"So you need me to reach out to Kushida?" Ayanokouji verified with Horikita.
By any measure, having Amane do it would be far simpler.
From Ayanokouji's perspective, his relationship with Kushida was, at best, a nodding acquaintance. It should be roughly the same as Horikita's.
Meanwhile, Amane was actually part of the group that hung out with Kushida. So, Ayanokouji was puzzled by Horikita asking this of him.
Horikita naturally noticed his confusion.
Yet, she had no way to explain it. How could she possibly explain?
Admit that she and Kushida had attended the same middle school, that she'd accidentally heard some rumors about Kushida, and had consequently earned the other girl's hatred?
If she said something like that, Ayanokouji might even think she was lying.
And besides… Horikita had a visceral reluctance to let Amane interact with Kushida too much.
Kushida's threat to 'take Amane away from her' was still vivid in her mind. Horikita would prefer nothing more than to keep Amane far away from Kushida.
There was no way she'd let Amane be the one to talk to her.
If Ayanokouji contacted her, Kushida might feel obligated by basic classmate courtesy to agree to help him without conditions.
Even if Kushida despised Horikita, she'd likely hold back if an outsider was involved. But if Amane asked for the favor, there was a real chance Kushida would make some excessive demands in return.
Since they needed Kushida's cooperation, from every angle, it was clearly safer for Ayanokouji to be the one to invite her.
"Yes, this matter requires your assistance, Ayanokouji," Horikita confirmed.
After getting her definitive reply, Ayanokouji gave a slow nod.
"I'll give it a try, then. But… Horikita, do you really believe Class D can rise to Class A?"
He looked at her confident expression and asked a question that seemed abrupt, yet was perfectly reasonable.
It seemed abrupt because if even someone like Horikita was taking action, she must be operating under the assumption that lifting Class D to Class A was possible.
For Ayanokouji to ask now felt superfluous. If rising from D to A was impossible, Horikita Suzune wouldn't be bothering in the first place.
Yet it was also perfectly reasonable.
After all, the chasm between Class D and Class A was vast—so wide it probably couldn't be closed in just a year or two. Anyone would question the feasibility.
"I'd like to call that a foolish question, but thinking about it… this isn't you getting cold feet, is it?" Horikita eyed him with a trace of suspicion.
"That's not what I mean. You have to understand, the gap between Class D and Class A isn't like going from 939 to 940. It's the difference between 0 and 940. Can a chase like that ever really succeed?"
Ayanokouji seemed to be recalling something.
"Giving up and running away might sound cowardly, but those strategies can be remarkably effective sometimes. If you choose to quit, you'll never experience failure. So—Horikita, are you prepared to fail? It's very possible all your efforts will be for nothing."
He seemed to be testing her, trying to persuade her to abandon her goal.
Horikita narrowed her eyes, attempting to read something from Ayanokouji's facial expression.
But facing his completely blank slate, she found it impossible to glean any of the information she needed. This surprised Horikita, who was somewhat skilled in cold reading.
"If this is your idea of a test, Ayanokouji, then let me be perfectly clear. I need to lead Class D to Class A to prove something to someone. For me, 'running away' was never an option from the start."
Horikita Suzune recalled her brother Horikita Manabu's scathing assessment of her. She needed the status of Class A as proof.
Proof that she had grown. That she was no longer the same Horikita Suzune from back then. That she possessed abilities capable of rivaling her brother's.
"And if you're being serious… then I can only say you're looking down on me, Ayanokouji. It's getting late; I'm going back to my room to sleep. What will you do?"
Horikita's question carried a double meaning.
Ayanokouji pondered for a moment. "I'll go and try contacting Kushida."
Seeing that Ayanokouji had ultimately chosen to cooperate, Horikita allowed a small smile to touch her lips. But it made her curious. What method had Chabashira-sensei used to persuade a reclusive individual like Ayanokouji to assist her?
"Pleasure working with you."
"Pleasure working with you… Aren't you going to shake on it?"
When Horikita said the words, Ayanokouji instinctively extended his hand. But Horikita showed no intention of shaking it; instead, her eyes were full of distaste.
"Sorry, I'm not in the habit of shaking hands."
"I see…" Ayanokouji withdrew his hand, somewhat disappointed.
After discussing the details of the study session a bit longer, Horikita was the first to head back to the dormitory.
The moment she opened her door, a figure launched itself into her arms.
"Waaah, Suzune, you're finally back!"
Looking down at Amane, who couldn't even be bothered to fake cry and was just openly nuzzling against her chest, Horikita ruffled her hair.
"I had some business to take care of. You were sleeping so soundly earlier, so I didn't wake you. What made you wake up suddenly?"
According to Amane's usual sleep habits, once she was out, she was practically impossible to rouse. Then again, that impossibility also applied to another situation: you can't wake someone who is only pretending to be asleep.
"I rolled over and bumped my head on the floor, then I woke up," Amane revealed with a goofy grin.
Paired with her slightly dazed, sleepy expression, it was utterly impossible to stay annoyed with her.
"Honestly, how can anyone be as much of a klutz as you?" Horikita sighed. She'd specifically wrapped Amane in the futon, yet never imagined she'd wake up in this manner.
"I'm not a klutz!" Amane puffed out her cheeks, looking as adorable as a little hamster secretly storing food for winter.
Horikita pinched Amane's cheek. "Alright, alright, don't be mad. Let's get back to bed."
"What about you, Suzune?" Amane looked at her expectantly.
"I'm sleeping too. You're so grown, yet you still need someone to tuck you in. You're such a child, Amane." Horikita shot her a resigned look.
But Amane, thick-skinned as ever, was completely used to this. After changing into her pajamas, she scrambled into the futon first, popping her head out to watch Horikita.
Once Horikita had also changed and lay down beside her, Amane squirmed closer. It was worth noting that Horikita had originally prepared two separate futons.
But Amane always ended up worming her way into Horikita's in the middle of the night.
After it happened enough times, Horikita simply gave up and tacitly allowed them to share one.
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Suzune."
After exchanging goodnights, the two drifted off to sleep…
Not!
Both Amane and Horikita opened their eyes in the darkness, silently observing each other.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.