Shirogane Miyuki's frustration began to show.

He wasn't like Takashi.

When people said Takashi only succeeded thanks to women, Takashi would just grin and reply, "So what? Are you jealous?"

Shirogane Miyuki, however, hated that kind of man—men who climbed up by relying on women.

So when people said things like, "Shirogane Miyuki only got to be student council president because of Kaguya," it struck a deep nerve.

"Effort? Hard work?"

Takashi laughed even harder at Shirogane Miyuki's words.

Main character syndrome, huh? And now he's throwing in "hard work" on top of it?

He had never seen anyone who called themselves "ordinary" manage to study hard enough to rank first nationally and then get into Stanford.

Is that something effort alone could achieve?

At the top level, academic success comes down to talent.

"You're saying your so-called 'effort' alone puts you on par with us geniuses? That your effort lets you surpass us?"

"What's wrong with that? I did reach this point through effort."

Shirogane Miyuki's answer drew glares from several students around him.

Everyone in this exam hall was ranked in the top twenty in the national mock exams.

They were all geniuses. They had pride.

Losing to someone more talented? Fine. It's fair.

But losing to someone who claims they're just ordinary and won through sheer effort? That's just insulting.

"Effort?"

A chubby boy with thick glasses let out a cold laugh.

"Are you saying we didn't work hard enough?"

"You think you're the only one studying while we're all out playing?"

"I go home at 3:30 and study until midnight every day, but I still can't crack the national top ten. Is that because I'm lazy?"

His sudden accusation left Shirogane Miyuki momentarily speechless.

"Oh, so effort is all it takes to reach second in the nation? I guess we're just not trying hard enough~"

"Right, right. I spend every day doing worksheets and going to cram school, and my rank is only 19th. Guess I'm just pretending to study."

"Tell us, President Shirogane Miyuki—will the effort get me into Stanford too?"

Once one person spoke up, others followed, bombarding Shirogane Miyuki with barbed questions.

Schools in Japan may let out early, but cram school sessions were intense.

Students aiming for the University of Tokyo were studying late into the night, every night.

Their frustration had been simmering—and now this guy who scored higher than them was saying it was all thanks to effort?

What, were they not trying hard enough?

Besides eating, sleeping, and bathing, every waking moment of theirs was spent studying. What more could he ask?

Kaguya, seeing the crowd turning on Shirogane Miyuki, wanted to stand up and defend him. But Takashi wasn't about to let her.

"What's wrong, Lady Shinomiya? Do you also agree with Shirogane Miyuki's opinion?"

"Do you think we lost to him because we didn't try hard enough?"

Takashi's words instantly shifted everyone's gaze to Kaguya.

She looked at the many pairs of eyes staring at her and knew—if she dared say "Yes," the news would spread across the nation by morning.

And the fallout… could get serious.

Such a topic could easily escalate and even affect her family's business. The Five Regent Houses wouldn't let a slip like that go to waste.

She took a deep breath and turned her head away, avoiding Shirogane Miyuki's gaze. "I don't agree with President Shirogane Miyuki."

As a member of the Shinomiya family, Kaguya had been raised never to cause trouble for her clan or hand enemies any leverage.

Her judgment wasn't wrong.

But by protecting the Shinomiya family, she had put herself on the opposite side of Shirogane Miyuki.

From the hurt in his eyes, it was obvious how he felt.

He could accept no one else taking his side.

But not even Kaguya was standing with him now.

Every guy hopes—no, fantasizes—about a girl who will stand by him unconditionally, no matter what.

Serves you right for butting in. You wanted to pick a fight with me? Do you even know what you're doing?

Takashi smirked as he watched everyone turn on Shirogane Miyuki.

Just as he was about to fan the flames further, the sharp clicking of heels echoed through the classroom.

A tall, slender woman entered, clad in a dark business outfit and fitted skirt paired with black heels.

Her figure was graceful and well-proportioned—long legs, narrow waist.

She had waist-length cherry-blossom-pink hair, straight bangs, and twin braids at her temples. Her eyes were a striking shade of sapphire.

"Quiet."

Her icy voice cut through the noise and silenced the room instantly.

[Ding. Target detected.]

[Target: Mafuyu Kirisu]

[Age: 24]

[Intelligence: 7]

[Charm: 9]

[Stamina: 6]

[From: We Never Learn]

[Secret crush: Yuiga Nariyuki]

[Single. Open to dating.]

"Kitahara-san, please return to your seat."

Kirisu Mafuyu's cold eyes locked onto Takashi.

Yet another Yukino.

Takashi complained inwardly.

He was beginning to notice that many of the girls he knew didn't seem capable of speaking without giving him a cold glare first.

Though grumbling in his heart, Takashi obediently returned to his seat.

"Huh? So you were sitting behind me all along?"

It wasn't until he sat down that Takashi realized Komi Shouko was sitting right behind him.

Her beady eyes were filled with a hint of resentment.

She was a living, breathing person sitting there the whole time.

And he had only just now noticed her.

It's not like she was an assassin who could suppress her presence or anything.

"You were paying all your attention to Umaru, so of course you didn't notice us."

Hearing the voice to his right, Takashi stiffened.

He slowly turned his head to find Kashiwagi Nagisa quietly staring at him.

"You just noticed me now, didn't you?"

Nagisa's eyes turned cold.

Takashi was momentarily at a loss for words.

Because, well, his attention really had been entirely on figuring out how to appease Umaru.

"Ahem."

A cough came from in front of him, and when Takashi craned his neck forward, he saw it was Maki.

Noticing his gaze, Maki panicked at first, but then, remembering how she usually treated him, she hardened her expression. "What are you staring at?"

Takashi awkwardly averted his gaze and instinctively looked to his left.

There, Kaguya was silently watching him with those deep, blood-red eyes.

Takashi: "..."

Who arranged this seating chart?

Step forward!

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