Chapter 17

The long-awaited day of the debate finally arrived. From the moment she sat down at breakfast that morning, Yuina had been visibly tense, poking half-heartedly at her food.

The real showdown would be after school. With students in clubs too busy to attend, the audience would mostly consist of students who didn’t belong to any clubs—roughly a third of the entire school. That was the expected turnout for the debate.

Our preparations were flawless. Using the information we had gathered in advance, Yuina and I had carefully discussed how to frame our arguments.

Now all that was left was to deliver on stage without stumbling.

When I arrived at school, the hallways were already buzzing. Everyone was talking about the debate. It seemed the match-up of Kuze and Madame versus Yuina and me had become the hot topic.

As Yuina and I passed through, a couple of girls called out, “Do your best at today’s debate!”

So it wasn’t just Yuina. Apparently, I’d drawn some attention too.

In the classroom, I found Ikki chatting animatedly with our classmates. Judging by the snippets I overheard, he was already hyping up the debate.

“That’s why I’m saying, Izumi-san’s going to crush it.”

“But she’s up against Kuze. That won’t be easy.”

“Come on, that’s what Hotaka’s there for. He’ll cover her.”

…Hey, don’t push all that pressure on me. Sure, I planned to back her up if needed, but I wasn’t aiming to take the spotlight. The main role belonged to Yuina.

“Oh, speak of the devil—look who just showed up.”

Ikki spotted me and called out. I could only give a wry smile.

“Don’t expect too much.”

“What are you talking about? You’re her partner. If you don’t support her, I’ll never forgive you.”

He jabbed me lightly in the chest. He had helped us in more ways than one. I really did want to repay him with a victory. I gave him a nod and slid into my seat.

After school, the time had come.

Since I was part of the debate, I left the classroom as soon as homeroom ended and headed straight to the gymnasium. Kuze and Madame were already there. Madame gave me a small bow, polite as ever. Soon after, Yuina arrived, and I went over to her side.

“It’s finally time.”

“Yeah. Think of it as the first battle before the election. If we can’t win here, we won’t stand a chance later.”

“I know. That’s why I’ll definitely win.”

We couldn’t afford to lose.

The debate wouldn’t declare an official victor, but the audience’s reactions would tell us everything. We had to prove we can stand toe-to-toe with Kuze’s pair, and more importantly, show everyone that Yuina had what it took to be president.

“The format of today’s debate will be as follows—”

A student from the election committee explained the proceedings. Kuze’s team would present their platform first, then ours, followed by a Q&A session.

Yuina listened carefully, her brows slightly furrowed in thought.

Kuze, on the other hand, wore his usual charming smile, while Madame adjusted her glasses, her sharp gaze flashing.

There was no turning back. All that remained was to give it our all.

The moderator called Kuze’s name. He and Madame stepped forward, and Yuina and I followed.

On stage, two tables had been set facing each other. We sat opposite our rivals, each pair side by side.

“Now then, let’s begin. Kuze-san, please present your platform.”

“Yes.”

Kuze rose with practiced ease, straightened his back, and with a confident glance over the student body, lightly tapped the mic. A faint crackle filled the gym, pulling everyone’s eyes to him.

“My platform consists of three points: raising the average grades of our student body, expanding volunteer opportunities, and prohibiting romantic relationships.”

The crowd stirred immediately, particularly at the last point—banning romance.

Kuze gave a dramatic little cough before continuing.

“First, raising grades. I propose creating a dedicated study room. Not everyone can concentrate at home. With a study room, students will have a place to focus, and this will inevitably raise overall performance. That is my first pledge.”

…Clever. He wasn’t just talking about results. He was presenting a concrete solution. Our school didn’t allow self-study in the library, so offering a study room was a huge plus for everyone.

“Next, expanding volunteer work. By strengthening ties with our community, we’ll encourage students to participate in volunteer activities. The student council and disciplinary committee will take the lead in organizing this, and we’ll negotiate with teachers so participation contributes to report card scores.”

Also smart. Most of the audience was made up of go-home club students—people with free time on their hands. Dangle the promise of better grades, and they’d line up to join.

“Lastly, the ban on romance. Recently, the disciplinary committee has reported inappropriate behavior from couples on school grounds. A school is meant for study. I believe the decline in academic performance is tied to loosening discipline. Of course, outside of school, you’re free to do as you like. But within these walls, romance will be forbidden. This ties back to my first pledge—restoring academic focus. Let us return to a proper school life, dedicated to learning. Thank you.”

Kuze ended his speech with perfect poise. It was impressive, and no doubt well-received by students who valued the school’s reputation.

Then it was Yuina’s turn. Prompted by the moderator, she stood gracefully.

“My name is Izumi Yuina, and I am running for student council president. I, too, have three pledges. First, a redesign of our school uniforms.”

That alone sparked a reaction from the crowd, especially among the girls.

“The current uniform, with its plain collar-up jackets and lowers, lacks individuality. By introducing an original design unique to our school, we can increase enrollment interest. This will naturally raise the school’s brand value, and current students will enjoy coming to school even more. There’s another benefit—outside our walls, people will immediately recognize us as students of this school. When they see us behaving responsibly, it will reflect positively on the school’s image.”

A solid start. Uniform redesign had been on many students’ wish lists for years, and with a logical reason behind it, the point landed well.

“Second, raising academic performance, which is similar to Kuze-kun’s pledge. To improve our school’s standing, higher grades are essential. I myself do not have the best grades, so I want to create opportunities for those like me to improve. I propose student council-led study sessions. If I’m elected, Vice President Anjou-kun—our top-ranked student—will teach. By participating, even students who normally slack off at home will be motivated to study.”

This overlap with Kuze’s point was intentional. To appeal to students concerned about academics, we couldn’t afford to ignore it.

“And third—freedom of romance. I believe love should be free. Too many adults lament the lack of opportunities once they enter society. When work consumes your life, love becomes harder to find. The time to experience it is now, during our youth. To fall in love, to cherish someone, that’s part of what it means to grow. Of course, we must observe proper boundaries. But I believe students should be free to love, to make their one and only youth shine. My pledges all share a single goal: to make our school a more joyful place. If you agree, I ask for your vote.”

Yuina finished with a clear voice and a confident smile.

I hadn’t spoken a word, but even I felt proud. She radiated a presence that matched Kuze’s and the applause that followed was proof.

“Now we move on to the Q&A session.”

The first to raise a hand was Madame.

“My question is for Izumi-san. You say ‘freedom of romance,’ but we have already witnessed couples behaving inappropriately at school. Allowing romance will only encourage such misconduct. How do you respond to that?”

A sharp, strategic move. Just what I expected from her as a disciplinary committee member.

Yuina smiled faintly, then lifted the mic.

“You’ve got it backwards, Madame-san. Prohibiting romance only drives students to hide it. If they’re caught, punishment follows, which only breeds resentment. Isn’t it healthier to allow it openly, while setting clear standards of conduct?”

“Isn’t that an idealistic view? If there are no bans, students will act without restraint. That’s why restrictions and punishments are necessary to maintain order.”

Madame pressed firmly, her eyes narrowing.

“But love isn’t something you can suppress. It’s natural. It just happens. Are you saying those feelings should be denied?”

“As I said, outside of school you are free. But on school grounds, proper behavior must be upheld.”

“No. Some people can only see each other at school. What about their feelings? Do we tell them those don’t matter?”

The back-and-forth intensified. The gym fell silent as everyone leaned in, absorbed in the clash.

Yuina refused to yield. This was the moment we had prepared for—the crack in Kuze’s perfect armor.

“Madame-san, both of us are here because our parents once fell in love. To deny the value of love is to deny our very existence. A school that forbids love—that denies such a fundamental part of being human—cannot be right. Love should be free. Anyone should be allowed to fall for anyone. That’s how we grow into adults, how our hearts mature. That freedom must be protected.”

“…!”

Madame faltered, momentarily speechless.

Yuina had turned the tables, winning this round decisively.

The crowd broke into applause, while Kuze chuckled wryly and reached over to ruffle Madame’s hair in consolation.

So far, so good. We were holding our ground.

I raised my hand, waiting for the right moment to jump in.