"Classmate Sakayanagi sure is generous. Well, in that case, I can't very well refuse. I suppose I'll just have to accept this generous gift," Watanabe Hayabara replied unhurriedly, the corners of his mouth lifting in a faint smile.
"Hehe, don't say that, Watanabe. It's only a small token," Sakayanagi Arisu said with a soft laugh, seemingly quite pleased with his reaction. "But we're short on time, and midterms are right around the corner, so you'd better get started soon. We wouldn't want you to neglect the important things."
At her words, the smile on Watanabe Hayabara's lips stiffened slightly, but he quickly recovered. He rose slowly and met Sakayanagi Arisu's gaze, a trace of helplessness flickering in his eyes. "You're treating me like a donkey turning a millstone, Classmate Sakayanagi, constantly prodding me to keep moving."
However, Sakayanagi Arisu was unmoved and kept smiling. "You're exaggerating, Watanabe. I only want you to complete the task efficiently. After all, time is money."
Watanabe Hayabara shook his head helplessly. "Fine. I took your money, after all. As they say, it's hard to refuse someone when you've eaten their food or taken their money. I'll get on it. But, Classmate Sakayanagi, make sure you look after Masumi for me."
With that, Watanabe Hayabara paid no further attention to Sakayanagi Arisu or Kamuro Masumi. He turned and walked away, his figure growing more distant until he finally disappeared through the coffee shop's entrance, heading toward the school's administrative building.
Knock, knock, knock. Someone rapped on the door to the Student Council President's office.
"Come in," came a stern male voice from inside.
Watanabe Hayabara pushed open the door and met Horikita Manabu's gaze. Horikita had been sorting through documents and looked up at the sound. Morning light filtered through the blinds, casting alternating bands of light and shadow across his sharply defined face. His fingers gripped a document so tightly that his knuckles had gone pale, as though he had just finished dealing with some troublesome business. Schedules for every class's midterm exams were arranged neatly across the desk, with key dates marked conspicuously in red.
"President Horikita, you're in fine spirits, organizing documents yourself during exam week?" Watanabe casually swiveled the chair halfway around and sat down, tapping the toe of his leather shoe against the floor in a steady rhythm.
Watanabe Hayabara had long since concluded that the regular tapping always got on people's nerves. Seeing Horikita Manabu's brow furrow slightly, Watanabe Hayabara responded with a smile.
Horikita Manabu closed the folder, its metal clasp snapping crisply shut. "What brings you here, Watanabe?" His gaze swept over the coffee stain on the hem of Watanabe's clothes like a scanner. "I see you came straight to my office after talking with someone."
Watanabe Hayabara glanced down at the stain on his clothes, a knowing curve tugging at his lips. "As expected of you, President Horikita. You can read so much into a coffee stain." He tapped the armrest with one finger, and the tapping of his shoe suddenly quickened. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about the so-called 'Pre-exam Gift Package' that's been going around lately."
"Oh? What is this Pre-exam Gift Package?" Horikita Manabu adjusted his glasses and fixed his gaze on Watanabe Hayabara's deep-set eyes.
"Are you telling me you don't know that second-year students have been selling midterm exam answers to first-years, President Horikita?" Watanabe Hayabara's words were laced with doubt and accusation, as though he were reproaching the president for ignoring the matter.
Horikita Manabu's answer was rather dismissive. "That? The Student Council has a lot on its plate. We can't deal with it for now."
Knowing Watanabe Hayabara wouldn't let the matter drop, Horikita Manabu continued explaining. "Besides, the midterm exam questions have been the same for years. Some first-years noticed, and that shows a certain degree of ability on their part. So the Student Council has no intention of handling this publicly."
Watanabe Hayabara was clearly dissatisfied with that explanation. He smiled. "Is that so? President Horikita, this seriously undermines the fairness of the midterms. Even at a school that values ability above all else, competition should still be fair, shouldn't it? How would the school handle it if they found out?" Watanabe Hayabara watched Horikita Manabu's reaction.
But Horikita Manabu remained calm. "You're welcome to go to the school. I doubt their answer will differ much from mine."
"Of course. I know the Student Council is part of the school administration. But using this as an opportunity to put the second-years in their place would be a good idea, wouldn't it, President Horikita? After all, it's second-years who are selling the answers." Watanabe Hayabara put forward a suggestion that he knew Horikita Manabu could easily reject.
The air instantly grew tense. The only sound was the faint hum of the air conditioner outside the window. Horikita Manabu removed his glasses and wiped them. The instant the glare vanished from the lenses, his scrutinizing gaze emerged. "So, what are you suggesting, Watanabe?"
"Prepare a backup exam paper." Watanabe Hayabara settled back into the chair, crossing his legs as his toe resumed tapping against the floor at an unhurried pace. "Just to ensure fairness—after all, someone says there are people inside the Student Council involved, too..." Before he could finish, the metal clasp snapped again. Horikita Manabu slammed his glasses down on the documents, the lenses striking them with a crisp click.
The office was so quiet that even the faint rustle of paper could be heard. Horikita Manabu's long fingers gripped the metal frames of his glasses tightly, his knuckles turning pale. Watanabe Hayabara lounged casually against the back of his chair, but a knowing smile played on his lips, as if he had expected this reaction.
"Who do you recommend, Watanabe Hayabara?" Horikita Manabu looked at him with a different expression.
"Sakayanagi Arisu from Class A."
"Classmate Sakayanagi?" Horikita Manabu spoke slowly, his voice low and cold, each word seeming to be forced through clenched teeth. "Having a student write new midterm exam questions is against the rules."
"Is it within the rules for second-years to sell answers on their own and undermine the fairness of the exam? Rules can be made, can't they? And isn't this within your authority as president? All you have to do is have Classmate Sakayanagi sit out this midterm. Then you can supervise her as she writes the new questions. That would solve the problem. I think you know something of her abilities, President Horikita. Having her prepare a backup paper would ensure its quality and fairness while teaching the second-years a lesson. What's there to lose?"
He knows Chairman Sakayanagi? That was Horikita Manabu's first thought.
Even so, Horikita Manabu remained calm. "Then you'd be the ones to profit from this deal. I believe that would also violate the principle of fairness you're so fond of." Horikita Manabu used the principle of fairness Watanabe Hayabara had invoked to counter his proposal.
Before you continue