"Good evening, President. Have you been waiting long?"
After the study session ended, Sawahara went to the café they'd agreed on earlier. He hadn't been making excuses when he responded to Horikita Suzune; he really did have plans with someone, and that someone was the Student Council President.
"No, I just got here." Once Sawahara sat down, the president handed him the menu.
Sawahara glanced over it casually, not planning to waste much time.
"You didn't bring your little secretary today. I take it you want to talk about the president bullying his own little sister?" Sawahara got straight to the point.
"Tachibana isn't my secretary. She's the Student Council Secretary." Manabu Horikita first corrected Sawahara, then continued, "As for that photo, tell me your terms."
"One million points. How does that sound?" Sawahara named his price.
"Are you sure?" A trace of astonishment crossed Manabu's face. He hadn't expected Sawahara to make such a demand.
"Too much?" Sawahara furrowed his brow almost imperceptibly. By his estimate, that sum shouldn't have been much for Manabu.
"No. I just think the terms are too simple." Manabu had expected Sawahara to ask for something else.
"I don't intend to waste time on things that are impossible." Sawahara looked calmly at Manabu. That steady gaze sent a chill through him.
Sawahara's assessment of the Student Council President was that he was upright and responsible, seemingly cold and difficult to approach, but actually quite warmhearted... and probably a bit of a siscon?
When he used violence against his own sister, he'd already been prepared to take responsibility. If it helped her improve, or leave a school that was too difficult for her, then either outcome would be a good thing.
Unfortunately, Horikita Suzune was stubborn and showed no sign of improvement.
On the other hand, Manabu was willing to accept responsibility, but as the leader of Class A of the Third Year, he didn't want his actions to cause his class to lose Class Points. That was why he'd invited Sawahara out.
Even so...
"The president wouldn't use his position to do me a few 'small favors,' even if I still turned in that photo afterward." Sawahara stated the conclusion he'd reached. "Getting some points is already the best possible outcome."
"Phew. You've seen through me that thoroughly? Your powers of observation are frightening." Manabu let out a breath. Once again, he'd witnessed the younger student's terrifying perceptiveness. And since he himself was the one being observed, it was hard to stay calm.
"But 'some' points? I can't believe you'd say something like that."
Manabu didn't agree with how lightly Sawahara had spoken of the points. Even to him, that was already a considerable sum.
Sawahara merely chuckled without replying. He transferred the points by phone and deleted the photo. One million points was certainly no small amount. Even at the number of Class Points they'd started with, it would take a year to save up that much.
But compared to the goal he'd set for their class, it was insignificant.
"By the way, I ran into your little sister in the library today." Sitting across from another man felt a little awkward, so Sawahara casually found a topic to bring up.
"Is that so?" Manabu replied as if he didn't care in the slightest.
"Never mind. Let's order." Seeing how unconcerned the president looked, Sawahara was "considerate" enough not to pursue the topic.
"..." Manabu was silent for a moment, but finally spoke. "Did something happen to Suzune?"
Sawahara glanced at the president's tightly clenched fist. He figured Manabu had needed to work himself up to ask.
What a strange, conflicted mix of emotions. It was kind of interesting.
"She wanted to organize a study session, but it broke up soon after. She also had an argument with some of her classmates." Sawahara summed it up simply.
"Afterward, she tried to ask me out too. I'm guessing that was about what happened that night."
"Let's put an end to this here." Manabu spoke at once when he heard Sawahara.
This was a terrible situation. If he hadn't invited Sawahara out today, then...
"You don't want your brother getting into trouble, do you..."
Manabu's face darkened. He could already imagine how bad that situation would be.
"Telling me that won't do you much good," Sawahara said with a shake of his head. "I'm not interested in her."
After all, she had neither power nor money. What's more, before long, Class D would...
"But I don't think she'll give up easily."
Manabu said nothing. He knew his little sister's personality, of course. Persistence was probably one of her few good qualities.
"One million points. Don't make a move on her," Manabu said.
It wasn't that he thought Sawahara was a bad person... Well, all right, he did have some misgivings. More than anything, though, he thought Sawahara was too dangerous for his stubborn, headstrong little sister.
For just a possibility, he was willing to spend one million points outright. It was a great deal for Sawahara, since he'd get a million points without doing anything, but...
"Is that really a good idea? A senior interfering in a junior's class competition?"
Sawahara's words left Manabu silent.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." Realizing his mistake, Manabu apologized at once.
In truth, he'd always disapproved of interfering in other years' competition. That was part of the reason he didn't get along with the current Student Council Vice President. He'd only misspoken just now because he was too worried about his little sister.
"It's fine. I think you should make time to talk with her more often, though."
"I understand. Thank you."
"Starting today, our class will hold its study sessions together with Class B."
Before class the next morning, Sawahara announced to his classmates the proposal he'd made to Ichinose the day before.
For one thing, their class really did have too many students struggling academically. Relying on the few classmates with good grades to get them through this exam would be difficult, so working with Class B would be a good thing for them.
Besides, Kaneda and the others had been working far too hard lately. Giving them some relief would be a good thing, too.
"There must be more to it than that." After class, Ryuen sat down in front of Sawahara. He scoffed at Sawahara's nonsense about easing their workload.
"Ichinose Honami, the current leader of Class B, is a good person. Maybe a little too good." Sawahara offered another reason for his decision.
"I don't want her kindness to throw a wrench into our plans.
"So why not give her kindness a place where it can shine? Sounds good to me, doesn't it?"
Before you continue