After leaving the restaurant.
Unlike the other groups, the students from Year 2 Class B and Year 3 Class A wore noticeably grimmer expressions than the rest.
As the former Year 2 Class A, now demoted to Class B, they had no real standing relationship with Ren Katsuragi. Their only connection was their former leader, Miyabi Nagumo, who had foolishly made himself Ren's enemy.
With no ties of friendship or favors to rely on, why would Ren help them?
The "weed" Ren had mentioned back in the restaurant was a coded demand. He wanted them to present a token of loyalty.
The current leader of Year 2 Class B was deep in thought, calculating who would make the better sacrifice.
Should he offer up Nazuna Asahina, Nagumo's close associate? Or Ikuto Kiriyama, who had transferred into their class?
Which one held more value? Which sacrifice would please Ren more?
He needed to go back and think it through, to discuss it with his classmates.
To maintain his grip on power, Nagumo had expelled many of his own classmates since the start of the school year. Consequently, Year 2 Class B now had the smallest population of the four classes in their grade.
To the current Ren, their Class B wasn't even worth comparing to the lower two classes.
Nagumo, unable to keep it in his pants, had been exiled by Ren, leaving this absolute mess for him to clean up.
"Damn Nagumo... why did you have to provoke him?"
Rubbing his throbbing temples, the current leader of Year 2 Class B couldn't help but curse under his breath.
...
"Is that really what Ren Katsuragi told you?"
Manabu Horikita pushed up his glasses with an index finger. The reflection in the lenses hid the turmoil in his eyes.
Unlike Year 2 Class B, the student from Year 3 Class A who attended the gathering was the Vice Class Representative.
After leaving the restaurant, he immediately met with Manabu in a café, recounting every detail of Ren's conversation.
It wasn't that he was betraying Ren. Rather, he hoped Manabu would know when to advance and when to retreat, to understand the stakes and learn to fear the outcome.
"Class Rep Horikita, I think you understand what Ren meant by the class 'weed,' right?"
"Stop clinging to that useless position of Student Council President. Is your personal pride more important than the future of everyone in Class A?"
Year 3 Class A also needed to present a token of loyalty.
Undoubtedly, that token was the man sitting before him, Manabu Horikita.
If Manabu knew what was good for him and bowed his head voluntarily, the four classes of the third year would graduate smoothly in six months under Ren's protection.
If he resisted, Manabu might not be the only casualty.
Having said that, the Vice Rep cast a subtle glance at Akane Tachibana, who was sitting beside Manabu.
"Manabu-kun, I believe in you!"
Steadfastly standing by Manabu's side, Tachibana placed her hand over his, trying to give him encouragement and warmth.
Love is blind, they say. But in her case, it was practically a blindfold she refused to take off.
The naive Tachibana hadn't considered that if Manabu really chose to resist, her future would be ruined as well.
In the eyes of the class, Tachibana had long since tied herself to Manabu's sinking ship.
As long as Manabu didn't agree to the Vice Rep's proposal, the class would view him as the "weed" and offer him up to Ren as a tribute.
As for Tachibana? She was a package deal. Buy one, get one free.
She would be sent along to demonstrate their absolute loyalty.
Year 3 Class A might seem well-managed under Manabu right now, but that was only because he could lead them to graduate as Class A.
If the day came when Manabu became an obstacle to that goal, they wouldn't hesitate for a second to sell him out.
Perhaps a small fraction of people would feel sorry for Manabu, but it would just be pity. Compared to their own futures, Manabu's past favors were worthless.
"Class Rep Horikita, it's time for you to make a decision. Also, please don't expect everyone in Class A to support you. Between the possibility of graduating as Class A and a guarantee..."
"I think even a fool knows which one to choose."
The Vice Rep continued to apply pressure.
He knew exactly what Manabu was hesitating about. He wanted to add a crowning achievement to his resume: successfully leading Year 3 Class A to graduation while serving as both Student Council President and Class Representative.
Manabu wasn't a saint. Many things he did in school were for his own benefit.
Should he try to resist to preserve his legacy, or obediently give up the position of Student Council President and become a leech, coasting through the second half of the year in peace?
Manabu was deeply conflicted.
Choosing the former meant a high probability that Class A would be dragged down by Ren, causing everyone to lose their status. But it would preserve his resume.
Choosing the latter meant that for the next six months, the entire third year would become Ren's toy, to be played with however he wished.
He could certainly graduate successfully, but the harvest he had been cultivating diligently in the Student Council for two and a half years would be ruthlessly snatched away.
Ren's tactic of bringing his outside influence into this school made Manabu feel powerless.
It was no different from cheating openly in a casino, yet there was nothing you could do about it because the casino belonged to his family.
It was frustrating to no end.
"I understand."
He downed the glass of ice water he had ordered. The biting chill rushed straight to his forehead, forcing Manabu, who now saw reality clearly, to bow his head.
The position of Student Council President, which he had planned for since enrollment, the throne he intended to leave to his sister, Suzune, was gone.
Manabu Horikita was surrendering it voluntarily.
"Class Rep Horikita, thank you for thinking of everyone in Class A."
Seeing that his objective had been achieved, the Vice Rep dropped his aggressive tone and offered Manabu a polite nod.
Manabu's decision allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief.
If possible, the Vice Rep didn't want to drive Manabu out. The man had led Class A since the start of school; it was impossible to say his classmates had no feelings for him.
For the benefit of the class, the Vice Rep could steel his heart to confront Manabu. But he also hoped Manabu could graduate from Class A alongside everyone else.
The two desires were not mutually exclusive.
"What's the point of saying that now?!" Tachibana spoke up indignantly from the side.
She felt she had truly misjudged this person.
The Vice Rep usually projected a gentle, steady persona in class. He had never shown such an aggressive side before. But today, for the sake of a first-year student named Ren Katsuragi, he had used that tone to corner the man she loved.
After that flash of indignation, all the emotion in Tachibana's heart turned into heartache. "Manabu-kun..."
"Is there really no point?"
The Vice Rep turned his head toward the window, gazing at the moon hanging high in the night sky, and muttered softly.
The question seemed to be directed at Tachibana, yet also at himself.
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