-241- Do whatever you want
Previously, Hori had sensed that the relationship between Hirata Yousuke and Karuizawa Kei was not as intimate as he had imagined.
Hirata Yousuke never called Karuizawa Kei by her first name, always addressing her as "Karuizawa-san." While this might vary from person to person, with some couples not using each other's first names even when in a relationship, Hirata Yousuke's attitude towards Karuizawa Kei was still problematic.
That wasn't the attitude one would have towards a loved one.
In Hirata Yousuke's eyes, Karuizawa Kei was no different from the other classmates. He didn't show any special intimacy or favoritism towards her, treating her with the same fairness, kindness, and equality as he did the rest of the class.
This made Hori feel the same vibe from Hirata Yousuke and Karuizawa Kei as he did from his own fake relationship with Ichinose Honami.
That is, a pretend relationship.
"At first, I was a bit curious about why you two were pretending to be a couple."
Hori revealed Karuizawa Kei's hidden secret right in front of her.
"Perhaps, you wanted to use Hirata Yousuke's status in the class to boost your own?"
Because Karuizawa Kei was a powerless weakling, someone who had always been bullied and at the bottom. It was already impressive that she could stand up from her past shadows and decide to break away from the fate of being a weakling.
However, it wasn't that easy for Karuizawa Kei to achieve this with her weak strength.
So, Karuizawa Kei chose to pretend to be a couple with Hirata Yousuke.
"If you can stay close to someone with status, you can gain a status second only to theirs."
Hori looked at Karuizawa Kei.
"You used this method to elevate your status and presence in the class by being in a relationship with Hirata."
In this way, with her strong attitude and overbearing actions, Karuizawa Kei's status in the class would rise sharply.
Knowing that the leader of Class D was Karuizawa Kei's boyfriend, and knowing that Karuizawa Kei wasn't someone to be easily bullied, who would still think that she had been constantly bullied in the past?
Therefore, everything Karuizawa Kei had established in the class was fake.
Her strong attitude was fake.
Her overbearing actions were fake.
Her status was fake.
Her strength was fake.
Even her relationship with Hirata Yousuke was fake.
Even bullying the girl named Rika, as Manabe Shiho mentioned, was a deliberate act to show her power in front of her classmates and solidify her status among the girls.
Presumably, when Karuizawa Kei realized that Hirata Yousuke would become the leader of Class D, she personally made the request to him.
She asked Hirata Yousuke for help.
To help her escape from being bullied and from her fate.
And Hirata Yousuke wouldn't refuse, would he?
That kind-hearted person, who couldn't sit idly by when he saw someone in trouble, would definitely help if he knew a classmate had been bullied.
Even if it meant pretending to be a couple.
In other words…
"Everything you have now is because you are parasitizing Hirata."
Hori mercilessly hit Karuizawa Kei's greatest weakness.
Her essence as a parasite was completely exposed at this moment.
Facing all this, Karuizawa Kei really wanted to deny it.
How could she not deny it?
Her bullied past and her essence as a parasite were facts that the girl named Karuizawa Kei could not admit to.
However, Karuizawa Kei also understood that at this point, clumsy lies would have no effect.
So, Karuizawa Kei gave up.
She even became self-destructive.
"Ah, yes, just as you said, I am a parasite, a weakling who gained my current status by parasitizing Hirata-kun, someone anyone can bully, a pitiable person."
Karuizawa Kei mocked herself in front of Hori.
Her voice lacked the usual sharpness, filled only with bitterness and inferiority born from facing harsh reality.
"In your eyes, I must be the least worthy of attention, an object of contempt and scorn, a pitiful worm struggling under your gaze. You must want to laugh at me, right?"
Karuizawa Kei met Hori's gaze, speaking as if venting.
"No matter, you can laugh at me all you want, or do whatever you like to me, it doesn't matter, I'm used to it."
The girl named Karuizawa Kei spoke these words while shedding tears.
Because Karuizawa Kei knew, she had to once again yield to harsh reality.
She couldn't do anything.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have chosen the path of parasitizing others.
Years of bullying had made Karuizawa Kei very aware that she wasn't an outstanding or capable person, or she wouldn't have been unable to fight back.
And how could Karuizawa Kei, who couldn't even resist Manabe Shiho, Yabu Nanami, and Yamashita Saki, fight back against Hori, who could easily drive those three away and lead Class D to victory in the special exam on the uninhabited island?
Moreover, now that Hori knew everything about her, if he spoke out, Karuizawa Kei would lose her status and all her efforts in this school.
Karuizawa Kei couldn't give up everything and let her painful past return.
So, Karuizawa Kei could only yield.
"Compared to always being bullied, falling into your hands is much easier." Karuizawa Kei said sarcastically, "Now, my weaknesses and secrets are in your hands, do whatever you want, I will accept it."
Saying this, Karuizawa Kei continued to cry.
Even as she cried, there was no will to resist in her eyes.
As she said, no matter what Hori wanted to do to her, even if he wanted her body to indulge his desires, Karuizawa Kei would not refuse now, would she?
This was the consequence of having no power to resist.
Karuizawa Kei understood this point, so she simply gave up or rather became completely self-destructive.
"Is that so?"
Hori looked at Karuizawa Kei and said calmly.
"In that case, come with me."
Leaving these words, Hori turned and walked towards the third floor.
Seeing this, Karuizawa Kei wiped away her tears again, bit her lip, trembling with fear of the unknown future and the treatment she would face, and slowly followed Hori.
Finally, the two of them arrived at Hori's room.
And they went inside.