Chapter 15

Ichinose, Yuan Yuyuan had no choice but to spell it out. "I mean, have there been any weird rumors about Honami and me?" Kanzaki finally understood. "Oh, yeah. The students are saying you were acting lovey-dovey when you and Ichinose ran for class representative. There's even a whole story going around that you knew each other before coming to this school and decided to keep your relationship a secret. It's so detailed, people are taking it as fact. Tell me, is there actually something going on between you two?" "Since when did you get so fired up, Mr. Stone Face? You know there's nothing between us. Even if I wanted there to be, she wouldn't. Has Honami said anything?" "She did. Ichinose said you were good friends, but everyone just thinks she's shy. No one really believes her." Yuan Yuyuan fell silent in thought. His original plan had been to let people know he was close to Ichinose. Since he'd also seen through the school's trap on the first day, his influence in the class would be second only to hers. There had been a minor hiccup along the way, but the outcome seemed even better. Ichinose's personality meant she wouldn't seriously correct the others, and if he played along too, then even if they took Ichinose's side, they wouldn't care much about which of the "lovebirds" called the shots. It might not be great for Ichinose, but that was fine! He just had to make sure she never found out he'd done it on purpose. After figuring out what was going on, Yuan Yuyuan warned Kanzaki not to say anything more about it. After all, plenty of people had heard Yuan Yuyuan and Kanzaki talking on the first day. In a way, Kanzaki's remarks also reflected Yuan Yuyuan's attitude, and it wouldn't be good if things backfired and the rumor reached Ichinose. Just then, Ichinose said something to Chihiro Shiranami, and the two returned to the classroom as if nothing had happened—if you ignored the furious look Shiranami shot Yuan Yuyuan. Yuan Yuyuan didn't care in the slightest what this lesbian thought of him. Shiranami had no intention of confronting him in front of everyone, either, and the afternoon classes ended uneventfully. After school, Yuan Yuyuan received a message from Manabu Horikita. It contained just one sentence.

[Bring Ichinose to the Student Council so she can meet her colleagues.]

"Honami, President Horikita wants us to go to the Student Council." Since school had just let out, Ichinose was still waiting for her two slowpoke followers. Yuan Yuyuan was grateful that the brother-obsessed student council president had sent the message at just the right time.

"Okay. Chihiro-chan, Asako-chan, you two can head back first. Yuan and I have to go to the Student Council. Sorry about that." Ichinose told her two dear friends, and the two of them left the classroom under Chihiro Shiranami and Asako Amikura's suspicious gazes.

"So Honami and Yuan really are dating, huh? They even joined the Student Council together. They're practically the perfect married couple! Oh, this is just too adorable!" Amikura was still shipping them, completely oblivious to the fire in Shiranami's eyes.

"Honami and him are not like that! They're just friends."

"Why are you so worked up, Chihiro? I'm just saying it in passing. Once everyone gets used to the idea, they'll surely make it official. And aren't you happy for Honami, having such a wonderful boyfriend? Unless..." The more Amikura thought about it, the stranger Shiranami's reaction seemed. She was taking this a little too far. "Chihiro, are you trying to steal Honami's man?!"

"How could that possibly be true? I just think he's not right for Honami. They wouldn't be happy together!"

"Is that so? I think Yuan seems great! He's capable and mature, unlike the other boys who make a fuss over everything. And most importantly, he's handsome! He's nothing like the terrible person you make him out to be." Shiranami said nothing more. She knew Amikura had a point, but she didn't want anyone taking her Ichinose away from her.

Yuan Yuyuan naturally had no idea that he already had shippers. At that moment, he was on his way to the Student Council meeting room with Ichinose. This time he didn't fool around. He knocked and waited for Manabu Horikita to answer before entering.

The meeting room contained only a large U-shaped table and a water dispenser, just as you'd expect from Manabu Horikita. Horikita sat at the head of the table, sorting through paperwork, while Akane Tachibana stood beside him, helping out.

Yuan Yuyuan looked to the other side. The two students seated there must have been Kiriyama and Nagumo, whom Manabu Horikita had mentioned. The one glaring at him indignantly was most likely Kiriyama. Was he upset that Yuan Yuyuan had taken the vice president position? He really hadn't changed at all. The other student, a yellow-haired second-year, was staring at Ichinose, paying Yuan Yuyuan no attention whatsoever.

Seeing that Nagumo seemed interested in Ichinose, Yuan Yuyuan rested a hand lightly on her shoulder.

"Honami, you're quite the charmer. You've even got our upperclassman completely smitten."

Ichinose was used to receiving looks like that, but after Yuan Yuyuan pointed it out—and after hearing about how Nagumo threw his weight around among the second-years and his womanizing ways—she couldn't help but tuck herself behind Yuan Yuyuan.

Nagumo had already sentenced Yuan Yuyuan, the person who'd embarrassed him in front of a female underclassman, to death in his mind. On the surface, though, he acted as if he hadn't picked up on Yuan Yuyuan's insinuation.

"Haha, President Horikita really has found himself an interesting underclassman."

But Yuan Yuyuan merely led Ichinose to a seat beside Manabu Horikita, making no attempt to engage with him. Nagumo's mouth twitched. He clearly hadn't expected anyone to ignore him.

Manabu Horikita had noticed too, but he didn't care. If even Yuan Yuyuan started acting according to Nagumo's wishes, then the reputation of Horikita having no judgment would never go away.

"Now that everyone's here, let me introduce you."

"This is Yuan Yuyuan from Class 1-B. After he saw through the school's test on the first day, I invited him to serve as student council vice president. This is Ichinose Honami, also from Class 1-B. She'll serve as secretary, and Tachibana will help her get familiar with the Student Council's duties for now."

It was already common knowledge that Manabu Horikita had given the vice president position to a first-year. But aside from Akane Tachibana, nobody knew why. What surprised Kiriyama and Nagumo even more was that Manabu Horikita would go so far out of his way for someone he cared about, appointing Ichinose secretary despite her looking like nothing more than a pretty face.

Manabu Horikita ignored Kiriyama and Nagumo's astonished looks and introduced the two of them to Yuan Yuyuan and Ichinose.

"This is Miyabi Nagumo from Class 2-A, the Student Council vice president. And this is Ikuto Kiriyama from Class 2-B, currently serving as treasurer."

Yuan Yuyuan nodded to the two across from him, and Nagumo returned the greeting with a smile. Kiriyama merely snorted and turned away, but nobody paid him any attention.

Manabu Horikita had mainly brought them to the Student Council so Yuan Yuyuan could meet his future opponents and get a better sense of them. That didn't just mean Nagumo; Kiriyama might also have a grudge over being demoted, and as it turned out, he did.

But Manabu Horikita suddenly realized he couldn't just let them leave like that. So he made a token effort to ask Nagumo and Kiriyama if they'd run into any trouble with their work, then reminded Yuan Yuyuan and Ichinose to take their Student Council duties seriously.

Afterward, Manabu Horikita took the opportunity to adjust his glasses and give Yuan Yuyuan a meaningful look, then sent them on their way.

"Congratulations, underclassman. Becoming vice president as soon as you enrolled—now that's something you don't hear about every day." Once they'd left the meeting room, Nagumo took the initiative to praise Yuan Yuyuan. Seeing Kiriyama's expression grow darker beside him only made Nagumo's smile brighter.

Yuan Yuyuan...