The day after the Sports Festival, I noticed that the class' morale significantly dropped. Just when the class was starting to reunite after my apparent betrayal, Horikita went and made things worse.

When class had ended for the day, I received a message from Manabu.

[The presidential inauguration event will be held on Friday, in three days, at precisely 2 PM. The date will be announced imminently. I look forward to hearing your speech.]

In three days, Manabu will give a farewell speech to mark the end of his presidential term, and I will give my first speech in front of the entire student body.

As I left the classroom, I received an email from the school.

On Friday, a presidential inauguration event will be held at 2 PM. Student Council President Horikita Manabu will give a farewell speech. Upcoming Student Council President Ayanokouji Kiyotaka will also give a speech. All students from all three years are required to attend this event. Any absences will be penalized accordingly.

When I was heading back to my room, I was thinking about what I should say for my speech. That was when I bumped into Arisu, Kamuro and Hashimoto.

"Fufufu hello there, President Ayanokouji."

"Hey King."

"Hello, Ayanokouji."

The three of them greeted me.

"Hello Arisu, Hashimoto, Kamuro. Arisu, don't call me President, I'm not even officially President yet."

"I suppose I do prefer Kiyotaka. You were quite impressive during the final relay race, weren't you?"

"You beat the President Horikita by a landslide, I couldn't believe my eyes."

"I guess it was an adrenaline rush."

"Fufufu... that excuse would only work in an alternative timeline where nobody knows who you are, Kiyotaka."

"Yeah, like we're supposed to believe that."

"Are you ready for your speech, King?"

"I still need to think about what I'll say."

"I see."

"Well, we'll be looking forward to hearing your wise words, Kiyotaka."

Kamuro and Hashimoto agreed.

We continued our conversation until we all arrived at the dormitory. We prepared to part ways.

"Kiyotaka, can I come to your room? There are things I want to talk to you about."

"Hm? Okay."

"Take care, Masumi and Hashimoto. I'll see you tomorrow."

Arisu and I parted ways with Kamuro and Hashimoto, who gave me a thumbs up. We quickly arrived at my room.

Arisu sat on my bed as I went to prepare some drinks.

"What would you like? Coffee or tea?"

"Coffee. Thank you very much, Kiyotaka."

"So? What is it you wanted to ask me?"

"What's the meaning of you framing yourself as the traitor?"

"Oh, that. That's an interesting question. I suppose you can say it'll serve as a stepping stone for my transfer."

"There's more to it though, isn't there?"

"Who knows. One could say it's for research purposes."

"Fufufu research purposes, you say?"

"Just wait until the second year starts, then everything will make sense, Arisu."

"I see. I'll wait then."

"What are your plans as student council president?"

"I need to give that more thought."

"Hm... you're rather unprepared fufufu. I suppose you have time. If everything goes well, your reign as President will last three years, long enough to leave a significant impact on the school."

"Yeah. That's why I need to carefully think about how to go about things."

After I gave her her cup of coffee, we casually chatted. Arisu invited me to sit on my bed next to her. She told me about her visit to the White Room, and her father's relationship with mine. We exchanged some stories about our past. I told her about the time when I went to New York with that man to attend a conference.

"Kiyotaka, you know how I consider you a childhood friend? It's sad to think that that relationship is one-sided, isn't it? I knew you before, but you had no idea of my existence."

"It's not surprising though. There was no way I could meet you when I was inside the White Room."

"I suppose that's true. Say, Kiyotaka, do you consider me as a friend?"

"Arisu, you know I don't even know what friends are. How do you even define a friend?"

"It's something very complicated yet simple. You see, friendship isn't something you can quantitatively define. The dictionary would tell you that a friend is a person with whom you share a bond of mutual affection. However, the truth is that such a word has no real definition. That is why it is also quite simple. If you consider someone your friend, then they're your friend, no matter what."

"So it's quite subjective, huh."

"If I were to give a definition though, I'd say a friend is someone you can more or less trust, someone you feel comfortable around, and someone you're not afraid to honestly talk to."

A friend. I wonder if I'm even capable of being friends with someone. Can someone like me even have a genuine friendship?

I wonder.

However, I'd say Arisu fits that definition, but it's quite complicated, I can't quite comprehend. Is our relationship a normal friendship? Is it not friendship? Is it more than friendship?

"I'd say I consider you as my friend Arisu, but I'm not sure myself."

"I see. That's good to know, Kiyotaka," Arisu said as she grinned.

We talked a little while longer until we decided to part ways.

What is my relationship with Arisu?

********

It was the day of the presidential inauguration event. Although I would officially be president in about three months, it was a school tradition to hold this event a little after the annual Sports Festival.

I was standing on the side of the stage while Manabu was giving his resignation speech, waiting for it to be my turn.

"Greetings. I'm Horikita Manabu, president of the student council. To start off my speech, I would like to say that I am forever grateful for the overwhelming support I received since being President. I have been proud and grateful for the past two years to have led the student body as your student council president. I hope I have done my part in helping the student body and guiding the underclassmen in living a high school life filled with excitement, joy, and emotion. Being student council president is a big responsibility, and I took pride in assuming that responsibility. I am truly honored to have been student council president of Tokyo's most prestigious high school, the Advanced Nurturing High School. Simple though it may seem, this concludes my resignation speech. Thank you all."

The entire gymnasium applauded Manabu's short yet warm speech.

"Thank you for all your hard work, President Horikita. We'll now hear a few words from the incoming student council president," the announcer said.

It was my turn. As Manabu left the podium and came towards me, we exchanged looks as we switched places.

Standing on the podium, I quickly looked around the gymnasium, everyone's eyes were on me. There was an awkward atmosphere, most likely because of the news that I betrayed my class. However, I didn't let that awkwardness bother me.

With one deep breath, I prepared myself and began my speech.

"I am the upcoming student council president, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka."

That was how I decided to start off my speech. Simple, yet efficient.

I've read about speeches in some books, and, apparently, for occasions like this, you're supposed to say a few words of gratitude.

"I am honored to be able to represent the student body of Tokyo's Advanced Nurturing High School. As a first-year, I am grateful for the opportunity President Horikita has offered me. I would like to thank him for taking me under his wings, and I hope that most of you will support me."

So far, so good.

"Now, I suppose it's time for me to talk about my plans. I respect President Horikita, and I will follow his footsteps in ensuring the well-being of our students so that we all can benefit from attending Tokyo's most prestigious high school."

How ironic from me.

"All actions are for the greater good. That is my philosophy."

Yes. My greater good.

"This is the path I will choose to follow. That is all. I look forward to taking this school to new heights."

And I will be at the top.

********

"Ayanokouji. You will need to hire a secretary soon."

Manabu said to me after the event.

"Do you have any suggestions?"

"Well, we had a few applications at the beginning of the year, but it would probably be best if we post a message saying that the student council is looking to hire a secretary to work with you."

"I see, should I post that message myself?"

"You can post it from the official student council account. Anything regarding the student council should be posted with that account. I'll message you the login details. Make sure to delete the message after you've safely noted it somewhere."

"Understood."

********

Subject: Student Council Secretary Position
User: Student Council

The Student Council is currently looking for a secretary who will work with the upcoming Student Council President Ayanokouji. We are accepting applications from current first-years and second-years, please submit them in person by heading to the student council room. The deadline is December 15th at 5:00 PM. We are looking forward to reading your applications.

I posted this on the school's online forum after Manabu sent me the login details by message.

I had decided with Manabu that we would look at the applications at the end of the semester when the deadline will have passed.

********

"Hello, President!"

A while had passed since the sports festival. Kushida was currently at my front door.

"Hello Kushida, and please, you don't have to call me that. I'm not even officially President yet. Do you want to come in?"

"If you don't mind, that is!"

As usual, she came in my room, took off her shoes and sat on my bed. It was the first time she came here since Horikita tried to expose her after the Sports Festival.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"I'll have tea as usual please!"

"Say, Kushida, what did Ryuuen tell Horikita in the infirmary?" I asked her as I started preparing the tea.

"Hm, that? Ryuuen told Horikita he was going to report her for intentionally injuring an opponent. He proposed a deal where if Horikita were to give him a million private points, he won't report the matter. Horikita said she didn't have enough and that she only had a little over 500,000 points, but she agreed nonetheless."

"I see. Kushida, I want you to give Horikita 500,000 points."

"Eh? I don't even have that much."

"Don't worry, I'll transfer you that amount, but I want you to be the one to give them to her. Don't tell her that you got the points from me."

"May I ask why?"

"You'll thank me in the future."

"You're so mysterious, Ayanokouji. I can never figure out what's going on inside your head... but that's what makes you interesting. I'll do it!"

"Great. I'll transfer you the points."

"Say, Ayanokouji, why did you defend me when Horikita tried to expose me?" she asked me.

"Should I have not done so?"

"Idiot, I just want to know your reasoning. I don't get you, you know!"

"Who knows."

"Hmph."

"Like Horikita, I have no proof. Even if I was to help Horikita, nobody would believe me since they see me as the traitor."

"I suppose you're right."

"Kushida, do you think you can get along with Horikita?"

"There's no way I can get along with someone like her, especially after what she's done."

"Why do you think so?"

"She tried to expose me. She knows about my past. Her being here is a threat to my school life. What happened was a first scare, but I can't afford to be exposed in the future."

"What about me? I also know about your dark side."

"You know, Ayanokouji, I feel weirdly comfortable around you. I feel like I can be my real self. It's reassuring to have someone that doesn't have expectations for you."

That felt genuine from her. I wonder if she can feel as comfortable around Horikita.

"Is that so?"

"Ranting your problems to someone is so much better than holding them inside your chest. I've become weirdly dependent on you," she giggled.

Kushida was a paradoxical human being. Being around people, receiving compliments, having a high social status, it was like a drug to her, and she's awfully addicted.

However, Kushida sees through the hypocrisy of human beings, but has to put on a mask because of her 'drug' addiction.

Over time, Kushida built up rage, disgust, all sorts of negative feelings inside her that she couldn't afford to show to others. She had already built a reputation of being a reliable, cheerful, attractive girl, even though she was anything but that on the inside.

However, as long as she has a way to express all the negative things she held in, she could keep putting on her mask. Before, she hated those feelings, but had no choice but to not tell anyone about them. That is why I offered her to rant her problems to me. I slowly made her think that as long as she could rant her problems to me, she could keep putting on a mask, thus making her dependent on me.

During this Sports Festival, I offered her to help crush Horikita to see for myself how far she's willing to go to do so.

"Don't you think you should consider getting along with Horikita?"

"That's a good question, Ayanokouji. But I don't think I'll ever get along with her. I tried and I failed. I simply can't."

"I see. What would make you forget about trying to expel her?"

"Nothing. I've made my mind up. She has to get out my sight, even if that means bringing Class D down with her."

"Is her losing her leader spot not good enough for you?"

"No."

"I see how it is."

Her response was pretty much expected. Kushida's current hate for Horikita was powerful.

Why was I insisting on making Kushida get along with Horikita?

Who knows.

Perhaps I wanted to prove something.

Perhaps I want to prove that people can change, no matter how hard it may seem.

********

Author's Notes

That's the end of Chapter 6.

As previously mentioned, the Mixed Training Camp will NOT happen in this timeline. Why? I simply don't want to write about it as I haven't read the appropriate LN Volume. Hope this helps.

Character development from Kushida and Horikita coming up? Who knows.

Important: For Kiyotaka's secretary, it's going to be someone different (so no Ichinose because she's the secretary in almost every fan fiction where Kiyotaka is Vice-President/President).

Also, look forward to the SS. 13. Without a doubt my favorite SS so far.

That's all, see you soon!