After breaking up, my ex asked me to win her back

After that, Ayakoji Chiyoko had completely severed private contact with Kagura Hikaru, becoming merely a collaborator.

On usual days, Ayakoji Chiyoko acted as if she did not know him, cold and distant, and when she had to interact with him for official matters, she spoke sparingly and left as soon as it was over.

"I probably failed."

On a bench in a secluded corner of the courtyard, Kagura Hikaru said this to Kiryu Hina, sitting at the other end.

He confessed the recent events and the relationship with Ayakoji Chiyoko that had hit rock bottom.

Since Ayakoji Chiyoko had learned about that incident, Kagura Hikaru had completely lost the right to freely communicate with her.

She didn't avoid him, but her attitude towards him was just like that towards a stranger, with interactions only for official matters, making the situation where they casually chatted privately almost impossible to happen again.

Therefore, Kagura Hikaru concluded that his friendship plan had probably completely collapsed.

At least, he could not think of any way to salvage it.

Ayakoji Chiyoko was the most stubborn and sensitive person he had ever met, having walls around her heart as firm as iron, which would close immediately and be welded shut if she sensed even a slight oddity.

After hearing everything, Kiryu Hina appeared very relaxed instead, stretching her fingers and satisfactorily observing her newly painted pink nail polish, she lazily said, "I told you from the start to tell Ayakoji Chiyoko about our affair and what happened afterwards. You didn't listen to me, and this is the consequence."

"..."

Kiryu Hina's thoughts had always been unpredictable, and Kagura Hikaru didn't even know if this outcome was within her expectations as well.

"You messed up someone else's plan and you're not even apologizing? That's really too much."

"I'm sorry."

"It lacks sincerity, say it again." Kiryu Hina toyed with her fingers, her head still lowered.

"...I am truly very sorry, President Kiryu, I messed up your plan."

"That's more like it."

She stood up, hands behind her back, and left just like that, leaving behind an ambiguous remark: "It's too early to give up, the opportunity is there, you just can't see it; go back and wait."

"...Hina."

Suddenly, Kagura Hikaru said.

Kiryu Hina's forward steps halted, she lowered her head, and fell into a long silence: "Don't call me like that."

"Hina, there is one thing I need to confirm with you." Find your next read on empire

"I told you not to call me like that!!"

A loud shout.

The student council president who turned her head, had lost her usual smile, becoming as fearsome as a demon.

In her fury, Kagura Hikaru found a trace of her reality.

She finally took off her mask.

Kagura Hikaru looked into her eyes, and repeated once more: "Hina, there is one thing I need to confirm with you."

"..."

"After everything is over, we're square, you and I needn't see each other again, nor speak, right?"

"Ha...?" Kiryu Hina's eyes twitched, she let out a dark laugh, "You think you can settle your debt by doing this, how funny."

"Yes, I owe you a great debt," Kagura Hikaru said, "so before we part ways after graduation, I hope to do something for you in the end."

"You....."

"Hina, no, President Kiryu."

Kagura Hikaru rose from the bench, standing in front of Kiryu Hina, "I'm very sorry for the past, and after I do this, you won't see me anymore."

He walked past Kiryu Hina, leaving just like that.

She was left alone in silence.

After a long while, Kiryu Hina suddenly burst up, kicked the bench heavily, stood panting heavily, and clenched her fists tightly.

"It's the same again, you're trying to run away from me, what a joke... this secret, I'll devour you for a lifetime!"

........

Afterwards, Kagura Hikaru had a period of very tranquil time.

He was simultaneously abandoned by those two women, and they no longer interfered with him.

Neither the Ayakoji conquest plan nor the student council president elimination plan was mentioned to him ever again.

This feeling of being forgotten by both parties felt unexpectedly... quite nice?

But such days did not last long.

By the time the whole affair was over, when he had left from beside Hina and Ayakoji Chiyoko, perhaps these moments would become routine.

But at least for now, Kagura Hikaru still could not afford such leisure.

On a typical afternoon, Kagura Hikaru suddenly received a notification from the Disciplinary Committee's LINE group, specifically asking him to gather at the Disciplinary Committee after school.

After school, Kagura Hikaru arrived on time at the Disciplinary Committee.

Entering Ayakoji Chiyoko's private office, Kagura Hikaru found that there were also two others waiting inside, one was the Gorilla Vice President and the other, a flat-headed burly man.

"Coach."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Coach."

Both men nodded and greeted Kagura Hikaru at the same time.

Since Kagura Hikaru had started his position within the Disciplinary Committee, though he hadn't deliberately sought it, his prestige had rapidly increased within the organization.

Now, he was not only an insider in the Disciplinary Committee but had become a teacher to everyone here, and they all regarded him with respect.

Kagura Hikaru nodded in response and, taking the opportunity before Ayakoji Chiyoko arrived, sat down to casually ask them, "Do you know what this is about?"

The flat-headed man did not know, but the Gorilla Vice President had guessed something.

"The Nationwide High School Kendo Tournament is coming up, that must be what this is about."

Nationwide High School Kendo Tournament?

Kagura Hikaru pondered, vaguely retrieving some traces from his fragmented memory.

That must be the Kendo competition co-hosted by various regional high schools, selecting a representative from each region to compete, with eliminatory rounds determining the winners.

It was not a particularly niche competition, with annual broadcasts of the events.

But the problem was...

"The Kendo Tournament, what does it have to do with the Disciplinary Committee, isn't it supposed to be the Kendo Club participating?" Kagura Hikaru said, perplexed.

"It's precisely because we can't rely on the people from the Kendo Club that we are needed."

Ayakoji suddenly pushed the door open.

"President, hello!" both the flat-headed man and the Gorilla Vice President stood up and exclaimed at the same time.

"Sit."

Ayakoji Chiyoko pressed her hand down and walked behind the desk to sit, placing her fists on the table.

"This year, the members of the Kendo Club are not up to par, so they formally requested that three members from the Disciplinary Committee and two from the Kendo Club fight together in the national tournament," she explained.

Upon hearing this, Kagura Hikaru glanced at the two next to him.

One, two, plus him makes three.

"Miyamoto Shi, Vice President Wada, and I will represent the Disciplinary Committee," Ayakoji Chiyoko looked towards Kagura Hikaru. "Kagura Hikaru, I want you to come along as the club manager."

Okay, so he was just there to run errands.

The so-called club manager was officially the logistics leader but, less flatteringly, was just a menial worker serving drinks and performing chores, usually held by the least skilled at club activities.

This felt somewhat insulting; even the flat-headed Miyamoto Shi and the Gorilla Vice President widened their eyes.

Everyone knew that Kagura Hikaru was the best at Kendo in the Disciplinary Committee.

The legend of his one against sixty battle was still fresh in everyone's memory—it was really only a matter of days ago. Who could forget it?

Subsequently, he assumed the role of a coach, instructing all the Disciplinary Committee members in hand-to-hand combat and Kendo, far surpassing others in both knowledge and skill, earning everyone's respect.

Yet, Ayakoji Chiyoko did not let him compete but instead assigned Kagura Hikaru to play nanny; this...

Miyamoto Shi and the Gorilla Vice President remained silent.

Lately, everyone had more or less noticed something.

The vibes between President Ayakoji and Kagura Hikaru were off.

Although the relationship between the two had never been very close, they used to at least make small talk, but now, even when staying in the same room, their eyes wouldn't meet.

Especially Ayakoji Chiyoko, it was as if she couldn't see Kagura Hikaru at all, always looking in other directions when mentioning his name.

Had the two of them had a fight?

Disrespectful thoughts surfaced in the minds of Miyamoto Shi and the Gorilla Vice President.