109. The Widely Welcomed Bet Agreement

“Ah—so you’re a senior? My apologies…” Jiang Yu was momentarily taken aback. He hadn’t expected the sharp-tongued blonde girl before him to be the student council president, let alone a senior.

He had always pictured student council presidents as the likes of Kanade Tachibana, Nao Tomori, or Iroha Isshiki. He wasn’t even sure who currently held that position at Toyonoki Academy.

Although Jiang Yu didn’t pay much mind to the rigid senior-junior distinctions typical of this island nation, and hadn’t been particularly formal when interacting with his senior, Utaha Kasumigaoka, he still tended to abide by local customs out of respect.

The sudden apology made Masahide furrow his brows slightly. He found it somewhat amusing that Eri Ayase, the blonde girl, seemed to dismiss his words as trivial.

Just as Masahide was about to fire back a sharp retort, Eri swallowed it and instead softened her tone. “So, which school are you from? I don’t recall Otanokizaka ever admitting male students.”

Originally, Eri had meant to say something more cutting, like “Who do you think you are to say that?” but even her milder phrasing retained an edge.

Jiang Yu felt a bit unsettled by the blonde girl’s assertiveness. Being so bluntly questioned about his identity was a first in his two stints as a student.

Wait—didn’t classmate Sawamura talk like this too? Are blondes just generally difficult? They were supposed to be cute…

Still, this was the time to support those girls. He couldn’t lose his nerve now. Jiang Yu met Eri’s gaze calmly and smiled. “I’m Jiang Yu, Class 2-B, Toyonoki Private Academy. Even if your school is all-girls, I assume there aren’t rules forbidding boys from entering after school hours, right?”

Facing her challenge head-on, Jiang Yu threw a direct question back.

Eri wrinkled her brow, trying to recall the school regulations. Indeed, no rule explicitly barred boys from staying on campus after classes.

Yet, it was the first time someone his age had held their own verbally against her. Until now, most people froze or faltered under her commanding presence.

Below, Honoka Kosaka watched the verbal sparring with shining eyes, murmuring something softly.

Minami Kotori looked anxious at the suddenly tense atmosphere. One party was her friend; the other, her senior. She didn’t want any conflict between them, so she stepped in. “Student council president, this is my friend. I invited him to watch our performance this afternoon…”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yu shrugged and smiled at Eri, deciding to take the initiative. His tone was relaxed, almost lazy. “Exactly.”

Eri’s sky-blue eyes narrowed slightly. If Nozomi Tojo were here, she’d easily tell her friend was annoyed.

The reason? Jiang Yu’s laid-back manner. Eri, who approached everything with utmost seriousness, despised those who were lax in conduct.

“So you see, this is their First Live. Do you still have hope for their future?” Eri asked bluntly.

The three girls on stage lowered their heads in disappointment. Even Honoka, who’d been resolute moments ago, struggled to find words to respond.

Watching the growing tension between them, Maki Nishikino looked worried and puzzled. From Jiang Yu’s earlier musical style, was he really someone who’d say such unpleasant things?

Hanayo Koizumi and Rin Hoshizora seemed unsure how to react, while Nico Yazawa remained captivated by Honoka’s earlier declaration: “One day, I’ll fill every seat here!”

Jiang Yu smiled in the face of such sharp words, maintaining his slow, irritatingly unhurried tone. “No success is achieved overnight. Even the once-dominant top-tier bands had their days of setbacks.”

“But their foundation as idols is too weak! Not even considering their singing, their dancing has many flaws. They even lack stamina—just one song leaves them gasping. How can they compare to the legendary bands you mentioned?” Eri countered fiercely.

Honoka and the others lowered their heads in shame—this point was undeniable.

Jiang Yu, sensing a key opening, chuckled knowingly. “You really know a lot about school idols, senior. Could it be…”

His words trailed off, leaving everyone to wonder. All eyes turned curiously and incredulously toward Eri.

Feeling their strange gazes, Eri struggled to keep her composure. Just as she was about to speak, Jiang Yu shifted the topic.

“Then how about a bet, student council president?”

Eri frowned but looked up at Jiang Yu, silently urging him to continue.

His expression grew serious. “Let’s bet on whether Muse can succeed or not. The wager: the loser agrees to a reasonable request that doesn’t violate any rules.”

As he finished, Jiang Yu noticed the girls’ odd looks fixated on him. Even Eri paused, her expression unreadable.

Recalling his words, he was confident he’d been clear and appropriate. Then, realizing the cause of their stares—his mention of the wager—he suddenly understood.

Clearing his throat awkwardly, Jiang Yu added, “Of course, the request won’t involve anything related to feelings.”

Upon hearing this, all the girls’ expressions shifted to relief and “Oh, that’s what you meant!” The tension eased; Jiang Yu himself breathed easier, though internally puzzled by his own nervousness.

“...So, what do you think? Acceptable?” Jiang Yu asked, restraining his urge to joke, though his enthusiasm waned.

“...Let’s wait until they have enough members to avoid disbanding,” Eri replied coolly, then turned and left the auditorium.

Yet, what was with that faint blush on the student council president’s face?