Student Union Membership

After Chabashira Sae finished explaining the average scores and expulsion rules, the students of Class D also wore expressions of shock.

"How could anyone get expelled?" Ike Kanji shouted, staring at his own score of 24 points.

There were seven students in Class D below the passing line—roughly one-sixth of the class.

"It seems, as Teacher said, this class is full of fools." Koenji, while filing his nails, kept his legs propped up on the desk.

"What are you saying, Koenji? You're in the failing group too, aren't you?" Ike retorted.

"Boy, is your eyesight as poor as your brain? Take a good look at where I am." Koenji Rokosuke's score topped the list at 90 points.

"What? I thought Koenji was just as dumb as Sudo," another student muttered quietly, surprised that this eccentric classmate actually excelled academically.

Seeing the commotion among the students over their scores had died down enough, Chabashira Sae spoke again: "Let me add one more thing. You all know this school prides itself on high advancement and employment rates. But unfortunately, only those who reach Class A will enjoy the benefits of job placement and further education."

"How can this be?" Yukimura Teruhiko stood up in disbelief. He had felt no guilt over the deducted class points earlier and remained calm about the quiz expulsions, but this news was hard to swallow.

"How unsightly." Koenji, perhaps finding Yukimura's voice grating, let out a light sigh.

"Don't you feel any resentment?" Yukimura shot back. His own grades were excellent, tying with Koenji at the top.

"Resentment? I have no need for it. The school's evaluation of me is meaningless. I recognize, respect, and revere myself more than anyone else. The school placed me in Class D simply because they couldn't measure my Potential." Koenji spoke without restraint, dropping words that left others stunned.

"If they want to expel me, let them. They'll come crying to me afterward. Besides, I've never given a thought to employment or further education. I'll inherit the Koenji Conglomerate in the future. Whether it's Class A or Class D, the outcome is the same."

Faced with Koenji's unassailable reply, Yukimura had no retort and could only sit back down.

"Well, it seems the cheerful atmosphere has vanished. If you understand how harsh your environment is, think carefully and avoid getting expelled." Chabashira Sae looked at the students below, delivering her closing remarks. "There are three weeks until the midterm exams. I believe there are ways to avoid failing and survive them."

With that, she walked out of the classroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

As she left, the previously restrained Class D instantly erupted into chaos.

What would become of Class D in the end remained to be seen. Alongside the release of the first month's exam results came the announcement of the student council election outcomes.

Three first-year students had participated in the election: Shiraishi Makoto from Class A, Ichinose Honami from Class A, and Katsuragi Kohei from Class B. Those elected were the two from Class A, while Katsuragi Kohei from Class B failed to make the cut.

Perhaps this result would have raised doubts before, but after the former Class B overtook Class A in the first month, everyone tacitly understood the reason.

After school that afternoon, Shiraishi Makoto and Ichinose Honami walked together to the student council office. They didn't discuss the upcoming meeting, as they had already prepared for it ever since Shiraishi received Horikita Manabu's affirmative reply.

Arriving outside the office, the two exchanged a glance. It was Ichinose Honami who stepped forward and knocked on the door.

"Come in." Horikita Manabu's voice came through. Ichinose pushed the door open, and Shiraishi followed closely behind.

Inside the office, quite a few people were already seated—upperclassmen from the student council, about a dozen in total. The room's occupants focused their attention on the newcomers.

The news that the former Class B had surpassed Class A in the first month had spread throughout the school in a single day. Shiraishi Makoto, as the key figure behind Class A's success, had become a campus-wide celebrity overnight. As a result, most of the seniors spent extra time observing him, and they were particularly curious about the positioning of Ichinose and Shiraishi.

Shiraishi stood noticeably behind Ichinose, suggesting that she was the core of the pair. This contradicted their earlier assumptions.

"For now, you two are the only first-year newcomers. There aren't many of you, but we'll recruit more later. Welcome to the student council." Horikita, seated in the president's chair, gestured for them to take their seats.

Nagumo Miyabi, the vice president, lounged on the sofa in a relaxed posture. He glanced at Ichinose Honami first, then let his eyes wander over Shiraishi. But his words didn't stop: "Welcome."

With both presidents leading the way, the other officers and staff applauded in greeting. Shiraishi and Ichinose politely returned the gesture.

After the simple welcome ceremony ended, Horikita began introducing the student council members one by one. Those they already knew included President Horikita Manabu, Vice President Nagumo Miyabi, and Secretary Tachibana Akane. The rest were third- and second-year officers, none of whom Shiraishi or Ichinose were particularly familiar with.

For a school with fewer than 500 students, this-sized student council was more than sufficient. Shiraishi memorized the names of the senior members while following Ichinose in greeting each of them.

"You two are new members of the student council and will be the core strength of the first year going forward. Start by familiarizing yourselves with the council's affairs under the guidance of the upperclassmen, beginning with the basics." Horikita tapped lightly on the desk.

"Understood." Shiraishi and Ichinose nodded in unison. Then, Horikita moved on to the formal agenda for the month.

The two listened quietly from the side, finding that the student council's daily work wasn't overly complicated. The routine tasks mainly fell into three categories:

First, overseeing all school clubs—approving activities, inspecting equipment, and signing off on receipts.

Second, handling disputes among students—accepting appeals and issuing rulings.

Third, assisting the school administration—posting daily notices and preparing for various exams.

It seemed that, due to the school's comprehensive management, the student council didn't need to handle disciplinary patrols or similar tasks typical of other schools.

Per Horikita's arrangement, Shiraishi would follow Tachibana Akane this week to handle club-related work, while Ichinose Honami would assist a third-year senior with document processing.

Soon, the meeting ended. Horikita kept the two alone in the office.

"I forgot to congratulate you on becoming Class A." Horikita closed the door, first bringing up an unrelated matter.

"Rankings are only temporary. We'll see the results in three years. We need to keep it up." Ichinose replied.

"Now that you've met the second-years today, what do you think?" Horikita seemed satisfied with Ichinose's answer, nodding slightly before shifting the question.