The Classic Three-Thread Setup

As he spoke, Tsukishiro pointed to his own head:

Even someone like me sometimes prefers this kind.

"You probably only say that to me. You'd likely give a completely different story when you were with Ayanokoji's father at the Cultural Festival last year."

"There's nothing you can do about it. If a referee's stance clearly favors one side of the competition, they're not far from losing their job."

Then, Tsukishiro suddenly changed the subject:

"But to be honest, the power of the Student Council at ANHS is really too great. For example, the saying that 'only students from Class A can become Student Council's is actually true in reverse. Once the Student Council is elected, the status of Class A will be infinitely solidified. This is a process in itself where the advantage keeps expanding and the exponential growth keeps increasing."

Although he had only been at Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School for about half a year, there was no doubt that Tsukishiro had already mastered the operating rules of this special system.

His initial decision to approach Miyabi Nagumo directly stemmed not only from his understanding of her true character but also from the significant role she held as Student Council. She was practically the school's representative and enforcer of power among the students, capable of influencing school decisions to some extent. If Nagumo hadn't been traumatized by his two punches, as the newly appointed Acting Chairman, he wouldn't have had a particularly effective way to deal with Miyabi Nagumo, procedurally speaking.

However, by then, Miyabi Nagumo was completely intimidated by his aura and the world of adults and power he had constructed. She was like an ignorant person who thought she had glimpsed a deeper abyss, and she was arbitrarily broken down by the delusions he had led her to.

"There are benefits and risks, especially after Nagumo was dismissed from his position in this way. Moreover, new First Year students will be joining in April. Mr. Tsukishiro should know the composition of this group of new students better than I do, right?"

Tsukishiro simply smiled at this. While the Student Council certainly seemed like an almost invincible prize once obtained, this was actually another argument based on results. Taking the current three graduating classes of Touyu ANHS as an example, the previous Student Council, Horikita Manabu, and his Class 3-A had never had a smooth journey. Their competition with other classes in the same grade lasted almost until the end of the three academic years. If it weren't for Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's intervention, which forcibly transferred most of the students, Class A's advantage would not have been as stable as it is now.

Miyabi Nagumo from Class 2-A goes without saying. Although Class 2-A is indeed the top class in the entire second year, he himself has fallen to the brink of dropping out and is in dire straits.

"It's just adding a bit of suspense, but it should be much more exciting than the Student Council of the past two years."

Just as the third round of fireworks ended and it was time for intermission, Tsukishiro took his thermos from his desk and sipped some hot water.

Unlike before, a significant portion of the new students enrolling this April already have some understanding of ANHS, and some could even be said to have enrolled with a mission. Precisely because of this, it is clearly visible that this year's Student Council recruitment will be different from the past.

Looking back to when the freshmen first enrolled last year, there weren't many students willing to sign up for the Student Council, barely a handful. In the end, only Sakayanagi Arisu and Horikita Suzune were accepted. Moreover, compared to those who were clearly aiming to seize power, the former was just there to make up the numbers, while the latter seemed more like she was there to fulfill a certain wish of hers.

But the situation might be different for the new students a little over a month from now. The percentage of those with ulterior motives could reach a frighteningly high level, and the atmosphere and structure within the Student Council would naturally undergo drastic changes as a result.

"And I remember that starting next school year, the school will add Special Exam that cross grade levels, right?"

"Yes, otherwise the First Year and second-year students will have limited contact. This is a result that both sides want to see, since everyone seems quite confident about it."

As if wanting to test Tsukishiro's thoughts, Sakayanagi Narimori smiled and asked the other party:

"What are your thoughts on this, Mr. Tsukishiro? Or rather, which side do you favor?"

"Judging from the lists submitted by Kitagawa and Ayanokoji alone, they each have their strengths and weaknesses. Kitagawa's chosen students seem to be highly trusted, and their overall abilities are all quite good. They all sound perfect, but that's where they fall short."

Perhaps because he had already resigned when the new students enrolled, Tsukishiro seemed quite frank in revealing his thoughts:

"A small but highly qualified student body is both an advantage and a disadvantage in this school. If nothing unexpected happens, these students will all be assigned to the top-ranked Class A and Class B after enrollment."

"On the contrary, Ayanokoji undoubtedly selected more students, and he thoughtfully chose a diversified approach. He should have included all the students in the four Class D. Just in terms of the penetration and coverage of classes and grades, this is Ayanokoji's advantage."

Sakayanagi Narimori nodded at first, seemingly agreeing with the other person's opinion, but quickly shook his head slightly.

"You said it yourself, this is a 'predictable' situation."

He couldn't help but recall the first name on the list written by Kitagawa Ryo. To this day, that remains the only 'accident' witnessed by Sakayanagi Narimori, who had personally seen what kind of organization the White Room was. It was a unique example of someone who, despite being eliminated, was still able to emerge from the shadows of the past.

Rather, this could be considered an accident in itself.

According to the other side, this crucial turning point was also due to Kitagawa Ryo.

Thinking of this, Sakayanagi Narimori couldn't help but sigh again. After all, as far as he knew, this girl, who should have been the same age as his daughter but had entered school a year late for various reasons, didn't seem to have a good relationship with Arisu.

And predictably, this relationship will worsen tonight.

Kitagawa Ryo, Karuizawa Kei, Shiina Hiyori's actions could be kept secret from the students, but they certainly couldn't be kept secret from the school's top decision-makers.

From Kitagawa Ryo's perspective, the main stage of this Valentine's Day celebration was prepared solely for Ichinose Honami, and the final fireworks display will prove it all.

However, he was also fully aware of Shiina Hiyori's actions, and both of them tacitly agreed that this chaotic Confessions would also take place tonight.

The stage at Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School is only so big, and the time allotted to each person is also only so much. After all, the magic about the clock has stopped, which means that from the very beginning, Sakayanagi Arisu's turn never existed here.

Sakayanagi Narimori continued to look out the window, but not in the direction of the Gymnasium; instead, he looked across the sea at Tokyo, which was connected to the artificial island.

In the game of love, everyone has different chips in their hands, and everyone wants different rewards.

If Sakayanagi Arisu is the one who pretends not to know, then Kitagawa Ryo is equally adept at feigning ignorance.

In this respect, this could be considered a battle of wits in love.

Thinking of this, Tsukishiro smiled helplessly.

Judging by the timeline, if it's keeping pace with the progress here, it should be starting soon.

All three at the same time.

Love has no right or wrong, nor does it have a first-come-first-served order.

... That really is his style.

What's it like to become a nationally popular couple with the person you like?

If such a question were asked on a certain platform, Sakayanagi Arisu would probably be the most qualified person to answer it. It wouldn't be impossible for her to write tens of thousands of words after a standard "thank you for the invitation."

Even if Sakayanagi Arisu had regrets and resentment about her last simulation, deep down, she was satisfied with and enjoyed the process most of the time.

Unlike Karuizawa Kei in the real timeline, even though her relationship with Kitagawa Ryo was written into an encyclopedia entry by some busybodies, it was still a matter within a small circle. After all, very few teenagers of that age are willing to watch theatrical works of art. This can be seen from the fact that only Kanzaki Ryuji in Class B wholeheartedly supports them. It can't be called a national couple at all.

Even so, Karuizawa Kei, as one of the parties involved, was still able to enjoy certain benefits. The fan-made works submitted by fans under relevant tags alone were enough to keep her browsing for a while every free night and liking them one by one.

The treatment that Sakayanagi Arisu received was more than ten times that.

If today's Ichinose Honami and Kitagawa Ryo just look like they're filming some kind of real-life dating reality show, then Sakayanagi Arisu and Kitagawa Ryo actually did film one, and it was a completely unedited and unscripted performance.

Moreover, the audience was not just a few hundred students and faculty members from ANHS, but thousands or tens of thousands of times more.

This was one of the reasons why Sakayanagi Arisu so confident during that simulation.

The Marriage Contract between the two guaranteed that they would definitely be together.

Meanwhile, in that world, hundreds of thousands, even millions, genuinely wanted, and even truly believed, that they were together.

If it weren't for those two students in the White Room, this would actually be the worldline that Sakayanagi Arisu wanted. They could compete in various games under the watchful eyes of millions of viewers, and they could stroll together on the beach in winter under the blessings of millions of viewers. No matter when they looked back, there would only be two sets of footprints left on the sand.

Of course, for the other party involved, it is precisely for this reason that she sometimes feels that jumping the timeline is also a good option.

On Valentine's Day night, Yuki wandered aimlessly through the streets of Tokyo.

There are forty-four days left.

She silently counted down the countdown to school once again.

The streets were bustling with people, and couples could be seen walking hand in hand, kissing each other. With the neon lights and the noisy traffic, everyone seemed to be unleashing their last bit of amazing passion at the tail end of winter, making the whole city seem to warm up.

However, none of this has anything to do with snow.

Turning a corner, I saw once again the filming location of a variety show, like "Operation Proposal." The bewildered female lead covered her mouth and pretended to be genuinely or feigning deep emotion under the lens of the surrounding photographers. Candles placed nearby flickered in the night, and the male lead was kneeling on one knee, presenting flowers.

"Tsk."

As if recalling some unpleasant memory, Xue smacked her lips lightly and, instead of choosing to watch like a passerby, quickly walked around the area, unconsciously ending up near Tokyo Tower.

But soon, she noticed something was wrong again.

As one of Tokyo's landmark buildings, the Tokyo Tower's nighttime lighting color changes with the seasons. Except for summer when it is white, the lights are orange in spring, autumn, and winter.

Even though it's winter, the lights on Tokyo Tower are a summery white, like the bright silver moonlight streaming down from the top of the tower.

As Xue stood there somewhat puzzled, she suddenly overheard the chatter of other pedestrians passing by.

"I heard there's a drone light show here tonight. The Tokyo Tower lights up white for the same reason; it seems to be part of the show?"

"Is this some kind of official program that makes Tokyo Tower stop lighting up according to the seasons?"

"I'm not sure, but according to online reports, it seems to be a privately organized event."

"Private? Is it another big idol's birthday today? The fans wouldn't have taken over the Tokyo Tower area, would they? And if it were true, fan clubs should have claimed it by now. I haven't seen any related posts on Twitter."

"Who cares? They've gone to such lengths, it's bound to be good in the end. Let's just enjoy the show."

"Let me see what's new on Twitter. By the way, what are the relevant tags?"

"I think it was called 'To Für Elise'."

"By the way, I don't know if it was done on purpose, but don't get it wrong, it's not the piano piece 'For Elise,' nor is it 'Alice' from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It's pronounced the same but with different letters--"

Arisu.

Sakayanagi, Arisu.

Sakayanagi, Arisu.

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Chapter 485: Classic Three-Threaded Program

The students at Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School were naturally unaware of what was about to happen in Tokyo, just across the sea. At this moment, all their attention was drawn to the dazzling fireworks display in the night sky, and they were completely immersed in this rare spectacle.

Thinking about it carefully, this should be the first time they have seen such a large-scale fireworks display since they enrolled. Based on a three-year timeframe, ANHS does have a few entertainment facilities and activities. Apart from playing video games in the dormitory, it seems that the only place students can go is the Keyaki Mall, where they can only shop and sing karaoke.

It would be great if the Student Council union could take the lead in actively applying to the school for more similar celebratory events in the future.

Subtly, many students unconsciously began to have this thought in their minds. After all, compared to the Student Council that only showed its authority to outsiders, especially in club-related affairs, this "makeshift team" assembled by the temporarily parachuted president, Kitagawa Ryo, was undoubtedly more to their liking. At least they were genuinely working for the benefit of everyone and organizing activities.

Besides the students, the merchants at the Keyaki Mall were also quite satisfied with today's event. After all, although they could make a profit on Valentine's Day in previous years, there were also many single people who would rather stay at home on Valentine's Day than go out. Kitagawa Ryo's celebration undoubtedly brought out these potential consumers from the past and made a huge profit.

Of course, the biggest customer is definitely Kitagawa Ryo himself.

In this respect, the Student Council's position is quite useful for negotiating prices.

Fireworks and Confessions seem to be inextricably linked. After a whole day of anticipation, similar words can be heard everywhere. The feelings of young men and women seem to be shrouded in an ambiguous and enchanting hue under the sparks that bloom in the sky, each waiting for the other's reply with either nervousness, anxiety, or relief.

However, all of this had nothing to do with Ken Sudō.

To be honest, before today, he had received invitations from other girls, such as another sports star in the class, Kayano Onodera Kayano Kitagawa Ryo Class 1-A the class. However, Ken Sudō ultimately declined her invitations.

Never before in his life had he so clearly realized the fact that the opportunity to control his own future was actually in his own hands.

Depending on a variety of factors, some people have many opportunities in their lifetime, while others have very few. The former have ample room for error, while the latter do not.

For Ken Sudō, these three years at ANHS were undoubtedly the closest and best opportunity he could have, an opportunity that was irreplaceable in the past and might not come again in the future.

How high and how far he can jump using this platform will largely determine the course of his life for the next ten or even several decades.

That is why Ken Sudō doesn't intend to let romance distract him too much. He is well aware that he is not a student like Kitagawa Ryo, whose time and energy are quite limited. In addition to his increasingly busy club activities, he has to spend more time on his studies than the average person, since his foundation in the past was really too poor.

Thinking of Kitagawa Ryo, Ken Sudō unconsciously sighed again.

As one of the students in Class A who most wanted Kitagawa Ryo to return, from his perspective, he felt that neither Sakayanagi Arisu nor Horikita Suzune, who were currently vying for the position of class Leader and Student Council, particularly wanted Kitagawa Ryo to return. In particular, the attitude and behavior of the former made him somewhat depressed, which is why he directly chose to support Horikita Suzune, who seemed to be closer to Kitagawa Ryo on the surface.

"Holy crap!"

As Ken Sudō wandered aimlessly along the path near the Gymnasium, admiring the fireworks overhead, he suddenly tripped over something and instinctively cried out in surprise.

Before he could react, several boys from Class 1-D rushed out from all around and surrounded Ken Sudō without saying a word.

What do you want?

Without even looking at what had almost tripped him, Ken Sudō instantly tensed up. After all, Class 1-D had a notoriously bad reputation, and he was terrified that he had fallen into some kind of trap.

"Holy crap, how did someone manage to get this way?"

"Damn it, get everything back in its place right now, it's about to start."

"That's Sudo over there, right? Stay away, stay away!"

To Ken Sudō's complete surprise, the three boys from Class D who surrounded him didn't cause any trouble, or even glance at him. Instead, they immediately took two steps forward and squatted down near him, seemingly fiddling with something on the ground. They simply greeted him casually.

"Our Class D has booked this area, could you please move aside?"

Seemingly realizing that such a statement could easily lead to unnecessary misunderstandings, or perhaps because these two sentences failed to dissuade Ken Sudō, Ishizaki Daichi, who was leading the charge, quickly added:

"This is a major life event for Beichuan. You two must be very close, so don't block the way. Come this way."

"Beichuan? A lifelong commitment?"

Ken Sudō was also somewhat puzzled by Ishizaki Daichi's explanation, but he still subconsciously took two steps to the side and glanced at the section of ground in front of him with a questioning look. Finally, in a moment when fireworks lit up the sky, he saw what was placed there.

Then, he let out the same exclamation as before, just once again:

"Holy crap!"