Commission

Listening to An Xiao's string of remarks after being caught, Horikita Manabu's face darkened and a vein twitched at his temple. Still, he spoke up. "Stay for now. There are some things I'd like to discuss with you."

"Could you... keep it short?" An Xiao's gaze wandered between Horikita Manabu and Horikita Suzune, who stood behind him. He asked in a timid tone.

Horikita Manabu paid no attention to An Xiao's words and instead brought up something else. "You already know most of the school's rules ahead of time, so you should have some idea of the Student Council's considerable authority here."

"I can tell you plainly: the Student Council wields far more power than you imagine."

"An Xiao, a new student in Class B. On the first day of school, he keenly noticed the rules the school had kept hidden and got a detailed explanation of them from an upperclassman."

"Your powers of observation and initiative are truly impressive."

"Although you're in Class B, you could say you're better than most Class A students."

Once Horikita Manabu finished speaking, An Xiao was the one with a dark line over his forehead.

Wait, how come everyone seems to know about the one thing I did yesterday?

First Hoshinomiya-sensei, and now the Student Council president...

What a pain!

He rubbed his stiff face and looked at Horikita Manabu, who acted as if nothing had happened, and Horikita Suzune, standing beside him with her head lowered. He didn't know whether to laugh or be annoyed.

Was this... tsundere behavior?

He sighed and said helplessly, "Just get to the point, senpai. You don't have to beat around the bush."

"Let's skip the part about me and get straight to the main topic."

"So, would you be interested in becoming a 'teacher'?"

"Huh? What? A teacher?" An Xiao was a little bewildered by what Horikita Manabu had just said, but quickly caught on. "You want me to teach your younger sister? She looks like she gets good grades already."

"I don't mean academics," Horikita Manabu corrected him. "I want you to teach her how to survive at this school."

"And keep an eye on her for me."

The idea had only just occurred to him. Knowing his younger sister, if no one stepped in, she would probably keep going down the same path until she'd stumbled into every trap along the way.

And judging by how she'd acted just now, she clearly wouldn't willingly choose to drop out. Horikita Manabu had no choice but to settle for the next best thing.

"But, big brother, I can manage on my own..." Horikita Suzune protested, getting agitated.

"Quiet!" Horikita Manabu snapped coldly.

Ignoring Horikita Suzune, who had lowered her head again, he simply looked at An Xiao.

What a pain. A huge pain!

An Xiao instinctively wanted to refuse, but before he could say anything, Horikita Manabu's next words stopped him.

"One hundred thousand points. Until I graduate, I'll pay you one hundred thousand points a month to tutor Suzune."

Horikita Manabu unleashed a point barrage. An Xiao was hit. An Xiao took massive damage. An Xiao fell silent.

After thinking it over for a long while, An Xiao finally asked, "If you don't mind me asking, which class is your sister in?"

"Class D. First-year Class D," Horikita Manabu said, glancing at Horikita Suzune, who was hunched over like an ostrich.

"Class D..." An Xiao rubbed his chin.

Based on what he'd learned earlier, Class D was probably the worst class.

Much like the class the senpai in the recording belonged to.

Having spent the previous decade or so in China's education system, and because of his own academic ability, An Xiao had attended some of the country's top schools. The students there were all high caliber, and even the weaker ones weren't that bad.

That had given An Xiao a distorted understanding of things.

This could be a bit of a problem!

An Xiao muttered to himself, though not because he was reluctant to take on Horikita Suzune. He wouldn't have to worry about her grades, and the task itself didn't seem too troublesome. He'd also get a hefty number of points out of it.

The real issue was what he'd already promised Hoshinomiya-sensei...

Well, it's all Hoshinomiya-sensei's fault for offering so little. If she'd offered even a bit more, I wouldn't be so torn.

After thinking it over for a while, An Xiao finally said, "I can do it, but only for her personally, and only as long as it doesn't go against Class B's interests."

"Of course." Horikita Manabu nodded. He wasn't displeased; in fact, he looked relieved that An Xiao had agreed.

He knew his own family best. His younger sister had a lot of issues, and it would be best if someone could guide her.

As for why he'd chosen An Xiao...

First, Horikita Manabu had already looked into An Xiao in considerable detail and had learned enough about his abilities and personality.

Second, he had a general understanding of Class B.

I hope you can help Suzune change, even just a little.

Horikita Manabu looked at An Xiao and thought this to himself.

"Oh, and remember to come to the Student Council tomorrow. You'll need to sign the relevant agreement."

Horikita Manabu removed his hand from An Xiao's shoulder and walked past him, speaking quietly. "Besides that, I'll assign you a clerical position."

With that, he left without looking back or asking what An Xiao thought about it.

Hey, I don't remember saying I'd join the Student Council. How could you just decide that for me?

An Xiao's mouth twitched slightly as he complained to himself, though he wasn't all that opposed to the idea.

After all, joining the Student Council seemed pretty good, especially with someone powerful looking out for him.

Thinking this, An Xiao turned his gaze toward Horikita Suzune, who still hadn't recovered from the shock.

"Horikita, you heard him. I look forward to working with you from now on."

"Hm?" Horikita Suzune, still reeling from what had just been said, murmured automatically. Realizing that her brother had already left, she finally lifted her head after keeping it lowered for so long.

Only then did An Xiao have the leisure to take a closer look at the girl in front of him.

Her long hair fell to her waist. On one side, a slender braid tied with a white ribbon hung over her left shoulder, complementing her iridescent eyes.

The aura she gave off was completely different from Honami Ichinose's.

"Hey, girl, come back to us."

An Xiao raised a hand and waved it in front of Horikita Suzune.

"Your brother just sold you to me, you know!"