Chapter 164: Fuka Kiryuin: After Discussing Dreams, What Else? (Two-in-One 5k) (Patreon)

The second week after the Sports Festival was announced.

This week's classes were much like last week's, except for one extra joint PE session, so there were four regular PE classes and two joint PE classes in total.

Once the schedule refreshed, everyone in Class A copied down the changes.

Since he'd promised Fuuka Kiryuuin last night, Hikaru Naruse decided to stop by the Student Council first.

After a whole term of reshuffling, the Student Council room had settled into three sharply divided zones.

From the entrance inward, they were the first-years' territory, the second-years' territory, and the third-years' territory.

The first-years had a decent number of members now. Besides Hikaru Naruse, there were Miki Yamamura, Arisu Sakayanagi, Honami Ichinose, Mako Amikura, and Kohei Katsuragi.

Six people split neatly into two rows of three, one desk each, forming a big joint table that looked like a teachers' office.

Crossing the aisle and walking further in brought him to the second-years' area, Miyabi Nagumo's turf.

The second-years were the backbone of the Student Council at the moment. After all, once this term ended, every third-year would step down, and then they'd be the senior-most members.

There were eight of them, occupying two big tables set well apart. Naruse glanced over. They were quite busy, and Miyabi Nagumo wasn't here today.

Past the second-years, at the far right of the room, was the third-years' area.

Besides three rows of desks and chairs, Manabu Horikita's long single desk sat at the very back against the wall. Whenever he stood, he could take in the whole layout of the Student Council at a glance.

The third-years had five members. They worked quietly at their own tasks, now and then glancing up at Manabu Horikita in the back.

His long desk was the largest in the entire room, with documents and files stacked neatly along its right side.

In total the Student Council had fewer than twenty people, yet it had to manage nearly five hundred students across three grades.

As a "staff allotment," that was neither a lot nor a little.

An ordinary high school might have five or six people on its student council, but Advanced Nurturing High School wasn't ordinary. With its high degree of student self-governance, it needed this many hands working together.

Naruse's gaze swept over everyone in the room. He didn't go to his own desk. Instead he walked straight to the back, to Manabu Horikita's desk.

Manabu Horikita watched him approach, pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, and pulled open a drawer to take out a file.

"Good afternoon, Manabu Horikita."

"Good afternoon, Naruse-kun."

He didn't say anything more and simply handed the freshly retrieved file to the boy in front of him.

Naruse didn't ask any questions. He took it and skimmed it.

Printed on the dark paper were several names along with their details: matching photos, class distribution, basic social connections, and so on.

It was a list of second-year students, and a very particular group of them.

"Thank you, Manabu Horikita."

"Anyone can collect this kind of information. The point is how you use it."

Naruse nodded. Of course he understood what that meant.

These were second-years who were well connected and could be won over. If he wanted to deal with Miyabi Nagumo, they were naturally critical.

Miyabi Nagumo "ruled" the second-years, but they were far from a solid wall. Otherwise the last [Rectification Campaign] wouldn't have ended in a brawl.

He had his diehards, of course, but there was also a group of "middlemen" who just went with the flow.

If those people could be drawn over, the leadership election in November would produce an even more interesting chemical reaction.

"Understood."

Naruse put the file away, and then heard Manabu Horikita continue.

"Naruse-kun, I've been thinking about Suzune lately."

Hearing that opening, Naruse was actually taken aback for a moment.

"What about her?"

Manabu Horikita's eyes rested on Naruse's face. His tone was calm, giving no hint of what he truly felt.

"The companionship between Suzune and you counts as a kind of growth for her. I'm rather satisfied with the situation."

His voice was unhurried. As "the finest Student Council President in the history of Advanced Nurturing High School," his every move fit the Japanese ideal of "the bearing of a great general."

Put another way, [even if Mount Tai collapsed before him, his expression wouldn't change]. In short: poker face.

"I've seen her growth."

He paused briefly.

"So, Naruse-kun, you deserve real credit."

"…"

Hearing that, Naruse nearly lost his composure.

Then Manabu Horikita went on.

"Our arrangement can continue. I'll keep paying you for the second term."

Manabu Horikita had actually sent a sum of Private Points in August as well, so if it continued this month, it would be as if it had never been interrupted.

"Understood."

Naruse wasn't surprised by this siscon's decision. Suzune Horikita's personality had changed a little since the first term, but she was still a long way from being an "excellent" individual, with plenty of flaws left.

"Since both Horikita-san and I are on the Red Team for this Sports Festival, I'll train her properly."

"I'm counting on you."

Manabu Horikita seemed to realize something else and added a line.

"I have no objection to your private relationship with Suzune."

He said nothing further, but Naruse understood what he meant.

His reputation at this school had surely reached Manabu Horikita's ears long ago. That he didn't mind at all surprised Naruse a little.

No "Here's some money, now stay away from my sister" scene was played out.

What a pity.

After a while, Naruse glanced at the area around Manabu Horikita's desk.

Although it was the innermost corner of the Student Council room, the office was open and see-through, so whatever he did could still be seen.

The second-years in the middle section only had to look up slightly to see Manabu Horikita and Naruse talking. They couldn't make out the content, but plenty could be inferred.

Naruse still didn't care for such a bright, exposed way of working, so he said casually:

"Manabu Horikita, why don't you set up a private office for yourself?"

"If the Student Council had a separate office, you wouldn't have to worry about being overheard, whatever you were discussing."

Manabu Horikita glanced at him, his expression as composed as ever.

"Renovating an office costs Private Points."

"If you want a space where you won't be disturbed at all, you can contact the Works Department. They have a professional construction crew."

He paused briefly, then suddenly added:

"Provided that you're the one sitting here."

Hearing that, Naruse understood and smiled.

Although Manabu Horikita always maintained an outward show of impartiality, everyone knew where his favor lay. That was why Miyabi Nagumo had taken the initiative to contact Sakayanagi's side over the Sports Festival.

It meant he was getting desperate.

"Don't worry."

Naruse paused, then spoke in a solemn tone.

"I won't let you down, Senior Horikita."

This time he hadn't used the title he usually used, "Manabu Horikita," but "Senior Horikita."

Manabu Horikita understood what he meant.

Then he nodded.

After a while, Naruse turned and left, but Manabu Horikita's thoughts didn't stop.

Naruse's arrival really had been a good thing for him, solving two problems in one stroke.

The first was Suzune Horikita's growth.

The second was the balance of power inside the Student Council, since Miyabi Nagumo's ambition was growing more obvious by the day.

If he couldn't be reined in before the second term ended, the future of the Student Council, or even the school, would descend into chaos.

Fortunately, there was no need to agonize over it now.

———————————————————

After leaving the Student Council, Naruse headed to the second-year dormitory building.

It was no different from the first-years' building. The architectural style was identical, and so was the number of rooms.

Of course, as a first-year junior, Naruse stood out quite a bit here.

It was just after classes had let out. The moment the rather famous "Naruse guy" reached the foot of the second-year dorm, he drew a lot of eyes.

Many of the older girls knew him and cast curious glances his way.

The bolder ones came right up and started chatting him up in some rather entertaining ways.

"Junior Naruse… what brings you here?"

"Don't tell me you've got your eye on one of us?"

"Tell me about it. Maybe I know her."

The girls at Advanced Nurturing High School were genuinely good-looking. Hardly any of the second-years who came over was plain, and they were all quite pretty.

Naruse felt nothing in particular, though. Next to Kiryuuin, they could only be called "ordinary."

He answered several of their come-ons evenly, a smile still on his face.

After a moment, the elevator doors in the ground-floor lobby opened.

"Ding—"

The doors slid apart, and a dazzling silver figure stepped out.

As soon as she took in the scene, Fuuka Kiryuuin spotted the girls around Naruse.

In the next instant her eyes narrowed slightly, a cold glint flashing through them, but it quickly gave way to a bright smile.

"Junior Naruse, I came down to pick you up myself."

Her tone was playful, but it held even more of a perfectly natural intimacy, as if she were deliberately declaring something to everyone nearby.

"Well? Touched?"

Hearing that, Naruse's handsome face broke into a very refreshing smile.

"I'm really touched, Kiryuuin-senpai."

He nodded to the girls crowding around him, then walked straight through their circle and up to Fuuka Kiryuuin's side.

Once he'd passed, a bold girl behind him asked outright:

"Kiryuuin, are you and Junior Naruse good friends?"

Feeling all those eyes land on her, Fuuka Kiryuuin held her ground.

She deliberately hooked her arm through Naruse's, slipping her small hand through the crook of his elbow and even tugging him a little toward her.

Then she smiled at the crowd and said:

"Junior Naruse and I are good friends. Very good friends."

"We have other business, so could you please stop pestering him?"

After she said it, the aura radiating from Fuuka Kiryuuin was so overpowering that the other girls were pressed into silence.

"So you're good friends…"

"Well, all right. Sorry, Junior Naruse, we won't bother you."

"If you ever…"

The last girl never finished her sentence before her companions dragged her away.

Perhaps they'd heard the various rumors about Fuuka Kiryuuin. Within about ten seconds, only Naruse and Fuuka Kiryuuin were left by the elevator.

"Senpai… you're impressive."

"Come with me."

"Yes, ma'am."

———————————————————

Once the elevator doors had closed,

Naruse's arm was still pressed against Fuuka Kiryuuin's chest. Feeling that distinctive softness, he couldn't help smiling as he asked:

"Kiryuuin-senpai, do you carry a lot of authority among the second-years?"

"Authority? Hardly."

Fuuka Kiryuuin gave a disdainful smile, but a moment later a very coquettish one appeared on her face, and she leaned in close to him.

"Junior Naruse, being surrounded by all those older girls just now felt pretty nice, didn't it?"

"Hmm… it was all right. Not one of them could compare to you, Kiryuuin-senpai."

"That's more like it."

Fuuka Kiryuuin smiled, the light in her eyes growing even brighter, and then she went on.

"But I don't really have any friends."

She paused briefly, her long silver hair swaying softly in the elevator.

"Right now only you can play with me, Junior Naruse."

"That's great. I'll do my best to be a good friend."

"I hear boys are very possessive. I only have you as a friend, so tonight you'll be chuckling to yourself, won't you?"

"Of course. I'll wake up laughing."

"Really?"

"Really."

After a few more offhand lines like that, Naruse finally decided to bring up the real business.

She was standing so close that he could smell the fragrance on Fuuka Kiryuuin directly.

Her perfume seemed to be a rosehip-and-wood scent, with a distinctive air of nobility that still wasn't off-puttingly aloof.

"Senpai, could you loosen up a little? My arm… it's too close." Naruse gave a wry smile.

With his arm hugged to her chest, the pressure from those mountains was far too strong.

This woman… she's definitely D-cup or above!

But hearing him say so, Fuuka Kiryuuin showed no intention of letting go. Her arm tightened around his even more.

"Hmm?"

The silver-haired senpai lifted her head, a playful glint passing through her eyes, her smile deepening.

"Junior Naruse, you don't like it?"

"I like it."

"Then no more complaining. You're the first person ever to get this treatment."

"Oh."

———————————————————

The elevator opened, and the two of them went to Fuuka Kiryuuin's room together.

She lived on the thirteenth floor of the second-year dormitory, room 05.

Since all the school dorms were built to the same standard, the layout was much like the first-years' dorm area.

Still, once he stepped into her living room and looked around, Naruse was rather startled.

He'd assumed a free spirit like Fuuka Kiryuuin would keep her room casual, with books scattered everywhere and clothes strewn about.

But once he was inside, he found the place spotless, with everything arranged in perfect order.

After leading him in, Fuuka Kiryuuin went first to prepare tea, but when she turned back and saw Naruse's surprised look, she burst out laughing.

"What is it, Junior Naruse? Surprised?"

Naruse nodded slightly and went along with it.

"I figured someone as carefree as you would be loose about details in private."

"I never expected the room to be tidier than mine."

Fuuka Kiryuuin poured a cup of barley tea and handed it to Naruse, who sat on the sofa.

Offering a cup of tea to a guest visiting your home was ordinary courtesy. It had nothing to do with senior and junior ranks. It was simple manners.

Looking at his profile, Fuuka Kiryuuin said with a smile:

"Don't let appearances fool you."

"When I was little, I got a traditional upbringing for girls at home. I'm good at keeping house and cooking, you know."

"I can knit sweaters, too."

"Seriously?"

The cup of barley tea she'd given him trembled in Naruse's hands as his hand jerked in surprise.

"Of course it's true, Junior Naruse. You'd better remember these things about me."

"Naturally."

Naruse took a sip of the barley tea and set it down on the glass coffee table.

After a while, Fuuka Kiryuuin spoke again.

"Junior Naruse, before we talk business, we could chat about something else first."

The girl paused briefly, then continued.

"Tell you what. Why don't you pick the topic?"

Her voice had grown lighter than before, her silver eyes curved into two crescent moons as she looked straight at his face.

"I'm the one starting the topic?"

Naruse thought for a moment, then played a little trick and answered with a question of his own.

"Kiryuuin-senpai, is there any topic you like?"

"I'm the one asking you."

"But I'm curious about you too, Kiryuuin-senpai. I'd like to talk about whatever you want to talk about."

"…"

Fuuka Kiryuuin's lovely eyes flashed, and she said with a beaming smile:

"Fine, then. When you're alone with a girl, I think you can start by talking about dreams."

"Dreams?"

Naruse thought it over and decided to take her suggestion.

"All right, Kiryuuin-senpai. Do you have any dreams?"

Fuuka Kiryuuin smiled but didn't answer the question. She only stared at Naruse with burning eyes, her breath soft as orchid.

After three seconds of silence, the girl spoke.

"First you ask about dreams, then about family."

"Is the next step going to bed to talk?"

"?"