COTE: The Best Version of Me

Chapter 21 - Diadem

                                                       𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕭𝖊𝖘𝖙 𝖁𝖊𝖗𝖘𝖎𝖔𝖓 𝖔𝖋 𝕸𝖊 

Nagumo POV

"So... what do you think, senpai?" 

I asked, leaning forward slightly. My tone was purposefully casual, contrasting with the weight of the idea I had just presented.

The silence in the room was almost absolute, interrupted only by the sound of the clock ticking away. Sitting comfortably in the chair opposite Horikita Manabu, I crossed my legs and let out a smile, one of those that I knew was annoying for him. 

The proposal was made, my argument finalized and now I awaited the response of the great chairman of the board. 

If I want to proceed with this, I need a direct opinion.

Senpai calmly adjusted his glasses, his face expressionless as ever. He was silent for a moment, his piercing red eyes scrutinizing me like a predator assessing its prey. When he finally spoke, his tone was direct and firm, laden with his trademark authority.

"Rejected."

Sigh... I was kind of expecting this.

I raised an eyebrow as I felt the corners of my mouth twitch even at my rejected idea. 

"Ah, so quickly? Without considering the deeper implications, senpai? That doesn't suit you."

"I have considered the deeper implications. Your proposal puts the entire operation of this school at risk. No matter how much you try to justify it, the idea is not just reckless. It is dangerous." He replied, his voice as precise as a blade.

"Dangerous? Senpai, if there's one thing we know about this school, it's that danger is at its core. It requires us to adapt to extreme situations. I'm simply proposing something that takes that philosophy to the next level."

Senpai's eyes narrowed slightly, a minimal but noticeable reaction. For someone like him, it was almost a sign of irritation.

"There's a clear difference between challenging students to prepare them for the real world and turning the school into a field of absolute chaos. Your plan does just that. It replaces healthy competition with anarchy masquerading as progress."

I let out a short laugh, shaking my head. He certainly has a very different vision of progress than I do. As I expected, our views are completely opposite.

"Anarchy, senpai? Don't be so dramatic. My project is calculated, structured. It only seems bold because it breaks the patterns you so idolize." Horikita-senpai rested his elbows on the table, intertwining his fingers as he glared at me even more intensely. 

"Nagumo, you think you're cunning, but your vision is limited. The structure of this school was designed to balance freedom and order. If you upset that balance, you'll be destroying the purpose of the system."

"Destroying or renewing?" I began my argument with a dismissive tone. This behavior of his is certainly respectable, but it also manages to be equally irritating.

"Senpai, you have a brilliant mind, but you are stuck in an outdated and annoyingly pragmatic vision. Don't you realize that the system you so defend is stagnant? My plan is not a threat, it is a necessary evolution towards something greater."

He didn't answer right away. He remained still, his piercing gaze never leaving mine. The silence that followed was thick, almost suffocating, but I held it, refusing to look away first.