"..."
Suzune Horikita pressed her lips together.
Even if he'd seen it in the library, there was no way he could've remembered it that well, right?
Was this guy's brain a little too incredible?
"Speaking of which, I recommend you try playing some games too. It might help you."
"No way!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Suzune Horikita rejected Keima Katsuragi's suggestion.
She'd always thought games were a distraction from studying.
And this was the sort of game it was, on top of that.
It wasn't so much that she didn't want to...
It was more that she didn't even have the courage to open it.
"Games aren't any different from books. In fact, books are the least efficient way to take in information."
Keima Katsuragi pushed up his glasses, then lowered his head again, focusing on his handheld console.
"Forget it. We're even now, but I'm warning you: don't tell anyone about this!"
"It's not a big deal, is it? You're making it sound like some shady deal—"
"Don't tell anyone! Do you hear me? If you let it slip, I'll never forgive you!"
"Yeah, yeah. I got it."
"I'm leaving."
After saying that, Suzune Horikita turned to go.
"Hey, your dorm's this way, you know?"
Keima Katsuragi called after Suzune Horikita. She was walking in the exact opposite direction.
Suzune Horikita didn't answer. She only quickened her pace.
Because she had something else to do that evening...
Before long, Suzune Horikita stopped.
Someone was standing there, apparently having waited for quite some time.
Manabu Horikita.
After learning that she'd been assigned to Class D, Suzune Horikita had been deeply dissatisfied, and even somewhat lost.
Then, after hearing what Keima Katsuragi had said to her today, and with her study group's failure to get off the ground, Suzune Horikita had become even more troubled.
So Suzune Horikita had asked to meet Manabu Horikita, hoping to earn his approval.
Nearly a week after starting school, Suzune Horikita was finally meeting her older brother alone for the first time.
"Brother..."
Suzune Horikita, who was usually so forceful, spoke in a much quieter voice now.
"Suzune, I didn't expect you to follow me all the way here."
Manabu Horikita pushed up his glasses, his tone as cold as his expression.
"I... I'm not the incompetent person you think I am anymore. I came here to catch up to you!"
"Catch up to me...? You still haven't realized your own shortcomings..."
A trace of disappointment seemed to color Manabu Horikita's voice.
"Choosing this school was a huge mistake."
"I'll be in Class A soon, and then I can—"
But before Suzune Horikita could finish, Manabu Horikita cut her off.
"Impossible."
"I'll definitely do it..."
Suzune Horikita's voice trembled, and she seemed to have lost her earlier confidence.
"Having my little sister assigned to Class D is an embarrassment to me. Get out of this school immediately."
"Crack, crack."
"Brother, I just..."
"You have neither the ability nor the right to aim for the top. To make you understand..."
As Manabu Horikita spoke, he raised his hand, seemingly preparing to throw a punch.
Click, click.
The sound of fingers rapidly tapping buttons rang out.
Manabu Horikita stopped and turned his head slightly, glancing toward the source of the sound from the corner of his eye.
Keima Katsuragi stood not far away, head bowed as he played on his handheld console, his gaze seemingly never falling on the Horikita Siblings.
"You're... from Class 1-D."
Manabu Horikita narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he recognized Keima Katsuragi.
"Katsuragi..."
Suzune Horikita was surprised. Why was Keima Katsuragi here?
"Go on," Keima Katsuragi said. "Do whatever you were doing. I won't get in your way."
Keima Katsuragi didn't lift his head, as though the Student Council President in front of him had nothing to do with him.
"Oh? Just here to watch? I thought you might say something to stop me."
"Stop you? Why would I?"
Keima Katsuragi's fingers didn't slow down at all.
"Besides, you weren't actually going to hit her just now."
Manabu Horikita's brow twitched slightly.
Keima Katsuragi was right. Manabu Horikita had only been trying to scare Suzune Horikita.
He didn't think Suzune Horikita was incompetent. On the contrary, Manabu Horikita believed his younger sister might even have talent surpassing his own. But Suzune Horikita had always imitated him, living in his shadow.
Manabu Horikita wanted Suzune Horikita to find her own path. That was why he could use this method to "scare her away."
"Besides, I completely agree with what you said. For Suzune Horikita, getting promoted to Class A right now is simply impossible."
Keima Katsuragi spoke calmly, as though stating a fact beyond dispute.
"No, I..."
Suzune Horikita immediately tried to object, but Keima Katsuragi gave her no chance and continued on his own:
"Treating the people around you as burdens, and thinking your circumstances don't match your abilities—that lack of self-awareness is the biggest obstacle holding you back."
Manabu Horikita looked at Keima Katsuragi. He hadn't expected him to openly point out Suzune Horikita's character flaws in front of him, the Student Council President.
"If I remember correctly, there's a remarkable student among this year's first-years."
Manabu Horikita pushed up his glasses and looked at the young man before him with interest.
"He got perfect marks in every subject on the entrance exam. That's extremely rare in this school's history."
No matter how brilliant a student was, getting a perfect score on the entrance exam was impossible.
Manabu Horikita had ranked first when he entered the school, and even he hadn't managed it.
Everyone lost at least a few points here and there.
But Keima Katsuragi had gotten a perfect score in every subject...
And even so, he'd been assigned to Class D.
However, as far as Keima Katsuragi was concerned, the entrance exam had never happened at all.
Because he'd crossed over from another world, reality and people's memories would automatically adjust to fit the circumstances.
In other words: "If Keima Katsuragi had lived in this world from the beginning, this is what would have happened."
Keima Katsuragi really did have the ability to get perfect marks.
"Perfect... marks in every subject?"
Suzune Horikita stared at Keima Katsuragi in shock.
She knew Keima Katsuragi was quite good at studying. The last quiz had already proved that.
But she'd never imagined he was this good.
"Getting a perfect score isn't that difficult. But to return to what we were discussing, I completely agree with what you said, Senpai."
Keima Katsuragi spoke slowly.
"Suzune Horikita is self-righteous, antisocial, and arrogant..."
Keima Katsuragi recited Suzune Horikita's flaws like a prayer.
Suzune Horikita's expression turned awful. With Manabu Horikita standing there, all she could do was lower her head like a child who'd done something wrong.
She didn't know that Keima Katsuragi had deliberately said it in front of Manabu Horikita.
Under normal circumstances, even if someone bluntly said those things to her, Suzune Horikita might not have listened.
But with Manabu Horikita there, it was different.
What was more, Suzune Horikita couldn't talk back at all right now, which let Keima Katsuragi enjoy himself thoroughly.
"Heh. See? Even your classmate understands that. You haven't grown at all."
Manabu Horikita turned to Suzune Horikita. She could only bite her lip and lower her head.
"But you're still wrong about one thing, Senpai."
Just then, Keima Katsuragi spoke up.
"Oh? I'm wrong?"
Manabu Horikita raised an eyebrow, and Suzune Horikita lifted her head too, gazing at Keima Katsuragi in confusion.
"Although Suzune Horikita does have plenty of flaws, and her interpersonal skills are a complete mess, she has still grown a little."
"Grown?"
"Today, Suzune Horikita even gave me something."
Keima Katsuragi put down his handheld console and took out the game cartridge he'd just received.
"You... give people things?"
Manabu Horikita glanced at Suzune Horikita in surprise. She looked just as confused.
W-wait a second!
Could it be!?
"Please don't, Katsuragi!"
Suzune Horikita had a bad feeling. Her voice, which had just been so timid in front of Manabu Horikita, rose several notches.
Before Suzune Horikita could stop him, Keima Katsuragi had already taken out the game cartridge.
The title was on full display in front of Manabu Horikita.
<Youthful Romance: My Tsundere Little Sister's Punishment Edition>
For the first time, a confused expression appeared on Manabu Horikita's usually unreadable face.
Suzune...
She bought this?
Before you continue