Once the three were led into the student council by Tachibana Akane, the scene inside left the two girls, visiting for the first time, somewhat surprised. After all, the student council was different from ordinary clubs; they dealt with a wider variety of tasks, making it a place to hone one's abilities.
Their gaze swept over rows of desks and chairs, watching the busy yet earnest seniors at work. Ichinose Honami felt a mix of surprise and anticipation, while Ando carefully observed the surroundings, memorizing the layout for future visits.
As they approached Horikita's black desk, a casual voice called out from behind.
"Oh, isn't that Hashima classmate? Are you here to apply for the student council?"
It was Nancloud Masa. Upon spotting Hashima Hikaru, he immediately strode over, his tone unusually friendly as he addressed the boy.
"Hello, Nancloud senior." Hashima Hikaru greeted him with a smile.
Hearing the name, Ichinose and Ando's expressions shifted instantly. They remembered what Hashima had warned them about yesterday, and their gaze turned to the boy standing beside him.
Though the boy was good-looking, a first impression might have sparked goodwill.
But since both girls had been forewarned by Hashima Hikaru, their gaze at Nancloud Masa was naturally filtered through a thick layer of skepticism.
Ando Sayo, after observing his appearance and demeanor, thought, "Hmph, he looks decent, but his character is terrible. This kind of man is no match for Hashima classmate—not even close."
Ichinose Honami, meanwhile, thought, "So this is Nancloud Masa? Since Hashima classmate wants us to monitor his actions, we'll have to complete this task properly."
"I'm not here to join the student council today, Nancloud senior. I'm bringing two classmates from my class to submit their applications."
Hashima Hikaru introduced the two girls behind him to Nancloud Masa, calmly saying, "This is Ichinose classmate, and this is Ando classmate."
"Nice to meet you both. I'm Nancloud Masa from Year 2. Just call me Nancloud." Facing the girls, Nancloud Masa flashed what he thought was a charming smile.
But clearly, Ichinose and Ando weren't buying it, merely nodding politely in greeting.
"That's strange, Hashima classmate. If your class has people applying for the student council, why aren't you joining?" After meeting Hashima Hikaru last time, Nancloud Masa had specifically researched him.
Whether it was leading Class B to Class A in the first month or buying exam papers from upperclassmen, Nancloud had taken a keen interest in this freshman he'd met only once.
His abilities, actions, and even his schemes against other classes impressed Nancloud Masa greatly.
Nancloud's gaze swept over the two girls behind him. Their demeanor and stance clearly showed they relied on Hashima Hikaru as their most important support. This meant the boy, though not the class leader, had already unified and dominated the class.
No matter how he looked at it, the blond vice president saw his own shadow in Hashima Hikaru.
Thus, Nancloud was eager to recruit Hashima Hikaru. Once he became student council president, Hashima would be the perfect candidate to control Year 2—he undoubtedly had the ability.
"Well, I don't have much free time, so joining the student council might just cause trouble for everyone. Maybe I'll change my mind later." Hashima Hikaru's tone and expression remained gentle; after all, he had to maintain appearances.
"Is that so?"
Nancloud Masa smirked, then patted Hashima Hikaru's shoulder, smiling broadly. "If you ever decide to join, come find me. I won't let you down."
"Thanks, Nancloud senior. I'll keep that in mind."
"Hehe, you guys carry on. I've got something to do, so I'll be off." Glancing at Tachibana Akane, who'd been left standing beside him for half a day, Nancloud Masa smiled at her before striding away.
After hearing this exchange, Ichinose Honami tugged at Hashima Hikaru's sleeve, meeting his gaze.
But the boy merely shook his head slightly, whispering to the girls, "I'll explain later."
"Okay."
"Got it."
Ichinose and Ando suppressed their curiosity, continuing to follow him.
Tachibana Akane led the trio through the student council office to Horikita's position at the back.
"Good afternoon, Horikita senior."
Hashima Hikaru greeted politely, a gentle smile reappearing on his face.
"Good afternoon, Hashima-kun." Horikita adjusted his glasses, his gaze falling on the two figures behind the boy.
"They're the candidates you chose?"
"Yes."
Hashima Hikaru nodded, then stepped aside to let the two girls introduce themselves and submit their applications.
"Good afternoon, Horikita senior. I'm Ichinose Honami from Class A, Year 1. Here's my application." Ichinose Honami took a deep breath, introducing herself confidently.
Ando Sayo followed suit, equally composed.
"Good afternoon, Horikita senior. I'm Ando Sayo from Class A, Year 1. Here's my application."
Since Hashima Hikaru had conducted a mock rehearsal with them at noon, the girls performed flawlessly—practice made perfect.
After briefly glancing at the two applications, Horikita passed them to Tachibana Akane, instructing, "Tachibana, handle the admission process for these two newcomers. You'll train them over the next few days. Make sure to explain the important matters."
"Yes, president."
Though somewhat puzzled, Tachibana Akane followed orders, turning to the girls. "Come with me. I'll take you to complete the procedures."
Ichinose and Ando glanced at Hashima Hikaru. Seeing him nod, they followed Tachibana Akane to the other side.
"Have you decided already? Using these two as pawns to investigate Nancloud?" Horikita studied Hashima Hikaru's expression, voicing his question.
"Yes, they're both very reliable and capable. I'm sure they'll make a difference in the student council."
The boy nodded, his gaze sweeping over Horikita's desk. He noticed a white sheet of paper—an application form.
"Curious about this?" Horikita caught his gaze and immediately flipped the form over, showing the front to Hashima Hikaru.
"Your class isn't the only one joining the student council. There's someone else here too."
"?"
Hashima Hikaru's gaze fell on the flipped form, which featured a girl's photo.
The name below read: Sakayanagi Arisu.
"Her?" The boy's expression changed as he recalled his first impression of her.
"Horikita senior, has Sakayanagi's application been approved?"
"It has, though not by me. Nancloud Masa approved it."
"..."
"You still have much to do, Hashima-kun. Keep up the effort." Horikita returned the form to the drawer, his tone flat. "I hope you won't disappoint me."
"Please don't worry, Horikita senior. I know what to do."