"Just how long has it been since you talked to him alone? You're seriously this scared?"
"Your brother's not some man-eating demon."
Kitagawa Ryo tried to lighten the mood with a teasing tone, but Horikita Suzune still clung to his sleeve like a child. The sight was starting to draw attention, so Kitagawa sat back down in his seat.
"About... three years."
Suzune said this quietly. Even excluding the two years Horikita Manabu had already spent in high school, it still meant they hadn't exchanged words for nearly an entire year before that.
For three years, she'd been chasing the shadow of a ghost.
"Actually, when my brother first found out I was applying to this school, he messaged me to tell me to give up."
Suzune bowed her head as she spoke.
"But I ignored it. I didn't listen."
"Maybe that's why he doesn't want to see me."
Even though they were in the same school, the distance between them felt vast—like the chasm between Class D and Class A.
"I've already dialed the number."
Having already witnessed the twisted nature of their relationship in a previous simulation, Kitagawa couldn't be bothered to sit through it again. He snatched Suzune's phone and called Horikita Manabu directly.
"Wha—?!"
Panicked, Suzune fumbled with the phone Kitagawa tossed back to her. She didn't know whether to hang up or speak. It was like juggling a hot potato.
"Hello."
To her surprise, the call wasn't ignored or disconnected. About twenty seconds in, a calm male voice came through the speaker.
"Ah, um, Onii-sama."
Left with no other choice, Suzune forced herself to greet him.
"Suzune?"
The sound of flipping papers came through the line. Realizing her brother might be in the middle of work, Suzune felt a twinge of regret. After all, unlike her, he was the leader of Class 3-A and also the student council president. She should've picked a better time to call.
Kitagawa leaned back and casually watched the sibling exchange.
If Suzune brought up anything like "I want to make up with you," Manabu would probably hang up without hesitation.
A person who could ignore his sister for three years wasn't above doing it again.
Which meant Suzune's next words were crucial.
Kitagawa was also curious to hear what she would say. Unlike the previous timeline where she was heavily influenced by him, this version of Suzune had walked this path alone. Her field of view was narrow—focused only on her brother's back—but from Kitagawa's perspective, she was simply stuck in her comfort zone.
Living in a distorted way had become her norm. That was why she couldn't truly lead Class D.
To truly change, she would have to overturn everything about her past self.
And denying your own life until now—that's one of the hardest things a person can do.
"I wanted to ask you about the upcoming sports festival."
Even Manabu seemed slightly surprised by this opening.
"And?"
He waited for her to continue.
"If you're hoping to get some inside information from me, I can tell you right now: that's a waste of time."
"No, I never intended to ask you for that."
Suzune reflected on everything she'd been through over the semester—from being thrown into Class D, losing her leadership position to Kitagawa's schemes, being deceived again on the island test, to her complete loss in the Werewolf game.
Even the goldfish she couldn't catch last night came to mind.
Suzune had lived in failure. Though she declared she'd surpass her brother and made him her eternal goal—
The moment she said "eternal," she had already admitted defeat.
But in just this one semester, she had tasted plenty of fresh failures—big and small.
Admitting she was inferior to her brother only to keep losing to others.
It left her lost, but also a little intrigued.
"I don't know how the sports festival will be structured yet, but I want you to watch me."
"I will face it head-on."
She didn't say "win" or "claim victory."
Even over the phone, her determination came through clearly, and Kitagawa nodded to himself.
"Do you like this school, Suzune?"
Manabu's sudden question caught her off guard, but she quickly collected herself.
"I don't know if I like it. But I'm not bored here."
"Good. Do you have one or two friends you can actually talk to?"
Her gaze wavered. While she had been speaking smoothly just moments ago, she now faltered.
"Maybe... I do."
"I'll tell you this: the sports festival will definitely include team events."
"...I see."
Suzune fell silent. Though she had just said she wanted him to watch her, in truth, she didn't even have the qualifications to join a team. Aside from the ever-kind Hirata Yousuke, no one in Class D would want to pair up with her.
"Let me ask you another question—what do you think of Kitagawa Ryo?"
Hearing his name, both Suzune and Kitagawa froze. Perhaps hesitant due to his presence, Suzune found it hard to answer.
"Just say what's on your mind."
Manabu encouraged her.
"I want to get closer to him."
Realizing how narrowly that could be interpreted, she hurried to clarify:
"The same way I'm chasing you. He's ahead of me now, but one day I'll surpass him."
"Understood."
Manabu neither sounded disappointed nor particularly pleased. His tone was neutral, unreadable—odd for a conversation after three years.
"This time, I'll watch you."
Those were his parting words before he hung up, seemingly called away by urgent business.
"Well, congrats."
Kitagawa took the opportunity to slip away. Suzune didn't try to stop him.
She simply stared blankly at her reflection in the polished tabletop.
But at least she had taken the first step.
Even if it was small.
Like the eleven goldfish swimming in her room's tank.
Ten were a gift from Kitagawa.
The last one—she had caught herself.
-------------------------------------
"I didn't expect Horikita Suzune from Class D to be the younger sister of the Student Council President, Horikita Manabu."
Ryuuen Kakeru, lounging arrogantly on the sofa in the student council lounge while munching on an apple, glanced at Horikita Manabu as he reentered and closed the door behind him.
"You eavesdropped on me?"
Horikita Manabu narrowed his eyes.
"It's old information. Kitagawa provided it."
Ryuuen casually wiped the juice off his pants.
"I'm curious why you tried to stop me from contacting Kitagawa."
"That meeting about the sports festival is going to be extremely unfavorable for him."
Adjusting his glasses, Horikita Manabu didn't look down on Ryuuen despite his thuggish demeanor. In fact, even though Kitagawa Ryo of Class 1-B currently overshadowed everyone in their grade, Ryuuen Kakeru still played an important role in many of the behind-the-scenes plans. That alone proved he was qualified to join the student council. However, their ideologies were simply too incompatible.
"Ah, you're talking about the Vice President, Nagumo Miyabi, right?"
Ryuuen suddenly wore an enlightened expression. "I see. So you're planning to use Kitagawa to stop Nagumo. It's well-known how Nagumo dominates the second-year students. If you want to oppose him, you have to rely on the first-years. Tell me something, Horikita: when did you start targeting Kitagawa?"
Ryuuen didn't bother using honorifics and even spoke with an air of superiority.
"I noticed him right after enrollment."
Horikita responded calmly despite Ryuuen's pressing attitude.
"Looks like he hasn't noticed you though. Or rather, hasn't noticed the student council."
"That's him, not you, Ryuuen."
Horikita's words sounded almost like a lesson. Ryuuen's gaze sharpened.
"If you think I'm nothing special, why don't we test it out right here?"
He issued a direct challenge.
"No thanks. I'm not interested in that kind of thing."
Horikita responded coolly.
"Figures."
Ryuuen scoffed and dropped his raised foot back to the floor.
"Still, I hate how you manipulate people."
Suddenly, he stood and threw a punch at Horikita.
"Just a matter of mutual benefit."
Horikita stepped back and easily blocked the blow, frowning at the surveillance camera in the corner. Its lens appeared to have been splashed with something—likely ink.
"Oops, my bad. I spilled some ink by accident. But don't worry, I'll pay the 8,000 points cleaning fee."
Ryuuen grinned, seemingly aware of the physical difference between them, and plopped back onto the sofa.
"Looks like Kitagawa made quite an impressive friend."
Horikita sat across from him.
"Funny, I was thinking the same."
Ryuuen's dogged attitude didn't change no matter who he talked to. Horikita also noticed that when it came to Kitagawa, Ryuuen got even more aggressive.
"Fine. Just acknowledging that you're a capable man earns you a bit of my respect."
"After all, we need to cooperate this time, right, Horikita-senpai?"
Although it still sounded sarcastic, Ryuuen at least added the honorific.
"I agree. While you're not suited for the student council, I do hold a certain level of appreciation for you."
"Didn't expect praise from the student council president. I should tell Kitagawa about this."
Ryuuen responded nonchalantly, raising his hand as if waving it off.
With the small talk over, Horikita got to the point.
"If you intend to take over Kitagawa's role, listen carefully to everything I'm about to say."
"What I want from Kitagawa is to maintain and protect order at this school, by any means necessary. That includes forcing Vice President Nagumo Miyabi to step down, restrain him, or prevent him from acting recklessly. Whatever method is easiest to execute. Starting October, Nagumo will officially take over as student council president, and his authority will increase accordingly. This sports festival is his way of creating momentum before that happens."
"What exactly is he planning for the sports festival? Does the student council even have that kind of authority?"
Not being part of the student council himself, Ryuuen asked.
"The council isn't omnipotent, but unlike those decorative student councils at other schools, ours has real power. In fact, when problems arise, it's the council that steps in to solve them. You should know that well, Ryuuen."
After all, Ryuuen had spent the entire past semester pushing the boundaries of school rules. He'd clashed with the student council many times over surveillance-related incidents.
"The council is even granted the authority to design and decide certain special exams. This year's first-year survival exam on the uninhabited island was based on a past plan created by the student council."
This statement made Ryuuen sit up straighter. With that kind of authority, the student council was more dangerous than he thought.
"So you're saying Nagumo might create something completely new for this festival?"
"Exactly."
Horikita handed him a file.
"To date, there have already been eleven dropouts among the second-years. According to the exit interviews, Nagumo was directly involved in seven of those cases."
"Expulsions are like regular punishments to him."
"Then why don't you stop him yourself, as student council president?"
Ryuuen asked lazily, crossing his legs.
"If it were just Nagumo alone, that might be possible. But the problem is he's unified the entire second year, and even infiltrated parts of the third."
Horikita pointed at photos and names in the file.
"As one of the two vice presidents, Nagumo already holds substantial power. Two of the secretaries in the council are his classmates from Class B. The only first-year recruited is Ichinose, and she was brought in by Nagumo himself. Right now, he controls more than half the council."
Ryuuen clicked his tongue.
"Looks like the so-called best student council president in years can't handle this after all."
Horikita didn't react to the jab. He'd said all he needed to and now awaited Ryuuen's decision.
He wanted to see if this man—who stopped him from contacting Kitagawa—had the guts and ability for this.
"If you think this is too much, I can just bring in Kitagawa. I've already prepared his application to join the council."
Horikita said, watching the long-silent Ryuuen carefully.
Opposing Nagumo meant inviting brutal retaliation—often leading to expulsion. It was how Nagumo had taken over the second year.
Maybe Ryuuen was scared.
"For a long time, I believed this world was ruled by violence. That power came from brute strength."
"But one day, I realized how shallow that thinking was."
Ryuuen looked up with a smile, but his eyes were filled with a cold madness.
"The one who taught me that was Kitagawa."
"But I want to show him something. Maybe he's the only exception in this world."
Ryuuen casually tossed the file to the floor, stepping on the photo of Nagumo Miyabi.
"Most people will still submit to absolute violence."
He flashed a toothy grin.
"No matter what kind of dirty tricks Nagumo tries to pull on Kitagawa at the sports festival..."
"On behalf of Class 1-B, I'll take them all on."
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