Do Your Best, Club President—I'm Already Thinking About Changing Classes

"That sounds so passionate. I can't help starting to look forward to what Ayanokoji-kun will do too!"

After listening to Marshal Bai's speech, Kikyo Kushida joined in with a radiant smile.

Hey, the way you put things always makes me feel a little uncomfortable... Whatever.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka glanced at Bai Yu, who was explaining the operational details to Kushida. Confidence showed on his face.

It was the calm expression of someone with everything under control.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka found it a little strange. The president's strategy seemed overly normal, unlike the style he had displayed over the past two days.

If he had to put it into words, a straightforward frontal assault was simple and decisive, and even showed some sincerity, but it was also far too conventional.

And given the current situation, it probably would not produce an ideal result.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's gaze drifted and happened to land on Horikita Suzune, who was reading in the classroom.

Remembering how Kushida had been shut out that morning, he felt that such a direct, heartfelt strategy was hardly suited to such an important task.

Who knew what the president was really planning?

Could it be that his previous unconventional behavior had merely led Ayanokoji to assign him an unfathomable depth he never possessed?

And in reality, perhaps the president was just an ordinary person who occasionally lost his mind, acted crazily, and was obsessed with writing plays?

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka gradually began to hesitate, a subtle urge to switch sides rising in his heart.

If you ended up with an incompetent commander, fleeing before battle should be forgivable, right...?

Smack.

A pair of heavy, powerful hands landed on his shoulders at just the right moment, rudely yanking Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's wandering thoughts back. He turned to look ahead.

Bai Yu issued his order spiritedly. "Everything has been arranged. Follow the plan after school, and if all goes smoothly, we'll achieve our goal next week."

"Next week?"

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka could not help asking suspiciously, "If we're confronting Horikita directly like this, shouldn't we see the results immediately?"

For the moment, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka did not voice his pessimism about the strategy.

"Ayanokoji-kun, questioning the commander's tactics is punishable under military law!"

Bai Yu's voice suddenly deepened, and he rebuked him like a seasoned old general who had fought through countless battles. "A soldier must trust his commander unconditionally. Otherwise, it will shake the army's morale."

"You just charge into battle. I'll be the solid, reliable support at your back!"

"Well... I'll do as you say."

Though the tactic was rather blunt.

His words did sound quite powerful, and he did not seem like someone who would casually treat his subordinates' lives as a joke.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka chose to trust him for now, suppressing the restless impure thoughts in his heart as he wondered whether Bai Yu had some backup plan prepared.

Kikyo Kushida, standing nearby, also voiced her concerns. "I think if I directly tell Horikita-san that I want to be friends with her, she'll definitely reject me again. I've tried many times already. I don't want to think this way, but her attitude really is very cold..."

Bai Yu, however, acted as though it did not matter.

"If you fail once, try a second time. If you fail a second time, try a third. If that fails too, start preparing for a fourth and fifth attempt... Persistence is the only path to success."

Bai Yu suddenly paused, then said gravely, "Kushida-san, you want Horikita-san to feel your sincerity too, right? Your declaration yesterday wasn't something that fragile."

"Yes!"

Encouraged, Kikyo Kushida regained her confidence. She genuinely pulled herself together. "I'll definitely make the most of this opportunity and won't let either of you down after all the help you've given me!"

Bai Yu showed a heartwarming smile. "It's fine. Just remember our promise."

"I'll remember it forever!"

Kikyo Kushida nodded brightly. After confirming the details of her plan once more, she smiled, bid them both farewell, and entered the classroom.

"Presi—"

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka withdrew his gaze from the girl who seemed suspiciously overexcited and looked toward the youth before him, wanting to say something. However, he discovered that the other had already turned around and reached the stairs leading downstairs.

"President, where are you going?" he asked with mild curiosity.

"First the library, then I'll find a quiet classroom to study drama. What, Ayanokoji-kun, do you want to come along?" Bai Yu invited him.

"No... I have a habit of taking naps at noon." Ayanokoji Kiyotaka hurriedly found an excuse to decline.

"Is that so?"

Bai Yu expressed a little regret. "I was hoping we could check whether there were any empty classrooms we could use as our clubroom, but it looks like I'll have to go by myself."

"Good luck with that."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka added the token remark, watched Bai Yu descend the stairs to the first floor, then headed back to the classroom alone.

He sat down in his seat looking utterly lifeless, his eyes occasionally drifting toward the black-haired girl who was always quietly reading.

Just thinking about what was going to happen that afternoon was already making his stomach hurt.

That afternoon.

The final teacher boss standing before Class D finally collapsed with a helpless sigh. The Class D students, who had spent the entire lesson doing nothing and whispering among themselves, had won once again.

Oh yeah!

Another day of successfully resisting elite-style education. I feel like I've grown a little stronger than yesterday!

Everyone's spirits instantly soared, including the heroic figures in the back row who had fought valiantly and fallen asleep several times during the war. As though resurrected, they threw themselves into the cheerful celebratory atmosphere filling the classroom.

The teacher carried his materials and walked out of the classroom with a sigh.

Looking back at the class's revelry, he could only feel that these people were beyond saving.

He still could not understand what purpose the school had in establishing a Class D that existed solely to make up the numbers.

It was just a shame that teachers could be fined for spitting, and even risk dismissal for misconduct.

Otherwise, he would gladly pay the fine just to spit on Class D's floor!

Horikita Suzune withdrew her gaze from that muttering spiritual gardener and glanced at Bai Yu beside her, who, since class had begun, had been either drawing talismans or writing something. She found it hard to accept for a moment.

With clear implication, she remarked blandly, "This truly is a school that indulges its students."

Bai Yu raised an eyebrow, swiftly glanced around, and did not stop what he was doing.

Still, he voiced his agreement. "Indeed. I feel the same way."

Horikita Suzune seriously turned toward him, fixing Bai Yu with a somewhat stern gaze. "During class, people slack off, talk, look at their phones, read manga, and there are even people like you, sneaking around and doing suspicious things. Compared to that, Ike and Sudo, who fall asleep as soon as class begins, can practically be considered a breath of fresh air."

"Is this really a prestigious college-prep high school valued by the state?"

Horikita Suzune questioned with a frown.

"Please don't include slander against me in your personal opinions, Horikita-san. Otherwise, it'll be difficult for me to stand on the same side as you and criticize the school's system."

Bai Yu smoothly spun his pen, cheerfully ending his creative work for the day. He then lowered his head and began packing the notebook containing his inspirations and outline into his bag.

"That was not what I meant."

Horikita Suzune cast her trademark sharp glare at Bai Yu. After watching him for a while, she withdrew her gaze. "It was merely a passing observation. Perhaps this school will have class transfers in the future."

"Yes, yes, hopefully when that time comes, someone as talented as you will shine brightly and become famous throughout the school."

"Hopefully, by then, there won't be a terrifying black-haired girl beside innocent me who can kill with her gaze."

As Bai Yu spoke, a trace of profundity smoothly entered his black eyes. He glanced at the setting sun beyond the window, then directly turned back to Horikita, as though hoping to use its lingering warmth to reform her. "How about joining my Service Club, Horikita-san?"

"?"

Horikita Suzune's thoughts were still on how to respond to his previous attack when he suddenly said he wanted to recruit her? Though this person did seem to act entirely on whatever whim struck him...

After calmly considering it for a moment, she tilted her head and coldly refused. "Putting aside what benefits there could possibly be in joining a suspicious club with a name suspicious enough to warrant calling the police, merely staying in the same classroom as you would probably give me a respiratory illness. Please find someone else, Bai-kun."

"I think it would be very beneficial."

Bai Yu ignored the sharp edge in her words.

As he replied, he raised his hand to check his watch. Deciding the time was acceptable, he picked up his bag without delay, rose from his seat, and walked straight toward the classroom door.

Before long, the classroom became noticeably quiet.

Only one or two people with no plans after school were reading or staring blankly into space.

Seeing that her target had escaped the range of her fire, Horikita Suzune silently assumed he had conceded defeat and felt half her irritation fade away.

She held her book in front of her face and continued the afternoon reading habit she had maintained since middle school.

From the corner of her eye, she occasionally saw a figure pacing toward her, looking somewhat hesitant in both expression and movement.

Horikita Suzune glanced sideways to identify the visitor... Well, Bai-kun might have left, but someone infected by Bai-kun was still here.

After observing him these past two days, she felt his symptoms were quite severe as well.

But perhaps he was not beyond saving yet?

"Is something the matter?" Horikita Suzune took the initiative to open the conversation.

Her attitude was slightly gentler than it had been toward Bai Yu.

For some reason, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka felt a little relieved.

Hopefully, after this was over, she would stay true to herself and not redirect her resentment toward the president onto me.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka awkwardly scratched his cheek with a finger before asking, "Do you have plans later, Horikita-san? If not, could you accompany me for a little while?"

"?"

Horikita Suzune lowered the book from her face, her eyes becoming more wary. "Is there something special going on? If so, I can at least hear you out."

"It's not that important..."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka chose to be direct. "There's a very popular café at the shopping center, but I've never had the chance to try it."

"You know, going to a place like that alone would be no different from walking onto an execution ground. I'd have to face the harsh judgment of girls and couples..."

"Don't you have anyone else you could inv—"

Horikita Suzune suddenly recalled the conversation between him and Bai Yu that morning, leaving her momentarily speechless. "Never mind. I suppose you don't."

"Though it's rather pathetic, it really is just as you said, Horikita-san."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka went all in on self-deprecation to win her sympathy.

It unexpectedly worked rather well.

"You're surprisingly self-aware..."

Horikita Suzune let out a deep breath. She could not help feeling a little sorry for this troubled youth, who perhaps had failed to make friends only because he had been implicated by someone else.

After thinking for a moment, she said, "I can go with you. I happen to have nothing urgent to do, but we can't stay too long."

"Okay."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka nodded woodenly.

At least the first step had succeeded.

But when he thought of what was going to happen next, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka could not help wanting to look into the school's procedures for applying to change classes.

The president would not really just stubbornly charge down this one path, would he...?

Watching the black-haired girl walk briskly ahead of him, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka could not help swallowing hard.