I Don't Want An Ordinary Life

Chapter 28: Do You Know What I Learned in America?

"Ishigami, why did you come to the public moral committee to turn yourself in?"

"Huh?"

Ronan pulled Ishigami outside the office, now chatting in a quiet, empty hallway.

"If you got yourself a girlfriend, there's no reason to come to the public moral committee, right? Even if you wanted to investigate whether she was cheating, you could have just told me in secret. Coming here directly? Of course, we'd try to stop you," Ronan said with a serious tone.

"…Isn't stopping campus romance exactly the job of the public moral committee?"

"But you're my bro. If you break the school rules, I'd just turn a blind eye. If you don't say anything, who would know?"

"Is that really something a public moral committee member should say!?"

"You know where I studied before, right?"

"Yeah, in America," Ishigami replied.

Ronan was a Chinese-American who had studied in the U.S., something he had already mentioned during his self-introduction.

"Exactly. So, do you know what I learned during my years in America?"

"That the school atmosphere is more open?"

"Wrong."

"Freedom and democracy?"

"Wrong."

"Then what?"

"Double standards."

"…"

"As a public moral committee member, of course, there's one set of rules for regular students and another for you. If you really got yourself a girlfriend, I wouldn't say a thing, nor would I deliberately try to sabotage it."

"You're way too cynical, Ronan. Your mindset is seriously twisted."

It wasn't the first time he had said this, but somehow, Ronan always managed to lower the bar even further.

"So, tell me, what exactly do you want from the student council office this time? Did your girlfriend suddenly start acting suspicious, and now you need an investigation? Just so you know, the public moral committee isn't a detective agency—we might not be the right people for the job."

"Haven't your recent activities been exactly the kind of things detectives do?"

Ishigami let out a small sigh, his voice carrying a hint of hesitation. "I want you… to help me investigate someone."

"Who?"

"Ogino Ko."

"Ogino… Oh, that classmate of yours, right? The one with the supposedly super cute girlfriend? But what does that have to do with you?" Ronan asked, clearly puzzled.

So far, the person Ishigami wanted to investigate didn't seem to have any direct connection to him.

"To be honest… Ogino's girlfriend, Kyoko Ootomo… she's someone I care about."

"I see."

"You see what?"

"You want me to take care of Ogino so you can steal Kyoko Ootomo for yourself, right? Honestly, this kind of thing—"

"You completely misunderstood!!" Ishigami shouted.

"Relax, I never said I wouldn't help you."

"You helping would only make things worse!!"

Ishigami was starting to lose it—he had no idea what went on inside Ronan's head.

"Alright, alright. Then what do you want me to do?"

"Sigh… Let me start from the beginning. Here's the situation…"

...

"I think I get what you're saying. You overheard that guy,Ogino Ko, on the phone, right? He booked a room and invited his girlfriend, Kyoko Ootomo… but at the same time, he also invited other guys, planning to— Hold up. What the hell? Why are you Japanese high schoolers so wild!?"

Ronan was genuinely shocked.

He had heard stories from his father about how Japanese high schoolers were "adventurous," but he never expected it to be this extreme.

"Aren't you a Japanese high schooler now too?"

"Don't lump me in with them! I'm pure! An upstanding young man!"

"…Anyway, the reason I came to you today is—"

"I got it."

"You got it again?"

Ronan narrowed his eyes, grinning. "You want me to make Ogino disappear from society, right? Consider it done."

"NO!! Can you not immediately jump to such extreme conclusions!?"

"Ishigami, I think you underestimate my capabilities. Don't worry, I can handle this perfectly."

"That's exactly why I'm not reassured!!"

Ishigami took a deep breath, calming himself down. His expression grew serious.

"Ronan, just like you, I can't stand couples. Sometimes, I even feel like cursing them… But Kyoko Ootomo always talks to someone like me, someone gloomy. I don't have feelings for her. Ogino is the head of the drama club, has participated in many national events. Even I wanted to support their relationship.

"But… I don't want someone like her to get hurt."

"…"

"I'm not asking for anything drastic. I just want you to stop Ogino from doing this kind of thing. As much as I wish he'd disappear… if that happens, Kyoko will definitely be heartbroken."

"…"

"Please!"

Seeing Ronan remain silent, Ishigami bowed deeply toward him, his posture showing clear sincerity.

"Hey, hey, don't do that. That just makes things awkward," Ronan quickly helped him back up.

"I already told you, didn't I? You're my bro. If you're in trouble, I'll take care of it for you. The fact that you came to the disciplinary committee office yourself proves that you trust me, and that's a good thing."

"So… you'll do it?"

"Of course. Leave the investigation to me. You just focus on school, eat properly, and don't stress yourself out too much."

Ronan patted Ishigami on the back, signaling him to relax.

"Thank you… for agreeing to my selfish request."

"Forget the thanks. Just treat me to a good meal sometime," Ronan grinned.

As he watched Ishigami walk away, Ronan stroked his chin, deep in thought.

Since he had agreed, that meant he had to follow through. The only issue was…

The cost was too high.

The reason he usually preferred removing problems outright was that it was the most cost-effective solution.

Making someone change their ways, however, was unpredictable—it could be easy, or it could be a nightmare. And the effort required wasn't something he could control.

Every person was an independent being, with independent thoughts. Forcing someone to reform… was hard. Honestly, it'd be easier to just ship them off to Africa. A little paperwork, some connections, a plane ticket—it'd be done in no time.

With a sigh, Ronan pulled out his phone and made a call.

"Hello? Yeah, it's me. I need you to look into someone. Ogino Ko, first-year, Class B, Shuchiin Academy… No, no, don't deal with him, just get me his info. As soon as possible… Yeah, don't worry, I'll handle the rest."

After finishing the call, Ronan's gaze sharpened.

Since this was Ishigami's request, he would at least give the guy a chance. Hopefully, Ogino would make the right choice.

If he didn't…

Well, that would save him the cost of a plane ticket. International flights weren't exactly cheap.

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