Perhaps someone with ulterior motives had spotted Kaoru and Asahina Nazuna and captured the moment from a distance.
Soon after, Nagumo Miyabi received a photo.
The image, blurry yet clear, showed Kaoru holding Asahina Nazuna by the waist.
Though taken from afar, it was evident that he was leaning down, seemingly kissing the girl in his arms.
She had her hands raised, pressing against his chest, her fingers clutching his clothes tightly.
Even from the side, her slightly flushed cheeks were visible.
It had to be said—the photographer knew exactly how to capture a girl's shyness in that fleeting moment.
Bang!
The moment he saw the photo, Nagumo Miyabi hurled his phone to the ground.
The crisp sound of the screen shattering echoed as countless tiny cracks caused the screen's light to flicker several times before fading into darkness, reflecting the man's livid face.
"You think I'd care about this? She's just a woman—a woman who's been following me around since we were kids. Women like her are a dime a dozen. In terms of looks, I've played with plenty of girls like her!"
"Hmph, had I known earlier, I would have taken matters into my own hands. What's with this act? Always lecturing me with that childhood friend demeanor, yet deep down you're just another woman craving male attention. Your taste is truly terrible—what difference is there between him and me? Doesn't he toy with countless women too?"
"In the end, I've grown tired of you as well, Nazuna. Aside from scolding me, what else can you do? Always saying I shouldn't be too harsh on others, that I should understand their feelings—constantly accusing me of being cold and heartless, claiming I never see you. But isn't it you who fails to understand and support me?"
"If you had agreed to date me, would I have sought out other women? Just because we've known each other a little longer, you put on such airs. If not for our childhood connection, I wouldn't have given you a second glance. Perhaps you only managed to stay in Class A by currying favor with me, wagging your tail like a desperate dog."
"Enough. It's not like I ever expected much from you anyway. You're just an ordinary woman."
No one knew how long Nagumo Miyabi had been muttering to himself, but his eyes burned with intense fury and hatred toward Kaoru—and especially toward Asahina Nazuna.
His resentment toward Asahina Nazuna ran particularly deep.
He had always viewed her as an inevitable conquest, even considering her his exclusive property—something that would inevitably belong to him, thus requiring no particular effort.
Yet Asahina Nazuna had told him she held no romantic feelings toward him.
How ridiculous.
What an ugly excuse.
Hadn't she been the one who willingly developed feelings for him? The one who always followed him around?
Weren't you overjoyed when we enrolled in ANHS?
Thrilled at the prospect of being together with him?
Like praying for fate at a temple, their union seemed predestined—a destiny even he had gradually accepted over all these years.
So why betray him, Asahina Nazuna?
Nagumo's face darkened, consumed by a single thought: ruthless retaliation.
First, naturally, was this additional first-year exam.
How perfect.
Rumor had it the acting chairman requested it—what a favor to grant so soon after taking office.
Without lifting a finger, Class 1-A was destined to lose 20 million Personal Points. Meaning Kaoru had lost his lifeline.
Only the Protection Points posed a slight complication.
If they landed on Kaoru, it would cause significant trouble, so they must be given to someone else.
Nagumo had already devised a plan: he would make Ryuen Kakeru play the role of the benefactor. After all, Class 1-C had 40 freely circulating Praise Votes.
As long as it wasn't Kaoru, any outcome was acceptable.
Moreover, he had seen through Ichinose Honami's nature—a good person, an absolute pushover who would always prioritize her companions.
Would such a "good person" allow her comrades to be expelled?
Heh. When your girlfriend faces difficulties, as her boyfriend, you'd naturally step in to help, wouldn't you?
How many Personal Points would you have left then?
A sinister smile crept across Nagumo's face. If the boyfriend's Personal Points run out... well, apologies, but he might have to step in personally.
After all, whose fault is it that your girlfriend is so charming?
Although he had recently spent several million to suppress the entire grade and win over many people, he still possessed as much as fifteen million personal points.
Oh, right, he also needed to give Ryuen Kakeru some benefits this time, so he would keep at least ten million in wealth.
This wealth could even help him get a cute girlfriend—not a bad deal at all.
"Hehehe, this still isn't secure enough. Losing just this much isn't sufficient, Kaoru."
Nagumo Miyabi picked up the phone from the ground, which still seemed functional, so he contacted his most capable subordinate nearby.
Iijima Ryota.
[Have you uncovered his network?]
Nagumo Miyabi had heard rumors about Kaoru.
Unlike the casual observers, he immediately recognized this as an opportunity.
Especially during the training camp exam, Kaoru's inexplicable actions had given him a whiff of something unreasonable.
[Almost done. I'll send it to you right away.]
Seeing this reply, Nagumo Miyabi's smile grew even more eerie.
"Heh, since I can't touch you for now, I'll just have someone you care about expelled instead."
...
"Let's impeach Nagumo and force him to step down."
Horikita Manabu silently watched the unexpected visitor before him.
He initially thought it was a joke, but the visitor was completely serious.
"I've already contacted Sato-senpai, Kiryama-senpai, and Tonokawa-senpai. The first-year classes will also impeach him. If we add you to the list, I believe we'll have eight classes supporting the impeachment."
As he spoke, Kaoru added another point.
"Besides the eight classes, I've secured the support of the entire student council except for him. The student council will also impeach their president."
On the day the supplementary exam began, Kaoru immediately took action - though not against the exam itself, but against Nagumo Miyabi.
Earlier that afternoon, he had been discussing this matter with Kiryama Ikua when he unexpectedly ran into Asahina Nazuna along the way.
Though it caused some delay, he eventually met with Kiryama Ikua and Sosuke Tonokawa.
Thanks to Nagumo Miyabi's current displeasure with Sosuke Tonokawa and others, they found themselves isolated in their class with no support - which was precisely why they responded to Kaoru's call.
From the moment they decided to betray Nagumo, there was no turning back.
"What grounds do you plan to use to impeach Nagumo?"
This was the first time Horikita Manabu had heard someone propose impeaching their own student council president, though it wasn't impossible.
Besides normal retirement, if everyone was dissatisfied with the current student council president, they could initiate impeachment proceedings to remove him.
However, this would create too many enemies, which was why no one had ever attempted it before.
"Grounds?"
Kaoru looked puzzled. "Can't we just make up a few? What matters to the school is that we're impeaching Nagumo, not the specific reasons for the impeachment."
Horikita Manabu remained silent for a moment. "That's too frivolous. To remove him from power, we need legitimate reasons, otherwise the school won't intervene."
"I never said this impeachment must necessarily remove him from power. It would be great if he steps down voluntarily, but regardless, this impeachment will definitely cause him significant trouble."
Kaoru said calmly, "I just want him deeply entangled in this, completely unable to think about anything else, even forced to follow my rhythm. That's enough."
Horikita Manabu was full of doubts. Was that all?
Just to cause trouble for Nagumo Miyabi and keep him occupied, he would initiate an impeachment?
"Do you think I'll fail?" Kaoru asked.
Horikita Manabu responded strangely, "I feel like you have other intentions. The first-years have a supplementary exam today, I heard it's a class vote."
"Our class has always maintained reserve points, so this exam is a minor issue for us."
Kaoru replied.Horikita Manabu's expression grew even more peculiar.
"I wasn't asking about that. With your class having so many Class Points, I'm not at all surprised you could retain 20 million Personal Points."
Kaoru took a sip of barley tea and glanced around the room: "Your room is more spartan than I imagined, senpai. Aren't you going to buy anything?"
"I'll be leaving this month. Buying more things would just be a hassle."
Horikita Manabu rarely showed a smile, "But seeing you like this, I can truly feel at ease today. You're really different from Nagumo-kun."
"Am I?"
Kaoru felt he was just a despicable person.
"Yes. Many people think they're the most important, that the world must revolve around them. They can't hear or see others' suffering, and might even find it irritating."
Kaoru felt a slight incongruity, but he understood this older brother figure likely considered him one of their own.
"Suzune is that kind of child too, which is why I criticize her. We can't change the world, and often we can't even change others' thoughts."
Horikita Manabu smiled faintly, "That's precisely why I've always been trying to understand, to salvage something bit by bit. When someone asks for my help, I'll assist them - not because I'm remarkable, but because I know there are things I can't do, and others have things they can't do either. If we can help each other, I believe we can change something."
"Is that why you applied to ANHS, senpai?" Kaoru asked.
Horikita Manabu shook his head: "No, this is what I learned here. Tachibana and Fujimaki taught me these things, though we've lost companions along the way."
Facing such an older brother, Horikita Suzune would probably need considerable time to catch up, Kaoru thought to himself.
"Do you understand, Mitoma-kun?"
Horikita Manabu smiled, "This is where you differ from Nagumo-kun. You clearly understand how to comprehend this world, to understand their thoughts, and you'll even step forward to protect them like you're doing now. Nagumo-kun wouldn't do that."
Because Nagumo Miyabi only ever wanted others to satisfy his demands, never taking the initiative to fulfill others' wishes.