Prying Open Our Side's Surrender Button

Horikita Suzune's right hand gently grasped her left arm.

"I used to admire my older brother a lot because he seemed omnipotent to me, and I wanted to be like him."

"But I can't be a brother, and a brother doesn't need a second self named Horikita Suzune."

She paused for a moment, then said, "I should be myself."

Therefore, she needs to confront the feelings that are welling up in her heart.

Horikita Suzune's world is actually quite small.

Despite being born into a normal family and having excellent physical health, her parents allowed her to come to this Advanced Nurturing with her brother.

But Horikita Suzune's world is indeed very small.

Because she had avoided unnecessary contact since she was a child.

Unnecessary things, unnecessary social interactions, unnecessary people.

For her, the world was simple and clear.

Relatives, and others.

But her perspective changed during that year.

She can still have friends.

She can also have Diary.

She can also... have someone she likes.

Classmates are people you spend every day with, but you'll never get to know them deeply.

Kushida Kikyo would never have romantic feelings for anyone; she is only a friend of the same sex.

Those we frequently interact with, those we understand deeply, and those who also understand us.

There was only one person.

He was writing in his diary.

Asakusa Toru.

He knew himself well, and his brief words repeatedly dissected her heart.

I actually know him very well; my diary for a whole year is filled with his joys and sorrows from the past.

He served as a lighthouse, guiding his own way.

It was once a radiant light, hanging high in the sky, becoming my true aspiration.

So I have to say.

I admire you, and I like you.

Even if the land ahead is territory that has been trodden by countless people.

But this initial relationship...

She didn't want to fail.

"Will you accept my confession? Let's begin a fourteen-day romance."

With her inferiority complex gone, a radiant smile shone on the girl's face. She released her grip on her left arm and extended her right hand toward Asakusa Toru.

Confession.

For myself.

"I am a person with a very strong possessive nature."

Asakusa Toru smiled as he looked at Horikita Suzune's outstretched, delicate hand.

"What's mine should be mine, and what's not mine, I can make mine if I want to."

"What was that saying again?" He tilted his head, muttering to himself, "Destiny is mine? It's only right? I am a god?"

He grasped Horikita Suzune's hand.

"Anyway—I don't dislike you, Horikita Suzune," he said. "Therefore, I'll be slightly revising this deadline."

He held her hand, pulled her body gently towards him, and the distance between them quickly closed. Their breathing slowed and stopped, and his warm breath patted her cheek.

It was a kiss.

It is also a declaration.

"--It needs to be changed to forever."

Anyone who has ever been one of my people.

Then you'll never be able to escape for the rest of your life.

Don't even think about enjoying a fleeting moment of pleasure.

You're dreaming.

Chapter 296 is prying open the surrender button on their own side.

Karuizawa Kei's birthday ended with Horikita Suzune's confession.

The final Hide and Seek Game came to an end, and the final Special Exam began.

Submit the final ten selected projects to the school.

In the multi-functional classroom where the command tower should be located, a large screen clearly displays the current exam situation.

The four teachers in charge of the first grade lined up and were waiting for their turn.

The one in charge of the Class B command tower was not Katsuragi Kohei, but Totsuka Yahiko.

The reason is simple.

This is Special Exam where the loser of the command tower will be expelled. It was originally intended to use up the Protection Points given by the Class Vote not long ago to introduce the expulsion mechanism.

But alas.

The Class B who received Protection Points was Sakayanagi Arisu.

She was transferred to Class A by Asakusa Toru.

In other words, no one in Class B currently has Protection Points.

If you lose, it really means you have to drop out of school.

They certainly didn't want to drop out of school.

Of course, who would want to drop out of school?

But what can we do? Go to Asakusa Toru and ask for another 20 million yen to Sakayanagi Arisu back?

Regardless of whether they'd actually give it to him or not, with those 20 million, he could have easily smuggled himself into Class A. Why bother catching a scapegoat?

Nobody wants to be the command center, nobody wants to be the command center.

Then we have no choice but to win.

Class C has Protection Points, so why not just let Shiina Hiyori act as the commander and then lose?

... A very good idea.

If this had happened at the beginning of the semester, Class B would naturally have had absolute confidence.

Everyone here is an elite, and with Lord Sakayanagi leading the way, we're sure to be invincible!

But now...

Class B's confidence has been basically shattered.

Even when facing Class C, without Sakayanagi Arisu, they doubted whether they could win.

What if?

What if?

Damn it, Asakusa Toru, couldn't you be a little more assertive? Since you manipulated the exam results for Class A and Class D, why not go a step further and manipulate the exam results for Class B and Class C as well?!

This forced them to specifically negotiate with Class C.

They had no choice but to give up their winning reward points in exchange for absolute peace.

However, it's clear this time they won't be giving up all the profits.

After all, everyone knows that it's impossible to reverse the situation using Class Points, so the only hope is to transfer classes using Private Points.

Especially boys.

Because up to this point, no man has ever transferred positions through the influence of Asakusa Toru.

Although things like transfer slots have been mentioned, everyone is generally aware of the selection criteria for transfer candidates.

There definitely won't be any men.

So that's why.

Think of yourself, think of your future.

The concessions made in the negotiation are to secure the present, while the partial distribution of profits is to secure the future.

There's no doubt that Shiina Hiyori is the command center for Class C.

Because it was pre-arranged, this Special Exam will end with a score of four to three between Class B and Class C.

The exam process itself is naturally even less important.

The teachers in charge of Class B and Class C are Chabashira Sae and Hoshinomiya Chie.

The remaining teachers in charge of the exams for Class A and Class D were naturally Mashima Tomoya and Sakagami Kazuma.

"The exam will begin in five minutes."

The two male teachers, with stern faces, didn't say anything unnecessary.

Because all the first-year teachers at the venue knew that the outcome of this Special Exam was predetermined from the very beginning.

It's just a formality.

Just going through the motions in this game between the two of them.

"Speaking of which, yesterday was your birthday."

Today is March 22nd.

Sakayanagi Arisu's birthday is March 21st.

That's all in the past.

"... So you still remember my birthday." Sakayanagi Arisu paused for a moment, then picked up where Asakusa Toru had started. "Should I be flattered?"

Her thumb gripped the cane tightly, clearly indicating that she wasn't as composed as she appeared.

... Now that things have come to this, actually...

This was the first time she had met Asakusa Toru directly in many days.

It's ridiculous. They had already said they were surrendering, they had already made up their minds.

But she chose to approach Ichinose Honami.

Yes, if she was truly prepared, she shouldn't have used Ichinose Honami 'middleman,' but instead directly knocked on his door.

So, even though it's been so long, Sakayanagi Arisu is still a little nervous.

The more nervous the girl is, the more she will maintain her composure on the surface.

As long as you pretend that you have everything under control, your restless heart will calm down.

"No, what I mean is, I should be giving you a birthday present."

However, to Sakayanagi Arisu's complete surprise, Asakusa Toru casually spoke and then casually took out an extremely simple plastic medicine blister pack.

"Here's a belated birthday present."

He said.

... medicine?