"...Unqualified?"
Ichinose Honami softly repeated the word, her voice carrying confusion and uncertainty she struggled to hide.
It was an angle she had never considered.
Growing up, whether it was her teachers' praise, her classmates' support, or how naturally she had been chosen as the leader of Class 1-B-
Every bit of feedback had told her that kindness, responsibility, and protecting the weak were unquestionably excellent qualities.
Yet just now, with an almost cruel indifference, the boy before her had labeled her greatest "strength" a "fatal weakness."
"Does it hurt?"
Tatsuya Sakuya gently set his coffee cup down on the tray.
The oppressive air of authority around him instantly dissipated. He leaned back lazily in his seat, returning to his usual relaxed demeanor.
"So... that's how it is?"
Ichinose Honami lowered her head. Her once brimming confidence had now been shattered.
Seeing how utterly dejected the girl looked, Tatsuya Sakuya silently nodded to himself.
That should be enough.
When someone invites you to act as an interviewer, normally you say something positive and encouraging.
Things like, "You'll definitely succeed," or "I believe in you!"
But I told her outright that she would fail.
That must have been cruel to her, right?
You can tell just by looking at her face, you bastard.
"I criticized you just now because I was speaking from the standpoint of the Student Council President. As president, you have an obligation to keep the machine that is the Student Council running smoothly. There's nothing wrong with that.
"But from the standpoint of an ordinary student or friend under your protection, Ichinose, the fact that you can say, 'I'll never abandon a single companion,' actually makes you really cool. Dazzling, even."
"...Huh?"
Ichinose Honami abruptly raised her head and stared at him, a little dazed.
"If you