Another Like Me - Part I (CoTE x OC) ?

Chapter 56 - Cold Reading

"..... are you perhaps implying that you want there to be expellees from my Class, senpai?"

"By all means, no!" he said quickly. "I'm merely stating the facts. Whether you accept them or not, it's up to you, isn't it?"

"I suppose it is," I sighed. "Have there been any expellees in your year, senpai? I'm a bit curious."

"My year? Oh, you can say my year is quite special indeed," Nagumo replied. "And by special, I mean that our school year has by far had the most expellees in a single year ever recorded."

I scrunched up my eyebrows. "And why is that?"

"You see, I love individual meritocracy, Takeyama," Nagumo said as though unveiling a new brand product. "Watching several highly-capable students being dragged down and undermined due to a larger sector of defectives? It irked me. I wanted to free them of their misery."

"..... that doesn't answer my question."

"It will in due time, Council Secretary. What I meant is that there are several capable individuals who would do anything to rise up to a higher class, sacrificing and leaving everything in their previous class behind," Nagumo replied. "I assume you know about this?"

"..... I do know. Kiriyama-senpai had given me a brief on the working of the second year student body. It's very interesting and demoralizing at the same time."

"I had a feeling you would say something like that," Nagumo sighed. "Both you and Horikita-senpai. You don't see the merits that this system of individual competition and rewards holds, do you?"

"I do, senpai. I really do. But it undermines the entire notion that this school is built on, doesn't it? In the end, I don't really care. Whether the President changes the foundation completely, like you are beginning to do, or respect the traditions and protect Horikita-senpai's ideals. It doesn't matter to me, because I like a challenge."

"..... like always, your words surprise me, kouhai," Nagumo said, as he stared at me with furrowed eyebrows. "So can I assume that you will remain a neutral spectator in my endeavor to reform this school?"

"Correct. I'll basically be Switzerland."

"Oh? If it isn't Keisuke-kun!" I heard a happy and bouncy voice. I turned around to get a look at the visitor's face.

Chocolate-brown hair, and generous proportions. A flower clip adorning her hair, and a mini-skirt so short it threatened to spill over its secrets any second now.

"Oi, Miyabi! You didn't tell me you were gonna bring Keisuke along with you!" Asahina-senpai squealed happily, and she grabbed a chair and seated herself as close to me as possible. "How're you doin', Keisuke-kun?"

"..... I'm fine, senpai," I replied. "I think you're a bit too close....."

"No, I'm not," she replied seductively. "Or maybe you want me to sit somewhere else, kouhai....."

"Ahem," Nagumo cleared his throat, catching Nazuna-senpai's attention. "Nazuna. You know Takeyama?"

"Of course I do!" she replied. "He's the Student Council Secretary, right?"

"That's not what I meant," he sighed. "Everyone knows he is the Secretary. But when did you personally get to know him?"

"Haw? So I can't meet new people without your permission, Miyabi! Meanie!!"

"I did not say that....."

"Huh? Or maybe you're jealous, Miyabi?" she smirked slowly, and she pulled my arm closer to her, sandwiching it between her assets.