Chapter 160: Kushida: ?? I'm literally going to laugh from anger!
Horikita Manabu's gaze had not left the report card in front of him. He had looked at those few lines of numbers many times, but every time his eyes swept over them, they would pause for an extra second on the line: "1st Year Class B, 1,266 points." He wasn't confirming the data; he was simply thinking about other matters.
"Tachibana, contact the school staff. Make sure that before tomorrow morning, the class signs for the 1st Year Class A and B are swapped and replaced."
"The students will attend classes as usual tomorrow," Horikita Manabu said.
"Yes," Tachibana Akane immediately complied.
Nagumo Miyabi leaned back in the Vice President's seat, hands pillowed behind his head, tilting his chair back so it balanced on only two legs. He stared at the ceiling for a few seconds before suddenly snapping the chair back to its original position and leaning forward.
"President," Nagumo stood up, volunteering himself, "Tomorrow, I'll go meet this Hachiman Hikigaya from Class B."
Tachibana's hand, holding her teacup, paused slightly as she looked up at him.
Horikita Manabu finally moved his gaze from the report and glanced at Nagumo. "To do what?"
"To offer congratulations, of course," Nagumo said as if it were the most natural thing in the world, his smile deepening. "Rising to Class A—someone has to say a word about it. Besides—he's my direct kouhai.
I also want to see what kind of guy manages to pin both Sakayanagi-kouhai and Katsuragi-kouhai to the ground. Meanwhile, I assume the President is prepared to invite him to join the Student Council as well."
Tachibana Akane's brow furrowed slightly, but she didn't speak, instead turning her gaze toward Horikita Manabu.
Horikita Manabu leaned back against his chair, his fingers tapping the edge of the desk in a slow, steady rhythm. His expression remained serious and composed, but when he spoke, he shook his head.
For Horikita Manabu said this: "Your idea is good, but Hikigaya Hachiman might not take the position."
"Huh...?"
Nagumo could feel how much Horikita Manabu valued this kouhai, Hikigaya. It meant the President was indeed prepared to grant him a great honor: an invitation to the Student Council and the rank of Vice President.
However, for Nagumo, his feelings were complicated. After all, he was the one who had previously been so highly regarded by Horikita Manabu and granted such honors. His smile stiffened for a fraction of a second before he regained his confident composure. "The President is so sure he'll refuse?"
"I'm not sure," Horikita Manabu's answer was blunt. "But the invitation must be extended regardless. After all, this is a reward he has earned. Whether he needs it or how he handles it is his business."
Nagumo stared at him for two seconds, then suddenly laughed and leaned back. "Fine, the President's word is law. Anyway—"
Anyway, he didn't continue.
Because even if this Hikigaya-kouhai joined the Student Council and became a Vice President, he would have no chance of winning the election for the next Student Council President. The second years were nearly unified under Nagumo, and he had already bought the votes from the 3rd Year Classes C and D.
So, even if the 3rd Year Class A supported Hikigaya, he wouldn't be able to gather enough votes to defeat Nagumo. Hikigaya-kouhai was not a threat to him.
Horikita Manabu then said, "Then you shall go notify him. Tomorrow morning."
Nagumo stood up, his chair making a light scraping sound on the floor. He straightened his cuffs and tilted his chin toward Horikita Manabu. "Leave it to me."
He turned and walked toward the door, his pace measured, the sound of his leather shoes on the floor exceptionally clear in the quiet office.
With Nagumo gone, only Horikita Manabu and Tachibana Akane remained.
Tachibana walked over to Manabu's side. "President," she chose her words carefully, her voice kept low, "Isn't Nagumo-kouhai... being a bit too proactive?"
Horikita Manabu picked up his tea, took a light sip, and said calmly, "The first-year Class B's performance in rising to Class A is a replica of his own past.
Nagumo's current behavior is likely... a sense of mutual appreciation between kindred spirits."
Tachibana glanced at him. She felt the President had only said half of what he was thinking, but knowing Horikita Manabu, he wouldn't say the other half out loud.
Horikita Manabu put down the teacup and leaned back. The half he didn't say was simple—he felt that even if Nagumo and Hikigaya clashed, Nagumo might not win. It wasn't out of contempt or bias, but a cold, almost ruthless judgment based on his understanding of both individuals.
So, he didn't need to worry much about the Hikigaya side.
However, he still picked up his phone, opened his contacts, and found the name Hachiman Hikigaya. His finger hovered over the screen for a second before he typed a line:
[Manabu]: Do you have any interest in joining the Student Council?
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At that moment, Hachiman was leaning against his bed in the dorm, holding the watered bottle tree plant, checking the color of the leaves against the light. The soil had absorbed enough water, its surface turning from a grayish-white to a dark brown, with a few droplets seeping from the drainage hole and forming a small ring on the windowsill.
He put the pot back, placed a few tissues underneath, and lay back on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. The fluorescent light was blindingly white, but he didn't turn it off or look away; he just lay there, listening to the occasional sound of insects outside.
Just then, the phone by his pillow vibrated.
Hachiman's first thought was—Karuizawa.
But the moment that thought surfaced, even he was stunned. His finger, however, moved faster than his brain, fishing the phone out and flipping it over.
Horikita Manabu.
Hachiman stared at the name for two seconds, unable to tell if he was disappointed or something else. He unlocked the screen and opened the message.
[Manabu]: Do you have any interest in joining the Student Council?
It was short, without greetings or pleasantries—a direct question. Very much in Horikita Manabu's style.
Hachiman held the phone before his eyes, his thumb hovering over the screen, not replying immediately. He remembered back at Sobu High, when Isshiki Iroha was maliciously nominated and became a candidate. She didn't want to be the Student Council President at all, thinking it was a hassle and bad for her image, so she came to the Service Club for a request. Although he eventually tricked her into taking the role, to Hachiman, the Student Council simply meant work.
In Advanced Nurturing High, the Student Council had even greater authority, which meant... it was more like entering a "corporate slave" position prematurely.
So, seeing Horikita Manabu's message, Hachiman wanted to look away. However, the current situation was a bit different.
He thought for a moment, then typed a line:
[Hachiman]: I don't want to work, but how many positions in the Student Council can you give me?
After sending it, even he felt the sentence was ridiculous. Who asks for positions the moment they're invited? And starts with "I don't want to work"? But after sending it, he didn't bother retracting it, because he felt Horikita Manabu wasn't the type to care about phrasing.
He expected a pause from the other side. But Horikita Manabu's reply came much faster than expected—it was almost instantaneous.
[Manabu]: What are your thoughts?
Hachiman looked at the text, his lips curling into a small smile. Horikita-onii-san indeed didn't waste time on trifles. He thought for a bit and typed another line:
[Hachiman]: A Vice President position should be standard for a successful class promotion, just like Nagumo-senpai. However, I also want two Secretary positions.
This time, Horikita Manabu's reply was slower. He was likely judging whether Hachiman was joking or serious. Hachiman waited patiently, tapping the edge of his phone.
Then, the message popped up.
[Manabu]: So you are preparing to come to work?
Hachiman stared at the text. He felt a trace of a smile in the words—not a visible smile on a face, but the kind of mental image of someone smiling that you could feel through the screen!
'Man, even Horikita-onii-san has learned some bad tricks.'
Hachiman replied:
[Hachiman]: Pretty much.
[Manabu]: What made you change your mind?
Horikita's reply was fast this time. His phrasing was concise, but every word felt carefully considered.
[Hachiman]: I think there might be some changes in the management layer next semester. Since the Student Council has a lot of authority, joining it provides some extra self-protection power.
The other side fell silent for quite a while. After about a minute, a message finally came through.
[Manabu]: ...I see. Very well. If you take the position of Vice President, I will allow you to choose your own Secretary and Accountant.
Hachiman looked at the text and did the math. Vice President, Secretary, Accountant—three positions. Not a lot, but not a few either. And an Accountant was indeed less useful than a Secretary. However, if he could pick his own people, he'd have much more room to maneuver.
He typed:
[Hachiman]: Alright, thanks, President Horikita.
After sending it, a final reply popped up.
[Manabu]: The result of this exam was truly spectacular. Congratulations. I hope your class can hold on until the end.
Hachiman smiled slightly. He put the phone by his pillow and pillowed his head on his hands, staring at the ceiling light.
Vice President. Secretary. Accountant. Three positions. He'd take Vice President himself; he had to think carefully about the other two. He picked up his phone again and scrolled through his contacts. When Ichinose's name appeared, he paused.
He began editing a message:
[Hachiman]: Ichinose, President Horikita gave me a few Student Council positions. It seems to be the routine reward for a class that successfully pulls off a "lower-class-overtaking-upper-class" promotion. The reward is the Vice President position; I recommend you take it.
The message turned to "Read" almost immediately. But there were no "typing" indicators. Clearly, Ichinose had seen the message but was thinking. After a few minutes, her reply finally came.
[Ichinose]: Hikigaya-kun, if the President is giving a position, it must be you who serves as Vice President. This is the order of leader and supporter, it shouldn't be changed. I am merely your assistant. So, please allow me to refuse.
'I see.'
Hachiman's mouth twitched. Ichinose was always so serious about these things. He was about to reply "Then you take Vice President and I'll take Secretary," but before he could finish typing, another message popped up.
[Ichinose]: However, since the President gave more than one position, if Hikigaya-kun needs someone to assist you, I am available. As long as you think it's appropriate.
Hachiman's finger stopped. He stared at the text in silence. Ichinose's meaning was clear—she was willing to be an assistant, and although she didn't know what the specific role would be, she would not choose to be Vice President. Not because she couldn't, but because she felt that spot belonged to him.
He leaned against the headboard and sighed softly.
Back at Sobu High, he had zero interest in Student Council positions. Not because he lacked ability, but because it meant working. Hikigaya Hachiman's ideal was to be a stay-at-home husband, not a Student Council officer. But Horikita Manabu's Student Council still had Manabu to carry it; most of the work should still be handled by the President. The Vice President position... probably wouldn't be too busy. Probably.
He pushed the thought aside and looked back at the screen. Ichinose's attitude was firm; the plan to make her Vice President was dead. But then again, Student Council work did build experience. If Ichinose graduated from Class A, this experience would help her future development. Especially since this school's Student Council had much more power than normal ones; a little early training wasn't a bad thing.
He typed:
[Hachiman]: Since you've made up your mind, I'll respect your wish. However, the Secretary position is yours.
Ichinose replied instantly after reading. It was only one word.
[Ichinose]: Okay.
Hachiman exited the chat and looked at his contacts.
The Vice President position was unavoidable. Simply letting Karuizawa or Ichinose join the Student Council alone didn't sit well with him, given Nagumo's "black spots" from the original story. Nagumo was a "normie" senpai who enjoyed a harem lifestyle and wanted to create a "beautiful girl Student Council."
So, letting Karuizawa or Ichinose enter the Student Council was a bit like throwing sheep into a tiger's den. Even though Horikita Manabu was there, it didn't feel safe enough. Now that he decided to join, he could monitor the risks himself. If it really came down to it, he'd just kick Nagumo out of the Student Council.
Hachiman realized he had become a bit radical for a moment.
Regardless, Vice President and Secretary were decided. There was still an Accountant position to fill. His finger slid across the screen, names passing by. Many could do the job, but according to his layout, this person didn't necessarily have to be from Class B—they could be from another class.
His gaze stopped on one name.
'Kushida Kikyo.'
He thought about it and felt this choice was indeed appropriate. Kushida's abilities were fine; she had managed interpersonal relationships in Class D for so long that handling Student Council affairs would be easy for her. Bringing her in would allow him to dump as much work as possible on her.
And—he had a deeper consideration.
Kushida's state lately hadn't been great. Although she masked it well during Dragon Group discussions, he could feel the pressure accumulating. During their conversation on the ship, he had tentatively asked if she wanted to talk to Horikita Suzune more, but she refused. He suggested she write things down, and she shot that down too. He had tried many ways, but none seemed to work.
However, if someone has so many troubles, they are clearly just too free. He had to make her busy.
Hachiman tapped the screen and opened his chat with Kushida.
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At that moment, the lights of the shopping street were turning on one by one.
Kushida Kikyo and Wang Mei-Yu were walking side-by-side on the sidewalk, both holding small shopping bags. Kushida's pace was slower than usual, her toes occasionally tapping the gaps between the pavement bricks, looking like she was in a decent mood.
Wang Mei-Yu was beside her, still sporting her twin-tails, looking quite cute. With every step, the twin-tails swayed on her shoulders. These were "effective" twin-tails—a different style from Sakura Airi's deliberately dowdy ones.
Unfortunately, because she was next to the "Angel" Kushida, though she was cute, her head-turn rate was low. She didn't mind; Kushida-san was indeed beautiful and had a great personality. Wang Mei-Yu's bag contained a newly bought artbook, its cover peeking out, showing a splash of watercolor blue.
"Kikyo-chan," Wang Mei-Yu turned her head with a smile, "Did you have fun shopping today?"
Kushida nodded, her lips curving. "Mhm, it was quite fun. I haven't been out for a stroll in a long time."
That wasn't a lie. Spending two weeks on a ship, despite the facilities, the places to explore were limited. Her first act upon returning to school was to drag Wang Mei-Yu to the shopping street, treating it as a vacation for herself.
"That's good." Wang Mei-Yu smiled, looking down at her bag and touching the artbook cover. "I got the artbook I wanted and had a great meal. I'm very satisfied today."
Watching her look so satisfied, Kushida couldn't help but let out a laugh. Wang Mei-Yu was someone easily satisfied. An artbook and a good meal could keep her happy all day. Being with her made Kushida feel that all those messy things weren't so important.
They walked further, passing a florist that hadn't closed yet. Warm yellow light shone through the glass, illuminating the plants by the door. The fuzz on the leaves was clearly visible.
Previously, Kushida wouldn't have cared; decorating a room with plants was a luxury for the financially strapped Class D. But now, she had enough private points that she didn't have to be so restrictive. She could buy things if she wanted.
Kushida's gaze lingered on the row of small potted plants. She thought about buying a few, perhaps daffodils. But as she was about to look away, the phone in her pocket suddenly vibrated.
The vibration was different from usual. It wasn't the single "buzz" of a group chat, nor the long vibration of a phone call, but a short, light vibration—as if someone were lightly tapping her pocket. It was a personalized vibration setting she had specifically assigned to a certain person's messages.
Kushida paused.
Wang Mei-Yu noticed the change and glanced at her. Kushida's profile looked a bit paler under the streetlights, her eyelashes lowered, her lips slightly pursed. The change in expression was tiny; someone not close to her wouldn't have noticed it at all.
"Kikyo-chan?" Wang Mei-Yu asked softly. "What's wrong? Is there a special message?"
Kushida snapped back to reality and hurriedly pulled the phone from her pocket. Her movements were so fast they were almost unnatural, as if she were afraid being a second late would reveal something.
"Nothing," she looked down at the screen, her voice lighter than usual. "Just... I changed the vibration alert and haven't gotten used to it yet."
"Oh—then you check your message first, Kikyo-chan. I'll wait for you here." Wang Mei-Yu nodded. Her eyes moved from Kushida's face to the phone in her hand and then quickly away. She didn't ask further, just stood quietly by her side, fiddling with the handle of her shopping bag.
Kushida nodded and moved toward the side of the road, turning her back to the streetlights so the screen light wouldn't be as obvious.
She opened the message.
[Hachiman]: Do you still feel like your emotions are building up painfully? I've found a solution for you.
Kushida stared at the line for two seconds. Her first reaction wasn't gratitude or curiosity, but a pure, blank lack of knowing what expression to make.
'This guy... why is he always able to notice these things?'
Kushida took a deep breath, suppressed the indefinable emotion rising within her, and typed a few words.
[Kushida]: What method?
After sending it, she stared at the screen and waited. The streetlight shone from the side, but she didn't notice it. Her fingers gripped the edge of the phone as a trace of irritation—one she didn't even notice—surfaced in her heart.
Wang Mei-Yu stood nearby, quiet and not rushing her. But her slightly tilted ears were listening to the sounds next to her.
The phone vibrated.
Kushida looked down. When the line jumped into her eyes, she froze.
[Hachiman]: President Horikita sent me a message, giving me the authority to freely choose Student Council officers. I'm planning to nominate you. As long as you stay busy, you won't have so much time to dwell on your emotions. Ehei!
She stared at the text for three seconds.
'Ehei?
What do you mean, "ehei"?!'
Her grip on the phone tightened until she nearly crushed it. The light from the screen illuminated her face clearly as her expression shifted from shock to disbelief, and from disbelief to something between anger and a desire to laugh. Her lips opened, closed, then opened again, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words.
Because she wanted to be angry, but she ended up laughing out of anger. She laughed from anger, but then wanted to be angry again.
'Hachiman Hikigaya. So your solution is—making me get a job?!'
Working as a Student Council officer. Handling miscellaneous tasks every day, filling her schedule with documents and work. This way, she wouldn't have time to think about all that nonsense? This was his plan?
Kushida's temples throbbed twice. It wasn't anger; it was a complex emotion that made her want to both laugh and curse him. She took a deep breath, then another, forcing herself to swallow the phrase "Are you insane?" that almost escaped her lips.
"Kikyo-chan?" Wang Mei-Yu's voice came from the side, laced with a bit of caution. "What's wrong? Is it... some bad news?"
Kushida snapped out of it and hurriedly reined in the expression that was about to collapse. She forced a smile, but it was far below her usual standard—the curve of her lips wasn't
natural, and her eyes didn't crinkle into their usual crescent moons. She looked like she was holding something back.
"No, no," her voice was higher than usual, so high she felt it sounded fake. "It's just... a friend sent a message saying he found me a... part-time job."
"A part-time job?" Wang Mei-Yu blinked, curiosity flashing in her gentle eyes. "What kind of job?"
"A Student Council officer." As Kushida said those four words, even she felt they were surreal. She looked down at the screen; the "Ehei" was particularly eye-searing under the light.
Wang Mei-Yu's eyes widened, and a sincere joy appeared on her face. "Wow, Kikyo-chan is amazing! Not just anyone can be a Student Council officer, right? Like Karuizawa-san."
Watching Wang Mei-Yu be so genuinely happy for her, Kushida felt a sudden twinge of guilt. She gave a vague response. "Mhm... it's just helping out."
She looked back at the screen. Hachiman's avatar sat quietly at the top of the chat, and that "Ehei" was still hanging on the last line, as if it were winking at her.
She stared at those two characters for a long time before finally failing to hold it back and letting out a soft laugh.
The laugh was short—just a puff of breath that was mostly scattered by the night breeze, short enough to seem like an illusion. But Wang Mei-Yu heard it. She looked at Kushida's profile. This smile wasn't the usual, perfectly maintained smile she usually wore; it was natural, like a laugh that had leaked out because she couldn't hold it in.
Wang Mei-Yu didn't ask why she laughed; she just stood quietly, waiting for her to put the phone away.
Kushida tucked the phone back into her pocket, her movements much more composed than before. She looked at Wang Mei-Yu and smiled—this time, it was far more natural, her eyes crinkling into their usual crescents.
"Let's go," she said, her voice regaining its usual cheerfulness. "It's time to head back."
"Mhm!" Wang Mei-Yu nodded and stayed by her side.
To be chosen by Kushida and become her "best friend," Wang Mei-Yu naturally had her own shining points; her current consideration for others was one of them.
The two continued walking.
Kushida led the way, hands in her pockets, her fingertips unconsciously brushing the edge of her phone.
'Hachiman Hikigaya, you jerk—'
She repeated the name in her mind several times, only to find that she actually wasn't that angry.
Likely because he was, in his own way, doing something he thought would help her. Even if that way was ridiculously absurd.
Thinking this, she decided to give him a reply.