POV: Torikachi

I am currently in the Student Council room, doing my paperwork for the President. Both Tachibana-senpai and Manabu-senpai are currently in the room with me. I heard that all second years at the moment are hanging out, so I'm safe in this room.

As I continue doing my work, Manabu-senpai reaches out to me.

"I've received the reports of your last special exams, Torikachi. Well done." He praised me.

"I've done nothing special, Manabu-senpai." I lied. "It was one of my classmates' contributions. Praise him instead. You already know who is it."

"I doubted it, Torikachi." He said. "You already know that I received the details that 6 groups resigned from the zodiac exam after the first meeting and one group resigned even before the first meeting. So I assumed you already prepared for that special exam beforehand."

As expected from the President. He managed to see through my plans.

"You can interpret it however you like, Manabu-senpai." I replied.

"Oh, and congratulation on reaching class B. I expect interesting results in the future." Said Manabu-senpai.

"What an honor, Manabu-senpai." I replied. "It's a shame that we won't be on the same team in the next Sports Festival."

"So you know how the school organizes the classes. I'm not surprised." Said Manabu-senpai.

"Moreover..." Manabu-senpai said with a pause, I think I know what he might want to talk about.

"I heard rumors about a first-year that was labeled as a prodigy. Was it you, who is the target of the rumors?"

Honestly, I'm not surprised about my piano talent spreading throughout the school. Many music club members tried to get me into the club, and I could sense many senpais stalking me for a while.

I replied with a nod. Manabu-senpai looked satisfied with my answer.

"I'm quite surprised that you do care about such trivial things as rumors." I stated. I'm surprised that Manabu-senpai cares about such things.

"I tend to care about all classes in this school. So it's normal that such an event would reach my ears." Manabu-senpai replied with a smirk.

"Wait..." Tachibana-senpai looked shocked. "So you admit that you are a prodigy?"

"I can neither confirm nor deny this information." I answered with a chuckle.

"I also heard that there will be a contest from the music club this October." Said Manabu-senpai. I could guess what he wanted to ask me.

"I assume that you wanted me to join that contest?" I asked. "I guess I could join since Nishikawa Ryuko asked me for a duet."

Manabu-senpai replied with a chuckle.

"Such an interesting development between classes." He said. "I'm looking forward to it. Don't make me disappointed, Torikachi."

"I'm sure you will love my performance, Manabu-senpai." I replied. "Make sure to bring some of your acquaintances with you. I'm sure they will enjoy it."

As I said that, Tachibana-senpai's face went red, perhaps wanting Manabu-senpai to invite her to join.

"Very well," Manabu-senpai said. "Since we are all finished our work, I want to meet up with a certain individual."

"I could already guess who it is." I said. "He will be here by himself shortly."

"You came prepared."

"Of course I am. Who am I not to do such things?" I said with a smirk.

As soon as I pack up my things, a few knocks on the door occurred.

"Come in." said Manabu-senpai, expecting one person he wanted to meet.

Unsurprisingly, Kiyotaka is here.

"Hello, President." Said Kiyotaka.

"Not you again..." murmured Tachibana-senpai. She still holds grudges against Kiyotaka, huh...?

"Greetings, Ayanokouji." Replied Manabu-senpai.

"So, what is it that you wanted to talk about today, President?" He asked.

"I think you might be informed about this, so I have a proposal for you."

"What is this proposal that you wanted me to accomplish?"

"Ayanokouji, join the student council. Not just any position, I offer you the vice-president of the Student Council." Manabu-senpai proposed, leaving a shocked Tachibana-senpai.

"P-President!! W-what were you thinking? I couldn't let this rude kouhai be a vice-president!!"

"Are you judging my evaluation?" Asked Manabu-senpai, facing her with a cold glare.

"I-if the President decided to..."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, President." I already expect him to deny his request. "But I won't join, since there's no reason for me to do so."

"And YOU straight up denied the offer!!??" Shouted Tachibana-senpai.

"But this is important, Ayanokouji. After my graduation, this school will change drastically, and I might need more enforcement to prevent it from happening." Said Manabu-senpai. "Sooner or later, Nagumo, the vice-president of the Student Council, will rule over this school with mediocracy, and there's nothing I could do about it."

"I don't have such power to influence my batchmates to do such things, President. I just couldn't."

"So it's inevitable, huh..." Manabu-senpai expressed himself with a long sigh, unable to find a solution.

"Then, I have a solution." I proposed an offer to Manabu-senpai.

"Care to elaborate?" He asked.

"When Nagumo becomes the president, I will resign myself as a secretary of the student council. It will benefit me in the future, plus Nagumo will get me out of the council and sign Ichinose Honami in. I have enough pieces of information about the student council as my role as the current secretary, so I could leave whenever I want. It's not like I'm trying to disappoint you or anything, but I will try my best, along with Kiyotaka, humiliating Nagumo in front of this school, and he will volunteer to drop out in the future. This, however, will stain the dirt on the Student Council's reputation, but I think it's a good solution at the moment, don't you think, Manabu-senpai?"

"Interesting solution," Manabu-senpai answered. "I need some time to think about this. I will inform you when it's suitable."

"I'm glad about it, Manabu-senpai. I will think of something in return in the future." I answered.

I already thought about that, and that will be the confrontation in Vol.7. I will need him to be the witness.

"With that being said, both of you can leave now. I have more things to do."

"Then, this is the end of our conversation. See you next time." I said as I and Kiyotaka left the room, leaving Manabu-senpai and Tachibana-senpai.

POV: Manabu

"We sure have an interesting secretary, don't you think, Akane?" I asked her.

"I don't know what to say about this, Manabu-kun. That kouhai has something very special about him."

It's quite surprising that a student of class D could be this capable at such a young age.

"He managed to create many plays that no one ever heard of it before. It's hard to be a prodigy itself, but he managed to be one flawlessly." I said.

"I don't know if I should tell you about this, Manabu-kun. I think that he's like someone who's from the future."

"How did you think about it? I might have heard about time travel, but wouldn't it cause other outcomes in the future?" I asked.

"Well, my only guess is that he made countermeasures. If he knows everything we've done, then he could interfere however and whenever he likes."

"I see..." I could somehow believe her.

"By the way, Akane." I called her. "I know this is very early until the event, but would you like to join me for the music contest this October? I would like to hear our young secretary's plays with his duet."

"O-of course! Manabu-kun." Akane replied with a red tint on her face.

She accepted my proposal. Honestly, I'm quite interested in what will be his play at the contest. I'm looking forward to it.

With that being said, I should assign him to the contest at the moment. I'm sure they will accept non-club participants.

"Let's go, Akane. We have one more thing to do before we end our day." I said.

"Sure!!" She replied.

My final year in this school will be more interesting than I thought it would be.

POV: Kiyotaka

I and Torikachi are at the Pallet Cafe. Torikachi is trying to leak more information about the school.

"How is your relationship with Karuizawa?" He asked. What a wierd way to start a conversation.

"You could say that I'm her host at the moment. I thought you already know about it?" I replied. "She already knows about our relationship, but she's not aware of you knowing the relationship between us."

"Just wanted to make sure about things, Kiyotaka." He replied. "What is it that You wanted to talk about at the moment?" He asked me to start a topic.

"Then, could you teach me how to express myself?" I asked. Even though I might be forced to reach class A, I still wanted to experience what it feels like to attend a normal school life.

"Welp, considering you were raised in that environment, I'm not surprised." He replied. "I think I could teach you that. It might take time for you though."

"Sure..." I replied.

"So, first of all, try to smile for once in a while. I might sound forced to you, but at least this is the start of your journey."

"Okay..."

I said as I tried to express myself with a smile. Not a big one as Hirata's or Kushida's, but I guess I will take one step at a time.

It's not that noticeable from the outside view. But it's clear when you look up close.

He immediately took a picture of my face as soon as I express the smile on my face.

"Oh my... such a killer smile you have there, Kiyotaka." He said with a grin. Was that a compliment or an insult?

I returned to my neutral expression.

"Now now... it's not an insult, Kiyotaka." He said. "Having you change your emotions is already a once-in-a-lifetime event, so I took a picture just for future reference."

"Or maybe... I might send this to your future girlfriend someday..." He said with a grin on his face. "I'm sure she will treasure it like an expensive gem."

"How could you know?" I asked.

"Who knows? Many girls are already on the hunt for our #5 Ike-men's changed expression. I'm going to be rich if I decided to sell this photo out, kukuku..."

Did he just mimic Ryuuen's laugh?

"Please don't. I don't want to attract too much attention at the moment." I said.

"Of course, I will, but I will do it when the time comes." He replied.

As we talk, I decided to have a bite of the cheesecake that Torikachi recommended for me at the cafe.

As the piece of the cake got into my mouth using the spoon, Torikachi decided to take another photo.

"Just for future references." He said with a grin. Honestly, I'm afraid that he will expose me in public with these photos in the near future.

"Okay then..." I replied.

The cheesecake tastes really good. The sweetness, along with the fluffiness of the cake, makes me want to eat more.

"Did you like it?" He asked.

"It's good, same as much as your previous recommendations," I replied.

In the past, he showed me a few of his specialty dishes that include "Pho", "Banh Mi", Tiramisu, .etc

To be honest, it's really good for my taste, better than the school's cafeteria. I should learn some recipes from him.

As I continue my monologue, we decide to have some small chats until we parted off. Torikachi has to practice with Nishikawa for the music contest. Even though it's early, but to sync along with his creation, might not be easy.

I decided to head back to the dorms and I saw an unexpected person...

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So... I think I made everything a bit OC, well, too much.

Anyway, y'all know about Katsuragi's event in volume 4.5 so I don't think I need to write it down. For anime watchers who are reading this fanfic, read vol 4.5 yourselves.

Anyway, the next chapter will be Torikachi's duet practice with Ryuko.

Since Tori didn't interfere with most of the events in Vol. 4.5, the canon plot is still as usual (Yamauchi's confession, Katsuragi's twin gift, Fortune telling, .etc) except for the pool chapter which I'm currently on my draft. So expect its release to be soon enough.