Siblings

8:00 p.m.

I had just finished dinner in Horikita's Dormitory when she hurriedly drove me out.

I arrived downstairs.

Sure enough, Ayanokoji was lingering in front of the vending machine.

It seemed Horikita's unusual behavior had indeed been caused by her brother.

Walking over, Suzuki Tsubame greeted him.

"Good evening, Ayanokoji. What would you like to drink? It's on me."

Ayanokoji replied expressionlessly,

"Mm... Suzuki, is it? By my usual habit, I like to have a cup of hot milk around this time, but because of the points, so..."

"Is that so? Then let me get it for you."

Ayanokoji was lying. From the way he looked, he had probably arrived here long ago but had yet to make a purchase.

As for the excuse about points, that was far too forced.

Suzuki Tsubame reasonably suspected that he was standing here waiting for someone.

Or rather, waiting for someone who seemed anxious.

After all, this place was inconspicuous. Unless someone specifically came to buy a drink, the machine's cover made them hard to spot.

I bought Ayanokoji a cup of hot milk for 250 points.

Suzuki Tsubame did not need to worry about points at all. With the 1.5 million points transferred from Class A yesterday, he now had more than 5.5 million points on hand.

Not bad. The more than 3.8 million points I originally had had not decreased last month. Instead, they had increased by several hundred thousand, all thanks to the generous support of the enthusiastic upperclassmen.

"Suzuki, aren't you having anything?"

Seeing that Suzuki had only bought him a drink and made no further move, he asked curiously.

"I'm waiting for someone. Finish your drink and head back soon."

"Oh."

After finishing his milk, Ayanokoji said goodbye and left.

Just as he was about to enter the elevator, Horikita rushed out anxiously.

He looked toward the vending machine, but Suzuki Tsubame was nowhere to be seen.

"Strange."

Although he was curious why Horikita was in such a hurry,

Ayanokoji had no intention of looking into it.

What if the two of them went off into the woods? Wouldn't it be awkward if he followed them and got caught?

Anxious Horikita Suzune did not notice the figure following her from afar.

Suzuki Tsubame followed her all the way to the corner by the Supermarket. Its rolling shutter had long since closed, leaving only a few vending machines and streetlights still lit.

Suzuki Tsubame stopped at the corner and peered around it.

One tall and one short, both had their backs to him.

"Suzune, I never thought you would chase me all the way here."

The familiar male voice sounded mature and dependable.

It was Horikita Manabu, the current Student Council president.

And Suzune's older brother.

"I came here to catch up to you, Brother."

Her voice was hurried. It seemed she had yet to recover from her earlier run.

Horikita Manabu adjusted his glasses. At the word "Brother," an unusual trace of gentleness flashed through his eyes.

But even more than that, he felt a headache coming on over this stubborn younger sister.

"Catch up to me? Even now, you still haven't realized what you're lacking."

Are you really one to say that? Isn't this what you taught her?

You knew you had taught her wrong, yet you just left. You didn't help her correct her mistakes and instead thought Suzune could adjust on her own.

Do you really have the right to say that?

"I'll enter Class A very soon. If I do, then..."

"It's useless!"

Horikita Manabu suddenly turned around, grabbed Suzune's hand, and pinned her against the Supermarket's side wall.

"Having a younger sister assigned to Class D brings shame upon me."

"Leave this school immediately."

"Expel yourself, Suzune."

Shame... I've brought shame upon Brother!

Grievance.

Unwillingness.

After Suzuki Tsubame's explanation, she could see the gap between Class A and Class D.

But why had she been assigned to Class D? Why couldn't they give her a little more time?

Suzune stubbornly raised her head and met Horikita Manabu's cold gaze, saying unwillingly,

"Brother, I..."

"You lack both the strength and the qualifications to climb upward. Know your place!"

Cutting off his foolish younger sister, Horikita Manabu drew back his right hand, intending to teach this disobedient sister a lesson.

Anywhere else would be fine. With Suzune's abilities, she could thrive wherever she went.

She simply could not remain at Advanced Nurturing. While it was still early, leaving sooner would be better for everyone.

Click!

The crisp sound of a camera shutter rang out.

At the same time, a blinding flash burst forth, instantly illuminating Horikita Manabu's face.

Facing Horikita Manabu's grim expression, Suzuki Tsubame said teasingly,

"Oh, what a coincidence."

"The current Student Council president, Horikita Manabu, is actually using violence against a freshman who has only been enrolled for one month."

"This could definitely make tomorrow's headlines."

The moment he realized he had been photographed,

Horikita Manabu moved the next second.

Horikita Suzune only saw a blur before her eyes.

Her brother shot past her and sprinted toward Suzuki Tsubame.

Horikita Suzune naturally knew exactly how capable her brother was.

"Suzuki Tsubame, watch out!"

Almost at the same moment,

before Suzune's warning had fully left her lips, Horikita Manabu's fist had already arrived.

What looked like a lightning-fast strike to others seemed incredibly slow in Suzuki Tsubame's eyes.

He stared directly into Horikita Manabu's cold eyes.

Suzuki Tsubame merely tilted his head slightly and easily dodged the punch.

"Hm?"

Missing his first strike left Horikita Manabu puzzled, but he had no time to think.

He threw another punch, once again aimed at Suzuki Tsubame's face.

Suzuki Tsubame did not want to waste any more time on this new punch.

He suddenly reached out, caught it precisely, borrowed the force of the blow, and used the momentum to spin Horikita Manabu around a full circle.

Then he flung him away.

The tremendous force made Horikita Manabu stumble, nearly sending him face-first to the ground.

Suzuki Tsubame had no intention of letting him off so easily.

After all, he had just tried to attack his handsome face.

This face, comparable to those of the esteemed readers, was worthy of being displayed in an art gallery.

He raised his leg and kicked.

Bang!

A loud crash rang out.

Horikita Manabu, who had not yet regained his footing, truly landed face-first this time.

1.

2.

3.

KO!

Three seconds had passed and he still had not gotten up. It seemed he truly knew what embarrassment was now.

"Get up already. Sleeping isn't allowed here."

Suzuki Tsubame walked up to Horikita Manabu, crouched down, and poked his head.

"Brother!"

Not far away, Horikita Suzune, who had witnessed Suzuki Tsubame's assault from beginning to end, finally came back to her senses.

She staggered over and reached out, wanting to help her brother up.

"No need, Suzune."

Rejecting his younger sister's helping hand, Horikita Manabu rose on his own.

His steps were steady, his movements smooth.

There was no sign that he was the one who had just fallen.

His injuries had never been serious. He simply did not want to get up and face his younger sister.

After all, in his sister's eyes, he should have been capable of anything.

The two siblings were practically cut from the same cloth when it came to being tsundere.

Come to think of it, if Horikita Manabu became Horikita Yuki, would that have a different kind of appeal?

Horikita Manabu reached up to straighten his glasses and calmly said,

"Suzune, introduce your friend."

"Brother, this is..."

"Suzuki Tsubame. I am currently Suzune's pursuer. Please treat me well."

Cutting off Suzune before she could speak, Suzuki Tsubame extended his right hand to Horikita Manabu.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Horikita Manabu, Suzune's older brother."

Their palms touched and separated at once. There was no show of dominance, unless falling down counted.

"Your skills... Have you studied any martial arts, Suzuki?"

Facing the question from his prospective brother-in-law, Suzuki Tsubame answered without hesitation,

"I occasionally practice cars and calligraphy."

Suzuki Tsubame's nonsensical answer did not make Horikita Manabu dislike him.

"Is that so... Are you interested in joining the Student Council?"