We Parted on Bad Terms / My Foolish Little Sister

An Unpleasant Parting

For the past two days, Class D had been preparing for a study group.

The idea had come from Hirata Yosuke. He'd approached the students with better grades and asked them to help tutor all the students who were struggling.

They would stay in the classroom for about two hours after school each day.

In particular, the students who had once been sentenced to academic death by Chabashira Sae had all signed up.

However, Ken Sudō, Kanji Ike, and Yamauchi Haruki were the only ones who refused to attend.

Horikita Suzune found this incomprehensible. She couldn't understand what they were thinking. Did they not care even if they were expelled?

She was already fed up with the class's slacking attitude. Without much hesitation, she immediately had Ayanokoji Kiyotaka bring them to the library to join her study group.

Of course, she wasn't doing this out of kindness toward her classmates. Horikita Suzune had even considered using the opportunity to weed out a few of the weaker students.

But she figured that too many expulsions might hurt the class, so she decided to lend them a hand. She would save whoever she could and give up on the rest.

Horikita Suzune had a clear plan, and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had agreed to help her.

She just hadn't expected him to bring Kushida Kikyo along.

Horikita Suzune didn't have much fondness for Kushida Kikyo. Her attempts to get close to her had only made Horikita's impression of her worse. She always felt that another face lurked beneath Kushida's smile.

Still, when she saw that Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had indeed brought Ken Sudō and the others, Horikita Suzune let his presumption slide.

She'd expected them to be hopeless at studying, but Horikita Suzune realized she'd vastly underestimated just how bad they were.

Never mind their textbook material—they didn't even know the basics from middle school. Worse, they asked her what a system of two linear equations was.

At this point, it wasn't just a matter of being ignorant. They seemed like they'd never gone to school at all.

No wonder they were the worst students in the class. Ken Sudō in particular sat proudly at the very bottom with a score in the teens.

Horikita Suzune seriously suspected he'd gotten lucky and guessed one or two multiple-choice questions correctly.

She had no idea how to proceed. No matter what she said, they didn't understand, and the session ended in an unpleasant parting.

"Horikita, if you keep going about it this way, no one will want to study with you..."

After watching Ken Sudō and the others leave, Kushida Kikyo let out a deep sigh.

"You're right. That was my fault. Even if I help them get through this, the same problem will come up again next time. There's no point if they don't correct their behavior." Horikita Suzune's voice turned icy. "Rather than waste time on people like them, we might as well give up."

Kushida Kikyo froze, clearly surprised she'd say something like that. Her eyes flickered, then she looked to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka beside her as if asking for help.

"Hey, Ayanokoji-kun, do you feel the same way?"

"If Horikita came to that conclusion, then I don't mind doing things her way." Ayanokoji Kiyotaka showed no expression. He acted as if he'd go along with anything Horikita Suzune said.

Kushida Kikyo lowered her eyes, as though a shadow had fallen over them. Then she managed a strained smile. "I'll think of something. I can't agree to parting ways with everyone so soon..."

Horikita Suzune watched her little performance coldly and said without a hint of politeness, "If you genuinely want to help them, I'll cheer you on. But I don't believe you really feel that way."

Kushida Kikyo's expression stiffened. It seemed she'd finally had enough of Horikita's mockery, just like the others.

"Why can you say such hurtful things without a care, Horikita?" She bit her lip, looking painfully endearing. "I want to help everyone, too... This is so upsetting."

With that, Kushida Kikyo picked up her schoolbag, gave them both a slight bow, and left the library.

Seeing this, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka looked at Horikita Suzune as if nothing had happened. The study group had now been reduced to just him and her.

"I didn't expect you to think much the same way I do," Horikita Suzune said. "If you need tutoring, I can teach you a little, too."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was at a loss for words. Did this woman really have no idea how to interact with people?

Even someone like him, who'd come from the White Room, understood a few basic social conventions.

"I'll pass. I can understand why you look down on Sudō and the others, but I think it'd do you some good to consider things besides studying."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka thought his hint had been clear enough, but Horikita Suzune completely ignored him.

"Not interested..."

Horikita Suzune had barely started speaking when she suddenly stopped. She looked toward a certain spot, uncertain, then did her best to hide her expression.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka glanced over. He'd already noticed Suzuki Toru and Kamuro Masumi.

"That's enough for today. I'm going back." Horikita Suzune did her best to act as though nothing was wrong, but she was stunned. Why is Suzuki Toru here?

And isn't the girl with him my creditor?

What's going on?

Since she hadn't received a single Private Point this month, Horikita Suzune had no way to repay her debt. It was giving her a terrible headache.

Fortunately, she had six months to pay it off. Otherwise, she would have been beside herself. She needed to find a way to deal with the debt.

But she hadn't expected to run into Kamuro Masumi here.

One was the person who wanted to expel her, and the other was her creditor. Was there something wrong with this combination?

Horikita Suzune didn't have time to think it over. She just wanted to avoid them and collect her thoughts.

Watching her hurry away, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka fell into thought. He didn't know the full story, but he could piece some of it together from the clues he had.

He knew Suzuki Toru wanted Horikita Suzune expelled, and he knew Horikita Suzune had made an information exchange with a student from Class A.

Could the girl next to Suzuki Toru be the one?

If so, wasn't Horikita Suzune just like a little lamb waiting for the hunter to slaughter it?

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's expression sharpened as he noticed Suzuki Toru calmly looking their way. Their gazes met.

Then Ayanokoji Kiyotaka saw Suzuki Toru give him an amused smile.

In that instant, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka felt as if some kind of predator had set its sights on him. His muscles tensed, though his expression remained unchanged.

He turned, picked up his schoolbag, and walked out of the library without a word.

It seemed quite possible that Suzuki Toru was after him. As for whether Suzuki Toru was from the White Room, he would have to wait patiently and see what he did.

It wasn't as if Suzuki Toru could get him expelled on the spot, right?

What Ayanokoji Kiyotaka didn't know was that, not long after he left, Suzuki Toru received a message and then left the library as well.

My Foolish Little Sister

For the time being, Suzuki Toru had no particular plans for Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

After all, the wishes surrounding him were rather difficult to deal with.

[Make Ayanokoji wear a dress], [Threaten Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: You wouldn't want to get expelled, would you?], [Bury the greatest masterpiece], [Frame Ayanokoji for doing a rounded corner], [Expose Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's true abilities], [Send him back to his dear father], [Make Ayanokoji Kiyotaka experience the taste of defeat]...

Wishes weren't something he could fulfill just by deciding to. Quite a few of them contradicted one another.

The reason Suzuki Toru recorded the wishes surrounding his targets was that he needed to pick out the ones he could fulfill.

For now, he set Ayanokoji Kiyotaka aside. There was another target he was more concerned about.

Not long after Horikita Suzune left, Horikita Manabu sent him a message, asking him to return to the student dormitory.

It seemed his time as a Life Mentor had come.

Putting away his phone, Suzuki Toru made up an excuse and stopped Kamuro Masumi from following him.

Then he went back to the student dormitory alone.

"Suzune, you haven't improved at all. Even now, you haven't recognized your own shortcomings. Coming to this school only proves that you're a mediocre failure."

Dusk was gradually sinking into the earth. Two figures faced off behind the student dormitory.

The one who had just spoken was Horikita Manabu. Standing before him was Horikita Suzune.

When Suzuki Toru saw them, he happened to catch the moment Horikita Suzune bit down on her lip. Her throat bobbed as she answered with a trace of bitterness. "I'm not the same. I'm different from who I used to be. I'll prove it to you this time. I'll be promoted to Class A soon..."

"Whatever you say, you're still as foolish as ever," Horikita Manabu said coldly. "Suzuki already told me about what happened between you two. He's more capable than you, and the Class A he belongs to is somewhere you'll never reach."

Horikita Suzune's face turned pale. Compared to hearing Suzuki Toru say it before, Horikita Manabu's words hit her much harder, as if he were rejecting her entire existence.

Suzuki Toru's expression turned strange. He'd only just arrived, yet he'd already heard the Student Council President's assessment of him. It was like a neighbor scolding their child and telling them to be more like him.

Perhaps he'd heard Suzuki Toru's footsteps. Horikita Manabu turned to look at him and gave a slight nod.

In truth, he'd noticed Suzuki Toru from the start. That was why he'd said what he did.

Horikita Suzune, however, looked surprised. She clearly hadn't expected him to show up.

"Good afternoon, Student Council President," Suzuki Toru greeted them both. "And it's nice to see you again, Horikita."

"Why are you here?" Horikita Suzune was astonished. It had been bad enough running into him at the library. Why was he here, too?

Was he following me?

The thought had barely crossed her mind when Horikita Suzune dismissed it. Her meeting with Horikita Manabu had nothing to do with her own actions. He had approached her himself.

In other words, Suzuki Toru had probably been invited by her brother.

Horikita Suzune's suspicions were soon confirmed.

"While you've been standing still, Suzuki has become the Student Council's Vice President and already has six million Private Points," Horikita Manabu said. "Also, your Class 1-D has set a record for this school: the first class to have its Class Points reduced to zero. Not a single point remains."

Horikita Suzune was completely stunned. First, there were the six million Private Points, then this so-called record. Her thoughts were in disarray.

Even though she wanted to argue back, she didn't know what to say. She could only bite her lip, looking both resentful and inferior.

"If people find out you're my sister, I'll be the one embarrassed. I might even lose the Student Council's prestige."

Horikita Manabu's face showed no emotion. His gaze toward his younger sister seemed equally devoid of feeling.

"Student Council President, want me to help get her expelled?" Suzuki Toru chimed in.

Horikita Suzune's expression stiffened, and a flicker of panic flashed in her eyes.

Horikita Manabu's mouth twitched slightly before he replied expressionlessly, "Much as I hate to admit it, she's still my sister by blood. Now that even you know she exists, I doubt I can keep it a secret much longer."

Suzuki Toru blinked. If that was the case, shouldn't they expel this useless little sister sooner rather than later?

However, Horikita Manabu ignored his look and continued, "Since you're interested in this foolish little sister, I hope you can teach her what true excellence means, rather than letting her foolishly confuse pride with loneliness."

So this was the official appointment of her Life Mentor?