When the man introduced as the vice president of the student council entered the council room, Hikaru Hashima noticed that the expression of the violet-haired senpai holding notes beside her instantly tightened.
On his part, Manabu Horikita, seated in his place, showed a far more subtle reaction, merely fixing Nagumo Miyabi with his piercing gaze.
"Why is everyone looking at me like that? As a member of the council, it's only natural for me to help my adorable kouhai solve their problems, right?" Nagumo said with a warm smile, eagerly approaching Ibuki. "Is this kouhai the one who was mistreated?"
"Nagumo-kun, this matter is already in the president's hands. It's for him to handle," retorted Akane Tachibana, with evident hostility in her voice, clearly opposed to his intervention.
"Come now, Tachibana-san, President Horikita already has so much to manage daily. A violence incident involving first-year students—it's perfect for me, isn't it? It'll give him a break!"
"But—"
Akane tried to protest, but a glance from Horikita stopped her in her tracks. The bespectacled man paid no attention to Nagumo's actions and turned his gaze to Hikaru Hashima.
"Hashima-kun, this is Nagumo-kun, a second-year student and vice president of the student council."
"Hello, Nagumo-senpai."
Since the blond entered the room, Hikaru had been observing the situation carefully. After Horikita's introduction, he politely bowed to Nagumo, displaying impeccable courtesy. Not content with that, he gently tugged Ibuki's sleeve, who stood beside him, urging her to do the same.
"Nagumo… senpai, hello," Ibuki mumbled, caught off guard but following his example.
"Haha, you're adorable, such serious kouhai!" Nagumo seemed satisfied and confidently proposed, "Since you're making an accusation, I can handle it, you know."
"Uh…"
Hikaru showed slight hesitation. Not that he feared offending this self-proclaimed vice president, but he wanted to gauge Horikita's reaction.
"We've already submitted the video to Horikita-senpai. Perhaps it would be better for him to make the decision?"
"Hmm, interesting. I'd also like to know what Horikita-senpai has in mind," Nagumo replied, brushing aside Hikaru's remark. A mere first-year didn't deserve his attention.
"Since Nagumo-kun is so eager to relieve me, I'll leave this hearing to you," Horikita declared calmly. He then addressed the two council members he had summoned, "Go fetch Ryūen-kun from Class 1-C."
Once the orders were given, the president fixed his gaze on the still-smiling Nagumo and added with a hint of warning, "That said, as vice president, I'm sure you're well-versed in the school rules. Be careful not to make mistakes during the hearing; otherwise, it could tarnish the council's authority."
"Rest assured, Horikita-senpai, I'll be flawless and deliver a fair judgment. I won't disappoint you!"
Nagumo, after accepting the task, glanced at Hikaru and Ibuki, seeming to examine the phone they held.
"Nagumo-senpai, here's the video we filmed. It shows Ryūen-kun's violent acts toward Ibuki-san," Hikaru explained, handing over his phone with an indignant tone. "Ibuki-san did nothing wrong; she simply refused to vote for Ryūen-kun. And he dared to raise his hand against her! As a boy, hitting a girl is absolutely despicable. Please, Nagumo-senpai, deliver justice!"
"…Don't worry, I'll render a perfectly fair judgment," Nagumo replied after carefully watching the video.
However, doubt crossed his eyes. Though the video seemed to show a boy striking a girl, Ibuki's attitude and movements appeared too assured, as if she had never feared the blows.
No, this is a setup. The video is staged!
Nagumo realized it was a trap. He glanced at Horikita, who was calmly reviewing documents, feigning indifference.
*I see, he wants to make me take the fall…*
Nagumo's face darkened, but he remained calm, storing everything in the back of his mind.
"A problem, Nagumo-kun? If this task is too much for you, I can take over," Horikita said, raising his head, his sharp gaze fixed on him.
The council members Nagumo had rallied to his cause turned to him, curious about his reaction to Horikita.
"Of course not! Since you've entrusted this mission to me, I'll carry it out brilliantly. I wouldn't want to tarnish my reputation as vice president!" Nagumo replied with a confident smile. He turned to Hikaru and Ibuki, "Rest assured, if this student truly committed an act of violence, I'll ensure he's punished accordingly."
"Thank you, Nagumo-senpai. We trust your judgment," Hikaru responded with another bow, his attitude so polite that even Ibuki was left speechless.
To her, this Hikaru, with his handsome face, was nothing but a chronic liar. Since their meeting the day before, she hadn't heard a single truth from his mouth.
"I'll deliver an impartial verdict," Nagumo assured, fixing Hikaru with a hint of arrogance. "But to ensure fairness, I'll also hear Ryūen-kun's explanation. You'll have to debate with him. We wouldn't want to wrongly accuse an innocent person, would we?"
This first-year, with his innocent yet cunning face, was clearly the mastermind behind this scheme.
*Hmph, the newcomers this year are truly interesting. Just a few days into the term, and they've already prepared such a surprise for me?*
"Of course, we'll provide all necessary information to avoid any misjudgment, Nagumo-senpai," Hikaru replied, still respectful, as if deeply admiring this second-year vice president.
"Hmph."
Sitting beside him, Horikita observed Hikaru's performance and added a mental note about him:
*Brilliant mind, but monstrous audacity. Keep a close eye on him.*