Kaoru remained unmoved.
This wasn't his first time facing a beautiful girl's icy glare.
"If this continues, I'll get angry, Mitoma-senpai."
Tsubasa Nanase expressionlessly placed her fists on her thighs, seemingly forcing herself to calm down.
"I've said before that I can leave the Student Council anytime. Please be serious."
"Everyone subject to backroom deals says that. Unfortunately, their final outcomes never match their words."
Kaoru said leisurely. "Nanase-san, what is revenge to you? And what is Matsuo Eiichiro to you?"
If these words had been spoken a few days earlier, they might have simply been probing her thoughts.
But now, Tsubasa Nanase heard clear threats in them.
"I can do it without you!"Tsubasa Nanase gritted her teeth. "Neither [I] nor I will ever forget that time..."
"You can't do it."
Kaoru interrupted her once again, calmly denying her words. "Even if you continue pretending to be Matsuo Eiichiro, I don't see much vengeful anger in you. Do you even believe what you're saying yourself?"
"Wh-what... I'm not pretending! Eiichiro has always been by my side!"
Nanase found his words piercing.
She didn't know how much effort she needed to put in, didn't know how far she could go.
"[I] returned from that world to take revenge on Ayanokoji-senpai and the White Room!"
"Fine, I'll have Ayanokoji expelled right now."
Kaoru looked at her quietly. "And then what do you plan to do?"
Nanase was momentarily stunned.
Having Ayanokoji Kiyotaka expelled was originally her plan. If someone else accomplished it, what would she do?
If Ayanokoji Kiyotaka returned to where he belonged, her goal would be achieved.
"But, I wonder if Tsukishiro will let you meet with Ayanokoji Atsuomi."
Kaoru spoke up. "That's what you're thinking about, isn't it? Actually, you don't even know if Tsukishiro will follow through. You were just stimulated by Matsuo and decided to come to this school."
Nanase had intended to keep up the act, but facing Kaoru's gaze, she couldn't maintain the pretense any longer. It was just self-deception.
"Even if you say that, even if this plan is unreliable, do you have a better method than mine?"
"I can arrange a meeting between you and Ayanokoji Atsuomi."
Kaorui said calmly. "As long as you can prove you truly hold vengeful intentions toward the White Room and Ayanokoji Atsuomi."
Nanase didn't know what expression to make. Could she trust this man before her?
At that moment, Kaoru suddenly laughed.
"Nanase-san, this is what backroom deals are about."
He spread his hands. "See? As long as you're tempted, I can reel you in."
Backroom deals naturally had different approaches.
Some people used rough methods, simply forcing girls, while others employed much gentler tactics.
If Nanase was truly concerned about revenge, in a sense, this was her vulnerability.
With Kaoru slightly controlling the situation and deliberately guiding Nanase, he could quickly make her throw herself into his arms.
However, to Nanase, his words carried a different meaning.
Her face flushed red, feeling not only looked down upon by Kaoru but also foolishly taking the bait.
"Mitoma-senpai, is this kind of prank fun for you?"
Nanase was reaching her limit. "I suspect you have no intention of cooperating at all!"
Kaoru suddenly let out a soft sigh. "Don't be like this, Nanase-san. Don't stay here while being angry—it'll reveal your thoughts. Because you want to cooperate with me, but you don't know how to proceed."
Nanase's surface attitude was tough, but her lack of any actual action was enough to expose her inner thoughts.
From the beginning until now, the initiative had already fallen into Kaoru's hands.
Now it only depended on whether Nanase had strong enough determination for revenge.
"You..."
Nanase was speechless.
She genuinely didn't understand what Kaoru meant now.
"Actually, I can help you right now. But like you, I also have doubts about trusting you." Kaoru said calmly, "Two consecutive deaths—this is quite a serious incident. And the person involved is Tsukishiro, who happens to be Ayanokoji Atsuomi's client. Can I trust you, Nanase?"
Tsubasa Nanase had never considered this perspective.
She didn't trust Kaoru, and he similarly held a suspicious attitude toward her.
"Do you want me to prove my relationship with Eiichiro?"
Tsubasa Nanase bit her lip.
At this moment, how could she prove she was capable of leaving the school?
"The facts are clear—you're the one who needs to earn trust now, Nanase."
Kaoru didn't feel he was manipulating Tsubasa Nanase at all. "It's somewhat laughable when you think about it. Even you believe there's nothing you can do to help me, so why does it anger you so much that I keep you by my side?"
Tsubasa Nanase's thoughts were in disarray. She instinctively felt something was wrong, but she couldn't pinpoint what exactly felt off.
"Cooperation is about mutual benefit. I find you adorable, so is it strange that I want you around?"
Kaoru continued, "In return, I'll help you achieve your revenge. It should be a win-win situation. What exactly are you dissatisfied with about me?"
"No, I just think what you're doing isn't right. When you have a girlfriend, you shouldn't flirt with others."
Tsubasa Nanase rebutted earnestly.
Soon, Kaoru's next statement shattered her reasoning.
"Even my girlfriend has no objections, so why are you interfering with my thoughts, Nanase?"
For once, Tsubasa Nanase showed a confused expression.
In her view, remaining loyal to one's girlfriend was taken for granted, but what if the girlfriend allowed her boyfriend to cheat?
It seemed bizarre—like a girlfriend being happy upon learning her boyfriend was dating someone else. No matter how you looked at it, it was strange.
"Nanase, if you want revenge, you need to prove to me what value and capabilities you possess."
Kaoru said, "I don't mind bringing along an extra person, but I do mind if that person objects to my methods."
Tsubasa Nanase lightly bit her lip, resembling many young girls on the verge of yielding to backroom deals.
Her mind was entangled in the most conflicted and struggling state.
"I... I can help you deal with the White Room students..."
"Sorry, I've already made Yagami drop out. The remaining White Room students probably won't pose much challenge."
"You... you need helpers in your first year..."
"Sorry, I have Kaho. Don't be fooled by her soft appearance—she's actually very capable."
"I... I..."
Faced with Kaoru's successive rejections, Tsubasa Nanase couldn't think of any way she could be useful.
"If even you can't figure it out, is it so hard for you to just be a decorative piece?"
Kaoru sighed. "To be honest, if I were to make backroom deals with you, I'd be the one at a disadvantage. I don't lack women. If I just wanted to have fun for a few days, I'd rather not touch you from the start."
Tsubasa Nanase was left speechless.
She now felt she had been unreasonable earlier—unable to help yet suspecting Kaoru of ulterior motives.
"I... I'm not just a decorative piece..."
The girl tried to make an effort. "I can be useful. I can help you."
"You want revenge that badly?"
Kaoru looked at her with skepticism.
"I truly can't accept it! Eiichiro had such a bright future ahead of him. Because of Ayanokoji-senpai, because of their personal reasons, he had to die... I can't accept it!"
Tsubasa Nanase grew more determined. "If you want me to prove myself, I can't prove right now whether I'm lying or not, but I can do anything you ask!"
The girl bravely met Kaoru's gaze, with no trace of the coldness she had shown him earlier.
It seemed Tsubasa Nanase had completely forgotten what Kaoru had just said.
Despite being reminded this involved backroom deals, she had taken the initiative to offer herself.
"No matter what I ask you to do?"
Kaoru inquired.
Just as Tsubasa Nanase was about to respond, she hesitated inexplicably. A girl's instinct made her sense danger.
"You hesitated, Nanase."
Kaoru shook his head, "You can leave anytime. I won't stop you."
"No, I was just..."
Halfway through her sentence, Tsubasa immediately abandoned the thought of explaining, "I won't leave! I can be very useful!"
"We'll talk another time. Only when you've figured out what you can do and what you can offer me will I consider whether to help you."
Kaoru felt somewhat disappointed.
He hadn't made any demands of Tsubasa Nanase because he genuinely had no need for her assistance.
After all, Tsubasa couldn't even accept being a mere vase, and she hadn't even considered staying.
Tsubasa could discern Kaoru's thoughts, and most of her earlier hesitation and doubt vanished.
If Kaoru had wanted to do anything to her, he could have easily given orders taking advantage of the situation.
Yet, Kaoru had refused her.
Tsubasa Nanase's heart grew heavier. She wanted to say something to Kaoru, but in the end, she only moved her lips without uttering a word.
What could she say now?
She didn't even know what she could do for Kaoru—how could she possibly persuade him?
Perhaps noticing her expression, Kaoru fell silent for a moment before speaking: "This cooperation is unequal. If you truly stay, I might genuinely engage in backroom deals with you. After all, what I'm interested in is your body."
This could be considered Kaoru's warning, and the girl could understand it as such.
However, since Kaoru had emphasized this point repeatedly and considering the numerous rumors she'd heard, Tsubasa Nanase had already accepted in her mind that Kaoru was a lecherous person.
Therefore, the girl didn't react much at this moment.
"I'm not a vase."
Tsubasa Nanase was stubborn; she was determined to make Kaoru believe in her capabilities.