After I had taken over the documents, we headed to the yakiniku restaurant from before.

Once we arrived and the meat was cooked, I moved to propose a toast, but Nagumo, as the host, insisted on doing it.

Nagumo: "In honor of all that Horikita-senpai and Tachibana-senpai have done up to now, cheers!"

The Other Five: "Cheers!"

After that, we were eating and chatting noisily, when Nagumo suddenly spoke up.

Nagumo: "How about karaoke this weekend? You know, since you're freed from the heavy responsibilities of being student council president."

Kiyotaka: "Are you planning to lose to me again?"

Manabu: "I don't mind. But as Ayanokoji says, a contest with a predetermined outcome wouldn't be interesting, would it?"

Honami: "Then how about bowling?"

'Nice one, Honami. This is thanks to having shared what we did on our date.'

Nagumo: "Fine. Then you can't beat me at that, Ayanokoji. Don't run away, Ayanokoji."

Kiyotaka: "How much did you spend on this election, senpai?"

Nagumo: "What does that have to do with anything now?"

Kiyotaka: "It does. We're deciding the amount for this bet."

Nagumo: "Interesting. Three million times three is nine million."

Kiyotaka: "I have 3.5 million. How about meeting in the middle at six million?"

Nagumo: "Deal. I'll say it again: don't you run away."

Kiyotaka: "Right back at you."

Those around us gave looks that said, "Again?" but those looks were all directed at the Nagumo Wallet. The "again" probably referred not to the contest itself, but to him handing over points to me.

Manabu: "How many points do you have to offer up before you're satisfied?"

Nagumo: "Don't worry. I'm just settling the score from the election and getting some points back."

Manabu: "I'm not worried. You're a man who pays his debts."

Kiyotaka: "Don't stop him. It'll reduce my opportunities to earn points."

Kiriyama: "He's talking about you, Nagumo."

Nagumo: "You'd better have the points ready to pay up."

Kiyotaka: "I'm sorry to say, Nagumo-senpai, but there's no scenario where I pay points to you."

Though we were provoking each other, perhaps due to the banquet atmosphere, it wasn't hostile. Even Nagumo, who had been in a bad mood for days, was laughing.

'To think that deep down, a guy like this was planning a trap to expel Tachibana. Appearances really can be deceiving.'

After that, with Nagumo footing the entire bill, everyone ate their fill. He grumbled, "Don't you guys know the meaning of restraint?" but no one paid him any mind. We decided on a date for the bowling and disbanded.

Well, I did take Honami home with me, though.

* * *

After returning home, there was no one else in the room, so it was just Honami and me.

Kiyotaka: "Sorry, Honami. I hesitated about making you vice president, but I chose Kiriyama-senpai to avoid friction."

Honami: "Don't worry about it. I'm still not ready. I'll work to acquire the qualities needed to become vice president by the time the second-year senpais retire."

Kiyotaka: "I think you already have enough in terms of popularity and trust."

Honami: "Even so, it's not enough to support you, Kiyotaka-kun. Kikyo-chan is also good friends with people from various classes."

Kiyotaka: "I understand. If you're not satisfied with yourself, I won't force you."

That topic ended quickly, and we moved on to talking about bowling.

Honami: "Still, you were greedy, asking for six million. I'm sure you'll win with a perfect game, just like Suzune-chan told me."

Kiyotaka: "Part of it is for myself. But I also thought I should further drain Nagumo's financial power. And I want to pay back even a little to Manabu, who helped fund me. Though he probably won't accept it."

Honami: "How much did you get?"

Kiyotaka: "I'd like to keep this a secret, but five million."

Honami: "That's a huge amount, but compared to what Nagumo-senpai spent on vote-buying, it feels small."

Kiyotaka: "He thought he could win by brute force. I don't spend that much."

Honami: "Is it true you only spent 3.5 million?"

Kiyotaka: "Yes. I can show you the transfer history."

Honami: "You don't have to, but that's amazing."

Kiyotaka: "I'm good at negotiating."

After chatting idly for a while, the mood naturally shifted that way, and we headed to the bed. Well, you probably guessed as much from the fact that I brought her home.

* * *

Before the weekend arrived, there was the event of exchanging contact information with Satou, but aside from that, the only notable thing was handing over the Paper Shuffle questions and answers to Class C. Then, the day of the bowling outing arrived.

Manabu: "Is everyone here?"

Kiyotaka: "Yeah, seems like it."

Honami: "I'm looking forward to this!"

When we entered, there were familiar faces besides Manabu and me.

Manabu: "Suzune... You're alone..."

Indeed, Suzune, whom I had invited, was throwing balls by herself.

'Even though I called her here, if she's practicing alone beforehand, she just looks like a loner.'

Kiyotaka: "Why not go talk to her?"

Manabu: "No. Not unless Suzune approaches me first."

Kiyotaka: "Even if I invited her specifically so she could face you, and she's working hard to win?"

Manabu: "Is that true... No, if that's the case, then I should wait for her to make the first move even more. Rather than me calling out and making her shrink back, I'll wait until she's resolved herself and comes to me."

Kiyotaka: "I see. It's true that if you called out to her, she might freeze up. But if she freezes up over something like that, wouldn't it mean she hasn't grown the way you hoped? Besides, maybe she's waiting for you to call out to her."

Manabu: "...You're right. I'll try talking to her."

After I persuaded him, Manabu finally went to speak to Suzune.

Manabu: "Suzune."

Suzune: "...Brother."

Manabu: "I'm about to bowl with Ayanokoji and the others. Come if you want."

Suzune: "Please let me join."

Thus, the participating members became seven.

Nagumo: "Ayanokoji, did you bring the six million?"

Kiyotaka: "I don't need to bring anything."

Manabu: "Suzune. Show me you can defeat me here."

Suzune: "Yes. I definitely will."

Tachibana: "It seems they'll be having a serious showdown, so let's the three of us enjoy ourselves over here!"

Kiriyama: "Indeed. Shall we swap members once their match is over?"

Honami: "I agree!"

And so, the lane assignments split into one lane for the four of us—me, Nagumo, Manabu, and Suzune—and another lane for the three of them—Honami, Kiriyama, and Tachibana.

Nagumo: "I'll let you go first, Ayanokoji. That's fine, right, Horikita-senpai?"

Manabu: "Yes, that's fine."

Kiyotaka: "Don't regret it. And no foul play like tampering with the opponent's ball."

Nagumo: "As if I'd cheat in front of Horikita-senpai."

Kiyotaka: "Then here I go."

Suzune: "Do your best, Kiyotaka-kun."

Kiyotaka: "I'm fine, Suzune. I won't lose."

Manabu: "Ayanokoji, we'll talk later."

'A talk from Manabu, huh. Is it about me and Suzune calling each other by first name, or about me seeming to have spurred her growth? Answer: both.'

We each chose our balls and headed to the lane.

And I took my first throw. A strike, of course.

Nagumo: "Tch. A fluke."

Kiyotaka: "Was getting all 100s at karaoke a fluke too?"

Nagumo: "Don't lump karaoke and bowling together."

Kiyotaka: "They're the same. Both in that I will win, and in that they're forms of entertainment."

Nagumo: "That's only one commonality."

Saying that, Nagumo threw as well. However, whether his skills had dulled or this was his true level, he got six pins, leaving pins on both sides.

Nagumo: "I'll still make a comeback."

Kiyotaka: "The moment you fail to get even one strike, your loss is already decided."

Nagumo: "Shut up."

Nagumo's second throw, perhaps due to the split, left one pin standing.

Manabu: "It's my turn."

Manabu threw calmly, getting nine pins. With his second throw, he took down the remaining pin for a spare.

Manabu: "It's your turn, Suzune."

Suzune: "Understood."

Kiyotaka: "Don't be nervous. Your practice hasn't been in vain."

Suzune: "Yes, I know."

Suzune's first throw, filled with tension, was a splendid strike.

Kiyotaka: "Nice."

Manabu: "Not bad. But unless you keep throwing strikes like that, you won't beat me."

Suzune: "I'm prepared for that."

My second throw, also a strike.

Nagumo: "Tch."

Manabu: "Don't click your tongue at every little thing. It sours the mood."

Nagumo: "Fine."

This time, Nagumo showed some pride and got a strike.

Nagumo: "How'd you like that?"

Kiyotaka: "Like what?"

Nagumo: "My strike, obviously."

Kiyotaka: "It wasn't anything new, so I didn't pay it any mind."

Nagumo: "Cheeky brat."

After that, Manabu seemed to regain his feel for it, calmly getting strikes. Suzune, despite feeling the pressure, also got strikes.

The four of us continued to throw strikes until the final frame arrived.

Honami: "Even though they have more people, it looks like they'll finish before us."

Tachibana: "Don't let it bother you. They're battling in a different world."

Kiriyama: "It's frustrating, but I can see why Ayanokoji was chosen by Horikita-senpai."

Kiyotaka: "Now I just need to throw three more strikes."

Nagumo: "That's what they call a losing flag."

Kiyotaka: "There's also the flag of pointing out a losing flag."

I proceeded to throw three consecutive strikes, securing a perfect game and deciding the match before Nagumo even had his turn.

Dejected, Nagumo couldn't even manage a spare, and his game ended.

Manabu: "If I get strikes on all three of my remaining throws, you'll need a perfect game just like Ayanokoji. Do you think you can do it?"

Suzune: "I can. I knew that you, brother, would regain your feel on the first throw and make strikes on all the rest. And today, I came here resolved to win using the only means available to me."

Manabu: "I see. Then show me."

As declared, Manabu threw three consecutive strikes.

Manabu: "Now, it's your turn."

Kiyotaka: "You can do it. Remember all the days you've spent practicing."

Suzune took a deep breath and made her first throw. She safely got a strike and wore a look of relief, but immediately steeled herself for the second throw. That was a strike as well. Normally, just not getting a gutter ball on the next throw would mean Suzune's victory. But this was a moment to showcase Suzune's effort and determination. She had to get a strike.

Extreme tension assailed Suzune, but when I tickled her side, she let out an unflattering sound and her tension dissolved. The price was her telling me, "You'll pay for that later."

And then, the final throw. Suzune threw with perfect form and achieved a magnificent strike.

Suzune: "I did it... I beat brother..."

Manabu: "You've grown, Suzune. That was a splendid perfect game."

Suzune: "...Yes!"

No one was tactless enough to try and ruin the touching sibling moment, and the emotional atmosphere lingered for a while.

After that, I had Nagumo transfer the six million points to me, and we continued bowling.

Incidentally, Suzune exhausted herself after that and never managed to beat Manabu even once.

On the way back, I spoke with Manabu.

Manabu: "Ayanokoji. You're the one who gave Suzune special training, aren't you?"

Kiyotaka: "Yeah. I intended to offer a little help so you could graduate with peace of mind. Was it unnecessary?"

Manabu: "No, on the contrary, I'm grateful. Not only did you help her overcome me, but you also helped her gain close companions."

Kiyotaka: "I see. You think about Suzune a lot, don't you?"

Manabu: "It's only natural as her brother. But something's been bothering me. Are you going out with Suzune? She almost never calls people—especially not men—by their first name."

Kiyotaka: "I wonder."

Manabu: "I would feel safe entrusting Suzune to you."

Kiyotaka: "But I'm also looking after others. I can't give Suzune special treatment. Especially now, as student council president, I need to treat everyone fairly."

Manabu: "I see. Even so, I can't thank you enough. But why is it that you call Suzune by her first name, yet you've never once called me by mine?"

'Could he be lonely? No, this man wouldn't be.'

Kiyotaka: "I just couldn't imagine calling you, an upperclassman, 'Manabu.'"

Manabu: "I see..."

Kiyotaka: "But calling you Manabu doesn't sound so bad."

Manabu: "Is that so... Kiyotaka."

Kiyotaka: "It feels kind of ticklish, Manabu."

Manabu: "Indeed."

Kiyotaka: "Come to think of it, I received election funds from Nagumo, so I thought I'd return them."

Manabu: "That's not necessary. From here on, as student council president, or as a class leader, you'll need points. So hold onto them."

Kiyotaka: "Understood."

Chatting like that, we made our way back to the dorms.