Chapter 350: Final Results of the Poll Exam / I think your job as Chairman is over!
Today is Saturday. The final day of the Class Poll.
"Hey, who are you writing for the criticism vote?"
"Who else? Koenji Rokusuke. You?"
"Same here."
"But honestly, it's all that Acting Chairman Tsukishiro's fault, right? Forcing a mandatory expulsion exam... is he just trying to stir up trouble within the first-year groups?"
"He speaks politely, but he doesn't care at all about what we think!"
As Shimizu Akira stepped into the classroom, he heard students huddled in small groups, whispering. It seemed the decision to vote out Koenji was set in stone. The dissatisfaction with Tsukishiro was palpable.
Indeed, the exam schedule was forced. It was March 6th, a Saturday, eating up a rest day. The next special exam was set to begin on March 8th. Usually, there was at least a three-day gap. No student could possibly like such an Acting Chairman.
Suddenly, Hirata Yosuke stood up.
"Everyone... before we vote, can you listen to me for a moment?"
Hirata stood at the podium, his hands resting lightly on the surface as he looked at everyone. "I know everyone is confused and anxious. We are being forced to choose a classmate to cast a 'criticism vote' against. Why? Because it's the rule."
"I don't like this," he continued. "I don't like being forced to harm someone, even if it's just a vote on paper. What I dislike even more... is that our right to even ask why this is necessary seems to have been stripped away.
I've thought a lot lately. Those who voted to save aren't wrong, and those who voted to expel aren't wrong either. Ultimately, the fault lies with the situation we were put in—this sudden special exam that forces us to oppose one another.
So, those who cast criticism votes shouldn't feel heavy guilt, and those who chose to save shouldn't feel regret. We are all just... being coerced by the rules. That is all I wanted to say."
Hirata bowed slightly and stepped down.
"Hirata actually made sense this time..."
"Yeah, he wasn't trying to sway votes; he just stated the truth."
The atmosphere in the room softened. Hirata's words had unintentionally comforted the majority of the class who intended to cast criticism votes.
"Hirata-boy!" Koenji Rokusuke spoke up, crossing his legs.
"How did you suddenly become so clear-headed? Aren't you usually obsessed with class unity?"
Hirata turned to him with calm eyes.
"Expulsion is almost unavoidable in this exam. According to yesterday's discussion, the class will likely... choose to let you go. But in your case, I'm not as worried. With your family background and resources, even if you leave this school, you'll easily transfer to another elite high school."
Koenji froze for a second. Then, he burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Exactly! But to hear that from your mouth—how unexpected!"
Hirata lowered his head slightly.
"I'm sorry. This is the result of the class vote. With your ability, you can get into a top university regardless. So this time, I am powerless. I hope... we might meet again at the same university in the future."
Koenji's laughter died down. He didn't respond to the university comment, but he gave Hirata a fresh look.
"Hirata-boy, your speech today was much more interesting than your usual talk of friendship. At least... you sound like a normal person."
Hirata nodded, accepting the blunt remark.
It was the truth. In the past, he tried to protect everyone. But as Akira had pointed out, expulsion was a reality of this school.
By the third year, classes usually dropped to 35 people. Historically, no class had ever graduated with all 40 members.
Recently, Ichinose Honami had come to terms with her past. And Hirata, after Yamauchi's expulsion and Akira's advice, was finally learning to forgive himself for being unable to save everyone.
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At 9:00 AM, Chabashira Sae entered the classroom.
"The voting will now begin. When your name is called, proceed to the polling room. After voting, gather in the gymnasium. Results will be announced there."
Akira's praise votes went to Sudo Ken, Ike Kanji, and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. For his criticism votes, he didn't pick Koenji; he wrote Hondo, Miyamoto, and Onizuka. Koenji had helped him before, and he didn't feel the man truly needed to leave.
Ten minutes later, Tsukishiro took the stage at the gym with a microphone.
"Good morning, first-year students. Usually, your teachers announce the results, but since this is the first special exam I designed, I was a bit excited. I'll announce them personally."
"Let's get straight to it. Starting with Class A.
"Most praise votes: Sakayanagi Arisu, 36 votes. Most criticism votes: Totsuka Yahiko, also 36 votes. Congratulations, Sakayanagi-san!"
Yahiko's face was ashen, his fists clenched.
"Class B: 39 praise votes for Ichinose Honami, 39 criticism votes for Kanzaki Ryuji."
"Thank you everyone!" Ichinose bowed. The class was calm; they had the points to save him.
"Class C..." Tsukishiro paused, seemingly surprised by the result.
"The Protection Point goes to Shimizu Akira with 85 praise votes. The student to be expelled is Koenji Rokusuke, with 30 criticism votes."
"Congrats, Shimizu! Great!"
"Wait, 85 votes?! That's 85 people! There aren't even 200 kids in the first year!"
All eyes turned to Akira in shock. He remained composed. After all, Class B and Class C had both voted for him, and a few stray votes likely came from the other two classes.
"Class D," Tsukishiro continued. "First place praise votes: Shiina Hiyori, 28 votes. To be expelled: Manabe Shiho, 15 criticism votes."
"What?! Manabe?!"
"How... I voted for Ibuki and Morofuji!"
Class D erupted. Manabe's face turned ghastly.
"Hey! Did you guys betray me?!"
"I didn't! I really didn't vote for you!"
"Manabe, you only had 15 votes and got expelled? That's wrong! Everyone else had over 30!"
Manabe raised her hand.
"Chairman! This count is wrong! Did you read it wrong?!"
Tsukishiro frowned. Sakagami Kazuma shouted, "Manabe! Do not be rude to the Acting Chairman! The specific breakdown is non-public information."
Manabe turned on Ibuki and Hiyori.
"It was you two, wasn't it?!" Hiyori ignored her. Ibuki sneered, "Idiot, did you forget other classes can cast praise votes? Naturally, we had other classes vote for me and Morofuji."
Manabe froze, then looked at Class A's Hashimoto Masayoshi.
"Masayoshi-kun, what is this?! You said... you'd protect me!"
Hashimoto shrugged and glanced at Sakayanagi.
"Sorry, Shiho-chan. It was all an act. The goal was to make you the target for expulsion."
"What?! Sakayanagi! Are you crazy?! When did I ever offend you?!" Manabe screamed. "Really?" Sakayanagi giggled.
"I haven't forgotten the time you intentionally tripped me during the training camp."
"Over that... petty crap?!" Manabe was stunned. Her sanity snapped, and she charged at Class A.
"Sakayanagi, I'll kill you!"
Before her hand could touch Sakayanagi, Kito Hayato stepped in like a shadow, grabbing Manabe's wrist with precision.
"Violence is prohibited in the gymnasium," Kito said coldly.
Sakayanagi looked at the struggling Manabe from behind Kito's shoulder.
"Manabe-san, I understand your feelings. But in this school, acting without considering the consequences often carries a price beyond imagination."
A-Class teacher Mashima stepped forward.
"Stop it, Manabe-san. Disrupting the assembly will be considered a rule violation, which won't help your future transfer arrangements."
Manabe slumped and walked back to Class D. Desperate, she turned to Kaneda and Hiyori. "We have 30 million points... you'll save me, right? You wouldn't be that heartless?"
Kaneda looked away.
"I'm afraid not. One of the conditions for Class A's praise votes was that we are forbidden from using class points to save you."
The last spark of hope died in her eyes.
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Tsukishiro adjusted his mic.
"The results are out. Students with protection points, use them wisely. To the students voted out: I give your classes 10 minutes to pay 20 million points to save you. If not, you will leave this school."
A-Class: Sakayanagi confirmed they would not pay for Yahiko. No one objected.
B-Class: Ichinose quickly confirmed they had 23 million points.
"Kanzaki-kun, we will save you."
D-Class: Chaos. Manabe screamed for the 30 million they had, but the class stood by the agreement with Class A.
"Five minutes left," Tsukishiro smiled, looking down at the students. He felt a sense of disappointment.
'Are these the children I expected so much from? They are just locking their attention into this game I made on a whim.'
He looked at Ayanokouji, who was silent. Then he noticed Akira whisper something to Class C. Suddenly, Class C went quiet. Then Akira walked to Class B, then D, then A.
The tension in the room eased. Tsukishiro chuckled.
"Good children..." Finally, something interesting.
"Time is up," Tsukishiro said.
"Final answers?"
"Class A will not pay."
"Class D will not pay."
"Class C will not pay."
Finally, Ichinose spoke.
"Class B... also does not intend to spend points to save anyone."
"What?" Tsukishiro's smile faltered.
"All of you... don't intend to save anyone?!" The other three he could understand, but Class B? He looked at Kanzaki, who was perfectly calm.
Ichinose looked at Akira, then back at Tsukishiro.
"Acting Chairman, what is the fundamental purpose of this exam?"
"The purpose? Your teachers told you. The expulsion rate was below standard. This exam was to reach the necessary quota."
"Is it logical to force the dismissal of students just because they are 'too excellent'?"
Horikita Suzune's cold voice rang out.
"Isn't the point of this school to foster talent? This is backwards."
"Heh... you are young and don't understand social rules," Tsukishiro smiled.
"Such things aren't rare in the real world."
"Aren't they?" Akira's voice cut in.
"If being excellent doesn't lower the expulsion rate, and a quota must be met regardless, why would future students want to come here? Even at a corporate level, would anyone apply to a company that operates this way?"
Tsukishiro was momentarily speechless. This kid's words were sharp.
"Exactly!"
"If you can expel us today for a 'quota,' will you just pick who becomes Class A tomorrow to save face?!"
Voices of protest erupted. The resentment from days of suspicion and betrayal found a common outlet, flooding toward the podium.
The teachers—Mashima, Hoshinomiya, Sakagami, and Chabashira—remained silent.
They also hated this forced exam. They let the students' anger flow directly to the rule-maker.
Tsukishiro's smile didn't waver.
"I hear your concerns. It proves you aren't numb. However, the exam is over. Results are generated. According to the rules... I must execute the expulsions. If you had brought these insights up earlier, perhaps there would have been room for change."
"You're just playing with words!"
"Protest! We protest!"
Tsukishiro looked at the teachers.
"Maintain order. Students, you are young. Go back and calm down."
The teachers, to save their jobs, began to usher students back. The commotion was suppressed. Protest failed. Because he was the Acting Chairman, and his word was the rule.
Tsukishiro looked at the crowd, but his eyes stopped on Akira, Ayanokouji, and Koenji.
They hadn't moved. They stood there, quietly watching him.
Koenji even gave him a bright grin.
'Since when did these three get together?'
Just then, the phone in his pocket vibrated. It was a high-level leader from the Board of Directors. He answered.
Before he could speak, a roar of fury came through: "Tsukishiro! What the hell are you doing?! Who gave you permission to hold an exam that mandates an expulsion?!"
"I... how did you know..." Tsukishiro was stunned.
"How did I know? It's in the news! Reports say Advanced Nurturing High is using unscrupulous means to meet an expulsion quota! We've lost face! Who will send their kids here now?! Our core philosophy is fostering elite talent—what are you doing?!
The Board is scrambling to handle the PR! The Kanzaki and Koenji families are at our door—their heirs are among those voted out! They suspect the school is targeting them! Do you understand the relationship between the Koenji Conglomerate and the Prime Minister's faction?! Expulsion? You decided this so flippantly?!
Tsukishiro, I'm telling you: cancel the expulsions immediately! Stabilize the students! If this affects the relationship between the school and the Citizen's Party..."
The voice turned ice-cold for the final blow: "I think your job as Acting Chairman is over!"
The line went dead.
Tsukishiro stood frozen, his perfect smile finally shattering into a dark, suppressed gloom.
'Who...? Who leaked the internal details to the Board? And who manipulated the media outside to create this storm?
Was this the counterattack from Shimizu Akira and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka? How on earth did these two contact people outside the school?!'
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