Suzune and Manabu

Izumi who had been outside the door saw Ayanokouji coming about.

"What happened? Can't Sleep?

"Hmm, I was about to go and buy juice. What about you?"

"Going for late-night exercise."

"Izumi had been doing exercise late at night as he didn't want to miss the Horikita union event. And the exercises had helped him as Raph had said that in a few days, she will be able to unlock his Ki. Though it will be weak as he didn't do heavy exercise.

"Let's go. I will join you too."

Both of them left and went down with stairs and they saw the elevator stopped on the seventh floor.

Curious, Ayanokouji decided to check out the CCTV, which showed what was happening inside the elevator car. He saw Horikita, still dressed in her school uniform. Izmu also looked at the CCTV and said, "Well, We don't really need to hide, but…"

Seeing her might be awkward right now, so they hid behind the vending machine. Horikita arrived on the first floor.

Looking wary of her surroundings, she exited the building. After she'd vanished into the night.

"Let's follow her."

"I don't think it's a good idea. If she sees us, she will absolutely try to poke us with her compass."

"Come on, No need to be scared. It's not like she is going to meet any guy there."

Even though they were talking softly, they had decided to follow after her. However, as they followed, Ayanokouji instinctively hid again and took Izumi to his side.

"What happened?"

"Shhh! Look."

They saw Horikita stopping in her tracks and sensed another person was with her.

"Suzune. I didn't think you'd follow me this far," he said.

'Had she left in the dead of night to rendezvous with some guy?' Ayanokouji thought while Izumi took out his phone.

(I think Izumi really likes to record others.)

"You and your mouth. You really raise flags every time." Ayanokouji gave Izumi a side glance and saw him recording again.

"Hmph. I'm far different from the useless girl you once knew, niisan. I came here to catch you."

"Catch me, hmm?"

Niisan? In the dark, they couldn't see the person she was talking to.

'Was she meeting her older brother'

"I heard you were placed in Class D. I suppose nothing has really changed in the last three years. You've always been fixated on following me, and as a result, you don't notice your own flaws. Choosing to come to this school was a mistake."

"That's… You're wrong about that. I'll show you. I'll reach Class A right away, then—"

"It's pointless. You will never reach Class A. In fact, your class will fall apart soon enough. Things at this school aren't as simple as you think."

"I will definitely, definitely reach—"

"I told you, it's pointless. You really are a disobedient little sister."

Horikita's brother stepped closer to her. From the hiding spot, they could see him plainly.

It was Student Council President Horikita. He displayed no hint of emotion. It was like he was staring at an uninteresting object. He grabbed his younger sister by the wrist—she offered no resistance—and pushed her against the wall.

"No matter how I try to avoid you, the fact remains that you're my little sister. If people around here learned the truth, I would be humiliated. Leave this school immediately."

"I-I can't do that… I will definitely reach Class A. I'll show you!"

"How incredibly stupid. Do you want to relive the pain of the past?" "Niisan, I…"

"You possess neither the abilities nor the qualities needed to reach Class A. Get that through your head."

Izumi nudged Ayanokouji slightly and gave him the direction and said, "Go Hero, save the Princess."

(Ayanokouji POV)

He moved forward, as if about to act. The situation looked fraught with danger. Resigned to facing Horikita's anger, I leaped out from my hiding space and went after her brother.

Before he knew I was there, I grabbed his right arm, which he was using to pin his sister.

"What? You…" He stared at his arm and slowly turned to me with a sharp gleam in his eye.

"A-Ayanokouji-kun?!" Horikita cried.

"You were about to throw your sister to the ground, weren't you? You do realize the floor here is concrete, right? You might be siblings, but you should know the difference between right and wrong."

"Eavesdropping is not an admirable quality," he said.

"Fine. Then let go."

"That's my line."

We glared at each other in complete silence.

"Stop it, Ayanokouji-kun," said Horikita, her voice strained. I'd never heard her voice like that before.

Reluctantly, I released her brother. Instantly, he tried to backhand me in the face. I instinctively took a step back to avoid it. For such a lightly built guy, he was a nasty attacker. He then aimed a sharp kick at my unguarded spot.

"Watch it!"

He had enough power to knock me out with one blow. Looking slightly confused, he exhaled deeply, extended his right arm, and opened his hand.

If I grabbed his hand, he'd probably throw me to the ground. Instead, I slapped his hand away.

"Good reflexes. I didn't imagine you could evade all of my blows so quickly. Also, you seemed to understand quite well what I was trying to do. Have you been taught?"

After the attacks stopped, the questions began.

"Yes, I was taught piano and calligraphy. Also, when I was in elementary school, I won a national music competition," I said.

"You're in Class D, too, aren't you? What a unique boy, Suzune." After he let go of his younger sister, he turned to face me.

"No. Unlike Horikita, I'm pretty incompetent."

"Suzune, is this boy your friend? I'm honestly surprised."

"He's my friend." Horikita faced her brother fully as if showing that she has changed...

Manabu raised his eyebrows hearing this,

"You used to confuse independence with solitude. It seems you really have changed slightly but it won't be enough. And you, Ayanokouji. With you around, things might get interesting."

He was about to move and disappeared but then he heard, "Not too early President. Before leaving, why don't you check it out?"

Izumi came up and stood beside me.

"If he does something, hold him. You can even beat him later, Ayanokouji."

I nodded hearing it as I had just seen that Student Council President can be offensive.

Both the Horikita's looked at the video in Izumi's hand with different faces.

Horikita Suzune was stunned and then knew something was up while Horikita Manabu had a frown. He came back and was about to take the phone when I held him.

"Now, Now. Don't be offensive President. I heard that the Student Council President was calm and collected individual, but it seems they were rumors. Here I saw President dealing with everything Physically."

Horikita Manabu frowned upon hearing this while Horikita Suzune looked down and said, "Stop It, Izumi."

"And why should I? Imagine if I posted it on the net or even submitted it to school. Student Council President assaulting his junior, his little sister. What do you think will happen? Will you lose the position? Or will you even be expelled from the school?"

"Nothing will happen." Horikita Manabu said with calm voice.

"I will deny it." Horikita Suzune said, slightly flustered.

"Ding! Ding! President is correct. While Horikita Suzune, what will you get by denying? Or why will you deny it? Is it because he is brother?"

"All I see is a person stuck in his ideals. Your so-called invincible brother, whom you think has no flaws, has a lot of flaws. It is good that you look up to him but You followed him blindly. You why he disregards you, it's because he could see his image in yourself whom he hates. AM I RIGHT PRESIDENT?"

This time, everyone's expression changed. But the one who was the most was Manabu, It's been the first time since someone understood perfectly and one who understood was a stranger.

"Y-You? How do you know this? Who are you?"

"Well, I am Miyamura Izumi, You can call me Izumi."

"The APP developer?"

"What are you talking about?" Horikita asked while Izumi remained silent.

'It seems Izumi really knows how to read others, or he might know something which others. Anyways, He is my friend and I don't have a problem being with someone who understands me. But he really orders me so much, The things I saw before in the mall were quite good, Guess I will take it as compensation from him.'

"Hah! Suzune, if they are your friends and you will have to work hard. With them you could reach Class A but only if they decide or you change yourself."

Horikita was stunned hearing his brother's praise and then looked at Ayanokouji and Izumi again.

"But President, What will you give for the video? Don't change the topic."

"What do you want? Don't ask too much as you would already know the rules."

Then Izumi and Ayanokouji had a talk with Manabu while Suzune kept on looking at them silently.

'It seems I will have to change. Or I will only be able to look up to them and not stand beside them.'

(I get this vibe from somewhere. Oh! I remember, Team 7 with Intelligent Sasuke as Ayanokouji and Clever Naruto as Izumi with a slightly useful; Sakura as Suzune who actually knows what to do.)

Then Manabu left and the three of them remained there in silence.

"I'm going to drag myself up to Class A even if it kills me," she said.

Horikita fell silent once again.

"Your older brother is really strong. He doesn't lack ferocity."

"He's ranked fifth dan in karate and fourth dan in aikido."

Whew, he was really strong. If I hadn't pulled away, it would've ended badly for me.

"You also practice martial arts, don't you, Ayanokouji-kun? You must hold a dan rank."

"I told you, didn't I? Just piano and tea ceremony."

"You said calligraphy before."

"I…did calligraphy in addition to those, yes."

If there were a piano here, I could at least have performed "Für Elise."

Seeing them talking Izumi smiled and said, "Let's go and talk while walking. Ayanokouji will treat us because of his victory against President."

Horikita glared at Izumi while I tried to deny it but couldn't. I guess I will treat them today.

"You two saw a strange side of me."

"We already knew. You showed this sight at the club fair. The normal weak and frail side instead of the cold and confident one."

Horikita glared at Izumi again while I nodded.

"Let's go back. If anyone saw us out here, they'd probably get ideas."

She was certainly right about that. Rumors about 2 boys and a girl hanging out alone in the dark would be bound to circulate. Not to mention the fact that the relationship between us seemed to be intensifying.

Horikita got up slowly and walked toward the dorm.

"Hey. Were you really okay with how the study group went?" Horikita asked.

"Why are you asking? I knew you will blow up and that's why I asked. Now did you understand just how much you will have to change?"

"But if it was like this, why didn't you tell me about the syllabus?"

"Because there is no need to," I said this time.

Horkita gave us a confused look and Izumi sighed.

"You really need to work up. Here see this."

Izumi showed the test papers from the third year. I also looked at second years and then matched the paper. The first midterm was always.

"Are you sure about this?"

"yeah, this is gonna be the paper. You will send it 1 or 2 days before the test and let them revise it. If they still get failed, I will expel them."

I looked and Izumi and then he looked at me. We both nodded as we had already decided on the plan for the midterm. The class will...

Anyways, Horikita was shocked after seeing the paper.

"Horkita, you need to learn to think outside the box. You always get flustered when you have to make an important decision in a short time. Just like with your brother, when you said that you will deny it. Your denial won't solve anything, instead, it would fuel the rumors more and you might make the situation worse."

Izumi gave her advice. It seems he is good at giving bits of advice too. First me, then Horikita, Sakura, and Horikita again.

"Let's go for the exercise Ayanokouji. Bye Bye Horitkita, Have a Good Night."

"Good Night, Horikita."

Both of them left Horikita who was contemplating, again.

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