The day after the duel, I was once again accosted by the idiot.

Kei: "He really never learns, does he?"

Kikyo: "But I think not giving up is amazing!"

Kei: "That's definitely not what you really think. No, in a certain sense it is amazing, so maybe it is your true feelings."

Yamauchi: "Let's go hang out this weekend for sure, Ayanokoji!"

Kiyotaka: "He~y Ken, Yamauchi's calling for you~"

Ken: "Oh, can you finally make it this week?"

Yamauchi: "Ken, what time is your club activity at?"

'Oh, did he come up with a plan on his own?'

Ken: "It's from noon on Sunday!"

Yamauchi: "Seriously~? Sorry, that's the only time I can't make it. Looks like Ken's out this time."

Ken: "I-is that so... then it can't be helped. 'Good luck, Kiyotaka. I have no way to stop him.'"

'As expected of someone used to telling lies. But I have a plan too.'

Kiyotaka: "Then it can't be helped. Let's go, just the two of us."

Yamauchi: "It'd be lonely with just two people, so let's invite someone else! Like a girl!"

Kiyotaka: "It's fine, we have another mutual friend. Hey, Ike~ Yamauchi's inviting us to hang out, so let's go."

I decided to use Ike, whom I had taught the word "tact" just last Saturday. Ike, realizing this was a chance to improve his relative standing, played along.

Ike: "Oh, Ayanokoji! Thanks for the other day, I had fun! We going again this week?"

Kiyotaka: "Yeah. From noon on Sunday."

Yamauchi: "W-wait a minute. I just remembered another urgent matter."

Kiyotaka: "I see. Then this is off."

Once again, Yamauchi chose the path of the fool and left. I called out to Ike.

Kiyotaka: "Nice one, Ike."

Ike: "Yeah. That's how it's done, right?"

Kiyotaka: "Yeah, perfect."

This time, I managed not to say anything unnecessary either, and Ike's stock rose slightly. One could call it a win-win.

Looking around, I even heard scattered applause.

Thanks to the invitation disappearing on Monday, there were no particular problems until Thursday. I carried out my duties as student council president, and after returning home, I spent time with a different girlfriend each day.

There was just one piece of news: Ryuuen and three others came to school with injuries. I had nothing but ideas about the cause, but I couldn't honestly tell my girlfriends, so I feigned complete ignorance.

However, Hiyori, who knew about the previous incident, Yuki, who knows me well, and even Shiro were convinced that I had done it.

Well, considering there are only six or seven people in this school capable of inflicting that much damage on those opponents, it's only natural.

* * *

Then on Friday, just like in the first loop, I received an invitation to hang out from Satou.

Satou: "Ayanokoji-kun, do you have any free days during winter break?"

Kiyotaka: "I do have some."

Satou: "Then, well... would you hang out with me? I'd like to go out with you, Ayanokoji-kun."

Kiyotaka: "Sure. But I have other plans, so I'd like to hear what day works for you."

Satou: "How about December 25th?"

'If I accept that as-is, it'll be a repeat of last time. I'll deflect appropriately here.'

Kiyotaka: "Sorry. That day, I'm thinking of holding a Christmas party for the student council. I could do the 23rd, though."

Satou: "Is the 24th no good?"

Kiyotaka: "I think it'd be tough. As the organizer and student council president, I'll be working on preparations the day before."

Satou: "Okay, got it. Please make it the 23rd then. I'll keep that day free."

Kiyotaka: "Yeah, understood."

And so, I ended up with a date with Satou.

After Satou left, Kei, who had been watching, came over to talk.

Kei: "Hey, are you planning to make Satou-san fall for you too?"

Kiyotaka: "Yeah. There are exceptions, but if someone conveys their feelings directly, I want to respond."

Kei: "I knew it, but it still makes me sigh. But what kind of exceptions?"

Kiyotaka: "When someone I'm not usually close with says they like me for vague reasons, or judges me solely on specs. Conversely, if it's someone I'm close with, I'm not unwilling."

Kei: "Hmm. And Satou-san has been actively appealing to you and coming to talk, so she passes that criteria?"

Kiyotaka: "That's right. Also, if someone asks for help, I'll never abandon them. Well, I probably wouldn't help if a traitor asked for it."

Kei: "Oh well, I guess it's fine. But I feel like I'm going to be asked for advice~ It's become quite a rumor that you, Kiyotaka, hang out with various girls but aren't actually dating any of them. And it's already known that I hang out with you too."

This naturally made me anxious.

Kiyotaka: "Is that a good rumor?"

Kei: "Surprisingly, the girls see it favorably. They think that as class leader, you're building relationships with both other classes and our own, and that you treat all girls equally. As for why the proportion of boys is smaller, they figure with this much popularity, you'd attract resentment. They think having a few close male friends is enough."

Kiyotaka: "Then it seems the camouflage is working. I made sure not to refuse invitations, since getting especially close to just a specific few would raise suspicions."

Kei: "I see~ Even so, the number of girls is kept this low partly because your level is so high that some girls think it's presumptuous to even approach you."

Kiyotaka: "I don't know about that, but maybe. Actually, I don't refuse, but the number isn't that large. Hanging out twice is practically nonexistent."

Kei: "Maybe it's like the feeling of meeting a favorite idol or someone you admire. Just hanging out once is satisfying enough."

I didn't quite get the "favorite idol" part, but since the conversation seemed over, I wrapped it up before it became conspicuous.

After that, remembering the charm event, I headed to the spot where the charm would be dropped.

However, the target person—Asahina Nazuna—fell as expected, but instead of running away upon seeing me, she approached and spoke to me. Probably because I had defeated Nagumo and become student council president.

Asahina: "You saw something embarrassing, huh. You're Ayanokoji-kun, right?"

Kiyotaka: "Yes. And you are?"

Asahina: "I'm Asahina Nazuna from Class 2-A."

Kiyotaka: "So you're in the same class as Nagumo-senpai?"

Asahina: "Yeah, that's right. Actually, I'm childhood friends with Miyabi."

Kiyotaka: "By the way, why are you talking to me? I would think that in this situation, most people would immediately run away from a stranger."

Asahina: "You don't hold back even when someone's embarrassed, huh~"

Kiyotaka: "Sorry. Even though I have many opportunities to speak with new people as student council president, I've never experienced this particular pattern."

Asahina: "It's because there's something I want to ask of you."

A request—probably to deal with Nagumo.

Kiyotaka: "Is it related to Nagumo-senpai?"

Asahina: "You figured that out quickly."

Kiyotaka: "You went out of your way to tell me you're childhood friends earlier."

Asahina: "So this is the student council president... Yes, my request is for you to defeat Miyabi."

Kiyotaka: "Is it alright to defeat your important class leader?"

Asahina: "Huh? You're talking as if you can definitely beat him?"

Kiyotaka: "I wouldn't be in this position if I couldn't. He challenges me in various ways regularly, but I've never lost."

Asahina: "Oh boy~ Then it might be pointless. He's the type who, even against an opponent he can't beat, will keep going until he wins, or obsess over what he needs to do to win."

'An accurate assessment.'

Kiyotaka: "In the first place, why do you want him defeated?"

Asahina: "He plays around with points he extorted from everyone, messes around with women without any restraint, and even when he hits on me, he never says it seriously."

Kiyotaka: "In other words, you think that if he experiences a loss so crushing it breaks his spirit, he might quiet down and change his attitude."

Asahina: "Yes, yes, exactly. So when he lost the election, I had hopes. But in the end, he just got more sullen and his womanizing got worse."

Kiyotaka: "Asahina-senpai, do you want to graduate from Class A?"

Asahina: "What's this all of a sudden? Of course I do."

Kiyotaka: "Then which is your priority: graduating from Class A, or getting Nagumo-senpai?"

I decided to leave Nagumo's disposition to Asahina-senpai.

Asahina: "That's a tough question... But, I think I'd be happier if Miyabi became a decent person."

Kiyotaka: "Are you sure?"

Asahina: "What are you planning to do?"

Kiyotaka: "Regarding the student council presidency, he didn't lose something he had; he simply failed to obtain something he thought he would get."

Asahina: "I think he lost points and popularity, though?"

Kiyotaka: "He'd say points are no problem because he has an inexhaustible supply. And even if he loses some popularity, he'd say it's fine because among the second-years, there's almost no one who can oppose him except Kiryuuin-senpai."

Asahina: "Yeah, he did say something like that."

Kiyotaka: "So I will take everything from him once. Then he'll be forced to consider what he has left. He'll realize that what remains is you, Asahina-senpai—a childhood friend who worries about him—and his own raw ability. From there, he should seriously try to start over."

When I finished speaking, Asahina-senpai looked dumbfounded.

Asahina: "You think of some pretty ruthless things, huh?"

Kiyotaka: "I wouldn't go this far for an ordinary opponent. But as I stated in my campaign platform, I dislike expulsions. Therefore, I cannot overlook Nagumo-senpai's methods of eliminating anyone who opposes him. However, I was reluctant to intervene in conflicts of other school years, so I was hesitating about what to do. But after understanding that even someone close to him wants him to become a decent person, I've decided to go through with it seriously."

Asahina: "Oh dear. Maybe I've asked a terrifying person for help. But that just makes you more reliable."

Kiyotaka: "Just be prepared. Once I do that, Nagumo-senpai will definitely go wild, and he'll likely fall from Class A. Your role, Asahina-senpai, will be to support the rampaging Nagumo-senpai, guide him back to being a decent person, and aim for Class A once again. This is something only you, who has likely known him the longest, can do."

Asahina: "It sounds tough, but I understand. Just don't do anything unfair yourself, okay?"

Kiyotaka: "If I do anything, it'll only be exposing unfairness."

Thus, my first contact with Asahina-senpai concluded.

'I had originally planned to connect with her through picking up the charm, but this turned out to be more convenient in the end.'