Fairness

"Clap, clap, clap." Watanabe Hayabara suddenly began applauding.

"Fairness. Yes, we value fairness. But how do you define fairness? What's unfair to one person may be fair to another. So if the benefits favor me, that's fair, isn't it, President Horikita?"

"That's an extreme way of thinking," Horikita Manabu said flatly.

"Isn't that the principle of fairness you've always followed, President Horikita? Why call it extreme now? When you rose through the ranks, didn't you use that very principle to crush your competitors? That's how the climb works. But once you reach the top, you block the path, because you don't want anyone climbing up to replace you, do you?"

"That..." The truth was, Horikita Manabu couldn't deny it. But it wasn't something he should be discussing openly.

"I can agree to your request, Watanabe Hayabara. But how about we make a deal?"

"This benefits us both. I gain, and you suppress the second-years. As a third-year and the Student Council President, you benefit too. I can't see why you'd refuse a win-win deal, President Horikita. But if you want to add any further conditions, I can't agree. I'm new to this school, after all, and it's easy for me to get the short end of the stick." Watanabe Hayabara spoke as if he were at a disadvantage, but his tone was unyielding.

"Indeed, I have no reason to refuse this request. But I had something else in mind. Would you be interested in working with me, Watanabe?"

Horikita Manabu pushed his glasses up.

After watching him through their several conversations, Watanabe Hayabara had noticed that pushing up his glasses was one of Horikita Manabu's habitual gestures. It meant he was thinking, or that something had caught his interest.

"Why don't you tell me more, President Horikita?"

"Watanabe Hayabara, do you know..."

Knock, knock, knock. At that moment, an inconvenient knock sounded at the door.

"President, here are the documents you asked for." A gentle, sweet-sounding girl's voice came from outside.

"All right, Tachibana Akane. I understand. Just leave them outside the door for now," Horikita Manabu replied warmly.

"Understood, President. I'll leave them by the door."

After the girl's voice faded, several footsteps followed, showing that she had left.

Watanabe Hayabara joked, "Is she someone you like, President Horikita? Your voice just turned so gentle. Won't you introduce us?"

Horikita Manabu didn't take the joke seriously. "The person at the door was Tachibana Akane, the Student Council secretary. There's nothing between us. Let's get back to what we were discussing, Watanabe."

"If Tachibana knew what you said, she'd be heartbroken," Watanabe Hayabara continued to tease him.

But when he saw Horikita Manabu's look, Watanabe Hayabara dropped his smile and met the stern gaze on Horikita Manabu's face.

"Watanabe Hayabara, you know the Student Council can change the school's rules to some extent, right?"

"So my guess was right."

"Do you know why I agreed to your proposal, Watanabe Hayabara?"

"Because I'm in the same class as your sister, and you need my help because of her, right? You're about to graduate, Horikita Manabu. After you graduate, there'll be no one left to protect your unsociable, foolish little sister. After all, this place is largely cut off from the outside world."

As Horikita Manabu listened to Watanabe Hayabara's answer, his expression gradually stiffened, but he didn't interrupt.

"Compared with your aloofness, your sister is more like an orphan, isn't she, Horikita Manabu? You set her on the wrong path from the start."

"You're right about why I proposed the deal. But that's not why I agreed to temporarily issue the Backup Exam Paper for the midterms."

"Oh? If you're willing to share, why don't you tell me, President Horikita?"

"Do you know who rules the second-years?"

"Is it the Student Council Vice President, Miyabi Nagumo, or Kiriyama Ikuto? I did see their names on the Student Council roster."

"It's Miyabi Nagumo. The theory he promotes completely contradicts this school's principles. He believes in absolute individual meritocracy, and both we and the school's administration reject his theory. This school emphasizes and teaches meritocracy within a specific group. That's why I agreed to your proposal to suppress the second-years."

"In the end, isn't it still all for your sister, Horikita Suzune? Doesn't Miyabi Nagumo's individual meritocracy make it easier to select elite talent for society? It doesn't go against the school's original purpose. I'd say stronger, more capable elites would benefit society. Nagumo's theory isn't inherently flawed; on the contrary, it fits this school's theoretical principles even better. Besides, if Nagumo puts his theory into practice and becomes Student Council President, you'll have graduated by then. None of it will have anything to do with you. Everything you're doing is still for your sister, Horikita Suzune—to keep her from going astray. You're afraid she'll become an absolute individualist under Nagumo's theory, aren't you, President Horikita?" Watanabe Hayabara chuckled.

"Looks like I was right about you, Watanabe Hayabara. I don't know why you were assigned to Class D, but you absolutely have what it takes to lead Class A."

"You're too kind, President Horikita. Just tell me what the deal is."

"I'll help you become the next Student Council President. In return, you'll help me correct my sister's mistakes. I don't care whether she makes it to Class A. I want her to see herself clearly."

"Student Council President? That's a tempting offer, but I'm not interested. Handling all those tedious, trivial daily affairs would be a pain."

"Then tell me what you want, Watanabe Hayabara."

"What happens to the personal points graduates have left before they graduate, President Horikita?"

Horikita Manabu quickly understood Watanabe Hayabara's intentions. More than becoming Student Council President, he cared about information—or, more precisely, he enjoyed the experience of being at this school.

"Graduates can exchange all their remaining points for yen at a rate of one to 0.8."

"So Class A graduates leave with a small nest egg after graduation."

"I want all the personal points you have left before you graduate, President Horikita. What do you think?"

"All my personal points? I don't think you're short on points," Horikita Manabu said, puzzled.

"I may not need them, but your sister does. The huge shortfall in Class D is a real problem. Though, of course, that has nothing to do with me. I only want the points so I can help Suzune."

Horikita Manabu stared into Watanabe Hayabara's eyes, trying to discern his true intentions. He couldn't believe that Watanabe Hayabara wanted all his points just to help his sister, Horikita Suzune.

"Watanabe Hayabara, why don't you just tell me what you're really after?"