Meanwhile—
After hanging up on Kakeru Ryūen, Hiyori Shiina slipped her terminal back into her pocket. She changed into her casual clothes, tied on a pink apron, and was about to start preparing dinner.
Symon reminded her with a smile, "Hiyori, tie up your hair."
"Oh my, I really can't do anything about you~"
Uttering those gentle words, the girl walked with a light step to the half-length mirror. She gathered her long, sky-blue hair with both hands and, picking up a black silk ribbon from the table, tied it into a high ponytail.
Tilting her pretty face from side to side, she spent two minutes carefully 'inspecting' her work several times before finally turning around, opening the refrigerator door, and selecting ingredients.
Although she knew that a certain someone's intentions weren't entirely pure, the girl still greatly enjoyed these small interactions. It was only at times like this that she could truly feel just how special and different she was to Symon.
Her ghostly friend was a very complex person.
Indifference and calm were his initial exterior, humor and laughter his subsequent disguise. Rationality and foresight were his outward demeanor, while tenderness and acceptance formed his final, highest wall.
After nearly missing her chance, only Hiyori Shiina herself knew what this ordinary daily life and their interactions truly meant.
In Hiyori Shiina's own words: being seen as a special and one-of-a-kind existence was a very, very strange feeling, one that was somewhat addictive.
...
The next day, during the morning homeroom session, Kakeru Ryūen passed out a printed test paper to everyone in Class C.
"This is the paper for the upcoming midterm exam, and it includes the correct answers. My demand is simple..."
Kakeru Ryūen scanned his classmates and sneered, "For the next three weeks, every single one of you will memorize this entire test paper. If anyone dares to get a single question wrong, I'll make them regret being born into this world!"
As his words fell, nearly everyone in Class C shivered. Only after Kakeru Ryūen stepped down from the podium did people begin to whisper among themselves:
"No way, the school's exams can be leaked?"
"Doesn't this mean we don't have to study?!"
"What if they suddenly change the questions?"
"..."
At the front of the classroom, Hiyori Shiina listened to the hushed conversations of her classmates, thinking to herself, "Isn't this a bit bad? I feel like everyone has lost their sense of urgency all at once."
"It's probably the classic stick-and-carrot approach. After wielding the big stick yesterday, feeding them a sweet treat today will have the best effect."
Symon said with a laugh, "Kakeru Ryūen pulled something like this once at the start of the school year. This is just a repeat performance."
Hiyori Shiina was a little worried. "I hope this is the only time. Otherwise, I'm afraid everyone will become completely corrupt."
Symon was a bit surprised. "You're worried about this now? What happened to us being tuition thieves together?"
Hiyori Shiina glanced at Ibuki in the seat in front of her, whose left arm was still in a sling, and mumbled inwardly, "Everyone is a good person, and they've helped us before. It would be nice if we could all graduate together."
Symon mused, "That's a bit up in the air. If you rely solely on unorthodox methods, the school has ten thousand ways to keep you from graduating. In the end, it still comes down to actual ability—though that's pretty meaningless for us."
Hiyori Shiina hesitated for a moment before saying in her mind, "There are no cram schools here. On my own, I probably can't get into a particularly good university."
Symon replied casually, "Not a problem. If it comes to it, I'll support you."
Hiyori discreetly covered her slightly blushing face with the test paper. "Mr. Ghost, you can't just say things like that, you know."
"You're not even a little suspicious?"
"..."
Hiyori Shiina's violet eyes flickered for a second, and the corners of her lips curled up slightly. She didn't voice the thought in her mind: Because you say it so matter-of-factly, I believe you.
Time passed to after school. A gentle, clear female voice came over the school's broadcast system, summoning Kakeru Ryūen, who had been about to lead his classmates to the library for a study session, to the Student Council.
Before leaving, Kakeru Ryūen stood on the podium and appointed Satoru Kaneda and Hiyori Shiina to supervise the study session, in charge of the boys and girls respectively.
Unsurprisingly, as soon as the decision was announced, the classroom was filled with grumbling. However, because the display of power Kakeru Ryūen had made yesterday was so effective, and because he had delivered real results today, no one stood up to object.
As for Hiyori Shiina's thoughts...
Going to the library was like going home for her. The only difference was that there were now a dozen or so more people to keep an eye on from time to time. It was nothing worth mentioning, so naturally, she didn't voice any opposition.
Although Symon had tried to protest, Hiyori Shiina distracted him with the purchasing rights to a full-length mirror, causing him to temporarily lose his ability to think independently.
When they arrived at the library, Class C was neatly seated across five long tables. Symon, following Hiyori Shiina's perspective, also saw the group from Class B led by Ichinose, as well as a few scattered groups of upperclassmen, so their presence wasn't overly conspicuous.
During the study session that followed, Hiyori Shiina wasn't as busy as she had imagined. The girl's position in Class C was something like that of a female leader who was sometimes effective, sometimes not, and always invisible. Her status was established, so no one caused any trouble.
The boys' section, supervised by Satoru Kaneda, was a bit chaotic at first, but they quickly yielded to Albert's two-meter-tall frame, and the study session soon got on track.
Meanwhile, in the Student Council office, Manabu Horikita rested his interlocked hands on the desk, the lenses of his glasses reflecting the white light. He looked at Kakeru Ryūen, who stood opposite him with his hands in his pockets, and spoke in a calm tone:
"I need a deputy. Hiyori Shiina recommended you to me. Do you think you can handle it? Breaking free from Nagumo's control."
Although he heard something unexpected, Kakeru Ryūen still scoffed, "Who are you looking down on?"
Manabu Horikita pushed up his glasses and explained calmly, "It seems you don't know much about Nagumo. He had already defeated and taken control of his entire grade when he was a first-year. Now, his tentacles have even reached my third-year class. Do I need to explain further?"
Kakeru Ryūen frowned in surprise and asked coldly, "No need. I'll look into the rest myself. What's my position?"
"Head of the Disciplinary Committee. You'll see the announcement tomorrow."
"That suits my style well enough."
"I look forward to your performance."
...
_____
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