"You're saying... Suzune is in the wrong?" Manabu's eyes widened slightly, a hint of surprise in his gaze from behind his glasses. He clearly hadn't expected the boy who had just appeared to immediately start blaming his own sister, his classmate.
"Isn't it obvious?" Kiyomizu crossed his arms, his tone tinged with resignation. "Horikita-san, I told you about the class assignments last Friday. Teacher Chabashira also explained it very clearly yesterday. Your placement in Class D is completely reasonable."
"So many days have passed, and you must have confirmed it with the school by now. And now even your own brother is telling you to your face that you were placed in Class D because of your lack of ability. How stubborn can you be before you accept reality?"
Kiyomizu shook his head, his gaze shifting between the siblings. "Honestly, if I were in the president's shoes..." He rubbed his temples. "...just imagining having to deal with this kind of family drama gives me a headache."
His gaze turned to Suzune. "And there's one more thing you might not have realized. Your brother, Manabu Horikita, was placed directly into Class A. By questioning the fairness of the assignment system, you are, to some extent, denying your own brother's initial advantage."
Kiyomizu naturally walked between the two of them. "In the end, you're brother and sister." His gaze swept back and forth between them. "You're connected by blood. Why make things so tense? Horikita-san here, isn't it time you faced reality? And you too, President. You're all high school students, not children. Don't try to solve problems with your fists."
Suzune was feeling a whirlwind of emotions. She had thought Kiyomizu had appeared to support her, but she hadn't expected him to be a lobbyist for her brother. Honestly, she almost didn't want to tutor him anymore!
Manabu, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly. He was indeed a little surprised. He couldn't find a single flaw in the first-year's argument. Every word was based on purely objective analysis. As for using his fists? That thought had never even crossed his mind. After all, the boy was not only speaking from his perspective but was also a junior from his own club.
"I am Manabu Horikita, the student council president from Third-Year Class A," he said with a slight nod. "And your name is?"
"I'm Kiyomizu Akira from First-Year Class D," Kiyomizu replied appropriately. "I've heard a lot about you, President."
"If you want to get promoted to Class A, you should learn from this Kiyomizu-kun how to conduct yourself." With that, Manabu turned and left.
"He sure leaves quickly... I guess he really just came to see his sister. Not very interested in anyone else," Kiyomizu said, rubbing his chin with a hint of regret as he watched the retreating back. He had wanted to take the opportunity to ask about the vice president, but the other hadn't even given him a chance to speak.
A subtle silence hung in the air. Suzune stood rooted to the spot for a long time. Finally, she lifted her chin slightly, her voice tinged with an almost imperceptible quiver. "My class assignment... is it mainly because of my lack of social skills?"
Kiyomizu's tone was calm. "You've finally realized the problem?" After a short pause, he continued, "Not only that. Your condescending attitude and your habit of deliberately keeping a distance from people—those are probably also reasons why you were placed in Class D."
"...That's a rather unpleasant evaluation. Especially coming from someone who can't even understand Japanese class."
"I just like to tell the truth. And besides, grades in Japanese class don't determine a person's ability to communicate."
"I don't need to rely on anyone, and I can't trust anyone!"
"...In a few years, you'll realize how chuunibyou that line sounds!" Kiyomizu's tone suddenly shifted. "Speaking of which, you're aiming to be the student council president, right? As far as I know, Akane Tachibana-senpai from the student council often works with your brother. She's his right-hand woman. So, your brother isn't always alone either."
He was genuinely curious about this. Since she was emulating her brother, why didn't she go all the way?
"...How did you find that out?" Suzune's expression darkened instantly.
"...Just ask any third-year, and they'll tell you. Seriously, how long has it been since you had a proper conversation with someone!" Kiyomizu was completely exasperated. "You can't even gather the most basic information, and you expect to be placed in Class A? If your brother doesn't scold you, do you expect him to praise you?"
These two sentences hit Horikita like two sharp arrows. How could this be! She had always thought... her brother was walking his path alone. She had never imagined that he had a close aide by his side all this time! Then what was the point of her years of persistence?
Kiyomizu saw her suddenly lower her head, her lips bitten white, her whole body trembling in disbelief. He hadn't expected that a simple sentence could break her defenses so completely. But then again, wasn't it obvious? He was the student council president. Without the support of others, how could one person stand firm in an election?
"You were indeed being inconsiderate and stubborn just now. It's normal for your brother to be angry. Anyway, you should think about it."
With that, Kiyomizu turned and left, without any extra words of comfort or false pleasantries. Suzune Horikita was not a fool; she had her pride. He had said what needed to be said. With her intelligence, after this setback, she would naturally be able to figure things out after calming down.
...
After returning to his dorm, Kiyomizu lay down on his bed in a star shape. He read through the messages from Chabashira again. A more important thought flashed through his mind.
"Since that Nagumo Miyabi has deliberately locked down the information..." he mused, rubbing his chin, "...then the only ones who know the inside story right now are probably me and Arisu Sakayanagi from Class A? Class B and C should still be in the dark..."
This was a god-sent opportunity—a perfect window to sell information.
"Looks like it's time to expand my business."
He had never planned to limit his information to just Class D, nor had he ever promised any "exclusive rights." After all, in this school where merit was supreme, information was the biggest bargaining chip. And the more people vying for a chip, the more valuable it became.
However, there was still one question buried deep in his mind. Since the information was deliberately locked down, how did Arisu Sakayanagi from Class A find out about it?
-------
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