Chapter 111: The Ambitious Tiger

Aoki Tsukasa chuckled softly but did not deny it. His name was still boldly inscribed high up on the rooftop, written more elegantly than the calligraphy hanging on the wall. Denying it would be meaningless.

“Do you even realize this is a school?!” Nakimura Jinnosuke suddenly slammed his fist on the table, eyes wide, an intimidating aura surging from him like a sudden storm. “Our tuition fees are much higher than those of national schools! You’re already a high schooler—surely you have some understanding of that!”

“We charge such high tuition to provide our students with a better learning environment! Your family sent you here for that very reason!” Nakimura’s face was filled with pain as he said, “Look at those national high schools—female students openly engaging in compensated dating, delinquent youths even daring to lay hands on teachers. Can that even be called a school?!”

“How can you have the audacity to become the so-called school boss by wielding violence? Do you think what you’re doing is fair to your family, to yourself, or to this school?” Nakimura stared straight into Aoki’s eyes, hoping to catch even a flicker of unease, but found only a calm, faint smile.

“Is there anything you want to explain before I expel you?” Nakimura snorted coldly, folding his arms.

Aoki merely curved his lips into a gentle smile and spoke softly, “Mr. Nakimura, I don’t entirely agree with your accusations.”

Nakimura regarded him silently, his expression unmoved.

“First,” Aoki began slowly, “the high tuition is because Buoyang High boasts stronger teaching staff compared to national schools. The so-called environment is only relatively better, not the pure utopia you describe.”

“For example, on my very first day transferring here, some delinquents came looking for trouble,” Aoki’s expression suddenly hardened as he met Nakimura’s gaze. “I don’t believe you’re unaware of how many so-called delinquents this school harbors.”

After saying this, his smile returned. “Yet they still attend classes diligently. This, I think, shows you also know that such things are unavoidable anywhere in Japan.”

Nakimura said nothing, but beyond a flicker of displeasure at being challenged, there was a hint of admiration in his eyes.

“Second, regarding whether I’m worthy of my family,” Aoki narrowed his eyes slightly. “Resisting bullying is being true to oneself.”

“Not wanting to cause worry to one’s family because of being bullied—that’s being true to one’s family.”

“Compared to other delinquents, I’ve never bullied the weak, and I’ve kept my friends from doing so as well. I’m even willing to help protect some vulnerable classmates from being picked on. That is being true to the school.”

“So, I don’t agree with your accusations.”

Suddenly sitting straighter, Aoki looked at Nakimura Ryunosuke with a calm and serious expression. “Third, about my identity.”

“In any place—be it a family or a nation—the only thing that keeps all humanity within bounds is rules and order.”

“Rules and order are not maintained through words, but through power,” Aoki said earnestly, “Just as you can use school regulations to expel me and maintain the order you desire because you hold that authority.”

“And perhaps the only method I have to establish order is through this crude tool called violence.”

“But… you cannot expel all the delinquents with the same means,” Aoki’s tone was resolute as he looked at Nakimura, a confident smile playing on his lips. “After all, a private high school depends on tuition fees to survive. Isn’t that right? Even if not, you surely don’t want to face the retaliatory actions of those delinquents—many kids their age act recklessly when angered.”

Nakimura picked up his teacup, eyes gleaming with interest as he said, “You are right; I may never expel every delinquent.”

“But I can still expel you,” Nakimura smiled. “Yet you still haven’t said what I most want to hear.”

Aoki met his gaze, the two sharing a knowing smile. “So-called delinquents, when led by a red-eyed wolf, can only become wolves. But when led by an ambitious tiger, they can become a pack of tigers.”

“A pack of tigers?” Nakimura rose, laughing as he picked up the tea set on the table, pouring a pot of clear tea and setting it before Aoki.

Aoki took the teacup and drank it all in one go.

“I consider myself capable,” Aoki said with a smile, deliberately avoiding explaining the metaphor of the tiger, simply stating, “At least for now, I have the ability to keep my group in check. Though they remain delinquents in name, under my guidance, they refrain from harmful acts. Moreover, I believe that while they were delinquents before, each of them is a responsible young man.”

“They just lacked a good leader. I will lead them to restrain those wolves. I have the responsibility, and I believe I can make it so that when their three years of high school end, none of them will look back on these days as wasted, but rather feel proud. As for those wolves, at least until I fall, they will have to tuck their tails and play the part of house dogs.”

“A pack of red-eyed wolves is frightening, but a pack of house dogs is not,” Aoki concluded, watching Nakimura’s expression darken.

Nakimura raised his teacup, sipping slowly rather than draining it like Aoki. Then he spoke softly, “Ambitious tigers, huh…”

“You may use the rooftop for three years. After that, whether it belongs to you and your group depends on whether the next tiger is capable. Consider the desks and chairs my support for your ‘club,’” Nakimura’s gaze carried a warning, “But if one day I find the tiger has turned into a ravenous wolf, even if it bares its fangs at me, I will never flinch.”

Aoki smiled lightly. “I’ll try not to mess up the rooftop too much.”

Nakimura and Aoki stared at each other in silence. After a long moment, Nakimura exhaled deeply, stood, and extended his hand with a sigh, “Youth is truly formidable…”

Aoki clasped his hands around Nakimura’s, his expression respectful. “You deserve respect even more. Without you, Buoyang High wouldn’t be what it is today.”

“Heh, kid,” Nakimura chuckled hoarsely and ended the handshake, “Now go do what you need to do. Don’t be late for class.”

“Yes, sir.” Aoki bowed politely and walked out of the principal’s office at a measured pace.

Nakimura returned to his desk, seated in an expensive black swivel chair, pulling open a drawer. He took out a thin piece of paper boldly titled in uppercase letters: “Five Commandments Record.” He had lost count how many times he had read this childish ‘pledge of allegiance.’

“Aoki… Tsukasa.” Turning his chair to look out the window again, he saw the campus alive with laughter and chatter, returning to calm as the bell rang.

“Ambitious… tiger…”

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P.S. Somewhere in a corner, a frustrated poor soul mutters over his stats: “Recommendation votes, recommendation votes, recommendation votes…”

I didn’t skip chapters and even updated one early for you all, and yet you don’t hand in votes—aren’t you being a bit much?! (Serious face)