I Hope You'll Grow Up to Be a Happy Girl

"When you received my message and still chose to come to this school to find me, our relationship was over."

"It seems you haven't understood this yet."

Horikita Manabu adjusted his glasses, a cold glint flashing in his right eye.

"Besides, I've already said that liking long hair was just a lie from before. Keeping it only makes me think you haven't grown at all."

His expression was completely devoid of emotion, and his gaze seemed to be fixed on something he was not interested in.

Based on past experience, at this point, Suzune should be in a state of confusion and panic.

However, things didn't go as Horikita Manabu expected, and Horikita Suzune shook her head decisively:

No, that's not how it is.

Horikita Suzune looked directly into Horikita Manabu's eyes, and gently reached out to untie the ribbon tied in a bow on her head.

Her beautiful long hair cascaded down to her waist like water.

Long hair is a very troublesome hairstyle. It takes a lot of time to style in the morning, and you have to tie it up to prevent it from getting in the way when cooking. It also takes several times longer to wash and dry than for girls with short hair.

In the past, Horikita Suzune changed her preferences and gradually got used to it because of a single sentence Horikita Manabu.

When exactly did she begin to pay attention to and reflect on her hairstyle, gradually changing her attitude towards long hair from habit to [liking], and ultimately making it her own choice?

Horikita Suzune spoke calmly, as if stating a fact that couldn't be more obvious:

"This is my own choice, and I like who I am now."

She remembered.

It probably started with Kitagawa Ryo's praise of her every morning.

That was also the beginning of Horikita Suzune's re-examination of herself.

It sounds like a polite remark, but it has continued to this day without interruption:

[Suzune's hairstyle looks great today]

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Wishing You a Happy Life as a Girl

For the first time Horikita Manabu Gaku's usually impassive expression showed a hint of shock. He looked at Horikita Suzune standing before him and said:

"You've changed, Suzune."

The older brother, relieved to see the change in his younger sister, said this softly.

"Actually, I did wonder if Suzune would shave her long hair again after receiving the news, trying to show me that she's grown up."

"Does my brother think that's what I'm thinking?"

"Because Suzune has always made this judgment in the past."

Horikita Manabu's gaze softened:

"That's why I'm so happy to see you as you are now; you've become the same as you were at the beginning, Suzune."

"No—it's wrong to jump to conclusions like that."

"A year, no... it should only be a little over half a year. What has Suzune been doing?"

While adjusting her breathing, Horikita Suzune slowly answered her brother's question.

Although it sounded like familiar greetings between long-separated relatives, asking each other what they had been busy with during their separation, Horikita Manabu clearly didn't mean it that simply.

He glanced at Kitagawa Ryo, who was leaning against the corner of the wall; Suzune's change should be related to this person.

"So much has happened. I was an executive member of the school's Cultural Festival, and I even worked as a mascot in a leather costume outside a dessert shop..."

All that came to mind subconsciously were events from the past few months. Horikita Suzune pursed her lips, her words somewhat incoherent.

But Horikita Manabu simply looked at her with gentle eyes, waiting for her to organize her thoughts.

"I tried many things I had never thought of or tried before."

It's impossible to put it all into words at once. If Horikita Suzune were to choose a keyword for the past six months, it would be [experimentation].

It's like seeing countless roads stretching out at a turning point in your Fate, and wanting to find your own one.

"But this is the only thing I can say clearly. Before, I... I had always just followed in my brother's footsteps. But that version of me is no longer here."

Horikita Suzune, who only thinks about her brother and has lived her life solely for him.

Whether it's studying or exercising, it's all for my brother's approval.

"Although I don't know where I'm going, many paths have already opened up before me."

Is that so?

Horikita Manabu chuckled softly, looking approvingly at Horikita Suzune:

"From this perspective, Suzune is better than me."

"Huh?"

Horikita Suzune looked surprised; this was probably the first time in her life she had heard such direct praise from Horikita Manabu.

"Because even now, I still hold the same thoughts as you, Suzune."

"Looking back on this journey, I've only ever had a vague goal in mind—to become an excellent person—but I haven't decided on my final destination."

Or rather, I didn't find the place I wanted to go.

"Politician, doctor, researcher, teacher... I don't even know what I ultimately want to do."

For the first time, Horikita Manabu Horikita Suzune his heart to Horikita Suzune, who listened quietly.

"That's why I'm confused by Suzune's decision to treat me as a permanent goal and destination. It's like chasing a train that has no destination; it's pointless except for making you feel tired."

"From childhood to adulthood, I have simply completed the tasks assigned to me by others and passed each day in a daze."

"Later, my family hoped that I could serve as a role model, a paragon of virtue. At that time, I firmly believed that this was the right thing to do, and I never had any doubts."

"I made the same mistake as Suzune, arbitrarily defining myself based on other people's ideas and confining myself to a narrow space."

"That's why I think Suzune is better than me in this aspect now, because I didn't even have this idea when I was fourteen."

"[Trying], no, or rather [exploring] ideas."

Horikita Manabu gently stroked Horikita Suzune's head, his affectionate gesture accompanied by an unprecedented anticipation:

"Therefore, Suzune will definitely become stronger and gentler than me."

In a sense, they are indeed biological siblings.

Kitagawa Ryo observed Horikita Manabu and Horikita Suzune from a distance.

Actually, he knew Horikita Manabu better than Horikita Suzune did. Although Horikita Suzune herself was extremely bad at interpersonal communication, Horikita Manabu was also terrible at interpersonal relationships during his time at Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School. However, this was also related to his work style.

Kitagawa Ryo remembered Horikita Manabu saying that he wouldn't deliberately try to make close friends. If it weren't for Tachibana Akane spending three whole years helping him blossom, he might not have been able to find a single true friend in the end.

However, their relationship doesn't seem like friendship.

Furthermore, although Horikita Manabu is known as the most outstanding Student Council President of Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School, the only person he can truly trust is Tachibana Akane, and the junior he values before graduation is a fickle person like Kiriyama.

Kitagawa Ryo has already had two simulated interactions with Horikita Manabu, one of which involved Horikita Manabu being his friend. Therefore, he understands even more clearly that Horikita Manabu has never been a perfect person, and that Horikita Suzune is only pursuing a phantom she has woven herself.

Therefore, he would still be happy to see Horikita Manabu and Horikita Suzune open up to each other and have a heart-to-heart talk.

"Suzune, I'll be waiting for you outside the main gate in a year and a half."

I'm really looking forward to that time.

Horikita Manabu, supporting his younger sister's shoulder, gazed at each other's faces with Horikita Suzune.

Horikita Suzune nodded vigorously, making the same promise:

"I came here, not to catch up with my brother, but to show a better version of myself."

Both Horikita Manabu and Horikita Suzune understood that after today's Cultural Festival, the next time the siblings would meet might be the day Horikita Suzune entered this Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School. So, as if wanting to deeply imprint Horikita Suzune's current appearance in his mind, Horikita Manabu looked into his sister's eyes and smiled.

He wasn't a man who never smiled.

However, this was also the first time Horikita Suzune had seen him with such a gentle smile.

Kitagawa Ryo smiled from the shadows.

He didn't participate at all, nor did he say a single word; this was intentional.

I absolutely must not interfere too much in Horikita Suzune's life.

However, everything that hindered Horikita Suzune's growth has now been removed.

From now on, Suzune will probably keep moving forward without stopping.

Although we don't know the path she ultimately chose, it will certainly be better than before.

Kitagawa Ryo left calmly from the other end of the corridor, his hands in his pockets as he pondered his next move.

He had originally planned to watch Horikita Suzune go through this simulation, but a recent event has made his thoughts waver.

A poster advertising the Cultural Festival performance by Class 1-A was pasted on the wall.

The lyrics were copied above:

[Day light, I must wait for the sunrise

At dawn, I must wait for the sunlight.

I must think of the new life. And I mustn"t give in

I must consider a new life; I cannot back down.

When the dawn comes. Tonight will be a memory, too

When dawn breaks, tonight will also become a memory.

And the new day will begin

A new day is about to begin.

This is a section from the famous song "Memories," which Kitagawa Ryo recognized immediately.

It comes from one of the world's greatest musicals.

<cat>.

Kitagawa Ryo turned to look at Horikita Suzune, who was now some distance away, and softly hummed the last line of <Memories>:

"You"ll understand what happiness is. Look a new day has begun."

You will understand the meaning of happiness; look, a new day has begun.

After hesitating for a moment, Kitagawa Ryo dialed a number.

Horikita Manabu had originally planned to chat with Horikita Suzune a little longer, but Tachibana Akane, who rushed out of the classroom, interrupted their conversation anxiously. Having overheard that the girl in front of her was Horikita Manabu's younger sister and a guest at the school, she made no attempt to avoid him and spoke directly to Horikita Manabu:

"There's a problem. Fujimaki and Amabara haven't arrived yet, and some of the performance props are missing or damaged."

"What?"

Horikita Manabu immediately reverted to his usual mode as the Leader of Class 1-A, while Horikita Suzune, standing to the side, tactfully stepped back, blinking and observing the situation with some curiosity.

She had noticed it when she first entered the school; the atmosphere seemed quite tense. Even though it was just a Cultural Festival, every class seemed to be putting in their best effort, and it was not uncommon to see them vying for customers. It was as if they took today's Cultural Festival very seriously.

"Can't get through by phone either? Then contact the class advisor first and ask him to check the nearby surveillance footage. As for props, see if you can temporarily buy a similar replacement. Repair what can be repaired, and have the lighting technician pay attention to concealing it."

Horikita Manabu quickly got into the zone and issued instructions methodically, but judging from his furrowed brow, the situation did not seem too optimistic.

As the second-in-command of Class 1-A, Fujimaki also plays a leading role in this performance, while Amabara is in charge of all the instruments and background music. She is also a very beautiful pianist and has prepared an original piece.

If these two people cannot be found in time, then the performance by Class 1-A today will not be able to take place at all.

Horikita Manabu walked to the window and looked down. More than an hour had passed since the Cultural Festival started, and even the slowest guests had basically made it to the second floor of the special building. In other words, even if the third floor was deserted, a lot of guests would definitely flock up in ten minutes.

"Yes, I'll contact the class advisor right away."

Tachibana Akane quickly used her phone to contact her class advisor. According to the rules of the Cultural Festival, the class advisor, as a school staff member, also has 10,000 spending points, but they are not allowed to spend them in shops within their grade. Therefore, Tachibana Akane and her classmates did not know where their class advisor had gone.

Ishikura from Class 1-B leaned against the doorway of his classroom, squinting as he observed Class 1-A suddenly taking action. He had chosen the third floor as his location for secret surveillance; judging from the situation, Class 1-C and Class 1-D had likely already made their move.

As the first joint operation of the three classes, they had been planning this for a long time and finally decided that Class 1-D would be responsible for kidnapping, Class 1-C would be responsible for sabotage, and Class 1-B would be responsible for surveillance and propaganda.

Ishikura, who was also on the third floor, took action and spread the word to the guests about the mistakes made in the preparations of Class 1-A. Even though Class 1-A found the missing Actor and repaired the props, by then, no guests wanted to go to their Matoba anymore.