Chapter 147: Return to School, Ichinose's Invitation (Two-in-One 5k) (Patreon)

August 13th. The cruise ship officially began its return voyage.

Or rather, the course had really been changed last night, with Tokyo Bay set as the destination.

Around ten in the morning, the giant vessel finally drew up to the harbor.

Crew members hurled the mooring lines from both sides of the hull onto the pier, and the thick nylon ropes landed precisely in the hands of the dockworkers waiting to receive them.

"Clank!"

With a heavy boom, the gangway was slowly lowered, and metal met metal with a dull thud.

The students of all four classes had already lined up to walk down the ramp. Next, they would all take buses back to school together.

Class A's line went first.

Hikaru Naruse had his backpack slung over his shoulder. He glanced at the classmates behind him, tired but in good spirits, and the corners of his mouth curved up slightly.

The cruise had been something everyone looked forward to at the start, but right now it was obvious they'd rather get back to school and their own warm dorm rooms as soon as possible.

The girl beside him was Ai Morishita. She didn't care in the slightest about the eyes of the teachers or classmates. She simply reached out and took Hikaru Naruse's big hand, fingers interlaced.

It was completely natural, with no embarrassed fumbling and no deliberate showing off. Just an everyday gesture.

Class A had gotten used to it by now. Nobody even bothered to look their way.

Behind the two walked Asuka Shiraishi and Ryoko Nishikawa. The golden-haired girl let out an elegant yawn, a haze of drowsiness clouding her bright purple eyes.

She'd gone to bed late last night, and Hikaru Naruse was the culprit.

Last night, Asuka Shiraishi had invited Hikaru Naruse to her dorm to keep playing Old Maid, and her roommate happened to be Ryoko Nishikawa.

The three of them played until nearly dawn. Later, Ai Morishita had come over too, and the rowdy fooling around had dragged on until very late.

Hikaru Naruse himself was fine, but both girls were a little short on sleep.

As for Ai Morishita, she hadn't slept well either, but since she got to cling to Hikaru Naruse in broad daylight, she was holding up fine.

"Naruse-san, we'll be back at school soon. If you want to play again, you're welcome to come to my dorm," Asuka Shiraishi said, covering her mouth with a small hand, her smile radiant.

"If I feel like playing, I'll just barge in on my own."

"You're welcome to barge in~"

Ryoko Nishikawa was sleepy, but when she heard her best friend chatting with Hikaru Naruse, she rubbed her eyes and mumbled under her breath.

"So sleepy…"

"Ryoko… you'll be able to rest on the bus soon."

The coach bus ride from Tokyo Bay to the Advanced Nurturing High School took at least two hours, plenty of time to catch up on sleep.

"Mm."

On the other side, Ai Morishita tightened her grip on Hikaru Naruse's hand, making him glance over at her.

"Naruse… since we're going back to school today, there are still seventeen days left of summer break."

"Hm?"

"You said before that your schedule was hard to arrange, but the Special Exam is over now. Don't you think it's time to rearrange your time?"

"…What do you have in mind?" Hikaru Naruse raised an eyebrow.

"Simple. At least three days have to be mine, and no one else's."

Ai Morishita wasn't Kikyo Kushida. By the intelligence she had gathered so far, the only girls Hikaru Naruse was close to were herself, plus Squad Member Yamamura and his official girlfriend, Kei Karuizawa.

With only three people, seventeen days was more than enough to go around.

Ai Morishita felt she was already being perfectly reasonable, not making unreasonable demands.

"Seventeen days split three ways, so me taking three days should be fine, right?"

"That's not an outrageous request, Morishita. Actually, I've been thinking about this lately too."

Hikaru Naruse thought for a moment and answered in an even tone.

"Senior Horikita already told me that once the second term starts next month, September will be followed by the Sports Festival in October, and once that's over, the Student Council leadership election arrives in November."

"Unless something big changes, I'll only get busier from here, so I need to come up with a fairer way of dividing my time."

"Oh, then you think about it first."

Ai Morishita nodded and swung Naruse's hand back and forth like an elementary schooler.

Naturally, the two girls behind them had heard what Hikaru Naruse said. Asuka Shiraishi asked directly.

"Naruse-san, are you going to run for Student Council President?"

"If possible, I'd like someone else to run. Only if there's really no other choice will I step up myself."

Hikaru Naruse knew the Student Council President held real power, far more than at any other high school, but it also came with endless trouble, and it was not something he wanted to do.

Still, he had no intention of backing down. He absolutely could not let Nagumo win. Even if he ended up putting up some random substitute, annoying Nagumo would be enough.

Just then, Miki Yamamura at the back of the line suddenly hurried forward a few steps and came up beside Hikaru Naruse.

"Naruse-san, if you want to run for Student Council President, you can actually start preparing right now."

She had overheard Hikaru Naruse and couldn't resist leaning in.

As his deputy in the Student Council's First-Year Management Department, Miki Yamamura now knew a great deal about the council's regulations.

"Is that so?"

Hikaru Naruse smiled, studying Miki Yamamura's soft face as he spoke slowly.

"If I really do run, I'll appoint you as my campaign strategist, Squad Member Yamamura."

"I can do that…"

In truth, Hikaru Naruse had another candidate in mind: Suzune Horikita.

According to the original story, Miyabi Nagumo would indeed succeed as Student Council President, but after Manabu Horikita graduated, that twisted man would ultimately hand the position over to Suzune Horikita.

In a sense, it was the Horikita family's legacy.

If he pushed Suzune Horikita up from the start, Manabu Horikita could graduate with peace of mind, and Hikaru Naruse's own school life afterward would be easier too.

Why not just be an officer, coast along, and enjoy a little petty power? Why bother worrying about building up the school?

"Mm. I trust Squad Member Yamamura to manage."

"Mm."

Hikaru Naruse looked at Ai Morishita and Miki Yamamura on his left and right, and at Asuka Shiraishi and Ryoko Nishikawa behind him.

How did that saying go?

If you don't want women to sway you, then put women on both your left and right. And this Mr. Naruse had women in front, behind, left and right. He was playing the game to the extreme.

Once everyone boarded the bus, Ai Morishita took the seat next to Hikaru Naruse on her own initiative, and Miki Yamamura sat down on Ai Morishita's right.

The coach had five seats per row, three on the left and two on the right, with the aisle in between.

Perhaps the little clique was at work, because Asuka Shiraishi and Ryoko Nishikawa ended up in the same row, in the two seats on the right.

Hikaru Naruse had the window seat. He let the wind hit his face for a while and rested quietly.

Ai Morishita had been well behaved at first, but after she woke up from a nap, she went into restless mode.

"Naruse, hold me."

"Okay."

Once he had his arms around her, Ai Morishita squirmed around in his embrace, apparently unable to get comfortable no matter how she lay.

"If you're itchy, wait until we're back at the dorm and take a bath!"

Hikaru Naruse flicked her on the forehead, but Ai Morishita didn't budge. After thinking it over, she made her second request.

"Naruse, I want a lap pillow."

"Fine."

Once he agreed, the girl dropped right down.

She wasn't shy about it at all. She had Miki Yamamura beside her hold down her skirt, then laid her little head straight on Hikaru Naruse's thigh.

"How does it feel?"

"Naruse's thighs are really solid… not soft at all."

"Then get up!" Hikaru Naruse pinched her little ear.

"No way!"

After some more fooling around, Ai Morishita shifted her posture, still seeming not quite comfortable.

"Squad Member Yamamura, can I put my legs on your lap?"

"Hey!"

"Uh, sure. I don't mind."

Miki Yamamura's voice was gentle. She could see that with Ai Morishita's waist twisted around, the lap pillow wasn't really comfortable.

The truly comfortable way to use a lap pillow was to lie down completely.

"Then I'm stretching out."

After a moment, Ai Morishita lay all the way down, her legs resting on Miki Yamamura's side and her head on Hikaru Naruse's thigh.

To keep her steadier, Hikaru Naruse reached out and held her around the waist and neck.

"Now this is comfortable," Ai Morishita muttered to herself, genuinely much more at ease.

"You really… have been spoiled by Yamamura."

"Hmph!"

The way the three of them were pressed up against each other, so close, made Asuka Shiraishi and Ryoko Nishikawa in the same row steal glances again and again.

"They… get along so well."

"They do."

"Morishita is a bit strange sometimes, but Naruse-san clearly dotes on her. Could it be that Naruse-san especially likes this type?"

Ryoko Nishikawa didn't speak aloud. Instead she sent the message to Asuka Shiraishi by text.

"Maybe."

Asuka Shiraishi looked at Ai Morishita, now fast asleep, and felt a flicker of admiration.

She could act spoiled with Hikaru Naruse, but she couldn't go this far.

"Morishita really is special."

Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School, the Student Council office.

From the window, one could see the direction of the main gate in the distance. Several white buses were slowly rolling onto campus like crawling beetles.

Manabu Horikita stood at the window, calmly watching the scene. He pushed up the glasses on the bridge of his nose but said nothing.

Beside him stood Miyabi Nagumo, who smiled and spoke with a pointed undertone.

"Junior Naruse is impressive. I hear he led Class A to the biggest gains in both Special Exams this time, even beating the scores we got back then."

"Is that so?" Manabu Horikita said evenly.

"It is. Manabu Horikita's eye for talent was sound after all. Junior Naruse has nearly taken control of the first years already. Truly, heroes rise from the young."

"He's only a year younger than you, Nagumo."

Manabu Horikita didn't care for Miyabi Nagumo's tone. With the leadership election just over two months away, he would soon see whether his wager would pay off in full.

Hikaru Naruse had already shown his strength. If he wanted to go head to head with Miyabi Nagumo, it was truly hard to say who would win.

At the very least, among the current Student Council, no fewer than a third supported Hikaru Naruse.

"The election is almost here, Manabu Horikita. You've worked hard for so long. Soon you'll be able to rest properly."

Miyabi Nagumo brought up the real business, a look of anticipation on his face.

"I will carry on your policies and keep practicing this school's principle of Supremacy of Ability. Please rest assured."

"I look forward to seeing how you perform."

Manabu Horikita had little more to say. He had chosen Miyabi Nagumo originally because he valued his ability, but the man was clearly slipping out of control now.

Fortunately, the remedy he had chosen was someone even tougher and more ambitious.

The skirmishes so far meant nothing. The Student Council President campaign would be the real positional war, where every additional supporter would directly shape the final result.

"Manabu Horikita, I hope you'll preside over the election fairly when the time comes."

Miyabi Nagumo seemed a little uneasy and added the line deliberately.

"Don't worry. I'll act according to school regulations."

"Good."

Miyabi Nagumo gave Manabu Horikita a long look. If Manabu Horikita really did tilt things in Hikaru Naruse's favor, his chances of winning would indeed be slim.

After all, the election would count every vote. The three grades totaled only a little over four hundred people, and if the third years backed Hikaru Naruse, there would be nothing he could do.

But if Manabu Horikita stayed neutral, winning over the third years would come down to each side's own skill.

In that case, Miyabi Nagumo believed he wouldn't lose.

"Manabu Horikita, I have other matters to attend to. If you'll excuse me."

"Go ahead."

The blond man bowed to Manabu Horikita and turned to leave, brisk and clean.

With all the first years back at school, nearly everyone had gone to their dorms. After more than ten days away, tidying up a room was a draining chore too.

Kei Karuizawa had just put her luggage down in her room. She had meant to clean up properly, but at the moment, what the girl wanted most was to see her boyfriend.

Hikaru-kun… he should be tidying his room too, right?

Once I'm done, I'm staying over tonight!

Kei Karuizawa sat on the sofa and started typing a message right away, planning to head straight to the shower and then go cling to him as soon as Hikaru Naruse agreed.

But right after she sent it, Hikaru Naruse's reply came fast.

"Kei, I've got plans tonight, so I can't be with you for now. I'll come find you tomorrow."

"…"

The girl instinctively tightened her grip on her phone, and her expression turned cold.

Plans already?

Weren't they only just back at school today?

"Okay then. Hikaru-kun, remember to rest early. I'll tidy up my dorm properly today, so come over early tomorrow."

She was unhappy, but Kei Karuizawa still sent a reply quickly.

"Mm. Get some rest early too, Kei."

Helplessly, she flopped onto the sofa and buried her face in the cushions, muttering without pause.

"Big dummy. Did you forget that today's my safe period?"

"Honestly!"

"Fine, go be busy then!"

"Hmph!"

On the other end of the line, Hikaru Naruse was in fact standing on the girls' floor too.

He was standing at Honami Ichinose's dorm door. This had been arranged long ago, and she had texted him on the bus to set a time.

The boy glanced at the system panel, where a certain item had slowly surfaced.

[Mindset Repair Card] ×1

[Mindset Repair Card description: After use, performs psychological repair on the target, eliminating or easing the effects of certain psychological shadows.]

[Method of use: On oneself: activate directly. On others: physical contact with the target is required.]

[Note: The Mindset Repair Card's effect is not memory manipulation. It can open the door to dispelling psychological shadows, but it will not erase the target's memories. After use, the target will still remember what happened in the past.]

"I hope it works on her. After all, that girl's past isn't something that can be solved easily…"

Knock, knock.

Two crisp knocks echoed briefly down the quiet corridor. A few seconds later, the door opened.

Honami Ichinose's pretty face appeared behind it. She seemed to have just dried her hair, and the soft strands hung down her back, a gentle aura surrounding her.

"Naruse-san, you're here."

"Yeah, I'm here."

"You finally came. I've been waiting a long time."

"Mm."

Honami Ichinose stepped aside to clear the doorway and let Hikaru Naruse in.

"This is my first time in Ichinose's dorm. I'm actually a little nervous."

"Wasn't this your idea, Naruse-san?" Honami Ichinose laughed softly. "Last time I offered to come talk at your dorm, and you turned me down."

"Because I figured you'd feel safer talking in a space you know well."

Hikaru Naruse was telling the truth. If he used the [Mindset Repair Card], she would very likely fall into a dream.

If the surroundings were unfamiliar, it might affect the person's inner world.

After stepping into Honami Ichinose's dorm, Hikaru Naruse didn't look around. He made himself at home on her sofa.

"Naruse-san, would you like something to drink?"

"What's the most expensive drink you have? Bring it on."

Hikaru Naruse waved a big hand, his tone grand.

"Sorry, all I have is barley tea, 300 points for a big bottle."

"…"