There were not many people in the coffee shop on the second floor of Keyaki Shopping Center. The window seats were well lit, and the afternoon sunlight filtered through the glass, spreading a layer of cozy warmth across the tabletop.
By the time Kiryu Yume arrived, Horikita Manabu was already waiting at a table.
Half a cup of Americano sat before him. His back was straight, his posture immaculate, as though even drinking coffee had to follow some strict standard procedure.
Kiryu Yume sat across from him, casually ordered a latte, then leaned back in his chair, his entire body relaxed and loose—a stark contrast to the person opposite him.
"We're just having coffee. Why are you making it feel like a student council meeting? Are all student council presidents this stiff?"
Horikita Manabu ignored the tease and went straight to the point. "Regarding Sakura Airi's case, the school has suspended the shop manager. The police investigation is proceeding as well. He won't have another chance to get out in this lifetime."
Kiryu Yume took a sip of the latte that had just arrived, then looked up at him. "So you specifically called me out just to tell me that?"
"That is one of the reasons." Horikita Manabu set down his cup, his tone calm and without a ripple. "The other is that I want to invite you to join the student council."
Kiryu Yume's hand froze in midair with the cup in it. He stared at him for two seconds, and only after confirming the other man was not joking did he set the cup back down. "Seriously? Me?"
"I do not joke about such things." Horikita Manabu's tone did not shift in the slightest. "The judgment and initiative you displayed during the Sakura incident are rare among students.