"Amane... how can you be like this? Aren't we friends? Saying something like that, I, I'm really sad."
Kushida's eyes welled up with tears.
She looked very pitiful.
"Precisely because we are friends, I will apply to President Horikita to fulfill your wish to drop out. If it were just anyone else, I wouldn't bother with her."
Amane's words choked Kushida, leaving her speechless.
Now, she couldn't advance or retreat.
She could only stand there awkwardly, wiping her eyes.
"Do you really want your classmates to drop out that much?"
Nagumo Miyabi had just reached out to put his hand on Amane's shoulder, but in the next second, he was dodged with a step.
Amane even looked at him with an expression of disgust, as if looking at a repulsive worm.
It was the first time he had been looked at with such disdain.
Nagumo Miyabi was also a bit awkward in the spot for a moment.
His hand, suspended and nowhere to rest, dropped down sheepishly.
"Just talk, don't get handsy. As for expulsions, I also don't like anyone being expelled, but that's the school's rule. Although I'm sad, I still choose to respect the school's regulations. However, an expulsion like Hirata-san's, defined as cheating, I absolutely cannot accept."
Amane dusted off imaginary dust from her shoulders, her gaze passing over Nagumo Miyabi and directly at Horikita Manabu.
Horikita Manabu, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke.
"You don't need to pressure me. I know what you mean. So, tell me your conditions."
Upon hearing Horikita Manabu's almost compromising statement,
Nagumo Miyabi frowned.
"President Horikita, the school has given us full authority to handle this matter, which means our Student Council is the final decision-maker. How could it change because of one person?"
As soon as Nagumo Miyabi finished speaking, Amane let out a "tsk, tsk, tsk" sound.
"Oh, I recall President Horikita previously announced that Hirata-san's actions were cheating, didn't he? But now the Student Council can't provide evidence to prove Hirata-san cheated. If such an irresponsible ruling were to become known to others..."
Amane's words made Nagumo Miyabi's expression instantly clear.
He finally understood why Amane had remained silent before the Student Council's verdict, but then suddenly jumped out to defend Hirata-san when he was confirmed to have cheated.
The reason was to seize a 'handle' on the Student Council.
To irresponsibly and arbitrarily declare Hirata-san a cheater without investigation or evidence.
If such a thing were to get out, even Horikita Manabu would likely face criticism and censure.
This is why Horikita Manabu, after Nagumo Miyabi and Kiriyama gave up arguing about the cheating, immediately asked Amane for her thoughts, attempting to compromise with her.
Such a confrontation... is that girl really a newcomer?
Fine beads of sweat began to appear on Nagumo Miyabi's forehead.
The restless emotion in his heart made him want to unbutton his collar to let the cool evening breeze calm him down.
Wait.
So, that means...
Doesn't that mean Horikita Manabu was also pushed to a dead end?
But when he looked at Horikita Manabu,
Horikita Manabu's face remained serious and calm.
He was completely unaffected by the unfavorable situation at hand.
"What you're doing is too obvious."
Horikita Manabu looked at Ayanokoji.
"Is there a problem?" Ayanokoji asked, puzzled.
"Your expression management is excellent, but unfortunately, your coordination is still too unpracticed. You, who had been unresponsive, specifically stepped forward when you heard Amane's recent words. If I'm not mistaken... you can take out your phone now, and the recording can be turned off."
Horikita Manabu's words directly caused shocked gasps to echo throughout the conference room.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Ayanokoji, seeing his actions exposed, still tried to bluff with an unchanged expression.
"Petty tricks are useless against me. If I'm not mistaken, Amane looking down at her phone earlier was actually sending you a reminder message, right?"
Nagumo Miyabi fell into recollection.
Apparently, when Secretary Tachibana went to find Ayanokoji, Amane did indeed pick up her phone with one hand and tap it twice.
Then she put it down.
It shouldn't be possible to send a reminder message in such a short time. Just as Nagumo Miyabi was about to retort, Kiriyama voiced his doubt for him.
Seeing that Kiriyama was still stubborn, Nagumo Miyabi also relaxed a little. He was now afraid of being embarrassed on the spot by Amane's rebuttal.
"It's simple. She first swiped the screen twice—that action took her from the chat room on the screen to her friends list. Then she pressed the function key. When I ordered Secretary Tachibana to find Ayanokoji, she used voice search to find Ayanokoji's chat box. After Secretary Tachibana left, she pretended to check the time, but was actually quickly typing a word to alert Ayanokoji."
Horikita Manabu felt a bit thirsty.
Just as he was about to reach for his bottled water, Secretary Tachibana, who was listening intently, immediately handed him her water.
Horikita Manabu glanced at Secretary Tachibana, opened it, and took a couple of sips to moisten his throat.
"But how could a warning be conveyed with just one word? And from their cooperation here, it looks like they came prepared."
Kiriyama shook his head, thinking it impossible for Amane to convey so much with a single word.
"If I'm not mistaken, that word should be 'recording', right?"
Horikita Manabu's face showed a triumphant smile.
If it were anyone else showing such an expression, Amane would tell him he was celebrating too soon, but Horikita Manabu's smile, though a smile, put immense pressure on Ayanokoji and Amane.
Helplessly, Ayanokoji took out his phone and opened his chat with Amane. It indeed showed the two characters for "recording."
"I don't understand, why would the single word 'recording' make Amane and Ayanokoji-kun explain what happened here?" Kushida asked, unable to comprehend.
Nagumo answered.
"It's simple. Under what circumstances do you need to record? You often need to record when collecting evidence. And combining that with the Student Council meeting today about expulsions, a little imagination tells you roughly what's going on. Plus, Ayanokoji himself was the one who bought the test papers, so he would naturally be more vigilant."
Nagumo Miyabi didn't want to admit that a first-year student could achieve such a level.
But when reality was laid before him, Nagumo Miyabi couldn't help but admire Amane's every move.
If Horikita Manabu hadn't exposed these little tricks,
No one would have known that Ayanokoji was actually recording during the meeting.
"As expected of President Horikita, but what if it's discovered? The recording is already in hand, and I already have enough evidence to cause personnel changes in the Student Council... How does President Horikita plan to break this deadlock?"
Amane's face bloomed like a flower.
She looked as if she had Horikita Manabu completely figured out.
"Amane, don't you think this handle came too easily?"
Horikita Manabu's lips curved slightly.
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