Arc 3: The Class President’s War Against Crime

  Chapter 11: Operation Reform Begins

  Scene 1: Reina Declares War on Kenji

  The first class of the day had barely begun, yet the tension in the room was palpable. The air buzzed with the usual low murmurs of students settling into their seats, papers shuffling, and the occasional yawn stretching from a sleep-deprived underachiever. Kenji Fujimura, however, was leaning back in his chair with an arm draped lazily over the backrest, his expression one of absolute indifference.

  He wasn’t expecting trouble—not this early, at least.

  Then she stood up.

  "Attention, everyone!"

  Reina Takahashi’s voice cut through the morning haze like a blade, instantly silencing the classroom. The poised, ever-righteous student council president stood at the front of the room, her glasses gleaming under the fluorescent lights. There was an air of authority about her, one that demanded compliance rather than approval.

  Kenji frowned. He could already tell whatever this was, he wasn’t going to like it.

  "Starting today," Reina continued, "I will be personally overseeing the moral reformation of Fujimura Kenji!"

  The room exploded.

  "Wait, what?!"

  "She’s doing what?!"

  "Oh no. No, no, no—this is a mistake."

  "S-She’s going to tame the monster?!"

  The cacophony of shock, confusion, and sheer horror nearly made the teacher drop his chalk. Students turned their wide-eyed stares from Reina to Kenji as if waiting for him to transform into some rampaging beast.

  Kenji, however, blinked slowly.

  What.

  Reina, unfazed by the dramatic reaction, adjusted her glasses and continued. "Effective immediately, I will be tutoring Fujimura in proper conduct and moral integrity. My goal is to mold him into a respectable, law-abiding student."

  Kenji leaned forward, his arms resting on his desk. "…What?"

  "You heard me."

  "No, no, I definitely heard you." He gave her an exasperated look. "I’m just trying to understand how exactly you came to the conclusion that I needed—what did you call it?—‘moral reformation?’"

  "Because you’re a bad influence," Reina said simply, as if it were an undeniable fact.

  Kenji scoffed. "On who?"

  Reina gestured vaguely toward the rest of the class, as if that alone answered the question. "You carry a dangerous reputation, and the younger students look up to you for the wrong reasons. I refuse to let this school fall into chaos under your influence."

  Kenji blinked again. Then he turned to the rest of the class. "Quick show of hands—who here has ever actually seen me do something delinquent?"

  Silence.

  Nobody moved.

  A single awkward cough from the back.

  Kenji turned back to Reina and smirked. "Seems like you’re wasting your time, Prez."

  Reina did not falter. "That’s because you’re a master manipulator. You’ve embedded yourself into this school’s social structure so well that you don’t even need to act. Your reputation alone does the damage."

  Kenji opened his mouth to argue, but before he could, a voice from the back of the room snickered.

  "That’s cute. You think you can change him?"

  All eyes shifted to Akari Hayashi, who was lazily twirling a pen between her fingers, her lips curled in an amused smirk. The only person more infamous than Kenji for stirring trouble, Akari had no patience for Reina’s theatrics.

  Reina ignored her completely. "This is not a debate. My decision has been made."

  Kenji let out a long sigh, running a hand through his already messy hair. "Listen, Prez. I get that you have this weird superhero complex or whatever, but trust me—wasting your time on me is gonna get you nowhere."

  Reina’s eyes narrowed. "Then prove me wrong."

  Kenji stared at her.

  She was serious.

  Like, dead serious.

  He exhaled sharply and slumped back into his seat. "Fine. Do whatever you want. Just don’t expect me to play along."

  Reina gave a satisfied nod. "Good. Our first session starts today after class."

  Kenji groaned. He should’ve kept his mouth shut.

  Meanwhile, Tetsuya Arakawa, Kenji’s ever-loyal but stoic bodyguard, leaned over and muttered, "Boss. Is she trying to make you weak?"

  Kenji grunted. "I have no idea what’s going on anymore."

  Across the room, Akari chuckled, clearly entertained. "Oh, this is gonna be fun."

  Scene 2: Reina’s "Plan" to Fix Him

  The energy in the classroom hadn’t settled. Students whispered in hushed, horrified voices, their gazes flickering between Reina, Kenji, and the sheer absurdity of what had just happened.

  Kenji, meanwhile, was still processing how he’d gone from minding his business to being the latest charity project of the student council president.

  Then Reina did something even worse.

  She pulled out a clipboard.

  The tension in the room spiked.

  Kenji narrowed his eyes. "What’s that?"

  Reina adjusted her glasses. "Your official reformation plan."

  The class gasped like she had just declared war on God himself.

  Kenji stared at her, half-certain this was some elaborate prank. "You’re joking."

  Reina was not joking.

  She flipped through the pages, clearing her throat. "Starting today, you will follow a structured curriculum to correct your behavior and reintegrate yourself as a model student."

  Kenji barely resisted the urge to slam his forehead onto his desk.

  Reina raised a finger and listed the points with infuriating precision.

  "First—daily ethics lessons in the student council room."

  Kenji groaned. "That sounds like torture."

  "Second—no more fighting."

  Kenji deadpanned. "I don’t even fight people."

  Reina ignored him. "Third—mandatory community service."

  Kenji blinked. "You’re serious?

  "Completely."

  Kenji sighed, muttering under his breath, "What did I do to deserve this?"

  Reina continued, unbothered. "Fourth—politeness training."

  Kenji snorted. "You’re gonna teach me how to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’?"

  Reina’s expression was deadly serious. "Yes. And how to properly greet teachers, bow at the correct angle, and engage in socially responsible behavior."

  Kenji looked at the ceiling like he was asking the heavens for strength.

  Then, as if to make things worse, Reina handed him a neatly typed schedule.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Kenji took it begrudgingly and scanned the paper. His eyebrow twitched.

  "What the hell is ‘Respect and Discipline Wednesdays’?"

  Reina crossed her arms. "It’s exactly what it sounds like."

  Akari, who had been watching the entire exchange with pure amusement, finally let out a low whistle. "Wow, Prez. You’re really going all in on this, huh?"

  Reina nodded firmly. "If I am to reform him, I will do so thoroughly."

  Kenji scoffed. "What, like I’m some delinquent stray you’re trying to house train?"

  Reina blinked. "That is an interesting metaphor, but yes."

  The class lost it.

  Laughter, whispers, chaotic energy. A few students genuinely looked afraid for Reina’s life.

  Akari smirked. "You’re adorable, Reina. You actually think you can fix him."

  Reina straightened her posture. "Of course. There is nothing that cannot be corrected with discipline, hard work, and dedication."

  Kenji pinched the bridge of his nose. "Unbelievable."

  And then, because things weren’t already ridiculous enough, Tetsuya—who had been silently watching like a hawk—leaned closer to Kenji.

  "Boss…" He lowered his voice, his expression serious. "Is she trying to make you weak?"

  Kenji exhaled slowly, his patience hanging by a thread. "Tetsuya, I swear—"

  But Tetsuya was genuinely concerned.

  "This could be a long-term attack strategy." He furrowed his brows. "If she takes away your edge, others will challenge you."

  Kenji’s eye twitched. "Tetsuya. I don’t even HAVE an edge."

  Tetsuya nodded grimly. "And soon you won’t even have that."

  Kenji was done.

  Meanwhile, Reina, who clearly thought she was winning this battle, gave Kenji a satisfied nod. "I’ll see you after class for our first lesson."

  Kenji stared at his schedule, then at Reina.

  This is my life now.

  Scene 3: Kenji’s Internal Struggle

  The student council room was supposed to be a place of order, leadership, and responsibility.

  Right now, it felt like a prison.

  Kenji sat in one of the neatly arranged chairs, slouched back, arms crossed, eyes half-lidded in disinterest. Across from him, Reina Takahashi sat behind her meticulously organized desk, a thick stack of books and documents laid out like she was about to sentence him in a court of law.

  "Our first lesson begins now."

  Kenji sighed loudly. "You know, there are better ways to waste your time."

  Reina ignored him. She opened a leather-bound ethics textbook and flipped to a marked page.

  "Today, we will be covering the foundations of moral integrity. This will include—" she adjusted her glasses "—the importance of setting an example, the responsibility of leadership, and why structure is essential for a functioning society."

  Kenji tuned out almost instantly.

  His mind drifted as Reina began lecturing, her voice even, precise, and annoyingly passionate.

  She’s really into this, huh?

  His gaze subtly shifted to her face. She had that focused expression she always wore when she was serious—a slight crease in her forehead, lips pursed, eyes gleaming with absolute conviction. The way she pushed her glasses up her nose whenever she made a strong point…

  …Wait.

  Kenji blinked. The hell am I thinking about?

  He forced himself to look away, focusing on the ceiling instead.

  "Are you even listening?!"

  A sharp smack echoed through the room as Reina slammed a wooden pointer onto the desk.

  Kenji flinched.

  "Huh? Uh… yeah. Ethics. Good stuff."

  Reina narrowed her eyes, clearly not convinced.

  "Then summarize the last thing I just said."

  Kenji paused.

  Slowly, he straightened up, nodding as if deep in thought.

  "…Structure is… very important. And uh… leaders should have… integrity?"

  Reina stared.

  Kenji offered his best innocent smirk.

  A tense silence.

  Then Reina sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

  "This is going to take longer than I thought."

  Kenji shrugged. "Told you."

  Reina, not one to be discouraged, pressed on. "Fine. We’ll start with something simple." She grabbed a blank sheet of paper. "I want you to write down three things you think define a good person."

  Kenji raised a brow. "And if I refuse?"

  Reina held up the pointer again.

  Kenji grabbed a pen immediately.

  As he stared at the blank page, though, he found himself weirdly stuck.

  What even is a good person?

  Before, the answer would have been easy—someone who follows the rules, obeys authority, does everything right.

  But lately…

  He tapped the pen against the desk. Was it really that simple?

  His mind flashed to Tetsuya, ever-loyal, always watching his back. Akari, who, despite being a pain, never hesitated to call him out. The kids at the orphanage who had clung to him like he was some kind of big brother.

  Wasn’t there more to it?

  Kenji frowned at his own thoughts. Why am I even thinking this deeply about it?

  Reina glanced at him, noticing his hesitation. For the first time, her expression softened.

  "If you don’t know, then that just means we have more work to do."

  Kenji looked up, surprised.

  For once, there was no judgment in her tone. Just… something else.

  Something he didn’t quite understand.

  He clicked his pen and sighed. "Fine. Whatever. I’ll think about it."

  Reina nodded approvingly. "Good. We’ll continue tomorrow."

  As Kenji stood up and stretched, he caught himself thinking:

  That… wasn’t as awful as I expected.

  ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

  Outside the room, Tetsuya was waiting.

  As soon as Kenji stepped out, his bodyguard fell into step beside him, giving him a once-over.

  "You survived."

  Kenji rolled his eyes. "Barely."

  Tetsuya was silent for a moment before asking, "Did you… enjoy it?"

  Kenji stopped walking.

  He turned to his friend, face blank. "Tetsuya. I need you to never say those words again."

  Tetsuya narrowed his eyes.

  Kenji sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "It wasn’t… completely terrible."

  Tetsuya looked disturbed. "Boss. She’s getting to you."

  Kenji scoffed. "As if. I’m just playing along."

  "That’s what they all say."

  Kenji decided he was done with this conversation.

  Scene 3.5: Tetsuya’s Warning

  Kenji stretched his arms behind his head as he strolled toward the back of the school, away from the main building. He wasn’t skipping class—technically. He just needed air.

  Reina’s "reform plan" was already giving him a headache, and he hadn’t even fully processed how he got dragged into this mess.

  As he leaned against the old storage shed behind the gym, a shadow moved nearby.

  “You’ve been getting a lot of attention lately, boss.”

  Kenji’s shoulders tensed slightly before relaxing as he turned his head.

  Tetsuya was standing a few feet away, arms crossed, his posture as unreadable as ever.

  Kenji arched a brow. “Yeah? That your way of saying you’re jealous?”

  Tetsuya didn’t laugh.

  Kenji frowned. That wasn’t normal.

  “Alright,” Kenji pushed off the wall, cracking his neck. “What’s up?”

  Tetsuya stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Someone’s been asking about you.”

  Kenji’s easygoing expression didn’t change, but something cold settled in his chest.

  “Yeah?” He feigned boredom, rubbing the back of his neck. “You’re gonna have to be more specific.”

  Tetsuya’s eyes didn’t leave his. “Not just anyone. Someone outside the school. Don’t know who yet, but they’re looking into you. Directly.”

  Kenji’s fingers curled slightly at his sides.

  That was different.

  Gossip? He could handle. Teachers side-eyeing him? No problem. But if someone was actively investigating him…

  Not good.

  Still, he kept his voice even. “So? Maybe I’ve got secret admirers.”

  Tetsuya didn’t blink. “Boss. This isn’t a joke.”

  Kenji studied him, then sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. “You sure it’s about me? Not Ryuji?”

  Tetsuya’s jaw tensed. “If they were looking for Ryuji, they’d already know where to find him.”

  Kenji didn’t have a response to that.

  Tetsuya took another step forward, voice dropping lower. “I don’t care what your past is. That’s your business. But if someone’s trying to expose you, that becomes my business.”

  Kenji met his gaze, silent for a long moment.

  Then, he smirked. “And why’s that?”

  Tetsuya’s expression didn’t waver. “Because I don’t work for them. I work for you.”

  Kenji didn’t reply right away. He let the words sink in, watching the way Tetsuya stood firm, his meaning clear.

  For the first time, something heavy settled between them.

  After a pause, Kenji rolled his shoulders, forcing the tension out of his body. “Relax. If someone’s trying to dig up dirt on me, they’re gonna be real disappointed.”

  Tetsuya didn’t look convinced. He lingered for a second longer, then finally stepped back. “Just watch your back, boss.”

  Then he turned and walked off.

  Kenji exhaled through his nose, staring up at the sky.

  "If someone’s looking for you, that means they don’t believe you’re who you say you are."

  He closed his eyes for a brief second.

  He wasn’t worried.

  Not really.

  Right?

  Scene 4: A Watchful Eye in the Shadows

  The sun was dipping below the horizon, casting long shadows across the school courtyard. Kenji wasn’t sure how, but he’d made it through his first so-called “lesson” in reform without losing his mind. Barely.

  That was… something.

  As he stepped outside, he rolled his shoulders, stretching out the stiffness from sitting in that damn chair for so long. Reina might be small, but her presence was oppressive. The sheer weight of her moral superiority alone had felt like a training exercise.

  Tetsuya, ever the silent observer, walked beside him, his gaze sharp.

  "Boss, I don’t like this."

  Kenji sighed. "Tetsuya, we’ve been over this."

  "No. This is different."

  Kenji stopped mid-step. "Huh?"

  Tetsuya’s usual neutral expression shifted—just slightly.

  "You’re changing."

  Kenji raised an eyebrow. "That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard."

  Tetsuya crossed his arms. "You’re playing along too much. First, it was avoiding fights. Now it’s following rules. What’s next? Volunteering for the student council?"

  Kenji snorted. "Like hell."

  Tetsuya wasn’t amused. "You think this is harmless, but it’s not. You’re losing your edge."

  Kenji ran a hand through his hair. "I don’t even HAVE an edge!"

  Tetsuya wasn’t convinced. "That’s what they want you to think."

  Kenji shook his head and kept walking. "You’re being dramatic."

  Tetsuya didn’t follow immediately. Instead, he stayed back for a moment, his gaze lingering on Kenji’s retreating figure.

  Something wasn’t right.

  Kenji might not have noticed it, but Tetsuya had.

  Someone was watching.

  ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

  From across the courtyard, a lone figure leaned against a tree.

  He was tall, well-built, dressed in a sleek, casual jacket. His expression was unreadable, but the slight curve of his lips suggested amusement.

  His sharp golden-brown eyes flickered toward Kenji, studying him, assessing.

  Then his gaze drifted toward Reina, who was leaving from the opposite direction, completely oblivious to the unspoken tension unfolding.

  The real Ryuji smirked.

  So that’s how it is.

  ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

  Elsewhere…

  Inside the principal’s office, a single sheet of paper rested on the desk.

  A new student enrollment form.

  A name was neatly written across the top.

  Takashi Hanekawa.

  ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

  Kenji didn’t know it yet.

  But his quiet school life was over.