The Announcement of the Student Council List

The first week of the new school year had just ended, and the students of this high school were beginning to settle into their routines. Most of the freshmen had adapted to the rhythm of school life; some classes displayed the composure of high achievers, while others had already accumulated hundreds of disciplinary violations in just one week.

Hachiman's D-class was undoubtedly the most chaotic of them all—a class plagued by a glaring sense of inferiority that left Hachiman with a mixture of frustration and resignation. Yet, these issues were secondary to what weighed most heavily on his mind: the impending announcement of the new student council members, a development that would significantly shape his future at this school.

Today was the day. The student council was set to unveil the new members, and there was a strong likelihood that a freshman would make it onto the list.

As soon as classes ended, students eager to learn the outcome flocked to the bulletin board, waiting anxiously for the moment of revelation.

Among the gathered crowd, students from classes A and B were the most numerous, with only a handful from C-class present—just enough to register their existence. But when Hachiman arrived, not a single student from D-class was to be seen, prompting him to once again reflect on the vast differences between people. "The gap between people is wider than that between pigs and humans," he mused bitterly.

The atmosphere was far more tense than Hachiman had anticipated. A-class students stood tall, exuding an air of smug superiority as if they had already secured some great victory. B-class students, in contrast, looked deflated from the outset, lacking the courage to confront their A-class counterparts and instead huddling together on the sidelines. Meanwhile, the few from C-class, too few in number to take part in the Cold War between the two dominant classes, simply crouched at the edge, watching the proceedings with a detached coolness.

Hachiman, true to his nature, also watched from the sidelines, blending into the background as he quietly listened to the chatter around him.

"The top candidate this time will probably be Kohei Katsuragi."

"Yeah, I heard that Ichinose from B-class was sick and missed the interview. Unlucky for her."

"Heh, fate works in mysterious ways. Ichinose might be just as capable as Katsuragi, but if she didn't even show up, Katsuragi's practically a shoo-in."

The students' conversations all seemed to converge on the same conclusion: Kohei Katsuragi from A-class would inevitably become a member of the student council. Under normal circumstances, Hachiman might have agreed, but something about this situation felt different. He had a feeling the final result might surprise everyone.

As he pondered this, Hachiman noticed a familiar figure joining the crowd: Honami Ichinose.

Despite missing the interview, she had come to face the announcement head-on. When she caught sight of Hachiman, her expression shifted slightly, as if she wanted to say something. But before she could approach, her path was blocked by other B-class students, preventing her from getting closer.

Hachiman was more than content with this turn of events, which minimized his presence and potential for involvement. However, Kohei Katsuragi wasn't as easily deterred. The tall, bald A-class student approached Ichinose with a stern expression.

"Unfortunately, we couldn't compete on equal terms," Katsuragi began, his voice steady. "I was hoping for a fair and challenging contest."

"There's no need for that," Ichinose replied, her tone calm and resolute. It was clear she had already come to terms with her previous failure. "Even if I don't join the student council, I'll still find ways to support my classmates."

"Hmm," Katsuragi nodded, saying nothing more as he turned back to join his A-class peers.

A tense silence fell over the crowd.

Then, the student council secretary, Akane Tachibana, appeared at the entrance of the hallway. Surprised by the large gathering of students, she raised her voice to be heard. "Please step aside, everyone. I need to post the latest announcement."

The students, despite their simmering emotions, parted to allow her through. The scene starkly contrasted with what would have happened if D-class had been present; chaos akin to a marketplace brawl would have likely ensued.

With everyone's attention fixed on her, Tachibana methodically posted the new notices on the bulletin board, including the highly anticipated list of student council members.

Hachiman scanned the list with mild interest.

Student Council President: Manabu Horikita

Vice Presidents: Miyabi Nagumo, Kiriyama Ikuto

Secretary: Akane Tachibana

These were all well-known names.

But at the bottom of the list, there appeared a name no one had expected.

General Affairs: Hachiman Hikigaya

The announcement board erupted into pandemonium. A-class students were the first to confront Tachibana, demanding explanations and questioning the fairness of the selection process.

B-class students, while equally shocked, seemed relieved by the outcome. If an A-class student had joined the council, it would have been a severe blow to their class. Although the class wars hadn't yet escalated into full-scale conflict, the student council election had already sown seeds of tension between A and B classes, ensuring future clashes.

For B-class, Katsuragi's selection would have been the worst-case scenario. But with Hachiman—a complete unknown—taking the spot, it was a development they could live with.

Meanwhile, Hachiman himself stood in stunned disbelief, realizing that Manabu Horikita had once again ensnared him in his plans. From this day forward, he would be nothing more than a cog in the bureaucratic machinery—a fate too miserable for words.

Having confirmed that the list was real, Hachiman decided to slip away from the scene to avoid any further trouble. What other students said or thought about him didn't concern him in the slightest.

The only thing that worried him now was how his D-class peers would react once they discovered he had joined the student council. It was certain to bring him a mountain of headaches, particularly from Suzune Horikita and Kei Karuizawa. The mere thought of what might happen when they found out sent a chill down his spine.

To escape this impending crisis, Hachiman chose not to return to his dormitory. Instead, he headed to the library. After all, he had almost finished reading the books he'd brought with him before the term began; it was time to replenish his stock.

Deep in thought, Hachiman set off toward the library. Yet, as he walked, he couldn't shake the eerie sensation that someone was watching him—a feeling so strong it was impossible to ignore.

"What the…?"

He glanced over his shoulder but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Still, the sense of being observed only intensified.

"Come on, this is supposed to be a high school, not a spy thriller," Hachiman muttered to himself.

"Am I really being stalked?"

The absurdity of the situation made him shake his head in disbelief.