"Ugh..."
"Are you okay, You En?"
You En had a dream. He dreamed that he stood against millions, adrift in a sea of blood. He destroyed a city, brought a nation to an end, and buried an era.
But... he didn't feel happy.
And then he woke up.
You En looked up. A girl with long black hair was leaning over him, concern and worry hidden in her eyes.
"I'm fine."
You En handed the test paper to Secretary Tachibana Akane.
Tachibana Akane took it. The dazed look on her face had passed, but the shock in her heart had not.
She couldn't help asking,
"How can you be so... ruthless and clearheaded?"
"Hm?"
You En was puzzled. Apart from the test paper, he guessed what Tachibana meant.
"It was just a choice. I'm pretty good at making those."
"..."
Tachibana didn't understand how anyone could make such a choice firsthand.
Still,
With him among this year's new students, and in the same class as Suzune, whom he got along with fairly well, Suzune's chances of making it to graduation were at least somewhat better.
Tachibana composed herself, sat down, carefully graded the test, and then announced the result.
"You passed the assessment. As long as the student council president agrees, you can join the student council's reserve ranks.
"Oh, the president should be in the office around now. He's a little late today, so something might have come up. You can just wait a bit longer."
You En felt like she'd forgotten something.
"Um... Tachibana-senpai, I'm in the Kyudo Club."
Tachibana had only just remembered that he was there to try it out.
"Oh, sorry. I forgot."
"Let him in."
A man's voice, utterly devoid of emotion, rang out.
Horikita Manabu walked in through the door.
"President."
Tachibana called out to him.
Horikita Suzune looked at her brother, hoping he would at least glance at her. But he never looked her in the eye, so she didn't call him "Brother." In a voice that was both dejected and respectful, she said,
"Pres...ident."
You En nodded. "Hi, Manabu-senpai."
"?"
Question marks appeared over Tachibana and Horikita Suzune's heads. Was this guy really that bold?
"Mm."
The surprising thing was that Horikita Manabu actually responded.
"I've read your profile. It's impressive. You passed the test just now, too, right? Then I see no problem with letting you join the student council's reserve ranks."
"President!"
Tachibana sounded a little anxious as she reminded him,
"He was recruited by Qiao Heng-senpai. He's already joined a high-level club."
"So what?"
Horikita Manabu didn't waver in his decision. "I think he has the ability, and I'm willing to make an exception for him."
"Are you making an exception?"
You En asked.
Tachibana seemed to have found hope. She hurriedly told You En,
"It's difficult to graduate from this school. Officially joining a high-level club will make it even harder. If you join the student council as well, graduating will be nearly impossible."
"Tachibana, don't say things you shouldn't."
Horikita Manabu merely had to say that, and Tachibana fell silent.
"So, do you want to join? If you do, I can arrange the paperwork anytime."
"No."
You En shook his head and pointed at Suzune.
"I came with her today."
At that, Horikita Manabu looked over. His gaze rested on Horikita Suzune for only a moment before moving away.
"Some people should stop entertaining unrealistic fantasies. Don't try to challenge what you can't overcome. It has nothing to do with courage or pride. It's just stupidity and ignorance."
Horikita Suzune lowered her head further and clenched her hands beside her thighs, squeezing them tightly.
"Just because she can't do it now doesn't mean she can't do it in the future," You En said. "There are still some things I'm not as good at as she is."
Horikita Manabu gave a cold snort. In truth, he was rather pleased that You En had spoken up for his sister.
"In my eyes, she's worse than you at everything. She doesn't belong at this school. She should drop out early instead of dragging everyone else down."
"..."
Horikita Suzune's lips moved slightly, but she didn't even have the courage to deny or argue against Horikita Manabu's accusation.
You En stood beside her.
"I don't think she's dragging anyone down."
Horikita Manabu's tone changed.
"Are you serious?"
You En wasn't afraid. "I mean every word I say."
"Should I take that as a challenge?"
Horikita Manabu's voice was calm.
"Enough..."
Horikita Suzune grabbed You En by the shoulder.
"Stop talking."
Tachibana felt that Horikita Manabu was about to mock his sister some more. It seemed a bit much, so she clapped her hands.
"By the way, President, why were you late today?"
"I was thirteen minutes late. I spent ten of those minutes dealing with a dispute between clubs."
Horikita Manabu didn't turn to look at the clock on the wall.
"Then, on my way to the Student Council Room, I saw someone sneaking around and following a classmate. So I taught him a little lesson."
"Following a classmate?"
You En picked up on the key detail.
The students who would do that... most of the people in Class C fit the bill.
The thing was, "following a classmate," on the way to the student council. That meant the only possible targets were him and Horikita Suzune, so it had to be someone from Class D.
It couldn't have been Matsushita Chiaki, could it? He and Horikita Suzune probably weren't the kind of people she'd be interested in.
So it was probably Ayanokoji.
But he'd gotten beaten up? That was rare. As far as You En knew, Ayanokoji hadn't suffered many setbacks. Still, things had already strayed far from the original plot.
Manabu-senpai had made it to his third year at this bizarre school and was in charge of the student council. It was only natural that he could handle Koji with ease.
"All right. If there's nothing else, you can leave. The student council doesn't welcome outsiders."
Horikita Manabu showed them the door.
You En also felt that Horikita Suzune wasn't in a good state right now. This clearly wasn't the time to talk, so there was no point in staying.
"Then we'll be off, Manabu-senpai, Tachibana-senpai. See you next time."
You En looked at Horikita Suzune, who had fallen silent, and took her by the wrist. She didn't resist. Instead, she got up obediently, and the two of them walked out together.
Once they were outside the student council room and a little way down the hall, You En let go.
Horikita Suzune spoke.
"I'm going back."
She left without giving You En a chance to stop her.
After taking a few steps, she stopped.
"I'm not jealous of you... I just don't understand why my brother won't even look me in the eye."
"I think he cares about you," You En said.
"How do I put it? He's just a tsundere. Even in a love-triangle anime, a guy like that would always lose."
Horikita Suzune's eyes were filled with stubbornness. She hadn't listened to him at all.
"If I surpass you, will he acknowledge me?"
You En ignored the childish emotion behind her words and didn't answer the question. Instead, he said,
"Suzune, do you know?"
Horikita Suzune bristled like a cat. "Know what?"
You En continued,
"You said your brother wouldn't even look at you. But have you ever really tried to understand him?"
"How could I... I have," she reflexively argued, but her emotions were in turmoil.
Had she really... ever tried to understand her own brother?
After a long while,
The girl's eyes looked tired, but her heart was even more exhausted from being questioned.
"I'm tired."
You En thought it was kind of interesting, anyway.
"Take it slow. I'll be with you... I've got time to spare."
Horikita Suzune snorted.
"I don't have time to spend with you."
After talking with him for a bit, her state of mind had finally settled down.
"But really, thank you, You En. Thanks for coming with me today... See you tomorrow."
Horikita Suzune said goodbye to You En. She planned to go back and reflect on things. Once she'd prepared herself, she would meet with her brother again.
You En was going back to the dorm, too, but he came across someone lying motionless in a narrow alley around a corner.
Unfortunately, it wasn't a beautiful girl taking a nap.
It was Ayanokoji, unconscious.
You En didn't really want to get involved, but he still checked the school map for the Medical Office's contact information and called them.
"Yes, I'm at the Club Headquarters Building, in the second alley. Someone's passed out. Could you come take a look?"
The sound seemed to stir Ayanokoji. His pinky twitched.
You En saw it clearly. The guy was probably already awake and just pretending to be asleep.
"Ayanokoji, stop pretending. Get up."
Ayanokoji quickly matched the voice to a memory. Was that You En?
So he hadn't died. Had the other person left?
"I don't know what happened to you, but I called the school infirmary. Just wait here. I'm leaving."
"Wait."
Ayanokoji got up from the ground and moved around a little. He didn't seem seriously injured. The other person had only subdued him, and a few days' rest should be enough. There wouldn't even be any lingering effects.
He thanked You En, but his expression remained blank. "Thanks."
You En figured he didn't need to raise Ayanokoji's opinion of him, so he might as well ask for something practical.
"If you really want to thank me, you can transfer some points to me."
"?"
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka thought it over. He'd have to add You En as a friend to transfer points, which might help him learn more about the person in front of him.
"Sure. How much do you think is reasonable?"
"Five hundred."
You En wasn't trying to rip him off. Ayanokoji hadn't done anything to offend him, so a token amount was enough.
After the transfer,
While they were making the transfer, Ayanokoji sneaked a glance at You En's account balance.
"500.00"
That meant You En hadn't had a single point before he transferred the five hundred.
Had he spent his points that quickly?
No.
Ayanokoji immediately dismissed the idea. He didn't think You En was that kind of person. He seemed lazy on the surface, but he was actually mentally tough and purposeful. He wouldn't waste points as carelessly as the rest of the class.
Thinking back to You En's relationship with Suzune, Ayanokoji remembered that You En usually eavesdropped when he sat nearby. He also recalled the joke about being a creditor. So... it was possible You En had spent all his points signing up for elective courses.
Ayanokoji wanted to confirm it, so he asked,
"Why were you spending your points so quickly?"
You En replied casually, "I don't know. They were gone in the blink of an eye."
There was no need to be honest with this guy anyway. He could just make stuff up.
Ayanokoji's head hurt a little. He wasn't sure if it was from the injury he'd just suffered or something else.
At any rate, seeing You En like this told him he'd come away empty-handed today.
What could he do? He couldn't exactly force an answer out of him. The school nurse was already on her way here. It'd be bad if she showed up while he was beating or interrogating him.
You En could sense a wave of malice coming from Ayanokoji.
Was Koji thinking of getting rough with him?
Even though Ayanokoji had just been thoroughly beaten by his senior, You En still knew his own limits.
With his skinny arms and legs, he couldn't take a beating right now.
But that might change in the future. Once he was strong enough to beat Koji, he'd give him nine beatings over three days, one each morning, noon, and night, to avenge what happened today.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka felt a little strange. He had a feeling that if he didn't beat this guy up today, he might regret it later.
But he quickly shook off the thought. He'd never experienced regret before. It was just an illusion.
"Ugh."
You En felt a little sore. Could he still be hurting from being squeezed by that python?
Ed-sensei had said in class that he was fine, but maybe Ed-sensei was only speaking from his own perspective.
You En wasn't the kind of man who could wrestle a wild boar like Koenji, nor was he a youthful urban warrior like Ayanokoji. He was just an ordinary transmigrator.
"Good evening, you two."
Hoshinomiya-sensei walked over in pale purple high heels, her mature, pretty face still carrying a hint of girlishness.
You En's eyes lit up. He might as well go to the infirmary and get checked out.
He only wanted her to check his health. That was all.
Before you continue