We Unite

The next day during lunch break, when he and Ayanokoji met in the hallway, Horikita Suzune happened to be walking from the opposite direction. Natsukawa subconsciously tensed up.

However, Horikita's reaction was beyond his expectations.

She stopped in front of him, her violet eyes staring straight at him. The look in them was incredibly complex—there was lingering anger, resentment, but more than anything, a sense of scrutiny and... struggle. She didn't lash out immediately, nor did she utter a single sharp, sarcastic remark.

The air remained frozen for a few seconds.

Finally, as if she had reached a major decision, Horikita took a deep breath and said in an extremely stiff voice, one that sounded as if it were being squeezed through her teeth: "Natsukawa... classmate. Regarding... how to unite the class... I need your... help."

After saying this, her cheeks flushed slightly—not from shyness, but from the rush of blood brought on by extreme humiliation. Those eyes, usually filled with arrogance, now avoided Natsukawa's gaze and looked at the floor to the side.

Natsukawa understood; he knew the "medicine" from yesterday had taken effect. He hadn't expected it to work this well—it shouldn't have—but even so, it clearly wasn't enough yet. He couldn't let her feel that asking for help was such an easy thing to do.

He didn't respond immediately, instead eyeing her with a look bordering on pity. A faint, almost imperceptible curve tugged at the corner of his mouth, and his tone carried a condescending sense of scrutiny: "Oh? Wasn't it just yesterday you were swearing that you didn't need any 'dead weight' and that you'd let them fend for themselves? What's the matter? It's only been a day, and our aloof Miss Horikita has changed her mind? Or have you finally realized that, on your own, you can't even handle a few 'defective products'?"

These words were like icy needles, precisely piercing Horikita's fragile pride. Her fists clenched instantly, her knuckles turning white, and her body trembled slightly. She jerked her head up, her eyes practically spitting fire. "You...!"

"What about me?" Natsukawa interrupted, stepping forward. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable sense of oppression. "If you want to ask for help, you need to show the right attitude. Recognizing your own incompetence and limitations is the first step toward growth. If you can't even do that, you'd better give up on your unrealistic Class A fantasy early and just stay in Class D, content to be the 'big fish in a small pond'."

He deliberately used the phrase "big fish in a small pond" to provoke her. Sure enough, Horikita's complexion shifted from red to white. To her, being unable to reach Class A, where her brother was, was no different from failure.

"...You're right." After a long silence, she squeezed these three words out of her throat, having exhausted all her strength. Her voice was low and hoarse. Her spine, usually held perfectly straight, seemed to slump slightly. Natsukawa's continuous strikes and his merciless belittling had caused cracks to form in her sturdy shell of self-importance.

"Admitting you're wrong isn't enough." Seeing that the timing was right, Natsukawa said slowly, "To solve the problem, relying on me alone isn't enough. You need the help of another person—Kushida Kikyo."

"What? You actually want..." Horikita instinctively wanted to retort, her face full of rejection.

"Put away your useless prejudice." Natsukawa interrupted again, his tone commanding. "Don't you want to promote to Class A? Then take actual action. Kushida possesses a level of approachability and communication skills you can't reach; she is the 'tool' you need most right now. Now, come with me to find her, and then, you will personally open your mouth and ask for her help."

He deliberately emphasized "tool" and "personally open your mouth," both to further suppress her pride and to reinforce the reality that she had to rely on others.

Horikita's heart struggled violently; the vision of "Class A" that Natsukawa had painted intertwined with her current sense of humiliation. In the end, as if recalling something, she reflected on Natsukawa's words. Her desire for Class A and Natsukawa's relentless pressure finally overcame her aloof pride.

She followed silently behind Natsukawa, like a prisoner being escorted.

When they found Kushida, she was chatting and laughing with a few other girls, wearing an impeccable, energetic smile. Seeing Natsukawa and Horikita appear together—especially with Horikita's incredibly unnatural, stiff expression—a flash of fleeting surprise and amusement crossed Kushida's eyes, but it was quickly masked by her perfect smile.

"Natsukawa-kun, Horikita-san? Do you need something from me?" Her voice remained sweet.

Natsukawa signaled to Horikita with his eyes.

Horikita took a deep breath, avoided Kushida's gaze, stared at the ground, and said in a stiff, barely audible voice: "Kushida... classmate. Regarding... Sudo and the others'... study session... I... need your... help."

After finishing the sentence, her ears were bright red.

The smile on Kushida's face grew even brighter, as if she had just heard the most delightful request in the world. "Of course, Horikita-san!" she responded enthusiastically. "I'm so happy I can help! Don't worry, leave it to me!"