As afternoon classes ended, the quiet in Class A stood in stark contrast to the commotion in the neighboring classrooms.
Everyone was secretly on edge. By all accounts, this afternoon should have brought a fierce contest for class leadership. But would things really unfold as they expected?
Katsuragi was the first to walk up to the podium. He calmly swept his gaze over everyone present and got straight to the point. "I only have one thing to discuss this afternoon: who will lead the class."
As soon as he finished speaking, Totsuka Yahiko's voice rang out from below, openly supportive. "It's obviously Big Brother Katsuragi!"
Before his words had even faded, Hashimoto Masayoshi frowned and shot back, "What the hell are you talking about? It should obviously be our Princess!"
"Yahiko, quiet down." Katsuragi's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.
"Hashimoto, stand down." Sakayanagi's tone was equally mild, yet it sent a chill through the room.
At the two key figures' words, the pair who had just been at each other's throats immediately fell silent. Like eggplants wilted by frost, they obediently returned to their seats. The air in the classroom seemed to grow even heavier.
"I'm voluntarily withdrawing from the race for class leader." Katsuragi's voice was low and serious. Each word carried weight, ringing especially clearly through the silent classroom.
"B-Big Brother Katsuragi... Why?" Totsuka Yahiko raised his head abruptly, disbelief filling his eyes. His voice even trembled. "We have just as many supporters as Sakayanagi's side!" His expression seemed to ask, If we're ready to fight to the death, why has our leader surrendered first?
His question voiced what everyone below was thinking. All around the classroom, people furrowed their brows, clearly not expecting Katsuragi to make such a decision.
"Hmph, do you even need to ask? Of course he's bowing to our Princess's strength!" Hashimoto Masayoshi immediately chimed in, chin raised, unable to hide his smugness.
"Hashimoto." Sakayanagi's voice rang out unexpectedly, tinged with an almost imperceptible note of reproach. "If you can't speak properly, stay quiet."
The smug look on Hashimoto's face stiffened, and he sulkily shut his mouth. But Katsuragi's words, "withdrawing from the race," still rippled through everyone's minds like a stone dropped into a deep pool, stirring wave after wave of confusion.
"I'm willing to become Classmate Sakayanagi's deputy." Katsuragi's voice was even heavier than before. He looked across the room, his earnestness reflecting his concern for the class's long-term future. "The competition between classes will only grow fiercer from now on. Class A can't stay divided like this. Internal disagreements will only give the other classes an opportunity. If we want to hold on to our lead, we have to unite the strength of the whole class."
He paused, then continued, "Classmate Sakayanagi excels at taking the initiative, like a sharp spear. I'm better suited to securing our rear and serving as a sturdy shield. Only by working together, spear and shield, offense and defense, can we truly establish ourselves at this school."
His words were clear and logical, free of personal resentment. They showed only a clear-eyed understanding of the class's situation. The people who had been baffled moments ago began to shift from shock to contemplation, and the tension in the classroom seemed to ease, making room for a sense of relief.
"Classmate Katsuragi's analysis is very thorough." Sakayanagi Arisu walked up to the podium, leaning on her cane. Her voice, clear as a spring, broke the brief silence. She looked at Katsuragi with a hint of approval. "Since you've voluntarily given up the position of class leader, I should make a gesture in return."
After a brief pause, she turned her gaze to the class, her tone growing more measured. "I'd like Classmate Katsuragi to serve as our class's 'deputy leader.' I'll take the lead on strategic planning and competition with other classes, while I'll entrust Classmate Katsuragi with coordinating internal affairs and maintaining order."
She gave a slight nod, and her gaze toward Katsuragi grew more solemn. "As you said, we need both spear and shield. From now on, we'll each fulfill our roles. I'll clear the obstacles in our path, and you'll build a solid foundation behind us. That's how Class A can become truly unassailable."
When she finished, the classroom was silent at first. Then someone quietly let out a breath.
What everyone had expected to become a bitter standoff had been settled through such tacit understanding. Even the tension in the air gradually gave way to a delicate balance.
As soon as Sakayanagi finished speaking, Katsuragi gave a slight nod. "I'll do my part." It was a simple promise, but it eased the worries of everyone below. Now that the two key figures had reached an understanding, the threat of division in Class A had finally been dispelled.
Totsuka Yahiko froze for a moment, then straightened up. "If that's what Big Brother Katsuragi says, then I'm definitely following him and Classmate Sakayanagi!" Hashimoto Masayoshi, for once, didn't argue. He only snorted, but quietly sat up straighter, clearly accepting the outcome.
Sakayanagi's gaze swept over the two of them before returning to the rest of the class. "From today on, there will be no 'Katsuragi Faction' or 'Sakayanagi Faction' in Class A." Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a power that cut straight to the heart. "There will only be 'Class A.' In the exams and class competitions ahead, we'll need every one of us to pull together."
Katsuragi added at the right moment, "Classmate Sakayanagi and I will work out the details of everyone's roles and announce them. You can raise any objections, but once we act, we must do so as one." He paused and looked out the window. "This school never gives those who let their guard down a chance. Our job is to keep Class A at the top."
No one in the classroom spoke, but unlike the tension of a moment ago, the silence now held a quietly gathering strength.
Some people quietly tightened their grip on their pens, while others exchanged nods with the classmates beside them. The distance that had once grown between them because of factional divisions seemed to begin closing at that moment.
Totsuka Yahiko suddenly raised his hand. "What if students from another class come looking for trouble?"
A faint curve appeared at the corner of Sakayanagi's mouth. "Classmate Katsuragi will hold the line, and I'll make sure they understand that provoking Class A comes at a price."
Katsuragi picked up the thread. "We'll each do our part."
"What if Classmate Katsuragi and Classmate Sakayanagi disagree?" someone at the back asked cautiously. Their voice was quiet, but the question precisely struck the lingering concern in everyone's mind.
At that, Sakayanagi Arisu's lips curved into a faint smile. Her gaze traveled around the classroom before settling on a certain corner. "That's exactly what I was about to address." She paused, then spoke clearly enough for everyone to hear. "I'd like Uesugi to become my second deputy."
Quite a few people froze at her words. Uesugi wasn't particularly active in class. He belonged neither to Katsuragi's faction nor to Sakayanagi's core circle of supporters. So why had he suddenly been entrusted with such an important responsibility?
Uesugi, whose name had been called, wasn't nervous. This had always been the result of a compromise among several parties. He looked up at the podium.
Meeting his gaze, Sakayanagi continued, "If Classmate Katsuragi and I disagree, I'd like Uesugi to judge the matter from a third-party perspective. He doesn't need to accommodate either side. He only needs to choose based on what is most beneficial to Class A."
Katsuragi also looked in that direction and nodded in agreement. "Uesugi's composure and judgment are recognized by everyone. He's well suited to serve as the final mediator."
Uesugi was silent for a moment, then stood and bowed slightly. "If everyone trusts me, I'll do my best." His voice was steady, without any unnecessary emotion, yet somehow it made him seem reliable.
Sakayanagi's smile deepened. "With that, the spear has direction, the shield has a foundation, and we have a measure to weigh our decisions. At last, Class A has its framework."
The classroom was completely free of doubt. What everyone had expected to be a power struggle had instead been settled clearly through a series of carefully considered arrangements.
Hashimoto Masayoshi rubbed his nose, unusually refraining from making jokes. Totsuka Yahiko sat ramrod straight, seemingly already thinking about how to follow Big Brother Katsuragi's plans.
Sunlight streamed through the window and fell across the podium, where the shadows of the two figures overlapped.
The afternoon, which everyone had expected to unleash a storm of bloodshed, had ultimately laid a more secure path for Class A in a way no one could have anticipated.
Everyone understood that, from this day on, their class would face the storms ahead with an entirely new resolve.