Secretary? Secretary!

Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!

I just don't know if the Club President will fall for this...

The playful smile on Tanaka Yukishin slowly faded, replaced by a pure, scrutinizing calm.

His gilded eyes were as deep as a pool, as if they could see through all the considerations behind Horikita Suzune's words.

Time seemed to freeze for a few seconds.

He was indeed waiting for an invitation from the Student Council.

In his view, given his abilities and "value," the Student Council didn't have him was itself a loss of credibility.

He had planned to wait for the other party to extend an olive branch, but instead, it was Horikita Suzune came to him.

A classmate who wasn't a core member of the Student Council?

"Oh..."

Tanaka Yukishin suddenly chuckled softly, breaking the silence.

The soft chuckle had an ambiguous meaning, making Horikita Suzune's heart leap into her throat.

"I see."

He spoke slowly, his gaze returning to Horikita Suzune's face.

His gaze was so sharp it seemed to see right through her, revealing her hidden desire to use the opportunity to enter the Student Council and get closer to her brother.

"The conditions you proposed," Tanaka Yukishin's lips curled into a half-smile, "Are rather interesting. This ghost secretary does sound like he'd be a relief."

Horikita Suzune's heart skipped a beat.

"Alright," Tanaka Yukishin casually, as if deciding on a trivial matter, "I agree. Nominal secretary, deal."

Karuizawa Kei immediately beamed and hugged Tanaka's arm tightly again.

Sakura Airi lowered her head, her fingers twisting the pages of the book tightly, her feelings a complex mix.

Matsushita Chiaki wore an expression of "I knew it," silently applauding Horikita in his heart.

She learned something and later persuaded the Club President to do the same.

But she's already lost her way; she doesn't have the title of "ghost secretary" or the promise of exemption from future class activities to persuade him.

Horikita Suzune's tense body instantly relaxed, and a huge, dizzying feeling mixed with disbelief and success washed over her.

She suppressed her excitement and simply nodded slightly.

"... Okay. The Student Council will inform you of the follow-up matters."

After she finished speaking, she turned and quickly left the classroom. Her back was still straight, but her steps seemed much lighter than when she came.

The bright afternoon sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating Tanaka Yukishin's playful smile and Horikita Suzune's disappearing figure outside the door.

Class D returned to its usual quiet, but something had quietly changed.

The deep-sea behemoth was finally gently pulled by an unexpected "fishing line".

Chapter 112 111 Secretary? Secretary!

"Hmph, what's with all the seriousness? So you're just putting Xuexin's name on the document?"

Karuizawa Kei hugged Tanaka Yukishin's arm tightly again, her tone carrying a hint of disdain, but mostly reassurance.

Sakura Airi quietly raised her head, looking in the direction Horikita Suzune had left, and then secretly glanced at Tanaka Yukishin, her fingers unconsciously stroking the edge of the book.

The Student Council secretary... that sounds impressive.

Horikita- kun... did he really convince Tanaka-kun?

She felt a mixture of pride for Tanaka Yukishin and a bittersweet feeling.

"Interesting."

Matsushita Chiaki finally zipped up his backpack slowly, his eyes behind his glasses gleaming with shrewdness.

"Horikita played his trick of getting something for nothing brilliantly. He used a title that had no real power to achieve temporary peace and quiet."

She chuckled softly, her words carrying a hidden meaning, "I just wonder how long this 'tiger-skin flag' can stand?"

Tanaka Yukishin seemed oblivious to the whispers around her, her gaze fixed on the doorway where Horikita Suzune had disappeared, the playful smile on her lips deepening.

He certainly understood Horikita Suzune's plan.

For him, being a nominal Student Council secretary cost him nothing.

But for Class D, especially for Horikita Suzune who entered the school to find her older brother, it meant something completely different.

In the shadows at the corner of the corridor, Horikita Suzune leaned against the cold wall, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.

My heart was still beating strongly in my chest, proclaiming the "victory" of the brief exchange just now.

But she knew very well that this was just the beginning.

Successfully getting Tanaka Yukishin to agree to the title of "Student Council Secretary" does not necessarily mean that he will contribute to Class D' s promotion.

That man was like a giant beast lurking in the deep sea, with no interest in worldly shackles like power and responsibility, only wanting to maintain his lazy and carefree "hermit" state.

However, Horikita Suzune's gaze became sharp and calm in the relatively bright light of the corridor.

She never expected to achieve success overnight.

All she wanted was the deterrent and buffer provided by the "tiger skin" itself!

Using the tiger's skin as a deterrent—that's her core strategy right now.

In this school, the four classes compete with each other, cooperating while also being wary of one another.

The flow of information, especially accurate information about the movements of key figures, is often delayed and rife with misjudgments.

The news that Tanaka Yukishin officially took office as the Student Council secretary was a major smokescreen she dropped!

In other classes, especially the ever-ambitious Ryuen Kakeru Class C and the unfathomable Sakayanagi Arisu Class B.

Until they fully understand what this "secretary" really means, this "tiger skin" woven by the authority of the Student Council is enough to give Class D a seemingly powerful protective layer.

They need time to observe, to test, and to verify.

Tanaka Yukishin truly become deeply involved in Student Council affairs, and use this as an opportunity to begin consolidating the strength of Class D?

Or is he just using the title to continue being his "deep-sea monster"?

The buffer period created by this information gap is the precious time that Horikita Suzune has gained!

During this period of time.

The probability of targeted strikes against the weak points of Class D, such as the expulsion of Kanji Ike and the suspension of school due to a violent incident by Ken Sudō, will be greatly reduced.

Even if Ryuen Kakeru is crazy, he still has to consider the chain reaction that might be triggered by rashly attacking a class "with a core member of the Student Council in charge".

Sakayanagi Arisu will be more cautious in her calculations.

She was given two, three, and even more opportunities to try and persuade Tanaka Yukishin!

Furthermore, one can take advantage of legitimate opportunities to connect with one's brother, such as Student Council work handover, to continue learning from him.

Within Class D, Hirata Yosuke and others can also use this to stabilize morale and unite their forces.

Tanaka Yukishin's reputation itself is a "stimulant," even if he himself does nothing.

Horikita Suzune straightened her body, leaving the support of the wall.

The corridor was well-lit, illuminating her cool yet resolute face.

Is this a case of a fox borrowing the tiger's power?

She silently repeated the slightly derogatory term in her mind, but a slight smile appeared on her lips.

Yes, that's her strategy.

By leveraging the intimidation wielded by Tanaka Yukishin, they could gain space and time for themselves and Class D to grow and expand.

In this meritocratic school, utilizing every available resource, even if it's just bluffing, is a necessary means to climb the ladder!

Time passed, and darkness fell.

As dusk settled, the rich aroma of curry wafted from the kitchen.

Wearing a dark blue apron, Tanaka Yukishin slowly stirred the pot with a wooden spoon, as carrots and potatoes bubbled in the amber broth.

"I'm back--"

Karuizawa Kei rushed into the kitchen like a gust of wind, not even having time to properly take off her shoes, and eagerly wrapped her arms around his waist from behind.

She rubbed her face against his back like a spoiled kitten. "It smells so good! Did you secretly put apples in again today? I can smell the sweetness."

"You have a really good nose." He turned his head and saw a flower petal stuck to the tip of her hair. "You went to see the flowers again?"

"I didn't go there on purpose!" She tiptoed, trying to sneak a taste of the curry in the pot, but the steam burned her, making her stick out her tongue. She quickly fanned herself with her hand. "The wind blew the petals onto my hair, I didn't deliberately stand under the tree waiting for them to fall."

The voice grew softer and softer until it became a cute muttering.

Under the warm light, her slightly flushed cheeks made her look exceptionally beautiful.

Tanaka Yukishin couldn't resist reaching out and ruffling her hair, causing her to squint her eyes like a cat being stroked.

At the dining table, he drizzled curry around the omelet rice in a sunflower pattern.

Karuizawa Kei eagerly scooped up a spoonful, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons with happiness.

"Xuexin's special curry is a hundred times better than the cafeteria's! Ah--"

She suddenly held the spoon up to him, "You should try some too!"

Eat slowly.

He reached out and wiped the sauce from the corner of her mouth.

She insisted on squeezing in next to me while I was washing dishes, and our elbows bumped together, leaving her wrists covered in suds.

He bent down, picked up the towel, and gently wiped the bubbles off her hands as if they were fragile porcelain.

His fingertips brushed against her palm, making her ears turn red, but she refused to pull her hand away.

"The movie is about to start!"

She suddenly grabbed his clothes and ran towards the living room, leaving a trail of wet footprints on the floor with her bare feet.

In the living room, the static-filled screen of the old movie "Love Letter" flickered.

Karuizawa Kei wrapped herself up like a dumpling and snuggled into his arms, her icy toes rubbing restlessly against his calves for warmth.

"Every time I see Hiroko Watanabe shouting at the snow-capped mountains, I feel like crying."

She spoke softly, her voice carrying a gentle nasal tone.

"You said the same thing when we watched Titanic last time."

He pinched her nose, and she gently bit his fingertip with a soft "ah," but couldn't bring herself to bite hard.

When the film showed the sketch on the back of the library card, Karuizawa Kei suddenly turned around and straddled his lap.

The cold light from the screen reflected in her moist eyes, making them appear as if they were filled with stars.

"Shall we kiss now?"

She whispered, "If we wait until tragedy strikes before we kiss, it will carry a sad undertone."

"Hui... stop fooling around." He pinched her misbehaving fingers.

"It was clearly Secretary Xi who tempted me first."

She tilted her head, a mischievous glint in her eyes, "The way she cooks while wearing an apron is just too much."

As she spoke, she deliberately rubbed her nose against his cheek, like a little cat that had caught a whiff of dried fish.

Tanaka Yukishin looked down at her, gently brushing away the stray hairs from her forehead with her fingertips.

The film's light and shadow danced across her face, her eyelashes casting delicate shadows, and the smile on her lips was unbelievably soft.

Their breathing became synchronized without them even realizing it. Karuizawa Kei propped herself up and gently kissed his Adam's apple as if savoring a piece of candy.

"I want to try something different today."

She mumbled, playing with the buttons on his shirt, "Like what the Student Council secretary looks like?"

After saying that, she couldn't help but laugh out loud, burying her face in his shoulder and rubbing against him.