The lunch break was always a moment where the academic tension at Advanced Nurturing High School slightly subsided. Inside Class 1-B, a cacophony of chatter regarding the recently announced Sports Festival dominated the air. Sudou's group was arguing loudly about the event allocations, while Hirata patiently tried to note down every single suggestion on the whiteboard.
In the corner of the class, Koroizumi Seiji sat leaning back casually. His bento box was completely spotless, and he was currently enjoying a carton of strawberry milk, appearing entirely detached from the whirlpool of panic regarding physical training schedules that had engulfed his classmates.
However, that minor peace was shattered when the sound of the classroom door sliding open echoed with a rhythm far too neat, far too official for a first-year student.
The conversations near the door died instantly. The effect of that silence spread like a wave, freezing the entire room.
Standing in the doorway was a third-year female student with purplish hair styled in double buns. Tachibana Akane, the Student Council Secretary.
Tachibana's gaze swept across the classroom before locking onto a single figure in the back corner.
"Koroizumi Seiji-kun," Tachibana called out. Her voice was not loud, but her assertiveness ensured every syllable was heard clearly in every corner of the class. "Could you come with me right now?"
Seiji stopped drinking from his straw. He looked at the girl for two seconds before letting out a soft sigh, an unreadable, faint smile appearing on his face. "Sure."
As Seiji stood up and walked down the aisle between the desks, every eye in Class 1-B followed his movements. However, there was one gaze that felt the sharpest piercing his back. Horikita Suzune sat upright at her desk, her eyes slightly widened. The short-haired girl's analytical brain was undoubtedly spinning in overdrive, trying to dissect the reason why the Student Council would summon Koroizumi Seiji.
As soon as they stepped out of the classroom, the school hallway felt much emptier. Seiji walked side-by-side with Tachibana, matching his relaxed pace with her hurried steps.
"So," Seiji broke the silence, his tone swinging lightly like a tourist being guided around. "Why did the Student Council President suddenly summon me in the middle of the lunch break? It's highly unusual for the President to dispatch the secretary just for a first-year student."
Tachibana didn't turn her head. Her gaze remained fixed straight ahead. "For specific information, you can ask the President yourself directly. My job is only to bring you there."
"Very professional," Seiji praised with a soft chuckle. "You truly are a reliable secretary, Tachibana-senpai."
Tachibana bit her lower lip briefly, offering no response. As Manabu's right hand, she knew full well the results of the Zodiac Exam aboard the cruise ship. She knew the young man beside her was the architect behind the massive manipulation that forced the school to disburse tens of millions of private points. In Tachibana's eyes, Seiji was not merely a junior; he was an unpredictable variable.
They arrived on the upper floor, right in front of a pair of sturdy, double oak doors. The Student Council Room. The center of all student regulations and policies at Advanced Nurturing High School.
Tachibana knocked twice on the door. "President, I have brought Koroizumi-kun."
"Come in," a deep, absolute voice resounded from inside.
The door opened. The room was spacious, cool, and radiated a thick aura of discipline. At the far end of the room, sitting behind a large wooden desk, Horikita Manabu shifted his gaze from a stack of documents.
As soon as Tachibana stepped back and closed the door from the outside, the room was left with just the two of them.
The two locked eyes.
There was no explosive aura of hostility, nor was there any cheap intimidation. It was the collision of two completely different types of composure. Manabu's gaze was as sharp as the tip of a scalpel—rational, calculating, and capable of peeling back every lie. On the other hand, Seiji's gaze was like the surface of a placid lake; friendly and calm, yet concealing a bottomless depth.
Seiji smiled, deciding to take the initiative with naturally flowing politeness. He stepped forward toward the desk.
"This is the first time we've met and spoken face-to-face, Manabu-san," Seiji greeted casually, entirely unaffected by the air pressure in the room. "Your sister, Suzune, has mentioned you quite a lot."
Manabu didn't return the pleasantries with a smile. The eyes behind his glasses merely narrowed slightly, evaluating Seiji's posture, which was relaxed yet left absolutely no blind spots.
"I do not like to waste time, Koroizumi," Manabu stated. His voice carried an authority that dictated the room. "I invited you to this room to offer you a position on the Student Council."
Manabu paused for a moment, ensuring the weight of his offer was fully conveyed.
"The position is Vice President."
Silence hung for a moment. If this offer had been given to any other student, whether it be Ichinose Honami or even Ryuen Kakeru, the resulting reaction would undoubtedly be a mix of extreme shock or paranoid suspicion. Leaping the hierarchy from an ordinary first-year student to the number two person in the Student Council was unprecedented.
However, Seiji merely blinked slowly. His smile never faded. His supercomputer-like brain instantly pieced together the fragments of information: the political tension within the Student Council, the dominance of the second-years, and the anomaly of the exam placements.
"This is about Nagumo Miyabi, isn't it?" Seiji guessed with a light tone, as if he had just predicted tomorrow's weather.
A flash of appreciation crossed Manabu's eyes. The Student Council President was not surprised in the slightest to see Seiji instantly read the hidden political landscape. Someone capable of hacking the psychology of twelve groups during the Zodiac Exam clearly possessed a razor-sharp intuition regarding power dynamics.
"Nagumo's faction in the second year has begun making moves to take over the entire council," Manabu confirmed without hesitation. "His methods... differ from the philosophy I have built. I need someone with an equal capacity, an anomaly capable of maintaining the balance once I graduate. How about it? Do you accept?"
Seiji slipped both hands into his trouser pockets. His gaze dimmed slightly, losing interest.
"With all due respect, I decline," Seiji answered without a single second of hesitation.
Manabu leaned back in his chair, waiting for an elaboration. An instant rejection of that much power was a rare occurrence.
"Let's talk logic, Manabu-san," Seiji shrugged. "Being appointed as the Student Council Vice President in my first year means I would directly be placed as Nagumo's political opponent. When you retire as President, there will be an election for the next Presidential seat."
Seiji let out a long sigh, his expression shifting into a look of such genuine laziness that it starkly contrasted the serious atmosphere of the room.
"To win that election, I would have to rally votes from the entire cohort. I would have to give speeches, pass out smiles, and lobby hundreds of students. Honestly? I am incredibly, incredibly too lazy to do something so troublesome. I much prefer enjoying my position behind the scenes, ensuring my students—I mean, my classmates—grow in peace."
Manabu observed Seiji's face, searching for a lie. However, he only found the honesty of an observer reluctant to be dragged onto the main stage.
"You are throwing away the potential to control this school simply out of laziness?" Manabu asked.
"I can control whatever I need to control right from my seat in Class B," Seiji retorted with a playful smile. "However, since you appear to be experiencing a succession crisis, I do have a recommendation for someone far more suited to be under your tutelage."
Seiji leaned forward, resting his hands on the edge of Manabu's desk.
"Horikita Suzune."
The air in the room felt a bit heavier. Hearing his sister's name mentioned as a political asset shifted the atmosphere of the conversation.
"She may not yet possess the cunning or the connections to match Nagumo right now," Seiji continued, his voice now radiating the tone of a teacher immensely proud of his student. "But her resolve is set. Her short hair isn't just a style; it is a declaration that she is ready to stand on her own two feet. If you place her by your side, let her absorb how you lead, and witness firsthand how Nagumo moves... she will grow into an incredibly terrifying opponent."
Manabu closed his eyes for a moment. Silence overtook the executive room. When Manabu reopened his eyes, there was no longer any hesitation within them.
"Interesting," Manabu murmured softly. "That is exactly what I had been thinking from the very beginning."
Seiji chuckled. "Well then, we are on the same wavelength. Don't immediately burden her with a high-ranking position. Having her just be an ordinary Student Council member is enough, let her climb up slowly from the bottom. Her hunger for experience is far more valuable than an instant title."
Manabu nodded. He picked up the telephone receiver on his desk, pressing a single button connected to the secretary's intercom in the next room.
"Tachibana. Summon Horikita Suzune from Class 1-B to this room immediately."
"Right away, President," a prompt reply sounded from the intercom machine.
Ten minutes passed in comfortable silence. Seiji utilized that time to examine the bookshelves in Manabu's office, while Manabu went back to signing several documents without feeling the need to fill the quiet with empty chatter.
Shortly after, a knock echoed. The door opened, revealing Suzune entering with confident steps.
She shot a brief glance at Seiji, who was casually leaning against the bookshelf, then shifted her gaze to her brother behind the desk.
"You summoned me, Student Council President," Suzune stated, greeting him with a clear and firm formal tone.
Manabu set down his pen, looking at his sister with an evaluating gaze that was now far more open. "I received a recommendation to recruit a new member," Manabu said directly, without beating around the bush. "Horikita Suzune. Are you willing to join the Student Council as a general member?"
Suzune's eyes widened slightly, though not out of emotional surprise. This was a logical calculation. Ever since she declared her intention to no longer be Manabu's shadow but rather walk beside him, joining the Student Council was one of the stepping stones she indeed had to take. Being on the council meant she could directly observe Nagumo Miyabi's movements and understand the school's structure from the highest level.
Seeing Seiji give a small nod from the corner of the room, Suzune knew exactly who was behind this "recommendation." The young man had intentionally pushed her to the front lines so she could absorb the knowledge of leadership directly.
Suzune clenched her fists by her skirt, looking straight into her brother's eyes with absolute conviction.
"Yes," Suzune answered firmly. "I accept the position. I will join the Student Council."
Manabu gave a slow nod, a wordless confirmation that somehow felt more meaningful than any praise. "Starting tomorrow, report to Tachibana for your task orientation. You may return to class."
Suzune bowed her head respectfully. As she turned around, she exchanged a fleeting glance with Seiji. The young man merely responded with a faint wink, an annoying gesture that made Suzune let out a soft scoff before stepping out.
"Well then, my task here is also finished," Seiji said, standing up straight once more. "I wish you smooth sailing with your council affairs, Manabu-san. I am looking forward to this sports festival."
Seiji waved his hand casually, turned around, and walked out, following Suzune, leaving the Student Council Room to be enveloped in silence once again.
The door closed tightly.
Manabu sat in silence. His hands were clasped atop the wooden desk. His gaze was fixed on the empty space where the young man named Koroizumi Seiji had just stood. A man who was unpredictable, unpressurable, and possessed the power to restructure hierarchies with a smile.
The image of his sister, who had now discarded the weaknesses of her past, flashed through Manabu's mind. A drastic evolution that he could never trigger himself, had now simply occurred ever since that young man arrived.
"Koroizumi Seiji..." Manabu murmured softly amidst the silence of his executive office. His eyes radiated a sharpness laden with calculation. "To be able to change Suzune to such an extent... How truly fascinating."
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