The Person I'm Waiting For Hasn't Arrived Yet

Kushida Kikyo was, of course, lying.

With a clear goal already in mind, she naturally wouldn't care about this group of flashy, gaudy vixens.

Senpai, senpai, handsome senpai~

Here I come!

||ヽ(￣▽￣)ノミ|Ю

However, as her gaze swept over a man and a woman laughing and chatting not far away, a hint of darkness unconsciously clouded her eyes.

I'll have to find a way to get rid of this eyesore later.

On the other side, Ichinose Honami's gaze swept across the entire gymnasium. Having arrived with her friends from Class B, she had intended to look for the two of them.

But after scanning the area a few times, she had to face the reality:

Dongfang Yi and Sakura Airi really hadn't come.

Although their meeting had only lasted for the duration of a short lunch, she unexpectedly felt a desire to get to know those two better.

So, she felt a bit regretful now.

"What are you thinking about, Honami?"

Shiranami Chihiro stared intently at Ichinose's cheeks, using the question as an opportunity to move closer to her, her face unconsciously brimming with the joy of someone who had gotten their way.

"I was just looking for two friends I recently met, Chihiro." Ichinose turned her head and gently rubbed Shiranami Chihiro's head. "But it seems they really didn't come."

"Do they not want to join any clubs?" Amikura Mako asked curiously from the side.

"Maybe they have their own ideas." Ichinose smiled gently, looking a bit helpless. "Have you set your sights on any clubs, Mako?"

"I personally prefer sports clubs, but I'll pass on the basketball and baseball teams. As for now, I think I want to join the tennis club. How about you, Honami?"

"I'm not sure yet. I plan to listen to the seniors' introductions first."

Ichinose Honami was still half-doubting Dongfang Yi's words, but if what he said was true...

Then she really wouldn't need to sign up for any clubs.

While the group was chatting, Secretary Tachibana from the Student Council stepped onto the podium.

"Good afternoon, new students. Sorry to have kept you all waiting. I am Tachibana Akane, the Student Council Secretary in charge of this club orientation. You may just call me Tachibana."

"I now declare this club recruitment orientation officially open."

"Next, I would like to invite Hashigaki-senpai from the Archery Club to the stage..."

Down in the audience, a spark of anticipation danced in Kushida Kikyo's eyes, and her smile grew even more radiant.

But predictably, that flicker of flame gradually dimmed...

Until the current Student Council President, Horikita Manabu, took the stage.

It was extinguished completely.

Wait, where is he?!

Could I have been lied to?!

Kushida maintained a polite, professional smile, feeling as though she couldn't stand steady.

"Kikyo, are you feeling unwell?"

Haruka, standing beside her, noticed her abnormality and asked in a low voice.

"No, I'm fine. Don't worry, Haruka. It's just that there are too many people, and it's making me a bit dizzy."

Kushida suppressed her shaken spirit and steadied her footing.

It's fine, I will find him eventually!

There is no secret that can escape the eyes of Kushida Kikyo!

The black-hearted angel did not realize that, invisibly, she had already placed the task of finding Dongfang Yi back at the top of her priority list.

As for dealing with Horikita Suzune, that issue had been temporarily cast to the back of her mind.

Horikita Manabu stood indifferently on the stage, waiting until every student in the hall had quieted down before he began to speak, unhurriedly.

Of course, if Dongfang Yi were here, he would definitely curse him as a pretentious lunatic or a show-off with a screw loose.

But precisely because he knew what was about to happen, he wasn't here.

He couldn't be bothered to waste his time.

The tactic Horikita Manabu was using was called moral kidnapping, which had the same effect as an elementary school teacher saying, "If even one student in this classroom keeps talking, none of you should think about leaving for recess."

It was nothing more than using his own status to coerce others. An elementary school teacher does it to teach children to follow the rules, while Horikita Manabu...

Is just wasting everyone's time.

Furthermore, he didn't say it out loud, but by forcing all the freshmen to recognize the disparity in status on their own, he ended up wasting even more time.

As a result, he consumed nearly ten minutes of everyone's time in the gymnasium.

In the end, unless a freshman had the courage to stand up to the Student Council President upon their first meeting, no one would dare to continue making a ruckus.

After all, even if a pig were standing up there capable of controlling the gymnasium doors based on the volume of the noise, the rowdy students would eventually quiet down.

Dongfang Yi felt it was absurd that the original work defined this as strength.

What kind of strength is this, anyway?

Isn't it just a matter of how well-trained the people below are and how thick-skinned the person on stage is?

If you were to strip him of that Student Council President title, let's see how many people would still be willing to pay him any mind.

"I am the current Student Council President, Horikita Manabu."

"Due to the graduation of the upperclassmen, the current student council needs to recruit talent from the first-year freshmen."

"There are no restrictions on recruitment, but there is one point to note: please do not join any clubs while applying for the student council."

W-what?

Upon hearing this, Ichinose was shaken to her core.

She recalled the gossip someone had told her at noon.

[It is said that to join this year's student council, one must apply on the premise of not joining any clubs.]

She instinctively covered her mouth, suppressing the astonishment in her heart.

On stage, Horikita Manabu continued to recite his lines.

"The student council of this school carries heavy responsibilities and has been granted the right and mission by the school to amend regulations. Therefore, we cannot allow anyone to leave a stain on the history of the student council."

[The fastidiousness of this year's Student Council President, Horikita Manabu—or rather, his belief that one cannot perform student council duties effectively if they are also a member of a club.]

It, it was right again?!

Ichinose exhaled softly, struggling to alleviate her shock.

But where on earth did Dongfang-kun...

At this very moment, she unconsciously cast a veil of mystery over Dongfang Yi in her memories.

"Please take note: the student council only welcomes those who can agree with this point to join."

Having said that, Horikita Manabu stepped off the stage and slipped out of the gymnasium without looking back.

Since he had wasted nearly ten minutes of every student's time, it was impossible for him to stay.

Leaving now would allow the naive freshmen to catch a glimpse of his aloof back, leaving these simpletons with an impression of him being unfathomable.

If he were to actually stay in the venue, he would be pointed at and cursed behind his back.

"Honami, shall we go sign up for the Tennis Club together?"

Amikura Mako and Shiranami Chihiro extended an invitation to Ichinose.

Still in shock, Ichinose snapped back to reality: "Sorry, Mako-chan, Chihiro-chan, but right now..."

"I can't join any clubs for the time being."

"Is Honami going to join the student council?"

"Probably... yes."