The Student Council Speaks Out

"Yeah." Mori Nene pushed up her glasses, her voice soft yet carrying a barely perceptible sharpness, "I wish Yamauchi Haruki would drop out of school too. He's always so loud and annoying."

The two didn't try to lower their voices; like a pebble thrown into calm water, it instantly broke the tranquility of lunch break and attracted the attention of the surrounding students.

A few girls eating their lunchboxes in the back row couldn't help but chuckle, while a few slightly awkward coughs came from the boys' section.

Yamauchi Haruki, who was being called out, was dozing off at his desk when he heard this. He suddenly looked up and his face immediately darkened.

He was wearing a wrinkled shirt today, with the collar askew.

She clearly hadn't taken good care of herself.

He exuded an air of unkempt slovenliness.

"Hey, what do you mean?"

He slammed his hand on the table and stood up angrily to demand an explanation.

Hirata Yosuke was discussing class affairs with Kushida Kikyo when he heard the commotion and immediately looked up.

He was wearing a neat white shirt today, with the cuffs slightly rolled up, and his usually gentle expression showed a rare hint of seriousness.

"Everyone, calm down." He stood up, his voice steady yet carrying an undeniable authority. "Class harmony is very important; don't argue over trivial matters."

Shinohara Satsuki, having been approached by Hirata Yosuke, pursed her lips, intending to smooth things over.

However, Yamauchi Haruki seemed to have found a powerful backer, and his courage suddenly grew.

"Hmph, now you're scared?" He raised his chin defiantly. "Weren't you quite the talker just now?"

Shinohara Satsuki frowned, her eyes turning cold.

She turned to Hirata Yosuke, her tone firm.

"Hirata- kun, it's not that I'm disrespecting you, it's just that he insisted on picking a fight."

"You can see how outrageous some of the boys in the class have been."

"Now that he's come forward on his own, I'll have a good talk with him."

Her voice was clear and powerful, instantly attracting the attention of the entire class.

Then, without any mercy, she began to accuse him.

"Kanji Ike, Ken Sudō, and Yamauchi Haruki —these three are the most troublesome, the most annoying, and the most tiresome boys in Class D!"

"Creating a ranking of women, discussing their looks, figures..."

At this point, she frowned in disgust.

"During swimming class, the way Kanji Ike and Yamauchi Haruki stared at the girls was like they were perverts! Kanji Ike even knelt down on the ground and said his youth was over because he couldn't see Hasebe getting into the water. How disgusting!"

"Yamauchi Haruki is even worse. He spreads rumors everywhere that a girl in his class confessed to him and was rejected. I really don't know where he gets his confidence!"

"Ken Sudō is relatively better in this aspect, but he's a bit of a slacker; who can stand his explosive temper? He gets angry at the drop of a hat, isn't this suspension from school proof of that?"

"Because of them, Hasebe refused swimming class, Sakura was so frightened that she had to seek Tanaka-kun's protection, and the Class Points were deducted by 30."

"This is just the tip of the iceberg; I can't be bothered to go into the even more outrageous things!"

Every word she spoke was like a sharp knife, piercing straight to Yamauchi Haruki's sore spot.

This also made some of the other boys in the classroom feel uncomfortable, so they lowered their heads or looked away.

A commotion spread through the classroom.

Some boys exchanged glances, pretending to be focused on their books, while others wore amused smiles, as if watching a spectacle.

From the girls' section, a chorus of low murmurs of agreement rose and fell.

"That's right!"

"Absolutely right!"

Yamauchi Haruki's face flushed red, but relying on Hirata Yosuke's intervention, he forced a rebuttal.

Yes, we boys sometimes do wrong, but does that mean you girls are all so noble?

"A leaderboard? Don't you girls make leaderboards too?"

"We're all in the same boat."

This "counterattack," which bordered on thuggishness, made some boys stand up straight.

Ijuin Wataru, who was close friends Yamauchi Harusaki, muttered under his breath, "Yeah, the girls aren't much better."

But she was immediately glared at by the girl sitting next to her.

Just then, Karuizawa Kei had been quietly and affectionately interacting with Tanaka Yukishin, slowly raised her head.

Her gaze swept across the crowd and landed precisely on Yamauchi Haruki.

The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, but with a hint of danger in them.

"Yamauchi."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it silenced the entire classroom for a moment. "Do you think nobody can control you?"

Karuizawa Kei stood up, a gesture that clearly demonstrated her support for Shinohara Satsuki.

Yamauchi Haruki's expression stiffened; he clearly hadn't expected Karuizawa Kei to intervene so directly.

He opened his mouth, as if he wanted to refute.

But under Karuizawa Kei's cold, extremely oppressive gaze...

In the end, he only swallowed his words, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, and his momentum visibly weakened.

With the support of her older sister, Shinohara Satsuki's spirits soared even higher.

"Alright, since you brought up the rankings, I'll continue to explain."

"That's right, girls are also secretly creating rankings of boys, such as handsome boys, gloomy boys, annoying boys... there are many categories."

At this point, she abruptly changed the subject, her tone becoming sarcastic.

"But at least we know one thing—we considered the feelings of other students and didn't publicize it in public."

"And what about you? You're talking loudly in the classroom, showing absolutely no respect for the girls' feelings."

"Also, you spread rumors that a girl confessed her feelings to you."

"It's perfectly normal for high school students to like the opposite sex, but if you like someone, you should pursue them openly and honestly! Instead, you're a coward like you who only dares to make up stories behind their backs to glorify yourself, completely disregarding the girl's innocence and reputation! Your behavior is even more disgusting than those who openly stare at girls!"

Her accusations escalated relentlessly, becoming unstoppable.

Yamauchi Haruki was thoroughly branded with shame.

His face was ashen, his lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Hirata Yosuke sighed and rubbed his temples in exasperation.

Kushida Kikyo stood to the side, her face still bearing a sweet smile, but her eyes flickered slightly, as if she were thinking about something.

Sitting a little further away, Wang Meiyu listened to Shinohara Satsuki's resounding words, and her gaze toward Hirata Yosuke seemed to become even more complex and determined.

The atmosphere in the classroom froze for a moment until the bell rang, and everyone returned to their seats.

However, this brief conflict, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, stirred up ripples.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka sat in the corner, silently observing everything.

"It seems that Sudo's absence has actually brought some underlying conflicts to the surface..."

Chapter 109 108 Student Council's Statement

Time slips quietly across the calendar, from the rainy season of June into the sweltering summer of July.

The campus of Advanced Nurturing High School was filled with the incessant chirping of cicadas and the sweltering heat of summer.

But even more scorching than the weather is the anticipation and planning in the hearts of some students.

After school in the afternoon, applicants from the four classes A, B, C, and D of the first year of high school arrived one after another at the Student Council Office located on the top floor of the administration building, following the Student Council's notification.

The attendees from Class A were the key figures Ichinose Honami, the calm and reliable Kanzaki Ryuji, and the action-oriented Shibata Hayate.

Class B consists of Sakayanagi Arisu, who is sitting in a wheelchair and looks quite composed, and Katsuragi Kohei, another faction leader in her class.

Ryuen Kakeru was the only student in Class C. He stood with his hands in his pockets, leaning against the door frame, a cold smile on his face.

In Class D was Horikita Suzune, who stood up straight with her expression as serious and focused as ever.

The Student Council Office is spacious and dignified, with dark wood furniture surrounding it, exuding a calm and composed atmosphere.

The current Student Council, Horikita Manabu from Class A, sat alone in the main seat. He was tall and straight, with sharp eyes like a hawk, exuding an aura of authority without anger.

The seat of Vice President Miyabi Nagumo was empty, and this subtle absence itself was like a silent declaration, hinting at the disharmonious atmosphere among the higher-ups.

Horikita Manabu didn't exchange any unnecessary pleasantries. After everyone had taken their seats or settled down, he waited for them to stand still.

He got straight to the point, his voice clear and calm.

"After three months of observation and evaluation of everyone's performance in class affairs, personal abilities, and problem-solving methods,"

His gaze slowly swept over each young face. "Finally, it has been decided that Ichinose Honami from Class A is qualified to join the Student Council. The rest of you do not currently meet the requirements."

After he finished speaking, the room fell into a brief silence.

Kanzaki Ryuji and Shibata Hayate exchanged a glance. Although they were slightly disappointed, they were not too surprised. Instead, they gave Ichinose a congratulatory look.

Katsuragi Kohei's expression remained unchanged, only his hands on his lap tightened slightly.

Ryuen Kakeru's cold smile deepened, and he let out a barely audible snort from his nose.

Horikita Suzune's pupils contracted sharply, and her fists clenched quietly at her sides.

She had thought her brother would at least give her a chance.

But the most noteworthy reaction was from Sakayanagi Arisu.

The perfect, doll-like smile on her face froze for a fraction of a second.

It quickly recovered, but the light flashing in its purple pupils sharpened.

"Chairman Horikita"

Sakayanagi Arisu's voice remained sweet, yet carried a subtle, almost imperceptible sharpness.

"Ichinose's excellence is beyond doubt, but I believe I am also quite good. Could you please explain why I was not selected? I think this is not only my personal question, but also the sentiment of other students who were not selected."

She gently stroked the armrest of the wheelchair, her gaze fixed on Horikita Manabu.

Horikita Manabu's gaze met hers, and the air seemed to freeze for a moment.

He glanced around, his gaze finally settling on Sakayanagi Arisu. His tone remained steady, yet carried an undeniable weight.

"There are reasons, of course."

"But before I explain, I need you to understand the current Student Council, or rather, the competitive landscape at the higher levels of this school."

Miyabi Nagumo's recent actions have displeased him somewhat.

This violated their unspoken agreement.

Therefore, he decided to let Miyabi Nagumo know one thing: open strategies will always prevail over underhanded ones.

He paused briefly, seemingly to organize his thoughts, or perhaps to give everyone time to process the information.

"As you know, I am the current Student Council, from Class A. Vice President Nagumo is from Class A. We have fundamental differences in our governance philosophies."

Horikita Manabu spoke calmly when mentioning Miyabi Nagumo's name.

"I tend to favor the conservative and lenient approach. The core principle is to select students based on merit, while protecting students who lack or are not sufficiently competitive and maintaining overall order and stability. The aim is to reduce the negative externalities of cutthroat competition—such as unnecessary dropouts, excessive psychological pressure, and even bullying. Competition should be orderly and controllable."

"As for Vice President Nagumo, he adheres to the radical and strict doctrines, believing in the supremacy of individual ability. He advocates for the rapid selection of elites through a rigorous competitive environment, and his style of action is more decisive, even... reckless. His past leadership of a large-scale expulsion incident is a manifestation of his ideology."

This straightforward analysis elicited varying expressions from the first-year high school students present.

Kanzaki Ryuji, Shibata Hayate, Katsuragi Kohei wore solemn expressions, clearly processing the harsh reality of this high-level power struggle.

A glint of excitement flashed in Ryuen Kakeru's eyes, like a shark that had caught the scent of blood.

Horikita Suzune understood the complexity and trouble her brother was in.

"Currently, I am the Student Council," Horikita Manabu's voice carried a confident air of control. "Therefore, the school's competitive order, at least at the Student Council level, will operate according to my principles."

"One important principle is that competition should be limited to the same grade level. Vice President Nagumo cannot, and should not, directly interfere with competition in other grades."

"And that's why I refused to let some juniors who lacked the ability or attitude join. Because Miyabi Nagumo will inevitably come into contact with you, and through you, she will indirectly intervene in or even directly dominate the competition among the first-year students."