Horikita Siblings

Kushida's face burned red, and she could not tell whether it was from anger or embarrassment. She had never imagined that after Konoe had learned every detail of her true nature, he would still want to befriend someone like her.

Kushida watched the boy in front of her, whom she had been holding down and keeping from moving just moments ago, bend down and extend a hand toward her. For some reason, she felt a wave of heat surge through her body, making her legs tremble.

"...This... feels so strange..."

Kushida said quietly. Perhaps even she could not hear her own voice, nor had she noticed that her breathing had become extremely rapid.

Kushida simply stared at Konoe's outstretched hand, momentarily at a loss.

At this point, Konoe could not tell whether this was her true self or whether she was still pretending.

Very soon, she quickly headed toward the stairs. After taking a few steps, she turned her back to Konoe and said in a cute voice, "...You're awful, Konoe. Aren't we already friends?"

Then she hurried away.

Did I fail?

That tone had probably been an act, Konoe thought.

Finally released by Kushida, Konoe staggered toward the dorms.

It was already nighttime. Feeling thirsty, he wanted to buy a can of juice from the vending machine near the dorms. However, he ran into an acquaintance who was bending over to take a drink from it.

"A-Ayanokoji."

"...It's Konoe. What happened? Why do you look completely drained?"

I got abducted. Konoe could not exactly say that, so he could only reply, "It's nothing. I just worked out a little."

"Is that so? Then I'll treat you to a drink."

"Really? You always buy me drinks, so I feel a little bad... hehehe." Although Konoe said that, he did not stand on ceremony with Ayanokoji at all.

"You've had it rough too..."

Happy about the free drink, Konoe accepted the juice from Ayanokoji.

"Wait, how did you know what I wanted to drink...?"

"Konoe, it looks like someone's coming. Hide." After saying that, Ayanokoji grabbed Konoe and pulled him into the shadows around the vending machine.

Why do we have to hide?! Konoe could only take the chance to open the juice and have a sip first.

Only a few seconds passed.

"Suzune, you actually followed me all the way here." Konoe knew that voice well. It belonged to Horikita Manabu.

"I'm no longer the useless person you knew back then... I came here to catch up to you."

It was Horikita Suzune and Horikita Manabu. Konoe took a sip of juice. Beside him, Ayanokoji stared at him expressionlessly, exerting invisible pressure as if to say: You can still keep drinking juice at a time like this? If we get discovered, it'll be all your fault.

"Catch up... you say? I heard you entered Class D. Just like three years ago, you haven't changed at all. You've only ever stared at my back, and even now, you still haven't noticed your own flaws." Horikita Manabu adjusted his glasses. "Choosing this school was your mistake."

"I'll ascend to Class A right away and show you. If I do that..."

"You can't."

"I definitely will..."

"What a disobedient little sister." Horikita Manabu turned to face Horikita Suzune, grabbed her defenseless wrist, and forcefully pinned it against the wall.

"No matter how much I avoid you, it doesn't change the fact that you're my sister. If the people around us find out about you, I'll be the one embarrassed. Leave this school immediately."

"I... I can't... I... I'll definitely ascend to Class A..."

"How foolish. I'll make you suffer like you did in the past."

"Older Brother... I..."

"You don't have the ability or the right to climb up. Face reality properly."

Horikita's body was yanked upward with force, leaving her feet dangling in the air.

What a pain. I'm already exhausted today... Konoe was about to speak up and stop Horikita Manabu, but Ayanokoji beside him had disappeared without him noticing.

In the blink of an eye, Ayanokoji had already grabbed Horikita Manabu's arm.

That was fast! Konoe took another sip of juice.

"Who are you?" Horikita Manabu asked in a calm voice.

"A-Ayanokoji!" Horikita Suzune cried out his name in surprise.

"You were about to throw Horikita down hard just now, weren't you? Do you know this is concrete? Even if you're siblings, there are some things you can do and some things you can't." Ayanokoji's tone remained as flat as ever, without the slightest fluctuation even now.

"Eavesdropping is rather improper."

Upon hearing Horikita Manabu's voice, Konoe hid himself even deeper.

"That's enough. Let go of my hand."

"That's what I should be saying."

Ayanokoji and Horikita Manabu stared at each other as the atmosphere slowly grew silent and heavy.

"Ayanokoji, stop..." Horikita Suzune's weak voice rang out, her tone so fragile that it was surprising.

Just as Ayanokoji released Horikita Manabu's arm, Horikita Manabu suddenly used the arm that had just been grabbed to strike at Ayanokoji. Yet Ayanokoji actually reacted in time, leaning his upper body back slightly to evade the attack. Seeing this, Horikita Manabu followed up with a kick at Ayanokoji's head, but Ayanokoji's waist was incredibly flexible. He dodged in the opposite direction and evaded that attack as well.

You really can't judge people by appearances, either of them. Konoe took a huge gulp of juice and watched excitedly.

Horikita Manabu was clearly surprised as well. After revealing a puzzled expression, he jumped back several steps to control the distance, then spread open his right hand and attacked Ayanokoji again.

Ayanokoji lowered his center of gravity and deflected Horikita Manabu's attack with his left palm.

"Not bad moves. Have you learned anything?" Horikita Manabu stopped attacking and asked.

"I learned piano and calligraphy."

"You're in Class D too? Suzune, this man is quite unusual."

"I'm different from Horikita. I'm quite useless."

"Suzune, I never expected you to have a friend. To be honest, I'm very surprised."

"He... isn't my friend. He's only a classmate."

"It seems you're still the same as ever, unable to distinguish between pride and loneliness. And you, your name is Ayanokoji, right? With you around, things might become a little more interesting."

After saying that, Horikita Manabu walked past Ayanokoji and vanished into the shadows. "If you want to ascend a class, struggle with everything you have. There is no other way."

Having learned from today's lesson, Konoe left immediately without waiting for Ayanokoji.

"So it was you, Konoe." Horikita Manabu's voice came from behind him.

"So it was Horikita Senpai. May I ask what you need?" Konoe's response was flawless. No matter what the other man said, he had resolved to deny everything to the end.

Horikita Manabu had clearly left through the exit on the opposite side, which was not even in the same direction as this path. At that thought, Konoe's mouth twitched.

"Hmph... You were drinking so loudly. Did you really think no one could hear you? If you want to hide, then hide properly... But since it was you, I'll let it go. Also... come to the Student Council this weekend for an interview. I won't have someone notify you."

"Yes, President." A trace of cold sweat ran down Konoe's forehead, and he instinctively hid the juice in his hand behind his back.

Horikita Manabu patted Konoe on the shoulder before leaving.

"Too much happened today... I really worked hard."

Konoe finally returned to the dorm. After sending Ayanokoji a text message to explain things, he fell into a deep sleep without waiting for a reply.