Transaction (Seeking Everything)

"Watanabe Hayabara, you really do uphold a sense of impartiality; you aren't biased toward Class D in the slightest." Horikita Manabu looked at Watanabe Hayabara, a meaningful smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, his tone laced with a hint of mockery.

"Because being biased toward Class D offers no practical benefits." Watanabe Hayabara organized his files, looked up with a smile, and a sharp, shrewd light flickered in his eyes. "I knew Sakagami Kazuma would look for excuses like that, but tell me, Student Council President, how do you feel about your sister's performance?" He shifted the focus of the conversation, steering it toward Horikita Suzune.

"Suzune has indeed shown some significant changes." Horikita Manabu adjusted his glasses, his tone carrying a trace of imperceptible relief, before his tone shifted again, his gaze turning sharp as he looked at Watanabe Hayabara. "However, I'd like to know what you think the truth of this matter is."

"The truth? That isn't important." Watanabe Hayabara said dismissively, as if discussing some trivial, inconsequential matter. "In any case, both Class C and Class D will reap their own rewards." His tone carried a touch of mystery, making his true intentions impossible to guess.

"Reap their own rewards, you say? I look forward to seeing these so-called final gains for both classes that you, Public Morals Committee Member, speak of." Horikita Manabu gave Watanabe Hayabara a deep look, then turned and led Tachibana Akane away. Tachibana Akane clutched her files and hurried to keep pace with Horikita Manabu, though she didn't forget to look back at Watanabe Hayabara before leaving, making a face of disgust and disdain.

Seeing this, Watanabe Hayabara merely smiled and turned to head toward the Special School Building.

The corridor of the Special School Building was dim, the air thick with the faint scent of dust. Watanabe Hayabara leaned lazily against the mottled wall, his hands tucked into his school uniform pockets, watching Ryuen Kakeru standing not far away. A playful smile curled his lips. "Everything is proceeding quite smoothly, Ryuen Kakeru."

Ryuen Kakeru crossed his arms, eyeing Watanabe Hayabara askance, his tone arrogant. "I just hope those three idiots don't do anything stupid over these three days and ruin my plan." His voice held a trace of barely concealed irritation; clearly, he did not trust those three Class C students.

"Actually, whatever stupid things those three idiots do won't have much of an impact on our plan." Watanabe Hayabara said nonchalantly, acting as if the success or failure of the matter had nothing to do with him.

"That's because you're only considering things from the perspective of your own interests; it doesn't affect you, of course." Ryuen Kakeru sneered, a flash of displeasure in his eyes. "But if the job isn't done right, I'm going to change the price." His tone was clearly threatening, as if warning Watanabe Hayabara not to get too cocky.

"If there's nothing else, I'll be going. I'll provide the edited recording." Watanabe Hayabara didn't take his threat to heart at all. He waved his hand and turned to leave, but before walking away, he couldn't help but look back and say lightly, "Also, your threats don't work on me. Do you think I would bother haggling with an ant? Stepping over an ant without killing it—that is a power very difficult to master."

With that, he walked away on his own, leaving Ryuen Kakeru behind. Ryuen Kakeru watched Watanabe Hayabara's retreating back, grinding his teeth in anger, his hands clenched into tight fists until his knuckles turned white.

The next morning, as the sunlight spilled through the windows into the classroom, Horikita Suzune walked quickly to Watanabe Hayabara's desk. She crossed her arms, staring at him with sharp eyes, her tone filled with obvious dissatisfaction. "Watanabe, why aren't you helping us, but instead siding with Class C?" Her voice wasn't loud, but it was enough to draw curious gazes from the surrounding students.

"Watanabe-kun has his own difficulties." Sitting not far away, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka heard Horikita's questioning and spoke up in a flat tone to support Watanabe Hayabara, his eyes devoid of any ripples.

"This doesn't concern you, Ayanokoji." Horikita Suzune glanced at Ayanokoji, her tone remaining firm, though her gaze never left Watanabe Hayabara, clearly not intending to let him off the hook.

"It's quite obvious, isn't it?" Watanabe Hayabara set down the textbook in his hand, looked up at Horikita Suzune, and a helpless smile tugged at his lips. "Your brother already gave me a heads-up that the Student Council would handle things impartially; wasn't he reminding me? You wouldn't want me to be fired on my first day on the job, would you, Horikita?" His tone was teasing, yet it seemed as if he were stating the truth.

"That doesn't mean you can't help Class D. Airi Sakura-san told me beforehand that she had high hopes for you." Horikita Suzune clearly wasn't buying it, her tone becoming more urgent as she even brought up Airi Sakura.

"Is that so?" Watanabe Hayabara looked at Airi Sakura, who was sitting not far away. Sensing his gaze, she quickly lowered her head, her cheeks flushing red. He withdrew his gaze and said in a relaxed tone, "It's fine, Horikita. I've already found evidence of Class C maliciously provoking and attacking Miyake-kun."

"Really? Then why didn't you provide it sooner?" Horikita Suzune immediately retorted, her eyes filled with doubt and a hint of anticipation.

"No need to be so anxious, Horikita. Don't you think it would be interesting to slap Sakagami Kazuma in the face?" As he spoke, Watanabe Hayabara pulled a small USB drive from his pocket, spinning it lightly on his fingertip. "This is the audio of my conversation with the tyrant of Class C, Ryuen Kakeru. I've already edited my voice; it's been changed to sound like one of the Class C students. In the recording, Ryuen Kakeru admits that he was the one who ordered the three Class C students to provoke the fight. With this, you'll definitely win."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had been silently watching Watanabe Hayabara. Upon hearing this, he lowered his head in thought, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the desk, before he looked up at Horikita Suzune to gauge her reaction.

"How did you get this recording?" Horikita Suzune asked the critical question, her eyes filled with scrutiny.

"It was from when I won that hand-to-hand combat match last time; he was trying to save face, little did he know everything was under my control." As Watanabe Hayabara spoke, he made a fist-clenching gesture, a confident smile on his face as if everything were within his calculations.

"I see." Upon hearing Watanabe Hayabara's explanation, Horikita Suzune didn't ask any further questions, merely nodding as the suspicion in her eyes dissipated significantly.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka watched Horikita Suzune's reaction of easy belief and shook his head inwardly; he was already considering finding a replacement puppet.

This movement was keenly captured by Watanabe Hayabara. The smile on his lips faded slightly as he turned his gaze toward Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, asking with a hint of inquiry, "Ayanokoji-kun, you shook your head—do you have some insight?"

Hearing this, Horikita Suzune immediately looked over as well, her eyes filled with confusion, clearly not understanding why Ayanokoji would have such a reaction.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka met their gazes and said in a flat tone, "I just feel that Ryuen Kakeru isn't that simple. Given his personality, it's unlikely he would leave such evidence behind so easily. There might be a trap buried in this recording."

"You're overthinking it, Ayanokoji." Horikita Suzune immediately countered, clearly trusting the evidence provided by Watanabe Hayabara more. "Watanabe-kun has already processed the recording, and Ryuen Kakeru is naturally flamboyant; it's normal for him to leave a trail." Her tone carried a note of certainty, and she seemed somewhat displeased by Ayanokoji's skepticism.

"Perhaps." Ayanokoji Kiyotaka didn't argue further, merely responding faintly before lowering his head again, as if the conversation had never happened.