Chapter 189: The Student Council Is Still Missing a Position!
"I'm thinking of a way to put a collar on Ryuen so he can't keep running wild."
Suzune glanced at Yuto after hearing that, while Ichinose gave him a strange look.
"Shimizu, putting a collar on someone... That's a pretty weird way to describe it."
The idea of Yuto putting a collar on someone sounded strangely novel, and for some reason it immediately caught her mischievous interest.
Yuto himself didn't think his wording was strange at all.
In his eyes, Ryuen was basically a mad dog running around biting people.
If Yuto couldn't drive him out of school yet, then he needed to put a collar on him and stop him from biting everyone.
"Shimizu, what exactly do you mean by this... collar?" Suzune asked.
"Don't you think the student council is currently missing a special position?"
"A special position..."
Ichinose blinked her bright eyes before suddenly realizing what he meant.
"Shimizu, you mean a discipline committee member!"
"Exactly."
Yuto smiled.
Suzune immediately fell into thought.
A discipline committee member was a position specifically responsible for assisting teachers, maintaining order on campus, supervising student conduct, and enforcing school discipline.
It was also a fairly common position in Japanese student councils.
"If we make Tokito Hiroya from Class D a discipline committee member, then he'll have the authority and position necessary to keep Ryuen under control. He can become the collar around Ryuen's neck," Yuto said with a smile.
Yuto was certain Tokito would happily accept the position and watch Ryuen like a hawk.
After all, Tokito already hated Ryuen.
Ryuen had even broken his arm.
"The only problem is convincing the president to establish the discipline committee position again and then making Tokito the one who fills it."
As he spoke, Yuto gradually turned toward Suzune.
"Don't look at me." Suzune immediately rejected the idea. "You know my relationship with my brother isn't good. I can't persuade him for you."
"Your brother actually cares about you quite a lot. If you ask him, I think you have a good chance of convincing him," Yuto said with a smile.
"..."
"Don't want to try?"
Suzune pursed her lips slightly.
"Fine. I'll try my best. But if it fails, you're not allowed to blame me."
"Of course I won't~ Go contact your brother."
"Mm..."
Although Suzune agreed to talk with Manabu about the discipline committee position, even after leaving the first-year school building with Yuto's group, she still hadn't gathered the courage to contact him.
Yuto knew she still struggled to face her brother directly, so he didn't rush her.
But Suzune soon made up her mind.
She deliberately fell a short distance behind Yuto and the others, pulled out her phone, and called Manabu.
...
Inside the student council office, Manabu glanced at his ringing phone.
A trace of surprise flashed through his eyes when he saw the caller ID.
He stood from his seat and answered Suzune's call.
"What is it?"
"Mm. President, there's something I'd like to ask you about."
Her formal way of addressing him made Manabu adjust his glasses.
"Go ahead."
"Why doesn't this school's student council have a discipline committee member?"
"This student council used to have that position, but it was abolished for two reasons."
"Please explain."
"First, a discipline committee member has authority over other students. If the person holding that position has ulterior motives, they could openly target a particular class or student."
"Second, disciplinary violations affect class points. Since students don't want their class points deducted, most of them voluntarily obey the rules."
"For those reasons, the previous student council abolished the discipline committee position."
"I understand. Then can the position be restored?"
"It can, but the student council must vote on it. If at least half of the student council members agree to restore the discipline committee position, it can be reinstated," Manabu replied in a strictly businesslike tone.
Suzune began calculating.
The student council currently had nine members.
President Horikita Manabu.
Vice President Shimizu Yuto.
Secretaries Tachibana Akane and Kiriyama Ikuto.
Two upperclassmen serving in general affairs.
And the three first-year general affairs staff—Horikita Suzune, Ichinose Honami, and Katsuragi Kohei.
Yuto, Suzune, and Ichinose would definitely support restoring the position.
That meant they still needed two more votes.
'Katsuragi betrayed Shimizu, so he may not vote in favor.'
'Kiriyama doesn't get along with Shimizu, so he probably won't support it.'
'The two upperclassmen in general affairs are neutral. They might vote in favor.'
'Tachibana-senpai is on my brother's side. If I convince my brother to vote yes, Tachibana-senpai will probably vote yes too...'
In other words, if Suzune could persuade Manabu, they would reach five votes—more than half of the student council.
"Onii-san... Would you vote in favor of restoring the discipline committee position?"
Suzune's voice became slightly weaker.
Manabu adjusted his glasses.
His little sister really had changed quite a bit.
When she needed something from him, she suddenly called him Onii-san...
For some reason, it reminded him of Yuto.
That junior did something similar—calling him President when he needed something official, and Senpai whenever he didn't.
"Suzune, do you want the discipline committee position restored because you intend to take it yourself?"
"I'm not interested in becoming a discipline committee member. I think if a certain student from Class D takes the position, he'll be able to restrain Ryuen and stop him from casually using underhanded harassment tactics."
Suzune answered honestly.
A faint smile appeared on Manabu's usually expressionless face.
"So that is why you want the position restored?"
"Yes."
"Then I'll vote against it."
"Huh?!"
Suzune looked startled.
Against it?!
"Why?"
"Because your reason for restoring the discipline committee position is based on personal motives rather than what is best for the school as a whole. As student council president, I can't support that."
"...As expected of you, Onii-san. You really are fair."
"I'm the student council president. I have to remain impartial."
With some disappointment, Suzune ended the call.
Manabu looked at his phone after the connection ended.
"Suzune really has changed considerably since joining the student council."
When facing him, she was no longer nearly as timid or hesitant.
That alone made Manabu quite satisfied.
The only thing that made him somewhat helpless was how increasingly similar Suzune was becoming to Yuto.
Still...
Perhaps resembling Yuto wasn't such a bad thing.
That junior was cunning and ruthless enough that everyone who tried to scheme against him had ended up getting trapped by their own plans instead.
...
"Achoo!"
Yuto sneezed and rubbed his nose before looking toward Suzune as she returned with her phone.
"Finished talking to your brother?"
"Mm. I have good news and bad news."
"Give me the good news first."
"The good news is that the student council used to have a discipline committee member. The position was merely abolished. If the student council holds a vote and more than half the members support restoring it, the position can be reinstated."
"More than half means we need five votes," Ichinose said.
"Correct. The bad news is that my brother intends to vote against it, so we can't simply reach five votes through him."
"That's not particularly bad news," Yuto replied with a smile.
Ichinose counted herself, Yuto, and Suzune on her fingers.
"We already have three votes in favor. So we only need two more."
"Katsuragi also wants someone to restrain Ryuen, so he should vote in favor. As for the final vote, I'll leave it to you, Horikita. Convince Tachibana-senpai."
"Mm."
Suzune nodded.
Because of Manabu, Tachibana treated Suzune with unusual friendliness and warmth.
Suzune should have little difficulty getting her vote.
"Restoring the discipline committee position will probably work," Suzune said. "But how do we make Tokito Hiroya the discipline committee member? Do you have the authority to appoint him directly as vice president?"
"I don't have the authority to appoint someone directly, but the vice president does have the authority to assign positions."
Yuto smiled.
"So first, Tokito needs to submit an application to join the student council. Then we assign him as the discipline committee member."
Although the normal application period for joining the student council had already passed, Yuto, as vice president, had the authority to allow additional students to apply.
So the fact that Tokito hadn't previously submitted an application wasn't much of a problem.
"When are we voting?" Suzune asked.
"Tomorrow after school. Tonight, I'll handle convincing Katsuragi and Tokito. Horikita, you convince Tachibana-senpai."
"Okay."
"What about me?" Ichinose asked. "Should I talk to those two upperclassmen?"
"You don't know them personally, so there's no need to ask them. As long as Horikita and I secure Katsuragi and Tachibana-senpai, we'll already have the five votes we need."
"Okay, then."
Kei and Kikyo both glanced toward Ichinose.
For some reason, the way she responded to Yuto sounded strangely like a wife naturally following her husband's arrangements...
At that moment, a hurried voice called from behind them.
"Shimizu-san! Wait!"
Yuto and the others turned around.
Unexpectedly, the ones running toward them were Class D students Komiya Kyogo and Kondo Reo.
"What do they want?" Suzune frowned slightly.
"Who knows? We'll find out in a second."
Komiya and Kondo reached them and caught their breath.
Komiya glanced awkwardly at Ichinose and the other girls beside Yuto.
"We have something important to discuss with Shimizu-san. Could the rest of you leave for a moment?"
"No. Whatever you need to say, say it here. We're in a hurry to reach the club building," Yuto replied immediately.
His answer stopped Ichinose and the others, who had been preparing to give them privacy.
"...Fine. What we want to discuss is related to the clubs anyway."
Komiya lowered his voice.
"Kondo and I are reserve members of the basketball club, right? And we're also among the people you're going to test to decide whether we deserve to stay."
"So? Are you here to formally challenge me and tell me not to hold back?"
"No, no, no! We don't want to leave the basketball club, so please go easy on us!" Komiya hurriedly pleaded.
After Sudo Ken was expelled for failing the midterm exam, Komiya and Kondo had become the two reserve members most likely to advance into regular members.
They absolutely didn't want Yuto to drive them out of the basketball club now.
Kondo looked at Yuto and the others pitifully.
"We know everyone hates what Class D has been doing, but Ryuen ordered us to do all of it!"
"If we disobeyed him, we might end up like Tokito and have our arms broken! So... we're innocent!"
"Oh, you're innocent?"
Yuto smiled.
"Yes! Exactly!"
The smile disappeared from Yuto's face.
He sneered.
"Then what about all the students you harassed? Aren't they even more innocent? They were minding their own business when you people suddenly started provoking and bothering them."
"..."
Komiya and Kondo fell silent.
Whether they had acted voluntarily or under coercion didn't change the fact that they had harassed other students.
"I'll give the two of you a chance to make amends," Yuto said.
"What kind of chance?! As long as you're willing to forgive us, we'll do anything!" Komiya immediately promised.
"You never harassed me, so you don't need my forgiveness."
Yuto looked at them calmly.
"Go find every student you bullied or harassed and ask them for forgiveness."
"Uh..."
Komiya and Kondo immediately looked reluctant.
They could accept apologizing and yielding to Yuto.
After all, Yuto was overwhelmingly strong, so lowering their heads to him didn't feel humiliating.
But apologizing to the ordinary students they had harassed...
They were far less willing to do that.
"You don't want to?"
Yuto looked at them.
"Then you can..."
…
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