A Talk With Manabu and Kiyotaka

Kiyotaka look surprised at Ryou's appearance, but after a few seconds, he got himself back.

"I'd prefer to speak privately, so please come in," Kiyotaka told him.

"I agree." Manabu said, Ryou following Manabu going inside Kiyotaka's room.

If Horikita saw her brother and Ryou chatting with Kiyotaka in the hallway, she'd cause a fuss. Besides, they wanted to avoid being seen with the former student council president as much as possible.

Kiyotaka let both of them into his room.

"For a first-year, you keep your room quite clean," Manabu said.

"Pretty normal room for a boy." was Ryou's impression about Kiyotaka's room.

"I just don't have that much stuff, and I don't think the other boy's room will be much different than mine Ryou. To come all the way to the first years' dorm... Do you have business with me, former student council president? And what about you Ryou?"

"Horikita-senpai sent me a message and said he want to talk to me. So, here I am."

Kiyotaka nod at Ryou accepting his reason.

"The second semester ends next week. My time at this school is running out."

True. He had a little over two months left. It'd be over in the blink of an eye.

"There's something I wanted to tell you before I leave. About Nagumo Miyabi."

Nagumo Miyabi was a second-year Class B, and the current student council president.

"I can't imagine what you have to say to me," Kiyotaka replied.

"We have nothing to do with him." Ryou added.

"I didn't intend to discuss this with anyone. However, circumstances have changed. I've adhered to this school's traditions because I believe in its system and rules. Nagumo wants to uproot those foundations. Most likely, an unprecedented number of students will be expelled next year."

"You were already student council president when Nagumo was a first-year, right? Doesn't that make you responsible for bringing him in?"

"You might say that." Manabu made no attempt to deny it. "I made one mistake after joining the student council. I failed in training my successor. Nagumo was the only one I believed had potential, but his ideologies differed from mine. Now, he's managed to bring almost all the other second-year students under his sway."

"That's odd. I understand Nagumo controlling everyone in the second-year Class A, but to the other classes he'd be an enemy, right?"

"He's already won over the entire school."

'Like what I thought.' Ryou thought.

"Why are you giving me all this insider information?"

"If you don't want to draw attention to yourself, use Suzune as you've done in the past. It'll be fine. I'll be the bridge between you and the student council," he told Kiyotaka.

"And it looks like Nagumo already had something with you and class 1B student."

"I already declined his offer to join his side."

"This is a pretty absurd request. If you were on the student council, your little sister would happily join, but she's probably not interested now that you've stepped down. Anyway, irrespective of what Horikita does, I have no wish to get involved." Kiyotaka sipped his tea.

"Besides, traditions change, even the ones you staunchly uphold. That's just how the passage of time works." Ryou added another reason.

Horikita Manabu, now reduced to an ordinary student, wanted to derail the student council's plans. And he wanted Ryou and Kiyotaka to do it.

"You might be right." He must've known he couldn't cajole both of them into helping him, but perhaps the elder Horikita was so desperate he'd swallowed his pride and come here.

"Forgive me for bothering you."

"Would you mind at least giving me your contact information?" Kiyotaka asked.

"What?"

He unplugged his phone from its charger. "I'd like time to think about putting your little sister on the student council and manipulating her behind the scenes."

"So, you'll consider it?"

"You came here on the assumption that I'd refuse, yes? It'd be rude if I didn't at least think it over,"

"Hmm... and I think I can help Kiyotaka on that side, since we're an ally now." Ryou said.

He gave Kiyotaka his phone number without asking for anything in return.

"What about you Ryou?" Kiyotaka asked.

"I already have his number." Ryou answered.

"If I decide to cooperate, I'll contact you."

"I expect nothing, but I'll be waiting."

Horikita's brother left the room without taking tea or even sitting down.

..

After Manabu left Kiyotaka's room, only Ryou and Kiyotaka left standing.

"Can I sit now?" Ryou asked shamelessly.

"You're really an easygoing person. Please sit."

Although it's Ryou who asked first, Kiyotaka still let him sit.

"Coffee?"

"Yeah, you know what I like. You're quite an observative person aren't you?"

"I see your drink when we're at the cafe."

"So, what do you think about Horikita-senpai's offer?"

"Like what I said, I don't want to get involved directly, but if I can use his little sister, then that's a different story. And, what about you? You decide to join me so suddenly." Kiyotaka asked.

"Well, what can I say. I think I already on Nagumo's bad side, then why don't I help you against him."

Kiyotaka placed a cup of coffee for Ryou.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, I already face him a few times and ended with not a pretty good impression."

"Let see what we can do in the future."

Both of them sipped their drink.

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A/N: Sorry for the late update, I can't adjust my schedule with so much work on my desk. lol

Enjoy the chapter.

I promise I will still update this fanfic.