After the reunion in the teachers' meeting room, every teacher was dismissed, leaving only those related to the next agenda.
"Now, I would like to open an agenda item regarding the male student who received the scholarship, Morikawa Tomoki." - the principal started the conversation.
"That interesting kid, pfft... Sorry, I just remembered something funny." - the homeroom teacher couldn't stop laughing.
"I know this boy... Kind of cheeky, if I have to say." - the P.E. teacher said.
"The boy I examined the last time? So he was a scholarship student." - the male nurse said.
"I want to hear everyone's opinion about Morikawa-san. Could you start, please?" - the principal said, looking at the homeroom teacher.
"Sure. Tomoki-kun—I mean, Morikawa-kun—is just an average student. I know how diligent he is, but he still struggles to keep up with the class. When I gave that surprise test, he—pfft... sorry, the way he answered it was really funny... pfft."
"So do you think he's unfit to receive the scholarship?" - the principal asked.
"No. He definitely deserves it. His demeanor and way of thinking are truly astonishing. It's like he's from another world! Besides, it's not like it matters if he has high scores or not—the male scholarship doesn't require excellent academic skills."
"It seems you have high regard for him. Now, how about you? I heard you saying that he is... cheeky, right?" - the principal asked, redirecting her gaze to the P.E. teacher.
"No! I mean, he just says random stuff out of nowhere, and when I told him to make ten laps, he started sprinting instead of jogging. I think he wants to show off his superiority, just like other boys."
"I see... I'm starting to realize what kind of person he is. Don't worry. If my guess is right, he respects you." - said the principal.
"I... understand."
"Now, the last one. Could you give your opinion?" - the principal asked the male nurse.
"Yes. I don't know much about his usual behavior. He's a healthy kid, and I can't imagine him causing trouble at our school. That's all I can say."
"Thank you. But before I give my opinion about him, let me ask all of you—what would you do if you were a victim of gender repression?"
"Oh! You're talking about the cooking club incident. Kind of hard to put myself in his shoes, but I wouldn't like it. Especially in an environment where this kind of thing shouldn't ever happen. Our school is the most prestigious in all of Japan—we need to uphold our reputation." - the homeroom teacher gave her answer.
"Likewise, something like gender repression shouldn't happen." - the P.E. teacher agreed with the homeroom teacher.
"I wouldn't stay silent if something like that happened to me. By the way, I know you just gave a light punishment to the student. Care to explain?" - the male nurse asked with discontent.
"It seems you already know about it. Yes, I only told her to write a letter of apology and lectured her about her actions."
"!?" - Everyone was astonished by the principal's decision.
"Of course, at first, I thought about expelling her. However, after judging the case, I thought about making her resign from the cooking club."
"To make you change your mind... I guess the boy convinced you." - the homeroom teacher said, grinning.
"Exactly. Actually, I was preparing myself to explain things to him if he demanded her expulsion. But instead, he was the one who defended her."
"I... can't believe it! Is there a possibility that he's being coerced to defend her?" - the male nurse asked.
"No, that's impossible. After all, Edomae-sensei's daughter was there, and she was the one who reported the case."
"It seems he's being protected by a reliable friend." - the P.E. teacher said.
"In my opinion, he wasn't coerced by anyone. He really is mature for his age, and he clearly knows what he's doing." - stated the principal.
"By the way, could you tell us what he said to convince you?" - the homeroom teacher couldn't hold back her curiosity.
"How could I say no when he said that he wants her to learn from her mistakes, and that it's our job to ensure that happens?" - the principal said with a smile.
"I have to admit, I wouldn't be able to say something like that if I were him." - said the male nurse.
"I have high expectations for him. Maybe he'll achieve something unthinkable. It's kind of unfortunate that I won't be able to watch what he'll do in the auditorium. But personally, I want to meet his parents in the future."
"Hey, I'm the homeroom teacher. I should be the one to do that!"
"Sorry, but I've already decided. Besides, there's another thing I need to discuss."
"It's about Edomae Ayame, right? It's like reminiscing about my old memories." - the homeroom teacher said with a worried expression.
"Excuse me, I don't follow." - said the P.E. teacher.
"No wonder. Aside from you, we all studied here alongside the current president of the Edomae Conglomerate and the first male high school student to enter through the scholarship." - said the male nurse.
"Exactly. And I want to prevent what happened that time." - said the principal.
"And what's your plan? It's not like we can prevent them from meeting each other. Besides, Edomae's mother won't like it." - asked the homeroom teacher.
"Sometimes I see Morikawa-san talking to Edomae-san. I think he's doing it with interest in mind." - the P.E. teacher stated.
"You mean interest in her wealth? It's a possibility. If that's true, I don't think we need to be concerned about his actions. After all, that's what he wants." - stated the male nurse.
"Usually, I would assume he's just a social climber. However, I know Edomae-sensei's daughter. Believe me, she can easily grasp someone's intentions. That's why it's a concern—because this boy is totally unpredictable." - said the principal.
"That's true. I still remember the first male scholarship student. He had good looks, manners, and kindness that made every girl want him. In a sense, he was more attractive than Morikawa-kun. However, there's something that makes this boy more unique." - stated the homeroom teacher.
"Male students who receive the scholarship seem to be special... but how much?" - the P.E. teacher asked.
"To summarize, male students need to have basic interaction skills with women. Not only that, but they must treat women with respect and see them in a positive way—which is kind of rare. That's why the school interviews male applicants to observe their behavior. Even if they're polite and kind, some boys show fear toward women, which makes it more difficult to accept them." - the male nurse explained.
"To add on, Edomae-sensei was the one who interviewed that boy." - said the principal
"If he could handle pressure from her... then yeah, he is unique." - stated the homeroom teacher.
"I've never met President Edomae. Is she scary?" - asked the P.E. teacher.
"That's because she can easily apply pressure on you. She likes to ask exactly the things people try to avoid answering." - stated the male nurse.
"When she told me that boy should be accepted into the scholarship program, I already knew his fate was entangled with the Edomae family." - said the principal.
"Is there something you want to do now?" - asked the homeroom teacher.
"No. Let's just watch them. I just wanted to make you all aware of our current situation. After all, it's our job to make sure everyone has a fulfilling student life."
"You never change, Principal." - said the homeroom teacher.
"Understood." - stated the P.E. teacher.
"I'll pay attention." - said the male nurse.
...
"Can I ask a question? Out of curiosity—what makes Morikawa-san different from the first male scholarship student?" - asked the P.E. teacher.
"That's a difficult question. If I had to say, it's his flaws. He seems like an impatient kid—but not with others, only with himself." - stated the principal.
"That's true. Not to mention he's kind of funny—pfft. Sorry, whenever I remember him doing the test, I can't stop laughing."
"I can't say much. He's a polite and normal kid, that's all." - stated the male nurse.
"Now it makes sense why he behaved abnormally on the field. Thank you for answering."
"Thank you for staying with me until late! Now, you're all dismissed!"