Chapter 3: The Rift Between Siblings

Election period, day four.

“So sleepy…”

“Sorry, Hinako. It’s another early morning today.”

During the election period, Hinako has been coming to school early to match my schedule. I’m worried she might fall asleep in class, but it seems she’s managing by going to bed earlier than usual.

After parting with Hinako in the classroom, I grabbed the stack of flyers from my bag and headed outside the school building.

I was all fired up to start handing out flyers again today… or so I thought.

“Tomonari-san, can I have a moment?”

A voice called out from behind, and I turned around.

“Suminoe-san, what’s up?”

Suminoe-san, who had just arrived at school, approached me with a serious expression.

“Regarding the various courses Tennouji-sama promised to implement… is it true that they require expensive tuition fees?”

“…Huh?”

“Since yesterday after school, there’s been some talk. Just now, I overheard students in the hallway discussing it.”

The etiquette courses Tennouji-san pledged to offer are something we want to implement without burdening the students. That said, many details depend on negotiations with the academy’s management, and we can’t finalize anything until after the election.

“There’s no truth to that. Offering courses that exclude people would go against the very spirit of Tennouji-san’s promises…”

“…Right.”

An academy where everyone can live nobly—that’s the ideal Tennouji-san champions.

Limiting access to those courses would shatter that vision. Besides, when students at Kiou Academy talk about “expensive,” they mean a serious amount of money. I can’t imagine etiquette courses costing that much.

Strange rumors are floating around. I was mulling it over when—

“Oh, Tomonari-kun.”

This time, it was Kita who called out to me.

Kita approached, glancing between me and Suminoe-san.

“Sorry, am I interrupting?”

“No, it’s fine. What’s wrong?”

When I asked what he needed, Kita’s face took on an awkward expression.

“So, about the salon in Miyakojima-san’s promises… there’s a rumor going around that it’s invite-only and only for students from elite families…”

I exchanged a silent look with Suminoe-san.

What’s going on? Are weird rumors circulating about Narika too?

“…There’s no truth to that.”

“Y-yeah, that’s what I thought too, but…”

Kita mumbled, his lips twitching nervously.

“…These rumors seem to be spreading quite a bit.”

◆

Lunch break.

Without even time to eat, an emergency meeting kicked off in the second-floor hallway.

“…I see. So our reputations are being tarnished.”

I’d given them the bare minimum this morning, but I explained the situation to everyone again. Tennouji-san, Narika, Kita, and Suminoe-san all grasped the gravity of the issue.

“Yes. So, I’ve revised the speech drafts. Please take a look.”

I handed the updated speech drafts, which I’d been working on bit by bit during breaks, to the two of them.

We might not make it in time for the lunch break speech scheduled thirty minutes from now, but I wanted them to be ready for the after-school one. I kept the revisions minimal.

“Sorry for putting you both through this sudden change.”

“It can’t be helped.”

“Exactly. This isn’t your fault, Izuki.”

I’d half-expected them to say that, but…

“…If we’d explained everything in detail from the start, these rumors might not have spread. Maybe we focused too much on making an impact.”

“You can’t please everyone. If we’d bogged down the speeches with fine print, I’m sure everyone would’ve been bored to tears.”

Unlike me, the two of them weren’t wavering.

But to me, this was a moment to panic. According to this morning’s election bulletin, Tennouji-san and Narika each lost 2% in support, while Joutou gained about 5%. On paper, it looks less like a problem with Tennouji-san or Narika’s campaigns and more like Joutou’s efforts paid off, but I can’t rule out a connection to the rumors.

“We’ll clear up the rumors in the next speech, right? Then I think we’re fine.”

If I dwell on this too much, I might dampen the enthusiasm of the two who are finally looking forward. That wouldn’t be good…

However, the truth is that today’s speeches were intended to focus on the revised promises.

Being forced to address baseless rumors has thrown us off our game, and we’re struggling to regain our momentum.

“Specifically, what kind of rumors are going around?”

“They’re all utterly thoughtless.”

Suminoe-san answered Tennouji-san’s question with a frustrated tone.

I’d already explained the rumor about the expensive etiquette course fees. Others included…

“For example, there’s talk that the special lecturers we’d invite are just people tied to the Tennouji Group, and it’s all a scheme to line their pockets…”

That was beyond thoughtless.

Tennouji-san would never think like that.

“Also, if you think about it calmly, there’s a rumor that your blonde hair isn’t natural…”

“T-t-t-that’s absolutely not true!?”

That one was actually a fairly accurate rumor.

Wait, that’s got nothing to do with the election…

“We need to eat lunch, so let’s wrap this up for now. We’ll continue after school.”

I ended the emergency meeting there. We’d already burned through enough time. Twenty minutes until the speech. How much of the revised draft could they memorize by then?

As everyone dispersed, I was heading back to the classroom when I noticed Asahi-san watching me.

“Asahi-san? Is something wrong?”

“Oh, uh… no, it’s nothing.”

It didn’t look like nothing, but Asahi-san averted her gaze and left the classroom.

Maybe she was worried because we looked so serious during our discussion?

(…Guess I’ll go meet up with Hinako.)

Hinako should’ve headed to the old student council building first… but since she has an absurdly bad sense of direction, I told her to stop in place if she even thinks she’s lost.

I spotted Hinako as I left the school building, lunchbox in hand.

Making sure no one was around, I called out to her in my usual tone.

“Sorry, Hinako. Kept you waiting.”

“Mmm…”

When she turned, Hinako’s expression was more drained than usual.

“…You look kinda… wilted?”

“…I’m fine.”

Did something happen while she was waiting for me?

For now, we started walking toward our usual spot when—

“Heading to lunch?”

A boy with messy hair spoke to us, and I stopped mid-step.

“Joutou-kun…”

“Nice to meet you, Tomonari-kun.”

It seemed he already knew my face. Joutou greeted me with a friendly smile.

I hadn’t noticed during his speeches because of the distance, but up close, he’s taller than I expected. Does he play sports? His messy hair gives him a gloomy vibe, but his jawline is sharp, and his features have a certain intensity.

“Mind if I talk to Konohana-san for a bit? Maybe over lunch. You’re welcome to join, Tomonari-kun.”

Joutou lightly raised the lunchbox in his hand as he spoke.

Kiou Academy has a cafeteria with top-tier chefs, but it seems Joutou, like us, is a lunchbox guy.

I glanced at Hinako, and she looked exhausted. I need to clear my head too, and we’re too busy for a long chat. Sorry, but I’ll have to pass.

“Sorry. We’d rather rest somewhere quiet during lunch.”

“…Got it. Then, can I at least have three minutes to talk here?”

Three minutes? Well… I suppose that’s fine, but it’s up to Hinako.

Hinako gave a small nod. Refusing too stubbornly might seem odd, so I guess we’ll hear him out.

“I’m sure you’re sick of hearing this, but… why didn’t you run for president?”

Hinako’s expression stiffened slightly. That’s when I realized why she looked so tired.

She must’ve been bombarded with this question. While I wasn’t around, all sorts of students were probably asking her why she didn’t run for president.

No wonder she’s all wilted…

But in public, she can’t let her perfect Ojou-sama facade slip.

“I’ve answered others the same way: my family is busy. There’s no other reason.”

Hinako replied gently, but Joutou didn’t back down.

“But, Konohana-san, you could lead this academy in the right direction better than anyone. Can’t you reconsider, even now? It’d be unprecedented to join the race this late, but there’s no rule against it. With your influence, you could still gather votes.”

Hold up…

Is he seriously telling Hinako to run for president now?

From the look on Joutou’s face, he seemed dead serious.

Even Ojou-sama-mode Hinako was visibly flustered by this.

Guess I’d better throw her a lifeline…

“You’re the one running for president, Joutou-kun. Why not take on the role of leading the academy yourself?”

“Well…”

Of course, I’d rather see Tennouji-san or Narika take that role, but…

Joutou’s gaze wandered uncomfortably.

“…I’m not guaranteed to do it as well as Konohana-san.”

Staring at the floor, Joutou admitted it.

Wait, hold on.

That line… that’s not something a candidate for president should say.

What would his supporters think if they heard that?

“I’m deeply honored by your faith in me.”

Hinako gave a small bow.

“But I have my own responsibilities to fulfill. I’m not idling away my time, so please believe that much.”

“…Got it.”

Realizing persuasion was futile, Joutou bit his lip and nodded.

Then he turned to me.

“Tomonari-kun, supporting two people at once must be tough, but keep it up.”

“…Thanks.”

“There are some weird rumors going around, huh? If you need, I can clear them up in my speech.”

“Clear them up… you would?”

We’re all competing for the same president’s seat.

Even if he’s aiming for a fair fight, isn’t that a bit too kind?

As if reading my doubts, Joutou gave a weak smile.

“…As long as the academy moves in a better direction, I don’t care who becomes president.”

His voice lacked conviction, and his demeanor felt oddly fragile as he spoke.

Is he saying he doesn’t need to be president because he’s looking at the bigger picture? His detached attitude felt off, but his words rang familiar.

“Rintarou said something similar.”

“…You talked to Rintarou? Well, he’s got a similar mindset to me.”

Joutou let out a deep sigh.

“Sorry for taking your time.”

Joutou headed back toward the school building.

Hinako and I watched his retreating figure.

“…I got scouted to their side once.”

“Huh, really…?”

I nodded at Hinako’s surprised reaction.

“But for all that…”

“…Yeah. Something’s weird.”

Hinako felt it too.

For someone who tried to recruit me, he doesn’t seem all that invested in the election.

Or rather, at this point, it’s not even about enthusiasm…

“…Does Joutou even want to be president?”

◆

Election period, day five, morning.

Arriving at school early again, I checked the election bulletin for changes in support rates.

(…Pretty much the same as yesterday.)

No major shifts. Tennouji-san at 39%, Narika at 35%, and Joutou at 26%.

The support rates in the bulletin reflect the tallies from the previous day. Since there weren’t significant changes in our or Joutou’s campaign activities yesterday or the day before, the drop in support from the last bulletin likely stems from those bad rumors.

However, the negative gossip circulating around the school should have been addressed in yesterday’s speeches. I listened to both Tennouji-san and Narika during lunch and after school, and they clearly explained why the rumors were false. Once the misconceptions are cleared, the lost support should bounce back. By tomorrow, we might recover to the original 40% split.

(What’s bugging me… is Joutou.)

I kept thinking about it even after returning to the mansion last night.

Maybe Joutou’s already given up on winning. Tennouji-san and Narika are both big names at the academy. Overtaking their support rates would be tough.

The gap’s narrowed due to the rumors, but that’s hardly Joutou’s doing.

Suppose Joutou had a burning ambition to become president. In that case, he’d see these rumors as a golden opportunity to aggressively gather support. But yesterday, Joutou looked almost sympathetic when he heard about our bad press.

“Tomonari-kun!”

“…Kita-kun?”

While handing out flyers in the courtyard, Kita came running from the school building. He must’ve been about to start distributing flyers too, judging by the stack in his hand.

“What’s wrong?”

“The rumors aren’t stopping at all! They’re actually getting worse!”

My mind went blank.

The rumors haven’t stopped? How…?

“…What kind of rumors are out there?”

“Like, they’re gonna tear down the academy’s café to build the salon. And… there’s talk that all of Miyakojima-san’s promises were actually written by you.”

What the heck…?

As I stood there baffled, Kita went on, listing more bad rumors he’d heard. They were all completely new, nothing like what was floating around yesterday.

“Tomonari-san.”

Suminoe-san approached with a grave expression.

Her face told me everything.

“…The rumors haven’t stopped, have they?”

“No. The ones we addressed yesterday have been replaced by entirely new whispers.”

“Can you tell me what they’re saying?”

The rumors Suminoe-san described were totally different from before, and there were all sorts of them. Just like with Narika, new bad rumors about Tennouji-san were spreading too.

The way these rumors are spreading feels unnatural. They’re not just old doubts ballooning into something bigger; it’s like a bunch of brand-new rumors popped up out of nowhere. They’re so random, so unfocused—if these were the students’ collective opinion, they’d be way too scattered.

Besides, how could new rumors suddenly spread like wildfire right after we addressed the old ones?

Yesterday, we scoured the academy for every rumor and debunked them one by one. I’m not naive enough to think that’d wipe out all the gossip overnight. But why, at this exact moment, are a ton of rumors that didn’t exist yesterday suddenly everywhere?

“This is…”

Finally, I understood the situation.

The feeling that the rumors are being drip-fed. The stagnation that keeps us stuck, debunking gossip, unable to improve our speeches.

This situation, where we’re forced to tread water, was orchestrated.

“…It’s a smear campaign.”

smear campaigning.

Deliberately spreading bad images about your opponents to make yourself look better by comparison. A classic election tactic.

Suddenly, I remembered something Takuma-san said.

—By the way, Izuki-kun. In the management game, something was left out. Do you know what it was?

Oh… now I get it.

I finally realized.

The answer is—scheming.

Tactics meant to tear others down.

The management game was a numbers battle. The system dictated what you could and couldn’t do, enforced by strict rules.

Even when Suminoe-san tried to buy out my company, from a CEO’s perspective, it was a calculated strategy with a clear chance of success. It was a move to grow her company, not a scheme.

However, what I’m facing now is nothing short of malicious and underhanded tactics.

I thought all the students at Kiou Academy were upright and proper… was I just naive?

(…Did Joutou spread them?)

Now that I realized it was a smear campaign, the mastermind behind it had to be from Joutou’s camp. However, no matter how I looked at the various rumors (data) spreading around, I just couldn’t see Joutou’s face behind them.

It doesn’t feel like Joutou.

He’s the one who suggested using my speech to dispel the rumors about us. Whether it’s because he lacks enthusiasm for the election or he’s just a good-natured person, either way, I can’t imagine someone like him being the mastermind of a smear campaign.

“Tomonari-kun, what’s wrong?”

When I looked up at the sound of my name, Asahi-san was staring at me with a puzzled expression.

Asahi-san was holding her bag. She must have just arrived at school. While heading toward the school building, she probably noticed us in a corner of the courtyard, which exuded a heavy atmosphere, and became concerned.

“Asahi-san, actually…”

With her extensive network, Asahi-san may have some valuable ideas for addressing the smear campaign. With that thought, I explained the situation to her.

New negative rumors had started spreading today.

That, judging from the situation, we were likely being targeted by a smear campaign from Joutou’s camp.

I explained these things concisely…

“…!”

Asahi-san’s face turned pale with shock.

Her reaction surprised us in turn.

It was almost as if she knew something—

“…Sorry! I just remembered something I have to do!”

Asahi-san threw her bag aside and sprinted toward the school building.

“Asahi-san!?”

Something to do… There’s no way running off at a time like this isn’t related to the smear campaign.

I picked up Asahi-san’s bag.

“Sorry! I’m leaving the flyers to you!”

I handed the flyers to Kita and chased after Asahi-san.

Asahi-san entered the school building and ran straight down the hallway without changing her shoes. To keep up, I had no choice but to enter the building in my outdoor shoes too.

(The first-year building…?)

At Kiou Academy, the first-year building is separate from the main school building. Asahi-san crossed the connecting corridor, climbed the stairs, and entered the first-year building, storming straight into a classroom.

“—Rintarou!”

Asahi-san’s shout echoed through the room.

Rintarou, who was inside the classroom, widened his eyes at his sister’s sudden visit.

“Ane-san, what’s wrong?”

“I told you this kind of tactic is no good!”

With a look of utter fury, Asahi-san yelled.

I’d never seen Asahi-san like this. She’s always bright, lively, and cheerful, and come to think of it, she’s also skilled at reading the room. That’s why she’s the mood-maker of Class A.

But now, she was ignoring all the stares around her, shouting at the top of her lungs.

“Calm down. I don’t even know what you’re talking about—”

“—The smear campaign!”

Rintarou’s face stiffened.

For a brief moment, Rintarou’s eyes flicked toward me, standing behind Asahi-san.

Those eyes felt chillingly cold, but in the next instant, they were back to normal.

“…What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb! I know it’s you! The tactics are exactly the same!”

Asahi-san’s voice was filled with anger, but it also sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

What did she mean by saying the tactics were the same?

No, more importantly, did Asahi-san think Rintarou was behind the smear campaign?

“Rintarou… please, stop doing this. I understand how you feel, but…”

Asahi-san bit her lip, her face full of sadness.

In the silent classroom, Rintarou let out a sigh.

“You’re so loud.”

Rintarou glared at Asahi-san.

His eyes burned with a bottomless anger, no less intense than Asahi-san’s earlier.

“What’s a traitor like you preaching to me from above?”

“—!”

Asahi-san faltered, at a loss for words.

Then Rintarou shifted his gaze from the silent Asahi-san to me and bowed his head.

“Tomonari-senpai, I’m sorry for dragging you into something weird.”

“No, I…”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s just a sibling spat, unrelated to the election.”

With that, Rintarou bowed to his classmates as well.

The confused first-year students gradually returned to their usual lively and peaceful atmosphere.

Asahi-san didn’t say a word. Instead, she gritted her teeth so hard I could hear it and stormed out of the first-year building.

◆

After leaving the first-year building, Asahi-san seemed to calm down a bit. She took off her outdoor shoes, which she’d kept on, and started walking in her socks. I did the same, taking off my shoes and following her step behind.

I thought she might head to the shoe lockers to get her indoor shoes, but instead, Asahi-san put her outdoor shoes back on midway through the connecting corridor and headed toward the garden.

I put my shoes back on too and followed her.

“…Classes are about to start, you know?”

Without turning to look at me, Asahi-san stopped and spoke.

“I can’t leave you alone right now, Asahi-san.”

“…You’re so kind, Tomonari-kun.”

Asahi-san’s voice trembled faintly.

“I wish I could’ve been that kind too…”

With a self-deprecating laugh, Asahi-san walked toward a table in the depths of the garden and sat down in an empty chair.

She gestured with both hands, urging me to sit across from her.

I sat down in front of Asahi-san. …I’d have to skip first period.

“Asahi-san, I don’t think it’s certain yet that Rintarou is the mastermind behind the smear campaign. You might just be misunderstanding—”

“—It’s Rintarou.”

Asahi-san declared firmly.

“Rintarou’s doing the same thing at home… I know it’s him.”

Asahi-san began to explain.

“Our company’s actually kind of a mess, you know. Business is going well, but there’s a lot of friction between the employees…”

J’s Holdings, huh?

I’d looked into the company’s details during the Management Game. It was supposed to be a solid, profitable business for years…

“Papa, our president, is a Kiou Academy graduate. But his values were kind of skewed, and the employees didn’t follow him. His sense of money and the subtle arrogance in his words apparently eroded their trust. …He spent too much on dinners with clients, I heard. For Papa, it was just him being considerate to important clients.”

Asahi-san gave an empty smile.

I don’t even know what’s right anymore… I could almost hear her inner voice.

“Since the business side was fine, I think his professional instincts were solid. But where he miscalculated was human relationships. The academy doesn’t teach you that, right? …Most of our employees are really ordinary people, so someone like Papa stood out in a bad way.”

Asahi-san said sadly.

“Rintarou and I watched Papa struggle like that ever since we were kids. …Because we saw it, we swore we wouldn’t end up like that.”

It sounds like Asahi-san’s had a tough time since she was young.

It can’t feel good. Her own father was ostracized at the company. I can’t even imagine how Asahi-san felt watching her father’s back.

“So, when we were kids, Rintarou and I made a promise. We’d build a company together, one that truly stood on the side of regular people.”

Hearing Asahi-san’s past, the pieces started connecting in my mind.

Rintarou had said he’d start his own company in the future.

And… Rintarou had called Asahi-san a traitor.

“…You two promised to start a company together, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. But I broke that promise.”

Asahi-san nodded quietly, digging her nails into the back of her hand on the table.

It was like an act of atonement. As if talking about this required her to bear pain, her overwhelming guilt came through loud and clear.

“I decided to take over the family company instead. …And Rintarou, betrayed, stopped caring about the means to achieve his goal of starting his own company.”

I recalled the chillingly cold look Rintarou had given for just a moment.

“Rintarou started using his position as the president’s son to get involved in the company. Not long after, the friction between employees got even worse.”

Why did the friction worsen?

Asahi-san answered with a heavy expression.

“Rintarou was spreading bad rumors about Papa. At the same time, he announced his plans to start his own company and began poaching talented employees. …Rintarou created factions. He mocked those who sided with Papa as the ‘bourgeois faction’ and built an atmosphere where he and his group were the ‘commoner faction.’ I think Rintarou’s plan is to unite the commoner faction and eventually take them all with him.”

Because Rintarou had done something like that before, Asahi-san must have concluded he was behind this smear campaign too. The situations do seem similar.

“By the time I noticed what Rintarou was doing, it was already too late. …Back then, a middle school kid was casually walking into the company, more admired than Papa. Rintarou had that kind of talent. Strategy… no, a talent for scheming to achieve his goals.”

Asahi-san said weakly.

The anguish in her voice was palpable as she witnessed her brother’s unconventional talent.

“But it all started… because I left Rintarou alone.”

Asahi-san lamented that she was the one who pushed his talent in that direction.

“I’m the one who cornered Rintarou. …So of course, him listening to me when I tell him to stop is out of the question, right?”

Lowering her gaze, Asahi-san said.

From Rintarou’s perspective, I could understand why he was angry. They’d sworn to start a company together, but his sister betrayed him and chose to inherit the family business. Forced to fight alone, it’s understandable that Rintarou, driven by desperation, stopped caring about the means. There’s room for sympathy there.

“…I’m so sorry! You’re busy with the election, and my little brother’s causing you trouble!”

Asahi-san suddenly lifted her face, speaking in her usual bright tone.

“Really, really sorry! I totally killed the mood, and I’m the worst right now! Oh, and first period’s already started! Let’s hurry to class! Tomonari-kun, this is an important time, so you don’t want the teachers noticing you, right!?”

Clasping her hands together, Asahi-san bowed in apology.

She wasn’t down anymore. She was fine. She’d completely bounced back, so don’t worry.

Asahi-san’s whole body screamed that as she put on her act, but I looked straight at her.

“You don’t have to force yourself.”

Asahi-san’s smile froze.

“The one hurting the most right now is you, Asahi-san. Don’t worry about me.”

I knew she was pretending to be cheerful to spare my feelings.

But… that hurt me too.

Asahi-san’s expression turned serious, and tears began to spill from her eyes. It was the first time I’d seen her like this, but it felt like I was finally seeing the real Asahi-san.

Always bright, always the mood-maker for everyone.

But Asahi-san is just a person too, carrying her own burdens.

Like anyone else, she gets angry, and she cries.

“I’m sorry… just for a bit, just a little…”

Her tears grew larger, and Asahi-san began sobbing as if a dam had burst.

“I’ll… be back to normal soon…”

“…Okay.”

Even in this much pain, she still worried about the person in front of her—that’s just who Asahi-san is. I wanted to tell her she didn’t have to go back to normal, but for Asahi-san, “normal” is probably her armor. It’s how she protects her heart.

Since the election period began, Asahi-san had occasionally looked awkward.

She must have been thinking about how to face Rintarou, all alone.

Watching Asahi-san cry quietly, I added one more thing to my list of things to do.

During lunch break today—I’d talk to Rintarou.

◆

Lunch break.

Heading to the first-year building, I spotted Rintarou walking through the connecting corridor and called out to him.

“Rintarou, I need to talk.”

“Sure.”

Rintarou was supposed to help with Joutou’s speech next, but he immediately accepted my invitation.

We moved to the garden’s table seats. Sensing that this wasn’t a conversation for others to hear, Rintarou deliberately walked to a secluded spot.

Ironically, the seat Rintarou chose was the one stained with Asahi-san’s regret.

“What’s this about? Are you joining our side?”

“No.”

“That’s a shame. I was hoping that’s what this was…”

As soon as he sat down, Rintarou looked at me with expectant eyes, but I shook my head.

He’d probably made time to talk with me, even ditching his speech duties, because of that expectation. I felt bad for letting him down.

“It’s about Asahi-san.”

When I stated it plainly, Rintarou let out a small sigh.

“I’ll say it again, that was just a sibling fight. You don’t need to worry about it, Tomonari-senpai. …Besides, Ane-san seems to think I’m the one behind the smear campaign against you guys, but there’s no proof of that—”

“—It’s you, isn’t it?”

Rintarou fell silent, and I repeated myself.

“You’re the one behind the smear campaign.”

“…Why are you so sure?”

To Rintarou, who was playing dumb, I explained my reasoning.

The evidence that Asahi-san’s hunch was correct.

“Right now, there are some bad rumors circulating about Tennouji-san. Do you know what they are?”

“…Well, I’m part of the election too, so I’ve heard things.”

That makes this easier.

The smear campaign didn’t just target Narika; Tennouji-san was also targeted. I brought up a rumor I’d heard from Suminoe-san this morning.

“The dress code seminar will be divided based on the level of the social circles students usually participate in, so it’ll highlight differences in family status. …That’s the rumor going around.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that one.”

Rintarou looked at me as if to say, So what?

“Tennouji-san never said a word about holding a dress code seminar.”

Rintarou’s eyes widened.

“…But didn’t you tell me, Tomonari-senpai? You said your next speech would explain the dress code seminar.”

“We scrapped it. We realized that talking about it in the speech might cause exactly the kind of misunderstanding the rumor’s suggesting.”

After discussing it with Tennouji-san at the last minute, we decided not to mention the dress code seminar.

To make Kiou Academy a place where everyone can live nobly, we judged that any policy that even slightly hinted at family status should be avoided.

Yet somehow, the rumor claimed Tennouji-san was holding a dress code seminar, and a smear campaign was built around it.

Someone had leaked our plans.

“The only one who knew we were planning a dress code seminar… was you, Rintarou.”

Rintarou pursed his lips and fell silent.

The smear campaign circulating in the academy benefited Joutou’s camp. That alone made me suspicious of Joutou and Rintarou. But there was another reason I specifically suspected Rintarou: the speed at which the rumors spread.

Anyone who knew Tennouji-san and Narika well would immediately realise that those rumors were false.

Their refined way of life was etched in the eyes of many students, which is why they were as famous as Hinako-chan at the academy. Anyone who knew them would dismiss the rumors with a laugh and refrain from spreading them further.

Yet the rumors spread.

That meant people who didn’t know Tennouji-san and Narika well were spreading them. Realising this, I concluded that the source of the rumors wasn’t our peers. Third-years or first-years… Third-years had seen Tennouji-san and the others since they were first-years, so I suspected that the current first-years had seen them as well.

The spark of the rumors was spreading like wildfire among the first-year students.

That was Rintarou’s domain, a place we couldn’t easily reach. By the time the rumors reached our ears, they’d already spread so much that we were forced to play catch-up.

Rintarou sighed in resignation and bowed his head.

“I give up. As you suspected, senpai, I’m the one leading the smear campaign.”

“…You’re admitting it that easily?”

“With that much circumstantial evidence, I can’t deny it. …They say a schemer drowns in their own schemes, huh? I was so focused on spreading the rumors that I didn’t listen carefully to Tennouji-san’s speech.”

Rintarou expressed his regret.

Indeed, if he’d paid attention to Tennouji-san’s speech, he’d have noticed we’d dropped the dress code seminar.

“Honestly, I was planning to tell you about the smear campaign at some point, so it’s just a matter of sooner or later.”

…He was going to tell me?

Why would he think it was okay for me to know?

“…Are you mocking me?”

When I let my irritation show, Rintarou looked at me in shock.

“…You get emotional too, huh, Tomonari-senpai? I thought you were more rational.”

“I’m not particularly rational. It’s just that at Kiou Academy, emotions alone don’t get you far.”

So yeah, I get angry too.

I thought back to Asahi-san from this morning. I pictured her feelings as she broke from her usual carefree attitude and shed tears, as vividly as I could.

I never want to see Asahi-san make that face again.

Never again.

“I heard the details from Asahi-san. With Asahi-san deciding to take over the family, Rintarou was left alone, cornered, and stopped caring about the means he used.”

“…I won’t deny it.”

Rintarou confirmed it.

“Honestly, I feel for you… But even so, this kind of approach isn’t right.”

Being isolated must have deeply wounded Rintarou.

Starting a business in the real world requires overcoming obstacles far more challenging than those in a management game. And Rintarou’s likely aiming for a business of considerable scale. Doing it all alone would be incredibly difficult.

It’s not hard to imagine the desperation and pressure weighing on Rintarou, pushing him to the edge.

Even so—.

“Please. Stop spreading these rumors. Asahi-san is suffering, feeling responsible.”

I bowed my head to Rintarou.

Tennouji-san and Narika must also be hurting inside from these baseless slanders.

This isn’t strategy. It’s scheming. It might be a rational tactic for Rintarou’s side to win the election, but it’s hurting people in the process.

There are those quietly shedding tears because of it.

“…Please raise your head.”

Slowly lifting my gaze, I saw Rintarou looking at me calmly.

“You’re right…”

After a moment of thought, Rintarou spoke.

“Then, if you, senpai, join our side, I’ll stop.”

“You…!”

“Don’t misunderstand. I’m not mocking you, senpai.”

Thinking he was joking, I stood up, but Rintarou spoke with a serious expression.

Those were earnest eyes. I couldn’t fathom what Rintarou was thinking, but one look at those intense, sincere eyes pierced me, leaving my anger with nowhere to go.

“You’re trying to absorb Konohana Hinako-senpai’s supporters, aren’t you?”

“How do you…?”

“You sent out a survey, didn’t you? One asking what people would’ve wanted if Konohana-senpai had become president. I got a copy of it, too.”

It was Tennouji-san’s idea to investigate the desires of those who wanted to support Hinako. That survey reached even Rintarou, it seems.

They must’ve gathered a ton of responses. It was surprising to think that the survey spread to the underclassmen in just half a day.

“The idea itself is impressive, but what shocked me most was that Tennouji-senpai, who was so competitive with Konohana-senpai, accepted it. …That’s surely your influence, Tomonari-senpai. Your strength, so unlike Kiou Academy’s usual, is inspiring those around you.”

Rintarou bowed his head.

“Tomonari-senpai, please join us. We need you.”

The tables had turned.

But I didn’t understand.

I had no clue what Rintarou was trying to achieve.

Rintarou’s respect for me didn’t feel fake. It didn’t seem like he was just putting on a front for this moment.

Even so… whatever Rintarou’s intentions, my resolve wouldn’t waver.

“The people I want to see as president are elsewhere.”

Rintarou didn’t lift his bowed head.

I couldn’t tell what Rintarou was feeling as he hung his head.

◆

That afternoon, back at the Konohana estate, I found myself explaining the situation to Hinako.

“…I see. So Asahi-san’s brother was the one spreading the rumors.”

I only told her that Rintarou was trying to sabotage us.

It’s probably best not to mention Asahi-san’s family matters. I’m hesitant to share her private life without permission.

“…Will he stop the rumors?”

“…I don’t know. Probably not, I think.”

Rintarou said he’d stop if I joined Joutou’s camp. Since I refused the deal, it’s unlikely he’ll halt the smear campaign.

“From what I’ve heard, that Rintarou kid probably won’t stop. It’s proving effective in the election, after all.”

Takuma-san, appearing on the laptop screen, said this nonchalantly.

Hinako shot the laptop a displeased look.

“…Izuki. Can I just cut the call with this guy already?”

“No way. You’re the one who butted into my conversation with Izuki-kun, Hinako.”

“Muu…”

Faced with undeniable logic, Hinako puffed out her cheeks.

I’d been reporting the election’s progress to Takuma-san via video call when Hinako walked into the room. Originally, Takuma-san’s words were what sparked my run for the student council, so I’d been updating him regularly on the election.

“Takuma-san, I figured out what you meant by the thing omitted from the management game. …It’s scheming, isn’t it?”

“Correct. But realizing it only after becoming a victim is a bit late, Izuki-kun. You need to be more suspicious of people.”

I’m aware my guard was down.

My focus was solely on supporting Tennouji-san and Narika’s activities. I occasionally kept an eye on Joutou’s camp, but only to differentiate our platforms or adopt their speech techniques. It was more about learning from them than staying wary.

That said, I thought I was at least minimally cautious. I made sure our speech venues weren’t taken or that our election supplies weren’t used up first. …The smear campaign, however, was an attack that far exceeded my expectations.

“…I never imagined Kiou Academy students would resort to such tactics.”

“If you’re by Hinako’s side, it’s no wonder you’d think that.”

What does that mean?

“That academy is full of ambitious people, so naturally, there are quite a few who’d use dirty tricks. …But no one would dare in front of Hinako. No matter how clever their schemes, no one can outmatch her.”

Even if she’s a slacker at heart, Hinako’s abilities are top-tier. Indeed, schemes likely wouldn’t work on someone like her.

Being by Hinako’s side might have shielded me from such things until now.

From raw, unbridled ambition that could hurt others.

“There are roughly two types of people at Kiou Academy: the CEO-type, children of business leaders, and the politician-type, children of political figures. …The politician-types often resort to such tactics. They’ve been raised in a world of power plays and intrigue from a young age. …Come to think of it, Izuki-kun, you’ve mostly been around CEO-types, so you might not have noticed the distinction.”

Now that he mentions it, most of my acquaintances are overwhelmingly the former. Hinako’s the prime example, and since my public persona aligns with that, I probably gravitated toward similar people.

Just as politician-types have their tendencies, CEO-types seem to have theirs, too. They always prioritize tangible results. Case in point: the academy’s top performers are mostly CEO-types.

“Rintarou-kun seems to have been born on this side, but something in his past must’ve twisted him. That’s probably why he clicks so well with the presidential candidate he’s supporting.”

Not every child of a CEO follows the typical path, I suppose. Rintarou’s split with Asahi-san might’ve shifted his mindset closer to a politician-type, aligning him with Joutou, a natural-born politician-type.

But if we’re going there—.

“…What about you, Takuma-san?”

I’d sensed a similar… recklessness in Takuma-san, like a politician-type who doesn’t care about the means.

Takuma-san fell briefly silent before speaking.

“Maybe something happened in my past, too.”

He brushed it off with a superficial smile.

Was it just a joke? Or… is there something he can’t tell me yet?

“Anyway, for some people, schemes are the only way to achieve what they want.”

“Haa…”

“So, Izuki-kun, it’s time you learned some scheming. Actually, that’s where your talents would shine most. If you tried, you could mimic me in no time—”

Hinako operated the laptop, cutting off the call with Takuma-san.

“Izuki doesn’t need that kind of thing.”

“…Thanks.”

Her trust in me genuinely warmed my heart.

Of course, I don’t want to stoop to trapping others, even for a goal.

“But that’s surprising…”

Hinako said, looking puzzled.

“I don’t know much about Joutou-kun, but I didn’t think he’d be the type to tolerate smear campaigning, even to win. …How did Rintarou convince him?”

“…Well, by Takuma-san’s logic, Joutou’s the quintessential politician-type.”

As the head of their camp, Joutou should be fully aware of Rintarou’s actions. I, for one, reported every detail of Tennouji-san and Narika’s activities to them.

Why is Joutou allowing Rintarou’s smear campaign?

Or perhaps, to begin with—.

“…Takuma-san said that, but…”

I shared my thoughts with Hinako.

“I don’t think Rintarou’s that kind of person.”

“…That kind of person?”

“Like, not the type to rely on schemes…”

“Hmm…? But he’s actually doing bad things…”

Bad things, huh…

Hinako’s comment was objective, carefree yet merciless, and hit the mark.

Rintarou’s actions—spreading baseless rumors to tarnish rival candidates—could objectively be called bad. If we had some shady secrets and Rintarou was exposing them out of justice, his side might have some moral ground.

“Are you sympathizing with Rintarou because you’re too kind, Izuki?”

“Well, I think there’s room for sympathy, but…”

Can we really label Rintarou as evil when he was cornered and resorted to desperate measures?

It feels like I’m preaching some naive belief in human goodness.

But…

(…That’s not quite it, either.)

I decided to dig deeper into Rintarou.

To turn my hunch into certainty.

“…Alright.”

Even after the call with Takuma-san ended, I didn’t close the laptop.

There was still work to do late into the night.

Hinako peeked over my shoulder as I began typing on the keyboard.

“Election work…?”

“Yeah. There’s something I want to do for Asahi-san’s sake.”

I sensed Hinako tilting her head behind me.

“I want to correct all the harmful rumors that have spread. Asahi-san feels responsible.”

I opened a spreadsheet.

With help from Kita and Suminoe-san, I’d compiled the rumors circulating in the academy into the file before me. Now, I just needed to prepare responses for each and spread the word. However, this second wave of smear campaigning was more complex and varied, with rumors that were trickier to counter than before. Suppose I left any gaps in the responses. In that case, they’d be exploited further, and crafting precise answers for everything would take time.

(What I really wanted was to do more than just correct them…)

But I had no confidence I’d manage in time.

Today marked the fifth day of the election period, with Saturdays and Sundays in between. Rintarou, having studied Tennouji-san and Narika’s platforms, likely spent time carefully crafting this smear campaign. Meanwhile, I had to deal with it yesterday and today, and unsurprisingly, the workload was crushing me.

“Want me to help?”

“…No, it’s better if you don’t.”

I paused my work to look at Hinako.

“This is election-related, so if people knew you helped, it’d probably sway a lot of votes on its own. That’s not what Tennouji-san or Narika want, so I’ll just take your offer in spirit.”

“…Got it.”

Hinako nodded, looking a bit sad.

Having her review a finished speech draft would be fine, but her direct contribution to our success wouldn’t be ideal.

Kiou Academy is full of students who wanted Hinako as president. If she openly supported a specific candidate, those students would likely follow suit.

Of course, the academy’s students aren’t fools. They’ll eventually realize they can’t keep chasing Hinako, who didn’t run for president. That’s why borrowing her influence carelessly now might interfere with their awakening.

Everyone’s probably noticed we haven’t held tea parties at the academy since the election started. …We have no intention of using Hinako politically. Please vote with clear heads, keeping Hinako separate. Our intentions should be getting through.

“Sorry, Hinako.”

“No, it’s fine. …It’s just because I’m too popular.”

Well, yeah, but…

Saying that with such a dejected expression? That’s a new one…

(…Gotta focus.)

I turned back to the laptop, filling out the rumor response list.

But each answer took minutes to craft. Despite my determination, the work wasn’t progressing as hoped, and frustration was piling up.

“Mm…”

Hinako let out a small sound, watching me analyze the types of rumors.

I kept working, trying to ignore it, but…

“Mmmmmm…”

Hinako was staring at my work with a stern expression.

She really looked like she had something to say…

There was probably something wrong with my approach. But since I’d told her I didn’t need advice, she was quietly watching, holding back.

(At this rate, I’ll never finish in time.)

To make Tennouji-san and Narika win, and for Asahi-san’s sake, I wanted to debunk all the rumors by morning. But with my abilities, even pulling an all-nighter wouldn’t cut it.

(…Come to think of it, Takuma-san said something.)

He’d recommended relying on Hinako.

Hinako, a genius in practical skills, even acknowledged by Kagen-san. At this critical moment, am I being foolish, not just honest, by refusing to lean on her?

“…I can’t have you help directly, but…”

After some thought, I came up with a compromise.

“Is there, like, a trick to handling massive amounts of data like this?”

“There is!”

Thrilled to be relied on, Hinako answered energetically.

“But… in exchange for teaching you, I want a reward.”

“A reward?”

A reward for Hinako would mean…

I pulled a bag of snacks from the desk drawer.

“Here, potato chips.”

“N-no, not that kind…!”

“Not potato chips!?”

No way!?

Is it going to snow tomorrow!?

Is this a sign of some cosmic upheaval!?

“…Don’t act that shocked.”

Come on, that’s impossible.

Based on her past behavior, I was sure “reward” meant potato chips, but Hinako puffed out her cheeks, looking a bit miffed.

She stepped closer to my bed and,

“…Work here.”

Hinako patted the mattress.

“Fine by me, but that’s the reward?”

“…Mm.”

I didn’t quite get it, but I went along.

Since it’s a laptop, I could work on the bed.

As I sat on the bed,

“And… like this.”

Hinako slipped in between me and the laptop.

She nestled perfectly between my outstretched legs.

“Uh, Hinako, this is a bit…”

“…I-it’s easier to teach this way.”

I can barely see the screen…

Our bodies were practically glued together. Each breath brought her sweet scent.

(Calm down, calm down… She’s just being clingy…)

The skill I’d honed most as her caretaker might be how quickly I could clear my mind.

To stay composed, I leaned back slightly to put some distance between us.

“…Izuki?”

“W-what?”

As I tried to pull away, Hinako grabbed my arms and pulled me closer.

“…Hold me properly.”

Calling this a familial distance was way too much of a stretch.

My heart was pounding. My head felt like it was spinning.

(This is… too much!)

Sweat poured from every inch of me in my panic.

I forced my blanked-out mind to function.

What were we even doing? …Oh, right. Hinako was about to teach me work tips.

“Hi-Hinako! What kind of trick are you gonna teach me!?”

I couldn’t quite get the words out smoothly, but Hinako wasn’t exactly calm either. She let out a weird little “Nnh…” sound from her mouth as she glanced at the screen.

Just what was the trick Hinako used to handle massive amounts of data in practice?

After thinking it over, Hinako opened her mouth again.

“When it comes to tons of data… it’s like, you make it all fluffy and then tidy it up…”

“Fluffy…”

Nope, I had no idea what she meant.

In the back of my mind, an image of clouds lazily drifting through the sky popped up.

“Nmm… hold on, let me put it into words…”

“If it’s too hard, you don’t have to, you know.”

“No way… I want to help Izuki…”

Hinako showed a serious expression, as if she were really thinking it through.

Deep down, I believed that given enough time, Hinako could probably articulate it.

Hinako always switched between her natural, super-lazy state and her perfect Ojou-sama mode as needed. However, that switch only altered her outward personality—her actual abilities remained the same. In her natural state, like now, she had zero motivation, so her complete lack of life skills came to the forefront. But on the flip side, if she just had the drive, she could act with the same poise as she did in Ojou-sama mode.

When Hinako was in her perfect Ojou-sama mode, she often taught classmates how to study. In other words, Hinako naturally had the ability to teach others.

And not just any teaching—she was relied on by the elite students of Kiou Academy, no less…

“…Izuki, you’re good at seeing what’s behind the data, but you’re not looking at the big picture.”

Having finished organising her thoughts, Hinako spoke up once more.

“All data… you start by abstracting it and sorting it by its essence. For example, this rumor and that rumor—both are essentially about suspecting Tennouji-san’s selfish motives, so…”

“…Got it. If you analyze it that far, you can deal with them in one go, right?”

Hinako gave a small nod.

“It’s just my gut feeling, but… having a nose for sniffing out the essence is key. If you only look at surface-level problems, you’ll end up going in circles… and it’s a hassle, too, since it takes so much effort.”

I could tell that last “hassle” bit was her true feelings.

But a nose for sniffing out the essence… that was a good phrase to learn.

Up until now, I’d been good at seeing the people behind the data, but there was an essence to the data itself, too.

I could probably figure out the essence of the data on my own. A perfect example was when I negotiated with Ikuno in that management game. I was able to see what Ikuno really wanted—his essence—and move the negotiation forward from there. Observing the people behind the data was a surefire way to get to its essence.

But honestly, that was inefficient. It was a solid method for processing one piece of data thoroughly, but for handling massive amounts, it took way too long. Observing the people behind every single piece of data would take an absurd amount of time.

So, I needed to learn how to sniff out the essence from the surface of the data, too.

The ability to process huge amounts of data—that’s what I needed right now.

If I became student council vice president, I’d probably have to deal with this kind of work more often. …Good thing I realized what I’m lacking at this moment.

…I’m happy.

Knowing there’s still room to grow in myself—it’s honestly exciting.

“Thanks, Hinako. …I’ll give it a shot.”

Forgetting how close I was sitting to Hinako, I dove into the work I needed to do.

I reviewed the types of rumors circulating around the academy again. Instead of tackling them one by one like a stubborn mule, I skimmed through the whole thing with a lighter touch. Then, I grouped together rumors with similar themes and considered solutions for each group.

As Kagen-san and Takuma-san acknowledged, Hinako’s practical skills were honestly genius-level.

But she wasn’t just relying on some vague thing called talent.

There was actual logic to it. She knew the exact framework to follow, thinking systematically and valuing the fundamentals—a grounded, practical strategy.

This… I could imitate this.

After about an hour of work, my brain started getting used to this systematic way of thinking. The pile of rumors that had seemed impossible to tackle now had a clear starting point, and my motivation was surging.

(If I can do this… I might be able to go one step further.)

I could do more than just the corrections I originally wanted. A smile naturally spread across my face.

After finishing the work, I carried a sleeping Hinako—who’d dozed off at some point—back to her room. I snuck a bag of potato chips into her desk drawer before leaving.

◇

Asahi Rintarou didn’t exchange words with anyone but his mother when he got home.

Ignoring the servants’ greetings, Rintarou headed straight to his room. After school, he only left his room for dinner or a bath.

With his mother away on a business trip, he wasn’t talking to family at all. His relationship with his sister was the worst, and he kept his father at a distance one-sidedly.

His father, worthy of contempt, was more annoying than a stranger. Every word and action grated on Rintarou’s nerves. He used to have some dignity, but now, unable to build trust within the company, he looked like a washed-up nobody.

As a child, Rintarou had ruthlessly cut his father out of his life.

By treating his father as a common enemy, Rintarou had earned the trust of the company’s employees, surpassing his father. There were plenty of talented people at J’s Holdings eagerly awaiting Rintarou’s startup. The preparations for poaching them were already in place.

He had no regrets about abandoning his father.

But the fact that his father never once blamed him for it was something he couldn’t understand.

(…Whatever.)

His arrogant father, sitting smugly atop a warped sense of values. His traitor of a sister, who, despite their promise to walk a different path, suddenly decided to inherit the company for her own self-preservation.

To Rintarou, this house was a den of fools.

This wasn’t it.

This wasn’t where he belonged.

“Ah.”

On his way to his room, he ran into his sister, Karen.

Since they were siblings, their rooms were right next to each other. Even as their emotional distance grew, their rooms stayed close.

In moments like this, Karen always had a guilty look on her face.

But today, after that usual flash of guilt, Karen quickly pulled herself together and met Rintarou’s eyes.

Caught off guard by her unusual behavior, Rintarou instinctively looked away.

Hurrying into his room, Rintarou recalled the exchange and felt irritated.

“…Tch.”

Had she gotten over it? The nerve of a traitor.

No, he needed to stop thinking about pointless things. Rintarou pulled out the election bulletin he’d gotten that morning from his bag and checked the approval ratings for each camp.

(Approval trends are looking good. We’ll keep up the smear campaign, but it’s about time for Joutou-senpai to give a speech about part-time jobs.)

It was time to put the advice Tomonari Izuki had given him to use. Originally, he’d only planned to discuss workplace experience, but in the next speech, they’d announce that they were considering allowing part-time jobs as well.

(But… Tomonari-senpai was weirdly knowledgeable about part-time jobs, wasn’t he?)

It wasn’t just that he suggested part-time jobs—Rintarou was surprised that Izuki had casually rattled off specific examples like construction sites, tutoring, or hotel staff.

Rintarou didn’t know which high school Tomonari Izuki had attended before transferring, but since he was at Kiou Academy, he must have come from a refined private school. …Or so Rintarou had thought, but now he felt an odd sense of unease.

By learning from his father’s mistakes and reaching out to the world, Rintarou had noticed the skewed values of the students at Kiou Academy.

He’d thought Tomonari Izuki was similar to them… but maybe he was wrong.

That strength of his, so unlike a typical Kiou Academy student—could it be…?

(…No way.)

Arriving at a certain possibility, Rintarou grabbed his smartphone with a grim expression.

Using the connections he’d built on his own since his sister’s betrayal—Asahi family associates and elite employees he planned to poach—Rintarou began investigating the possibility he’d stumbled upon.

◆

Election day six.

Arriving at school even earlier than usual, I printed out the documents I’d prepared at the mansion using the academy’s printer for flyers.

Carrying the stack of papers out to the courtyard, I ran into a female classmate.

“Oh, Asahi-san?”

“Ah… Tomonari-kun.”

Asahi-san looked a little awkward.

“Tomonari-kun, have you been coming this early every day during the election?”

“Yes. Why are you here, Asahi-san…?”

“Um… I wanted to apologize to you, Tomonari-kun.”

Asahi-san pressed her lips together tightly and spoke with a regretful tone.

“I’m sorry for crying yesterday… I caused you a lot of trouble because of me.”

Asahi-san bowed deeply.

If I stayed quiet, it felt like Asahi-san would keep apologizing forever.

I really wanted her to go back to her usual bright self.

With that thought in my heart, I decided to show Asahi-san what I’d worked so hard on last night.

“Actually, I came to school even earlier than usual today.”

To a confused Asahi-san, I showed the stack of papers in my hands.

“I wanted to distribute these around the academy as soon as possible.”

The flyers I usually handed out in the courtyard were for announcing speech locations, but the ones I was distributing today were different.

I handed one to Asahi-san.

Taking it, Asahi-san glanced at it and made a troubled face.

The flyer was packed with text, like a newspaper. The font size was readable, but compared to the usual flyers, it was definitely harder to get through.

But for this flyer, the sheer amount of information was the point.

“Is this… could it be…?”

Catching on to the flyer’s contents, Asahi-san looked at me, and I nodded.

“All the negative rumors about us circulating in the academy—a complete list of responses—”

While explaining, I showed Asahi-san the back of the flyer.

“—and a preemptive list of responses to negative rumors that might come up in the future.”

Before Hinako taught me her trick, I thought I could only prepare responses to rumors already out there. But thanks to her, I had enough time to create what I really wanted.

Something to keep Asahi-san from getting hurt anymore—

“I predicted every possible smear campaign that might come up and prepared responses for them. I crammed as much as I could on the back, but there wasn’t enough space, so the rest can be checked on the website.”

The website’s address was printed on the back of the flyer.

The smear campaigns Rintarou spread were, in a word, speculation. They were deliberately twisted takes on parts of Tennouji-san and Narika’s speeches that lacked explanation.

So, if we explained everything perfectly from the start, there’d be no room for smear campaigns.

But explaining everything in a speech would take an unrealistic amount of time. So, I chose to explain it through documents instead.

“There’s a lot of information, so not everyone will read it all. But this is Kiou Academy. In a place full of diligent people, someone will definitely read it through. And those people will debunk the rumors for us.”

Those who read will read.

Those who investigate will investigate.

And those who realize the rumors are false will surely take it upon themselves to deny them.

I believed Kiou Academy was an environment where I could hold onto that hope.

Even if, as Takuma-san said, there were plenty of people here who’d do anything for ambition, they were still diligent at their core.

I believed in the earnest way the students of this academy lived their lives.

“I think we’ve dealt with the smear campaigns now.”

To a surprised Asahi-san, I continued.

“Asahi-san, you don’t need to apologize. —We won’t lose to something like this.”

We would win.

I thought stating that clearly was the best way to ease Asahi-san’s guilt.

Asahi-san’s eyes widened, and she bit her lip hard.

“…Give me half the flyers.”

Asahi-san reached out her hand.

“It’s kinda late, but I’ll help out. …Honestly, I wanted to help from the start, but I was worried that if I got involved, Rintarou might do something, so I couldn’t bring myself to act.”

So that’s how it was…

For Asahi-san, who knew Rintarou hated her, it was a natural concern.

But she seemed to believe in our victory now. That’s probably why she decided to help without any hesitation.

“Good morning!”

Taking the flyers, Asahi-san approached students arriving at school and handed them out.

“The rumors going around the academy are all nonsense! You’ll see if you read this! Please take one!”

As if making up for all the time she couldn’t help, Asahi-san moved with purpose.

…I couldn’t let her outdo me.

I steeled myself and began handing out flyers as well.

“Yo, you two.”

After distributing about fifty flyers, Asahi-san and I were called out to by Taishou.

“Asahi’s helping out today, huh?”

“Yup! I’m gonna help until the last day!”

Asahi-san said with a smile as bright as the sun.

Seeing her back to her usual energetic self from before the election, Taishou grinned happily.

“Then I’ll help out, too.”

Saying that, Taishou approached me to take some flyers.

I thanked him and was about to hand them over when he whispered in my ear.

“…Sorry, Tomonari. Since Asahi wasn’t helping, I didn’t either until now.”

“…It’s fine, but you could’ve helped even if it was just you, Taishou-kun.”

“…Idiot. Asahi not helping you guys? That’s unthinkable under normal circumstances, right? I knew something had to be up. …If I helped, Asahi would’ve been left alone, wouldn’t she?”

Taishou glanced at Asahi-san, who was cheerfully handing out flyers.

It seemed Taishou had deliberately kept his distance from our campaign to avoid leaving Asahi-san feeling isolated.

“…Taishou-kun, you’re surprisingly kind, huh?”

“Am I?”

Taishou gave a puzzled look.

Both Taishou and Asahi-san really paid attention to the people around them. —That’s probably why they were the first friends I made at this academy.

Without them, I don’t know where I’d be right now.

Looking back, I was able to fit in at Kiou Academy because of them… and meeting them now felt like it was meant to be.

It wasn’t me who found them.

Taishou and Asahi-san found me.

—I want to become vice president.

That thought hit me stronger than ever.

I wanted to make the day they called out to me the right choice. I wanted to make being friends with me something they could be proud of. That was the greatest way I could repay them.

Saying something cheesy like thanks for being my friends was too embarrassing.

So, I’d show the gratitude in my heart through results.

“Good morning!”

“Please take one if you’d like!”

Taishou and Asahi-san’s voices echoed across the courtyard.

Many students noticed their voices and took the flyers. I was reminded, a bit late, of how much influence these two had with their wide circle of friends.

(With this… we can finally move forward.)

Rintarou’s schemes would end here. If the flyers we distributed today were effective, there would be no more openings for him to exploit on Tennouji-san and Narika’s platforms.

From here on, I thought everything would go smoothly—

◆

Lunch break. After eating with Hinako and watching Tennouji-san and Narika’s speeches, I headed back to the classroom since classes were about to start.

But the moment I stepped inside, Kita noticed me and approached.

“Tomonari-kun. There’s one weird rumor going around…”

Kita said with a troubled expression.

A rumor… I’d been casually listening to the chatter around me during lunch, and as planned, the students who read our materials were already debunking Rintarou’s rumors on their own.

So, I thought we didn’t need to be as sensitive about rumors anymore…

“A weird rumor?”

“Yeah. It’s a bit different from the others…”

The other rumors were pretty weird, too, if you ask me…

Kita seemed unsure how seriously to take it and explained the contents of the rumor.

“…There’s a rumor that you’re hiding your true identity, Tomonari-kun.”

My mind went blank.

That…

That, of all things…

That was the one rumor that absolutely couldn’t be allowed to spread.