What If I Told Tomori-san, The Girl Who's Cold Only Towards Me, That I Knew Her Secret Account? - V2 Chapter 2.4

The Hidden Side of Everyone’s Admiration 4

“Hey, Student Council President. What’s healthy about this?”

“Well, you’re right. The thread title might not sound healthy.”

“I mean, something like this actually exists…?”

A•T stands for Azusa Tomori.

The ‘Azusa Tomori Association of the Defeated Ones’ is an online gathering of those who have been rejected by ‘Everyone’s Friend’ Azusa Tomori.

I managed to read the contents of the bulletin board that Seira showed me.

【Why would a gloomy guy like K be A’s partner?】

【Could K be deceiving her?】

【I can’t believe A-chan would fall for a bad guy like him!】

【If that’s the case, does that mean K will dance with her at the prom?】

【If that’s true, we have to stop it at all costs!】

The topics on the bulletin board were all about K, referring to me.

“See? It’s perfectly healthy. This bulletin board is filled with a sense of justice. Everyone wants to protect their beloved Azusa-chan.”

“The problem is that this K refers to me, huh?”

“Yes.”

“But why use such an outdated forum like an anonymous bulletin board… Wait, maybe because it’s a prestigious school like Aisu, and they want to avoid venting on social media and risking being identified.”

“You’re quite perceptive. With your exceptional intellect, I want you to solve this situation. At the moment, it’s just an under-the-table snide remark, but eventually, this problem will come to the surface.”

“I’m sure it will.”

Azusa Tomori is the hero of Aisuga Academy, and the school relies heavily on her.

So, if a close male friend appears, the whole school won’t stay silent.

“If this continues, the worst-case scenario may happen.”

“I agree. That’s why I want to rely on you, the Troubleshooter’s partner.”

“Wouldn’t it be better if Seira did it instead of me? She’s an exceptional student council president. As evidence, she’s won the ‘Aiyu (愛優)’ two years in a row.”

Private Aisu Academy has a tradition that other schools don’t have. It’s called “Aiyu” – they select the MVP-like student once a year.

(TN: 愛 (ai) – means “love” or “affection.” 優 (yu) – means “excellent,” “superior,” or “gentle.” When combined, “愛優” can be interpreted as “loving excellence” or “affectionate and superior.”)

Well, I can understand the reasoning behind it. The school probably wants to fuel the students’ competitive spirit.

For example, one way to strengthen a sports team is to have the players develop a sense of rivalry and compete with each other.

Being aware of their competitors and striving to improve raises motivation for practice and matches.

As a result, their talents are honed.

That’s why Aisu Academy created a trophy for students to compete for.

A school-wide vote decides the “Aiyu” award in December.

It’s based on various activities like end-of-term exams, cultural festivals, and volunteer work.

To increase the number of votes, achieving notable results in school events is essential.

Joining the student council and standing out also helps.

“If I win this year, it’ll be my third consecutive victory. I think there’s only one student in Aisu’s history who achieved a three-peat. Maybe Seira can be the second person to do that.”

“Haha, thanks for the compliment. But wouldn’t it be fun if Kimitaka could become my rival and compete for it?”

“I’m not interested in Aiyu.”

“There are many benefits, you know? Just winning Aiyu alone can get you recommended to top universities in Japan and even abroad. When you enter society, major companies will be fighting to recruit you. And with your top academic performance, Kimitaka—”

“To win ‘Aiyu’, it’s not just about grades; you need popularity, right? In that case, Tomori would be more fitting.”

“…Ugh, I guess you already know that.”

Sighing a little, ‘Everyone’s Admiration’ looked adorable as she pursed her lips.

Tomori’s goal is to help others, not to be recognized with ‘Aiyu’. That’s why she has absolutely no interest in it.

(And besides, she’s just too kind.)

To win Aiyu, you have to compete and fight against your friends.

“I can’t see Tomori participating in the Aiyu contest now.”

“Right? I also can’t see a future where Azusa-chan wins.”

“Do you mean to say that you will win?”

“No.”

After taking a sip of her pitch-black coffee, Seira calmly said,

“I’m not just going to win, I want to overwhelm her.”

With an air of composure, she continued.

“Azusa-chan won’t be my opponent. It seems like she has opened up to you, but she has no other friends to rely on. That kind of personality, she’s hopelessly bad at depending on others, and she always sacrifices her own feelings for others.”

“That’s…”

“That’s why she’s in such a vulnerable state sometimes. Just like you were for a while.”

I couldn’t deny it.

Even after I became Azusa Tomori’s partner and helped her with some issues, Azusa Tomori’s major problem remained unresolved.

A lonely hero.

But just because she now had someone she could open up to didn’t mean her loneliness had disappeared.