After school.
Normally, "after school" meant a blissful time for me—spending peaceful hours reading books together with Hiyori in our beloved library.
But today was different.
With heavy steps, I was heading toward the student council room.
(…I don't want to go. Seriously, I really don't want to go. Why the hell do I have to join the student council, the very pinnacle of the school and a giant pile of work and responsibility…?)
As I walked down the hallway, I cried tears of blood internally.
What happened yesterday in the library…
Student Council President Horikita Manabu had scouted me, and when I tried with all my might to refuse, what came out of my mouth was the legendary chuuni line:
"I shall stand at the heavens."
A phrase that sounded less like a refusal and more like a declaration to conquer the school.
For some reason, Manabu interpreted it as an ambitious acceptance—"I'll overthrow you from within the student council"—and just like that, I had officially become part of the council.
"Sousuke-kun, do your best, okay? I'll be cheering for you."
Only Hiyori's angelic smile and encouragement from yesterday's library conversation were supporting me now.
(…No, calm down. I'm just joining as a regular member. If I quietly organize documents in a corner and keep my head down, eventually they'll think, 'This guy's useless,' and kick me out. Yeah. That's the plan!)
Having somehow reached a "positive" conclusion—well, a negative one disguised as positive—I arrived before the heavy doors of the student council room.
Taking a deep breath, I reached out to knock.
But that cursed equipment rewrote even my manner of entering into something "stylish."
BANG!!
Without a moment's hesitation, I threw the doors wide open without knocking, stepping into the room with overwhelming elegance and absolute intimidation.
(WHYYYYYY DIDN'T I KNOCK!? My arrogance level is maxed out on day one already!!)
While cold sweat poured down my back, the atmosphere inside instantly froze.
The luxurious student council room was spacious.
Inside were:
Student Council President Horikita Manabu (third year),
Secretary Tachibana Akane (third year),
a serious-looking male student I didn't know—second-year secretary Kiriyama Ikuto—
and finally, lounging arrogantly on a large leather sofa, a blond-haired man.
The same person I had utterly crushed in a penalty kick match and robbed of five million points.
Student Council Vice President Nagumo Miyabi (second year).
"…W-What the hell!?"
The moment I entered, Nagumo sprang from the sofa and pointed at me like he'd seen a ghost.
Shock and lingering humiliation twisted across his face.
"Aizen…! The hell are you doing here!?"
"Nagumo. Quiet."
Manabu spoke calmly from behind his desk.
That single sentence stopped Nagumo instantly, though the sharp glare directed at me remained.
"President! What's going on!? Why is a first-year—especially a cocky brat like this—here!?"
"I brought him into the student council. Starting today, he is one of us."
"Hah!? You've gotta be joking!"
Not only Nagumo, but even Kiriyama widened his eyes in shock.
"President… no matter what, recruiting a first-year directly into the council is unprecedented. And I've heard he's a problem child with all sorts of suspicious rumors surrounding him…"
"If there is no precedent, then I will create one. I recruited him because I judged him to be the most exceptional student among the current first years."
At Manabu's clear evaluation, Nagumo ground his teeth.
For someone who had already suffered total defeat at my hands, hearing the words "most exceptional" must have felt like salt rubbed into an open wound.
(Exceptional? I was just spouting poems in the library yesterday! What kind of standards does this president even have!?)
As I inwardly panicked, Manabu slowly stood and faced me.
"Aizen. Yesterday, you declared that one day you would take my throne."
"—Indeed."
(NO I DIDN'T!! I was trying to refuse!!)
"Then I shall prepare a fitting seat for you."
A sharp glint flashed behind his glasses as he spoke unbelievable words.
"You will assume the position of Student Council Vice President."
"""...WHAAAAAT!?"""
Nagumo, Tachibana, and Kiriyama all screamed in unison.
And—
(HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH!?)
My eyeballs practically flew out internally.
Vice President!?
I didn't even want to be a normal member, and now I was suddenly becoming the school's Number Two!?
Why!?
I'm a first-year!
This wasn't merely "unprecedented"—this was school-history-breaking insanity!
"P-President!! Are you serious!? Making a first-year vice president would cause backlash from the entire school!"
"Yeah! You expect me to stand beside some damn first-year!? Don't screw with me!"
Tachibana and Nagumo desperately protested.
(That's right!! Keep arguing, Tachibana-senpai!! Nagumo!! I don't want this either!! I'm rejecting it with everything I've got!!)
Fully agreeing with them, I opened my mouth to politely refuse.
"This responsibility is too much for a first-year. Please allow me to decline."
That was what I intended to say.
"—Fufu… I see."
A fearless smile spread across my face as I slowly brushed back my bangs.
"This seat… is not an unworthy height for one such as myself. Very well. I shall watch from your side and see how this stagnant scenery changes."
(WHYYYYYYYYYY AGAIN!? Why am I ACCEPTING IT!? And what's with 'not an unworthy height'!? Who the hell do I think I am!?)
My overwhelmingly arrogant acceptance—yet somehow carrying the overwhelming aura of a supreme being.
Hearing it, Manabu nodded in satisfaction.
"From today onward, Aizen Sousuke is appointed Student Council Vice President. …Objections will not be tolerated."
"Ghk…!"
"I-If the president insists…"
Before Manabu's overwhelming charisma, neither Nagumo nor Tachibana could object further.
(It's over… My 'quiet low-ranking member by the window' strategy was annihilated within three minutes of entering the room…)
I sank into despair.
Still, starting work in such a tense atmosphere would be awkward.
As the newcomer, I should act humbly and suggest something friendly like:
"Well then, let's get along. Shall I make some tea?"
"—Standing conversations are dull. Let us first fill this stagnant air with the aroma of fine tea."
(AAAAAAAHHHHH!! THE WAY I SAY THINGS!! Why do I sound like a king giving orders!?)
A vein bulged on Nagumo's forehead.
"You bastard… you're the new guy, and you're already ordering us around!?"
Nagumo looked moments away from throwing a punch.
But Manabu remained perfectly calm and spoke to Tachibana.
"Tachibana. Prepare tea for him."
"Eh!? M-Me!? …Y-Yes. Understood."
Though visibly displeased, Tachibana couldn't disobey the president and headed toward the kitchenette.
(Who the hell do I think I am!? I made an upperclassman—a third-year secretary—serve me tea!! Tachibana-senpai, I'm SO SORRY!! I want to kneel and apologize!!)
Internally, I was scraping my forehead against the floor in apology.
Externally, however, I elegantly sat on the sofa and sipped the tea with an arrogant:
"…Not bad."
After I finished drinking, Tachibana guided me to a computer.
"Well then, Aizen-kun. Starting today, you'll be handling student council duties immediately. Begin with these documents and the data entry for the club budget requests."
Her voice carried a clear undertone of:
"I'm only teaching you because the president ordered me to."
(Alright. Since I already acted so arrogantly, I'll at least work seriously. For Hiyori's sake—and so I can go home early—I'll finish this fast!)
The pile of documents Tachibana prepared was enormous.
Normally, it would have taken a tremendous amount of time.
However—
The "Aizen specs" within my brain displayed cheat-level performance even in office work.
One glance at a document instantly burned every detail into my memory.
I detected inconsistencies and calculation errors in the budget requests immediately, and my fingers began flying across the keyboard at absurd speed.
Not like a pianist—
No, even faster than that.
TATATATATATATATATATATA!!
The sound of the Enter key echoed through the room like machine-gun fire.
My typing speed was so insane that Tachibana blinked in shock.
"Eh…?"
Nagumo and Kiriyama also turned to stare.
"...EEEEEEEEH!?"
Only thirty minutes after I started—
When Tachibana checked the screen, several days' worth of data entry and complicated calculations had already been completed flawlessly.
Not a single mistake.
Even contradictions within the original applications had all been corrected.
"T-This can't be real… This is impossible. There aren't any mistakes at all—in fact, you even fixed errors in the original forms!?"
"—Trivial. Spending time on work of this level is nothing more than an insult to intelligence."
(Hell yeah! Aizen specs are amazing! Now they'll think I'm competent!)
Faced with my absurdly perfect work performance, Tachibana stood speechless while Kiriyama broke into a cold sweat.
Even Nagumo, though clicking his tongue and muttering, "Tch… all you've got is fast calculations," seemed even more fearful of how abnormal I was.
"…As expected. My judgment was not mistaken."
Manabu gazed at the completed data with satisfaction and nodded deeply.
Then—
"That concludes today's work. …Aizen. In recognition of you exceeding my expectations, we shall hold a welcoming party tonight."
"A welcoming party…?" Tachibana repeated.
"Yes. My treat. We're all going."
(OOOOOOOOOH!! Seriously!? Free food courtesy of the student council president!? LET'S GOOOOO!!)
Internally cheering with joy, I left school together with the student council members.
Manabu guided us to an upscale yakiniku restaurant inside Keyaki Mall—far too expensive for ordinary high school students.
At the private table sat rows of premium beef marbled to perfection.
(Whoa!! This looks insanely delicious! As expected of the president—what generosity!)
The meat sizzled beautifully over the grill.
Nagumo, still in a foul mood, held the tongs and grilled the meat.
"…Here, newbie. Eat."
He practically tossed a piece of cooked meat onto my plate.
I picked it up with my chopsticks and took a bite.
The rich flavor and sweet fat melted in my mouth.
(SO GOOOOOD!! What is this!? This is incredible!! I should thank the president and say, 'This is really delicious!')
"—I see. For food meant merely to stave off hunger, this is somewhat extravagant. However, if you believe such shallow flavors can truly satisfy my palate… then you are laughably naïve."
(WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY AGAIN!! I'm the worst!! I'm getting treated to expensive yakiniku and basically saying 'Don't think this is enough to satisfy me'!! I'm human trash!!)
The instant my atrocious poem escaped my lips, Nagumo finally snapped.
"You bastard…!! How dare you talk about the president's treat like that!? That's it—outside. I'll kill you myself!"
Nagumo stood and grabbed for my collar.
Tachibana also shouted:
"You're being far too rude!"
However—
"—Nagumo. Sit down."
Manabu's quiet yet absolute voice dominated the room.
"President! Did you hear what he just—!"
"Aizen is correct."
"""...Huh?"""
Nagumo, Kiriyama, Tachibana—
and even me, the person who said it—
all stared blankly at Manabu.
With a serious gleam in his eyes behind his glasses, he nodded deeply.
"He refuses to be satisfied with the current level and constantly seeks even greater heights. …That endless drive for improvement, and his unwavering refusal to compromise. …That is precisely why I appointed him vice president."
"""...!!"""
Nagumo and Tachibana were rendered speechless by Manabu's absurdly favorable interpretation.
(THAT'S NOT IT!! President, your interpretations are way too intense!! I JUST WANTED TO SAY 'THIS IS REALLY GOOD'!!)
Internally screaming and crying tears of blood, I desperately tried to correct the misunderstanding.
"—Fufu… You overestimate me. I merely wished to observe the causality behind the phenomenon known as grilling meat—"
"No need for modesty. I shall learn from your example as well."
"..."
My correction-poem was completely shut down by Manabu's overwhelming filter.
Nagumo muttered, "…Damn it," and started stress-eating meat.
Tachibana looked at me with a conflicted expression.
(I hate this… this student council… I just want to go back to the classroom where Hiyori's waiting for me…)
A supreme misunderstanding and psychological warfare so intense that I could no longer even taste the premium yakiniku.
And thus—
Aizen Sousuke's chaotic days as Student Council Vice President began with a disastrous welcoming party.