Student Council - The Deal

There was a young woman following behind him.

After getting out of the car, Sato Muyoku glanced at the culprit lying on the ground.

The man had a swollen, bruised face, and both arms were bent at unnatural, zigzag angles.

His chest rose and fell faintly.

It perfectly matched the caller's account.

With eyewitness testimony and physical evidence both present, a case like this

was an easy win, no thought required.

But Shirakawa Kanon had been stuck with him at this lousy school, without a chance to handle any particularly unusual cases.

So he waved a hand.

"Shirakawa, go check on the suspect. Call an ambulance if you need to."

"Yes, sir!"

Shirakawa Kanon turned to examine the suspect.

She knelt on one knee and pried open his eyelids. The beam of her silver flashlight swept back and forth across his swollen pupils.

After putting on gloves, she traced the outline of his twisted arm with her index finger, then suddenly pressed hard on one of the joints. The unconscious man immediately let out a hoarse groan of pain.

Meanwhile, Sato Muyoku sized up the other two people present.

They were both students, a boy and a girl.

The girl's collar was a little rumpled.

She seemed fairly calm.

As for the boy, his expression was completely unfazed...

He'd beaten someone up this badly and hadn't reacted at all.

Could he be another obsessive freak like Akoya Seishu?

Looking at the student, who bore some resemblance to him, Sato Muyoku suddenly remembered a junior he'd once mentored.

Though it hadn't been for long,

the young man had left a deep impression on him.

He was someone extremely dangerous to evildoers.

But so what?

That junior had already risen above him.

And this student had nothing to do with him.

"I'm Sato Muyoku, head of security at Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School."

"You don't need to be nervous or excited. Based on what this student told us when she called, this looks like a case of acting bravely to help someone and legitimate self-defense."

"According to procedure, once my subordinate finishes her examination, you can come with us and give a statement."

"The surveillance footage will determine the final outcome."

Reassuring people was part of the job.

Sato Muyoku acted in a manner befitting his position.

Seeing the young woman gaze at the boy with eyes practically dripping with affection,

he couldn't help smiling.

Ah, youth. It was wonderful.

"Young lady, you should thank your boyfriend properly later."

"He looks furious. Even I, a grown man, couldn't have broken someone's arm with my full strength."

"You're mistaken. I'm not her boyfriend."

Tanaka Yukishin wasn't some typically Japanese, wishy-washy, nice-guy protagonist who couldn't make a move.

He had his reasons for denying it.

First, he and Sakura Airi weren't at that stage yet.

Second, he planned to build a harem, and Sakura Airi didn't know that. She might not accept it, either.

Just as he was about to say, "We're friends,"

he felt a faint tug at the hem of his clothes.

He turned his head.

Seeing Sakura Airi's timid, yearning gaze, his heart softened.

He changed his answer.

"We're just childhood friends."

"Tch."

Sato Muyoku scoffed dismissively.

Childhood friends already had a foundation of affection.

With that in place, the boy had heroically saved the girl, flying into a rage for her sake.

The girl was lovestruck, her feelings shining in her eyes.

If they didn't end up together afterward, he thought it'd be hard to wrap things up.

"Young lady, make sure you repay him properly. I think giving this tsundere two or three adorable kids would be just right."

"Senior, raising kids is expensive these days. I think one is enough."

Shirakawa Kanon, finished with her examination, came over and chimed in.

As a young woman herself, she longed for a sweet, innocent romance.

Unfortunately, after joining the police force, mixers were probably her only hope.

At least she was stationed at a school.

Even if she couldn't have any pork, she could still watch the pigs run.

That was why she loved watching the hazy affection between young boys and girls.

Thinking of how much it cost to send his own daughter to school, Sato Muyoku nodded in agreement.

"True enough. One is plenty."

"Could you adults act like adults? Please take your work a little more seriously."

Tanaka Yukishin's mouth twitched.

No wonder people called the police tax thieves. They weren't doing their jobs; they were busy shipping couples.

Sato Muyoku laughed heartily.

"This young man is dependable and manly, but he's still young and shy. You can't tease him, Shirakawa. Tone it down."

"But, Senior, you were the one—"

Halfway through, she sensed Sato Muyoku's gaze turn dangerous.

Shirakawa Kanon immediately changed course.

"The suspect's condition is dangerous. I've already called an ambulance. It'll be here in ten minutes."

Shirakawa Kanon took off her bloodstained gloves, pulled out an evidence camera, and snapped several photos of the buttons on the ground.

Taking the opportunity to edge closer to Sakura Airi, she fluttered her eyelashes at her.

"A childhood friend who can fight and is still gentle? If you let him get away, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

As soon as she finished speaking, a phone rang.

Sato Muyoku took it out and answered.

"Yes, that's right..."

After ending the call,

Sato Muyoku said to Tanaka Yukishin,

"The school administration called. Go to the Student Council first. You can come to the security office afterward to give your statements."

"Talk things through, young man... Who knows? Acting bravely to help someone might even earn you a line on your record."

After the reminder, Sato Muyoku watched Tanaka Yukishin leave with Sakura Airi.

Shirakawa Kanon flashed a mischievous smile and took out a voice recorder.

"Senior, why did you help that girl make a move just now?"

"Because everyone was young once."

"That's all? I don't think so."

"I wish I could throw caution to the wind and act on impulse for someone else, too. But I'm old now. I don't have the drive I had when I was young."

"Haha, Senior, I recorded that. If you don't want Tsukino to find out, you'll have to treat me to something."

He lightly flicked her forehead.

Seeing Shirakawa Kanon clutch her head with a pained expression,

Sato Muyoku replied irritably,

"You idiot. You've been stuck with me at this lousy school for ages, and the only thing you've learned is how to use a voice recorder to blackmail people."

"I'll treat you to an izakaya tonight. The school just gave us 500,000 points, anyway."

"An izakaya with 500,000 points?"

"Order whatever you want. Just keep it under 500,000."

"Long live Senior!"

Seeing how happy Shirakawa Kanon was,

Sato Muyoku shook his head.

She was still young. She thought of nothing but food.

How much could you eat at an izakaya with 500,000 points?

If it were his wife, Tsukino, she'd at least ask for a set of cosmetics.

Chapter 50: Student Council — The Deal

On the way to the Student Council,

Tanaka Yukishin suggested,

"Should we go back to the dorms and change first?"

"No. This is evidence."

Wearing Tanaka Yukishin's jacket, Sakura Airi was secretly delighted.

There was no way she'd agree.

"...All right."

Seeing that he couldn't talk her into it, Tanaka Yukishin gave up.

When they reached the Student Council, Tanaka Yukishin stepped forward and knocked.

"Come in."

After opening the door, Horikita Manabu carefully looked over the boy and girl who entered.

His gaze first fell on Tanaka Yukishin.