March 20th, Friday.
The election held no suspense.
Kaoru secured first place with 217 votes, while Nagumo Miyabi came in second with 140 votes.
Surprisingly, Ichinose Honami ranked third with 48 votes.
Although Kaoru had appeared confident beforehand, he knew this victory was tainted—he had secured votes from third-year students before Horikita Manabu and others graduated.
Had the school prohibited third-years from voting or postponed the election to the next academic year, Kaoru might not have won so easily.
Everyone knew Nagumo's era was ending, yet he still managed 140 votes, demonstrating his formidable original influence.
Now, however, it could only be seen as a desperate struggle.
This outcome shattered certain traditions—it was the first time a former Student Council president had been ousted, and the first time a first-year student became Student Council president.
Due to the abrupt leadership change, the school arranged for Kaoru to deliver his inaugural speech during the graduation ceremony, which would also mark Nagumo's official departure.
"Heh, congratulations, new president."
In the Student Council office, Nagumo offered sarcastic applause. "You must have spent quite a lot to achieve this, didn't you?"
Ichinose Honami's eyebrows furrowed as she prepared to retort, but she heard Kaoru begin clapping as well.
"Actually, it is I who should congratulate you, Nagumo-senpai." Kaoru looked deeply moved.
"Because of a minor mistake I made, everyone started criticizing the Student Council. Our senior couldn't bear to involve us and chose to step down despite being at the peak of their career. Otherwise, I wouldn't have become the president. I'm truly grateful for our senior's guidance."
Nagumo was fuming with rage.
'How dare he pin all the blame on me? Everyone knew the controversy targeting me was fueled by his instigation!'
"Heh, I don't deserve to be called your senior. I wonder how many people outside are curious about how you plan to turn the Student Council into your personal Harem..."
As he spoke, Nagumo grew increasingly agitated.
He thought of his childhood friend, who had probably long been pleasuring herself beneath Kaoru, showing expressions she had never revealed in front of him.
"Let me tell you, even if I handed the Student Council over to you, I wouldn't care!"
Nagumo dropped all pretense. "This world has always been about who has the bigger fist. As long as you don't knock me out with one punch, just wait for me to knock you out with mine!"
At these words, Katsuragi, Tonokawa, Kiriyama and the others looked astonished.
"Senpai, you're getting worked up." Kaoru blinked.
He hadn't expected the other party to lose composure first.
"Me? Worked up?"
Nagumo's veins bulged. "Don't think I don't know what you did to Nazuna. You're deliberately provoking me! You can't find an opportunity, so you're trying to force me to make a move!"
Kaoru looked at him puzzled and asked, "What does it have to do with you if I confess to my senpai?"
Nagumo Miyabi felt his head buzzing.
What did he mean by 'his senior'? She was his childhood friend, his possession!
At that moment, he suddenly understood how some people felt.
So this was the pain of being cuckolded?
Perhaps because he had been suppressing his feelings for so long, Nagumo Miyabi's face twisted with emotion, causing his rationality to evaporate.
The person before him wore an expression that seemed to mock him.
"When you were getting intimate with others, you never considered your senior's feelings. Now that your senpai is about to get intimate with someone else, you're acting like your mother just died."
The reactions of those around were peculiar, likely because they hadn't expected Kaoru to use such vulgar language.
"You understand nothing!"
Nagumo Miyabi shouted. "Nazuna should be mine! No matter what I do, she should stay by my side, support me, help me. Even if I want to play with hundreds of women, she should obey unconditionally!"
Kaoru smiled faintly. "So, she isn't your possession."
Nagumo found his face utterly detestable.
How could this guy, who already had several women himself, have the right to point fingers at him?
"Hehehe, if you saw Ichinose with another man, would you be this magnanimous too?"
Faced with Nagumo's sneer, before Kaoru could respond, Ichinose Honami felt bewildered.
"Why would I be with someone else?"
Nagumo was taken aback, then nearly laughed in anger.
He pointed repeatedly at Kaoru and Ichinose Honami but couldn't utter a word. This reaction made Ichinose Honami a bit scared.
"Hey, Nagumo-kun, don't make such a scene."
Kiriyama stepped in cheerfully to mediate. "Think about it—he only got the position of president. You still have Class A!"
Nagumo Miyabi felt his vision darken.
What he had lost wasn't just the presidency! This bastard was subtly mocking him!
"Get out! Leave my office!" Nagumo Miyabi pointed at the door.
He was still the president, after all.
Kaoru didn't mind. He took Ichinose Honami's hand and left the office. He didn't want to see Nagumo Miyabi any longer.
Nagumo Miyabi stared at his retreating figure, especially at the sight of him holding Ichinose Honami's small hand, as if he were seeing his own Asahina Nazuna.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
After a bout of rage, Nagumo Miyabi tremblingly pulled out his phone.
[Nazuna, I believe you will definitely return to my side.]
After sending it, it was quickly marked as read.
[What are you planning to do to Kaoru-kun?]
[I've told you several times already—I know you can't accept it, but I've truly accepted him.]
[Kaoru-kun is my boyfriend now.]
[For the sake of our childhood friendship, please stop this. I'm scared.]
Reading these words, Nagumo's head buzzed.
His vision blurred, and he felt as if he might collapse at any moment.
This can't be real. It must be an illusion. His Nazuna would stand firmly by his side no matter what happened.
...
Meanwhile, on the way back, just as Kaoru was about to say something to Ichinose Honami, someone unexpectedly called him.
"What? Ryuen plans to drug Class D!?"
As soon as he answered, Kaoru heard shocking news.
Ichinose Honami, standing beside him, also turned her head, her eyes filled with astonishment.
"Yes! He wants us to find an opportunity to slip laxatives into Class D's food!"
Manabe Shiho whispered, "He said it has a delayed effect—it will take effect after 48 hours, so Class D students will be absent on exam day!"
After the initial shock, Kaoru regained his composure.
He could only say, typical of Ryuen, always resorting to underhanded tactics.
No wonder he had people tailing and harassing Class D of the first year. It wasn't just about gathering information—he also planned to take down a few students.
"Where are you?" Kaoru was cautious.
He could tell Manabe Shiho was suppressing her voice, as if afraid someone might discover her.
"I'm in the restroom."
Manabe Shiho had just received Ryuen Kakeru's task and immediately reported this emergency to Kaoru.
"Is Ryuen there?"
Kaoru paused, then quickly corrected himself. "Hang up, delete our call history, delete your Alt account too—anything related to me, delete it all! And tell Saki and the others to do the same!"
Although he had previously instructed Manabe Shiho and the others to hide their identities and minimize contact after learning about Iijima Ryota's exposure, and even deleted the main account's contact information, these minor delinquents seemed to lack counter-espionage awareness.
Kaoru already sensed something unusual. At this point, he didn't even think of blaming Manabe Shiho.
His first reaction was to have the minor delinquents go into hiding.
If anything went wrong, the responsibility would undoubtedly fall on him.
These minor delinquents only knew how to bully others, their minds filled with seducing their master and fighting.
How could they possibly sense something amiss?
"Huh?"
As expected, Manabe Shiho didn't catch on.
She thought it was normal for her to use the restroom since Ryuen had already dismissed everyone.
At most, she could delete the call history later.
Could Ryuen really discover anything?
However, since it was her master's command, Manabe Shiho had no choice but to obediently comply.
"If you need to find me in the future, try to come after 12 at night."
After saying this, Kaoru immediately hung up. He knew why the girl had urgently reported to him.
Manabe Shiho was too eager to prove her worth.
It wasn't that it wasn't acceptable—it was just too rushed.
Kaoru remained calm, unhurriedly putting away his phone.
"What happened?"
Ichinose Honami finally had a chance to speak.
Kaoru briefly explained the situation to her. After hearing it, the girl's pretty face was filled with anger.
"How can they do this! It's against the rules—intentionally harming classmates!"
Ichinose Honami was furious.
Always righteous, she didn't hesitate. "I'm going to find Ryuen-kun. He must explain himself to everyone!"
Kaoru grabbed the girl's wrist and calmly said, "Let me handle this. Something feels off."
"What's off?"
Ichinose Honami detested this kind of behavior.
"I thought Ryuen-kun had at least some bottom line, but I never expected he would go this far."
Kaoru shook his head. "I feel like he's trying to test me. Let's discuss this when we get back."
Ichinose Honami frowned, but in this regard, she trusted her boyfriend's judgment. So she didn't argue and simply went back with him.
The two quickly returned to the dorm.
Seeing the empty room, Kaoru felt somewhat unaccustomed.
Ever since he had taken out his own chewing gum, Karuizawa and Kushida had inexplicably become well-behaved, only occasionally muttering something about Cream Puffs.
However, before Kaoru could calmly ponder what Ryuen was planning this time, he soon received a message from an unfamiliar number.
[I accidentally exposed myself!]
Kaoru picked up his phone, his expression shifting slightly.
Perhaps thinking he had seen the message, the other party quickly sent another.
[They want to capture Rika.]..]
It was followed by some garbled text, likely from accidentally pressing the keyboard.
"What does this mean?"
Ichinose Honami leaned over and saw the message. "It seems to be Manabe-san's account."
"Let's stay put and not act."
Kaoru didn't reply because this message was sent to his main account.
He usually only contacted Manabe Shiho through his Alt account, not his school account.
[Want to meet up?]
This time, it was a leisurely message—not in Manabe Shiho's tone.
It was probably Ryuen.
Ichinose Honami looked at Kaoru, who thought for a moment before blocking the account.
"Huh? Won't that cause problems? It seems Manabe-san has been caught?"
"It's fine. Let's see how they react."
After a while, someone else sent Kaoru another message.
[Help! Ryuen caught me!]
Kaoru blocked the account again, now feeling more assured.
Several minutes passed, and he received another message, this time via email.
[Kaoru, I know it's you. You'd better come see me.]
This time, Kaoru didn't block it.
Instead, he replied.
[Ibuki, stop harassing me. Don't worry—I won't expose what happened between us.]
After sending it, Kaoru blocked the other party and quietly waited for further messages.
Half an hour passed, and no one sent him any more messages.
It seemed the crisis was over.
Ichinose Honami and Kaoru exchanged glances.
The latter's eyes gleamed—he suspected Ryuen was fishing.
He believed Manabe Shiho and the others had definitely deleted all records.
His orders couldn't possibly go unexecuted. Even if Ryuen caught Manabe Shiho and took her phone, the other party wouldn't find any evidence.
The only possible exposure now was the recent phone call.
As long as Ryuen didn't hear it or see the call history, he could only remain suspicious.
However, considering Ryuen's tendency to use underhanded methods, Kaoru decided to call Ayanokoji and ask him to take a walk around the school building.
Since Manabe Shiho said she was in the restroom earlier, she likely hadn't left the school building.
It was a good opportunity to send an unrelated person to check the situation.
If anything happened, it would be perfectly reasonable for a passerby to call the police or something.
Right after making the call, Kaoru remembered there were surveillance cameras in the school building.
He quickly called Mashima Tomonari and asked him to keep an eye on the footage.
He initially wanted to contact Shiina Hiyori but restrained himself.
Anyone could step forward—except him.
Showing up now would confirm Manabe Shiho's suspicions.
After he finished all this, Ichinose Honami seemed to understand his thoughts.
"Is Ryuen-kun suspecting that Manabe-san is your plant?"
"Yes, not just Manabe—probably the entire class is under suspicion."
"Why?"
Kaoru hesitated for a moment, then told Ichinose Honami about Iijima Ryota and the others.
"You all... it's so complicated."
Ichinose Honami seemed shocked that students could engage in espionage and counter-espionage—more complex than girls fighting.
"Probably the incident with Nagumo made Ryuen suspicious, worried that I might have planted spies in Class C."
Kaoru said, "So, not long ago, I had them delete my contact information and not keep any chat records."
Ichinose Honami looked at Kaoru with admiration, like a little fangirl, and asked in a casual tone.
"So, is Manabe-san really your person?"
Kaoru looked away. She held his hands with both of hers, her eyes sparkling.
"Come on, tell me! What exactly happened between you and her? I'm so curious!"