An Attempted Crime Is Still a Crime

1:00 PM, Student Council Room.

"Regarding the recent voyeurism incident in the changing room, let's hear your respective opinions." Manabu Horikita adjusted his glasses, soliciting the views of the Student Council members present.

It is worth noting that Ichinose was also in attendance this time. Although she would not officially join the Student Council until the next semester, since there was only one day left in the break and the incident involved her as well, Manabu Horikita had agreed to her presence.

"This behavior is truly egregious. Although it was stopped in time, I believe it would be best to have them expelled immediately," Treasurer Kiriyama offered his opinion.

"Since no major impact was caused, I think it would be better to handle it leniently. After all, if the matter blows up, it will affect the school's reputation," Vice President Nagumo said, considering the school's perspective.

"Sawahara, what do you think?" Manabu Horikita looked toward Sawahara.

"This incident has already gone beyond what the school rules can handle. Since their actions directly violated the law, I believe it should be handed over to the police immediately," Sawahara said without hesitation.

Hearing this, both Kiriyama and Nagumo looked at Sawahara.

Did the two of them not know that this was an illegal act that should be handed over to the police? Of course they knew, but they knew even better that the school would absolutely never allow such a thing to happen.

Just like how a typical school, after a bullying incident occurs, does not think about solving the problem or helping the victim first, but instead coerces the victims, forbidding them from making a scene.

The fact that students were engaging in voyeurism within the school was a massive blow to the school's image; the school would never allow this matter to be turned over to the police.

"It is clear that this incident was not an individual act, but a group effort. The school's intention is to punish only the ringleader—meaning only the mastermind will be expelled, while the accomplices will receive a warning."

Clearly, the school's intention was to downplay the big issues and ignore the small ones.

However, there remained one problem: the evidence was currently entirely in Sawahara's hands.

"But I don't think the female students in the school will support this punishment," Sawahara raised an objection. Even if they wanted to suppress the matter, the evidence was firmly in his grasp, and he had too many ways to publicize it, forcing the school to impose a heavier penalty.

"...Let's end the meeting here for now. Sawahara, stay behind."

After everyone else had left, the President looked at Sawahara and asked, "You knew they were going to do this from the very beginning, didn't you?"

Otherwise, it would be far too much of a coincidence—to have obtained the evidence at the perfect moment and caused such a significant impact.

"Yes. After they arrived at the pool, I more or less guessed their plan," Sawahara nodded. "And I had already warned them, but unfortunately..."

"Is that so?" The President was silent for a moment. "Tell me, what exactly do you want?"

It was obvious that the reason Sawahara was holding onto the evidence was that he intended to trade it for something from the school.

"I want the files of all the first-year students."

In the end, Sawahara did not get the files of every first-year student; if the school had handed over those files, it would have been no different from handing victory directly to Sawahara.

Settling for second best, Sawahara exchanged it for the entrance exam scores of all first-year students.

"What's the use of this kind of thing?" Ryuen looked at his own entrance exam scores—no subject over 40 points—and silently hid that sheet away.

"I'm looking for someone, a guy who might be troublesome. Help me look for any scores that seem strange," Sawahara assigned tasks to Ryuen and the others. There were 160 report cards in total; with four people looking, it would be much more efficient.

"I think this report card is quite strange. Every subject is 98 points," Ibuki picked up a report card and said.

"...That's my report card." Sawahara knew it was his the moment he glanced at it.

"How did you do it? Scoring 98 in every subject?" Ibuki looked at those flawless scores, feeling a bit envious.

"I just left one blank in every subject."

"..." Well said, don't say anything else.

"Sawahara-kun, take a look at this person's scores." Shiina frowned slightly and handed the sheet in her hand to Sawahara.

"50 points, 50 points... every subject is 50 points." Sawahara glanced at the name: Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. That guy from Class D, huh... These scores were indeed enough to make one feel it was strange.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka... could it be you?

This is bad. Upon receiving news from his tool that the women's changing room had been locked down, Ayanokoji had already realized the situation was wrong.

Have I already been discovered?

His original plan was to have someone swap the memory card after everyone had arrived at the pool. Now, it was clear that someone had already detected the plan of Ike and the others and had dealt with it directly.

In fact, he hadn't really participated in this incident; he was only responsible for inviting the girls, as requested by Ike and the others.

However, for someone already trapped in a desperate situation, no matter what they did, it wouldn't seem strange. Even if he hadn't participated, he could still be dragged into it.

"Sotomura-kun." Ayanokoji made a call to the fourth person hidden in this operation.

"Lord Ayanokoji!"

"Sotomura-kun and Ike-kun from Class 1-D turned themselves in voluntarily and exposed that the mastermind behind this voyeurism incident was Yamauchi-kun?"

At 4:00 PM, the President called Sawahara to tell him the latest status of the case.

This situation was very wrong. Sawahara frowned. Based on the past performance of these people from Class D, turning on each other was exactly what they would do. Was someone coaching them from behind the scenes? Moreover, the one identified as the mastermind was Yamauchi, a character who showed no special traits on the surface.

"How much credibility do you think their words have?" the President asked.

"I think Yamauchi-kun is likely innocent." A curve formed at the corner of Sawahara's mouth. Since you want to discard the most useless Yamauchi to settle this incident, then I naturally have to add some weight to it for you.

"Furthermore, I was at the scene at the time and didn't notice Sotomura-kun participating in this at all. It must be that Ike-kun, in order to protect himself and his friends, threatened Sotomura-kun, forcing him to join in identifying Yamauchi-kun as the mastermind."

"Looking at it this way, the mastermind behind this incident should be Sudo."

Since one student from Class D had to be expelled, it was only natural to have this student, who possessed such a massive advantage in sports, exit the stage.

"Does your conscience not ache when you say such things?" Manabu Horikita did not believe Sawahara's rhetoric at all. It wasn't as if he hadn't interacted with Sudo; during the last hearing, it was clear that while Sudo was impulsive and hot-tempered, he also had a sense of responsibility—the only thing he lacked was a brain.

"Of course it doesn't." Sawahara chuckled. "After all, they did what they did. Regardless of who gets expelled, it's only right and proper, isn't it?"

"..." This was the one point Manabu Horikita could not refute.

"I imagine some rumors regarding this incident will start circulating soon."

"The school will not allow this matter to blow up." Manabu Horikita warned with a stern tone. "Do not provoke the school's bottom line."

Though he called it a warning, it was more of an advisory.

"But besides the 'mastermind' who is being expelled, shouldn't the others also be punished?" Sawahara had given them a choice from the very beginning: abandon their original plan, or taste the bitter fruit.

How could he possibly let this matter end here?

"...This incident didn't actually cause any impact." After all, the camera hadn't captured anything before Sawahara confiscated it.

"An attempted offender is still an offender." Sawahara did not believe any of these people deserved pity.

"..." Manabu Horikita had nothing more to say. "Mind your limits."

September 1st, the first day of the new term. Sudo Ken of Class D was expelled, and simultaneously, rumors regarding a voyeurism incident appeared throughout the school. Yamauchi, Ike, and Sotomura of Class D were held in contempt by everyone.

And thus, the second semester for the first-year students officially began.