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"See you tomorrow, Kiyopon!"
"See you."
Ayanokouji gave a small wave.
It was finally the end of the school day, and the students of Class D were beginning to disperse. Some headed back to the dorms, while others went off to spend time with their own groups of friends.
Ayanokouji simply watched his own group split up one by one. Hasebe, Yukimura, and Akito all seemed to have plans of their own. It was a little disappointing since he had wanted to hang out with them, but it wasn't as if he could ask them to cancel what they had already planned.
He could always enjoy himself alone. But after experiencing how enjoyable it was to spend time with friends, the idea of having fun by himself wasn't nearly as appealing anymore.
With nothing else to do, Ayanokouji decided to head back to the dorm.
However, the moment he stepped into the hallway, he noticed Chabashira waiting there. Without saying a word, she gestured for him to follow.
"..."
Ayanokouji silently followed her until they arrived at the familiar stairway.
"How did it go with your father yesterday?" she asked, getting straight to the point.
"There's no point trying to probe me so clumsily. I already understand everything."
"What exactly do you understand?"
"Almost everything you've told me has been a lie, Chabashira-sensei."
"What are you talking about?" She looked away.
"You're trying to hide how shaken you are, but it's obvious just from looking at you."
The fact that she wouldn't meet his eyes. Her choice of words. She was doing everything she could to conceal her emotions from an outside observer, but even then, she couldn't completely hide her unease.
"Stop lying to me. Chairman Sakayanagi told me everything. He informed you about me the moment the school admitted me."
"The chairman told you?"
The moment those words left her mouth, Ayanokouji let out a quiet laugh. Only then did Chabashira realize the mistake she had just made.
"...Did you trick me, Ayanokouji?"
"Yes. The chairman never mentioned you, Chabashira-sensei. But now your involvement in this matter is clear."
The moment Chairman Sakayanagi revealed that he knew Ayanokouji had deliberately scored exactly fifty points on every test, he had already been certain.
"Allow me to explain. First, I wanted to come to this school. Chairman Sakayanagi knew about me and acted on his own to confirm both my enrollment and my placement in Class D. He assigned me to this class because you, Chabashira-sensei, appeared to have no real desire to climb through the class rankings. At least on the surface."
He would have attracted too much attention in a high-performing class. Considering his circumstances, Sakayanagi had wanted to place him somewhere he could keep a low profile.
"But the chairman made one mistake. You, a teacher who shows no attachment to her class and acts completely indifferent, secretly desire to reach Class A more than anyone else."
"..."
Chabashira pressed her lips together and remained silent. She probably knew she would lose the argument and reveal more than she intended if she answered carelessly.
"That's just your speculation, Ayanokouji."
Her denial carried no conviction.
Chabashira-sensei was incapable of submitting to authority. More than anyone, she wanted to see a lower class overthrow a higher one. The weak surpassing the strong.
There was no reason for Ayanokouji to hold back.
"You want me to be your ticket to Class A. And now the chairman has said he'll be watching over me. Put it all together, and you're completely at my mercy. All you can do is stand there and pretend not to hear the accusations I'm throwing at you right now," he said. "You've been stuck with Class D for what feels like an eternity, all while longing to reach Class A. You couldn't let this opportunity slip away. That's why you lied about being in contact with my father so you could use me. That was the real reason you approached me, and Horikita was nothing more than a pawn to make it happen. Unfortunately for you, things didn't go as planned."
Class D had performed well ever since then. But Chabashira-sensei had miscalculated. Now that his father had contacted the school directly, every lie she had built up had come crashing down.
"You intended to corner me," he continued. "Instead, you're the one with your back against the wall."
"I see.... Your abilities certainly aren't those of an ordinary first-year high school student. 'Wise beyond your years,' isn't that the saying? I suppose it suits you."
She looked at him directly this time.
"You're right. I never met your father before today."
The composure she had struggled so hard to maintain finally gave way.
"But I really could have you expelled if I wanted to. I could claim you committed a serious violation of the school rules. Expulsion is the one thing you absolutely want to avoid, isn't it?"
"Even if that's true, you can't expel me."
Narrowing her eyes, Chabashira asked, "...What makes you so sure?"
"It has nothing to do with my personal circumstances." Without the slightest change in his tone, Ayanokouji continued. "The current situation is different. This year's Class D is unusual. Compared to previous years, we're doing well. Horikita and the others are getting stronger. They might even reach Class A without my help."
Class D had continued to rise over the past several months. There had been both minor setbacks and major obstacles along the way, but they were steadily closing the gap with Class C. Expelling one of their students now would only disrupt that momentum. Because of that, Chabashira-sensei couldn't act so recklessly.
"Even if I step aside, the class will keep moving forward. The outcome may be different without my involvement, but the fight itself won't stop."
"..."
"But if you want my advice, instead of relying on me, why not involve someone else? If you can blackmail me into doing your bidding, even if it's only for a short while, then there are plenty of capable students in this class besides me."
"What are you implying...?" She narrowed her eyes.
"Why not involve someone like Kouenji? Or, if you'd prefer someone more cooperative... why not Kumagawa?"
The moment that name was mentioned, Chabashira-sensei couldn't help but wince.
It wasn't the sort of reaction a teacher should have toward one of her students. Even if he was troublesome, the expression on her face looked less like frustration and more like outright rejection.
Her next words only confirmed it.
"You've gotta be kidding me."
"I'm not kidding. Compared to Kouenji, he's far more cooperative than he looks. Especially when it comes to girls." Ayanokouji replied immedietly.
The man himself had said as much on more than one occasion.
Unlike Kouenji, whose willingness to cooperate with girls mostly stemmed from his pride and the arrogance that defined his personality, Kumagawa was the kind of person who wouldn't even mind being stepped on by a girl.
Helping someone like Chabashira wasn't outside the realm of possibility.
Letting out a heavy sigh, Chabashira said, "Even if that's true, even if he has his uses, you can't possibly ignore the glaring problem with him."
"If you can ignore that problem, then his usefulness outweighs it."
"....."
Chabashira stared at Ayanokouji with undisguised disbelief.
Even as he said that, he knew there wasn't much anyone could do about Kumagawa's glaring flaw. It wasn't merely a problem. It was an inseparable part of who Kumagawa was.
"I can ask Kumagawa if you want me to."
"Why are you so fixated on Kumagawa helping me?"
"I wonder..."
Ayanokouji genuinely wondered why.
For some reason, he wanted to throw another troublesome situation at Kumagawa—more specifically, he wanted to dump his own problem on him. It wasn't like him. There was nothing to gain from doing something like that. If anything, it would be far more efficient to settle the matter himself.
Yet, strangely enough, he didn't want to.
Was this what people called pettiness?
If so, it was a rather unfamiliar feeling... and not an unpleasant one.
"I'm going to ignore your earlier suggestion."
"Suit yourself."
Ayanokouji gave a small shrug.
"So even though you know everything now, you're still done trying to reach Class A?" she asked, returning to the original topic. "What are you going to do now?"
Of course. The teacher who had tried to manipulate him into aiming for Class A had turned out to have no connection to his father whatsoever. He no longer had any reason to fear her.
Even so, he hadn't completely shut her down. People tended to cling to even the smallest ember of hope when they had the chance.
"At the very least, I'm done taking my turn on the stage. From now on, stay back, stay quiet, and watch. If you try to manipulate me again to satisfy your own desires, the only ones who'll suffer are the other students."
"And if I keep after you? What then?"
"You'll never see your dream come true. That wouldn't be a very smart choice."
"Then let me rephrase the question. Are you so certain I won't drag you down with me after I've lost all hope?"
"Not at all. It's entirely possible something will happen in the future that destroys our class points. If that happens and you lose all hope, then feel free to come after me. But you should also remember that your position as a teacher isn't as secure as you think."
It was an empty threat for now, but considering what Chabashira-sensei knew, it should be effective enough.
Reuniting with his father hadn't been pleasant, but today's encounter had answered several of his questions.
There were still unknown variables. Kumagawa, for one. And then there was that mysterious Ajimu Najimi. What kind of relationship did she have with his father? And how was she connected to all of this? Those questions remained unanswered for now.
Even so, he no longer had any obligation to help Class D reach Class A.
No matter what Ryuen did from this point onward, there was no longer any reason for him to get involved for the class's sake. And no matter what happened to Karuizawa, it wouldn't be enough to threaten Class D's position.
His identity might be exposed if Karuizawa were caught or betrayed him.
But so what?
Even if Ryuen eventually reached him, as long as he did nothing more for Class D, they would most likely still manage to come out ahead by a narrow margin.
With that, Ayanokouji turned around and walked away.
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At dusk, Ayanokouji walked along a path lined with trees. He looked up and exhaled. White steam curled from his mouth before disappearing into the night sky.
"Cold," he muttered.
Every breath he took became a faint white mist. He exhaled and inhaled over and over, absentmindedly watching it drift away. Anyone paying close attention might have found it strange, but he had simply forgotten how drastic the change in temperature was from one day to the next.
Winter had arrived.
Around this time last year, he had always stayed indoors.
This was probably the first time he had ever experienced a proper winter.
A girl walked past him, shivering against the cold as she chatted happily on her phone.
"Seriously, right after you became student council president, our relationship completely flatlined, Miyabi-kun. Ahaha! Come on, I'm joking. I'm joking. Besides, it's not like I'm angry or anything. But I am going to make you treat me to celebrate, so be prepared!"
Ayanokouji recognized her.
She was the second-year student who had come to Class D the other day to pick up both Kumagawa and Kushida.
He had no intention of eavesdropping, but she was speaking loudly enough that he couldn't help overhearing. Judging from the conversation, it seemed she really was a second-year student.
As she continued walking away, so did her voice.
Ayanokouji let out another slow breath, watching another cloud of white vapor disappear into the air.
He continued toward the dorm, his thoughts lingering on everything that had happened today and the previous day. Even after some time had passed, he still couldn't get it out of his mind.
His father and Chairman Sakayanagi were one thing.
But the appearance of another player had complicated the situation far more than he would have liked, even if he had already considered that possibility.
After arriving at his room, Ayanokouji immediately changed into more comfortable clothes.
He soaked a towel in warm water before gently wiping his face with it. Cold water was usually better for clearing the mind by sharpening one's senses, but winter was different. The warmth eased the stiffness in his body after spending time outside, making it easier to settle down and organize his thoughts.
Also, he had cleaned the room over the weekend, so everything was still spotless.
In the quiet warmth of his room, with a warm towel in hand while winter lingered outside, it was the perfect environment to sort through his thoughts. Not that thinking for another day or two would magically solve his current situation.
"Guess I'll have some tea."
Ayanokouji walked into the kitchen and switched on the electric kettle.
Deciding to organize his thoughts while waiting for the water to boil, he took out his phone and opened the school app, absentmindedly scrolling through it without any particular destination in mind. At most, he only checked the class points and his own private point balance.
Let's start from the beginning.
Why had he enrolled at this school in the first place?
So he wouldn't have to return to his old environment.
It wasn't that he was particularly dissatisfied with the White Room. From a human rights perspective, it was certainly problematic, but it also provided the finest education imaginable, It was that very education that had shaped the person he was today
Even after his father praised him as his greatest masterpiece, however, he had felt a sense of dissatisfaction that he couldn't quite put into words. Even if he truly was the finest human specimen ever created... was that really something to be proud of?
To be honest, Ayanokouji didn't really care.
His father's ambition.
Chabashira's ambition.
Anyone's ambition.
None of it mattered to him.
The kettle began to whistle.
His goal was to spend an ordinary three years at this school. Whether that was in Class D or Class A made little difference. There was no reason to involve himself any further by helping the class or fulfilling someone else's ambition.
People like Sakayanagi, Horikita, Hirata, Kushida, Karuizawa, and even Ichinose, to some extent, had started taking an interest in him. But if he stepped back now, that interest would eventually fade.
The only remaining problems were the thorns at his side.
Kumagawa Misogi and Ryuen Kakeru.
If Ryuen figured out that he was Class D's hidden mastermind, he would undoubtedly cause an uproar by spreading that information. Ideally, his identity would have remained completely hidden, but that no longer seemed possible. Even if he cut all ties with Karuizawa, the two of them were still connected by an invisible thread. If things continued as they were, Ryuen would eventually find that thread without fail.
Would it take a week?
A month?
A year?
It was only by sheer luck that Kushida hadn't spread that information around like some kind of telephone game. But her reasoning had nothing to do with loyalty. It was simply pettiness. Even if she gained nothing from it, the thought of quietly watching everything unfold from the sidelines was enough to satisfy her rotten nature.
And then there was Kumagawa.
Unlike Ryuen, he was an entirely different kind of problem.
For starters, there was his erratic personality.
There was no telling what he was thinking. What he would do. When he would act. How he would respond. Whether he would hold a grudge. Whether he would forgive. Whether he would forget. Whether he would do nothing at all. Whether he would suddenly involve himself. Whether he stood to gain anything from it. Whether it would put him at a disadvantage. Whether it would save someone. Or whether it would destroy someone.
The fact that Ayanokouji couldn't predict any of it was the real problem.
Then there was his connection to the past.
Even if it wasn't direct, his association with another mysterious and troublesome figure, Ajimu Najimi, was enough to make the situation far more complicated. It was a completely different case from Sakayanagi Arisu, who merely knew about his past.
With everything involved, Ayanokouji couldn't say he wasn't concerned. Yet despite all of it, Kumagawa himself didn't seem particularly bothered by the situation...it's nothing but ominous.
The kettle whistled before automatically shutting itself off.
As the sharp sound faded, Ayanokouji returned to reality. He opened the cabinet above the counter, revealing an assortment of tea bags. Ever since people had started dropping by his room more often, he had gradually built up a modest collection, ranging from coffee and black tea to green tea and roasted tea.
Ding Dong!
Just as he dropped a black tea bag into his cup, the intercom suddenly rang.
Interestingly, The dormitory had two intercoms.
One was located outside each room, used by residents who had already entered the building. The other was connected to the main entrance on the first floor, allowing visitors from outside to request access before entering. It was a simple security measure to prevent outsiders from freely walking through the dorm.
A classmate would have simply rung the doorbell outside his room, which made Ayanokouji wonder who would use the entrance intercom instead.
He walked over to check the monitor and found himself looking at a rather unexpected face. He could have pretended not to be home, but decided against it. After all, this was someone he had been thinking about visiting himself, yet they had come all the way here instead.
"I'd like a moment of your time. Or should I come back later?" the visitor asked through the intercom.
"No, now's a good time."
It was the former student council president—or rather, Horikita's older brother.
Ayanokouji buzzed him into the building and poured the boiling water into his cup while he waited.
Soon after, the doorbell rang.
"I'd prefer to speak privately, so please come in," Ayanokouji told him.
"I agree."
If Horikita saw her brother and Ayanokouji chatting in the hallway, she would undoubtedly make a fuss. Besides, he wanted to avoid being seen with the former student council president as much as possible. He let Horikita's older brother into his room.
Naturally, he noticed the tea and seemed to wonder if Ayanokouji had been expecting him. Ayanokouji denied it, and Horikita's older brother didn't question it any further. Ayanokouji then poured him a cup of hot tea as a simple gesture of politeness, which he accepted without hesitation.
"To come all the way to the first-years' dorm... Do you have business with me, former student council president?"
"The second semester ends next week. My time at this school is running out."
"I guess so...?" Ayanokouji tilted his head.
It was true that only a little over two months remained before graduation, and that time would pass in the blink of an eye. Even so, he couldn't understand the sudden change in topic. Although he had wanted to speak with Horikita's older brother himself, it still felt strange for him to come all the way here only to begin the conversation with something like this.
"There's something I wanted to tell you before I leave. About Nagumo Miyabi."
"I can't imagine what you have to say to me, I'm not part of the student council like Kumagawa."
Aside from their brief exchange during the relay race at the Sports Festival, they had barely spoken. Ayanokouji doubted the current student council president even remembered that conversation, let alone him. Whatever this was about, it shouldn't have anything to do with him.
"I hadn't intended to discuss this with anyone."
"But why? Didn't you have Kumagawa, the person you managed to rope into the student council?"
"I'm impressed you still remember that. However, the circumstances have changed."
"Changed?"
"Well, not exactly changed. It's more of a precaution." Without pausing, he continued. "I've always followed this school's traditions because I believe in its system and its rules. Nagumo, however, intends to uproot those very foundations. Most likely, an unprecedented number of students will be expelled next year."
Nagumo had yet to make any overt moves, but Ayanokouji supposed it was only a matter of time. Not that he knew much about the man, but judging from the speech he had given the other day, it wasn't difficult to imagine what kind of person Nagumo Miyabi was.
"You were already student council president when Nagumo was a first-year, right? Doesn't that make you responsible for bringing him in?"
"You might say that."
Horikita's older brother made no attempt to deny it.
"I made one mistake after joining the student council. I failed to choose the right successor. Nagumo was the only one I believed had the potential to take over, but his ideals differed from mine. Now he's managed to bring almost every second-year student under his influence."
"That's odd. I can understand Nagumo controlling the second-year Class A, but wouldn't he be an enemy to the other classes?"
"He's already won over the entire school."
Huh.
Ayanokouji didn't know exactly what the current student council president had been doing behind the scenes, but judging from that statement alone, it was far more significant than he had imagined. More importantly, the fact that Nagumo had actually managed to accomplish something like that was impressive in its own right.
"Two first-years applied to join the student council this year: Katsuragi and Ichinose. They're both talented students with a great deal of potential, but I chose not to admit either of them precisely because of that talent. I was concerned Nagumo would take them for himself."
"But Nagumo still managed to get Ichinose."
Letting out a quiet sigh, Horikita's older brother nodded.
"That's right. Nagumo established contact with Ichinose behind my back and eventually forced her into joining the student council."
Ayanokouji had already heard the general story from Ichinose during summer break. Now that he knew the reason behind it, he couldn't really blame Horikita's older brother for being concerned.
"Is that why you brought Kumagawa into the student council? As a deterrent?"
Horikita's older brother nodded slowly.
Ayanokouji had always wondered why someone as rational and logical as Horikita's older brother would recruit someone as irrational and illogical as Kumagawa into the student council. But if it had been done as a deterrent against Nagumo, then it started to make sense.
Perhaps that was also why he had appointed Kumagawa as vice president. Without a position high enough to rival Nagumo's authority, he wouldn't be able to oppose him effectively. And if Nagumo intended to use someone as popular as Ichinose, then Kumagawa needed enough influence to stand on equal footing. It was an uncharacteristically risky decision, but perhaps it had been the only one available.
"That was the original plan. But as I mentioned earlier, certain circumstances have made me reconsider."
"...Is it because of Kumagawa?"
"Do you know about the rumors surrounding the incident Kumagawa caused with the second-years? About how he's now the most hated first-year student among them?" He suddenly asked.
"More or less." Ayanokouji nodded. "I heard he caused an incident involving the second-years that nearly got around thirty students suspended. Isn't that right?"
For a while, it had been one of the biggest topics around the school. If nothing else, it had firmly cemented Kumagawa's reputation as the most troublesome student the school had seen in years.
"That's right. Considering what he caused, it would be strange if they didn't hate him. But don't you think the amount of hatred directed toward him is unusual?"
Ayanokouji wondered what he was getting at.
If the rumors were true, it wasn't strange that Kumagawa had become the target of the second-years' resentment. The incident had happened just before the Sports Festival, where physically capable students played a crucial role. Losing nearly thirty students, many of them among each class's strongest members, would naturally leave a bitter impression.
Perhaps sensing Ayanokouji's confusion, Horikita's older brother continued.
"The students involved came from multiple classes. Naturally, those classes would resent him, especially with the Sports Festival approaching and many of the suspended students being key members of their classes. That much is understandable. But the second-years are different. Nagumo has already united the entire grade under his thumb."
"And...?"
Ayanokouji still didn't understand. He knew very little about the second-years' internal situation, so that explanation alone meant very little to him.
"The class point gap," he said.
"The class point gap?"
Horikita's older brother nodded. "The difference in class points between Nagumo's class and the others has grown so large that catching up has become nearly impossible. Even if the other classes consistently performed well in future special exams, the gap would likely remain out of reach."
"Now you're exaggerating."
Considering how the first-year special exams had played out, the number of class points that could be won or lost at once was already substantial. It wasn't hard to imagine that the second and third years would eventually face exams capable of overturning even a large deficit.
After all, that was the kind of school this was.
"Perhaps." Horikita's older brother gave a small shrug. "You may think of it as an exaggeration if you like. The point is that the gap has become so overwhelming that the other classes have effectively given up on overtaking his. Nagumo now rules the second year without opposition."
"But what does that have to do with Kumagawa? You've been circling around the point this whole time, but you still haven't explained anything."
"With what happened involving Kumagawa, the school followed the usual procedure and held a disciplinary hearing involving both him and the second-years."
Ayanokouji immediately recalled the hearing surrounding the accusations against Kumagawa.
Despite being a high school, the school had a disciplinary process that closely resembled a courtroom. It wasn't exactly the same, but it carried a similar level of significance.
"While I can't tell you the details, the process that ultimately led to the suspension of more than thirty students made me begin to question whether choosing Kumagawa had truly been the right decision."
"So you regret picking him?"
"Not exactly." Horikita's older brother shook his head. "As far as I'm concerned, among all the students in this school, there's no one better suited to deal with Nagumo than him, at least in terms of personality. With Nagumo already having Ichinose under his influence, it was only a matter of time before he began extending that influence to the first-years as well. There was no one more suitable than Kumagawa, someone who acts entirely on his own whims and has little regard for what others think, whether they're his peers or his superiors."
"Then what's making you so concerned? If Kumagawa is the ideal person as you say, wouldn't that still be the best course of action?"
Ayanokouji could understand the former student council president's dilemma. Judging from everything he had said so far, Kumagawa really did seem like the optimal choice to oppose Nagumo.
While he still knew very little about Nagumo beyond his natural charisma and the arrogance that accompanied it. Kumagawa, on the other hand, had a natural tendency toward disorder and destruction. In that respect alone, the two stood at opposite ends of the river.
"What worries me is what comes afterward."
Without pausing, Horikita's older brother continued.
"Right now, Kumagawa is the vice president. It's the only position from which he can stand against Nagumo. But if, against all odds, Kumagawa manages to defeat him, then the person most likely to become the next student council president would be Kumagawa himself."
"..."
"While his personality is undeniably destructive, I originally believed it was something that could be managed to a certain extent. But after the hearing, I could no longer ignore it. If Kumagawa were to become the next student council president after Nagumo, saying the school would be forced to shut down would be an exaggeration... but I also can't say anything good would come from it."
Ayanokouji didn't know how to respond.
The former student council president's predicament really was a case of being caught between a rock and a hard place.
If Kumagawa defeated the current student council president as Manabu had originally intended, then he would most likely become the next student council president himself. On the other hand, if Kumagawa lost or was removed from the student council, there would be no one left capable of opposing Nagumo. At that point, the student council would become little more than his personal playground.
If that was truly Manabu's concern, then there was no outcome he could honestly call a victory.
"Why are you giving me all this insider information?"
"If you still wish to avoid drawing attention to yourself, continue using Suzune as you've done before. I'll act as the bridge between you and the student council."
"That's a rather unreasonable request. If you were still on the student council, your little sister might have been willing to join, but now that you've stepped down, I doubt she'd be interested. Besides, regardless of what Horikita chooses to do, I have no intention of involving myself."
Ayanokouji waited a moment before taking a sip of his tea.
"Are you sure?" Manabu asked as he watched him.
"...What do you mean?"
"While I don't know what happened between you and Kumagawa, I do know that you're unusually wary of him."
"...What are you talking about?"
"You don't have to hide it. Kumagawa himself told me. He mentioned the way you sometimes watch him, the effort you make to avoid him, and several other things. According to him, he was quite hurt by the way his 'close friend' treated him."
"....."
Kumagawa and his big mouth.
"Can you really blame me for being wary of him?"
There was little point in denying it anymore.
Kumagawa's eccentric personality was already common knowledge throughout the school. If anything, it would have been stranger not to be cautious around him. Even so, the way Manabu brought it up carried a different kind of nuance, one that made Ayanokouji instinctively raise his guard.
"Hahaha, that's true." Manabu let out a faint laugh before continuing. "But since you're already wary of him, are you certain you'll be comfortable staying uninvolved if he becomes the next student council president?"
Ayanokouji couldn't deny it.
"While Nagumo is certainly a problem because of his ideology, Kumagawa presents a different kind of danger. I can't say for certain that he would rule the student council the same way Nagumo would, nor do I believe he'd deliberately try to expel large numbers of students. But I can say with confidence that he would abuse the authority of the position."
"..."
"Are you comfortable leaving that authority in the hands of someone like him?"
"...Then can't he simply not become the next president? If Nagumo is removed from his position, couldn't the school just hold another election?"
Manabu shook his head,
"Sadly, that's not possible. For all intents and purposes, the vice president is a position meant to cultivate the next student council president. Nagumo could remove him, but not without legitimate cause. And judging by his personality, I doubt he'd choose to do that. He'd be far more interested in bringing Kumagawa under his influence than removing him altogether. That's simply the kind of person Nagumo is."
"Is there actually a rule that says the vice president is next in line for the presidency?"
"There isn't," he replied. "To begin with, the position of student council president isn't hereditary. The authority to appoint the next president rests entirely with the current one. Traditionally, however, that successor is usually chosen from among the vice presidents. That's why I said the position exists to cultivate the next president. As things stand, Kumagawa is the only vice president right now."
"....."
What a troubling situation.
With his already complicated situation, the possibility of Kumagawa becoming the next student council president spelled disaster in more ways than one, not just for the school, but for Ayanokouji as well.
So far, even after learning parts of Ayanokouji's past, Kumagawa had shown no interest in it. Even after meeting his father the other day, he hadn't shown the slightest curiosity about the White Room. There were even times when he seemed to forget the White Room existed.
But could Ayanokouji really take those words at face value?
Not only did Kumagawa lie habitually, but Ayanokouji couldn't even tell when he was actually telling the truth.
He simply couldn't bring himself to trust anything that great liar said.
"So that's why you're here, trying to recruit me, huh...?"
He wanted Ayanokouji to serve as his backup plan and quietly draw him into this entire affair.
Manabu must have recently realized that placing all his hopes on Kumagawa was no longer a safe gamble. Even if his intentions had been good, there was no guarantee things would end well. For someone as steadfast in his principles as Horikita's older brother, coming here in person spoke volumes.
"It seems you still have no intention of involving yourself." Slowly rising to his feet, Manabu looked at Ayanokouji. "Forgive me for bothering you."
"Would you mind giving me your contact information?" Ayanokouji asked the question almost immediately.
"What?"
"I'd like some time to think about putting your little sister on the student council and manipulating her from behind the scenes."
"So... you'll consider it?"
"You never intended to let me ignore this, did you?"
Ayanokouji wanted to point out how shameless that sounded. After laying out everything that could happen if Kumagawa became the next student council president, Manabu had left him with very little room to simply ignore the matter.
In a sense, he had been backed into a corner.
There was still a great deal Ayanokouji didn't fully understand, but the overall picture was beginning to take shape. Horikita Manabu, now nothing more than an ordinary student, wanted to keep the student council's future from falling into the wrong hands, and he intended to use Ayanokouji to do it. Yet as things stood, the situation was filled with uncertainties, not only in carrying out the plan, but also in whatever consequences followed afterward.
Horikita's older brother took out his phone and exchanged contact information with him without hesitation. That alone showed how seriously he intended to keep watch over the student council, even after stepping down.
"If I decide to cooperate, I'll contact you. It'd be rude not to at least think it over after you came all the way here."
"I expect nothing, but I'll be waiting."
Horikita's older brother left the room without touching the tea Ayanokouji had prepared. It had been for himself in the first place, but he could have at least taken a sip.
But putting that aside...
"A couple more months, huh...?"
Even if Ayanokouji tried putting himself in the shoes of someone about to graduate, there wasn't much he could do about the situation himself. Even so, now that he understood what might happen after Manabu left the school, it was impossible not to be concerned.
"Should I just stop?" he murmured to no one in particular.
He had been careful to remain behind the scenes this entire time, yet things still continued to go wrong somehow.
There were certainly consequences he had expected from his own actions and decisions, but there were also variables completely beyond his control. Whether he liked it or not, they continued to appear one after another.
As Murphy's Law put it, Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.
It was a rather nonsensical saying. If everything that could go wrong truly did, then success would be impossible from the very beginning. Reality wasn't that simple. Even so, considering everything that had happened recently, it was difficult to dismiss it entirely.
But hasty decisions only led to ruin.
Ayanokouji needed to carefully weigh his two options: continue moving forward or retreat.
At the moment, there were two major problems before him: Ryuen and Kumagawa.
Given his current situation, it was obvious which one required his immediate attention. One could be dealt with now. The other couldn't be resolved so easily and would require careful preparation.
Having reached that conclusion, Ayanokouji took out his phone and sent a message to a certain person, asking her to contact him as soon as she could. The read receipt appeared almost immediately after he sent it. She must have already returned to her dorm.
That was unusual.
She was normally out with her friends around this time of night.
— "Hello?"
The owner of that somewhat listless voice was Karuizawa. Unbeknownst to her, she was one of the people Ryuen had set his sights on. She also knew that Ayanokouji was the one manipulating Class D from behind the scenes, far more than Horikita.
Of course, there were still plenty of things she didn't know, such as how deeply he was involved or what exactly he had been doing. If anything, Karuizawa probably thought of Ayanokouji as an intensely creepy person by now.
"Just wondering what you're up to,"
— "You're joking, right? You wouldn't call without a reason,"
"You don't enjoy our conversations?"
— "If you don't enjoy them either, that's a dumb question."
Ayanokouji had intended to make a bit of small talk before getting to the point, but it seemed Karuizawa had no interest in playing along. An awkward silence settled between them, so he stepped out onto the balcony, deciding to enjoy the cold winter air instead.
The wind howled as it brushed against his face. Normally, it would have been unpleasant, but after drinking a cup of hot tea, the chill felt oddly comfortable.
— "...Hey, there's something I wanted to confirm with you, since we're already talking."
"Something you wanted to confirm?"
— "You're smart and all, so why don't you let people know? I mean, Class D is pretty much full of morons. If you acted more like Yousuke-kun, people would probably like you more, right?"
"There's nothing to support that evaluation, is there? My test scores are average, and I don't contribute much during class."
— "Average? Who are you trying to fool? Didn't you score above average on the last exam?"
"It's not as if I can score that well every time. I studied like crazy for that exam. My life practically depended on it," Ayanokouji replied. "What do you think would've happened if I hadn't scored at least that high when my partner was Kumagawa?"
There was no response from the other end.
Still, Karuizawa wasn't entirely wrong.
His test scores, which had always been average at best, had suddenly jumped. That wasn't something people could simply overlook. Because of it, a few classmates had already begun suspecting that he had been hiding his true ability just like in the sport festival.
Fortunately, most of that suspicion faded. Considering who his partner had been, everyone naturally assumed Ayanokouji had studied harder than usual. His new group of friends had also seen him putting in the effort, which only reinforced that explanation.
Of course there were still a few people who remained suspicious, but that wasn't something he needed to concern himself with.
— "Then why are you doing all this? You used me because you didn't want the attention, right? Setting aside your high score and your surprisingly good athletic ability, you could've just stayed in the background without doing anything."
"That's a good question." Normally, there was no reason to reveal this much, but for now, it was easier to humor her. "In the first place, I never intended to take control. Never have and never will. Something came up that forced my hand, so I helped Class D. That's all there is to it."
— "It's you, isn't it? You're the one that Ryuuen's searching for."
Ever since Class C had been demoted, their surveillance had only grown more aggressive. It wasn't just Sudou and Miyake anymore, and rumors had spread well beyond Class D. People were saying that Ryuen had been defeated by someone from Class D and was now searching for that person.
Karuizawa had probably realized it was him from the very beginning.
It would've been stranger if she hadn't.
"That's actually related to what I wanted to talk to you about. I wanted to apologize."
— "Apologize?"
"I've been helping Class D earn class points because something forced me to. But that's no longer the case."
He paused briefly.
"This will probably be the last time I call you."
— ".....Huh?"
Her response came a moment late. Perhaps she hadn't processed what he'd just said.
"This is the last time I'll call you."
She had definitely heard him that time.
"It's only natural. I don't need anything from you anymore. Besides, no one knows we've been in contact. If we keep talking for no reason, it'll only attract unnecessary suspicion."
He could tell she was about to interrupt, but he continued anyway.
"Of course, if you're ever in trouble, I'll still help you. I made a promise, and I'll keep it. You can contact me if it's an emergency. Other than that, delete everything. Our messages, your call history, everything. I've already deleted your contact information."
— "W-wait a minute. Why are you doing this?"
"What do you mean? You hated being used by me, didn't you?"
If he hadn't involved himself in the bullying incident with Manabe and the others, he and Karuizawa would probably never have spoken. A gloomy loner like him and a popular girl like her had no reason to cross paths.
— "W-well, yes, but..."
Karuizawa stumbled over her words. The silences between her replies grew longer. There was no point dragging this out any longer.
"I think we're done here. Was there anything else you wanted to say?"
— "....So, this is the last time I can talk to you like this, Kiyotaka?"
"Are you reluctant to stop?"
— "Of course not."
"Then there's no problem."
His answer carried no emotion.
There was no reason to keep this relationship going any longer. She had already served her purpose, and maintaining secret contact with her had become more troublesome than useful.
— "I-I guess... I'll hang up then..."
Even over the phone, Ayanokouji could tell Karuizawa was struggling to suppress something.
"See you."
Whether she wanted to say something else no longer mattered.
— "Ah..."
Karuizawa sounded as though she wanted to say something more, but nothing came.
After waiting a few seconds, Ayanokouji ended the call, deleted the call history, then placed his phone on the bed before plugging it in to charge.
Attaching herself to him like a parasite had probably given Karuizawa a sense of security. Abruptly cutting her off like this had undoubtedly shaken her. The anxiety and loneliness he sensed in her voice would onl y continue to grow. If Ryuen came after her in that state...
She would almost certainly break.
"Well. I took a few detours, but I'm finally back where I was when I first enrolled in this school, huh?"
From this point onward, he had no intention of involving himself with Horikita, Karuizawa, Ryuen, or Sakayanagi any further. He probably wouldn't push himself during future special exams either. Of course, there were still a few loose ends that might eventually need to be dealt with, but for the time being, none of them were particularly relevant.
"So that only leaves Kumagawa, huh..."
That lying demon.
His one and only problem.
『END』
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Whew, I didn't expect to actually finish a chapter.
I've been pretty busy these past couple of weeks, so I haven't had much time to write. Thankfully, I finally found some free time and managed to squeeze this one out.
Well, as you can see, this is a very Ayanokouji-centric chapter. You can complain if you want, but it is what it is. Honestly, I think this chapter is pretty important in the long run, especially for showing how Ayanokouji will move forward with Kumagawa in mind. At this point, Kumagawa is simply too much of a threat for him to ignore.
I don't have much else to say, so that's it for this chapter.
Hope you enjoyed it.
[Thanks for reading!]