Chapter Twenty-One: I Hope I'm Wrong, Senpai

"Please continue to take care of me. If there's nothing else, I'll be going." Suzuki Toru gave them a slight nod.

"Don't you think it's rude to abandon a girl and run off without a word, Suzuki?" Sakayanagi Arisu smiled faintly, her eyes full of teasing.

"No," Suzuki Toru replied.

"How rude to girls. I thought Masumi was lying when she told me you'd say something like that." Sakayanagi Arisu sighed in disappointment.

Suzuki Toru turned to look at Kamuro Masumi. The latter folded her arms and stubbornly looked away.

That reaction left no doubt: she'd told Sakayanagi Arisu about his request from back then.

What exactly had Sakayanagi Arisu found out about you that made you reveal something like that?

However, Sakayanagi Arisu promptly changed the subject, asking with a beaming smile, "By the way, what do you think of Katsuragi?"

From the class's perspective, Katsuragi Kohei was capable and decent. Otherwise, people wouldn't have gathered around him right at the start of the school year.

Of the two factions that had emerged so far, Katsuragi Kohei had formed his through his usual conduct, even if he might not have initially intended to lead the entire class.

But now, he had no choice but to consider the question of leadership.

That part was simple. If Sakayanagi Arisu had shown what she could do from the start, Katsuragi Kohei probably wouldn't have had any desire to compete for leadership.

But Sakayanagi Arisu had insisted on making a show of herself a week later, which meant she'd done it deliberately.

By now, Katsuragi Kohei had probably sensed something was off and was deeply puzzled by Sakayanagi Arisu.

As for why Sakayanagi Arisu had done this, Suzuki Toru couldn't say. She didn't seem like someone who cared much about the class. Perhaps it had something to do with her personally.

If it was personal, it could only be because her interests were different.

Considering what Sakayanagi Arisu had done back then, along with how much attention she'd paid to him, could it be that she was just bored?

"Katsuragi is bright and has a good memory. He studies well and treats people well. He's calm and cautious, has his own opinions, and is kind to his classmates. Whenever there's a conflict, he's the first to step in and stop it. I can't see any flaws."

He wasn't just making things up. That was the conclusion Suzuki Toru had reached after quietly observing things for several days.

With no class representatives or natural leaders, Katsuragi Kohei often stepped forward of his own accord. Whether classmates were arguing or someone needed help with a problem, he was always there. All in all, he was someone they could trust.

If Sakayanagi Arisu hadn't interfered, Katsuragi Kohei would almost certainly have become Class A's leader.

"That's quite an impressive assessment. Though I don't entirely agree with you." Sakayanagi Arisu pondered for a moment. "He's outstanding, but he's not suited to surviving at this school. If no one does anything, he'll lead Class A to lose."

"So that's why you stepped up?" Suzuki Toru asked.

"There are many things I'm not good at, such as athletics. I can't possibly outperform anyone in that regard. So I need support from others before I can accomplish more."

Sakayanagi Arisu didn't seem the least bit self-conscious about her physical condition. It should be fine to take her cane away.

"If that's the case, I hope you'll move faster."

"Hehe, is that because you don't want to see infighting in the class?"

"No. I mean that if you don't hurry up, I'm going to step in."

As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere grew heavy and quiet. Everyone reacted differently.

Kito Hayato's expression barely changed. Kamuro Masumi looked as if she were thinking, "What the hell are you talking about at a time like this?" Hashimoto Masayoshi glanced at Sakayanagi Arisu, whose face still held a faint smile.

"Hehe, I suppose it's a shame I never got to see you get serious, Suzuki." Sakayanagi Arisu sounded genuinely regretful, but her eyes shone with a dangerous light, as if she'd decided to make a point of challenging him from now on.

"Want to play a game?" Suzuki Toru asked out of the blue.

"Go on," Sakayanagi Arisu said seriously.

"As students in Class A, we'll soon be surrounded and crushed by the other three classes. One slipup, and our class will fall to the bottom." Suzuki Toru paused. "Only the best leader can prevent that from happening. I don't think you're up to it."

"Hehe, it seems someone's looking down on me. I can't take that as a joke, you know?" Sakayanagi Arisu's smile grew more and more dangerous.

"Suzuki, do you have more faith in Katsuragi?" Hashimoto Masayoshi interjected.

"I agree with Classmate Sakayanagi." Suzuki Toru shook his head.

Kamuro Masumi seemed to realize something and couldn't help asking, "You're not talking about yourself, are you?"

Given what he'd just said, Kamuro Masumi found the thought downright astonishing.

Having two leaders in Class A was already serious enough. Were they about to get a third?

"Before the end of our first year, I'll take control of the entire class and put Class A at the top." Suzuki Toru ignored Kamuro Masumi, stating it like a conclusion. "Until then, Classmate Sakayanagi, you can try to stop me. You'd better hurry, or I'll be very disappointed in you."

As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere suddenly froze.

Once again, Suzuki Toru's words took everyone by surprise.

Under his gaze, Sakayanagi Arisu fell silent for a moment. Then the corners of her mouth slowly lifted, and she let out a strange laugh, as though she'd broken. Her whole body trembled uncontrollably, and her eyes sparkled.

"Hehehehe... I knew I was right about you... This is wonderful... I haven't felt this way in so long. I've never been this... excited..."

Kamuro Masumi stared in disbelief. "You actually broke Sakayanagi just like that?"

No. Rather than putting it that way, he preferred to call it hitting the right nerve—he'd struck exactly what Sakayanagi Arisu was sensitive about.

"Hehe, what if I can stop you?" Sakayanagi Arisu quickly returned to normal, though a smile still lingered on her face.

"If you can do it, I'll be your dog. I'll call you Master every day." Suzuki Toru said it without the slightest shame. "If you can't, you'll wear cat ears and a maid outfit, call me Master every day, and do whatever I say."

Well, no matter who won, he'd get to fulfill one of his wishes.

In a sense, Suzuki Toru couldn't lose either way.

"Gross." Kamuro Masumi was the first to react. "So you're a lolicon?"

Even Hashimoto Masayoshi wore a strange expression. It was the first time he'd heard such a blatantly shameless request.

Sakayanagi Arisu, though, smiled faintly. "That's fine. You're a boy going through puberty, Suzuki, so I understand your naughty thoughts about girls. But only if you win."

At that moment, the girl bravely met Suzuki Toru's gaze without fear.

"Hehe, I accept your invitation. Do your best from now on—and don't disappoint me."

She put a little extra emphasis on the end of her sentence. It seemed she held a grudge.

At that moment, Sakayanagi Arisu didn't think she could lose at all. She regarded it as nothing more than an entertaining game.

Chapter Twenty-One: I Hope I'm Wrong, Senpai

Horikita Manabu, the current Student Council President of Class 3-A, studied the new student before him.

The other boy had the handsome looks of a celebrity, with black hair and eyes that shone with clarity. His body had begun to fill out, and there was little sign of awkwardness or immaturity. He might even surpass Miyabi Nagumo.

That was what Horikita Manabu thought, but he could tell that the two had very different auras. Miyabi Nagumo gave off a carefree, self-indulgent impression, and his usual behavior was that of a playboy.

This new student, on the other hand, made Horikita Manabu feel as if he were facing an endless sea. His first impression was that he couldn't see what the newcomer was thinking.

Since the start of the school year, this was the second new student to knock on the Student Council's door—and he was from Class A, no less.

Even so, Horikita Manabu's expression remained unchanged.

Beside him, Tachibana Akane, the Student Council secretary, was also quietly studying Suzuki Toru.

Tachibana Akane had been there the last time Horikita Manabu rejected Ichinose Honami. She'd watched Ichinose Honami go from confident to nervous, then disappointed and dejected.

This new student from Class A would probably end up with the same expression.

"Suzuki Toru of Class 1-A, why have you applied to join the Student Council?"

With the same opening, Tachibana Akane shifted her gaze away from Horikita Manabu and back to Suzuki Toru. Next would probably be a self-introduction or something along those lines.

Tachibana Akane found it rather dull.

"I'll support you. After you retire, I'll help you deal with Nagumo. We could also make a deal."

"Cough, cough—"

As soon as he finished speaking, Suzuki Toru saw Tachibana Akane suddenly break into a fit of coughing, as if she'd choked.

Strange. Had she been drinking something?

"Tachibana, what's wrong?" Horikita Manabu asked.

"It's nothing, I'm completely fine! I just sneezed!" Tachibana Akane hurriedly covered up her lapse. She could hardly believe what she'd just heard.

Horikita Manabu looked away from her and calmly fixed his gaze on Suzuki Toru.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said. I saw information about you and Nagumo on the school forum. Nagumo seems eager to challenge you, but you've never responded. Some people are even looking forward to seeing the two of you face off."

"He's my Vice President, and he's also my junior. What makes you think we're enemies?"

"Because you rejected Ichinose."

Horikita Manabu fell silent. Tachibana Akane, however, spoke up. "You merely rejected a new student. She didn't meet the Student Council's requirements, so of course she couldn't join."

"What are the Student Council's requirements?" Suzuki Toru looked at the girl with her hair tied in a bun. "Is it because she isn't from Class A?"

"I'm sorry, first-year, but whether someone meets the requirements is for President Horikita and the rest of us to judge. It's not up to you." Tachibana Akane's tone was stiff.

"So what are the Student Council's requirements? Do you refuse to accept students who aren't from Class A?" Suzuki Toru didn't let her sidetrack him.

Tachibana Akane was getting irritated. What was with this first-year kid?

Coming in with that kind of attitude was infuriating!

"Tachibana, let me talk to him." Horikita Manabu stopped Tachibana Akane. "The Student Council doesn't select members based on their class. It depends solely on the student's own ability. Ichinose was an excellent student, which is why I rejected her."

Faced with such a contradictory statement, Suzuki Toru asked bluntly, "Do you think she's unsuited to surviving at this school?"

Ichinose Honami was very capable. At a normal high school, she might well have naturally become Student Council President.

Unfortunately, she was now at Advanced Nurturing High School.

Ichinose Honami's personality made her somewhat unsuited to this school. After all, competition itself was a cruel and heartless thing.

"She isn't suited to it yet." Horikita Manabu tacitly accepted Suzuki Toru's point. "Given some time, I believe she'll grow."

"What if you still haven't found a suitable candidate by then?" Suzuki Toru asked.