Welcome to the Student Council, Hasegawa

Although he felt his initial goal was set a bit too high, Toru Hasegawa was currently brimming with motivation.

"If there's anything you need help with, just let me know. I'll definitely do my absolute best to help you!"

He made the promise directly, thinking that perhaps a straightforward approach might work surprisingly well.

"Eh? Eh?!" No matter how dense Honami Ichinose was, she noticed that Toru Hasegawa's intentions were impure. "Could it be... are you trying to ask me out?"

"Ah? Was I being that obvious?" Toru Hasegawa scratched his head in embarrassment, yet he kept his gaze firmly fixed on her.

No, your intentions were completely obvious.

Watching from the side, Arisu Sakayanagi inwardly scoffed. It was cute how small he was, though!

She really didn't understand why boys cared about such things.

"A gentleman's word is his bond; I was serious just now."

Toru Hasegawa tried his best to make his gaze look sincere, but Honami Ichinose shook her head repeatedly and waved her hands as if she had been frightened.

"I, I can't."

He felt there was a different meaning hidden in those words, but Toru Hasegawa didn't have time to ponder it before the door to the Student Council office opened again.

"Next." Secretary Tachibana's voice was exactly the same as before.

"Sakayanagi, it's your turn." After casting a look at Arisu Sakayanagi that conveyed this message, Toru Hasegawa desperately wanted to know the reason he had been rejected.

Kohei Katsuragi just glanced at the two of them and walked away, which made Toru Hasegawa breathe a sigh of relief.

In an environment where only the two of them existed, perhaps Honami Ichinose would open up.

"Why?" Seeing Arisu Sakayanagi walk into the Student Council office just as he had hoped, Toru Hasegawa threw out a question that anyone would have.

He hadn't even started yet, so why was he rejected outright? He wasn't bad-looking, was he? If anything, he was above average.

"I, I'm not ready to be in a relationship yet, so I'm sorry."

Different from the previous reason, Honami Ichinose gave the standard rejection formula used when facing a confession.

But Toru Hasegawa felt this was merely an excuse. The real reason for her rejection came from her first sentence; that was Honami Ichinose's subconscious, true reaction.

I can't?

Why can't Honami Ichinose?

Toru Hasegawa wanted to investigate the reason, but he knew now was not the time.

They had only just met today; for Honami Ichinose to pour her heart out to him would be too much of a fantasy, so he smiled and said:

"It's fine, but remember what I said earlier. If there's anything you need help with, just let me know."

"Mm-hmm."

Honami Ichinose fled as if escaping.

"Sigh."

After Honami Ichinose left, Toru Hasegawa let out a long sigh.

The 90 favorability rating that had been there from the start remained unchanged, signifying that there had been zero progress.

Honami Ichinose, what exactly is she hiding?

"Hasegawa-kun, it's your turn. I'll be waiting for you outside."

After saying something intentionally misleading like that, Arisu Sakayanagi sat down by the door.

Toru Hasegawa walked into the Student Council office with a mix of emotions he couldn't quite name, and Secretary Tachibana closed the door behind him.

"Hasegawa, right? Tell me why you want to join the Student Council. What is your reason?"

President Horikita's sharp gaze pierced through his lenses and landed on Toru Hasegawa.

Toru Hasegawa leaned back; the seat still held the warmth left by the previous person, but he had no heart to feel it, turning instead to show a fearless smile.

He was going to go on the offensive here.

"I'd actually like to ask President Horikita, what exactly is your reason for rejecting Classmate Ichinose?"

"You..." Upon hearing this, Secretary Tachibana wanted to say something, but immediately shut her mouth.

"In your view, how is this school?" Seeing Toru Hasegawa's cocky attitude, President Horikita wasn't annoyed at all, but asked this instead, ignoring his question entirely.

"It's great. Tuition is fully covered, room and board are included, there are no other miscellaneous fees, and there's even pocket money issued by the school..." Toru Hasegawa crossed his legs on his own. "Or are you trying to talk to me about something deeper?"

"Let's hear it." President Horikita's outward demeanor remained unmoved, even though the other party's behavior was highly disrespectful to him.

"Let me think." Toru Hasegawa counted on his fingers. "The school uses some kind of criteria to divide classes, with Class A being the best and Class D the worst. The points issued each month are related to daily performance. I assume what follows will be unpleasant things like class competition... do you want me to continue?"

"President..." Secretary Tachibana looked on in disbelief.

Because even the previous Classmate Sakayanagi hadn't mentioned the first point, yet he had just rattled it off casually.

"But none of that matters. I just want to know why you rejected Classmate Ichinose."

Toru Hasegawa steered the conversation back to Honami Ichinose.

"Because until just a moment ago, I didn't want any first-year students to join the Student Council." Manabu Horikita said something that didn't quite fit his position as Student Council President.

"Oh? That's quite interesting." Toru Hasegawa showed a look of interest. "Did you change your mind after seeing me?"

"Because I judged that you aren't the type of person who is easily influenced." Manabu Horikita rested his hands against his chin.

"That's a rather interesting way to put it. What's the matter? It sounds like there's some kind of monster in the second-year group."

Toru Hasegawa's confidence stemmed from the fact that he could see the favorability rating above the other person's head.

His initial actions were indeed a bit impulsive, but after seeing that the favorability rating above the other person's head rose instead of falling, he had made up his mind.

And his reasoning just now was very simple: if there were a problem with the third-year students, they would have already graduated along with Manabu Horikita by the time that became an issue. While Manabu Horikita was still serving as Student Council President, there was absolutely no need for him to worry about new students being influenced.

Therefore, the problem could only lie with the second-year students.

"You're right." The favorability rating above Manabu Horikita's head rose once again. "Miyabi Nagumo, the Student Council Vice President, has already unified the entire second-year grade. To ensure the first-years could escape his influence, I chose to reject all new students from joining the Student Council."

"Isn't that like giving up eating just because you're afraid of choking?" Toru Hasegawa was a bit speechless.

Refusing just because there was a risk seemed a bit ridiculous.

Manabu Horikita shook his head: "You don't know what kind of person Nagumo really is. If you understood him, you would agree with my actions."

"You are underestimating this year's first-year students a bit too much." Toru Hasegawa sighed. "Although I don't know who this Miyabi Nagumo you speak of is, but..."

He paused here: "Please believe that first-year students are not as easily influenced by upperclassmen as you think."

"That is why you are a very suitable candidate." Manabu Horikita extended an olive branch to Toru Hasegawa. "Welcome to the Student Council, Hasegawa."