Horikita Suzune

"Hmm... isn't that a bit too blunt, Horikita-san?"

Onizuka raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone laced with a hint of mockery.

She had always maintained an aloof, high-and-mighty demeanor, yet today, she appeared unusually earnest.

"As for when I started taking action... naturally, it was whenever I felt like moving."

"Then..."

Before Horikita Suzune could finish what she wanted to say, Onizuka cut her off directly, his tone brooking no argument.

"I have no interest in what happens to Class D or anyone else in this class. I have my own path to walk."

Horikita's expression stiffened, and she seemed ready to retort, but Onizuka continued.

"If you happen to be heading in the same direction as me, I don't mind giving you a hand along the way."

"But please, take note: don't think about trying to tie the entirety of Class D to me. I won't burden myself with extra weight."

"Do you understand now, Horikita-san?"

Standing where she was, Horikita Suzune seemed somewhat uneasy, shifting her feet.

"Onizuka-kun, even if you say that, I still hope you can participate in the class's routine decision-making. [Class points are the most important thing], aren't they?"

Hearing this, Onizuka rubbed his forehead, showing a trace of helplessness before looking at her with disdain.

"Heh, that is the most fundamental difference between us. In my eyes, [class points are the most useless things of all]."

As if she had heard something preposterous, Horikita Suzune argued back.

"How could they be useless! Without class points, how could we possibly reach Class A! I am not like you; I have someone I want to chase after!"

"Ah~ right, someone to chase after. Your dream is truly grand, Horikita-san."

"But why is it that your dream includes me?"

Caught off guard by the question, Horikita Suzune didn't know what to say.

After a pause, she said, "Be... because we are classmates! To reach Class A, naturally, we need everyone..."

As she spoke, Horikita Suzune's voice grew quieter and quieter until she stopped altogether.

"What? Not going to continue? Then let me say it: you and I are just like Sudo and you. Why must I help you?"

He looked at Horikita Suzune, who stood there without a word.

"Since we've chatted for so long, I'll be merciful and give you a reminder. Do you remember what Sae Chabashira said at the start of the term?"

Horikita Suzune furrowed her brows, wanting to say something but not quite sure. Her hesitant appearance was truly painful to watch.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, who had been standing to the side like a ghost, stepped forward.

"It was the line, [Points can buy anything in this school], right?"

Onizuka turned to look at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and smiled.

"Exactly. In this school, points are such a magical thing."

"Hey, Horikita-san, how many points would it take to make you stop pestering me?"

Having said that, he didn't wait for Horikita Suzune to react and turned to walk back into the nearby convenience store.

In the alleyway, only Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and Horikita Suzune were left, staring at each other.

"How pathetic, Horikita-san."

Provoked by Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, the somewhat deflated Horikita Suzune regained her spirit almost instantly.

"Ayanokoji Kiyotaka! Who do you think you are? Do you think you have the strength to judge me?"

"I don't know why my brother values you so much, but I don't think you have anything worth praising other than your physical ability!"

"Don't you dare lecture me!"

With that, Horikita Suzune hurried out of the alleyway.

Only Ayanokoji Kiyotaka remained, his gaze obscure as he watched Horikita Suzune's retreating, disheveled figure.

After eating his eel rice bowl at the convenience store, Onizuka prepared to return to the dormitory.

Full and satisfied, he only wanted to rest now, though the confrontation with Horikita Suzune flashed through his mind.

He had just taken Horikita Suzune's pride and trampled it into the dirt; the effect seemed quite decent.

It could be considered a small revenge for President Horikita's scheme against him.

Secondly, it was to probe Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

Since the start of the term, Onizuka had felt that this person was not ordinary. Whether it was his excellent physique or his intellect, he was undoubtedly a person of great talent in every aspect.

Onizuka believed that Ayanokoji Kiyotaka couldn't have discovered the irregularities of this school much later than he did, yet he had never taken any action.

That was a bit hard to justify.

Now, he had applied pressure directly onto Horikita Suzune, attacking the pride she held most dear.

If things went poorly, it was entirely possible that she would sink into despair right then and there.

As expected, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka stepped up to save the situation in the end, quickly taking on the pressure that Horikita Suzune had been bearing.

It seemed highly likely that Ayanokoji wanted to use Horikita Suzune as his puppet, while he himself hid behind her to secretly lead a peaceful life.

Heh, what a contradictory man.

To use the strength of others while simultaneously trying to maintain his own tranquility—it appeared extremely selfish and cunning.

Onizuka thought to himself that perhaps this was exactly where Ayanokoji's brilliance lay; he understood how to survive in this fiercely competitive environment without drawing any attention to himself.