value will rise and become higher, especially for those people and things you might never have encountered in your entire life."

"So, after thinking it through, I really am reluctant to drop out and leave. Even if I can still get into a good university and get a good job, I guess twenty years from now, I'll still think back to that crossroads of Fate where I stood."

"Kiriyama, listen to me."

Miyabi Nagumo leaned forward, like a fanatical missionary.

"Everything in this school is meaningless to us, whether it's class ranking or Student Council position. Their real significance lies only in allowing us to find a meaningful person and goal, and then use this platform to leap upwards, either to be shattered to pieces or to achieve upward social mobility."

"The three years of high school are just a short segment of our lives. Like the Student Council or the second-year Leader at ANHS, when you step outside of that circle, you will only feel insignificant, like watching ants carrying grains of rice."

"Now, I'm giving you the opportunity to enter this world."

Kitagawa Ryo, unaware of the dark drama unfolding inside the Student Council room, had already arrived and taken his seat. The only two girls in the Student Council, Horikita Suzune and Sakayanagi Arisu, sat down on either side of him, both looking exhausted and haggard.

"Everyone can go all out for the Valentine's Day event the day after tomorrow. I've already applied to the school, and they will send people to maintain security for the event."

While waiting for the food to be served, Kitagawa Ryo offered a word of comfort to everyone.

In previous events such as Sports Festival, Cultural Festival, and even daily life, the Student Council has always shouldered the responsibility of supervision. However, this time it really exhausted everyone, so Kitagawa Ryo took the initiative to apply for this benefit from the school, which immediately drew cheers from others.

Although everyone knew that Kitagawa Ryo was doing this to give himself a break, at least he still cared about the other members. After all, it wasn't the first time the Student Council had led the way in slacking off; didn't the former president Miyabi Nagumo, disappear for the entire Cultural Festival?

Look at that, that's the difference.

"Tomorrow, the vendors will set up the venue first. It still won't be open to students, but everyone can go in and take a look around beforehand to familiarize themselves with the location and see what they want. Bring your girlfriend, or even your future girlfriend, it'll be easier to find her then."

Although Kitagawa Ryo cleverly added the phrase "future girlfriend," the boys present, including Mizowaki and Tonokawa, still felt a strange sense of melancholy. After all, the way Kitagawa Ryo said those words seemed to carry a Versailles-like air, making one sigh that the difference between people might be greater than the difference between people and dogs.

After all, judging from the looks of it, apart from Kitagawa Ryo, none of the guys at this table seem like they have any girls they could easily date. Mizowaki and Tonokawa don't have great reputations; they offended too many people when they worked for Miyabi Nagumo. Katsuragi Kohei, on the other hand, has the looks to back him up; he could probably blend right in at the faculty matchmaking event without looking out of place. As for Ayanokoji Kiyotaka...

"I might go there tomorrow, want to come along?"

After Ayanokoji Kiyotaka calmly raised his hand and asked this question, almost all the Student Council members, including Horikita Suzune and Sakayanagi Arisu, either widened their eyes in confusion or put down their phones. Only Katsuragi Kohei, who already knew about this beforehand, showed no surprise.

"Hmm? Ayanokoji, are you also taking a girl there to scout out the location beforehand?"

To be honest, Kitagawa Ryo was somewhat surprised that Ayanokoji Kiyotaka would ask such a question, and it felt like a miraculous thing, like a thousand-year-old iron tree finally blooming.