"It's the student council president's turn to take the stage."
The smile that had been on Makoto Nishikado's face vanished at once. His gaze fixed intently on the center of the stage.
"Please change the way you address me, too."
Horikita Suzune reminded him. She was still bothered by how casually Makoto had called her by her first name earlier.
"Sure. I'll call you Horikita from now on."
Seeing how readily Makoto agreed, Horikita Suzune had nothing more to say.
She pushed down her tangled feelings and turned to look toward the center of the stage.
After taking the stage, Horikita Manabu didn't try to recruit new members as eagerly as the other club presidents.
He simply stood there in silence.
The students below began whispering among themselves. Some Class D students thought he was nervous and even teased him.
"Good luck, senpai~"
"Didn't you prepare a big poster for your club?"
"Ahahaha!"
Hearing the crowd's laughter catch on, Horikita Suzune glared furiously in their direction.
She recognized the boy. He was Yamauchi Haruki, a classmate of hers.
She wouldn't forget this.
Anyone who dared mock her brother was making an enemy of her!
Unlike the first-years, all the older students fell silent as soon as Horikita Manabu took the stage.
The noisy gymnasium, with its club representatives shouting enthusiastically, fell quiet all at once.
Their influence spread, and in less than ten seconds, the entire gymnasium was silent enough to hear a pin drop.
The first-years were at a loss in the face of this, and could only wait nervously for Horikita Manabu to speak.
They didn't understand how someone could make the other upperclassmen react so dramatically just by standing there.
Only after the gymnasium had fallen completely silent did Horikita Manabu speak.
"I am Horikita Manabu, the student council president. We will be recruiting candidates from the first-year class."
"If you are considering becoming a candidate, please do not join any other clubs."
Horikita Manabu pushed up his glasses. His gentle tone somehow filled the entire gymnasium with tension.
He was only around 170 centimeters tall, hardly imposing, but as he stood there, he seemed like a towering mountain that no one dared look at directly.
"Your brother is something else."
Makoto spoke quietly.
"Of course he is."
Horikita Suzune replied as if it were obvious.
She made no secret of her admiration for Horikita Manabu.
"You didn't understand what I meant."
Makoto shook his head and didn't elaborate.
Judging by today's performance, Horikita Manabu might not be all that strong as an individual.
His strength lay in his ability to earn the respect of most people.
Horikita Manabu and Horikita Suzune were taking completely different paths.
Makoto found it strange. If Horikita Suzune really was learning from Horikita Manabu, how could they be so different?
She must have convinced herself she was learning from him, only to get everything wrong.
Onstage, Horikita Manabu continued outlining the student council's requirements for new members.
"Next, our student council does not accept people with naive ideas. Such people would only bring disgrace upon the school."
"Our student council has been entrusted with the power and responsibility to change the rules. As a result, much is expected of it. We welcome only those who understand this."
After finishing, Horikita Manabu left the stage without a backward glance.
The host took the microphone afterward, easing the tension.
"The student council president is in trouble."
When he saw that Horikita Suzune still hadn't come to, Makoto spoke up to warn her.
"What did you say? My brother, the student council president, is in trouble?"
Horikita Suzune snapped out of it and repeated Makoto's words.
In her mind, Horikita Manabu was capable of anything. Even if he ran into trouble, he would resolve it quickly.
But Makoto seemed so certain that she began to doubt herself.
"If he hasn't told you himself, then it wouldn't be appropriate for me to tell you either. If you want to know, join the student council yourself."
Makoto turned to leave after speaking, just as Honami Ichinose hurried over.
Horikita Suzune instinctively took a step after him, then quickly stopped herself.
Why did she feel like she had to follow him? And who knew whether what Makoto said was true?
In the end, Horikita Suzune could only watch Makoto walk farther and farther away.
"No, that can't be. My brother can handle it."
Horikita Suzune tried to reassure herself.
She naturally trusted Horikita Manabu more than Makoto, whom she had met only twice.
Still, a trace of unease wound around her like a vine, impossible to shake.
"Makoto, what did the student council president mean? It sounded like there was something he wasn't saying."
Makoto had barely taken two steps when Honami Ichinose came up to him.
She admired Horikita Manabu's abilities and achievements, so she had paid close attention to his speech.
That was why she had sensed something off about it.
"He was pretty clear. The student council's recruitment requirements are strict because it has too much power."
"If I'm not mistaken, there are currently two opposing factions within the student council."
Makoto spoke again, pretending to be a prophet.
But he wasn't just making it up.
Based on what he knew, that was a reasonable conclusion.
"The student council president said they don't welcome naive students because they would bring shame on the school. Why is that?"
Honami Ichinose still didn't understand.
"Naive students could be deceived, and the student council could then fall completely under the other faction's control."
"President Horikita probably believes that under the other faction's leadership, the new student council would bring change and disaster to the school."
After speaking, Makoto gave Honami Ichinose a meaningful look.
"You mean the student council president is worried that new members will be led astray by the other faction, and that they'll end up changing the school's rules?"
Honami Ichinose finally understood, her eyes widening.
Horikita Manabu had just stated outright that the student council held great power.
But with Makoto's explanation, she realized it seemed to have too much power.
So much that even Horikita Manabu, the student council president, had reason to worry.
Was the student council's authority unlimited?
"For now, you and I should both hold back. Don't rush to join the student council."
"Ichinose, find out whether there's another leader in the student council, and who it is."
"Pay special attention to whether that person is the leader of Class 2-A."
After Makoto gave his instructions, Honami Ichinose immediately nodded.
With her connections, finding that out would be easy.
But Makoto wasn't done giving instructions.
"Ichinose, if it really is the leader of Class 2-A, you'd better keep your distance."
"Why? Are you worried he'll deceive me?"
Honami Ichinose thought Makoto was worried about her and smiled, lifting her chest proudly.
She wasn't all looks and no brains. How could she be so easily fooled?
At that, Makoto shot her a sideways glance.
"The number of students who dropped out of Class 2-A is higher than in Class 3-B."
"You mean he did it on purpose? I understand..."
The smile vanished from Honami Ichinose's face as she imagined a grim future.
As the leader of Class 2-A, that student must have been capable. If so many students had dropped out of his class, it couldn't have been because he was incompetent. He must have chosen to do it deliberately.
What would happen if someone so ruthless became student council president and gained the power to change the school rules?
"If he's elected, he may change the school's rules."
"The worst-case scenario is that more people will drop out in the future. Our class needs to be prepared."
"That may also be why the student council president is worried about him."
Makoto reminded her without mercy.
"Mm, I understand."
Honami Ichinose pressed her lips together, her opinion of the Class 2-A leader already at rock bottom.
Seeing her expression, Makoto smiled faintly, content to remain unrecognized.
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