บท 9: Chapter 9 - Presidents day

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"The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." ~George Orwell

I ignore Manabu's groan and walk towards the vending machine. I get two drinks, a hot coffee for myself and a cold cola for Suzune. I throw the cola to her without looking at her. "Put that on his head. It might ease the pain and swelling." I say, biting my thumb.

"You went too far, Eru. He's bleeding. Even if he attacked you first, you shouldn't have-" Suzune says, cutting herself off as Manabu interrupts her.

"Suzune, please be quiet," he says to her as she applies the cola to the right side of his face where I had kicked him. He winces in pain but tries to maintain his composure. "You are very skilled… You are either a genius or extremely well-trained. Which martial art did you practice?" he asks me in a low and strained voice.

I contemplate whether to answer honestly or not but see no downside in doing so, "I practiced capoeira."

"I understand. That would account for your unusual movements and agility. I assumed it was a flashy but ineffective martial art, but it seems to be as deadly as I heard. What rank did you attain?" He asks me in the same low and pained voice.

I drink from my coffee and respond, "A white belt."

"A white belt?" He asks.

I nod and explain, as he seems doubtful. "In capoeira, a white belt is supposed to represent a diamond, so it is the highest rank one can achieve. It usually takes several decades to master capoeira." I say, looking at him with a blank expression.

"So that's how it is," he mutters to himself, gazing at the sky from Suzune's lap. "Eru, you've been making quite a name for yourself lately. You've shaken up the school since day one."

"I see," I reply, not as a question but as a confirmation.

Manabu remains silent for a while, then finally speaks up. "What do you want from me in exchange for deleting the video?" he asks.

"Ten million points?" I suggest, with a serious tone but a playful smile.

"You're mad," he snaps back. "The video might damage my reputation, but that's all it can do. I never laid a hand on Suzune, and you have no proof of our fight. I can recover from any losses it might cause," he argues.

"Are you prepared to stake your expulsion on that assumption?" I challenge him. "I've been recording our entire conversation on a separate device. Even before you noticed me, I had enough evidence to show that you not only tried to assault Suzune but also attacked me to cover your tracks."

"You're lying," Manabu says, staring at me.

"I'm not, but I have no interest in proving it to you. I'm curious to see what you'll do now that you're cornered," I say, waiting for his response.

"Ten million points is impossible, no matter what you claim," Manabu says, raising his tired voice slightly.

"This coffee needs more sugar," I say before sighing and smirking. "I was joking about everything, anyway. Even the points, I don't have any use for or interest in them right now, especially that many. Besides, even if you could pay me, that would be too easy and boring," I reveal.

"Then what do you want?" he asks, surprised.

"I don't know yet, but I'm inclined to take a favor from you in the future. If you're as proud as your sister over there, I'm sure it will come in handy. So, what do you say?"

"I understand. You're keeping this option open in case you need something from me later. As long as you're reasonable, I have no grounds to refuse. I'll trust that you and that video won't bother me again. You don't seem like someone who breaks their promises," he says evenly.

"I don't, at least usually," I say, approaching Manabu as he stands up so we can share our contact details.

"Well, if that's all, I'll be on my way," Manabu says and walks away, but not without glaring at Suzune.

After Manabu leaves, I turn to Horikita. "Are you okay?" I ask her. She takes a few seconds to compose herself before answering.

"I'm fine," she says. She looks like she wants to scold me for interfering or helping her, but she changes her mind. I wonder if it's because of what her brother said to her earlier or because she thinks I acted for my own benefit, which is partly true. "What are you doing here?"

"As you know, I have trouble sleeping," I say, walking to the vending machines again. This time, I got two popsicles from a different machine nearby. "So I often wander around the campus at night to kill some time since I get bored in my room." I hand her one of the popsicles. She seems reluctant to accept it, but she does anyway. "Do you know why you were placed in class D?" I ask her.

"I don't," she says as she opens the popsicle.

"Do you want to know?" I ask her. She meets my eyes and nods. "Class D, the defects. You were placed in Class D because you have a defect, Horikita. That defect is your isolationist philosophy and your lack of willingness to help and depend on the class. You think you can do everything by yourself. Those are the reasons why you're in Class D, but it doesn't mean you're irredeemable or a failure. Defects can be fixed, but a effort has to be made to do so. I could tell you more and even reveal some of my observations regarding the school system and the class rankings, which relate to the topic of defects, but giving you all the answers won't help you. This is something you have to figure out on your own. Once you overcome your defects, you might be able to understand everything," I explain to her.

"So, does that mean you also have a defect bad enough to put you in Class D?" she asks, curious about my answer.

"In this case, technically, you could say I do," I admit. Horikita mutters my words under her breath but doesn't question me further.

"I should go. It's getting late," she says. I nod. Five minutes later, I head back to my dorm as well.

***

I got my usual cake for lunch, but I decided to sit next to Kikyo to talk about class matters.

As I walk towards the table where she and a group of girls are sitting, she greets me. "Eru Chan, it's so nice to see you at lunch. You're usually by yourself, aren't you? I'm sorry, but could you please move over, Inogashira-chan, so that Eru can sit there?" she asks sweetly. The timid Inogashira complies, giving me the seat next to Kikyo.

"Kikyo, did you manage to convince the three idiots," I say, then glance around and notice the crowd. "I mean, our classmates, to join your study group?"

"Eru Chan, that's not a very kind thing to say about them," she says, frowning slightly. "But yes, Ike, Sudo, and Yamauchi agreed to come to my study group. I'm sure we'll make a lot of progress."

"That's good to hear," I say, taking a bite of my cake.

Mori, one of Kikyo's friends, then chimes in. "Kushida, aren't you thrilled? Chabashira sensei said we'll get to go on a lovely trip if we all pass! I can't wait to relax after this hectic month."

A faint trace of awkwardness can be seen on Kikyo's face. It makes sense, after all. She, Ayanokoji, Horikita, and I know what's likely to happen during this trip: the class survival test. But she replies, "Yes, I suppose I am. It's a shame we don't have enough points to buy everything we want, though." She and the other girls at the table chat for a while longer before getting ready to leave.

Kikyo stays behind, even after the girls have left. "It's unusual for you to talk to me directly, Eru. What's going on?" she asks.

"Let's go to class. I'll explain it to you on the way. We don't want to be late, especially you, a key figure in our class, since everyone is trying to change," I say, getting a nod of agreement from Kikyo.

"What do you want to talk about, Eru Chan?" Kikyo asks me as we leave the cafeteria.

"Well, there's still some time left before the class survival tests. We know they'll be some sort of survival competition, but we don't know how they'll work. We also know Class A will try to increase their lead, while Class B will try to catch up and widen their gap with Class C. The cycle is self-explanatory, but I don't think Class C will worry about Class D catching up since they have a huge 490-point lead over us. So I think there might be a slight chance for us to move up classes here." I explain to Kikyo in detail.

Kikyo looks at me and says, "I see. So what are you trying to say, Eru Chan? And why are you telling me this?" She asks as I pull a lollipop out of my bag and taste it. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you trust me enough to share this with me, but you don't usually talk to anyone about this stuff, and I hate to admit it, but I can't really follow your logic."

"Don't misunderstand. I didn't come here to chat with you but to solve a problem." A problem that partly arose because of you, Kikyo, so it's only fair that you help me now, I think to myself.

"So you didn't come here to talk to me, but rather you found a problem and know how to fix it, but you need something from me, right?" She says.

"That's a good way to put it. I'm not talking to you because I want to but because I have to in order to solve this problem." I tell her as we approach our class.

"If Eru Chan says it's something he needs my help with, then of course I'll help. How about we go to my room after school? I guess it's a sensitive matter, right?" She suggests.

"Yes, it might not look like it, but I think it is." Kikyo nods in understanding, and we silently agree to meet after school.

When our classes ended, Kikyo and I left the school and walked toward the dorms.

"Is this one yours?" I ask Kikyo as she stands in front of a door and opens it for me.

"Yes, it is. Make yourself comfortable," she says with a smile, and I do just that. I tossing my shoes near the entrance of her room, taking off the school jacket, and squating on Kikyo's chair. "Would you like some tea?" she asks me.

"I doubt you have the kind I like since I'm a fan of English teas, but I suppose green tea will do if you have it. Extra sugar, too, please." I say and hear a sound of acknowledgment from Kikyo. "Now, to the matter at hand. Kikyo, who do you think are the current leader candidates of Class D, and who do you think should be the leader of the class?"

From the kitchen, Kikyo says, "Well, to be honest, the only candidates are Hirata and you. It's hard to choose between you two. Hirata is better at bringing out the best in everyone and making them work as a team, while you're better at almost everything else. Normally, I'd say you'd be the better choice, but given how important teamwork is in this school, it's not that simple."

"I see. I assume you know about the leaders of the other classes. Even I've heard of them. Class A is in a power struggle, and they're so far ahead of us that I don't see any point in focusing on them. But Class B is led by Honami Ichinose, and Class C is basically a dictatorship under Kakeru Ryuen. Class D, on the other hand, has no clear leader, even though there's no power struggle."

"So?" Kikyo asks, bringing in two cups of tea and setting them on the table.

"Leadership is very important, Kikyo Chan," I reply, taking a sip of the tea. It's sweet. "It's good," I say, earning a smile from her. "Anyway, leadership is especially crucial for Class D's situation. We are a very... unstable class. Personally, I think the potential leaders of our class are me, you, Hirata, and Horikita." But I can't let Horikita become the leader of Class D because of Kikyo. Not until I figure out her obsession with Horikita. If she has a problem with Horikita, her being the leader of the class could create unwanted trouble.

"What does instability have to do with leadership? Isn't leadership supposed to stabilize things?" Kikyo asks me.

"That's true, and that's also why I think Class D can't survive with just one leader. Tell me, Kikyo, what do you think would have happened to Class D by now without Hirata?" I ask her.

"I suppose a lot of things would be different. The class would probably split into smaller groups, everyone would be more isolated from each other, and no one would have formed a study group for the midterms. It would have been chaotic." She says, after some thought.

"Those are the basic consequences, yes. A terrifying scenario, right?" I say, and Kikyo, who is still pondering the situation, nods her head. "Even more terrifying when you realize that the classes targeting us or those who dislike us will likely try to corner, weaken, or expel our leaders, as that would be the easiest way to destroy our class," I say and sip my tea. "That's why we need not only a social leader but also a tactical leader, a general, to protect us from those threats. But then there's another problem. But then the general, the brain, becomes a vulnerable point that other classes or students will aim for."

"But isn't that just an endless cycle?" Kikyo asks.

"In a sense, yes. But you don't see what I'm getting at. If your generals are in danger on the battlefield, you should keep them hidden, right? Hirata can be out there known to all because there's a general protecting him. But if that general is exposed, there's a problem. Stability is immediately threatened. So, you create a figurehead. Someone who has enough skill to pass as a general but is easy to control."

"But I don't get it, Eru Chan. Aren't you skilled enough to be the general without hiding or needing a figurehead?"

"I am, but that's not the issue. The issue is that I wouldn't be a respected general. As you can tell, I'm not exactly popular or accepted in our class. And I don't see much that could change that in the near future. Everything I've done for our class so far has been basically ignored." I say, spinning in Kikyo's chair and looking her in the eyes. "So we need a figurehead."

"I see. Well, Hirata trusts you. Why don't you make him the figurehead? That way, he would be fully accepted as the leader of the class."

"That sounds good in theory, but what if Hirata ever screws up and gets cornered? Our class will fall apart completely without anyone to lead it. You see, having one central leader is only a good idea when they're excellent at everything. For example, Ryuuen who has shown to be quite ruthless in his tactics but united his class. Or Ichinose, who brought her class together with her kindness but, while not being as cunning, also has a brain. Do you think Hirata could do what they did if you replaced them? It's not possible. They're just better overall. And if we make Hirata the figurehead, and he gets cornered because he can't make a decision without the true general, the class will collapse. You see, with a figurehead, you get an extra life, as most of the attention would be focused onto them."

"I think I get it now, but who did you have in mind then?" Kikyo asked me.

I have two options, both involving Kikyo. Option one is to use Kikyo to help me choose a general that I can manipulate. In this case, it would be better if the individual doesn't know I am behind the scenes and only gets information from Kikyo herself. Option two, which I am more inclined towards, is to make Kikyo the figurehead herself. This may seem like a foolish decision since I don't fully understand her, but I think a person who can manipulate a king is more dangerous than the king themself. Besides, if she's a general, I can keep an eye on her and hopefully learn more about her and her motives. She has befriended many students in the school, but I doubt she truly cares about them. I don't know much about Kikyo, but I can tell there's something fake about her. I like her, I find her fascinating as a person, but I don't trust her. At the same time, I have a feeling Kikyo won't agree to be the general I need, so I'll have to test something.

"I have only one option," I say to Kikyo while looking at her seriously in the eyes and putting down my tea. "Personally, I'd prefer if you became my figurehead since I like you, and you're already a unifying force in the class. But if that's not possible, the only option I have is to let Horikita naturally become the general of Class D." I lie, thinking that Kikyo would never agree to become the "general" of Class D because of the image she's created for herself. But if her obsession with Horikita stems from hatred, I doubt she'd let her have a position of power. "I can't control Horikita either, with her prideful attitude," I say, sighing. "But I guess there's no other choice. The other Class D students, except you and her, aren't smart enough to act as the general of the class. So if you don't accept, I guess she'll just come to grow into that role." I say, picking up my tea again and staring at Kikyo, curious about her next move. She seems to be lost in thought, with a serious face and a different gaze from her usual.

"What do you mean by naturally?" Kikyo finally asks, as a bit of her former cuteness returns.

"Well, it's natural that if the class lacks a general and needs one, and if I can't fill the role, someone else will have to. And at this rate, I think it will be Horikita. Even though I think you're more qualified, you never seemed to care about class leadership. But I feel Horikita, who is desperate to reach Class A, might," I say, flattering Kikyo. After all, if she hates Horikita, I have no desire to be on her bad side.

"I see..." Kikyo says and pauses for a long time. "Well, you're right, I've never been interested in leadership... and I'm honored that Eru Chan thinks so highly of me... so, well, if Eru Chan wants to guide me and the class needs me, I can't say no, right? So I guess I'll be in your care, so guide me well." Kikyo says, with a warm smile, after much deliberation.

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