This year's first-years had made history—especially Class D, which became a laughingstock after losing all 1,000 of their class points in the first month.
Knowing that Hikigaya was in Class D, Tachibana Akane could guess why he seemed a bit down lately.
"Thanks for the offer, senpai, but I'm not too worried about points right now."
Hikigaya appreciated her kindness. Everyone knew how important private points were—many lower-ranked classes were struggling, and only social butterflies like Hirata or Kushida could borrow points from upperclassmen.
So when Tachibana Akane offered to lend him points, he felt... complicated.
Seeing his reaction, Tachibana Akane didn't press further and instead tried to comfort him.
"You're worried about your class, aren't you? The gap between your expectations and how the school actually sees you... especially after learning the truth about Class D, it must be tough. The competition between classes, the conflicts within your own class, all the little troubles—these are all challenges on the road to becoming an excellent student. I believe you can turn this pressure into motivation. I have high hopes for you."
Her words were both meant to reassure Hikigaya and to express her own thoughts.
"Senpai, does that mean you and the president were also placed in Class D at first?" Hikigaya asked curiously.
Tachibana Akane froze for a second, then shook her head a little sheepishly.
"Nope, both the president and I started in Class A."
Hikigaya: "..."
Seeing Hikigaya's blank expression, Tachibana Akane chuckled. "I know what you're thinking. When we first started, the point difference between Class A and the other classes—B and C—was less than 200. So being in Class A isn't some kind of magic safety net. In fact, because we're in the lead, we have to deal with even more pressure than everyone else.
As the president puts it, being ahead for now doesn't mean we'll win in the end. Over these three years, there were times when we almost got overtaken. But in the end, the president held firm, led us through the challenges, and that's why the Class A you see today exists. That's why we can't afford to let our guard down for even a moment."
Hikigaya didn't know the full details, but from Tachibana Akane's words and expression, he could tell how much hardship and pressure they had endured over the past three years.
"But, senpai, I have a question."
After a brief silence, Hikigaya suddenly asked, "I know that only students who graduate from Class A get guaranteed job placements and college admissions. In other words, the school sees Class A students as the best. But here's the problem... does that evaluation really apply to every student in Class A?
I'm not saying Class A students aren't talented. In fact, I think only the best students deserve to be in Class A and receive these privileges. Do you get what I mean?"
Tachibana Akane was stunned for a moment, as if she hadn't expected such a tricky question.
"I know what you mean, Hikigaya. You're wondering if some students are just '****,' right?"
Hikigaya nodded. This was one of his biggest complaints about this school. It claimed to cultivate excellence, yet it made competition a team effort based on class rankings.
If Class D somehow managed to climb up and graduate as Class A, it would mean there were indeed outstanding students in the class. But... could students like Ike, Yamauchi, Sudou, Karuizawa, or even Sakura really call themselves 'excellent' without feeling guilty?
Of course, people can grow and improve, and the future is uncertain. But no matter how hard he tried, Hikigaya just couldn't imagine someone like Yamauchi having a promising future—what was he supposed to evolve into, a chimpanzee?
Giving those students the label of 'Class A's best' felt like an insult to others who worked harder and were actually capable.
It was like being born into a rich family—no matter how useless you were, you could still enjoy wealth that others could never obtain in their lifetime.
To Hikigaya, this school's so-called 'elite graduates' felt more like a marketing gimmick than a reality. On the surface, it looked like a system that rewarded the best, but deep down, it was hollow.
Tachibana Akane fell silent at such a sharp question. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "I didn't expect you to be thinking about this already. To be honest, this issue does exist. But can you really say it's wrong?"
"The pressure in Class A is immense—far greater than you can imagine. For someone like me, who wasn't particularly talented at the start and even held the class back, I had to push myself as hard as possible just to keep up with everyone. I couldn't afford to be a burden.
So, am I an 'excellent student' now? Honestly, I don't know. I don't even have the mental space to think about that anymore. All I can do is move forward, keep pushing, and never stop. That's all there is to it."
Her voice was soft, but the weight behind her words revealed just how real and exhausting the past three years had been for her. For the first time, Hikigaya got a deeper understanding of what it really meant to be a student at this school.
"Haha, do I seem totally different from what you imagined a Class A senior to be?" Tachibana Akane stuck out her tongue playfully.
"A senior is still a senior. I was just overthinking things." Hikigaya reflected on himself.
Tachibana Akane smiled and shook her head. "Actually, everything I just told you... that's something the president taught us. I still remember what he said back then:
'What does it mean to be an excellent student? That's just a label given to us by the school, by society, by people. Some of you might feel like you don't deserve to be in Class A, that you're not good enough, that you're dragging the class down.
But that kind of thinking is pointless and wrong.
Climbing a mountain isn't easy. On the road to success, you'll face challenges and hardships, and sometimes, people will fall behind. There may even be times when helping someone could slow the whole group down. But even so, I don't believe anyone in our team is an unnecessary burden.
Excellence isn't about how others see you. It's when you can look back at your past self and see how much you've improved, matured, and grown. That's when you can confidently tell yourself—"You've become an excellent person."'"
Hikigaya suddenly got goosebumps. At the same time, he noticed the amused look on Tachibana Akane's face.
"So this is the answer the president found in this school? I always thought he was just some ruthless, power-driven guy who only believed in strength." Hikigaya couldn't help but sigh.
This school claimed to cultivate the best students, but that didn't mean 'strength above all' was the only path. Horikita Manabu had found a different answer through his own thinking and actions.
It might not be the correct answer, but at least it showed that another possibility existed.
So this was what it meant to have the presence of a student council president?
"...No wonder you like him, senpai."
"W-What are you suddenly talking about?! Like him? No, no, don't say weird things! I-I just... just..." Tachibana Akane's face turned bright red as she stammered, hastily organizing the papers on her desk in a panic.
"?"
"Anyway! Today's work is done! Hikigaya, you've worked hard these past few days, so go get some rest!"
Before he could react, he was practically shoved out of the student council office by an unexpected force.
Even after leaving the school building, he was still wondering—how could such a small girl have so much strength?
Was Tachibana-senpai secretly a hidden power ranger?
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