The Student Council President and His Younger Sister

"Honami Ichinose, may I ask if you have a moment?"

After class, Ichinose approached Ying.

"Yeah. I have to go to the Student Council in a bit, but I'm free after that." Ying thought over his schedule before answering.

"Really? Actually, I'm thinking of joining the Student Council too. Could you ask President Horikita about it?"

"Sure." In the original story, Ichinose joined the Student Council in her second year. Ying thought to himself.

Inside the Kouiku Student Council room.

"Boss, are we still short-handed on the Student Council?" Ying asked after finishing his work.

"What's this? Do you have someone in mind?" Horikita Manabu said, pushing up his glasses.

"Uh... Ichinose Honami from my class is interested in joining the Student Council, so she asked me to consult you."

"We still need a secretary, but we're not in a hurry to find one. Tell her to come back when she's a second-year."

"Oh." So this was the convergence of the timelines?

"You remember the deal we made, don't you?" Horikita Manabu suddenly said seriously.

Ying: What deal?

"Of course I do, Boss!"

"Good. I've decided to go see my little sister first."

Ying: Oh! So that's what this is about!

"Then I hope you can resolve things with her, Boss!"

"Tonight at eight, by the vending machines in front of the dormitory. If you're interested, you can come and watch. I've already agreed to your conditions, so I'll leave Suzune in your hands from now on."

Ying: Seriously, doesn't this guy feel embarrassed? He actually wants me to come watch. And why does that sound so weird?

That night, Ying stuck to the fine tradition of showing up whenever someone invited him. He first went to the shop downstairs, bought a bucket of popcorn and a bottle of cola, then headed toward the meeting spot.

Hm?

Ying noticed a brown-haired young man following Horikita Suzune. No, this really is the timelines converging, isn't it?

"Hey, Ayanokoji. What a beautiful night."

Ayanokoji: ...

Just after Ying greeted Ayanokoji, Horikita Suzune successfully met up with Horikita Manabu. Ying hurriedly pulled Ayanokoji into a nearby bush.

"Ayanokoji, you're here to watch the show too, right? Here, have some popcorn."

"More or less. Thanks."

"Suzune, it's been a long time," Horikita Manabu said first.

"I'm not the useless person you once knew, Brother. I came here to catch up to you."

"Catch up to me...?"

Horikita Manabu sighed when he heard that.

"Don't worry, Brother. Even though I was placed in Class D, I'll move up to Class A in no time. Then I'll be able to catch up to you!"

Horikita Suzune spoke with all her might, as if she had to prove herself.

"No, Suzune. You're wrong. You'll never catch up to me like this, and you won't make it to Class A either." Horikita Manabu delivered his verdict without mercy.

"How can you say that? I'll definitely..." Horikita Suzune tried to argue her case, but his next words cut her off.

"I'm not putting you down, Suzune. On the contrary, I've seen your potential since you were very young. You have the potential to surpass me by far."

"Surpass you? How could that..." Horikita Suzune was clearly shocked. Why was her usually strict brother suddenly praising her potential?

Ying and Ayanokoji, who were munching on popcorn in the bushes, held their breath too, curious to hear what Horikita Manabu would say next.

"But, Suzune, you have one very serious flaw. That flaw is exactly why you were placed in Class D. And that flaw is having an exceptionally talented older brother."

Horikita Suzune and the two popcorn-eaters: "!?" Wait, that counts as a flaw?

"Because I was there, my brilliance overshadowed your talents. You couldn't even recognize your own abilities. It also limited your boundless potential, confining you to seeing only the heights I had reached."

The two popcorn-eaters: That actually makes some sense.

"Hey, Ayanokoji, we're out of popcorn. Go buy some more," Ying whispered.

"Why me? Let me watch a little longer. Besides, I'm in debt up to my ears because of a certain someone." Ayanokoji silently cursed Byakuya in his heart.

"Suzune, I called you out here to tell you to stop following in my footsteps. Don't keep your eyes fixed on my back. You don't need to seek my approval, and you shouldn't copy someone else's path. If you can make full use of your potential, you'll be able to build a sky of your own. Kouiku is a wonderful school, and you'll be able to make your own mark here. Suzune, I hope you surpass me soon." With that, Horikita Manabu turned and walked back to the dormitory.

Horikita Suzune was about to call after her brother, but in the end, she only clenched her fists and slowly walked away, her gaze clouded with uncertainty.

After watching the scene, Ying began to applaud softly.

Ayanokoji simply stood up and left.

"Ayanokoji, wait for me!" Ying hurried after him.

"It's great that the brother and sister made up," Ying said.

"Yeah. It's great," Ayanokoji said calmly.

"Why do you sound so indifferent? Never mind, at least things worked out." On the way here, Ying had worried things might go the way they had in the original story.

"Byakuya, you really did come. And who is this...?"

Ying and Ayanokoji walked back to the dormitory, only to find Horikita Manabu waiting for Ying in the lobby.

"Boss, I'm glad the operation was a huge success. This is Ayanokoji Kiyotaka from Class D. He might be your sister's boyfriend~."

"No, we're just good... ordinary friends. And congratulations to you too, President Horikita. I'm glad you made up with your sister," Ayanokoji said.

"Is that so...? Still, it wouldn't be a bad thing if Suzune found herself a boyfriend." Horikita Manabu considered this for a moment.

"I told you, we're just ordinary neighbors in class."

"Why does it feel like the more you explain, the less close you sound?" Ying teased.

"So, Byakuya, what do you think of Suzune now?" Horikita Manabu pushed up his glasses and asked Ying.

"So, Ayanokoji, what do you think of Suzune now?" Ying redirected the question to Ayanokoji.

Ayanokoji: ...

"I think Horikita may still be having a hard time accepting it," Ayanokoji said after a moment's thought.

"I agree. Your sister may still be having a hard time accepting it," Ying chimed in.

"I'll leave things to you from now on, Byakuya," Horikita Manabu said.

"I'll leave things to you from now on, Ayanokoji," Ying said to him.

"He was talking to you, Byakuya," Ayanokoji pointed out.

"Ayanokoji, you're her boyfriend, after all."

"I told you, we're just classmates." Ayanokoji protested.

"I'll be heading back now. You two should get some rest too." With that, Horikita Manabu returned to the dormitory.

"Let's head back too."

After saying that, Ying went back with Ayanokoji.