Prologue
(A/N Notes: This is the first chapter for my new release schedule test (can be seen on either my wattled profile or my twitter/bluesky accounts), which I had more time to write and got a few new ideas in comparison to the original remake.
I hope you guys will like this version. But if you all still want to read the old version, just say so that I will create a shared folder with the drafts of the original, as I stated at the beginning of this month (April 2025).
And just a heads-up, I did use AI to make a grammar revision of this chapter's draft. And I will be doing so for all my chapters onwards, while always comparing with the original draft to ensure that the program doesn't break any of the essence.
Again, I hope you guys like this new prologue.)
On the early morning of April 8th, the orange rays of light from the rising sun could be seen illuminating a room through a gap in the curtains. Rustling sounds soon came from within the sheets covering the bed inside the room, as something stirred underneath before slowly rising, revealing the figure of a certain person.
"Hnnnnngghhhhhh!!!" Stretching herself "... Whew!"
The person in question was a long, silver-grey-haired girl with a beautiful and handsome look, who, even after just waking up, was already smiling brightly with a carefree expression as she basked in the comforting warmth of the small ray of light streaming into her bedroom.
"..." Picks up her phone and turns it on "..."
Without any trace of sleepiness, the girl nodded to herself as she made her plans for the morning. She got out of bed, folded the sheets, and put them away in her wardrobe. Then, she went to the window, drew the curtain open, and let the fresh morning air in. With the first tasks of the day complete, she left her room, revealing the rest of her home—a decently sized 2LDK apartment.
The apartment was, of course, quiet, as she lived alone. But she had mostly grown accustomed to the sight, having already spent a year living there during her first year of high school. As she always did, the girl walked to the glass door that led to the balcony and, just like in her bedroom, opened the curtains and the door to let the air circulate.
Takes a deep breath "... ... ... Phew... I feel like today will be a good day."
After taking a short moment to enjoy the fresh morning breeze, the girl went to the kitchen, where she prepared a simple breakfast for herself, as well as her lunch box—which, just like her appearance, looked perfect. After finishing her meal and washing the dishes, she went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face, before returning to her bedroom.
Back in her room, the girl took off her sleepwear, which consisted of a simple loose white T-shirt and small shorts. As she removed her shirt, the image reflected in the full-body mirror was that of a tall girl with an eye-catching figure—curved in all the right places. Yet, she paid little attention to her body, having long since grown used to it. Instead, she pulled a black sailor-style school uniform from the wardrobe.
"..."
She stared at the uniform in silence, as if pondering something, then took a deep breath before starting to put it on. She had no trouble putting it on, nor did she feel uncomfortable wearing it. However...
"... ... ... And this one is already one of the largest sizes available..."
In the mirror, she could clearly see that the uniform was just barely fitting her figure—by a hair's breadth. It even seemed to emphasize her chest quite noticeably.
"... I hope I won't grow anymore... Otherwise, I'll have to buy a new uniform again... And a custom one at that..."
As she silently prayed that her growth spurt would finally come to an end, she sighed and picked up a purple ribbon, using it to tie her hair into a simple high ponytail.
"..." Checks herself in the mirror once more "Humu! Nods No problems here! Now all I need to do is check my materials..."
Having finished changing into her uniform, the girl checked the contents of her school bag to ensure she had everything she needed for the day. Seeing that everything was in order, she picked up the bag, closed her bedroom window, and left the room.
In the living room, she locked the glass door to the balcony, picked up her lunchbox—which was sitting on the same table she'd had breakfast at earlier—and finally, at the entrance, she put on her outdoor shoes and stepped out of the apartment.
As the girl locked her front door, a sign beside it read "Nanami"—her family name. After confirming the door was securely shut, Nanami began walking toward the elevator. But as she passed one of the neighboring doors, she couldn't help but notice that it now had a nameplate of its own.
"Hm?... Tanaka?... Ah! It appears that I'll be having a neighbor from now on! I hope we can get along in the future."
When she pressed the button to call the elevator, she watched the floor numbers slowly rise as it approached her level. But then, it stopped—right on the floor below hers—before rising again and opening its doors to Nanami.
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After a relatively short walk to her school, Nanami could already see the front gates were open as she passed by the large metal plaque bearing the name Yama High.
"Oya? If it isn't the new Supreme Leader of the Student Council—Nanami-kaichou!"
"Ahaha. You don't need to go that far, sensei."
Upon receiving such a greeting from her teacher, Nanami couldn't help but smile awkwardly and laugh softly in response.
"No, no, no, I must insist! After all, that's what that little rascal decided to be called as. And we can't just turn our backs on that paper she submitted back then. Ahahaha!"
"I-I see... Well then, I'll head to the student council room now."
"Of course, Nanami-kaichou! Please enjoy your first day as a second-year!"
The teacher, who was in charge of the P.E. classes, laughed heartily as he emphasized the quirky situation created by the previous student council president. Nanami could only offer a weak smile and a vague response as she excused herself, her expression still slightly troubled.
Then, as Nanami walked toward the main school building, she couldn't help but reminisce about the graduation ceremony that had taken place just two weeks ago—brought to mind by the P.E. teacher's mention of her predecessor.
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A few days before the graduation ceremony — in the Student Council room
"First-year Nanami Yuriko-san, please swear upon the Constitution of the Student Council of Yama High—written by yours truly, me!—that you will do your utmost as the President and Supreme Leader of the Student Council."
"... ... ... Come again?"
That was all Yuriko could say after hearing her senior's words, as the older girl held up a picture frame containing a piece of paper with the word "Constitution" written in big, bold letters—while wearing a very overconfident expression.
"Ah, right! I haven't explained how the change of leadership works here to the first-year volunteers. Ahem, so, Yuriko-san...
After I became the president of the student council, I found that holding elections every year was too much of a hassle. I also didn't like the possibility of losing this position—which gave me a false sense of superiority—to some other charismatic student or newcomer who wasn't me.
So I decided to change the whole process to an appointment-based system, where I'd personally pick my successor on the day I graduate. And yes, I got the teachers' and principal's approval for my coup—which brings us to today! And lucky you! You're now my appointed successor! Be happy!"
"... O-Okay?"
Once again, Yuriko could only respond with a confused voice to her overly enthusiastic senior.
"Now! Place your hand upon my Constitution of the Student Council so you can officially become the next president!"
"Hm... Do I really need to do it, senpai?"
"Not at all! But I want to do it! And I won't accept no as an answer!"
"Ah, I understand."
Seeing that she didn't really have much of a choice in the matter, Yuriko simply decided to go along with her senior's wishes—especially since she did owe her quite a bit for all the help she had given her.
"..." Places hand on the picture frame
"Good! Now, Nanami Yuriko-san, do you swear to do your utmost as the new Student Council President of Yama High?"
"... Yes, I do, senpai."
"Very good! Now, upon the powers bestowed to me—by myself, with the permission of the teachers and principal—I hereby grant you the titles of President and Supreme Leader of the Student Council, Nanami Yuriko-kaichou!"
"Ahaha..."
Yuriko scratched her cheek, feeling a little embarrassed by all the theatrics from her very eccentric senior.
"Alright! Now that my duty here is done, I shall take my leave!" Gets up
"! Hm, senpai? Can I ask you a few questions before you leave?"
"Huh?...! Of course, you can! Ask me anything!" Sits back down
"Thank you, so... is there anything different about my duties compared to... other schools?"
"Nah, not really. Most of the changes I made were purely aesthetic... Though the only real difference is that, as the president, you'll be the one appointing students to the other positions (aside from the treasurer)."
"Did you say something at the end, Senpai?"
"Nope!"
"Ah, I see..."
Upon hearing that she'd have to recruit people to join the student council herself, Yuriko felt a bit down, as she couldn't help but remember all the times she had tried—and failed—to talk to someone at school.
"But you don't have to worry about that, Yuriko-Kaichou. Knowing how much people tend to avoid you because of how high-spec you are, I took it upon myself to forcibly recruit other first-years for the remaining positions. So you don't have to worry about that! You'll still need to get them to warm up to you, though."
"Ah! Thank you, senpai."
"Don't worry, it's the least I can do for all the trouble I'm giving you right now."
Seeing how her senpai was being considerate in her own eccentric way, Yuriko's troubled expression softened into a small, happy smile.
"I see... Thank you for doing that in my stead, senpai. Then... is there anything I should avoid doing? Like... changing the title back to just 'President'?"
"You can change the titles if you want, Yuriko-Kaichou. But undoing all of my centralization efforts and my constitution is a no-go."
"I see..."
"Oh, and you're also prohibited from disbanding the video games, manga, or anime clubs. Got it? None of them. Also, the snack and drinks budget for the Student Council is strictly off-limits!
I went through so much trouble trying to get my last treasurer to approve all of those, and he always refused. So I had no choice but to take full control of this room the day he got sick—and forcibly remove him from his position! And I'm not about to let anyone erase the greatest symbols of his utter humiliation! Wahahahahaha!"
"..."
For a moment, Yuriko felt like asking if that treasurer was the real reason her senpai had made all those changes to the student council in the first place... but she chose to stay silent. Something told her the conversation wouldn't go in a good direction if she asked.
Still, she had one last question lingering in her mind.
"...Senpai, one last question... ... ... Why did you choose me?"
"Oh, that? Well, to be honest, it was a very close race between you and Kurosawa-san when I was first deciding who to appoint. But the more I thought about it, the simpler it became, Yuriko-Kaichou.
I chose you over everyone else because you were the only one who volunteered to help with Student Council duties of your own volition. You're diligent and quick with paperwork, you have the best grades in the school, and you've got a great, easygoing personality that makes people admire you—even though they're also kind of afraid to talk to you because of how perfect your specs are. However! The most important factor of all was..."
"..."
At her senior suddenly getting all serious, Yuriko felt her body tense up slightly.
"That you were the only person in this school to ever win both the Princess and Prince categories of the unofficial student popularity poll—Organized by yours truly, me!—And as is tradition in practically every school life manga and anime...
The Student Council must be led by either a super beautiful girl or a super handsome boy! And you, Nanami Yuriko-Kaichou, fit both categories perfectly—being the most beautiful and the most handsome person in this entire school! You were born to become my chosen successor!!!
As for why I chose you instead of Kurosawa-san, well... she's already part of the Public Morals Committee, and my friend—who's their current leader—is also graduating, so they'll need someone new in her place. And honestly, don't you think Kurosawa-san is totally the serious, intimidating beauty with black hair who'd fit that role perfectly, Yuriko-Kaichou?"
"...Ahahaha..."
For the third time, Yuriko made a troubled face and let out a weak laugh at her senior's wildly colorful reasoning. But even so, she couldn't bring herself to be annoyed at her senpai's absurd logic—because she was the only person in the whole school who ever talked to her so casually and lightheartedly.
Just like her senior had said, everyone else in school kept their distance from Yuriko—or treated her far too formally, like she was an idol at a fan meet-and-greet. All because of her ridiculously high specs, which made her the center of attention for both boys and girls alike. It was something she had experienced for most of her life.
"Well then, I guess it's time for both of us to get going, Yuriko-Kaichou. I wish you good luck as the new Student Council President."
"I also wish you good luck on your university entrance exams, senpai."
"Fufun!"
And with that, her senpai walked toward the door with her usual overconfident personality, while Yuriko felt happy that their last conversation had ended in such a lighthearted way. But just as she was about to leave the room...
"Oh yeah! I almost forgot. I talked with the principal, and she said that as the Student Council President, you have full permission to beat someone to a pulp if you ever deem it necessary. And to talk to her if you ever require the use of a used metal bat."
"... ... ..."
At that last comment, all Yuriko could do was freeze in place, wondering if the principal had been some kind of delinquent in the past to say something like that. She also silently hoped she would never have to use that particular permission.
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Back to the present
Yuriko was now inside the Student Council room, standing right next to the seat where her senpai used to sit—in the flashiest way possible—as she finished reminiscing about that conversation.
And on her face was...
"..."
A very troubled expression, as she was getting mixed feelings from remembering that whole exchange. So Yuriko just took a deep breath and began organizing the Student Council room. She started by replacing the table signs, removing the flashy titles her predecessor had given to all the council positions, and restoring the original ones instead.
She then opened the curtains of the windows, dusted off the tables and other furniture, and finally swept the floor to remove any remaining dirt. After a few minutes, she had already finished organizing the Student Council room.
"Hmm..."
Knock knock knock
"? Please, come in."
But before she could leave, Yuriko heard someone knocking on the door. She briefly wondered who it could be at this hour, but didn't delay her response for long. Upon her invitation, the door opened, revealing a black-haired beauty with a serious expression—one that also held a subtle air of handsomeness.
"Ah! Kurosawa-kanchou, good morning. I didn't expect to see you this early today."
"... Respectfully bows... Good morning, Nanami-Kaichou. As the head of the Public Morals Committee, appointed by the previous president herself, I found it only natural to arrive before everyone else. Even more so today, as it is our first day of school. Though, it appears you arrived even earlier than I did, Nanami-Kaichou."
"Ahaha, well, I guess it was just by chance that I came earlier than usual today. Also, Kurosawa-Kanchou, you don't need to be so formal with me—you can just call me by my name."
"... I must decline, Nanami-kaichou. The other students have chosen you as both the princess and prince of the school, and you are also the current Student Council President. It is only natural that I address you as such, especially considering I am the head of the Public Morals Committee."
"I-I see... That's too bad, I suppose. Ahaha..."
Hearing Kurosawa refuse to lessen the distance between them, Yuriko could only give up. She let out a small, somewhat awkward laugh, her smile taking on a slightly melancholic tone—a stark contrast to Kurosawa, who maintained her serious and emotionless expression.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, Nanami-Kaichou, I shall go prepare everything necessary for the committee's activities."
"Ah! Would you like me to help with that, Kurosawa-Kanchou?"
"... That won't be necessary, Nanami-kaichou. I cannot possibly trouble the school's prince and Student Council President with matters I can handle on my own. Besides, I believe you have your own tasks that are far more important than helping me."
"Ah... okay... Good luck, Kurosawa-kanchou."
"... Nods"
With that, Kurosawa took her leave from the Student Council room, leaving Yuriko once again all by herself in the quiet room. The only sound that followed was the slight creak of the table as Yuriko leaned back against it.
"Haha... Chosen as the school's prince, huh?... Even though you came in a close second, Kurosawa-Kanchou."
Yuriko wore a sad smile as she recalled the results of the unofficial voting that had taken place during the school festival in her first year at Yama High.
She could clearly remember the confused look on her own face when the results were announced—having won in both the prince and princess categories. But she also remembered seeing the name "Kurosawa Haruka" listed just beneath hers. The difference in votes was so small it could have easily been considered a tie—especially for the School Prince title.
"She really is just like the rumors say... Stiff and uncompromising... As expected of the Black School Prince, hahaha..."
Yuriko let out a weak laugh as she mentioned one of the nicknames given to Haruka by the students. It reminded her of the similar nickname she had been given.
"Sigh... I guess I should head to the teachers' office to talk about changing the titles back."
Not wanting to dwell any longer on her role at school, Yuriko returned to what she had been planning to do before she was interrupted. And so, she left the Student Council room, heading in the opposite direction from where Haruka had gone.
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In the empty hallways illuminated by the morning sun, the sound of a girl's footsteps echoed—until it was interrupted by a sudden gust of wind blowing through the open windows.
The girl's lustrous, long black curly hair, tied in a short half-up ponytail, fluttered. For a moment, her long bangs were lifted, revealing a pair of crimson-red eyes—before falling back down to once again conceal her right eye. The breeze was enough to make the girl stop in her tracks to fix her now slightly disheveled bangs.
The girl in question was Kurosawa Haruka. In a complete shift from her demeanor just moments ago, she now wore a noticeably more relaxed expression, having shed all the tension she had displayed earlier. Her previously serious and intimidating air was nowhere to be seen—replaced instead by a look of quiet relief. However, that expression didn't last long. It soon shifted into one of subtle unease, as she remembered that she would now be working alongside none other than Yuriko.
"... Sigh... If I had only known back then that things would turn out like this..."
As Haruka looked out the window, her mind drifted back to memories from her first year of high school.
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About a year ago
"I'm home."
As Haruka stepped inside her house and called out her arrival, she was greeted only by silence.
"... I guess they'll be late today."
Seeing that she would be alone for the time being, Haruka first went to the kitchen, where she picked up a popsicle before making her way to the living room. There, she dropped her bag on the floor, and with the popsicle in her mouth, she flopped onto the sofa. She wore a thoughtful expression as she sucked on the popsicle, then pulled it from her mouth for a moment to let out a sigh.
"Sigh... ... ... Why does everyone keep running away whenever I talk to them?"
As she muttered that in genuine confusion, her thoughts drifted back to all the times she had tried talking to someone that day.
Before the start of classes
"Oi, you dropped this." Glaring intimidatingly
"A-Ah! T-Thank you, a-and I-I'm sorry for troubling you!" Quickly gets up and leaves the classroom
"...?" Glaring in confused silence
At lunchtime
"... Can I sit here?" Glaring and standing menacingly
"Huh!? Ah! Y-Y-Yes, p-p-please do! W-We'll find a-a-another s-seat f-for ourselves!" Quickly stands up from the table
" " "Y-Y-Yeah!" " " Everyone nodding frantically
"Eh? Why ar—..."
After School
"..." Walking down the corridor
BAM A ball narrowly misses her and slams into the wall
"!?" Freezes in place, wearing a blank expression
"Ah! Sorry about that, are you okay?"
"..." Mechanically turns her head and glares intensely
"H-HIIIIII!? W-W-We're deeply sorry f-for t-t-that, Kurosawa-sama! P-P-Please, forgive us!!!" Runs away
"..." Confused and mildly fearing for her life
. . .
"... Why does no one want to talk to me?..."
Unaware that her stiff expression and unintentional glaring whenever she spoke were the reasons people felt intimidated by her, Haruka could only grow more confused as she recalled both today's and past experiences. She absentmindedly moved the popsicle up and down, left and right, and even traced circles with it in the air—until she finally popped it back into her mouth and took a bite.
"Crunch crunch crunch—swallows... ... Kuh! Brain freeze Aaaaaauuuuuggghhh!... ... ... Haa... Haa... Haaa... Takes a deep breath... Whew..."
After surviving the harmless brain freeze, Haruka dragged her school bag closer with her feet. From it, she pulled out the monthly manga magazine she had bought on the way home. Laying on the sofa, she began flipping through the pages as she continued munching on her popsicle.
Most of the magazine didn't grab her attention—she skimmed through the new releases that didn't interest her, and read through the chapters of the ongoing series she followed rather quickly.
"... ... ... Hm?"
One of the new releases caught her eye. It was a standard rom-com featuring a public morals committee member and a good-hearted delinquent. But that wasn't what drew her attention—it was the fact that the female committee member was portrayed as being popular among the students.
This detail sparked a memory of something she had seen earlier at school.
Hours earlier, at school
"Hm?" Notices a certain poster parodying a famous war propaganda poster
"...Eh." Shrugs shoulders
. . .
"... ... ... Gasp That's it! If I join the Public Morals Committee, people will start to notice my good points and approach me!"
Completely unaware of how desperate she was to make friends, Haruka didn't notice the obvious flaws in her logic. But that didn't stop her from charging forward with her hastily formed, spur-of-the-moment plan.
The next day
"I would like to join the Public Morals Committee."
As she had resolved the day before, Haruka came to the student council room—just as the poster instructed—and volunteered. Now, standing before her was the Student Council President, looking at her with a smile and pose so sinister it could've earned her a spot as a manga villain. Behind her stood the current head of the Public Morals Committee.
"I see, I see... So you want to join the Public Morals Committee, do you, Kurosawa Haruka-san?"
"That is correct, Kaichou."
"Very well, then... Tell me your motivation for doing so. And I'll consider it."
"My... motivation?"
"Kurosawa-san, what will your answer be?"
"! ... ... ... Kaichou, I... I want to have a place where I can be myself. A place where I can show everyone who I am and help them understand what my ideals are."
Pressed by the president, Haruka ended up voicing her real intentions—but in a very glorified and embellished way, unintentionally mixing in flowery words and vague ideals that meant something entirely different from what she was truly thinking. All while speaking in her usual serious, intimidating tone, with her expression growing even more intense and her eyes narrowing into that classic, piercing glare.
In response to her answer, the president simply closed her eyes while maintaining her villainous smile. She also clenched her intertwined fingers to hide their trembling—caused by Haruka's overwhelmingly intimidating atmosphere.
"I see. So that's your reason, huh?"
"... Nods"
"... ... ... Deep breath Very well. You may join the Public Morals Committee." Looks away while cold sweating
"Thank you, Kaichou."
"Mhm. Nods Now you may take your leave, Kurosawa-san."
Having received permission to join the Public Morals Committee and to leave the room, Haruka rose from her seat, respectfully bowed, and exited the student council room.
"..."
"..."
"I thought you didn't want an upright person in the Public Morals Committee, Kaichou."
"And I don't, my dear morals enforcer. However!..."
"However?"
"However, every Public Morals Committee needs a really tall and intimidating black-haired beauty who's also a black belt—or equivalent—in some form of martial arts!"
"And Kurosawa-sama fits that bill, doesn't she?"
"Correct, my dear right-hand woman! Though, it would be nice if she wasn't too into maintaining morals... and maybe had some rumors floating around about how absurdly strong she is or something like that. Though, I'd be playing a little too close to fire if she actually had a nickname based on her strength and also happened to be a judo black belt or something like that..."
"... Looks at the president, then looks away in a pensive manner If you say so, Kaichou."
"Oh, and before I forget, my dear bodyguard—Kurosawa-san will become the head of the Public Morals Committee once we graduate. No questions asked."
"Okay."
"Anyways! A toast to me for getting one step closer to my idealized student council body! Wahahahahaha!"
Some days later, Haruka would earn the nickname The Public Morals Demon, after an incident that also revealed she did hold a black belt in judo. It was said that the president made a scrunched-up face for an entire month following that event.
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Back to the present
"... Sigh... I should get going now."
After finishing her reminiscence about how she entered the Public Morals Committee—and some of the ensuing hijinks between that time and her becoming the new head—Haruka pushed herself off the window she had been resting against and began walking again toward the Public Morals Committee room.
At that same time, as both Yuriko and Haruka went off in different directions, neither of them noticed a third student arriving earlier than usual. He looked fairly ordinary—if not for the streak of red-wine-colored hair on the left side of his bangs—as he walked with a rather languid gait.