As soon as Yuki stepped out of the teacher's office, he noticed Horikita Suzune still waiting outside.
"You're really patient, Suzune."
He spoke as he passed by her.
"Wait."
Horikita Suzune hurriedly grabbed his sleeve, her cool voice sharp with accusation. "What did you talk about with Instructor Chabashira?"
Looking at the small hand clutching his sleeve, Yuki could clearly tell how desperate she was to learn the school's secrets. Even so, he hadn't expected her to be this direct.
Yuki broke into a teasing grin. "Suzune, if you agree to go on a date with me later, I might consider telling you."
"Ridiculous. Do you really think I'd agree to a condition like that?" Horikita's tone stalled as she instantly pulled her hand back.
"Amamiya Yuki, don't think too highly of yourself."
Leaving behind a cool, decisive silhouette, Horikita Suzune turned and walked straight into the teacher's office. There was no way she'd agree to something like that just for information.
Yuki shrugged indifferently. That answer was exactly what he'd expected, and he didn't really care. Attending the opening ceremony was more important.
...
"Instructor Chabashira, what exactly did you and Amamiya Yuki talk about just now? Of course, you don't have to answer anything private."
"But as a member of Class D, I hope to obtain the information I'm supposed to know. Teachers should treat every student equally."
Standing before Chabashira Sae, Horikita Suzune asked bluntly.
Even facing a teacher, Horikita's presence didn't weaken at all. It sounded more like an interrogation than a question.
Chabashira Sae found it slightly amusing.
She had preemptively excluded private matters, then tried to pressure her using a teacher's duty as leverage.
Impressive—but only to a point.
Teachers couldn't refuse to answer questions within the rules.
But Chabashira Sae had graduated from this school herself, which already proved she wasn't incompetent.
She lit a cigarette, took a light drag, and examined Horikita Suzune with a cool gaze. "Horikita, when you run into a problem, shouldn't you first learn to solve it yourself?"
"That's… true."
Faced with Chabashira's perfectly sound reasoning, Horikita Suzune clenched her fists, at a loss for words.
She knew Yuki had definitely discussed rules with Chabashira, but she had no idea where to even begin digging on her own.
Watching her like this, Chabashira felt a faint sense of disappointment. "As for information, I've actually already told you everything. Whether you can notice it or not depends on your own ability."
"The opening ceremony is about to start. Go back now. Of course, if you have more specific questions, I can help answer them."
Hearing that, Horikita Suzune pressed her lips together, unwilling to accept it.
Was this basically saying her ability wasn't enough?
But if she were asked to pose a concrete question, she couldn't come up with one.
And solving problems on her own—just like her brother—being able to handle everything herself, that was the posture a true strong person should have.
"Underst—"
"Ah! Sae-chan actually ditched me to secretly meet someone else. That's so mean~"
Before Horikita could finish, the office door was shoved open roughly.
A woman with chestnut-colored long hair walked in, casually waving a clipboard in her hand, puffing out her cheeks. Even when she was angry, she somehow looked cute.
"Hoshinomiya Chie."
(PS: The image depicts Hoshinomiya.)
Chabashira Sae rubbed her forehead helplessly, clearly exasperated with her lifelong nemesis of a best friend.
Noticing Horikita, Hoshinomiya casually tossed the clipboard aside, placed both hands on Horikita's shoulders, leaned in close to her face, and said excitedly, "Such a cute kid—way too cute~ What's your name?"
"Horikita… Suzune."
Overwhelmed by an indescribable pressure, Horikita stammered out her name.
It was her first time being in such close physical proximity to someone. Even though it was a female teacher, her face flushed red, completely unaccustomed to it.
"Chie, that's enough. Horikita, you go wait outside too."
"S-sorry. I'll take my leave."
Saved by Chabashira Sae, Horikita Suzune fled the office almost as if she were escaping.
She really couldn't handle Hoshinomiya's type—someone who closed the distance so casually and naturally.
Watching Horikita leave, Hoshinomiya hugged Chabashira from behind, her expression instantly darkening as she whispered softly, "Sae-chan, you're not thinking of overstepping your bounds, are you?"
"Don't joke around." Chabashira pushed her away without hesitation. "I have no interest in Class A."
After years as close friends, Chabashira understood Hoshinomiya perfectly.
Sure enough, Hoshinomiya immediately returned to her bright, playful smile and clung to her again. "True enough. Sae-chan's been Class D's homeroom teacher for so many years. You can't disappoint me, or I'll be super~ heartbroken."
Even so, her eyes quietly followed the direction Horikita had left.
Whether or not Chabashira truly intended to aim for Class A, that possibility had to be crushed at the root.
That girl named Horikita Suzune was probably Chabashira Sae's main focus of observation.
...
After leaving the teacher's office, Horikita Suzune felt deeply frustrated.
It wasn't that she looked down on Amamiya Yuki—she'd simply regarded Chabashira Sae as a fallback option.
If she couldn't get information from Yuki, then the teacher surely would.
And yet—
She couldn't understand how she'd been brushed off so easily by Chabashira.
Now,
Her path to learning the rules through Chabashira was completely cut off.
What should she do?
Was going on a date with Amamiya Yuki really the only option left?
"Hah…"
Letting out a soft breath, Horikita Suzune's gaze hardened.
It's just a date.
Not a big deal.