The Spoils of War

The new order at Seiryu High settled with an eerie, profound calm. The hallways, once a tense landscape of predator and prey, were now orderly. Fights dropped to zero. Bullying and extortion vanished overnight. The students walked with a new sense of security, all under the unspoken, universally acknowledged rule of the boy in class 2-B.

The Thug King's reign was, ironically, the most peaceful period in the school's violent history.

Kenji's daily life took on a new, highly structured rhythm orchestrated by his court. He would arrive at school, escorted by Maruyama. He would attend his classes. He would eat lunch at his "King's Table," where Akari would give him a streamlined report on school affairs ("Productivity is up 15%"), and Rina would provide intelligence on external threats ("The White Tigers sent a formal gift basket. I checked it for bombs. It was clear.").

His afternoons were now free, thanks to Akari's schedule manipulation. He would spend them in the rooftop garden, his "sanctuary," where he would read, study, or simply observe the city. He had even started a small planter box, using the fertilizer Hina Otokawa had given him.

It was on one such afternoon that a new complication arrived.

"Tanaka-sama," a soft, melodious voice said.

Kenji looked up from his book on advanced particle physics. Hina Otokawa stood at the entrance to the rooftop garden, dressed in her pristine St. Isabelle's uniform. She was holding a small, elegant lacquered box.

Rina, who had appointed herself the rooftop's unofficial guard, immediately stepped in front of her. "The Princess is slumming it again. What do you want now, Lingerie-hime?" (a crude pun on her name).

Hina's smile didn't waver. "It's pronounced 'Hina', Sato-san. And I am here to deliver a report to Tanaka-sama, as is my duty." She addressed Kenji, completely ignoring Rina's hostility. "My father sends his congratulations on your... consolidation of power. He was particularly impressed by how you handled the Inagawa-kai. He says you have a 'knack for administration'."

She presented the box to Kenji. "A small token. My father has arranged for a private tutor to be available to you. A retired professor from Tokyo University. He believes a man of your... potential... should not be constrained by a standard high school curriculum."

Akari, who had come up to deliver some papers, overheard this and her eyes narrowed. It was a brilliant, insidious move. An offer of academic advancement was a direct challenge to her own role as the one who managed his "legitimate" school life. It was an attack on her turf.

"That is a very generous offer, Otokawa-san," Akari said, stepping forward, her voice dripping with ice. "However, Tanaka-kun's academic progress is already being expertly managed by the Seiryu Student Council to ensure a balanced and holistic educational experience."

"Of course," Hina replied, her smile like sweet poison. "I'm sure the Seiryu curriculum is perfectly... adequate. This is merely a supplement, for a mind that is clearly extraordinary."

The air on the rooftop crackled with the unspoken warfare between the three young women. Rina, the warrior, bristled with open hostility. Akari, the politician, fought with veiled barbs and bureaucratic maneuvering. Hina, the aristocrat, battled with generous gifts that were also subtle power plays.

They were all fighting for the position of Kenji's most valuable courtier.

Kenji, meanwhile, looked at the business card for the Tokyo University professor. "He specializes in quantum mechanics. This would be a more efficient way to understand the material than independent study." He looked at Hina. "Thank you. This is a useful resource."

Hina beamed, a clear point scored in her favor. Rina fumed. Akari's jaw tightened.

Maruyama, watching from the corner, just sighed. The battles around his Senpai were becoming far too complex for him to understand.

It was then that Yui Amano appeared at the rooftop door, holding a bento box. She had come to deliver his lunch, a quiet ritual they had established. She saw the three powerful, beautiful women surrounding Kenji, all vying for his attention, and she froze, her courage deserting her. She looked like a small sparrow that had accidentally wandered into a den of lionesses.

She was about to retreat when Kenji saw her. His expression, which had been neutral and analytical, softened instantly.

"Amano-san," he said, his voice holding a warmth that was reserved only for her. "You are here."

That single, gentle acknowledgment was more powerful than any political victory. Hina's perfect smile faltered. Akari's composure cracked for a second. Rina's angry pout deepened into a jealous scowl. They could offer him power, intelligence, and structure, but they could not elicit that reaction from him.

Yui, seeing his warm gaze, found her courage. She walked forward and presented the bento box. "I... I made extra today," she said shyly.

"I am grateful," Kenji said, accepting it. He then turned to his court. "I am now going to eat my lunch. The meeting is adjourned."

It was a clear dismissal. The three most powerful girls in the city were just told to leave because his lunch had arrived. Defeated, they had no choice but to retreat, leaving Kenji and Yui alone in the garden.

As he sat down to eat, Yui sat a comfortable distance away. "They are all amazing, aren't they?" she said, her voice a little sad. "Ishikawa-san, Sato-san, and now Otokawa-san. They can all help you in ways I can't."

Kenji paused his eating. He looked at the perfectly cooked tamagoyaki in his bento. He thought of the stressful "diplomacy" and "administration" that now filled his days. He thought of the constant vigilance and the weight of his new responsibilities.

"Akari-san brings me problems to be solved," he said, thinking aloud. "Rina-san brings me news of future fights. Hina-san brings me new expectations to live up to."

He then looked at Yui, at her simple, earnest presence.

"You," he said, his voice soft and sincere, "bring me lunch."

Yui's heart fluttered. She thought he was pointing out how useless she was in comparison. "I'm sorry it's all I can do..."

"No," Kenji corrected her, his gaze direct and unwavering. "You are the only one who brings me something without asking for anything in return. You are the only one who does not treat me like a king, or a sensei, or a weapon. You treat me like a person. That is the most valuable resource of all."

He picked up a piece of tamagoyaki with his chopsticks and held it out to her. "Here," he said. "A perfectly efficient exchange."

Tears welled up in Yui's eyes. Blushing furiously, she leaned forward and accepted the offering. In the silent war for the Thug King's heart, the quiet girl with the bento box had just won the most important battle yet, without ever realizing she was fighting.