Hi all! Thanks so much to those who have read and those who have reviewed my story. I definately appreciate it! I'm also sorry it's taken me so long to update this work, but my life keeps me super busy, I suppose. With that being said, I haven't forgotten about this story (the characters, I must say, are a lot of fun to write), and so I finally managed to sit my butt down and finish Chapter 4 (it actually turned out that it's a bit shorter than the previous three chapters, so that helped it me completing it). Well, I hope you all enjoy!
Chapter 4
The following morning, a bitter Nakamura Taro marched onto the grounds of Eitoku High School. Just twenty four hours earlier, things had been going relatively well for him; he had the Student Council, the Flowery Four, the students, and the school officials all wrapped around his finger. How could things have gone so wrong so quickly? Taro could only come up with one answer to this - Itou Osamu, he thought venomously. Clenching his fists tightly, Taro gritted his teeth, No! I won't let it end this way! I just need to come up with a plan, and soon I'll return to my rightful place as the most powerful person at this school. I just need to get through today...
Taro trailed off in thoughts when his gaze fell on his little sister walking some distance in front of him. With both panic and irritation spreading across his face, Taro anxiously ran to catch up to her, grabbing her by the shoulder and stopping her from continuing any further. Whispering harshly, he scolded, "Emi-chan! Just what are you doing here? I thought I told you to stay home today!"
"I am sorry, Oni-chan," Emi-chan apologized. "But I couldn't simply sit in my room knowing that I have a red tag sitting in my locker waiting just for me!"
"Are you crazy?" Taro reproached her. "Do you have any idea what a red tag means?"
"Of course, I know, Oni-chan. I have been studying this school's history for quite some time, after all."
"Then why on earth would you want to subject yourself to the wild animals that attend this school?"
"Because it's just so exciting, Oni-chan!" Emi squealed. "To think, after waiting so long, I'll finally be part of the history of this school – part of the F4's legacy! After all, how can I properly document the hazing rituals of this school unless I truly experience them for myself? This is such a thrilling opportunity for a budding historian like me! I just can't wait!"
Taro stood dumbfounded as his sister twirled around and skipped toward the school's main building. When she was some yards away, Taro regained himself and shouted, "Emi-chan, wait!"
The ever political vice president of the Student Council did not catch up with his younger sibling until he was inside the school. There, around Emi's locker, a crowd of hostile students had gathered, with Emi and her freshly hung red tag at the center. Emi faced her imminent attackers eagerly, while a suddenly determined and exceptionally defensive Taro narrowed his eyes and pushed his way through the crowd. "Enough! He ordered as he stumbled forward to his sister's side. "You all better back off!"
"Oni-chan?" Emi blinked in confusion.
Taro, however, ignored her, and continued. "I said 'back off!'"
The crowd snickered. "And why should we?" one of the boys asked snidely. "She's got a red tag in her locker, after all."
"They are right, Oni-chan," Emi spoke up matter-of-factly, "I do have a red tag."
"Well, red paper is banned!" Taro snapped stupidly. "Now, I suggest you all leave my sister alone immediately or else!"
"Or else, what?" another boy chided. "Will we have to beat you up, too?" The others laughed harder.
"This is absurd," Taro argued, "You can't beat me up. I am Nakamura Taro – the vice president of the Student Council!"
"Oh, please," Watanabe Cho now chimed in from where she observed from the nearby stairway, along with Inada Naomi and Tsutsumi Suzu. There was a cruel smirk on her face. "He sounds like that idiot Itou."
The other students voiced their agreement and Taro felt his blood boiling even at the notion that he was anything like the foolish Osamu. "Now, listen here –"
Yet, his classmates cared little for his feelings. One of them, who had been an egg in his hand, grew antsy and said. "How about I'm the first to get the ball rolling?" He sniggered, and his peers laughed with him.
"Don't even think about it!" Taro instinctively exclaimed, standing in front of his small sister.
"And just what are you going to do about it?" the male student with the egg challenged.
It was then that it hit Taro – he knew the boy threatening him and, more importantly, his sister, Emi. Narrowing his eyes, he said coldly, "Fuyutsubu – Fuyutsubu Hiro."
"So you know my name – so what?"
"I suggest you put that egg down unless you want your teacher to know how you managed to pass your last test."
The boy appeared startled at this and recoiled. "You – you know about that?"
"Of course," Taro replied wryly. "And you!" He pointed his finger to a male individual to his left. "I'm sure you don't want that little incident with a certain someone getting around, especially to your girlfriend, do you?"
"Uh..."
"And how about you, huh?" Taro directed his wrath toward a female participant. "It certainly would be terrible if everyone found out about that operation you had during the break, now would it?" At this, the girl, fearful, looked as if she was about to cry at the suggestion. Eyeing another classmate, Taro continued, "And you, Kimoda-san, do you want to share where you go after school everyday or should I?" He turned to yet another, "Oh, and what a scandal it would be if everyone discovered about your father's recent, questionable business dealings, Norichi-san!"
Growing incredibly white, the teenager named Norichi gulped and said, "Hey guys, I think we should, uh, get to class..." The rest of the students murmured worried agreements, not wanting Taro to even vaguely share their hidden secrets with the rest of the student body. And with that, those enrolled at Eitoku High School made their exit and headed to their classrooms, leaving the red tagged victim completely untouched. When they were gone, Taro let out a sigh and at last relaxed.
"Wow, Oni-chan!" Emi exclaimed, quite astonished. "While I would have loved to have been able to document my very own red-tag incident, this was even better! I mean, that was one of the most monumental moments in the history of this institution! You just – single-handedly – stopped a Flowery Four ordered hazing occurrence from taking place! That has never happened – ever!"
Taro, realizing himself what just unfolded, smiled triumphantly. "I did, didn't I? I must have underestimated my powers at this school, Emi-chan. But it turns out, since I know everything about everyone, that I am the most influential person in attendance, after all." His grin grew wider as he let out a haughty cackle, the light reflecting off his glasses and hiding his calculating gaze.
Meanwhile, still watching inconspicuously from some distance away, Wantanabe Cho narrowed her eyes which were focused solely on the victorious Nakamura Taro.
"Okay, so you two remember the plan, right?" Osamu questioned an apprehensive Daisuke and a Michiko filled with dread as they marched into the Eitoku High School. "If we just stick to it, I'm sure we can overcome the unreasonable mob that Emi faces without compromising our principles to the dastardly Flowery Four!"
"Maybe we should just tell the principal or perhaps a teacher," Daisuke offered.
"Or the police," Michiko added with a mutter, as the two trotted reluctantly behind a confident but delusional Osamu.
"Nonsense," Osamu brushed aside their suggestions. "How can our fellow students trust us if we can't even trust them to understand the reasonable spirit of democracy? After all, I am their president – if they don't listen to me, who can we expect them to listen to? Besides, deep within them burns the innate desire for freedom, to at last break free of the oppressive chains that bind them to the totalitarian whims of the Flowery Four! You two are much too pessimistic!"
Daisuke frowned and Michiko groaned, both tired of having been involved in one of the Flowery Four hazing incidents two times already and it was only the fourth day of the new school year. "How do you even talk me into these stupid things, Osamu-chan..." Michiko trailed off with aggravation.
"It's not stupid it's – huh?" Osamu abruptly stopped in his tracks, causing both the secretary and treasurer of the Student Council to collide into his back. To his surprise, there was Emi, peacefully finishing up at her locker, not a single person around her. "Wh-what?" he stammered in disbelief. "Where is everyone?"
"Well, that's an unexpected turn of events," Daisuke commented.
Growing furious as he watched Emi leave her locker and walk toward her classroom, Osamu then declared incredulously, "That liar! He was just trying to trick me into resigning! And he used his sister against me! Damn that conniving Nakamura!"
"To think I defended him!" an equally outraged Michiko exclaimed. "Well, it's a good thing you stood your ground, Osamu-chan."
"Thank you, Michiko-chan," Osamu said proudly. "But, to be honest, I just knew something was up. I mean, I did ban red paper, so how could they have tagged her?"
Both Daisuke and Michiko exchanged unconvinced glances at this last point, but decided not to argue with the boastful Osamu. "Anyway," Michiko went on, "I'm just glad we're not going to get beaten up again today."
"Who said anything about us getting beaten up?" Osamu questioned. "If we followed the plan – "
"Sure, sure," Michiko rolled her eyes, moving past him and heading down the hall toward her locker. Daisuke, in the meantime, shrugged, and followed suit, leaving Osamu alone in the hall. That corrupt Nakamura, he thought bitterly, he almost made a fool of our illustrious Student Council! As president of the student body, I have no choice but to protect my fellow peers and see that that untrustworthy fraud is impeached and removed at once!
The Flowery Four stood impatiently outside, their leader anxiously checking his watch repeatedly. "What is taking them so long?" Hotaka questioned edgily. "It's been seven minutes since his sister went into the building!"
"Hmm..." Akio murmured, looking deep in thought.
"What? What is it?" Hotaka demanded.
"Nothing," Akio replied simply. "I was just thinking about something..."
"Oh, come on, Kobayashi-san," Kenji spoke up. "There's no need to fuss. They probably broke the poor puny thing in two in a snap – no pun intended, of course!" He let out a haughty laugh as he continued to brush his long, chocolate locks.
"You don't think they actually did, do you, Tanaka-san?" Ryota asked fretfully.
This caused Kenji to laugh some more, stroking his hand through his silky hair. "Really, Suzuki-san! What's it to you anyway?"
"It's just that...well...I kind of feel funny about what we're doing to Nakamura's little sister..." Ryota admitted sheepishly.
"It's called guilt, Suzuki-san," Akio remarked stoically.
"Aw, be careful, Yamamoto-san – grown-up words confuse our dear Suzuki!" Kenji chuckled boisterously, all the while continuing to tend to his hair.
"Seriously, though," Ryota spoke up, trying his best not to let his friend's cutting words get the best of him. "Don't you guys think that this might be a little bit below us? Maybe?"
"You don't know what you're talking about, Suzuki-san," Hotaka snapped. "Nakamura's getting what's coming to him."
"But why couldn't we just red tag him, then?" Ryota asked desperately.
"Because!" Hotaka grew angry. "I said so!"
"I still say that Nakamura boy simply needs a lady – or a gentleman – to unwind him for a night!" Kenji chimed in. "Or maybe both! What a roar that would be!"
Ryota frowned at Kenji's implications while Hotaka scoffed in disgust and Akio remained unresponsive. Averting his gaze to the ground, Ryota murmured softly, "Well, this whole thing still feels kind of wrong..."
"If the ends justify the means, Suzuki-san..." Akio offered, eyes still locked on the silent school.
Hotaka let out a frustrated sigh. "What is taking them so long?" he wondered aloud again, losing interest in his friends' conversation.
"Kobayashi-san!" The familiar voice of Wantanbe Cho suddenly called out to the F4's leader. She was coming from the school and running to where the four handsome students had been waiting to see their plan unfold.
"Oh, great," Kenji moaned in disgust. "I can't stand that insufferable woman."
"Can it, Tanaka-san," Hotaka ordered as Cho grew near, although he seemed rather irritated himself.
"You'll never believe what's happened, Kobayashi-san!" She said when she reached the Flowery Four, somewhat out of breath and looking a touch excited.
"What is it Wantanbe-san?" Hotaka questioned harshly. "I'm kind of busy right now, waiting for – "
"That's just it!" She interrupted, clinging to him. "It's all in shambles! The whole things completely fallen apart! It's just so terrible!" She seemed to begin sobbing.
"Hmm?" Akio appeared unexpectedly interested, as he directed his attention over to Cho and Hotaka.
"What?" Hotaka, in the meantime, took a violent hold of Cho's wrist and glared down at her. "What do you mean?"
Growing annoyed at his brutish hostility, Cho wriggled her wrist from Hotaka's grasp and crossed her arms haughtily; the distress she had just seconds before had vanished completely, replaced by smugness at the Flowery Four's recent defeat. "Just what I said," she answered wryly. "Your little plan didn't work. Nakamura got the best of you."
"Really?" Ryota perked up as he questioned Cho eagerly. "That's – " He began, but swallowing his happiness at seeing the rage on Hotaka's face, concluded with "uh, terrible..." Letting out a nervous chuckle, he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. Meanwhile, Kenji burst into laughter, exclaiming, "Oh, this is much too much!"
Wrath flashed across Hotaka's eyes. "That's impossible!"
"Not really, if you think about it," Cho went on matter-of-factly. "I'm surprised I didn't realize it sooner myself. I mean, seriously, Nakamura knows everything worth knowing about every student that goes to this school. He simply blackmailed them all to leave his sister alone. I have to say, it was quite ingenious!" An intrigued smirk slipped across her face.
"Well, nobody cares what you have to say!" Hotaka barked. "I'll just have to take care of Nakamura myself. Let's see if he can talk his way out of me beating the crap out of him." Temper flaring, he pushed pass Cho, causing her to stumble back a bit, and seemed quite ready to track down Nakamura, wherever he was, and rip him apart.
Cho grimaced, not having calculated such a heated reaction from Hotaka. So, she quickly called to him; "Hold on, Kobayashi-san! You can't just go and beat up Nakamura! Say if he ends up in a coma or something!"
"And what the hell would be wrong with that?" Hotaka spun around fiercely to face her.
"Because it's much too extreme of a response, of course," she explained hastily. "If you go after him now, you're just acknowledging that Nakamura got the upper-hand on you. I mean, only brutes resort to violence when their opponents outsmart them. And I – I just couldn't bear to see the student populous think so lowly of you, Kobayashi-san, I just couldn't!" Breaking into tears again as she said her last comment, she ran toward him and buried her head into his chest, crying. "Please, don't do this, Kobayashi-san! Please! You're much too wonderful to get yourself sullied by a creep like Nakamura! I don't even want to think of what would come of the Flowery Four if Nakamura got his way and everyone lost complete respect for you! So, please, please Kobayashi-san, do this one thing for me!"
"Oh, please," Kenji groaned in disdain, for the first time ceasing his hair brushing. "You're not going to listen to that evil woman's ridiculous babble, are you Kobayashi-san?"
"Shut up, Tanaka-san!" Hotaka irately commanded. Then, he, his anger having dulled with Cho pressed up against him, said to her, "Fine, Wantanbe-san. I'll leave Nakamura alone for now, but only because you seem so worried about me. Just remember you owe me for this."
"Oh, of course, Kobayashi-san, of course!" she continued to softly cry. "Thank you so much!"
Kenji gagged at this, muttering to a confused Ryota, "How disgusting!"
Akio, however, faintly smirked. "Interesting..."
Itou Osamu, dressed in his gym clothes, paced the corridor outside the boy's locker room a few minutes before his morning Physical Education class was scheduled to begin. Completely enraged and fists clenched, he muttered loudly, almost maniacally, to himself, "Just wait until that Nakamura gets out here! I am going to give him a piece of my mind, that little, conniving creep! And then I'm going to tell him all about his impending impeachment this afternoon! Oh, is Nakamura in for a shock – no one will dare try and destroy the integrity of our esteemed Student Council ever again, nor will they threaten the democracy that we are charged to uphold and protect once I'm through with him!"
Saitou Daisuke, also in his gym clothes, frowned as he watched and listened to the president of the Student Council vent his many grievances against his shrewd vice president. "Uh, Itou-san, don't you think that we might be late to class if we get into a confrontation with Nakamura-san now?"
"Don't worry, Saitou-san," Osamu assured him, "I've timed my speech perfectly. We'll be finished with Nakamura with forty four seconds to spare."
"Oh…" Daisuke trailed off with a hint of disappointment. "But are you sure you want to make a scene?"
"It's not a scene, Saitou-san – it's a message!" Osamu feverishly answered, raising a fist to the air with fervor. "As my father says, 'the only way for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing!'"
"Wasn't that Edmund Burke?"
"Well, yes, but my father says it, too." Daisuke furrowed his eyebrows with worry at this, but did not say anything else. "Now where is that damn Nakamura!" Osamu then exclaimed with frustration.
"Ahem," Nakamura Taro cleared his throat from behind Osamu, having just exited the boy's locker room. "You're looking for me, I presume." He pushed up his glasses, and was smiling widely, a very smug, satisfied expression across his face.
Immediately, Osamu spun around to face his adversary, pointing an angry finger at Taro. "In fact, yes I am! It is my democratic and civic duty, as the president of this fine institution's venerated Student Council to inform you that – "
"Excuse me for interrupting, Itou-san, but there are only a couple more minutes to class and I have important instructions for the two of you," Taro interjected.
"I was in the middle of a speech!" Osamu shouted with annoyance.
"Yes, well, that will have to wait," Taro brushed Osamu's blatant anger aside, "Because, as I said, I have something very important to discuss with you."
Osamu narrowed his eyes suspiciously; despite Taro's best efforts, it was obvious he was quite excited about something. "Just what are you up to, Nakamura-san? What are you so happy for?"
"I'm surprised, Itou-san," Taro let out a chuckle, "For someone who claims to be the voice of his fellow students, you really are ignorant to the happenings here at Eitoku. But I suppose that mostly has to do with the fact that nobody talks to you, seeing as nobody likes you."
"What do you mean?" an irritated Osamu demanded. "People talk to me! People like me! I am their fearless leader, after all – their democratically elected representative! And for you to think that I don't know what happens at this school, why, it's preposterous! For instance, I figured out quite easily how you tried to trick me into resigning with that ridiculous story about your sister being red-tagged. What do you say to that, hmm?"
"I say that you're an idiot," Taro answered coolly with a smirk which caused Osamu's blood to boil and his face to grow red with fury. Taro, however, continued, "Because, you see, Itou-san, my sister was red-tagged."
Osamu's anger subsided a bit, as it was replaced by confusion. Blinking with perplexity, he asked, "What?"
"You heard me," Taro stated, the light reflecting off his glasses and shielding his proud eyes.
"But that doesn't make any sense! I saw – we saw – this morning there was nothing! Right, Saitou-san?"
"It's true," Daisuke spoke up. "There were none of the typical signs that a Flowery Four hazing incident occurred."
"That's because a Flower Four hazing incident didn't occur," Taro haughtily explained, "But my sister was red-tagged."
"I don't understand," Osamu finally admitted, exchanging a baffled glance with an equally puzzled Daisuke.
"Ask around," Taro then told them, grinning mysteriously. "And then meet me at lunch in the first floor boy's bathroom for an emergency Student Council meeting."
"In the boy's bathroom?" Daisuke questioned. "But I thought the Student Council met in the storage room."
"Not for this meeting," Taro replied. "This is a very special, very secret meeting. No one is to know about it. And that includes my sister and Takahashi."
"But I tell Michiko everything," Osamu objected.
"Well, don't tell her this," Taro ordered very sternly, directing an intimidating glare toward the Student Council president. He then concluded, "I expect you both to be prompt, as we'll need all the time we can get. Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to be late for class." Taro then pushed past the two of them and headed outside to where the rest of his peers had gathered for their warm-ups.
"But – " Osamu feebly called after the Vice President, but to no avail.
"I suppose that really didn't work out how you planned, did it Itou-san?" Daisuke asked sympathetically.
"No."
"I'm sorry, Itou-san," Daisuke apologized. "But we don't have to meet up with Nakamura at lunch if you don't want to."
"Don't be absurd!" Osamu snapped to Daisuke's surprise. "Of course we're meeting up with Nakamura!"
"We are…?"
"Well, we have to see what he's planning, obviously! Now, it could very well be a trap, Saitou-san, so we'll have to be especially on guard. But, as student representatives, it's our job to risk our lives for the welfare of all those we serve! It's just the nature of the kind of work we're in, after all."
"Uh, Itou-san, I don't know if this is a very good idea…" Daisuke murmured, looking rather apprehensive.
Beginning to march down the hall to the nearby exit, Osamu ignored his classmate's concern and ordered, "Come on, Saitou-san, we better hurry so we're not late for gym. The last thing I need is a tardy on my flawless record."
"Yes, Itou-san," Daisuke complied with an uncertain frown. Yet, he followed after the zealous Osamu, having learned quite quickly during his first four days at Eitoku High School that any attempt at a rational protest would be utterly in vain.
"Isn't that unbelievable?" Takahashi Michiko was saying to Daisuke and Osamu as the three did their warm-up stretches at the beginning of their gym class. "When Hino told me, I thought she was making it up, but both Ishida and Kamiya backed up her story! The whole school's buzzing about it! That Nakamura Taro really is full of surprises, isn't he?"
Osamu grumbled something bitterly but incoherent to himself before muttering audibly, "Well, you could have at least told me about this before I made an idiot of myself in front of Nakamura."
"Sorry, Osamu-chan, but I just heard about it when I was changing in the locker room," Michiko explained. "Still, you have to admit, it is impressive."
"Whatever…" Osamu mumbled, looking away in a huff, thinking to himself, Why must that damn Nakamura always have the upper-hand?
Meanwhile, a contemplative Daisuke said, "But this information does put our conversation with Nakamura in a different context. I wonder now what he could possibly want to mee – "
"Saitou-san!" Osamu interrupted crossly, quickly turning his gaze back to his fellow student representatives. "I'm sure Michiko doesn't want to hear about all that!"
"Oh, right," Daisuke at once realized his error, as he glanced over at the confused Michiko. "I almost forgot."
"Forgot what?" Michiko now asked curiously, studying her male companions quizzically. "What are you two talking about?"
"Nothing, Michiko-chan!" Osamu hastily answered. "Anyway, about lunch today, unfortunately, Saitou and I – "
"Oh, uh, I wanted to talk to you about that," Michiko sheepishly cut in, her cheeks growing slightly pink. "I, um, won't be able to have lunch with you today…."
"Why not?" Osamu inquired.
"It's just that…um…I have to get a physical before I can compete in the track meet next week. That's it!" Michiko laughed weakly and then added earnestly, "But I'll definitely sit with you again tomorrow, I promise. I'm sorry."
"There's no need to apologize, Michiko-chan," Osamu said with relief. "Saitou and I will be perfectly fine on our own, won't we Saitou-san?" Daisuke nodded in agreement. "See? No worries!" This time, Osamu let out a nervous chuckle and soon Michiko joined him, until the two of them were both laughing awkwardly together as Daisuke simply sat there watching with a frown.
Meanwhile, a few yards away, a victorious Nakamura Taro stood alone, eyeing his peers, many of whom exchanged whispers as discreetly as possible about the clever vice president who had single-handedly outsmarted the Flowery Four. How quickly the masses learn, he thought happily to himself. I am the most powerful person at this school and none of them – not even the F4 – will ever think about challenging my authority again. To think, how simple it all was, but this is just the beginning, really. Not to mention, I'm sure to win over the beautiful Takahashi now – how could she not be amazed by my brilliance?
Nearby, Suzuki Ryota slowly walked over to the arrogant Student Council vice president. His head was lowered and he stared at his feet before he guiltily began, "Uh, Nakamura-san, not that I don't want to participate in our gym class today, but usually by now you'll come and speak to me if I haven't come to speak to you and, well, I hope you're not angry about this morning...because I'm sorry..." He now bowed his head further.
Taro let out an abrupt laugh before saying, "I suppose you're not as stupid as we've all been led to think. At least you're quick enough to recognize the new order at this high school has already begun to be established."
"What?" Ryota questioned confused, looking up at last. "I just felt bad about tagging your little sister. It was a stupid thing to do, you know. But don't tell the guys I said so, all right?"
"Wait," Taro carefully examining Ryota with narrowed eyes, "You're apologizing simply for the sake of apologizing?"
Ryota's gaze returned to the ground. "It's just that, like I said, I kind of felt funny about the whole thing...Yamamoto said it was guilt...I just didn't like the idea that we might have put your little sister in danger. So I'm really sorry, because it wasn't right. I hope you're still not angry." Ryota then paused, and skeptically looked up at Taro. "That's why you haven't talked to me about business, isn't it? Because you're mad at me for what we did to your sister?"
"While, of course, I was less than pleased about the fact that my sister was targeted, the real reason I haven't spoken to you is because I have nothing to speak to you about." Taro grinned. "You see, Suzuki-san, I no longer need the Flowery Four. You can tell Kobayashi that our arrangement is officially terminated."
"But, Nakamura-san – "
"Don't worry, Suzuki-san," Taro continued, "Your apology seemed sincere enough, so I will take care to make special consideration for you. But trust me, things are going to start to change around here very quickly."
"Okay…" Ryota trailed off with a frown, uncertain of what else to say and looking rather troubled by the arrogant, shrewd grin on Taro's face. "I think, um, that I should go get back to my warm ups, so I'll just see you later Nakamura-san. Again, I'm sorry about your little sister." Managing a small wave goodbye and a weak smile, Ryota jogged away to where warm-ups were finishing up.
Sitting closely by, Wantanbe Cho, Inada Naomi, and Tsutsumi Suzu sat, half-heartedly doing their warm-ups as the latter two gossiped and giggled superciliously. Cho, however, was not paying attention, for she had been carefully eavesdropping on Taro and Ryota's conversation. Now, as she watched Ryota leave the Student Council Vice President, she glared intensely at the clever Nakamura Taro, for she had heard everything he had said.
How have I allowed things to come to this?, Osamu wondered as he and Daisuke walked down the corridor to the first floor boy's bathroom at the start of their lunch period. Only a few days into my presidency and I've allowed this Nakamura to manipulate and control me so much that I haven't even accomplished anything on my agenda. I'm the president, not him. He's just the vice president! What's worse is that he's got me lying to Michiko – Michiko! – and I've never lied to her before. Why didn't I just tell her the truth, anyway? Why did I let that stupid Nakamura bully me into keeping this meeting a secret from her?
And in the meantime that unruly, illicit Flowery Four has been allowed to continue to function as if they were some sort of legitimate organization at this school instead of the corrupt, unlawful group that they are. They've dashed away all democratic rights with their oligarchic practices. Their mere existence threatens the well-being of all the students enrolled at Eitoku High School! If my father was Student Council president, I'm sure he wouldn't allow for any of this chaos to jeopardize the proper order and academic integrity of this institution. But that's because people like my father and they respect him. Maybe I'm really not cut out for any of this….
"Saitou-san, do you think I'm an idiot?" Osamu suddenly asked his companion.
Daisuke looked down at him and simply said, "No." He paused for a moment, and then inquired, "Why?"
Osamu sighed. "I don't know. Never mind." The two walked quietly for a few more moments when they at last reached the first floor boy's bathroom. Hesitating and exchanging worried glances, Osamu finally took a deep breath and said, "Well, let's go. But remember, Saitou-san, be on guard – as I said before, this could easily be a trap, so we have to be prepared for anything."
Nodding, Daisuke replied, "I understand." With this, Osamu pushed open the bathroom door and ventured in to the brightly lit room, Daisuke following close behind. Standing there waiting for them was Nakamura Taro.
"You could have tried to have gotten here a little bit faster," Taro remarked as he hurried past them. Stepping out, he pulled a sign out from his briefcase and placed it on the bathroom door; it read, "Undergoing repairs. Please use the bathroom on the second floor." Reentering the bathroom, he then locked the door.
"You can't do that!" Osamu immediately protested. "That's against school policies! Section four of our Policy Series reads – "
"Not now, Itou-san," Taro told him. "We don't have much time."
"Time for what?" Osamu heatedly interrogated.
"Time for this," Taro answered with a smirk as he took a brass door knob out of his briefcase and held it up.
"A door knob?" Daisuke questioned in confusion.
Taro smiled. "By now, I'm sure you are both aware of my impressive victory over the Flowery Four this morning, am I right?"
"Yes," Daisuke answered while Osamu muttered a bitter "Yeah…"
"Good. That means you understand that today I have begun to lay the foundation for a new order at this school, one where the Flowery Four is irrelevant."
"But I thought you were their ally," Osamu skeptically commented. "Why the sudden change in heart?"
"Perhaps I was their ally, but that was only when I thought I needed them," Taro explained, his grin growing wider with his mounting excitement. "This morning, though, I learned that I've acquired enough power during my time here to accomplish the Student Council's agenda without their assistance. In fact, I have come to view them more as a hindrance then as an aid. And, obviously, I wasn't happy that they targeted Emi, either. With that being said, the F4 still remains a threat, and thus, cannot be ignored. However, I believe that if we work together we can finally get rid of them once and for all – "
"Just what are you trying to say, Nakamura-san?" Osamu interrupted with rising suspicion. "You're not making any sense."
"Itou-san, this morning the first shots were fired, but that was merely the beginning," Taro stated somewhat elusively. "However, I've already put them on the defensive, so I'm positive we can come away victorious if we take advantage now."
"Wait – what?" Osamu looked over to Daisuke, who stood by his side, hoping for an answer, but all the Student Council treasurer could offer him was a shrug in response.
Taro sighed, for he was growing impatient. He then said boldly, "I'm talking about a revolution."
All three boys were quiet for a moment, then, Taro's words echoing through the boy's bathroom. Osamu studied Nakamura Taro with great scrutiny, unsure of what to make of such a brash statement, especially because it had come from who he had thought had been his sworn enemy. Slowly, he finally managed to ask, "You don't mean you want to challenge the F4...do you?"
"Of course, I do," Taro responded plainly. "And you do, too. Our interests are one in the same, Itou-san, so it only makes sense that I would forge what is obviously a natural alliance with you."
"But what does this have to do with the door knob you're holding?" Daisuke inquired with pensive interest.
"I'm glad you asked, Saitou-san. This door knob, gentleman, is the new door knob to the old Student Council office," Taro revealed. "We're going to take it back."
Both Daisuke and Osamu's faces dropped, Taro's newfound spirit taking them by surprise, and they uttered simultaneously, "Huh?"
"Don't you understand by now?" Taro let out a laugh and pushed up his glasses. "The Student Council is officially declaring war on the Flowery Four."
To be continued...