Chapter 151 – Forced debts

"Speak up, Horikita, are you thinking of running away and defaulting on debts like Sudo?"

"Silent now? Playing dumb? Weren't you the one who talked a lot when you first suggested crowdfunding?"

"Can you at least respond? Do you admit it or not? You're such a hassle!"

Seeing Horikita fall into such inexplicable silence, the students of Class D still pressured her to accept debts that weren't hers.

Horikita felt an unusual bitterness inside, like she was being forced to drink unsweetened matcha, bitter all the way to her stomach.

Her usually sharp eyebrows had lost their edge due to exhaustion, her cold gaze now pleaded for understanding, and her erect posture had unknowingly slumped slightly, as if carrying a great mountain.

Her fists, usually clenched tight, now naturally loosened and fell, devoid of strength, unable to even make a fist.

With mixed feelings, Horikita looked at her classmates, the last bit of clarity in her mind helped her realize that some injustices must be accepted.

If she still wanted to move up to Class A, she had to agree to her classmates' demands, because only then could she slightly change the negative perception her classmates had of her.

Only then could she maintain her voice in the class, continue to express her opinions, lead the class, and move towards Class A.

Only then could she grasp that tiny possibility of moving up to Class A.

Otherwise, in the future, she would truly be unable to play any significant role in the class, and just silently fall to the bottom, which would be utterly meaningless.

Of course, if she didn't want to ascend to Class A, she could just walk away. The solitary Horikita didn't need to care about anyone, she could live well on her own. Classmates' ostracism? Ignorance? That meant nothing to her.

But the obsession with moving up to Class A, Horikita couldn't let go of that, nor did she want to.

Her brother had been placed in Class A at the start of school, and over three years, he had firmly secured his position in Class A, unshakable by anyone.

As someone who had always chased her brother's back and entered this school to follow in his footsteps, how could she allow herself to fall here?

Weighed down by deep fatigue, Horikita met the gaze of the Class D students: "Please rest assured, I will take responsibility for repaying the debts Sudo owes."

Hearing this, the students of Class D laughed joyfully, and they no longer pursued or pressured further. Having been through too much, seeing Horikita acknowledge this debt, they felt justified and happily went off to lunch.

Or rather, they no longer wanted to stay nearby Yukio's class and be treated like monkeys by the others.

As they left, not a single person greeted Horikita; it seemed both intentional and accidental, leaving her behind as if she were a little dog abandoned by the roadside on a rainy day, with nowhere to go.

"Sigh." Seeing this, Yukio couldn't help shaking his head, filled with emotion. Horikita Suzune indeed had serious problems; she was exceptionally willful, imposing her own standards on everyone.

She lacked emotional intelligence, didn't understand people's hearts, had no sense of the bigger picture or strategic foresight, was inflexible, and didn't know how to grasp situations or utilize the power at her disposal.

Her flaws were numerous, but the main issue was that she had been placed in Class D. With her capabilities, she wouldn't have struggled so much in Class C or B.

But alas, Class D was a quagmire, and without a certain level of cunning, it was really difficult to thrive.

Perhaps hearing Yukio clicking his tongue, Horikita's weak brows tensed up again with renewed strength: "Yukio, are you satisfied?"

As she confronted him with that remark, meeting Yukio's gaze directly, her brows sagged weakly again, lacking the confidence to hold up for long.

"Satisfied?" Yukio murmured Horikita's words, a playful look emerging in his eyes: "You might not know, but my original goal was to detonate the 'Sudo bomb' and at the same time get you expelled."

"For me, that was the original plan."

"That's truly a pity, I'm still here." Horikita tried to counter sharply, appearing not to be at a disadvantage, but the effort was minimal. Yet, her slightly stooped posture, no longer as erect as before, mercilessly betrayed her.

Yukio shook his head, as if he was an adult humoring a child: "You think I couldn't do it? It's just that Horikita Manabu, the student council president, spent a lot of money to protect you; otherwise, you should have been gone today."

"!" Horikita, trying to maintain a calm expression, was shaken by the sudden revelation from Yukio, showing a visibly anxious look for the first time. She quickly took a few steps closer to Yukio: "What did you say?"

"Brother, my brother... he! He shouldn't, shouldn't be troubled by this..." Horikita's eyes were visibly shaken, showing Yukio up close what could be called a 'pupil earthquake.'

Perhaps because she was already very tired, or maybe hearing anything related to Horikita Manabu made Suzune Horikita particularly confused, she didn't question the truth of the statement and subconsciously accepted it as fact.

"Sigh." Watching this, Yukio shook his head, filled with many reflections. "Feeling like you've caused trouble for President Horikita? That you're holding him back?"

Horikita opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, she remained silent...

"Then why not produce some results? Are you feeling distressed now? Confused? Unsure of what to do?"

Horikita wanted to nod vigorously. Yes, she was feeling very aggrieved. The debt that rightfully belonged to Sudo was forcibly tied to her, requiring her to repay it. Who wouldn't feel aggrieved under such circumstances?

But for the sake of maintaining her influence in the class, for the sake of helping her class ascend to Class A, she could only endure. Even if it meant swallowing her complaints, what else could she do?

If it were Yukio, at the very depths of Horikita's bright eyes, a glimmer of hope emerged. If it were him, could he perfectly resolve such a situation?

Feeling Horikita's hope, Yukio pointed towards the departing Class D: "Then think carefully, observe carefully. Consider the interests, positions, and relationships of every class member."

"Then look to the future, and consider how to use these interests, positions, and relationships to secure victory."

Horikita absorbed this precious knowledge like a sponge, eagerly taking in what she saw as Yukio's invaluable experience in propelling the class forward.

When she came to her senses, wondering why Yukio was helping her and wanting to thank him, she found that he had already left with the class members, leaving her all alone in the vast Field No. 3.

The lonely sun shone on a solitary person and her shadow. Despite it being high noon with the sun at its strongest, Horikita couldn't help but wrap her arms around herself, feeling a chill, all alone.

"The next time I see him, I'll thank him and tell him I will never lose again," Horikita murmured to herself with a flash of enlightenment in her eyes.

Far away, a curious member of Yukio's class, Ryuen, asked, "Was it necessary to enlighten her? Letting her continue being foolish would ensure that Class D poses no threat."

"You're wrong," Yukio shook his head. "The most threatening aspect of Class D isn't Horikita."

"Besides, I'm just repaying a favor for a favor. President Horikita took the initiative to offer the vice president position as soon as he arrived. I have to return the favor somehow, to settle this debt. If we face each other in the future, it'll be easier to act freely. I'm really curious about the strength of Horikita Manabu and the third-year Class A."

"Next time, I'll find a chance to test him."

Ryuen felt this was very much in Yukio's style: "Then I'm looking forward to it."

***

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