『』『』『』『』『』
"Woah..."
Ayanokouji, who had just finished changing in the locker room, stood in front of the pool facility, taking in the scene.
"Is this what they call festive?" he muttered.
Crowds of students filled the area, and the edge of the pool was lined with food stalls. The smell of grilled meat and sauce filled the air—hot dogs, yakisoba, okonomiyaki, and more. Everything screamed "festival."
"Eh? Ayanokouji-kun, is this your first time seeing something like this?"
Ichinose appeared out of nowhere, smiling brightly.
He turned toward her, his eyes dropping slightly out of reflex before naturally shifting up to meet hers. Fortunately, Ichinose didn't notice.
"More or less. I didn't go out much during my childhood, so this kind of thing feels a bit new to me."
This was the first time he had experienced such an atmosphere.
He had spent most of his life learning on his own, rarely stepping outside the strict boundaries that had been set for him. It wasn't every day he could take part in something like this.
That was also why, even if just a little, he wanted to enjoy his high school life.
Ichinose smiled as she looked around.
"Yeah, there are a lot more people than the previous day. I guess everyone wanted to enjoy the last day to the fullest."
"Previous day?"
Ayanokouji tilted his head slightly. He thought the school limited entry to just once to avoid overcrowding, but from Ichinose's words, it sounded like she had come more than once.
But before she could answer, another voice cut in.
『Oyaa, if it isn't Ayanokouji-kun, and Ichinose-chan. 』
"Hello, Kumagawa-kun!"
Kumagawa appeared out of nowhere, balancing several boxes in his arms. They looked heavy, but he carried them effortlessly, a stark contrast to his small frame.
Ayanokouji, who had experienced Kumagawa's strength firsthand during the special exam, still found it hard to believe. No matter how many times he saw it, it never made sense.
Normally, strength was supposed to scale with size. Larger individuals typically had more muscle mass, which resulted in greater force. But Kumagawa's body didn't match that logic. His arms and legs were slim, and his build looked anything but athletic. Yet, he carried weights that even some people would find difficult.
But at the same time, strength didn't always scale with size. Muscle density, fiber type—those things mattered too. Some people, even with smaller builds, had high muscle efficiency and compact strength. If the body's neural pathways were properly tuned, it could produce more force without relying on visible muscle mass.
But even with that knowledge, Ayanokouji couldn't shake off the feeling that Kumagawa's case was different.
"Kumagawa, Kushida was pretty angry earlier, you know."
Ayanokoouji started a conversation.
He decided to bring it up casually, almost like small talk.
Truthfully, even until now, Ayanokouji never knew how to properly start a conversation with Kumagawa. So he just went with whatever came to mind—what he'd seen, what he'd heard and let the rest follow.
Still, part of him was curious.
How close were they really? Did Kumagawa know what kind of person Kushida truly was? The side she kept hidden behind her constant smile?
He couldn't tell whether Kumagawa was clueless or if he had already seen through everything. He was on a completely different level from Kushida when it came to hiding his thoughts. In fact, Ayanokouji wasn't sure if anyone could read Kumagawa at all.
"Eh? What happened, Kumagawa-kun? Did you have a fight with Kushida-san?" Ichinose, being the social butterfly she was, casually asked with a cheerful tone.
『Ahaha, more or less. I kinda forgot to tell Kushida-chan that I had to help out with the student council, so she ended up waiting for me even though we'd planned to go to the pool today. 』
"Ehh!? Kumagawa-kun, you joined the student council?!"
Both Ichinose and Ayanokouji showed a hint of surprise—though in Ayanokouji's case, it was less about the fact itself and more about how Kumagawa had managed to convince Horikita Manabu.
He already knew the older Horikita had been considering inviting Kumagawa to the council, but he didn't expect things to actually progress this quickly.
『Ah, speaking of the student council—congratulations on your acceptance, Ichinose-chan. 』
"Hahaha, thank you, Kumagawa-kun."
Ayanokouji glanced at Ichinose, who smiled cheerfully. Altough it was suprising, it wasn't really that surprising that she'd made it in. With her popularity, good grades, and position as Class A's representative, it felt more like a natural progression than anything unexpected.
But it was still a suprise.
『Looks like we're coworkers now. Or maybe, subordinates? Don't worry, even if I look like this, I'm a pretty reasonable superior. 』
"Superior? What are you talking about, Kumagawa?" Ayanokouji asked. As far as he knew, all first-year council members should hold the same rank. The idea of Kumagawa being above Ichinose or anyone else didn't make sense on paper, rather, the idea of Kumagawa being above anyone was already wrong in the first place.
Even Ichinose tilted her head in confusion.
『Eh? Didn't you hear from the Manabu-senpai? When the new semester starts, I'm officially going to become the vice president. 』
"—!!!"
"—!!!"
This time, even Ayanokouji couldn't hide his surprise.
Vice president?
Had Horikita Manabu finally lost it? That position was typically reserved for second or third-years students who had proven themselves both in academics and leadership. It wasn't a role a first-year could casually step into. No, not unless something was seriously wrong.
It seemed the situation behind the scenes was more desperate than he'd assumed.
Still, if he looked at it objectively, Kumagawa becoming vice president might provide some kind of strategic advantage to Class D. With enough leverage, that kind of influence could be weaponized. But just as clearly, it came with a whole new set of problem.
And especially in this very moment... it was already starting to feel like a problem.
『Anyway, I need to place these boxes in the locker room. Enjoy your time, you two.』
As expected, Kumagawa was already becoming a source of trouble for him.
Ayanokouji glanced toward the locker room. Letting Kumagawa go in now—while his friends were still inside—could easily lead to unnecessary complications. And with Kumagawa being the vice president, the stakes were even higher.
He needed to stall him.
"Wait, Kumagawa. Before you go, I want to ask you something."
『What is it, Ayanokouji-kun? 』
"How did you convince Horikita-senpai to let you join the student council? I don't think he's the type to accept just anyone."
Though he asked the question to stall for time, Ayanokouji was genuinely curious. From what he understood, Horikita Manabu was someone who valued merit above all else. Even his own sister wasn't given special treatment.
So why Kumagawa?
What kind of merit did he see in someone like him?
"That's right, Kumagawa-kun. How did you manage to convince Horikita-senpai? I actually tried joining the student council before... but I was rejected. So I figured maybe I was lacking something."
This time, Ichinose Joined in.
Hmm...?
That was new.
It was the first time he'd heard that Ichinose had tried to join the student council and was turned down. Could it be related to Kumagawa being accepted instead?
『Ah, you were able to join thanks to a recommendation from Nagumo-senpai, right? That popular blond guy from Class 2-A. 』
"That was a bit rude toward your upperclassmen, Kumagawa-kun... but yes, it's true. He helped me get in."
Once again, Ayanokouji found himself thinking about the level of authority student council members held in this school, especially the president and vice president. They had real influence, even in administrative matters.
And because of that, he couldn't help but feel uneasy.
He still remembered how Kumagawa handled things during the uninhabited island special exam—using his role as leader to manipulate and push others around. He clearly saw and experience it first hand how he abused that position of power.
Now that Kumagawa was vice president...
It really was only a matter of time before he started abusing that position too.
『Well, if you were to ask me, it was more about the nature of disposition rather than anything else. 』
"Disposition? Does that mean Horikita-senpai judged me as... lacking in that area?" Ichinose asked with a slightly uncertain tone, trying to keep her usual cheerfulness intact.
Rather than asking the obvious question why Kumagawa was accepted into the student council instead of her, Ichinose chose to focus on herself. If something went wrong, she naturally assumed the problem was within her, not others.
Maybe it was because of her kind and honest personality. She always tried to see the good in people, and when faced with rejection, she didn't blame anyone else.
That was likely one of the reasons why Manabu-senpai didn't choose her.
Someone like her, who doubted herself too easily, might not have been what he was looking for.
『In the first place, Ichinose-chan isn't the kind of weak girl who'd be shaken by something like that. According to Manabu-senpai, you were honestly the perfect candidate. So it came down to circumstances more than anything.』
He smiled without a hint of guilt or modesty.
『To be honest, if not for those circumstances, he probably would've picked you first. I wouldn't stand a chance against you if we fought fairly. 』
"Heh, I guess I should've bribed him with sweets or something," Ichinose said with a light chuckle. "Well... I guess there's still a lot I need to work on. If there's something I'm lacking, then I'll just fix it little by little, hahaha."
『.... 』
Before Kumagawa could say anything in response, a loud voice cut through the air.
"Wow!"
Then Ike and the others showed up. He couldn't help but exclaim when he saw the stunning sight before him.
Almost all the students around the pool turned their attention to the group. Ichinose, Horikita, Kushida, and Karuizawa naturally drew the eyes of nearly every male student present. Even though they tried not to make it obvious, their gazes and expressions betrayed their true thoughts in the end.
"Look, Kanji! Gah! I can see them! Their breasts, right under those swimsuits! I can see them!" Yamauchi shouted without shame.
"I know!" Ike responded, equally loud and excited.
Unlike the others, Ike and Yamauchi didn't even bother hiding their intentions. They were practically broadcasting it. Naturally, the girls stared at them like they were trash.
"Ah! Kumagawa, you bastard!" Ike suddenly pointed at him.
It seemed he had just noticed Kumagawa's presence, even though he was standing right next to him the whole time.
Apparently, his lust had blinded him from everything else.
"You....I heard that you and Kushida are childhood friends, right?! What the hell, man?! That kind of info is way too unfair!"
It was common knowledge that Ike had been infatuated with Kushida ever since the school year started back in April. Well, to be exact, he was infatuated with just about every girl, but he was especially obsessed with Kushida more than anyone else.
『Ahaha, what a passionate feeling. 』
"Dammit... it should've been me..."
Ayanokouji gave Ike a strange look. It wasn't every day you saw someone get frustrated over something so out of their control. It wasn't like he was being serious, but even so, blaming fate over someone's childhood friendship felt weird.
After Ike, it was Horikita's turn to approach him.
It was clear she had long since reached her limit. Her expression spoke for itself. Ayanokouji, already sensing the atmosphere, instinctively avoided eye contact with her—a habit he had slowly developed whenever she seemed especially irritated.
"You're late. And not only that, you didn't even bother to inform us. Do you have any idea how long we waited?"
『Eh, Horikita-chan? You came too? I didn't think you were the type to spend your free time at the pool. Honestly, I always imagined you staying in your room alone, without any friends, studying through the summer. 』
"I didn't. And don't act like you know me. It's annoying."
Ayanokouji, meanwhile, continued keeping his eyes on the pool, pretending to enjoy the view.
"Also," Horikita continued, "since when do you help out with school matters? Did they offer you private points or something? I can't imagine you doing it otherwise."
It was a sharp remark, but not unreasonable. From what Horikita knew of Kumagawa's usual behavior, it felt completely out of character for him to get involved in something so official without some form of personal gain.
But that assumption was simply a mistake.
Even Ayanokouji, who understood Kumagawa more than most, couldn't draw such a clean conclusion. Kumagawa was the type of person who did things for the sake of doing them. Whether there was a reason behind his actions or absolutely none at all, was irrelevant.
It could be meaningful, meaningless, or something in between. Trying to assign logic to his motives was like chasing a shadow in the dar, there is no truly way to know what he's thinking.
『No, no, it's not like I wanted to do this either. Honestly, you should blame your brother. It's definitely not my fault. 』
"...What does my brother have to do with you being late, exactly?"
Standing nearby and overhearing the conversation, Ayanokouji grew slightly uneasy. That's right, Horikita didn't know about Kumagawa joining the student council.
『You didn't know? Horikita-chan, if you keep being this inattentive, your brother might be disappointed, you know? I'm sure it'd be pretty sad for him to see his own sister not growing at all during his final year here. 』
"...."
Horikita's expression tightened as a faint frown formed on her face.
Ayanokouji, watching from nearby, had already predicted this reaction. Whenever her brother's name came up, it was like flipping a switch in her. If he had to put it into words, it was like touching her reverse scale.
『The truth is, I was coerced into doing this manual labor. I even considered dropping out of school just to avoid it. But then I remembered, I already tried that once before, so I gave up on the idea. 』
That had to be a joke, probably. Still, Ayanokouji couldn't help but think it wouldn't be so bad if Kumagawa actually did leave the school. Unfortunately, he knew that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.
"Again.... what does any of this have to do with my brother?"
『Your brother's the one who let me into the student council. And now, as a result, I've been forced to do this kind of labor without any pay. Since he's technically my superior, he gets to abuse his authority and trample on my rights as he pleases. 』
"...Hah?"
『This is part of my duties as student council vice president. 』
Horikita stared at Kumagawa as if she were trying to figure out whether he was being serious or just mentally unwell.
"Stop joking around, Kumagawa-kun. It's not funny."
『It looks like you have little faith in me. Unfortunately, I've never lied or even tried to lie in my entire life. But if you're still not convinced, why not ask Ayanokouji-kun? 』
The level of nonsense packed into that one sentence was staggering.
Horikita shifted her gaze toward Ayanokouji with narrowed eyes.
"...Care to explain, Ayanokouji-kun?"
"Umm..."
While Ike and the others were busy losing their minds over Kushida and the rest of the girls, Ayanokouji found himself dealing with a far less enviable situation.
Before he could come up with a half-decent excuse or redirect the conversation, salvation came in the form of Class A. The rest of the students who came with Ichinose finally finished changing, and with that, the group was now complete.
"Alright, everyone! Let's go have fun!" Ichinose beamed, her energy instantly shifting the atmosphere.
『Then I'll take my leave here. I still have boxes to carry, after all. 』 Kumagawa waved lazily.
While the others eagerly walked toward the pool, chatting and laughing, Horikita paused and shot a look over her shoulder.
"We're going to talk about this later, Ayanokouji-kun."
"...Yeah."
Ayanokouji sighed in resignation.
There was no escaping Horikita once she was like that. With that in mind, he slowly followed after the rest of the group.
As they walked toward the poolside, Ayanokouji's gaze drifted toward the girls ahead. From the back, it might've looked like he was staring for the wrong reasons—but frankly, there was no helping it.
One of the girls turned back slightly. Her expression was complicated—conflicted, even.
Seeing that look, Ayanokouji could more or less guess what had happened. Still, there was time. It was just a matter of finding the right moment.
Even so, watching how naturally close everyone seemed, especially the girls, he felt a slight tinge of jealousy. If Ike and the others weren't so exhausting to be around, maybe he could've enjoyed this summer vacation without any worry.
Once again, Ayanokouji let out a heavy sigh.
While the group walked ahead, Kumagawa, still carrying a stack of boxes, briefly turned his head to glance in their direction.
『Hmm... 』
He made a vague sound, as if noting something but deciding not to act on it. Without stopping, he stepped into the locker room, the boxes wobbling slightly in his arms.
Kumagawa walked past the empty benches and lockers, heading toward the innermost part of the room. There, he lowered the boxes onto the tiled floor with a dull thud.
『Now then... 』
『』『』『』『』『』
Ichinose led the way as they went to secure a place where they could all hang out together. The guys fell in line right behind the girls. Their objective was obviously to ogle at the girls' buttocks.
They didn't even bother to hide their impure intentions.
Sudou, however, positioned himself right beside Horikita, acting like some kind of self-appointed bodyguard. Seeing that, Ayanokouji recalled that Sudou had developed a clear interest in Horikita. That feeling had only grown stronger since the special exam.
He didn't know what kind of experience had caused the hot-headed Sudou to fall for the ice-cold Horikita, but if something were to happen between them, maybe they wouldn't make such a bad pair.
Ayanokouji wondered if he could ever develop that kind of connection with someone in this school. It felt unlikely—but for now, all he could do was hope.
"Ichinose-san. You guys. You came here today too, huh."
Just as they were in the middle of looking for a spot, three male students called out to them. Ayanokouji recognized one of them, it was Kanzaki from Class A.
"Yoo-hoo, Shibata-kun, you're here with the guys?" Ichinose responded brightly.
Shibata raised his hand with a friendly smile and looked over at Ichinose's group. "Looks like a fun crowd! Mind if we tag along?" he asked.
"I'm totally okay with that, but... is that alright with everyone?" Ichinose then turned to look at the members of Class D.
Technically, it was Ichinose's group who had joined them today. But even so, for her to agree on her own without checking in with Class D would've seemed a bit presumptuous.
Thankfully, Kushida nodded with enthusiasm, which effectively blocked any chance for Ike and Yamauchi to oppose it. Had it been girls asking to join, the two might've agreed in a heartbeat. But this time, it was three guys—and one of them was even good-looking.
Left with no real way to object, Ike and Yamauchi gave reluctant nods of approval.
And just like that, the group that had started with seven people had now expanded into a total of thirteen.
"Sorry for bothering you guys."
While the others were already busy chatting and messing around, Kanzaki quietly approached Ayanokouji. He kept his voice low, as if making sure not to attract the attention of the others.
"It's fine. It's the last day of vacation, after all," Ayanokouji replied.
"It's true that we don't get many chances to interact like this with students from other classes. Shibata and the others seem happy," Kanzaki said, smiling faintly. He gave off the impression of someone who genuinely looked out for his classmates.
"Then why not join them?" Ayanokouji asked, sensing something behind the way Kanzaki had approached him.
"I'm like you, Ayanokouji. Not too good with crowds."
Ayanokouji gave a faint nod. It wasn't a particularly deep conversation, just idle chatter between two people who found themselves slightly apart from the rest. But then, Kanzaki abrubtly change the topic.
"By the way, I ran into Kumagawa earlier. He said he got into the student council. Is that really true?"
"Do you think he was lying?" Ayanokouji asked calmly.
"After everything that's happened, it's kinda hard for me to take anything he says at face value. There's also his reputation around school to consider..."
Ayanokouji didn't argue. He could understand Kanzaki's hesitation.
He didn't know what exactly Kumagawa had told Kanzaki in the past to earn such distrust, but it wasn't surprising. If anything, it was expected. It could've been something that happened during the island exam, or maybe something more recent during the cruise. Either way, both scenarios were plausible when it came to Kumagawa.
"Unfortunately, I think it's true. That Kumagawa really did join the student council by the recommendation of the student council president."
"Is that so... I guess there's not much we can do if that's really the case."
"You seem rather... calm, knowing Kumagawa is a student council member. Don't you feel a little worried?
"Of course I'm worried, but I think I'm worried for an entirely different reason than what you think."
"Different reason?"
"You probably thought I was worried about what would happen to the school now that Kumagawa's the vice president, right?"
Ayanokouji gave a small nod. That was the natural assumption one would have when someone who did things on a whim was placed in a position of power.
But Kanzaki shook his head.
"I'm not really afraid of what he'll do to the school. I doubt they'd let him go too far anyway. What I'm worried about... is Ichinose."
"Ichinose?"
"You know she joined the student council recently, right?"
"Yeah. I just found out about it earlier. It's impressive she got in as a first-year."
"Yeah. The same could be said about Kumagawa. Now that both of them are part of the student council, they'll naturally interact more."
"Right...."
Ayanokouji could guess where Kanzaki was going with this, but he didn't fully understand what the actual problem was. Rather than thinking too deeply about it, he decided to ask directly.
"What exactly are you worried about?"
Kanzaki looked ahead, his eyes following Ichinose as she smiled and talked with the others.
"Did you know that Ichinose has changed recently?"
"Changed?" Ayanokouji tilted his head slightly, glancing at Kanzaki.
"Yeah... Ichinose has changed," Kanzaki repeated with a more serious tone.
Ayanokouji followed his gaze, watching Ichinose splash around with Shibata and the others. From a distance, she looked cheerful and energetic, just like always.
Did she really change?
They weren't in the same class, so he didn't have a full picture of her daily behavior. But from what he could see, Ichinose still seemed like the same kind and dependable person she had always been.
"I don't really see it," Ayanokouji replied honestly.
"I figured," Kanzaki said with a calm expression. "I think it was during the special exam that her behavior started to change. Although it's not that she became someone else. She just started acting more decisive."
"Hmm? Isn't that basically a good thing?"
"Of course it is," Kanzaki nodded. "The problem is, it started happening after she had a few frequent encounters with Kumagawa. She's become more firm, more assertive... but it feels like she's carrying the weight alone."
He paused for a moment, then added, "The Ichinose I knew would've talked things through with her friends. She used to be more inclusive, always making sure no one was left behind. But now... it's like she's forcing herself to take on everything by herself."
Ayanokouji thought for a moment. It wasn't impossible for someone to grow and mature through challenges. Becoming more decisive wasn't necessarily a negative change.
"Maybe it's just a natural step in her growth," he offered.
"I hope so." Kanzaki said quietly.
He really hopes that was really the case.
Even though he said that Ichinose was changing, it wasn't exactly the right way to describe it. For someone like Ayanokouji, who belonged to a different class and only saw Ichinose from a distance, it might've looked like a normal part of her development.
But for Kanzaki, who had been working beside her, it was different. As someone who was close to her, and had watched her lead their class as a core member, it didn't feel like growth, at least not in the truest sense.
It wasn't her abilities that were improving. Not her personality either. And not her mindset.
Rather than growing into a better version of herself, it felt like she's trying to imitate someone else, like she was trying to become someone else entirely.
Kanzaki wasn't saying Kumagawa had directly influenced her in a bad way. But the timing lined up too well. And if Ichinose, who had always trusted her classmates, suddenly started taking everything on alone... it wouldn't end well.
For now, the change wasn't too noticeable or drastic. And as long as nothing went wrong, Kanzaki believed he could still guide her back, little by little.
Yes..... so long as nothing happened, things should be fine.
Then, suddenly, they heard loud cheering ahead.
The facility had three pools, each serving different purposes. One was for standard swimming. Another mimicked a lazy river, with a gentle current. The last one was built for more active events, like sports and group games.
Ayanokouji and Kanzaki looked at each other and decided to take a look.
A crowd of excited girls had gathered around the sports pool, where a heated game of volleyball was underway. Ayanokouji didn't recognize most of the players. Judging from their appearance, they were likely second- or third-year students.
Among them, one person stood out.
"Ah, Ayanokouji, you're here," Sudou called out, walking over from the crowd.
"What's happening?"
"Look at him. He's awesome."
The person Sudou pointed at was the same one who had caught Ayanokouji's eye. At first glance, the student looked slender, even delicate. But with each movement, his toned abs became more visible, showing a clear level of fitness. His blonde hair swayed with every step, drawing more attention to his already striking appearance.
He was clearly the center of attention among the girls.
"Ugh, he's the kind of guy I hate the most. Not especially talented or hardworking, but he still wins just because of his looks," Ike complained, standing nearby with Yamauchi.
"H-he's handsome, he's smart, he's good at sports... Who the hell is he!?"
It wasn't that Ayanokouji couldn't understand Ike and Yamauchi feelings of venomous envy. But at the same time, he couldn't help but think they were completely off the mark.
"People are really getting fired up, huh? That guy completely dominated the game all by himself," Ayanokouji said, observing the volleyball match.
"Looks like it. I'm not sure who he is or where he's from, though," said Horikita, who had appeared beside him. Judging by the direction she came from, she'd been watching the game from a distance.
Neither of them were particularly familiar with students outside their own class, and even less so with upperclassmen. If they wanted to know who he was, there was one person who could answer without fail—Kushida.
Her network spanned across classes, and even grades. She probably knew more names and faces than any other student in the school.
"Ah, him? That's Nagumo-senpai from Class A. He's a second-year. I heard he's really popular with girls," Kushida explained casually.
"Nagumo..." Horikita muttered his name under her breath.
Well, Ayanokouji figured that was expected for someone with that kind of athleticism and appearance.
Ichinose, who had apparently been eavesdropping nearby, added more details with a small smile. "He's the current student council vice president. He was chosen to take over after the previous president graduated. Oh, and he's also supposed to be really smart."
At the mention of the student council, Horikita's shoulder visibly tensed.
Every time Nagumo made a flashy move, loud, high-pitched cheers erupted from the crowd of girls watching. Other matches were going on as well, but all eyes seemed to be locked on Nagumo alone.
"Even though he's popular with the girls, I've never heard of him until now. You didn't know about him either, right, Ayanokouji-kun?" Horikita asked. "He's obviously skilled, but considering the hype, I'm sure a lot of it is just image. The current student council president would easily surpass him in any field, don't you think?"
"Umm....."
She never knew about him simply because she didn't bother remembering other students' names in the first place. That's what he wanted to say—but he held back, wary of whatever retaliation she might come up with.
So he gave her the response she was looking for.
"Uh-huh."
"Yeah, they say the president Horikita was amazing. Possibly the most extraordinary student in the school's history," Ichinose nodded along. "Oh, now that I think about it... doesn't the president share your last name, Horikita-san?"
"It would appear so," Horikita replied plainly, showing no intention of elaborating further.
"But there are rumors about Nagumo having comparable skills. In fact, during the student council election, President Horikita and Vice President Nagumo both ran for the position. At that time, Nagumo was still just a first-year." said Ichinose.
It was the first time Ayanokouji had heard of that. He had assumed the student council president was chosen by recommendation or some kind of succession process. Apparently, that wasn't the case.
"You're quite well informed, aren't you?" replied Horikita.
"When I joined the student council, I ended up learning a lot."
"Y-you too?"
Horikita couldn't hide her surprise. Her voice stuttered slightly. Not only Kumagawa, but now even Ichinose had joined the student council.
Ayanokouji himself didn't have any interest in the whole student council business, nor did he care about working with Horikita Manabu. But considering how the school was structured, joining the student council seemed to carry significant weight for many students.
Horikita quickly regained her composure and threw a question back at Ichinose.
"By the way, what are the prerequisites for joining the student council? I doubt just anyone can join."
She placed slight emphasis on the word anyone.
Ayanokouji noticed that. And he could more or less guess what she meant. It seemed his presence in the student council bothered her more than she wanted to admit.
"Hmm... Well, it's a little tricky. To tell you the truth, I was rejected the first time I applied, but since you can apply as many times as you want, I kept trying. The president never confirmed anything about my application, so I figured I didn't make the cut. But apparently, the final decision came from Vice President Nagumo. I heard from him that President Horikita was rather disappointed in the first-year applicants this year. In the end, they only accepted two students. And now, every position in the student council is completely filled."
"Two students..." Horikita muttered under her breath.
As Horikita struglled to gain his brother recognizition, Ichinose and Kumagawa was already joining the student council and work alongside her brother.
"Oh yeah, Kumagawa-kun told me he was the new vice president. Amazing, isn't he? He only joined recently and already took the vice president seat. It seems I still have a lot of flaws I need to fix before the president recognizes me properly, hahaha." Ichinose said with a soft chuckle.
"How did he even manage to join the student council with an attitude like that...?" Horikita muttered in disbelief.
"Ah, I think President Horikita had something to do with that."
"T-the president...?"
"Yeah. Only the student council president can directly assign someone to a top position like vice president. Even though Nagumo-senpai has almost the same level of authority, he's still one step below. For someone to be placed straight into vice president... that's not something Nagumo-senpai could've done on his own. So I think it must've been President Horikita's decision."
"..."
Hearing that, Horikita couldn't hide her complicated expression. To her, the most admirable person in her life making such a questionable choice was hard to accept.
'What did he even see in that idiot?' That was likely what she was thinking.
Ichinose let out a small laugh and continued.
"But that said, I think I like Nagumo-senpai a little more."
"Do you hate the president because he rejected your application to the student council?" Ayanokouji asked. He wondered if someone as kind as Ichinose could even harbor that kind of resentment.
"Ahaha, it's not like that, Ayanokouji-kun. It's not that I dislike the president because he rejected me, but I just feel like I get along with Nagumo-senpai a little better. We both started strong, and we had good chemistry. All of the past student council presidents came from Class A, but Nagumo-senpai was different. He was a former Class B, just like me. And before I knew it, he was already next in line to become president. That's why... I'm going to become the next student council president after him."
It was clear she respected Nagumo more than Horikita's brother.
Ayanokouji gave a small nod.
"I think you can do it. You might have a slight disadvantage since Kumagawa is already the vice president, but since it's him, if you ended up going against him, I think your chances of winning are pretty high."
There was no way Kumagawa could beat Ichinose in a fair contest of reputation. If it ever came down to a student council election between the two, as long as Kumagawa didn't pull any underhanded tricks, Ichinose would likely win by a wide margin.
"Hahaha, that's kind of mean, Ayanokouji-kun. But I was just kidding."
Ichinose then fell quiet for a moment, before speaking softly under her breath. "But... if that could make me even a little more like her..."
"Hmph. Kumagawa aside, Nagumo's potential was always limited. He had a delayed start," She spat.
Ayanokouji couldn't quite believe what he just heard. Horikita could think whatever she wanted, but that logic didn't hold up, especially considering she herself had started in Class D.
Unless... she was being completely serious.
"Horikita... do you still think they placed you in Class D by mistake?" Ayanokouji asked.
"Isn't that obvious?" Horikita replied without hesitation.
"..."
Ayanokouji fell silent.
He had already been aware of Horikita's flaws, but hearing it said so plainly, he realized they ran deeper than he expected. He thought that she was already aware of this by now, especially after the whole special exam thing, but apparently, that wasnt the case.
She had improved, undeniably so. But if she couldn't shake that core assumption, then she might never truly reach beyond where she stood.
Ayanokouji looked at her but chose not to say anything more.
"Well, I suppose I can understand why you think that way," Ichinose said thoughtfully. "But the school doesn't seem to sort students based on academics alone. Sure, they evaluate your intelligence, but also your maturity, your ability to work with others... I think they look at the full picture before placing you."
"So, you're saying there's a problem with me overall?"
It seemed Ichinose's objective comment had touched a nerve.
"Oh no, sorry, I didn't mean it like that. But think about it. Basically, Horikita-san, you're the kind of person who strongly believes in herself. That's not a bad thing... but if you flip that around, it can also come off as being self-centered. In the real world, there are times when someone has to decide which type of person is better suited to a situation. A self-confident individual who might act on their own judgment or someone who follows instructions reliably. It depends on the context, right?"
Even someone with superior ability could be difficult to work with if they were too self-centered. On the other hand, a person who could follow directions and cooperate with others would always be in demand a reliable and valuable asset in any environment.
Ichinose wasn't trying to criticize Horikita. She was simply pointing out how things might be seen from a broader perspective.
But with Horikita's personality, it could easily come across as a personal attack.
"...I can't believe that," she muttered under her breath.
The conversation faded there. Their attention returned to the pool, where Nagumo's match was still ongoing. In the end, Nagumo's team won in overwhelming fashion. As he climbed out of the water, several girls who had been cheering for him rushed to his side.
"Wait a second... He's got a hole in his ear, doesn't he?! Isn't that a problem?!" Ike shouted, clearly trying to find something to complain about.
"Isn't it fine?" Ichinose replied with a calm smile. "It's still summer vacation, and besides, I think it's just a clip-on. He usually follows the rules during the school term."
"Ugh..."
No matter how much Ike tried to object or nitpick, there was no denying it, Nagumo, the current vice president, was practically flawless in the eyes of the school. Confident, athletic, handsome and well-liked by both boys and girls.
"By the way," Ichinose said, her tone brightening, "seeing how exciting that match was earlier... why don't we play some volleyball too? We can team up with Shibata-kun and the others. If we rotate, seven players per team should work."
Ike was the first to jump at the idea. "Yeah, for sure! I'll steal all the girls' attention just like Nagumo-senpai!"
He was aiming for the impossible. Still, many of the students were eager to join in. After coming all the way here, they wanted to make the most of the experience.
"Eh? But where's Kushida-chan?" Ike suddenly asked, looking around.
Ayanokouji also glanced around the poolside. But no matter where he looked, there was no sign of Kushida.
"If you're looking for Kushida, I saw her with Kumagawa earlier," Kanzaki said, pointing casually toward the far end of the pool area.
Sure enough, Kushida was standing beside Kumagawa, chatting with him casually. Next to them stood a slightly shorter girl with shoulder-length purple hair. If Ayanokouji remembered correctly, she was the student council secretary—always seen by the side of the older Horikita.
"Damn it, it's not fair! Why do they have to be childhood friends of all things?!" Ike shouted in frustration, hands thrown in the air.
"Why does it have to be him..." Yamauchi groaned beside him, slumping forward like he'd just lost a bet.
It was hard to tell if they were more bothered by Kumagawa or the fact that Kushida seemed to seek him out in particular.
"Ahaha," Ichinose laughed awkwardly, "It looks like Kushida-san is enjoying herself. I guess we'll need to find someone to replace her, then."
"Ah, I... I don't really want to play either," Karuizawa said suddenly, raising her hand with a small wave.
"Hm? Karuizawa-san, what's wrong?" Ichinose asked, tilting her head slightly.
"Ah, it's nothing. I just don't really like volleyball that much, and the sun's kinda strong today, you know? I think I'm getting a little dizzy. Maybe a slight heatburn or something..."
She put a hand to her forehead clearly trying to play it up just enough to sound convincing.
It wasn't that she looked sick or anything but knowing Karuizawa, she probably just didn't want to be involved in something that would put her bare body on display.
Ayanokouji glanced at her and she met his gaze briefly.
"Alright, in that case, I'll go look around and see if anyone else wants to join. We just need one more person to have enough players," Ichinose said cheerfully.
But sadly—
"I don't feel like playing either."
This time, it was Horikita who spoke up.
The faces of the Class D boys, especially Ike and Yamauchi visibly stiffened. One by one, every girl from their class who had come along was pulling out of the match.
"Horikita-san, are you running away?" Ichinose asked with a teasing smile, as if trying to provoke her.
"It's not 'running away' when it's just a simple game," Horikita replied flatly.
"You're certainly right. But this kind of thing is like a microcosm of our class, isn't it? Who's more ambitious? Who works better as a team? In that sense, it's a mock competition. Or... could it be that you just don't want to compete against us?"
Again, it was a cheap provocation, but one carefully disguised as an innocent remark. Ichinose was treating the volleyball match like an analytical test of physical coordination and class spirit.
Surely, Horikita wouldn't fall for something so obvious.
"Fine. Let's do it, then."
Ayanokouji, watching from the side, let out a silent sigh.
She's so easy.....
But then again, this was a perfect opportunity to evaluate their rival class. It was inevitable that they'd eventually clash with class down the road, and this casual volleyball match could served as a chance to observe the physical capabilities and coordination of their class, particularly Ichinose and Kanzaki, who formed the core of Class A.
"Also, to make things a little more fun, how about we raise the stakes? The winners get a free lunch? Of course it was the losers treat. What do you think? are you okay with those terms?" Ichinose said.
"Sure," Horikita replied, without hesitation.
With that settled, Ichinose formally submitted their request for use of the volleyball court.
Class D, however, was still short two players. Luckily, after some quick searching, they managed to find two students lounging near the pool, Matsushita Chiaki and Miyake Akito who agreed to join the game.
The rules were decided: a match of up to three sets, each played to fifteen points. The first team to win two sets would be declared the victor.
"Since we're doing this, we're going to win. Understood?" Horikita said, surprisingly fired up for someone who hadn't even wanted to come to the pool in the first place.
"Horikita-san seems rather spirited, doesn't she?"
Ayanokouji turned slightly at the voice beside him—Matsushita, adjusting the tie of her swimsuit as she glanced toward Horikita.
His eyes instinctively wandered just for a moment. No matter how rational he tried to be, there were certain biological impulses that couldn't be fully shut off. The sight of her pale skin reflecting the sun, her soaked figure shifting ever so slightly—it was enough to trigger a flicker of reaction in his brain.
...I'm still human, after all.
But unlike Ike and the others, who had long since abandoned their dignity to openly gawk at every girl in sight, Ayanokouji had the self-control to suppress those thoughts before they turned into something stupid.
"It seems that her competitive spirit has been lit," he replied calmly, shifting his gaze back to the court.
It was his first time properly talking to Matsushita since entering the school. He recalled she'd been grouped with Kumagawa during the zodiac exam, and if he remembered correctly, she'd been seen chatting quite comfortably with him on several occasions.
For some reason, that thought made Ayanokouji feel a little down.
Why does that guy get along so naturally with people?
Ayanokouji didn't consider himself antisocial. He could still carry conversations and make friends if necessary. But for some reason, he didn't have that many friends. Anyone he could realistically call "friends" were the three walking hormone disasters, and Kumagawa, to some extent.
And that realization made him feel even more down.
His so-called social circle consisted of two guys who couldn't go five minutes without the opposite genders, and a guy who somehow failed both academically and morally.
Was this really the best he could do?
"Leave this to me, Suzune! If I'm here, we've got the strength of a hundred men! I'll knock those meatheads down one by one!" Sudou boasted, slamming his fists together.
"I'll be counting on you, then. Show me what you can actually do."
That was all the encouragement Sudou needed. He immediately straightened up, puffing out his chest like a rooster about to enter battle.
"You got it! I'll carry this team if I have to!"
Ayanokouji, watching the proud display, let out a flat comment. "By the way, isn't 'meathead' a word you'd use to describe yourself, Sudou?"
"The hell, dude? You know 'meathead' means someone who's got too much meat on their head, right? Like, their brain's too big 'cause they study too much."
Apparently, Sudou had misunderstood the word. In a way, very much like a meathead.
"Forget it."
Although Sudou was a weak link in academics, he might be a valuable asset in a situation like this. Horikita likely expected results from him, seeing as he was Class D's most athletic student—aside from Kouenji and maybe Kumagawa. But both of them were too unpredictable to rely on.
For now, Horikita would get a chance to see whether Sudou was all talk or not.
『END』
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