Horikita Manabu's Conditions and Ike's Return

In the Student Council Room, a flicker of confusion crossed the handsome brow of Horikita Manabu.

He furrowed his brow ever so slightly, his expression otherwise unreadable, and spoke: "Oh? That is quite a sudden whim. You are the first student I have ever encountered who has come to the student council to borrow money."

Though his face remained impassive, Horikita Manabu had already developed a keen interest in the actions of Ayanokoji.

This kid certainly had a lot of nerve.

"Tell me, what is the purpose of this loan?" Horikita Manabu adjusted his glasses, his tone turning slightly cold. "The student council does not lend money to students without a valid reason."

As his voice fell, a hint of hesitation appeared between Ayanokoji's brows.

Could he really speak of something akin to an unspoken rule?

He remained silent for a moment, his gaze unfocused as if lost in deep thought. A moment later, he fixed his eyes on Horikita Manabu with a look that was both resolute and helpless.

The next second, a scene that would remain etched in Horikita Manabu's memory for the rest of his life unfolded.

Ayanokoji tilted his head with a slightly stiff motion, then, with a completely expressionless face, raised a finger to his lips, a glimmer of anticipation flashing in his eyes:

"It's a secret."

That's right, his response was to try and get by with a display of cuteness.

This was a finishing move he had learned from a certain woman.

Furthermore, having seen her put it into practice himself, he knew the effect was excellent.

Sure enough, Horikita Manabu's brow furrowed the next second, his eyebrows and the bridge of his nose bunching together, his features contorted in a way that suggested his entire worldview had just been shattered.

He remained silent for a long time, and only after regaining his icy composure did he speak slowly: "...If you are unwilling to say, then the student council has no reason to help you."

"However," Horikita Manabu paused for a moment before continuing, "if you agree to my conditions, I can lend it to you in a personal capacity."

?

Trying to extend an olive branch again?

Ayanokoji's brow furrowed slightly, a trace of resistance appearing on his face.

Seeing this, Horikita Manabu added:

"Rest assured, I am not asking you to join the student council..."

Walking out of the Student Council Room, Ayanokoji sighed imperceptibly.

President, that condition of yours is not easy to fulfill.

The next day, a drizzling rain fell.

The gray sky added a touch more gloom to Ayanokoji's already listless face.

In the Class D classroom, he stared out the window with a vacant expression, looking somewhat dispirited.

Of course, that was from the perspective of Kushida.

She had come, she had come again.

"Ayanokoji-kun, did you... not sleep well yesterday? You don't seem to have much energy."

She spoke with a coy, furrowed brow, glanced at the empty seat beside him, and then wore an even more sorrowful expression.

Everyone in the class knew that Ike, who had been announced as expelled yesterday, was one of the few people who could actually talk to Ayanokoji. In their eyes, Ike was a good friend of Ayanokoji, and he must be feeling down because of the expulsion.

And in their eyes, Kushida, who had come over to offer comfort and concern at such a time, looked particularly radiant.

Ayanokoji examined her with indifference, his thoughts somewhat complex.

Although she was a double agent who had betrayed the class, he had learned a lot from her recently; she was, in her own way, a unique textbook.

As expected, he was still a studious person.

Having seemingly made a decision in his heart, he naturally withdrew his gaze and said calmly:

"I'm fine. Everything is as usual; there is nothing special."

Seeing Ayanokoji turn his gaze away, Kushida breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Her face had almost gone stiff from the effort.

"That's good. Let's work hard for Ike-kun's sake as well from now on~"

After saying this, she flashed a motivated smile and was once again supported by a group of boys around her.

"Kushida-chan is truly an angel!" x

Horikita Suzune, who had been listening to the entire exchange, sat silently facing her desk, her brows locked in a tight frown.

She found the flattering and sycophantic words merely noisy, but the boy's reaction was something she cared about deeply.

Could it be that Ayanokoji really just let Ike be expelled?

Had Class D really become the first class to have someone expelled?

Facing such a situation, feeling so powerless, could she really succeed in promoting to Class A as she wished?

As her thoughts grew chaotic, the surrounding noise gradually faded, replaced by the sound of two sets of footsteps approaching the classroom.

Before long, the surrounding area began to clamor once again.

Horikita raised her eyes, taking in the entire class within her gaze.

Seeing the scene before her, her pupils dilated slightly, and her dull eyes began to brighten, as if surprised that something she had deemed inevitable had taken a turn for the better. Then, in the next second, she cast her flickering gaze toward the boy sitting next to her, her eyes mixed with a hint of seriousness.

Ayanokoji looked ahead indifferently, his heart devoid of ripples.

On the podium, Chabashira Sae stood in the center, looking at the people in the class with the corners of her mouth slightly raised.

Beside her, Ike, who should have been expelled, was scratching the back of his head in embarrassment, a shy smile plastered on his face.

"Regarding Ike Kanji's use of a mobile phone during the exam, the school has conducted a secondary review and sentenced Ike Kanji to a three-month probationary period."

"A final assessment will be made on this matter after three months."

As Chabashira finished speaking, the class reacted after a second of silence, letting out cheers.

"That's great, Ike!"

"We can keep hanging out together!"

"I always believed you didn't cheat!"

"This is truly wonderful..."

Sudo felt his nose sting, and a hot tear ran down his face.

Hirata and Miyake looked at him with relief, their brows filled with gentleness.

As for Kushida, her expression never faltered.

"Congratulations, Ike-kun, and..."

"Welcome back~"

Ike, who was already moved, felt his nose sting at these words. With tears in his eyes, he felt as if he were melting under Kushida's tender gaze.

Perhaps this incident was a good thing after all...

A dangerous thought surfaced in his mind.

Nearby, Shinohara Satsuki watched this scene quietly from afar, her eyes brimming with tears.

In the end, class still had to go on. After a prompt from Chabashira, Ike returned to his seat.

He glanced again at Ayanokoji, who was staring blankly out the window as if none of this concerned him, his feelings a complex mix.

Why did Ayanokoji want him to keep it a secret?

He had previously claimed to be the son of a wealthy family, with a father involved in politics, so could it be... that he used some incredible connections for my sake?

So, to avoid gossip, he told me to keep it quiet and not spread the word!?

Thinking this, another tear ran down the corner of his eye, and he couldn't help but sincerely call him "Brother Ayanokoji" in his heart.

At this moment, his "Brother Ayanokoji" was simply looking expressionlessly at the lingering rain scene outside the window, his eyes somewhat profound.

Continuous raindrops fell to the ground, dense and one after another; if one lost focus for a moment, they looked like thin threads hanging down from the sky.

Finally, as if he had made a decision, a subtle smile curled at the corners of his mouth:

Tonight, I'll have bridge rice noodles.