Student Council President and Younger Sister

"Byakuya, are you free right now?"

After class, Ichinose approached Ying.

"Hmm, I have to head to the student council in a bit, but I'm free after that." Ying thought about his schedule for a moment and replied.

"Is that so? Actually, I'm interested in joining the student council. Could you ask President Horikita about it for me?"

"Sure thing." Come to think of it, in the original story, Ichinose joined the student council during her first year, Ying thought to himself.

Inside the Kouiku student council room.

"BOSS, does our student council still need more hands?" Ying asked after finishing his work.

"What is it? Do you have someone to recommend?" Horikita Manabu adjusted his glasses and asked.

"Uh... Ichinose Honami from my class is interested in joining the student council, so I wanted to ask for your opinion."

"The student council is currently missing a secretary, but it's not an urgent matter. Tell her to come back when she's a second-year."

"Oh." Is this... the convergence of the world line?

"You should still remember the promise between us, right?" Horikita Manabu suddenly said with a serious expression.

Ying: ? What promise?

"Of course I remember, BOSS!"

"Good. I've decided to go meet my younger sister."

Ying: Oh~! So that's what it was!

"Then I wish you the best in resolving your issues, BOSS!"

"At 8:00 tonight, by the vending machine in front of the dormitory building. If you're interested, you can come and witness it. I've agreed to your conditions, so I'll leave Suzune to you from now on."

Ying: Wait, is this guy not embarrassed at all? He actually wants me to watch, and why does that sound so weird?

That night, upholding the fine tradition of "since you invited me, I definitely have to go," Ying first went to the shop downstairs to buy a bucket of popcorn and a bottle of cola, then began moving toward the destination.

Hm?

Ying noticed a brown-haired youth tailing Horikita Suzune. No, this really is the convergence of the world line, isn't it?

"Yo, Ayanokoji, the night is beautiful tonight."

Ayanokoji: ...

Just as Ying greeted Ayanokoji, Horikita Suzune successfully met up with Horikita Manabu. Ying hurriedly grabbed Ayanokoji and hid in a nearby bush.

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

"I suppose so. Thanks."

"Suzune, it's been a while." Horikita Manabu spoke first.

"I am no longer the useless person my brother once knew. I came here to catch up to you, Brother."

"Catch up... is it?"

After hearing this, Horikita Manabu sighed.

"Don't worry, Brother. Even though I was placed in Class D, I will definitely rise to Class A soon. If I do that, I'll surely be able to catch up to you!" Horikita Suzune spoke with great effort, as if trying to prove herself.

"No, Suzune, you're wrong. The way you are now, it's impossible for you to catch up to me, nor will you ever reach Class A." Horikita Manabu ruthlessly delivered this verdict to Horikita Suzune.

"How can that be... I will definitely..." Horikita Suzune still wanted to argue, but was interrupted by Horikita Manabu's next words.

"I am not denying you, Suzune. On the contrary, I saw your potential when you were very young. It is a potential that could far surpass my own."

"Surpass you, Brother? This... how is that possible..." Horikita Suzune was clearly shocked. Why would her usually strict brother suddenly praise her potential?

Ying and Ayanokoji, who were eating popcorn in the bushes, held their breath, curious about what Horikita Manabu would say next.

"However, Suzune, you have a very serious flaw. And it is precisely this flaw that led to you being placed in Class D. That flaw is the fact that you have an exceptionally outstanding brother."

Horikita Suzune and the two spectators: !? Wait, does that count as a flaw?

"It is because of my existence that your own talents have been overshadowed by my light. Even you yourself have failed to discover your own brilliance. This has also caused your infinite potential to be limited to only seeing the heights I have reached."

The two spectators: That actually makes some sense.

"Hey, Ayanokoji, the popcorn is gone. Go buy some more." Ying whispered.

"Why me? Let me watch a bit longer. Besides, I'm currently drowning in debt because of someone." Ayanokoji remained silent, merely cursing Byakuya in his heart.

"Suzune, the reason I called you out here is to tell you: please stop following in my footsteps. Don't always keep your eyes fixed on my back. You don't need to seek my approval, nor should you copy the paths of others. As long as you can unleash the potential you possess, you will definitely be able to hold up a sky that belongs to you. Kouiku is a great school; you will definitely be able to exert your own strength here. Suzune, I hope you can surpass me one day." After saying this, Horikita Manabu turned and walked back to the dormitory.

Horikita Suzune wanted to speak up and call out to her brother, but in the end, she only clenched her fists and walked away with a lost expression in her eyes.

After watching this scene, Ying began to clap softly.

Ayanokoji stood up and left immediately.

"Ayanokoji, wait for me!" Ying said, hurriedly following Ayanokoji's pace.

"It's really great that the brother and sister resolved their issues," Ying said.

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

"Why do you sound so indifferent? Whatever, at least the result is good." On the way here, Ying had been worried about whether the situation from the original story would occur.

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

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

"BOSS, it's great that the operation was a huge success. This is Ayanokoji Kiyotaka from Class D, who is suspected to be your sister's boyfriend~."

"No, we're just good fri... just ordinary friends. I also congratulate President Horikita on resolving the knot with your sister." Ayanokoji said.

"Is that so... but if Suzune could find a boyfriend, it wouldn't be a bad thing." Horikita Manabu said, lost in thought.

"I already said we're just ordinary desk-mates."

"Why do I feel like the relationship between you two is getting more distant the more you talk about it?" Ying retorted.

"So, Byakuya, how do you view Suzune as she is now?" Horikita Manabu pushed up his glasses and asked Ying.

"So, Ayanokoji, how do you view Suzune as she is now?" Ying deflected the question to Ayanokoji.

Ayanokoji: ...

"I think Horikita might still find it hard to accept right now." Ayanokoji thought for a moment and said.

"I also think your sister might still find it hard to accept." Ying chimed in.

"Then I'll leave the rest to you, Byakuya." Horikita Manabu said.

"I'll leave the future to you, Ayanokoji." Ying said to Ayanokoji.

"He was entrusting it to you, Byakuya." Ayanokoji retorted.

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

"I already said she and I are just classmates." Ayanokoji countered.

"I'll head back first, you two should get some rest early as well." After saying that, Horikita Manabu returned to his dorm.

"Let's head back too."

After Ying said this, he and Ayanokoji returned as well.