Chapter 351: Tsukishiro Backs Down / Ayanokouji Atsuomi: My Son is a Lackey
Just as the classes were about to fully exit the gymnasium, Tsukishiro Tokinari's voice crackled through the internal broadcast, echoing throughout the hall: "Will all first-year students and the four homeroom teachers please pause your departure. Return to the center of the gymnasium for an assembly immediately."
The students looked at one another, their faces etched with confusion. The tension that had just subsided spiked again.
"What now?"
"Is he going back on his word?"
"Is he going to punish us for the protest earlier...?"
Under the direction of their teachers, the crowd gathered back in the center with heavy hearts. Tsukishiro had returned to the podium.
Unlike the cold demeanor he had shown earlier, his expression was now heavy and sincere. He picked up the microphone and, before speaking, gave a slight bow to the audience.
"First-year students, and the four homeroom teachers—just moments ago, I received an urgent communication from the school's Board of Directors.
The Board has expressed high concern and... deep apologies regarding the public outcry triggered by this Trust Vote Special Exam and the distress caused to certain students' families.
As the proposer and primary person in charge of this exam, I, Tsukishiro Tokinari, must admit that during the design and execution, I focused too much on meeting quotas. I severely neglected the negative impact of the exam format itself and the risk of unjust harm to excellent students.
Therefore, in my personal name and on behalf of the School Board, I offer my sincerest apologies to all first-year students—especially to Totsuka Yahiko-kun, Koenji Rokusuke-kun, Manabe Shiho-san, and Kanzaki Ryuji-kun."
He bowed deeply again, this time holding the position for over ten seconds. The gymnasium was deathly silent.
Everyone was stunned by this sudden, complete reversal in attitude.
'No way? This guy gave in way too fast.'
Tsukishiro straightened up.
"Based on these reflections and authorized by an emergency Board meeting, I hereby officially announce: all expulsion decisions based on the class poll results are rescinded."
"Is this for real?!"
"Awesome! Kanzaki-kun is saved!"
Tsukishiro signaled for silence.
"The expulsion notices for Totsuka Yahiko, Koenji Rokusuke, Manabe Shiho, and Kanzaki Ryuji are canceled immediately. Regarding this exam, the school will discuss follow-up measures with teachers and consider alternative, more lenient disciplinary actions. I guarantee the punishment will not be severe.
Furthermore, all results of this Trust Vote exam will be archived only as internal class research data and will not be included in any advancement, evaluation, or punishment systems. This exam is officially over."
He put down the microphone and gave a standard 90-degree bow to the boiling crowd.
"I hope this unpleasant experience serves as a profound lesson for everyone, including myself. The original intention of school education is to foster and protect, not simply to filter and eliminate. I apologize again for my oversight. You are all dismissed. You've worked hard today."
With that, he walked off the stage and left through the side door.
"Rescinded! It's actually rescinded!"
"Victory! We don't have to leave!"
The students of Class B were emotional. In contrast, the atmosphere in Class A and Class D was awkward.
Many students looked with embarrassment at Totsuka Yahiko and Manabe Shiho.
Though they were staying, the rift in the class was already there.
In Class C, Koenji Rokusuke brushed back his blonde hair.
"Just an Acting Chairman after all. This is the consequence of opposing me, Hahaha."
"Koenji? You mean..."
"It was him who did it...?"
"Is he really that influential?"
"The Acting Chairman changed his face after a phone call, and he mentioned causing trouble for families—don't forget the Koenji Conglomerate. He's probably not lying; it must be true."
As the crowd thinned, Shimizu Akira walked up to Koenji.
"I didn't expect your influence to be this great. One call forced Tsukishiro to apologize publicly and cancel everything?"
To be honest, Akira's plan was just to create media pressure and class cooperation to force a stalemate.
He hadn't expected the old fox to fold within ten minutes.
"Hmph, isn't it the natural result?" Koenji smiled arrogantly.
He wasn't laughing at Akira, but at Tsukishiro's overestimation of himself.
His entrance into this school was part of a deep cooperation between the Koenji Conglomerate and the current Prime Minister Kijima's faction. If he had lost in a fair exam, he would have accepted it and his family wouldn't have lifted a finger—that would be too embarrassing.
But this wasn't a normal exam.
It was a kangaroo court to satisfy the Acting Chairman's whims.
Did Tsukishiro really think this school was his personal toy? He had only been here a few days. Chairman Sakayanagi hadn't been this arrogant in decades.
Koenji didn't hold back; a call to the Prime Minister's office was more than enough.
"Shimizu-boy," Koenji turned.
"I owe you a big favor this time. The process was more interesting than expected. If there's another show like this, feel free to call me. Watching adults who think they control the rules get bitten by their own power... it's truly delightful.
Well then, I shall take my leave. No need to follow me with such admiring gazes; this is merely the basic literacy of an heir, Hahahaha!" He waved and strolled away unhurriedly.
"He's thoroughly satisfied now," Ayanokouji Kiyotaka said plainly, walking up to Akira.
"You talk like you didn't enjoy it," Akira patted his shoulder.
"During the pairing exam, when you flipped the board at the last second, wasn't that 'secretly satisfying'?"
Ayanokouji didn't argue. Koenji loved public worship; Ayanokouji preferred the hidden thrill of being the mastermind behind the scenes.
These two exams had let them both "enjoy" themselves in their favorite ways.
"This was thanks to you, too," Akira said.
"Tsukishiro was clearly gunning for me."
"No need to thank me. We both got what we wanted," Akira replied.
Just then, a soft cough sounded. Sakayanagi Arisu, accompanied by Kamuro Masumi, approached.
"This was the handiwork of Shimizu-kun and Ayanokouji-kun, wasn't it? Beautiful. I didn't realize you had such connections outside the school."
"Not me," Ayanokouji immediately deflected.
"It was all Shimizu's idea."
"Sakayanagi," Akira looked at her with slight confusion.
"I'm surprised you didn't move. I thought you would have done something about this exam."
"Oh? What do you mean?" she blinked.
"Your father is the former Chairman. Even if he's suspended, contacting school officials shouldn't be a problem. You could have told him about the unfairness. With his ties, he could have pressured them. It was a perfect chance to strike back at Tsukishiro on your father's behalf," Akira explained.
"Ah..." Sakayanagi was uncharacteristically speechless. A flash of embarrassment crossed her face.
It wasn't that she couldn't; it was that she was so focused on using the exam to purge her class and solidify her control that she hadn't even considered using her father's power from the outside.
When everyone else was playing chess by the rules, this man simply decided to flip the entire board.
Regardless, Akira had done her—and her father's faction—a huge favor.
"Thank you, Shimizu-kun," she said with a slight bow. "No need. I had my own goals. Besides, I'm just returning a few favors to Chairman Sakayanagi."
"But I'm curious," Sakayanagi asked.
"Why this timing? Was it just to embarrass Tsukishiro? When did you start planning this?"
"It wasn't a grand plan, just going with the flow," Akira said.
"I didn't have a good way at first until I happened to get a key phone number from Ayanokouji."
"Wait," Kamuro couldn't help but ask, "what if Koenji hadn't cooperated?"
"Then I would have just gone to Sakayanagi," Akira explained patiently.
"She wouldn't be unable to contact her father, would she?"
The group fell into silence.
'He even had a backup plan?'
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As the four walked out of the gym, Tsukishiro Tokinari stepped out from a corner, blocking their path.
"Shimizu-kun, Ayanokouji-kun, Sakayanagi-kun," he clapped lightly. "The results of this poll were... quite surprising."
"To me, they were quite logical, Chairman," Akira said calmly.
"Oh? Logical?" Tsukishiro raised an eyebrow.
"Using media and family influence to fight school rules. You don't seem ashamed of it?"
"You're joking," Akira's tone was steady.
"The students questioned the fairness. The Board's interest proves our school isn't a closed-off fortress but an open place willing to listen, right?"
Tsukishiro's eyes narrowed. "Well said. But any communication needs to follow boundaries. Especially in a school that strictly forbids private outside contact. Who leaked the details?"
"Leaked?" Sakayanagi spoke up.
"My father was simply curious about the new exam and made inquiries. He accidentally found some... irregular operations by the Acting Chairman. Do you have an issue with that?"
"I see, your doing then," Tsukishiro stared at her, his smile turning sharp.
"I don't like lying children. You were fully immersed in your little 'house' game in class; you didn't have the vision for this. You didn't even think of contacting your father."
He took a step forward, raising his right hand as if to press down on Sakayanagi's shoulder. Akira reacted instantly, grabbing his wrist. Tsukishiro's grip was incredibly strong; Akira had to use seventy percent of his strength to hold him.
Tsukishiro's eyes flashed with surprise.
'This student, Shimizu, stopped me with one hand?'
"Are you... also a child who escaped the White Room?" he whispered.
"You're mistaken," Akira pushed him away.
"Acting Chairman, Sakayanagi has a heart condition. She can't handle shocks. As a sensei, what exactly are you trying to do?"
"Heh, I wasn't going to do anything," Tsukishiro straightened his sleeves.
"Just giving a disobedient child a little reminder. In the White Room... that's a very common educational method."
He turned to Ayanokouji. "If you don't believe me, ask the Ayanokouji-kun next to you. He knows it well."
Ayanokouji remained silent.
"Are you sick? You can't go three sentences without mentioning the White Room," Akira snapped back. "If you miss it that much, go be a teacher there. Why come to our school as an Acting Chairman?"
Sakayanagi and Kamuro stifled laughs. Akira was on fire today.
Tsukishiro's lip twitched. "You don't know much about respecting your elders. Do you think having a wealthy heir at your back makes you untouchable?"
"Respect is mutual," Akira looked him in the eye.
"Have you done anything worthy of respect? Designing an exam with impure motives... do you think I can't see you wanted Ayanokouji and me out? If you had held a fair exam by the rules, no one would have found a leverage point. You opened the loophole yourself."
Tsukishiro was speechless. If the exam had been airtight, even the Koenji influence would have struggled to overturn it.
"Anyway, I'm not interested in this conversation," Akira turned.
"Given your situation, I doubt you'll stay at this school much longer."
As they walked away, Tsukishiro's smile vanished. He stared at their backs. He had wanted to intimidate them, but he had been outplayed.
'I lost the battle and the war. Four protection points given out, zero private points gained, and a terrible impression left on the Board.'
"Physical stats... already reached the White Room passing standard," he muttered to himself. He shook his head.
'Why am I mentioning the White Room again?' He dialed Ayanokouji Atsuomi.
"Shimizu Akira is not a simple character," he said without preamble.
"And your son, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, stayed by his side the whole time without saying a single word."
"What?!" a loud thud came from the other end.
"Are you saying my son... has become someone's lackey?"
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In an apartment outside the school
Ishigami Kyo took a sip of tea. It was 2:00 PM. He sent a message to Akira:
Ishigami Kyo: Did things go as you expected?
A few minutes later: Shimizu Akira: Yeah, mostly smooth. Thanks for the help.
Ishigami exhaled.
'Smooth?'
He had done very little—just acted as a reliable middleman to contact the necessary families. The media storm and Board pressure were driven by the Koenji and Kanzaki families.
What actually intrigued Ishigami was that Akira had contacted him.
A few days ago, he had ignored a call from a strange number. That night, he received a text detailing information about the previous owner of his phone—and his real name.
Ishigami had no choice but to call back.
Akira introduced himself, explained his conflict with Tsukishiro, and pointed out the unfairness of the exam, asking for help to reach the Koenji Conglomerate.
Because of his connection to Ayanokouji-sensei, Ishigami already disliked Tsukishiro. Plus, Kanzaki Ryuji—a childhood friend—was on the list. He had no reason to refuse.
But... how did Akira know he was using this phone number? He had acquired it mainly out of curiosity about Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
Now, the person he was most interested in was Shimizu Akira.
"What exactly is the relationship between Ayanokouji and Shimizu?" He coughed, feeling a chill, and put on a thick coat. The answer would likely have to wait until April, when he finally stepped into that school.
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