The Hearing Begins

On Sunday morning, representatives from Class C and Class D began their talks under the Student Council's supervision.

We walked up from the first floor to the fourth. The students from the two classes, their hostility palpable, arrived outside the Student Council Office.

Sakagami and Chabashira knocked on the office door together. When it opened, they led us inside.

The Student Council Office looked very different from the last time I'd been there. A large area in the middle of the room had been cleared to make space for a long table, whose sections had been arranged in a rectangular ring.

Ishizaki and the other two plaintiffs sat on the right, while Sudo, the defendant, sat on the left. The two homeroom teachers stood behind the students from their respective classes.

Since the meeting wasn't scheduled to begin just yet, Student Council President Horikita Manabu was still reading through the documents on the table at the far end of the office.

To be honest, I had no idea why a school with so few students had so many documents for the Student Council President to review.

"Now, regarding the school violence incident, we will begin questioning the people involved, along with the homeroom teachers. I, Tachibana, the Student Council secretary, will preside over the meeting."

"Class C objects. We are appealing this incident as a case of school bullying, not school violence."

After Secretary Tachibana finished her opening remarks, Ishizaki, who had already been briefed by Ryuen, immediately raised an objection.

The minimum penalties for school bullying and school violence were different. Simply put, the minimum penalty for bullying was expulsion, while that wasn't the case for school violence.

"The Student Council will determine the exact nature of this incident after the meeting, based on what is discussed."

Secretary Tachibana still didn't want to classify the incident as bullying outright. Once something was given a severe classification, it was difficult to lower it much afterward.

Likewise, if it was classified too leniently at the outset, there would be considerable resistance to raising its severity later. So, both for the students' sake and the school's, the Student Council didn't want to let this matter get out of hand.

If something like this happened during her term, the fallout would be terrible.

"Class C objects again. According to the school's appeal procedures, the Student Council has shown bias toward Class D in how it handled the classification of this incident. That violates school regulations.

"If the Student Council insists on this decision, we will appeal to the school administration and seek to impeach the Student Council and claim compensation."

That was more like it. They weren't just fanning the flames; they were making sure the fire that could destroy them engulfed the Student Council, too.

No matter how much authority the Student Council had, it couldn't escape an issue of principle like this.

"The Student Council was indeed negligent this time. Vice President Nagumo Miyabi, who was in charge of investigating the incident, made a subjective judgment that caused trouble for the plaintiffs. On his behalf, I apologize to you, our juniors from Class C."

Seeing that Class C's representatives wouldn't let the matter be brushed aside, Horikita Manabu stopped reviewing the documents and took his seat at the head of the table, signaling for Secretary Tachibana to continue.

"Now, regarding this school bullying incident, we will begin questioning the people involved, along with the homeroom teachers. I, Tachibana, the Student Council secretary, will preside over the meeting."

With Horikita Manabu's approval, Tachibana Akane corrected the classification of the incident.

"First, I'll explain the outline of the incident to both sides.

"According to the plaintiffs, the incident began when the two parties involved had a verbal altercation during the Basketball Club's regular daily practice. One of the plaintiffs saw the argument and stepped in to mediate. The defendant, who was losing the argument, lost his temper and attacked the plaintiff.

"After that, the plaintiffs didn't want the altercation to turn physical, so they distanced themselves from the defendant in an attempt to calm him down.

"But the defendant showed no intention of stopping. He chased them while continuing to attack, even kicking in the door to the Traditional Literature Club's Activity Room. He then injured all three plaintiffs and the Traditional Literature Club president, causing considerable property damage."

Secretary Tachibana didn't read out Class C's appeal in full. Its contents were so detailed and convoluted that it hardly sounded like an appeal at all—it read more like a novel.

"According to the defendant, the three plaintiffs kept taunting him during practice. Afterward, they used their numerical advantage to surround him, and he struck first in self-defense.

"As for the chase that followed, the defendant says he had already lost his temper, but insists that aside from losing his cool and striking first, he never harmed anyone else.

"He also denies attacking the three plaintiffs or the Traditional Literature Club president inside the clubroom. He claims the injuries they suffered were caused by them beating each other up in an attempt to frame him."

Secretary Tachibana then summarized Sudo's account from the Student Council's investigation.

"Based on both sides' accounts, we hope to determine at this meeting which one reflects the truth of the incident."

The Student Council, acting as the adjudicating party, had more or less finished its work for this stage. Now it was time for the people involved to face off.

"Regarding the argument in the gym, does either side have anything to add? If not, the Student Council will accept Class C's account."

Secretary Tachibana looked toward the Class D representatives.

"More or less."

Sudo didn't care about what had started the whole thing. He was only concerned with the part where he'd been framed afterward.

"Wait. We have something to add."

Sudo's admission caught Hirata and the others sitting beside him by surprise.

Those involved often couldn't see the situation clearly, but the bystanders could. They understood the danger Sudo had failed to notice.

According to Class C's account, Ishizaki had merely tried to mediate the incident. But what Sudo had told them was that Ishizaki had also taken part in the initial verbal altercation.

Ishizaki's role in the incident was crucial. If Sudo overlooked that point, then even if he managed to avoid being accused of bullying, the outcome probably wouldn't be much better.

"Then, representatives of Class D, please explain what facts you wish to add about the incident."

"That day in the gym, Ishizaki from Class C didn't approach Sudo as a mediator. He approached him to frame him. It wasn't the way Class C described it."

Hirata passionately explained his position to Secretary Tachibana, but he had no evidence to support it. The Basketball Club members had already been bought off by Class C, and Hirata had to save the evidence he'd obtained for the crucial moment.