Fairness (Seeking Everything)

Clap, clap, clap. Watanabe Hayabara suddenly began to applaud.

"Fairness—yes, we speak of fairness, but how is fairness defined? It is inherently unfair to everyone, so if the benefits lean toward me, that is fairness. Isn't that right, Student Council President Horikita?"

"An extreme way of thinking." Horikita Manabu flatly denied it.

"Isn't that the very fairness you have always practiced, Student Council President? Why call it extreme now? When you climbed the ranks, didn't you use this exact philosophy to suppress your rivals? This is a path of ascent; once you reach the top, you block the road because you don't want anyone to become your replacement. Isn't that so?"

"This..." The fact was undeniable; Horikita Manabu could not refute it, but these were things that should not be brought out into the open.

"I can agree to your terms, Watanabe Hayabara, but how about we make a deal?"

"This is a win-win situation. I gain benefits, and you suppress the second-year students. As a third-year student and Student Council President, you also gain. I don't see any reason for you to refuse, Student Council President. If you wish to add any further conditions, I cannot agree; after all, as a newcomer, I am very prone to being taken advantage of in this school." Watanabe Hayabara's words were humble, but his tone was incredibly firm.

"Indeed, I have no reason to refuse this matter. I am speaking of something else. I wonder, Watanabe, are you interested in cooperating with me?" Horikita Manabu adjusted his glasses.

After observing him through several conversations, Watanabe Hayabara realized that adjusting his glasses was a habitual action for Horikita Manabu, signaling that he was either deep in thought or showing interest in a particular matter.

"By all means, Student Council President, let's hear it."

"Watanabe Hayabara, you know..."

Knock, knock, knock. At that moment, a knock on the door rang out at an inopportune time.

"President, here are the documents you requested." A gentle, sweet voice of a girl came from the doorway.

"Understood, Tachibana Akane. Just leave them outside the door," Horikita Manabu replied gently.

"Very well, President. I'll leave them at the door."

After the girl's voice faded, a few footsteps followed, indicating she had left.

Watanabe Hayabara then joked, "Is that a girl you like, Student Council President? Your tone suddenly became so gentle. Won't you introduce us?"

Horikita Manabu remained unfazed by the joke and replied coolly, "The person at the door was Tachibana Akane, the Student Council secretary. We have no such relationship. Watanabe, let us return to the previous topic."

"I'm sure that Tachibana would be sad if she heard you say that," Watanabe Hayabara continued to tease.

However, seeing the look Horikita Manabu gave him, Watanabe Hayabara withdrew his smile and looked at the President's stern face.

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

"It seems my guess was correct."

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

"Because I am in the same class as your sister, and you have a request regarding her, don't you? Because you are about to graduate, Horikita Manabu. Once you graduate, there will be no one left to protect your antisocial, foolish sister. After all, this place is, to some extent, cut off from the outside world."

As Horikita Manabu listened to the response, his expression gradually stiffened, though he did not interrupt.

"Compared to your aloofness, your sister is more like an orphan, isn't she, Horikita Manabu? The path you led her on from the beginning was wrong."

"Your answer is indeed the reason for the deal I proposed, but it is not the reason I agreed to provide the backup mid-term exam papers."

"Oh? If I may ask, Student Council President, would you care to elaborate?"

"Do you know who the ruler of the second years is?"

"Is it the Student Council Vice President Nagumo Miyabi or Kiriyama Ikuto? I have indeed seen both names on the Student Council roster."

"It is Nagumo Miyabi. The theory he promotes is completely contrary to this school. He pursues absolute individual meritocracy, and his theory is rejected by us and the school authorities. The school emphasizes and educates based on meritocracy within a specific collective. This is why I agreed to your proposal—to suppress the second years."

"In the end, isn't it still for your sister, Horikita Suzune? Isn't the individual meritocracy practiced by Nagumo Miyabi more likely to select elite talent for society? This does not violate the school's educational intent. I believe stronger elite talent would be more beneficial to society. I don't think Nagumo Miyabi's theory is problematic; on the contrary, it fits the theoretical definition of this school even better. Furthermore, by the time Nagumo Miyabi's theory is implemented and he becomes Student Council President, you will have already graduated. None of this will have anything to do with you. Everything you do is still for your sister, Horikita Suzune, isn't it? To guide her so she doesn't go astray. You are terrified that she will become an absolute individualist under Nagumo Miyabi's theory, aren't you, Student Council President?" Watanabe Hayabara chuckled.

"It seems I didn't misjudge you, Watanabe Hayabara. Although I don't know why you were assigned to Class D, you certainly have the ability to lead Class A."

"You flatter me, Student Council President. Let's get straight to the terms of the deal."

"I will help you become the next Student Council President, and you need to help me correct my sister's mistakes. I don't care whether she rises to Class A or not; I want her to see herself clearly."

"Student Council President, huh? A tempting offer, but I have no desire for it. Dealing with all those trivial, complex daily tasks would be a nuisance."

"Why don't you state your conditions, Watanabe Hayabara?"

"How are the remaining private points of graduates handled before they leave, Student Council President?"

Horikita Manabu quickly understood Watanabe Hayabara's intent. Rather than the position of Student Council President, he was more interested in information—or more precisely, he enjoyed the process of being in this school.

"Graduates can convert all their remaining points into yen at a 1:0.8 ratio."

"It seems Class A graduates have a small accumulation of initial wealth upon graduation."

"I want all of your private points before you graduate. How about that?"

"All of your private points? I don't think you are lacking in private points." Horikita Manabu was somewhat confused.

"Just because I don't need them doesn't mean your sister doesn't. The massive deficit in Class D right now is truly a predicament, though it has nothing to do with me. The points I want are merely to better help Horikita Suzune."

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

"Watanabe Hayabara, why don't you just state your true objective?"