Chapter 42: Koenji Rokusuke
After the negotiation with Class D concluded, the students from Class D returned to their classroom to relay the news of the cooperation with Class A to their classmates. However, the arrogant Koenji suddenly stood up from his seat, as if uninterested, and walked out of the classroom. Hirata, who was still explaining the situation to his classmates, called out to him, but Koenji grandly ignored him.
Yukinoshita and Kamuro, who were about to leave, heard footsteps approaching from behind. They turned around and saw a handsome, muscular, blonde-haired boy slowly emerge from the Class D classroom. Every one of his movements was full of confidence and pride. Although he wasn't doing anything, his presence was utterly impossible to ignore.
"I presume the two of you are Yukinoshita-girl and Kamuro-girl?" The man gave a brief, aristocratic smile and blocked their path.
"...Who are you?" Yukinoshita and Kamuro didn't rush to correct the strange title; instead, they looked at him warily.
"My two pretty ladies, you don't need to be so nervous. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Koenji Rokusuke..."
"Koenji..." The name sounded familiar to Yukinoshita. She thought carefully for a moment, then looked at the tall blonde boy in front of her with some surprise: "Could it be..."
"That is correct. I am the sole heir of the Koenji financial group, a man who will shoulder the future of Japanese society sooner or later. Please keep that in mind." Koenji pulled a comb and a small mirror from his school uniform pocket and, utterly ignoring the two girls, began fixing his hairstyle in the mirror.
The two girls looked at the wealthy young master with sparkling eyes—they did not. They only gave Koenji the look one reserves for a strange person.
...Just another eccentric student from Class D, Yukinoshita sighed. She felt she had had quite enough appreciation for the day.
"So, what does the young master want to enlighten us with?" Kamuro didn't seem to care about Koenji's identity, crossing her arms and asking in a cold voice.
"Yukinoshita-girl, Kamuro-girl, your ideas are very interesting." Koenji brazenly pointed a finger at Yukinoshita and Kamuro, a confident smile on his face. "I know you want to gain the right to command Class D's Special Exam actions by offering an exam paper and points. It's quite good that you thought of this. If you are looking for work after graduation, I might offer you the position of Director in the Koenji financial group, you know."
"...Koenji-kun, what exactly are you trying to say?"
"I'll be direct then. Four thousand points is not enough to make the powerful and beautiful Koenji obey your orders. Your contract will not get my signature."
"Is that so?" Yukinoshita responded indifferently. "I believe that is something your Class D representatives should consider. Furthermore, how you evaluate yourself is irrelevant to me. At the moment, I am unaware of your abilities, so with all due respect, until you demonstrate your strength, I do not believe you are worth more points, Koenji-kun of Class D."
Although she said this, Yukinoshita knew very well that financial groups place immense emphasis on nurturing the abilities of their future heirs. The person in front of her surely possessed talent that far surpassed others in some field, perhaps even being an all-around superhuman like her older sister.
"Oh?" Koenji's face showed a look of amusement. "It is merely that the school authorities are unable to measure my Potential. I recognize, respect, and revere myself more than anyone, and I consider myself a great man. Even the school's arbitrary D evaluation holds no meaning for me."
"Even if your self-evaluation is that high, anyone can make empty boasts. If a self-praising person inflates their ego too much, it will eventually burst," Kamuro couldn't help but show a look of disgust at Koenji's words.
"I cannot simply ignore that remark." Koenji paused briefly in his hair-combing. "Very well then, consider this a small benefit for two beautiful young ladies: I will briefly demonstrate my ability. I will accept this time's 40,000 points, but I will only do one thing for you. After that, I will act according to my own will."
"No one can control the free Koenji!"
Koenji loudly declared. After speaking, he didn't wait for their reaction and leisurely walked downstairs and left.
"He's completely a narcissist..." Yukinoshita held her forehead, looking like she had a headache.
"Where on earth does the school find so many eccentric students?!" Kamuro complained as well.
She had been pestered with questions by that Kushida, having to constantly be careful not to leak class information, and carefully avoiding saying the wrong thing that could jeopardize the cooperation between Class A and Class D... This made her, who was not good at socializing and was always outspoken, feel rather stifled.
And she wasn't sure if it was her imagination, but the other girl was constantly trying to subtly extract information about Hikigaya.
"In any case, at least we achieved our objective, and we have a certain understanding of the Class D students..."
After the brief encounter with the Class D students, Yukinoshita's focus on Class D increased.
Although Class D appeared to be a disorganized mess, it was actually a den of hidden talents. The heir to the Koenji financial group, Ayanokouji, who could spar with the Student Council President, the classmate-oriented Hirata, the highly affable Kushida, the Student Council President's sister... While she didn't know the reasons they were assigned to Class D, if someone could unite these students, it would pose a significant threat to Class A.
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The setting sun cast a golden glow upon the ground. The distant horizon was clothed in the colorful garments of the evening clouds, and the milky-white clouds in the sky had turned a fiery red.
The entire campus was draped in a golden veil as thin as a cicada's wing. The trees lining the roads looked as if they had been lightly brushed with oil, becoming even more alluringly green.
The warm afterglow filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting a mysterious light on the cement road paved with bricks.
"The business is finished. Where are we going now? Back to find Hikigaya and Sakayanagi?"
The two walked out of the school building. Kamuro followed behind Yukinoshita and asked somewhat confusedly.
"I've already sent the negotiation results to Sakayanagi-san. We'll discuss the details with her tomorrow. It's getting late now. I plan to find a place to eat in the gourmet area.
Kamuro-san, if you have other things to do, you can leave ahead of me." Yukinoshita sent a brief message to Sakayanagi, then glanced at Kamuro.
"Yukinoshita, are you going to the gourmet area? Then I'll go with you.
I was just about to head to Taketake Ramen over there... U-Um, although I want to go to the ramen shop, I-I didn't mean to buy food for anyone, and besides, there's no rule that says women can't go to ramen shops..." Perhaps it was the setting sun, but Kamuro's face, which was usually cold and disdainful, seemed faintly flushed.
Her tone started out normal, but for some reason, it became a bit hesitant toward the end.
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