Part 5
After the two students left.
Mashima openly revealed his opinion to Chabashira.
“I still can’t believe what’s happening.”
“I’m the same, Mashima-sensei. But what Ayanokouji-kun said was true.”
“Interfering with the very structure of the school, all for a single student?”
Mashima-sensei exclaimed. No matter how many people around him emphasised the authenticity of the situation, it would still be hard to believe.
“You’ve observed Ayanokouji for a year now, Chabashira-sensei, so what kind of existence do you think he is?”
“That’s a difficult question.”
Because they couldn’t stay for long, they left the reception room a minute after Ayanokouji and Sakayanagi left.
“At first glance, he seems like a normal high school boy you couldn’t find anywhere, indifferent to his surroundings.”
The other teachers of the other classes would probably think of him in that way.
Their impression of him wouldn’t be deep, maybe it would be up to the point where you could barely match up the name to the face.
“But there are two sides to him. It’s unnerving. Those eyes which see through everything, those aren’t the eyes of a child.”
“I’m still in disbelief…”
“Yeah. A first-year who has already reached that level…”
“Although I’ve only been a teacher for a few years, I’ve seen a lot of types of students. If we focus on the past two years, Horikita Manabu and Nagumo Miyabi are the ones that have left an outstanding impression of themselves.”
“That’s true.”
Both of those students had excellent academic and athletic abilities, second to none throughout their respective years, as well as possessing rare leadership ability on top of that.
“This year’s first years gave me the impression that they are slightly inferior compared to those two people. Of course, some students can match them in some aspects, but not in every one of them. Overall, what do you think is the extent of Ayanokouji’s abilities?”
“Will my answer have any impact on what you do in the future?”
“No, not at all. No matter what kind of student Ayanokouji is, I won’t allow Acting Director Tsukishiro to do what he wants. This is just out of curiosity.”
“Curiosity… That’s unusual for you. But I’m still trying to figure that out myself.”
Chabashira was also one of the people who wanted to learn more about Ayanokouji.
It was true that she couldn’t answer.
“That really is a difficult question.”
Mashima grudgingly folded his arms.
“Originally, the teachers were to maintain a proper working distance with the students and govern them like that. Forming such close relationships isn’t the best thing to do.”
“So we just have to eliminate Acting Director Tsukishiro as quickly as possible.”
“But after we eliminate him-Is that really going to be the end of all this?”
“What do you mean?”
“Even if we expose the Acting Director, there’s no guarantee that there will not be another person sent afterwards. In that case, Ayanokouji’s situation will create a disturbance for the entire year…Depending on the situation, even the school itself might suffer from it.”
Mashima expressed his own unease.
Of course, even having said that, he still would not abandon the students.
“The way this situation is unfolding, it’s like I’m sinking deeper and deeper into quicksand. This scares me.”
“Yeah.”
If this continued, other students would not be able to receive a fair evaluation.
This is something that the teachers must prevent from happening.
“But I hope my hunch won’t turn out to be true.”
The two teachers envisioned what would happen in the future, and prayed that those were just groundless fears.
Part 6
After passing the rest of the time following the end of the conversation with the teachers and Sakayanagi, I went to the gym.
Soon, the 3rd years who were in the thank you meeting would come out.
The people around me were eagerly awaiting their arrival.
As that time approached, the anxiety of both the first years and second years seemed to increase.
Some of the 3rd years would leave directly after the graduation ceremony, but maybe some would stay, wanting to say something that they’ve always wanted to before.
How many people were there in total? From what I could see, there were about 100.
There was a person that I recognised, standing a small distance away from the main group of people.
“You actually came.”
I greeted Horikita, who was standing in the middle of the waiting crowd, but only got a stare in return.
“…What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing, I’m just impressed.”
“Impressed? I don’t know what you mean by that.”
“I was thinking that if it were up to the old you, you wouldn’t have come here.”
Horikita seems a bit displeased with my praise.
“Really? I haven’t changed a bit. I’m still me.”
She denied her growth. You could see that she didn’t even attempt to reexamine herself.
No, she just didn’t want to admit it in front of other people.
The thank you meeting held at the gym was finally over, and the doors opened.
It was officially over.
Now was the final chance for the graduates to formally communicate with the remaining students.
After it ended, a stream of 3rd years came out.
Most of them were happy, but some were not smiling.
Was it because of the loneliness they faced having left school, or the failure of not graduating from Class A?
If it was the latter, then it was weird that most of the students weren’t distressed.
However, even after one glance towards them, I could see that there were also students outside of Class A that had expressions of joy.
“What do you think?”
I asked Horikita for her opinion on the situation.
“Even if the shortcut to their dreams has been cut off, they can still use their own strength to make it a reality. As long as they have the strength, it can be accomplished.”
The path of life will continue to be trodden.
That is to say that many students had faced reality, and had determined their way forward, intending to continue on their path to their dreams.
If you look at it in another way, you could say that the 3 years they’ve spent on this magnificent stage was already mightily impressive.
Some of the 3rd years returned to their dormitories without talking to them anyway, but the majority of them stopped.
The evidence of these three years the students here had endured was now as visible as scars.
Former student council president Horikita Manabu was still here.
No one had gathered around him yet, so this should be a good opportunity.
If the number of people around him increases, then Horikita would find it hard to approach him.
Deep within her heart, Horikita was looking forward to this, and yet she didn’t take a single step.
“You should go.”
“I know.”
I didn’t need to say that. Horikita was only here because of her desire to talk with her brother.
However, her body wouldn’t move.
During her moment of uncertainty, more and more students started to approach the elder Horikita.
If I did nothing, there would be no progress, so I took a forceful approach.
I pushed the hesitant Horikita’s back.
“Wait… Wait a minute-”
“Use your privileges as his sister.”
Although I repeatedly urged her, Horikita insisted on not moving forward.
“It’s going to be weird if I ran to his side now.”
“Even if you mix in with the other students, it won’t be weird.”
“It’s definitely weird. I’ll be a complete outsider.”
Horikita negatively evaluated the situation at hand.
This reminded me when school first started.
I remember her staring at her distant older brother while he was giving a speech to the first years. Even if she slowly became more mature throughout the year, her core remained unchanged.
Even if one accumulated a lot of experience, there will be parts which would be challenging to develop.
It was because of the timid expression on her face, which made me think of all that…
“But don’t get me wrong, I’m not scared. My brother’s three years… I just wanted to see the culmination of these three years for him to get to this point.”
“I see.”
She meant that she wouldn’t be satisfied with just a small chat with her brother.
Not bad.
A few more second-year students ran towards the elder Horikita.
“Your brother is pretty popular.”
He was the student council president and the boy who’s always stayed in Class A. Of course he was popular. I initially thought he wasn’t very close with the first years, so I never would have thought that this many first-year students would have come over.
Soon, the circle around him began to grow larger, surrounded by other graduates.
He occasionally smiled and gently opened up to the younger generation.
But at the end of that, I saw a slightly different expression.
I sensed the atmosphere that he had been relieved from the heavy pressure that was on him.
Next to me, it was like Horikita was trying to engrave this sight into her eyes, staring at him without blinking.
And then-A boy appeared next to the elder Horikita.
The current student council president, the second-year Class A’s Nagumo Miyabi.
Immediately followed by vice president Kiriyama, Secretaries Mizowaki and Tonokawa, as well as Asahina Nazuna.
The atmosphere did not turn into something cumbersome, but instead, it developed into something unique.
“Congratulations on graduating, Horikita-senpai.”
Dropping a sincere compliment, Nagumo approached Horikita with a smile.
Horikita greeted Nagumo without any hesitation.
“Ahhhh, you really are worthy of being called my senpai. In the end, I still wasn’t able to threaten you.”
“It wasn’t like that. To be honest, I didn’t know what would happen in the end. If I must, I’d say the reason for your failure was because we aren’t in the same academic year. No matter how much you interfered, in the end, you were still just an outsider.
No matter how much he wanted to fight, he couldn’t bridge the gap between grades.
Since he couldn’t directly participate in the exams, what he could do was very limited.
Although, if Nagumo really wanted to bring him down, he could have adopted Ryuuen’s chaotic and reckless fighting style.
However, Nagumo seemed to have no intentions.
“Yeah. Ah…….., why was I born a year later than you?”
He wasn’t dissatisfied, but just disappointed for not being in the same year as the elder Horikita.
“Can I still shake your hand like this?”
“Of course, I have no reason to refuse.”
The elder Horikita gladly obliged, and they shook hands.
A brief and pleasant silence ensured.
Both being Student Council presidents, they could communicate and understand each other in certain situations without using any words.
“There’ll still be a long year ahead of you. Be sure to spend your remaining school life on something that will satisfy you.”
Advice from his senpai. And in those words, he showed that he didn’t care about Nagumo running wild anymore.
In other words, he’d given Nagumo permission to do whatever he liked now.
“Mhmm. After you’re gone, in that short period where I’ll be the senpai, I’ll do whatever it takes. I’ll turn this school into a meritocracy based on one’s abilities. Because I’m prepared and determined to accomplish it.”
Horkita’s brother accepted his speech openly, nodding his head.
“You said you regretted not being a year older. I kind of feel the same. Not being able to see what you’ll do to this school is a pity. If I could witness what you’ll create up close, I’ll surely gain a better understanding of you.”
“I won’t be so sure of that. I don’t think I’ll be compatible with senpai.”
One who followed school rules and regulations, and one that wanted to destroy them
Since their ideologies were utterly different, a confrontation between them is inevitable.
“Also, it won’t matter if you can’t see it yourself. Don’t you have a sister in the 1st year?”
With that said, Nagumo’s line of sight seemed to focus on next to where I was, a bit further from the rest of the people-and started staring straight at Horikita.
Although it was only a slight change, Horikita’s body language became a bit more nervous.
“As long as your sister is here, she can help me spread the word to you.”
Once both graduations, the siblings will inevitably meet once again sooner or later.
What he meant was that in the future, Horikita’s brother would still know what Nagumo would have done at the school.”
“Perhaps.”
With that said, Horikita’s brother and Nagumo’s strong handshake finally ended, and their hands separated.
“Thank you very much.”
“Likewise.”
The former student council president, Horikita, and the current student council president, Nagumo.
A heavy curtain fell on the unexpectedly gentle atmosphere.
Perhaps because he didn’t want to bother the other students, Nagumo immediately distanced himself with Horikita’s brother. Although the combo of the two student council presidents was exciting, it might make it a bit difficult for the other students to approach.
Nagumo instead walked towards Horikita, who was observing from a distance.
As a fellow student of Class 2A, Asahina Nazuna was also there with him. The other student council members had probably left to see off the other graduates.
“Did you hear what I just said? Please enjoy what I will do next year. I remember your name was-”
“Horik-Suzune.”
Horikita’s voice was nervous.
If it were the usual Horikita, she wouldn’t have been shaken up like this. This was probably the result of hearing the conversation between him and her brother.
Nagumo seemed to enjoy her reaction and looked back.
The one in Nagumo’s line of sight was, needless to say, former student council president Horikita.
Ignoring the risks, he had continually challenged different opponents.
And now, he was surrounded by his underclassmen, accepting their gift of a graduation bouquet.
“Suzune, your brother is a truly amazing person. You should be proud of being his sister.”
After the word of praise, he once again directed his gaze onto Horikita Suzune.
“Yes. I am proud of that.”
Faced once more with the eyes that had turned their attention back to her, Horikita forcibly replied.
“If you have anything you want to ask me, I’ll answer it. Because I’m in a good mood today..”
“Then I won’t hold back.”
Horikita then asked Nagumo a question.
“Don’t you regret it?”
“Regret?”
“Because I don’t see any hints of regrets in your eyes.”
This should be referring to the handshake and the dialogue between those two people just now.
Nagumo seemed genuinely happy for the elder Horikita graduating from Class A.
However, their relationship couldn’t be described as simply a relationship between two student council presidents.
Nagumo persistently attacked Horikita, in the hopes of dragging him down from Class A.
Horikita would obviously have a sense of hostility towards Nagumo who did those things to her brother.
Because of this, she was confused by the honest praise given by Nagumo towards the elder Horikita.
Nagumo’s painstaking attacks have been securely defended against.
“I don’t think I can beat Horikita-senpai that easily. He’s pretty much an invincible opponent, right?”
“Well… That’s true.”
“So you fully admit you lost to Horikita-senpai.”
Miyabi gently cast his eyes towards the interjecting Asahina.
“Lost? Why do you say I lost, Nazuma?
“Hmm? Horikita-senpai graduated from Class A, so doesn’t that mean you lost?”
Asahina didn’t need to answer the question with another question, but that was how she replied.
As for what she said, Nagumo immediately pointed out the holes in them.
“Indeed, if you only look at the outcome, I have not prevented senpai from graduating from Class A. But what does that have to do with losing?”
“Won’t that be considered as losing…? At least that’s what I think, am I wrong?”
Asahina looked towards Horikita, who was standing beside her, for confirmation.
Horikita did not answer and instead listened to Nagumo’s justification.
“I certainly wanted to challenge him to a fight. However, it wasn’t for the sake of finding out who would win and lose. Even if Horikita-senpai really did fall to Class B, my fundamental evaluation of him wouldn’t have changed. That person’s strengths cannot be determined by the position his class is in.”
Asahina still did not seem to understand what Nagumo was talking about.
“Still don’t understand? Then I’ll ask you this. Did this incident lower your evaluation of me? I’m still a student of Class A as well as the student council president. Is there anything about me which shows that I’m a failure?”
“No, but…”
“You can’t distinguish who wins and who loses in a conflict of people in separate grades.”
It wasn’t hard to understand what he wanted to say.
But, even knowing that he couldn’t directly confront him, Nagumo continued to challenge Horikita.
“I just wanted his approval… his recognition. That’s why I’ve been continuously attacking senpai.
Judging from how Horikita Manabu looked at Nagumo, he definitely acknowledged his strength.
No, I should say that he had recognised Nagumo’s strength from the very beginning.
He just couldn’t accept the way Nagumo handled things.
Maybe Nagumo wanted Horikita to acknowledge his method of solving problems.
“That felt like a young girl proclaiming her love.”
“Maybe. I’ve already inquired about what Horikita-senpai will do in the future, and I will chase after him.”
There wasn’t a hint of remorse or regret in Nagumo’s expression.
Was he purely enjoying the contest with Horikita to the very end?
“Even after graduation? Really? Even the path you take in life has to be the same as Horikita-senpai?”
“Yes. At least that’s the current me’s objective.”
“Ah~ You really do like Horikita-senpai.”
“I don’t have any rivals in the second year, and of course, none in the first year as well. I only have one thing left to do in this school. That is, to directly transform the structure of the school, and make this boring school more interesting.”
Half of Nagumo Miyabi’s time as student council president had already passed.
However, to this day, nothing new had been implemented.
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