"Next, we invite Student Council President Horikita Manabu to give his final remarks."
On the grand stage of the gymnasium, Horikita Manabu slowly stepped forward. Below him was a sea of students and teachers, while behind him stood the members of the student council—Haruno, Hikigaya, and a new face, Ichinose.
A week had passed since the sports festival, marking the beginning of the student council transition. Now, Horikita Manabu was delivering his last speech as president.
"In these past two years leading everyone, I have felt both proud and grateful for your support of the student council. Thank you."
It was a simple opening, but just as everyone was waiting for him to continue, Horikita Manabu gave a small bow to the students and teachers below, then turned around and walked back to his spot.
For a brief moment, the noisy gym fell silent.
Then, people started to realize—wait, that was it?
No long speech, no emotional farewell, no grand gestures. Just a single sentence, and he was done?
But upon thinking about it, many felt that while unexpected, it also made perfect sense.
Horikita Manabu was always like this—serious, traditional, and reliable, almost like a strict father figure. While some might not like his style, no one could question his ability.
*Clap!*
Suddenly, Hikigaya, standing on stage, started clapping with a blank expression.
A second later, the audience followed, and soon, the gym was filled with applause.
After a long round of clapping, the host introduced the next student council president, Nagumo.
But as he took the stage, an awkward realization became apparent—only the second-year students were clapping. The first-years and third-years barely reacted, with only a few scattered claps here and there.
The difference was obvious.
Although Nagumo's face showed no sign of displeasure, who knew what he was really thinking?
His opening remarks were polite, first thanking Horikita Manabu for his contributions and then expressing gratitude to the students and teachers. It was a far cry from the arrogant, carefree Nagumo everyone knew.
But then, his tone suddenly shifted.
"Though this may come as a surprise, I'd like to announce a new rule for the student council..."
Nagumo went straight to the point, stating his plan to change the student council's term limits, appointments, and election system.
In short, student council members—including the president—would now have no fixed term.
He also proposed abolishing elections entirely and removing any limit on the number of council members. Instead, the student council would accept new members at any time, as long as they were deemed outstanding. At the same time, those who failed to meet expectations could be removed.
"With that, I vow before all students and faculty—starting today, I will completely dismantle the outdated traditions the student council has upheld until now and build a new system from the ground up!"
As soon as he finished, the gym erupted into murmurs and whispers.
Nagumo's words weren't just about introducing new rules—they were outright rejecting everything the previous student councils had worked for. And he made no effort to hide his ambition.
Behind him, the student council members—including Horikita Manabu and Hikigaya—remained expressionless.
Tachibana Akane looked deeply concerned.
Haruno, on the other hand, wore an amused smirk.
Everyone had their own thoughts.
"Of course, I understand that implementing these changes will take time..."
Nagumo turned to glance at Horikita Manabu. But the former president's face remained unreadable, as if completely unfazed by his words.
Nagumo then shifted his gaze back to the audience, raising his voice.
"So, to all the students here—climb as high as you can if you have the strength! And if you don't, be ready to fall! I will turn this school into a place where only the strong survive!"
The gym fell into a strange silence.
Then, applause and cheers erupted from the second-year students.
In contrast, the third-years remained quiet.
As for the first-years, who had only been in school for a short time, many simply looked confused.
But one thing was clear—now that Nagumo was president, the competition at this school would only get fiercer.
---
"Hikigaya, what do you think of the new student council president's speech?"
Just as Hikigaya returned to his classroom, Horikita suddenly appeared at his desk.
"Not much to think about."
Hikigaya shook his head while glancing at her foot.
"The injury is almost healed."
Horikita noticed his gaze and instinctively responded. But then she remembered what had happened during the sports festival and, after a moment of thought, decided to express her thanks.
"Horikita… it's been a week, and you're only now thanking me?"
Hikigaya looked at her strangely, unsure if she was really that slow or just pretending to be.
"I-I…"
Horikita's face stiffened. The gratitude she had just felt for him instantly vanished, replaced by irritation. She shot him an annoyed glare and was about to return to her seat when his voice stopped her.
"You're worried about the president—no, wait, I should say you're worried about your brother, right?"
Horikita froze.
"There's nothing to worry about. Anyone with a bit of awareness could tell what kind of student council president we just got from what happened in the gym."
Horikita blinked and looked at Hikigaya as if urging him to continue.
"It's simple. Have you ever seen a major policy get announced like that, all of a sudden? Nagumo put on quite a show back in the gym. He made sure everyone was watching him, and the way he spoke was full of drama and controversy—designed to stir things up. Now, do you think that's how a student council president should act?"
Horikita shook her head. Hikigaya's words made her realize that maybe Nagumo wasn't as intimidating as she had thought.
"Of course, I won't deny that Nagumo's speech was powerful. His words had a strong personal style, and he gained quite a bit of support. From the students' point of view, he did touch on some real issues."
"Bringing the top students together while abandoning those who aren't capable…"
Horikita murmured.
Hikigaya nodded. "Basically, his biggest supporters are the elite students. It's a system where the upper class rules over the lower class. That's why he wants to create a school where strength is everything."
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