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Kumagawa Misogi is Kumgawa Misogi.
That is the entirety of what can be said that is positive as far as that student is concerned. Once you state his name, there's nothing good left to say on the subject. One could of course make the point that everyone is someone and absolutely no one else—ultimately, that is all that should be said about any person.
Horikita Suzune is Horikita Suzune. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. Kushida Kikyou is Kushida Kikyou.
He was so singularly Kumagawa that he was nothing else.
Kumagawa Misogi is Kumagawa Misogi in the same way someone dislikes what they dislike, in the same way no means no, and disgusting means disgusting. Any further discussion would be fruitless. Utterly so. In the sense that he was so firmly defined, so wholly decided and determined, that even someone who genuinely believed every human being was inherently good, someone who loved humanity more than anything else, someone who loved their enemy more than their friend, and someone who was more herself than herself, could never fully reform him.
That's right.
He was so completely unshakable, he is extremely annoying—yes, second only to how much he is Kumagawa Misogi.
That's also can be said on the current situation.
Upon the discovery of the incident, it was only natural for people to ask how it had happened. The incident itself was unprecedented, leaving a considerable stir throughout both the student body and the administration. As for those who knew that "that person" was involved, the feeling that surfaced was something else entirely. Despair? Exhaustion? It was hard to say. Either way, it was unmistakably negative, without even an ounce of anything that could be called good or positive.
"Do any of you have something to say in your defense?"
The chairman of the meeting, the head of the meeting, as well as the student council president said to the roughly thirty-five or more students gathered in the room.
Now then, Advanced Nurturing High School was, without a doubt, an elite institution. It was clearly different from other so-called elite schools across the country. While it was not filled from top to bottom with students gifted in academics or athletics, it was still notoriously difficult to enter. For that reason alone, it could hardly be called an average high school, even if one were to set aside the school's unique system.
With that in mind, the school went to great lengths to protect its image. Strict rules were enforced throughout the campus, a large number of CCTV cameras monitored the small, man-made island, and problems were handled through procedures that were often excessive, or at the very least, rigid.
That was why, in addition to the student council members, teachers, staff, and a significant portion of the administration and even the representative from the board of directors had gathered in the room. Even so, it was clear that only the student council was actively involved. The rest were little more than observers.
"What about you, Kumagawa? Do you perhaps have anything to say?"
『Hey, could you not assume that I'm the one who caused this, President? You're treating me like the culprit based on nothing. No matter how you look at it, I'm clearly the victim here.』Kumagawa spoke as though it were Manabu's fault for suspecting him in the first place.
"Nothing...."
"Wait, hold on," another student raised his hand, as if objecting Kumagawa's reasoning. It belonged to vice president Nagumo Miyabi, who sat beside Horikita Manabu. "According to the testimonies, the blame seems to fall entirely on him. If that's really the case, then it would only be fair to clear things up now, especially for the second-years who were dragged into this."
"Nagumo, don't take sides...."
"No, no, President, I'm not taking sides here. I'm just saying that, based on what we've heard so far, the testimonies all point in the same direction. And even if he's the one who got hurt, that alone doesn't prove he isn't the culprit. Being injured doesn't mean he's innocent, and not being innocent doesn't mean he couldn't have been injured, right? You really need to make things more clear here."
"....."
Right, setting the culprit and victim aside, it was true that most of those involved in today's incident were pointing their fingers at Kumagawa. If it had only been two or three people, it might not have mattered much. But when the number reached thirty or more students, it became a different matter entirely.
『Tachibana-senpai, could you properly explain what's really going on? It seems not everyone is on the same page here. 』
"Kumagawa-kun, shut up. Please, just don't talk. I'm about to read the report, so don't interrupt me."
Scolded. Stenrly, too. Even if Kumagawa had asked her about her weight, no normal girl would have spoken in such a tone.
『I don't recall doing anything to you that would warrant such hostility, Senpai. No matter how I look at it, most of the animosity you're directing at me seems unearned. 』
"Can you just keep quiet for a moment? Can you not even stop your throat from vibrating?"
『... 』
He fell silent. There was little else he could do in response to her request.
"Come on, Tachibana-senpai, don't be like that to your underclassmen." Nagumo said from beside Horikita Manabu, his tone openly taunting. He crossed his legs, wearing a mocking expression. "If you don't explain it properly, people won't understand. And if they don't understand, misunderstandings happen. And if misunderstandings happen, then it becomes unclear who's at fault. Isn't it your job as secretary to make sure that those things didn't happen?"
The air grew even more tense.
Normally, Nagumo's voice was too petty to have much effect, or at least, it would not have created this kind of atmosphere no matter how sharp his words were. But this time, even that petty tone could not gloss over the nerve-wracking situation here.
"Yes, Nagumo-kun, I understand that," Tachibana agreed. "Thank you for fulfilling your role as vice president on day duty and for voicing your honest opinion."
Compared to how she spoke to Kumagawa, her tone toward Nagumo was noticeably polite. Even so, it felt hollow, like someone speaking only because they were expected to, answering simply for the sake of answering.
"Anyway, I will now read the full details of the report. This is based on testimonies from both sides, as well as third parties who were involved. I know most of you are eager to have this resolved, but please, would everyone invovled zip your mouth up for just a little longer?"
Her tone was harsh. Her voice told you she'd accept no counterargument. She had no intention of coming to a compromise. Even those who personally knew her well rarely heard her speak that way.
"Uh, Tachibana...?"
"Yes, what is it, President?" She turned to face him.
"....It's nothing."
"Anyway, we got off track thanks to Nagumo-kun and Kumagawa-kun, so allow me to explain once more, since it seems not everyone is on the same page regarding the situation," Tachibana oh-so-subtly shifted the blame before beginning.
Still, one had to give credit where credit was due because she laid it out in simple terms.
"The incident occurred at 15:42, when the alleged Kumagawa Misogi called a meeting in the east wing of the school with club representatives from each club, involving thirty-seven students in total. The situation escalated when a second-year student threw a chair with the intent to harm Vice President Kumagawa. The chair struck both Kumagawa and an unintended victim, a second-year female member of the Track and Field Club, resulting in a five-centimeter contusion on the forehead, with no fracture or concussion. Following this, twenty-one students became involved in a physical altercation—"
Of course, some minor details had been glossed over for the sake of efficiency and convenience, but as far as an official report went, it was a clear explanation.
"There was also property damage caused by the altercation between both sides. Several pieces of school property were damaged, with the total estimated cost amounting to 375.950 points."
It was a substantial sum for students, especially with how money works in this school.
Converted into international currency, it would be roughly equivalent to 2.000 dollars, give or take. But since 37 students were involved, the cost would most likely be split evenly among them. Even then, it would come out to around 10.000 points per person, more or less.
"That concludes the report. Is there anyone who would like to add something?" Tachibana said as she finished and placed the document on top of the desk in front of her.
From the look on her face, she clearly expected no one to speak up. It was the kind of expression that suggested she might chew someone alive if they did. Between that alone and her earlier behavior, it was obvious that she was in a very bad mood.
What caused it?
To put it simply, it was the sudden workload placed on her.
She had been forced to compile the incident report on short notice. On top of that, she had to calculate the extent of the damage and speak with everyone involved to gather testimonies. Even with all the students gathered in one place, that still meant talking to and cross-checking the statements of 37 people.
Under those conditions, it was no surprise she was irritated.
『Ahaha, Tachibana-senpai, if you do your work with such great enthusiasm, it makes you looks like a slave. 』Kumagawa blurted out his uncensored impression.
"Do you really have to put it that way...?"
In a sense, he was not wrong.
At times like this, she felt like a slave.
A slave to the student council. And a slave to the school.
Even so, she would carry out her duties to the best of her ability.
For the sake of the school.
And for the sake of president Horikita Manabu.
"That's enough!" ordered Manabu, "Thanks for your hardwork, Tachibana."
"Yes, president!"
"Now then, we are gathered here today to reach a clear conclusion regarding this incident," Manabu began. Completely ignoring the tense atmosphere in the room, the student council president continued, "Understand that no one will be allowed to leave this room until we arrive at a satisfactory conclusion. While it may not be to my liking, the board of directors is demanding a clear resolution by the end of the day. I expect none of you to cause any inconvenience if you wish to leave this room."
He had no intention of coming to a compromise, and to be frank, this soured the mood inside the room. The air was the very picture of hostility. even if such a thing as air can't be illustrated
"President, what do you mean exactly by the board of directors?"
"I mean exactly what I said, the board of directors wants a clear disciplinary response to today's incident, since this is an unprecedented case since the school's founding, I have limited authority in this matter."
"Does that mean the student council alone can't decide the outcome?"
"Not quite. The board of directors wants a clear resolution, but as long as it does not tarnish the school's image, the matter still falls under the student council's jurisdiction. In that case, the board will not intervene directly." Said Manabu
In other words, as long the conclusion that happened here is deemed satisfactory, the board of director wouldn't meddle unnecesarily with what happened with the student body.
『Then, Manabu-senpai, what about the surveillance camera inside the room? There's no way they wouldn't install one, right? Wouldn't it be easier to just watch the recording and expel the one who hurt me and accidentally hurt my girlfriend? 』Kumagawa raised his hand.
"Who the hell is your girlfriend!?" the female student from the track and field club shouted, clearly provoked by his sudden remark. Kumagawa, of course, treated it like nothing more than a passing breeze and continued speaking.
『I wanna knowww. What really happened? What is the truth? Who is guilty, and who is innocent? After all the inconvenience, the pointless trouble, and the trivial turmoil, I hope you can give me a satisfactory answerrrr.... 』
Manabu did not react immediately.
"There is a surveillance camera in that room, meeting rooms of that size are equipped with one as a matter of policy." he replied, "However, the footage cannot be used."
"The camera was found to be nonfunctional at the time of the incident. I will not go into details, but an inspection revealed that a Phillips screw had been lodged into the camera lens, destroying both the lens and the memory card inside. As a result, there is no recording to rely on."
『H-huh?! How did that happen? If that's the case, then if an innocent student gets expelled, that would clearly be the school's fault, right? 』
"That's right. Without evidence, how can you be sure who's telling the truth?"
"So we're just supposed to accept whatever conclusion you come up with?"
"If the camera was broken, shouldn't the school take responsibility for that? Are you saying testimonies alone are enough to decide something this serious?"
A flood of complaints was directed at the student council. For some reason, Manabu's gaze settled on Kumagawa. The glare lacked its usual intensity, but it was there all the same.
"Hmm..."
After a long and heavy silence.
Manabu finally opened his mouth.
"Covering for your own mistakes is understandable. However, if you do not wish to be punished, let alone expelled, then you should not cause trouble in the first place. The school is not obligated to protect students from the consequences of their own actions and no amount of protest will change that."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
This was enough to silence every complain in the room.
Bang!
He stood and slammed his hand to get everyone's attention, which proved to be quite effective—especially after his earlier words had left the atmosphere gloomy and disgusted.
"Okay, then," Manabu said, "let's start by confirming the sequence of events. Tachibana has already presented the compiled report. From here on, we will proceed by verifying each key point in order. Any contradictions between testimonies will be addressed immediately."
Many of the students, especially those involved, felt the wording came off as an arrogant command. Even so no one wanted to cause unnecessary trouble, and to be honest, the president was somewhat intimidating to the average student.
"President Horikita, wouldn't it be easier to punish Kumagawa based on a majority vote? Since the board of directors wants a clear conclusion without damaging the school's reputation, wouldn't that be the path of least resistance?" Nagumo raised his hand as he spoke. He was supposed to be assuming the position of a neutral member of the student council, but instead he wanted to brute force the meeting toward a conclusion. It was an assertive and arrogant move, one that was very much like him.
『What's this? Are you doubting me by any chance, Nagumo-senpai? Oh, that really hurts. 』
"You don't know me well enough to be wounded by me doubting you."
『No, I'm quite enamored with you—I have a thing for easily tricked fools. 』
"...."
Bam!
"Enough!"
Horikita Manabu slammed his hands on the desk to get everyone attention once again.
"Nagumo, I don't intend to handle matters that way. There are established procedures, and we will follow them. A majority vote is not a substitute for a proper investigation."
He then looked at Kumagawa. "And Kumagawa, stop provoking others unnecessarily."
"Very well. I'll leave it to procedure, then."
『Yes, President~』
"..."
Horikita Manabu found it difficult to tell whether Nagumo or Kumagawa was being serious, or simply amused. From their manner of speaking and their expressions, one could only sense pomposity from one, and dubiousness from the other.
"Good. Then we will begin."
He turned his gaze toward Tachibana.
"Tachibana, call the first representative."
"Yes, President."
Tachibana did as ordered and called the first representative forward.
Given the number of students involved in the incident, the witnesses would be represented by selected representatives. Since the conflict was between athletic and non-athletic groups, there would be two representatives from each side, with the possibility of additional ones being called if clarification was needed along the way.
『Hey, hey, Kushida-chan, do you think this whole trial will go smoothly? 』
Kushida, who was doing her best to reduce her presence as much as possible, was addressed by Kumagawa, who was casually fiddling with his fingers without an ounce of worry. At this point, it felt as though she were glued to her chair by the tension in the air, which was why she was trying so hard to make herself inconspicuous.
That aside, his question was worth answering. It was also a chance for her to appear smart and perceptive in front of him.
"Honestly, there's no way something like this will progress smoothly without unnecessary developments along the way. With such a setting, I don't see how it could end peacefully."
『You think so too? It seems our minds are more in sync than I expected, Kushida-chan! Does that mean we're what people call a "match made in heaven?" This is my first time experiencing something like this. It's getting me excited!』
"Don't say such disgusting things like that, it creeps me out! And instead of getting excited, try being a little more reasonable and read the room."
『Well, that's impossible with a setting this unique. It's almost like a play, isn't it?』
"A play? Do you really have to belittle it like that?"
It was an unusual setting, especially with it being an open meeting. Those involved sat anxiously in their seats, while the representatives alone were required to testify before the student council. Even if it felt somewhat degrading, just as Kumagawa had said, it was almost like a play.
"State your name, year, and affiliation," Manabu said.
"Koushin Rimuhiko, a second year, vice president of the basketball club." He said brashly.
He was a student from Class C and, at a glance, resembled Sudou to some extent. Unlike Sudou's wild temperament, however, Koushin carried himself with a more gentler air. That said, appearances can be quite misleading sometimes, since among those involved, he was the one who threw the hardest punches and had apparently broken someone's nose in the process.
In that sense, he could be considered the most violent person involved in today's incident.
"Explain what you saw, experience, and felt from the very beginning." Ordered Manabu.
"From the very beginning, huh? If that's what ya want," Koushin said, scratching his head. "Then it started when the second vice president suddenly called all the club reps to the meeting room."
He was quite literal when he explained things from the very beginning. He also got a quite unique dialects as he speaks, so he was probably from kansai region or somewhere west-central of japan.
"So when we all gathered up at the appointed time, there was a ton of people there, yeah? Place was tense as hell. Then that Kumagawa guy starts yappin'—maybe I'm too stupid to understand and don't get it, but seems like he said somethin' real pissin' that ticked off damn near everyone in the room, and next thing you know, a full-on verbal brawl broke out 'cause of it."
Despite his intimidating build, his manner of speaking was surprisingly mild. Combined with his dialect, it made that contrast even more apparent. Perhaps rather than being truly violent, he was simply the type who acted before thinking, maybe even more so than Sudou. Even so, he was still a rather brash person by nature.
"Koushin, far be it from me to complain, but before we proceed, I must ask you to retract that statement about being 'I'm too stupid to understand.' It's not that I care about your self-esteem, but it's offensive to the rest of us," one of the students said, raising his hand from the aisle where those involved were seated.
"Hah!? What the hell ya just say, Otogami!?"
The one who spoke was Otogami, who had stood up in the involved aisle—Otogami Hibiki.
He was a sharp-tongued and somewhat unpleasant boy who always seemed to find something to complain about. To be honest, no one really liked him, and few held any favorable impression of him. He often kept his hands in his pockets, though it was not an attempt to look intimidating. In fact, he was among the most studious, diligent, and tidy students in the school.
As for his habit of keeping his hands hidden, it was for protection. When he did take them out, they were always gloved, still fully protected. Apparently, it was to protect his hands so he could become a classical pianist and play classical piano, despite belonging to the light music club.
Why someone aiming to be a classical pianist would join a fun-oriented club like the light music club, which usually focused on keyboards or synthesizers?
Of course, the reason was simple enough.
The school had no other music-related clubs. Because of that, he often looked down on the other members of his club, and on everyone else as well. Naturally, that attitude made him an easy target for badmouthing.
Despite the way people badmouthed him, the rumour he was quite accomplished, perhaps even a prodigy. He had once claimed that the lack of success in the light music club was because everyone else kept dragging him down.
But his skill could not be denied.
He was practically guaranteed to succeed in his career, even if he failed to graduate from Class A. That, more than anything else, was why people disliked him.
At the very least, it was fortunate that people could not hear personality itself.
"You heard what I said. It's offensive to the rest of us," Otogami repeated. It was hardly polite, but that was how students at Advanced Nurturing High School tended to view those ranked below them in class standing and overall talent.
"Watch yer mouth, Otogami. And I only said I'm stupid 'cause I am stupid. Only thing I can count on in this school is this right here." Koushin replied, showing his muscles without retracting his statement.
Though he lagged behind academically, he was the ace of the basketball club. Aside from Sudou, he was the best player on the team, both in raw talent and athletic ability. In fact, he was the one who had single-handedly led the school's basketball club to victory in the Winter Cup back in December.
That was how talented he was.
"Koushin, and.... you, what's your name?" Manabu said, pointing at Otogami.
"Otogami Hibiki, President."
"Otogami. I did not give you permission to speak, did I?"
"..."
"And you, Koushin. I expect you to behave better."
"..."
Manabu glared at both of them. The sheer intensity of the glare werent even allowed them to mutter a word in reaction.
"Now then, Koushin, continue with your explanation."
"Yeah... anyway, that's when the trouble really kicked off," Koushin said. "For some reason, the folks from the non-athletic clubs started accusin' all the sports clubs of bein' in cahoots with the student council over somethin'."
"Collusion?" Manabu asked.
"Dunno the exact details— 'cause, y'know, I'm. To. Stupid. To. Understand'," He said while looking at Otogami, "But apparently it had somethin' to do with school fundin' or whatever. After that, the arguin' just got way uglier. Then that guy went and said somethin' else that really set people off, and someone hurled a chair at him. Whether he deserved it or not, I ain't got a clue, but after that, things turned physical real fast."
Manabu nodded slightly. "And the broken nose?"
"Me? I'm the kinda guy who just goes with the flow, don't really think too hard unless I'm playin' basketball. When I saw one of my buddies get dragged into a fight, I just reacted. Did what everyone else was doin'." Koushin replied, scratching his head with an awkward smile. It was an honest explanation, if nothing else. He truly was the type who acted first and thought later.
Koushin went on to explain the remaining details, though his account wandered off more than once. Even so, by the time he finished, Manabu had formed a rough picture of what had transpired inside the meeting room earlier.
"...That's all I got," Koushin concluded.
Manabu remained silent for a moment, lowering his head as he organized his thoughts. A faint trace of trouble crossed his expression, though he did not show it openly. In that regard, the student council president was adept or perhaps even talented at maintaining a poker face. If talent could be applied anywhere, perhaps even gambling would suit him.
"Tachibana, call the second representative."
"Yes, President."
Tachibana followed the order and called the second representative forward.
It was none other than Otogami Hibiki.
There was no formal hierarchy between clubs, whether athletic or otherwise. Even so, among the non-athletic side, Otogami was undoubtedly the most accomplished. His achievements, academic and extracurricular alike, along with his evident talent, made that clear enough. Perhaps that was why he had been chosen as the representative, despite his unlikable personality. Or maybe the others simply did not want the trouble of speaking face to face with the student council president, and pushed the responsibility onto the most unlikable person among them.
No one could say which was true.
Regardless, Otogami Hibiki accepted the role proudly, as if it were his rightful position.
By then, Koushin had already returned to his seat. In his place, Otogami Hibiki stood before the student council president, with a straight posture and his hands still hidden behind his pockets.
"State your name, year, and affiliation," Manabu said.
"Otogami Hibiki. Second year. Light Music Club,"
"Explain what you witnessed, starting from the beginning," Manabu repeated, giving Otogami the same order he had given to Koushin.
Otogami lifted his chin slightly. The gesture was arrogant, especially in front of the student council, but it suited his personality all too well. Manabu did not react to it. He had already judged that this was simply the kind of person Otogami was, and saw no reason to take issue with it.
"Very well," he said. "Unlike Rimuhiko, I paid attention to the details. So I will speak clearly and without embellishment."
Even his tone were rather arrogant.
"Although I don't want to admit it, the beginning matches what that muscle-brained idiot said, the issue did not start with us. It began with the ambiguous remarks made by the student council vice president, Kumagawa, regarding fund allocation and the possible disbanding of clubs. With remarks that tyrannical, a problem was bound to arise. No, let's call it a suspicion, not a problem. A suspicion arose."
"Suspicion?" Manabu reacted to the word.
"I'm not exactly complaining, but think about it rationally. The student council calls all clubs into a single meeting. Yet, within that context, funding is implied to be directed almost entirely toward athletic clubs. I doubt Vice President Kumagawa has the authority to disband clubs on his own. However, funding is a different matter. Budget manipulation does not require such extreme authority, it can even be done discreetly. From our perspective, it was only natural to suspect that some form of foul play had already occurred."
Foul play. In other words, collusion.
"Hold on, are you saying all of us are colluding with the student council over club funds? Are you out of your mind?!" piped out someone from the athletic clubs.
"You're right. Ah, but I mean 'you're right' in the sense that you are colluding with the student council, not 'you're right' in the sense that I'm out of my mind."
Sure enough, Otogami stayed calm. He even added a playful jab to his reply, which only made it more unpleasant.
"While I do suspect that foul play was happening, my suspicion doesn't really include all of you. My suspicion is that the foul play took the following form. A certain someone, Or even all of you," Otogami worded it in a way that exuded intense animosity, "engaged in some kind of transaction with the student council. A deal that involved club funding."
"Huh? But why would anyone even do that? Most of the clubs here already receive stable funding. Our budgets haven't been cut, and we're not short on equipment either," someone from the athletic side objected.
"I can think of a number of reasons why someone would do that. But that's beside the point. If I continue down that line, this discussion will only drag on unnecessarily. In any case, it was this suspicion of collusion between the atlethic clubs and student council that sparked the incident in the first place." Said Otogami, concluding his report.
He spoke with such confidence that it almost sounded like a final verdict. Unlike Nagumo, whose words sounds playful and petty, Otogami however sounded earnest. He truly believed in his deduction, his theory, and his conclusion. In his mind, there was no doubt that collusion had taken place between the student council and someone from the athletic clubs regarding club funding.
That, however, was precisely the problem.
A major reason that actual debates, negotiations and trials don't proceed in the smooth, logical way they do in plays is that people don't listen to each other—accepting neither their opponents' statements nor their right to make them, interrupting before any points can be made, cutting others off with their own, yelling over everything from start to finish. Moving down a terrible path, that's the precise opposite of smooth logic, it all brings only fatigue. If you forced someone nonetheless to produce results, it would look as follows.
"That's a convenient way to wrap it up." "Convenient? You just accused us of collusion." "He said suspicion, not accusation." "That's just wordplay." "If he didn't mean it as an accusation, he wouldn't have said it like that. What's the difference between the two anyway?" "Of course there's a difference. It's like saying there's smoke versus saying there's a fire." "All those roundabout analogies ain't doin' you any favors. They don't make ya look any smarter." "Shut up, Koushin. Mr. 'I'm too stupid to understand.'" "Oi, what the hell did you just say?" "Hey, someone stop Koushin. He looks like he's about to punch someone in the face." "I want to sleep." "You sleep too much!" "Hey, what's wrong with me sleeping? In the first place, it's your guys' fault for throwing accusations around without any evidence." "Us? It's Otogami who's suspecting you people. And from how defensive you're being, there might be some truth to what he's saying. Is this what people call a victim mentality?" "Victim mentality? Wazzat s'posed to mean?" "Shut up, Koushin!" "Hey! You got a death wish or what? Keep talkin' and my fist's goin' in your face, dullard." "Hey, everyone. There's something I want to say." "Say it later!" "Keep your voice down. It's pathetic." "Pathetic!" "Koushin, you need to lead us." "Yeah, easy for you to say—" "In the first place, if it were true that someone was colluding with the student council, who would they even have a deal with?" "Isn't it obvious? It's that Kumagawa person. I heard all the rumors about him, he's a no-good kind of student, shady as hell." "Are you really implicating someone without any evidence? That's very like you." "Hah? What's that supposed to mean?!" "You know exactly what I mean!" "Hey, just listen to what I've got to say!" "What!?" "Isn't the real problem the motive? With every club having stable funding, what would Kumagawa even gain from all of this? I heard he's basically an academic failure, so I doubt he could manipulate club funding in the first place." "Stop acting like you're an expert. What do you think you are, a detective?" "What's wrong with playing detective? It's better than all of you screaming nonsense nonstop." "But you don't need to be good at math to mess with a budget, right?" "Who the hell just said something that stupid?" "You don't have to be a chef to cook. That's a pretty basic idea, and it applies here." "What kind of logic is that? Being a chef and understanding math are completely different things. Learn some discipline." "What does discipline have to do with this? I'd rather play soccer than listen to a lecture. And discipline has nothing to do with math." "That's not true. Mathematics is the most beautiful of all the disciplines." "You're literally the only one who thinks that. What does that even mean? Beautiful? So, you just felt like it." "It always has to be about you, doesn't it?" "I hate math, personally." "Then you just don't understand the beauty of it." "Math isn't about love or hate, and the world doesn't revolve around numbers. Why are you even enrolled in this school?" "What, are you jealous?" "What'd you just say?!" "Please don't start fighting." "We're not fighting. It's just that a certain someone keeps spouting nonsense about how people like me don't belong at this school—" "I didn't say it like that!" "I don't care about math anyway. I'm a humanities type. I'm aiming for a job that doesn't involve calculations." "Yeah, me too." "Koushin, stop piggybacking on other people's comments, will you?" "Why're you picking on me now" "Generally speaking, the issue isn't that that shady vice president conveniently gathered us here for a meeting. It's the suspicion of collusion between the student council and someone from the athletic clubs." "Then this isn't general or normal case at all." "Are you trying to say something here? Out with it." "I'm saying there isn't anything, and there's nothing I want to say." "Those sound like leading questions." "Are you all done yet? I'm sick and tired of this. I had plans to go on a date today." "Wait, you two are still going out?" "That's my business, isn't it?" "Can I take a nap?"
...No one was raising a hand at this point. It'd become an assembly where everyone just said what they felt like saying. The template of a fruitless discussion, a space where every line sounded typical and devoid of any creativity.
A true wasteland. A true hellhole.
"Whoa... this is really something," Kushida muttered.
She remembered how Kumagawa mentioned plays earlier, and at this point it was like a bunch of hammy actors rehearsing their flat delivery. They were hurting one another, and insult one another, but without speaking their minds.
"Um, President... what should we do about this...?" Tachibana asked carefully.
She turned to Manabu from the side, choosing her words carefully. It was not as if slamming the desk would change anything in a room this chaotic. If anything, it would only hurt his hand.
"That's exactly why I said you should just punish Kumagawa. He's the one who gathered everyone here and caused this mess in the first place. Just look at how bad things have gotten." Nagumo said with his voice filled with a heartfelt mockery.
"You never said anything like that, Nagumo," Manabu replied.
"Then that just means you lack decisiveness."
"..."
To be honest, it was not really a matter of decisiveness or the lack of it. From the very beginning, this whole situation was strange. Manabu could not understand how a simple provocation could escalate into a physical altercation involving thirty-seven students. Unless someone had gone as far as insulting their parents or even their grandparents resting in their graves, it should not have reached this point. Even then, it was rare for things to spiral into violence on this scale.
Left with little choice, Manabu stood and slammed his hand on the desk once again to get everyone's attention. The desk must have been made of quality wood, because even after being struck repeatedly, it showed no damage at all. It was a masterpiece of furniture, truly. That aside, even though he hit it a little harder this time, he did so, yet the commotion did not subside—which is why he shouted:
"Everyone!"
This time, the room finally fell silent. Even so, the students' expressions were gloomy and disgusted, and none of them bothered to hide it. They probably felt that no matter how many times he slammed the desk, it would not tighten the screws that had already come loose. Manabu himself understood that trying to reorganize the meeting now would only bring them back to square one. Any changes to the seating or structure should have been done much earlier.
"Everyone," he repeated. "I believe we have discussed this matter sufficiently. And to be honest, I can't say we will reach a satisfying conclusion."
"President, isn't it fine if we simply appoint Kumagawa as the perpetrator? At this point, he's the most acceptable choice by far, and you can't honestly say he was blameless in this matter," Otogami spoke casually. Even though his tone sounded respectful, his manner suggested he was urging the President to decide immediately, as if he were dead set on forcing a conclusion no matter what.
Manabu looked at Otogami as if he were the most foolish person in the room. Even knowing that Otogami was a genius, he still regarded him like an idiot.
Honestly, that choice would be the most foolish choice.
Foolish—and irredemable.
The worst option.
"Otogami, I won't comment further on your suggestion. But at its core, this case is not about who is colluding with whom. That is merely your theory. While I admit that your deduction sounds plausible, the real issue here is the physical altercation involving thirty-seven students in a closed room." He continued without raising his voice. "Even if you accuse the athletic clubs of colluding with the student council, let me ask you this. Where is the evidence?"
"..."
"Unless you can present evidence in front of me, the nature of this case will not change. If it did, that would be a completely different matter altogether. Even in systems where lay judges are involved, decisions are not made by a simple majority vote."
Manabu wondered what kind of grudge Otogami held against Kumagawa to push such a foolish proposal. Then again, Kumagawa was exactly the kind of person people ended up resenting without a clear reason. Somewhere in the world, there must be someone who held a grudge against him.
『It's true that jury systems are common in the West, and that the lay judge system has been taking root in Japan recently. Of course, juries usually require a unanimous decision. But choosing a culprit based on a simple majority vote? If that's how it works, then no wonder Otogami-senpai's suggestion looked foolish to you, President. It was so foolish you didn't even bother to comment on it. 』
That was his statement.
No wonder people so easily ended up holding a grudge against him.
And it was even less surprising that Otogami, of all people, harbored one as well.
"Then, what is your plan, President?" Nagumo asked, turning his head toward Manabu.
"This is a situation without any clear evidence. No, more than that, everyone here is clearly involved in some way. Perpetrators, victims, and so-called innocents are all mixed together. There isn't a single person who can present decisive proof. We haven't reached a conclusion, we haven't identified a culprit, and no one has come forward to take responsibility. So then, what do you plan to do next?"
"Honestly, this is such a rare case that it becomes difficult to resolve unless you brute force it," Manabu replied. "That's why I will divide this matter into two parts and handle each one separately."
『Split, huh? I see. So it's like Kǎn Gàng, where you treat the tiles as two separate sets. 』
"A mahjong analogy only makes things harder to understand," Manabu said flatly.
Despite that, he had clearly understood the reference. It seemed the student council president had a few surprisingly mature hobbies.
Putting that aside, no one voiced any objection to Manabu's proposal. Even the troublesome Kumagawa and the somewhat arrogant Otogami remained silent, offering no resistance. The same went for the staff, teachers, and administrators present. Not a single one of them spoke up.
To be fair, they had not said a word from the very beginning. They had acted purely as observers throughout the entire meeting. Even the homeroom teachers of the students involved, despite the anxiety and worry clearly written on their faces, kept their mouths shut.
It was clear that the board of directors was deliberately suppressing their involvement in this incident.
Of course, the students had realized this long ago. However, as students, they could not act against the words or decisions of the board of directors. They could not even speak up under such a rigid, almost tyrannical stance. That was simply how the hierarchy worked. No matter what happened, the students were the powerless ones in situations like this.
That was how society was supposed to function, after all.
"In any case, I've decided to split this case into two independent parts," Manabu said. "The first concerns the physical altercation that occurred at 15:42 today, involving thirty-seven students. Frankly speaking, this part has no clear resolution. All we have are unreliable testimonies from both sides. As for the third party involved, her statement does not differ from what has already been presented, so it will not change the direction of this case. To begin with, this is not a normal trial, so expecting a normal outcome from an abnormal process makes little sense."
"What... do you mean, President?" asked one of the students from the aisle where those involved were seated. Judging by his tone, none of the students involved felt that anything good would come out of the president's next words.
"What I mean is that we will not be determining a single, absolute truth for that incident."
"Not determine it...? Then what was the point of all this?" someone protested.
"Even if the altercation itself will be treated as an unresolved conflict, due to the lack of decisive evidence, footage, or testimonies that can be verified beyond doubt, the punishment will still be carried out according to procedure."
"Punishment? So even if no clear conclusion has been reached, we're still going to be punished?"
"Don't worry. Because there is no single conclusion, the punishment you will receive will be significantly reduced, based on each individual's level of involvement. As for the board of directors, I will handle that part," Manabu explained.
Considering the situation, it was a fitting conclusion. If they were kept here any longer, there was a real chance that another chair would be thrown, filled with just as much hatred as the last one.
"Do you have any objection, Nagumo?"
"None, president."
At this point, even Nagumo had no desire to drag the hearing on any longer. The situation had already become troublesome enough. Nothing meaningful had been gained from the heated debate so far.
Calling it a debate was generous.
Pandemonium was a more accurate description.
From his perspective, as long as nothing serious happened, the outcome did not really matter.
As for the rest, at this point, they would accept any outcome as long as it did not involve expulsion or further point-related punishments—refuting the decision was difficult. To begin with, it was hard to even present an opposing view, especially, since everyone just wanted to get out and do anything else rather than remain detained in this dreary, oversized room.
It felt as if they were being held at gunpoint. Not literally, but the pressure was suffocating, as though the trigger could be pulled at any moment.
The atmosphere alone was enough to push things toward becoming physical again.
So the president began assigning punishments to each student.
The most logical and applicable measure was suspension. Each student would be suspended according to their level of involvement, their conduct, and the consequences of their actions.
Those who had directly taken part in the physical altercation would receive a two-week suspension. The timing was deliberate. Their suspension would end just before the sports festival. For the classes involved, this was clearly a disadvantage. Losing students for two weeks meant less time to prepare physically for the upcoming event. Still, the decision remain unchanged. The remaining students, those who were victims, those who did not participate in the fight, and those who fled early, would receive only a few days of suspension. They were not exactly satisfied with the outcome, but compared to being kept here any longer, a few days away from school felt like a small price to pay.
As for Kumagawa, he received a one-week suspension.
It was relatively light. But considering that his involvement was limited to his questionable method of gathering students rather than direct violence, it was a reasonable punishment.
Of course, not many people were pleased with that decision.
"President, I'm not the kind of person who complains, but shouldn't Kumagawa's punishment be heavier, not lighter?" Complaint Otogami. Multiple testimonies clearly indicate that Kumagawa provoked the situation and set this entire incident in motion. I'm not exactly objecting, but if this is meant to be a compromise, then it fails at that as well. Quite miserably, in fact."
Just how aggressive could one person be? He did not even bother to hide the contempt in his voice. Even Manabu was a little surprised by the polite yet heartfelt contempt in his complaint, one that surpassed even his own exhaustion.
"I'm aware of that," He admitted. "Which is precisely why the suspension periods were assigned as they were. The core issue here is the physical altercation. Even if Kumagawa's remarks were somewhat inappropriate, they do not justify a group assault. Who would reasonably believe that a few words alone are sufficient cause for thirty-seven students to resort to violence? If that were acceptable, then anyone could excuse physical harm by claiming they were provoked. Such a standard would render this entire process meaningless."
"So you're saying words of provocation are irrelevant?"
"In this case, they are secondary. Kumagawa's one-week suspension reflects his failure to exercise restraint and, frankly, his careless use of authority. The two-week suspensions reflect a failure to uphold basic conduct. On one side is someone who did not use violence. On the other are those who did. There is a clear difference in action."
Yes, if provocation were accepted as a valid defense for violence, then society itself would not function. The "Weight of the Act" would always outweigh the "Weight of Intent," and the "Weight of Punishment" would be determined by the Weight of the Act" alone. If actions were all that mattered, then the conclusion was unavoidable. Punishment would be a direct result of what was done, not why it was done. Just like an equation where X leads to Y, intent and emotion would have no influence on the outcome.
Faced with that logic, Otogami did not continue his complaint. Still, the look on his face retained a noticeable trace of contempt.
Thus, Manabu continued.
"Now then, for the second case..." he trailed off, his gaze shifting toward the person who slowly rose from his seat and walked straight toward the front, where the student council, the chair of this meeting were seated. "We're entering the tricky part. Next, we will address the assault on Vice President Kumagawa Misogi."
The room fell silent.
"Although both incidents occurred in the same setting and influenced one another, they are not the same case. The mass fight and the assault on Kumagawa are connected by circumstance, but they remain independent in terms of responsibility. Put simply, the first case concerns participation in group violence. The second concerns a direct assault."
Standing beside Manabu was Kumagawa Misogi, bandages wrapped around his head. The wound was still fresh, and faint stains of blood could be seen on the white cloth. Even so, despite having been struck with a brutal act, Kumagawa appeared oddly relaxed, as if the incident had little to do with him at all.
『How should I put this... I really didn't expect things to develop like this, or that a chair would end up flying through my school life. I wouldn't have minded showing a bit more of my injury, but I figured it might be a little too extreme of a visual. 』
"How very considerate..." Manabu replied flatly. "In any case, this matter differs from the previous one. We are not determining whether this was an assault, nor are we questioning if one occurred. Multiple testimonies have already established that it was an assault. What remains is identifying the culprit."
"President, what do you mean by 'identifying the culprit'?" someone asked.
Even though it was such a straightforward matter of finding and identifying the culprit of the assault, the way Manabu worded it made it feel as though there was a different nuance to it. Because of that, the air grew more tense.
『It's simple. Because there is no recording, there is no definitive culprit. And from the school's perspective, cases like this require a clear resolution to protect its image. If something as minor as a poisoning incident can reach television news, then an assault certainly would. In other words, we need to designate a culprit, with or without evidence, and bring this case to a clear conclusion. 』
Honestly, the wording sounded dangerous. Still, compared to blind expulsions across the board, it was the safer option. Even so, it felt like sealing everyone inside a room filled with gas. It might looks fine for now, but if a fire appeared, suffocation would be inevitable. A desperate, last-ditch method.
"While it's not really my place to object, what about the penalty?" Otogami raised his hand.
"Of course, expulsion," Manabu replied.
Hearing that, the gloomy and disgusted expressions in the room deepened even further.
Expulsion.
It was the most despair-inducing punishment this school could impose. There was nothing harsher. Being expelled did not mean the end of one's life, nor did it mean the world would end. However, for those who lacked confidence in their own abilities, graduating from this prestigious school was a lifeline. A form of security for the future.
Graduating from Class A would be ideal.
Graduating at all was already a blessing.
"Then why don't we narrow it down using alibis? At the moment the chair was thrown, several people were already on the verge of a fight. Based on that, it should be easy to narrow down the culprit, right?" someone suggested amid the chaos.
『It's not that simple. Yes, everyone in this room is suspicious, but that does not automatically clear those who claim to have alibis. To give an extreme example, someone could have thrown the chair and then used a separate incident as an alibi, and throw the suspicion onto someone else and indirectly steering how this trial proceeds. Since an assault case is different from a general case of violence, the consequences are naturally different as well. 』
Instead of clarifying the situation, his words only widened the gap between suspicion and certainty. One could easily say that he did not offer even an ounce of help, only adding more fuel to the confusion
"Kumagawa, don't make things more confusing," Manabu said.
『It's the opposite, President. I have to do this so the next step can make any semblance of sense. If I don't, things will become even more complicated than they already are. This situation has gone beyond saving. In other words, I'm doing you a favor. 』
"What are you doing? Explain."
This actually had the effect of bringing Manabu back to his senses and forced him to focus on the present. As someone with crisis-management abilities and observational skills far above most people, he immediately noticed the unnatural phrasing in Kumagawa Misogi's words.
He recongnized the danger—the fragility there.
Kumagawa's words were an aggression built upon weakness, one that allowed no counterattack.
『I will become the villain on this stage, and perform something truly despair-inducing. 』
Kumagawa spoke the words with a nasty smile.
"Wait Kumagawa—!"
Ignoring the call, Kumagawa stepped forward and faced all thirty-seven students involved in the incident, that same smile still on his face. Whether it was the smile of someone about to do something truly despair-inducing, or the smile of someone making a complete fool of himself, was once again hard to tell.
『Now then, everyone. Because this series of events has become so complicated, the only simple way to end it is to find and identify the culprit. That is the one and only way to bring this whole thing to a close. 』Kumagawa said. A unfathomable smile crept onto his face. 『But without any recordings, there is no evidence. And without evidence, there is no clear culprit. Which means the only way left to find and identify the culprit is through human intent, testimonies, and eyes. 』
Eyes.
Those wet, marble-like spheres embedded in every human skull. The most primitive piece of surveillance hardware in existence. And yet, at the same time, the most advanced. Also the most unreliable.
To base an entire investigation on human intent, testimonies, and what someone claimed to have seen, without a single shred of concrete evidence, meant relying entirely on interpretation and perception. From a logical standpoint, it was deeply flawed. Especially when a single wrong choice could lead to someone's downfall.
After hearing those words, an uproar rose inside the room.
Uproar might have been an exaggeration for what was happening.
Even Manabu did not know what to say after hearing Kumagawa's words. There truly was no better way to determine the culprit. What he was about to announce was, in essence, the same conclusion Kumagawa had just reached. The difference was that Kumagawa had stated it bluntly, dangerously so. In a sense, Kumagawa had taken on the role of the villain in his place. Manabu did not know whether to feel grateful or uneasy, since Kumagawa was now bearing the brunt and raw hatred and contempt of all 37 students in the room.
"Then, what is the next step, Vice President Kumagawa?" While this may not be the time to complain, how exactly do you plan to use intent, testimonies, and perception to identify the culprit? I am genuinely curious."
It was Otogami Hibiki who once again asked the question. He did not show a single trace of guilt, despite repeatedly stirring the situation by raising questions at every turn.
As for Kumagawa, he was at a loss. 『Huh? Hold on, naw... 』
Under normal circumstances, it would have been a natural reaction to being questioned. But coming from the one who proposed the idea in the first place, it felt oddly out of place.
『Then how about this? How about we decide it with a majority vote? 』He replied with a smile.
The moment those words were spoken, another uproar broke out, and this time it was worse than before.
"A majority vote? Are you kidding me? If that's how this goes, then just pick someone from the non-athletic clubs and call it a day." "Us? Isn't it more likely that you people from the athletic clubs are the culprit?" "Hah? Of course it wasn't us. Are you out of your mind?" "Realistically speaking, the only person strong enough to throw a chair with that kind of momentum would be someone physically trained. By that logic, we can narrow it down to someone from the athletic clubs. That's just common sense." "Common sense? Here, take my fist if that's your common sense." "Hey, Koushin, punch him for me." "Oi, why the hell are you draggin' me into this? If you wanna punch him, then do it yourself. I'm already fed up and confused as hell with this whole thing." "Ugh. I'm starting to get annoyed. I want to leave already." "Leave if you want. Become the culprit." "Excuse me?" "Everyone. Please settle down. Let's stay calm." "How are we supposed to stay calm?!" "Haven't we had enough? If something's suspicious, why not let the teachers handle it?" "I think there's meaning in trying to correct our own mistakes. We ought to handle our own business." "I said I don't have anything to do with this!" "Raise your hand before you speak—" "Keep your voice down. It's pathetic." "Pathetic!" "What are you scared of? Feeling guilty much?" "The one thing we've established is that I didn't do it!" "You're the only one dumb enough to believe that." "Excuse me? I'd like you to take that back." "What about you? Always acting smart with numbers and math. Can you throw something that hard just by calculating angles and stuff?" "Are you stupid!? There's a difference between math and pure physics. How did you even get into this school?" "Are you questioning my intelligence!?" "Yeah, evidently." "Hey, everyone! Why don't we do it this way? Let's put everyone's alibi out in the open and go through them one by one until we find the real culprit, and—" "What'd be the point? At this stage, alibis are meaningless without evidence." "Why're you acting like that? Stop being so emotional. Let's think about this logically, everyone." "Quit thinkin'. Just feel it." "This isn't the time for jokes, Koushin!" "Otogami, you've been quiet this whole time aside from throwing complaints. What do you think?" "I don't know, and frankly, I don't want to know. At the very least, I'm certain I'm not the culprit."
Just like before, no one raised their hand anymore. Voices overlapped as everyone spoke at once. Some students half-stood from their seats, while others slammed their palms against the desks. It was a textbook example of chaos. But with how far the situation had already deteriorated, it would have been strange if it did not turn out this way. In that sense, it was probably the fated outcome.
A majority vote.
The most efficient form of bullying and democracy ever devised.
In the beginning, there was only the minority of one. The individual. The "I." But "I" was a dangerous thing. "I" had desires. "I" had secrets. And "I" had a personality. When two "I"s clashed, they used stones. They used bronze. They used iron. They used blood. It was brutal, primitive, and above all, foolish.
That's why The Majority Vote is the moment humanity decided that quantity is a valid substitute for quality. It's the moment we decided that if fifty-one idiots say the sun goes around the earth, or that the earth is flat, then for the next four and a half years, we are all trat that as the absolute truth of the majority.
You can decide even if you don't know.
Finger, even if things are unclear.
It was moronic.
It was idiotic.
And it was foolish, and irredeemable.
『Hey, what's with the sudden uproar? Even if I suggest using a majority vote, it's not like I'm going to blindly pick one person out of thirty-seven and force the label of culprit onto them. Yes, I'm not the one who'll pick the culprit.... 』
"Kumagawa... don't add more fuel to the fire."
『Don't worry, President. This much should be acceptable, especially since even the representative from the board of directors who was sent to observe this meeting hasn't objected to anything I've said. In other words, it's not my fault. 』
Yes, true to his words, when Manabu turned his head to look at the representative of the board of directors, the person only nodded slightly, as if signaling for the proceedings to continue as they were. In this room, the one who truly decided the trajectory of the meeting was the representative of the board of directors. Even the teachers, staff, administrative personnel, and the student council had little say in the matter. Especially the student council president, who, despite presiding over the meeting, merely guided its course rather than determining its outcome. As long as the board of directors was satisfied, that decision would become final.
『In any case, even if I were to say that I know who attacked me, and even if my position as the victim makes my testimony more convincing, it would still be unfair if that were the only option presented. That's why I'll give you all a choice. 』He offered a meager smile—kindly teaching everyone here that smiling isn't always a sign of good intentions.
『But remember this. Whatever choice you make will be backed by the threat of expulsion. With that in mind, I'll adjust the options so that everyone can choose with a clear head, and perhaps even feel satisfied with their decision. 』
"What makes you think you have the right to decide the choices?" someone objected. "Isn't that an abuse of power, especially when you're the victim?"
『Don't you know the concept of "restorative justice"? It's the idea that the victim holds greater negotiating power when it comes to restitution. You said it yourself. I'm the victim. So deciding the punishment falls within my rights. 』
"Hey, President, is this really acceptable?!"
"..."
Manabu glanced toward the representative of the board of directors, who was still observing the meeting in silence. Once again, he received a slight nod. That alone was enough to make Manabu frown.
This was not a decision that aligned with his personal sense of fairness. However, he did not have much say in the matter. The concept of restorative justice was a legitimate one, and from the victim's perspective, it was a compelling argument.
"The objective here is resolution. When evidence is insufficient and the culprit cannot be definitively identified, the school must still bring the case to a close, especially in an assault case. Restorative justice prioritizes compensation and closure over pure punishment and in this situation, Kumagawa Misogi is the confirmed victim. Given the lack of evidence, allowing him to propose the form of restitution falls within acceptable procedure." Manabu explained.
"So you're saying we just go along with whatever he wants?" another one protested.
"Of course not," Manabu replied immediately. "There are clear limits that cannot be crossed, and any decision still requires oversight from the school. However, as long as the proposal remains within acceptable boundaries, there is no procedural violation."
"..."
『Now then, this is the choice I'll give you—』 By the tone of his voice, it's as if he was treating his upperclassmen like a fool. It'd be one thing if he was contemptuous, but given Kumagawa's smile, no one couldn't tell if he was being guileless or malicious. It was causing cognitive dissonance.
『First, all thirty-seven students here will be collectively charged with the crime of assault. As for the punishment, you'll receive whatever is deemed appropriate for assault. I'm hopeless when it comes to legal details, but it will most likely be expulsion. In other words, all thirty-seven students will be expelled from this school. Or second, we proceed with a majority vote and decide the culprit based on the name that receives the highest number of votes. In other words, the student who receives the most votes will be expelled from this school for the crime of assault, and will also provide me with some form of compensation. 』
Thus spoke Kumagawa Misogi with a smile.
It was a smile that looked nothing like that of a human.
『Ah, the compensation includes all the second-years. So keep that in mind.』
Nagumo Miyabi, who had remained silent until now, immediately stood up and approached the representative's table.
"That's going too far, isn't it, sir representative? I can overlook the majority vote. I can even tolerate the absurdity of expelling someone based on it. But dragging all second-years into this under the label of 'compensation' clearly crosses a line." Nagumo spoke clearly, trying to convince everyone in the room of how unreasonable Kumagawa's demand was. "You're asking all second-years to pay for this. Students who weren't even here, and who have no connection to this case, being forced to provide compensation is beyond absurd."
『What an odd thing to say, Nagumo-senpai. 』
"What do you mean...?"
『Isn't it obvious that all the second-years should compensate me for my generosity? Or would you rather see thirty-seven students from Classes A, B, C, and D have their dreams, effort, future, aspirations, ambitions, potential, legacy, conviction, and expectations crushed, trampled, shattered, demolished, wrecked, and ruined... simply because you don't want to spend some money you've gathered up until this point? 』
"That's..."
Nagumo did not know whether Kumagawa understood just how damaging those words were in this situation. If this continued, he would be in trouble. He felt that he would no longer be able to stand by what was right. More than being cornered by rhetoric, the thought of failing to carry out what he believed to be just was what truly embarrassed him.
"President," Nagumo said, turning to Manabu this time. "This has already crossed the line. A vote to single out one person is bad enough, but dragging all second-years into this as 'compensation' is nothing more than collective punishment with no real basis."
Even for Horikita Manabu, this must have been absurd. He had lived his life making reasonable compromises with power while remaining true to himself, yet now he was faced with an overwhelming amount of irrationality all at once.
But this time, he said nothing, silently looking between Nagumo and the representative.
Receiving no response, Nagumo turned toward the representative, who, for the first time since the meeting began, opened his mouth.
"I agree with Kumagawa Misogi's proposal. From the school's standpoint, what matters most is reaching a clear and final resolution. An unresolved assault involving dozens of students is far more damaging to our image than a decisive outcome. This situation has already gone beyond what we would call rational. There is no evidence, no recording, and no definitive culprit. Under such circumstances, prolonging the matter only invites speculation and external scrutiny. The representative folded his hands on the table. "Viewed from that angle, this may seem like an extreme decision. But given the circumstances, it is the most efficient and least damaging and frankly the best option available to the school."
Yes.
It would be the best option for the school.
But not for its students.
Even when faced with clear irrationality, the school chose to prioritize its image. Sacrificing both the guilty and the innocent alike, all to protect the organization's reputation. That was the essence of corporate logic. An institution built to produce future leaders, yet governed by the same brutal system.
Hearing those words, Nagumo fell into stunned silence. Even he had not expected the representative to accept such an absurd proposal so readily. But as merely a vice president, he held no power to influence the representative's decision.
That said, none of those involved were willing to participate in the majority vote. It was an unusual way to reach a conclusion, no, abnormal would be more accurate. If someone had been willing to sacrifice themselves of their own accord, this whole ordeal would have ended from the start. If someone had simply said, "I did it," then the fault would belong to that individual, not the group.
But that would only happen if everyone still carried a remnant of what was once called a "sense of solidarity" .
In this case, they did not.
This school fostered a different kind of mentality. A strong "sense of solidarity" meant bearing "collective responsibility", while a strong "sense of individuality" meant accepting "personal liability". And in an institution that actively encouraged competition, "individuality" would inevitably trample over "solidarity".
Even so, no one liked the choice that had been given.
No one was satisfied with how things had turned out.
Yet, the majority vote proceeded.
Not even with a secret ballot, but with a show of hands. Second-year students from various classes were asked to raise their hands as names were called out in seating order, starting from the very front on the far left, all the way to the last student seated at the back.
With no real choice in the matter, and carrying out her role as secretary, Tachibana began by calling the name of the student seated in the front row, first seat.
This method would inevitably create enemies and grudges. But the trial had to go on.
Who thinks No. 2, Koushin Rimuhiko, is the culprit.
Please raise your hand.
That phrase was meant to be repeated again and again, until the one with the most votes was decided. Even if, by some slim chance, the votes were evenly spread, the process would simply be repeated. Over and over, until someone finally received the highest number of votes.
But things did not go as expected.
By the time Tachibana called out the fourth name on the seating list—
Who thinks No. 4, Otogami Hibiki, is the culprit.
Please raise your hand.
It brought everything to an end.
There was no need to call out the remaining names or ask for another show of hands. Even if she had tried, no one doubted that Otogami could not even speak at that point, let alone protest.
And just like that.
Before Tachibana could even move into the double digits, before she even passed number five, the trial came to an end. One could call it anticlimactic, considering all the trouble they had gone through and had to endured.
Just like that, Otogami Hibiki was going to be expelled from this school.
Most of the people who knew Otogami would say that he reaped what he sowed. Others were more blunt, calling it digging his own grave. And in hindsight, what else could one expect from a majority vote? He was the most unlikable person in the group. Arrogant. Talented. A prodigy. Someone almost guaranteed success. Highly accomplished. In a school that prioritized competition, it would have been strange if that did not turn into malice. Yet realizing that people hated you was not easy, especially when you were infinitely superior to them.
One could even say that he had been guided straight to the jaws of death from the very moment Kumagawa proposed using a majority vote to resolve the case.
"...I didn't expect this outcome," he said monotonously.
Perhaps it was shock that made his voice fall so flat. But judging by his expression, that was not the reason. The despair one would expect did not appear in his eyes. They did not change at all. They looked normal, as if this were just another ordinary day where he continued to breathe, one second after another.
"But since this is the result, I won't complain about the decision itself. This isn't really the place to object to it. So I won't complain, not even once. Even if the decision itself is problematic in every sense of the word. It's irrational to an unnatural degree, and honestly, I don't even feel like arguing about it. That said..."
His gaze fixed on Kumagawa.
"Before I leave this school without any complaint, there is something I want to say to you, Kumagawa Misogi."
『What is it, senpai? 』He replied with a smile.
"I don't know what you're trying to do here, and frankly, I don't want to know. But remember this. I hate you. I hate how repulsive you are. And I hate even more the fact that I realized just how repulsive you truly are. If possible, I would rather never have had the displeasure of knowing you. As for my expulsion, it isn't really a problem. In the first place, I didn't attend this school by my own will. I was asked. No, more accurately, I was ordered to."
『Ordered? 』
"I was told that there was someone here who was repulsive to an unnatural degree. I didn't believe her words at first. But after meeting you face to face, I finally understand what she meant."
『"Her"? Ah... so that's how it is. I didn't expect you to be one of hers. In that case, did she leave any message for me? 』
"That's apparently the whole reason I'm here," he admitted. "Not that I want to complain about her personality, but just like you, she's rotten to the core. Though not as repulsive as you. That said, even if I did complain about her rotten behavior and inhuman pranks, it would probably just get stored in some mailbox somewhere in the world. So I won't bother complaining about how evil and unpleasant she is."
『Ahaha. What an extreme argument, jumping madly from one end to the other. That's no different from saying her entire existence is trash. But I won't let you badmouth my Anshin'in-san like that. What would happen if I couldn't go home? 』
"Anyway, her message to you was this," Otogami continued. "'Have fun with your new school life. Try not to destroy the school, and don't forget what I said a few days ago. Also, don't bully Hibiki-kun too much. He complains a lot.' That's what she said."
He even tried to mimic Anshin'in-san's tone of voice, but it failed miserably due to how arrogant and monotone his own voice was.
"Now that that's done, I'll be leaving. I don't have any more reason to stay in this school, and I probably never will again. I won't complain about how this school operates, but they really should add a classical music club. At least now that I'm out, I can finally escape that dreary light music they keep playing. They should also fix their club rooms, though that's not really my place to complain."
After finishing his complaints, Otogami Hibiki turned toward the doors and left the room.
No one ever saw Otogami Hibiki at Advanced Nurturing High School again.
『What an unlikable person. Who would even like someone who complains that much, right? Perhaps he didn't even have a girlfriend. Hahahaha. 』
"....."
Kumagawa trotted his way to the center and addressed all thirty-seven students.
『However, putting that aside, we've finally finished this troublesome meeting. I don't really know how things will turn out after this, but as expected of a school filled with elites. When given a choice between collectivism and individualism, the outcome isn't really surprising. 』 He laughed, but it was hard to take it entirely as a quip because he somehow seemed so mysterious.
『But to think you all so readily and uniformly chose your own future, the future of thirty-seven people, to protect yourselves by destroying a single person's future, dreams, and aspirations. Even if Otogami-senpai didn't seem to care all that much, what if it had been someone else? Would they have fallen into despair? What if they killed themselves because of the actions of thirty-seven people? Well, I suppose that's exactly what you'd expect from a majority vote. 』
Majority vote.
The ugliest formula ever invented by humanity. The most unjust and unequal system.
Yet that was justice.
Everyone said it was right. So it became right.
But even if they believed it was right, that didn't mean everyone was satisfied. And even if it was wrong, would they truly be dissatisfied? Didn't that sound like a wonderful piece of nonsense? That was simply how humans worked, and how the world worked.
Even if his methods were questionable, Kumagawa Misogi was Kumagawa Misogi. The man who concluded the trial through a questionable and irrational method.
Would you say he was wrong?
Or would you say he was right?
People often say, "He did something wrong, so he has changed." Or, "She did something right, so she is a better person.
e^(iπ) + 1 = 0.
Even Euler's identity, the most beautiful equation in mathematics, where e, the base of natural logarithms, π, the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, i, the imaginary unit, along with 1 and 0, all coexist within a single graceful formula, as if they came together by deliberate necessity. If there were a God, one might even call it convincing evidence of His existence. Yet even such a perfect equation cannot change what something fundamentally is. No matter how beautiful the formula, it does not rewrite its nature.
That was the truth.
Whether a person's nature decides what is right, or whether an action decides what is wrong, neither can truly change what a person is. A person cannot be judged by their actions alone.
Kumagawa Misogi was nothing more, and nothing less, than Kumagawa Misogi.
A Minus that crawled out of chaos.
A person with only half a heart.
『END』
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Here you go peasants, another chapter.
Anyway, that's it for today's chapter.
Hope you enjoyed it.
[Thanks for reading!]