Tadano-Senpai and Reiji finally arrived at the Student Council's Office, a place his predecessor used to frequent a lot.
"Before we enter, I will advise you to be respectful to the President. She is not someone you can speak to in a vulgar manner like you usually do, have some respect," the senior warned as he gave a hard glare before opening the door.
Reiji just rolled his eyes slightly and followed in, entering the Castle of Ice.
The Office was really big, with multiple rooms on either side as they entered, and a long corridor leading to a pair of double doors that were much larger.
This was the President's private office, and where Reiji had a private talk with Noa just after he transmigrated. Senpai led him to that room and knocked loudly.
"Enter," a quiet yet weirdly loud voice answered.
There were 5 people seated in chairs that were lined up in front of the President's desk, with Fujikawa Noa sitting regally on her throne. Her hands rested on the massive oak desk, clasped together in authority.
She glanced at the two new entrants and shifted her focus back to the freshmen in front of her.
"That concludes this session. If you are interested in joining us and learning practical skills that can take you far in the corporate world, we will welcome you as long as you show your dedication and enthusiasm. This is also a way to make a positive contribution while still being students, think of it as taking part in a noble effort to create the ideal school."
Her calm yet convincing words echoed through the room, and the impact she had could be seen through the glittering eyes of the audience members.
"Thank you for attending, I will await you decisions. You may leave now," She said and gestured to the door.
The 5 of them stood up and left excitedly, giving Reiji a disdainful look before exiting the office. Those 5 seemed to be some of the more disciplined students in the first year, Reiji recognized two of them as class monitors for different sections including his own.
"Thank you for waiting Senpai, I see you have brought Yagami-san with you," Noa's cold voice called them forward.
"Just performing my duties President," Tadano-Senpai responded with a flattering smile.
"Mhm, take a seat Yagami-san. We need to have a good talk."
Reiji resigned himself to the upcoming lecture and sat down with a thud in the comfortable chair in front of her desk.
Noa turned to look at Tadano-Senpai.
"Thank you again Senpai, you may leave us for now," she dismissed him, causing him to frown.
"Don't you want me to stay? What if this garbage does something to you?"
"I'll be fine, and please don't call our students garbage, no matter how factual it may be."
".....I'm not deaf, you know?" Reiji muttered.
"What am I supposed to do with that information?" Noa asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Treat me like I'm not deaf?"
"Have I not been doing that?" She responded innocently, but Reiji didn't miss the glint in her eyes.
His lips twitched in frustration. Seemed like she really was offended by his words on the broadcast.
"Anyway, you may leave us Senpai," she turned back to Tadano who was still standing there with hesitation.
He finally bowed slightly and left, giving Reiji a warning look before doing so. As he shut the door behind him, Noa leaned back in her chair and simply stared at Reiji with arms crossed.
They locked eyes for about 30 seconds and she still didn't speak.
"...."
"....Aren't you going to say anything?"
"...."
"What is this? Some of kind of new questioning method?"
"...."
Reiji realized what she was thinking after pondering a little bit. She was probably trying to get an apology out of him by making him uncomfortable with silence and authority, a move she often used in the game.
But would he, Yagami Reiji, acquiesce?
Seeing that she had no plans to speak until he brought up the broadcast incident, Reiji decided to get comfortable. He leaned back into the chair as well, crossing one leg over the other and resting his chin on his right fist.
Direct, uninterrupted eye-contact with a breathtaking beauty? That was a gift, not a punishment!
He stared back at her, his bright blue eyes exchanging sparks with her deep purple ones.
Noa frowned slightly at his actions, but refused to back down. This meant that neither side spoke, and they just sat there, simmering in silence and studied each other.
The Ice Cube's frozen heart started beating ever so slightly faster as she gazed at Reiji's ridiculously captivating eyes.
1 Minute
2 Minutes
3 Minutes
Finally at the 4 minute mark, Noa couldn't take it anymore and broke the silence with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"...Don't you have anything to say for yourself?"
"...."
"...I'm asking you a question!"
"...."
"I have evidence that those comments about me on the broadcast was from you, don't you have anything to say about that?"
"....."
"SPEAK!"
The tables were turned and Noa slammed the desk in frustration as Reiji's lips remained shut while she ranted on. He finally smiled softly at her agitation.
"...What do you want me to say? Do you want an apology?" he said in a low tone.
"Of course I do, what you did was unacceptable," Noa snapped, regaining her clarity as she calmed down quickly.
"Ok. I'm really sorry for calling you a block of ice, that was uncalled for. But I really was just trying to help the Student Council with that announcement and it just popped out," he sighed while scratching his hair.
Noa's expression softened a little at the genuine regret in his tone.
"....Fine, I won't hold it against you this time since you haven't been causing trouble lately. But like I said, I have my eye on you," She reminded him with a stern voice.
"And like I said, being stalked by a beauty isn't the threat you think it is," he chuckled.
Noa froze at his words, the tip of her ears reddening a little, though it was almost unnoticeable if you didn't focus on it.
She couldn't tell if he was being sincere or she was just being teased. People were usually nervous or poker faced around her, because she purposefully played up her indifference to keep others at arm's length, so such banter was unfamiliar to Noa.
"Why do you keep doing that? Didn't you say you were trying to straighten up and act normally?" She muttered with her arms crossed.
"What? Did that not come out right? I was complimenting you, Prez!"
Reiji gave her a quizzical look, he wasn't mocking her or anything.
"C-Compliment? Hmph, I know you're just trying to poke fun to be a jerk," She snorted.
"What the hell? It's not like I was lying, I have no idea what you're talking about?" He responded with raised eyebrows.
"...Leave it, I see you haven't changed at all! What two clubs have you decided on, or did you forget about your punishment?"
"...Not sure why you don't believe me, but anyways. I'm going to join Cooking and MMA," he shrugged.
"..."
Noa fell silent, her initially questioning look turning into a scowl.
"Are you toying around right now? What on earth are those choices?" She hissed, leaning forward in her anger.
"What do you mean?"
"Cooking? Trying to take advantage of their restaurant visits I'm sure! And MMA to fight even more than you already do? What would you call this, if not a joke?" She responded with frustration.
Reiji's eye narrowed dangerously at her accusations and he stood up slowly. He leaned into the desk, resting his hands on the edge of the table as he glared back at Noa.
"Here I thought the infamous Student Council President would be unbiased and rational, that's the real joke. I love cooking, and just because I look like this you assumed I'm messing around? You yourself know that the Cooking Club has an entrance test, I can't even get in unless I have the skills to back it up so why are you this worked up about it? As for MMA, what's wrong with joining it? Just because I fight sometime I'm not allowed to? What's with the discrimination?"
Reiji's voice never once went loud. It stayed low, but the anger and disappointment within was evident.
Noa's face went paler and paler as he continued, and she sat back down in her chair.
'...He's right, I just assumed he couldn't cook.... And I have no right to tell him not to join MMA. It might even be good, giving him a legitimate outlet for his anger issues and the seniors can keep him in line... I shouldn't have gotten so worked up.'
As Noa looked up planning to apologize, she saw Reiji start to walk away, with irritation still all over his face.
"We're done here right? I apologized and told you about my choices," He muttered, reaching for the door.
"Wait!" She called out.
Reiji stopped, shifting to the president who stood up again.
"....I apologize for my reckless assumptions, that wasn't right. You may join those clubs if you wish."
"....I was planning on it anyway," Reiji said and then left her office.
Noa stared at his back as he closed the door, a hint of regret lingering within her.
'Why do I always get so agitated around him....'