The chilly wind of Christmas Eve morning swept through the campus, carrying the faint scent of pine trees and the faraway hum of cheerful students setting up decorations. It was barely 7 a.m., the sun still shyly hiding behind the clouds, and yet, here we were—standing in the cold courtyard before the dormitory gates.
"Seriously, Ayanokōji, what kind of psychopath arranges a meeting before sunrise on Christmas Eve?" I grumbled, pulling my jacket tighter. My breath came out as white fog.
Ayanokōji, as usual, didn't respond. He simply stood there with that poker face of his, looking at the clock tower. "He said to come early," he muttered.
"Well, you said to come early. Ryūen didn't say anything," I corrected. "If I didn't drag Ibuki along, I'd be sleeping like a normal person."
Ibuki glared at me, rubbing her arms. "You dragged me out of bed for this nonsense. Again."
I shrugged. "You keep capturing my bed like it's your property. Consider this revenge."
Before she could retort, Ryūen himself appeared around the corner, his hands stuffed in his pockets, wearing his usual smirk that screamed trouble incarnate.
He eyed Ayanokōji, then me, then Ibuki, who looked like she wanted to punch me and him both.
"Well, this is one hell of a way to start Christmas," Ryūen said with an amused grin. "You're rude, Ayanokōji. Inviting people before 7 a.m.—that's just impolite."
Ayanokōji stared at him calmly. "Would you rather I made you regret staying in this school?"
Ryūen chuckled, low and dangerous. "Hah. As long as you don't pull another stunt like that rooftop crap, I think I'll manage."
"Speaking of which," I cut in, "if you had just made a deal with me when I was delaying time, maybe none of that would've happened. You could at least buy me lunch for my heroic acting."
Ryūen's gaze flickered toward me—half annoyed, half amused. "You talk too much, Miyamoto."
"I get that a lot," I replied cheerfully.
He turned back to Ayanokōji, the humor leaving his face. "Let's skip the pleasantries. You called me here for something. You gonna tell me straight, or are you trying to make me your puppet?"
Ayanokōji tilted his head slightly. "Would it matter if I was?"
Ryūen's eyes narrowed, reading him like an opponent on the battlefield. "…You're really something. You even put yourself to shame."
I gave a mock gasp. "Wow, Ryūen actually admitting someone's worse than him. What a Christmas miracle."
Ibuki rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Miyamoto."
"Okay, okay," I said, raising my hands in surrender.
Ayanokōji didn't react to any of it. "I'm not here to control you," he said finally. "I'm here to propose cooperation. Between Class C and Class D. We work together—to crush Class A and B."
Ryūen's smirk faltered for the first time. "…You're serious."
"I don't joke," Ayanokōji replied.
Ryūen folded his arms, pondering. "Even if we beat them, it's meaningless if I'm still branded as the loser who bowed down to you."
"That's your pride talking," Ayanokōji said flatly. "You're acting like a kid who lost one fight and gave up on the war."
Ryūen's aura flared. "You want another fight? I'll gladly give it to you right here."
Before anything could escalate, I stepped between them, holding up a convenience store coffee like a peace offering. "Hey, hey, calm down. Christmas spirit, remember? Let's save the brawling for New Year's Eve."
Ryūen glared at me, but Ayanokōji gave the faintest smirk. "He's right. Fighting won't get us anywhere. Think of this as an investment."
"Tch," Ryūen scoffed, but his curiosity had been piqued. "Fine. Talk."
"The target is Sakayanagi's Class A," Ayanokōji began. "Ichinose's Class B will be under pressure soon. You can exploit that. If you stir the right conflicts, we can push both classes off balance. I'll handle the rest from the shadows."
Ryūen tapped his chin. "And what's in it for you?"
"Observation," Ayanokōji said. "I don't need to win. I just want to see how you move."
Ryūen frowned. "You just want to watch Ichinose burn, huh?"
"No," Ayanokōji said simply. "But if she burns, I'll be there to study the ashes."
Ibuki shivered slightly. "…You're both insane."
"I second that," I said. "But hey, it's fun to watch."
Ryūen snorted. "You're hopeless, Miyamoto."
"Thank you," I said, bowing slightly.
The conversation shifted, turning colder as they began discussing Kushida.
Ayanokōji leaned against the railing. "Kushida's still targeting Horikita. If necessary, I'll have her expelled."
Ryūen's eyes widened, then he started laughing. "You? Expel her? You're even more heartless than me."
"That's debatable," I murmured, sipping my coffee.
When they finished discussing Ryūen's long-term strategy of hoarding 800 million points—a ludicrous number that even made Ibuki scoff—the air suddenly shifted.
A familiar, calm yet intimidating voice spoke from behind.
"I didn't expect to find all of you here this early."
Manabu Horikita—former student council president—approached, his presence alone cutting through the morning fog.
"Ah, Manabu-senpai!" I waved like an overexcited child. "Did Tachibana-senpai confess to you already? Maybe I should introduce her to Airi Sakura—they'd get along!"
Manabu blinked, caught off guard by my energy, then sighed. "Miyamoto… you truly have no filter."
Ryūen snorted. "This guy's everywhere."
Manabu ignored him and turned toward Ayanokōji. "About our agreement."
Their exchange was short but heavy with meaning. Manabu reminded Ayanokōji of his promise—to defeat Nagumo.
Ryūen stepped closer, intrigued. "Nagumo, huh? The new president? I heard he's been causing quite a stir."
"Seventeen expulsions," Manabu stated coldly. "All under his influence."
Ryūen whistled. "Impressive. Efficient, even. Maybe I like this guy."
Manabu's eyes sharpened. "You mistake cruelty for leadership. A good leader uplifts everyone, ensuring no one is left behind."
"That's naïve," Ryūen retorted. "People who can't keep up should be cut off. The world's fairer that way."
Ayanokōji listened quietly before speaking. "Idealism doesn't suit us. But Ichinose might be able to chase that ideal. We can't."
Manabu studied him for a moment before nodding. "I see. As long as you can stop Nagumo, I won't demand more."
The tension eased slightly. Ryūen, however, was already turning away. "Interesting talk, but I've got no time to play hero. I'll pass on your student council drama."
"You're leaving already?" I called after him.
He looked back once, smirking. "I've always been alone, Miyamoto. That's how I work best."
He left with his hands in his pockets, Ibuki reluctantly following after him.
Manabu watched him disappear into the distance. "You let him hear everything intentionally."
Ayanokōji nodded. "He won't meddle with the council if he's busy chasing his own goals. It's misdirection."
Manabu crossed his arms. "You're playing a dangerous game."
Ayanokōji looked up at the cloudy sky. "I always am."
They continued to talk in private, their voices low, deliberate.
Manabu explained that among the second years, a faction opposed Nagumo—people who still valued order over chaos. "There's one student in particular," he said, "who openly defies Nagumo's methods. I can't reveal their name yet, but you'll meet them soon."
Ayanokōji nodded. "Understood."
"Use my name and authority however you see fit," Manabu continued. "And use Suzune as you wish. She's capable, but her obsession with me holds her back."
Ayanokōji tilted his head. "Would you support her joining the council if I made it happen?"
Manabu's expression softened slightly. "Yes. If you can get her to accept her own path instead of mine, I'll help her rise."
For a moment, silence reigned—only the wind whistling between them.
Then, I clapped my hands loudly. "Alright! Christmas alliance meeting over! Who's up for hot chocolate?"
Both of them turned to me with identical blank stares.
"…You have the worst timing," Manabu muttered.
"But the best enthusiasm," I replied proudly.
Even Ayanokōji's lips twitched, almost like a smile. Almost.
As we left the courtyard, the winter sun finally broke through the clouds, casting long shadows on the ground. For once, it felt like something—fragile yet genuine—was forming between these people. Not friendship, not trust… but an understanding.
Result
Class A: 974
Class B: 603
Class C: 492-->392
Class D: 437