By the time Horikita Suzune disappeared from sight.
"Kitagawa."
Horikita Manabu spoke slowly, his usual calm in his voice. "You're skilled, courageous, and you know how to use the rules."
"You're too kind, Horikita-senpai."
"But," Horikita Manabu continued, cutting straight to the point, "why are you here? At this time, in this place, appearing right in front of Suzune and me-and carrying a Recording Device with you."
Kitagawa Kai didn't seem surprised by the question.
He raised a hand and casually brushed aside his fringe. The gesture made him look more like an ordinary student.
"I just happened to finish running, decided to take a walk, happened to come here, and then happened to see the Student Council President having a deep conversation with a female student."
"Out of curiosity, I recorded a little of this wonderful campus life. Yeah, that's all."
Horikita Manabu stared at him with the same dead-fish eyes as Hikigaya Hachiman. Kitagawa Kai's words made him feel like a clown.
"All right, to be honest, I'm a little interested in your younger sister." Kitagawa Kai said it frankly. "I saw her heading this way alone tonight and got a little worried, so I followed her."
"Kitagawa, I don't care what kind of interest you have in her, but stay away from Suzune."
Kitagawa Kai's tone grew a little more formal. "Sure. I can promise not to approach Horikita on my own, deliberately show up in front of her, or get involved in anything directly related to her."
The promise sounded clear, even excessively obedient.
But hearing it, Horikita Manabu felt his heart sink slightly. He knew his younger sister too well.
Suzune was stubborn and uncompromising, and she had an unusually strong desire to catch up with her older brother.
Everything that had happened tonight would surely make Suzune look into Kitagawa Kai, the person who had brought her brother down and made him pay a huge number of Points.
Horikita Manabu looked at Kitagawa Kai and, for the first time, clearly felt that he was dealing with a thorny problem.
What kind of monsters were in this year's class?
"...Never mind."
He slowly let out two words, his voice lower than before.
"Let's try another approach. I won't forbid you from having contact with Suzune."
"I want you to keep an eye on her and guide her, as far as you can. Use your own way to help her understand the rules here as soon as possible, even if the process gets ugly. Most importantly-"
"I hope you'll protect her."
"You mean you want me to be Suzune's mentor, even though she might hate me?"
Kitagawa Kai smiled softly, but there was no warmth in it.
"That job doesn't sound easy."
"But I have one condition."
Horikita Manabu's eyes narrowed slightly. He didn't speak, only gesturing with his gaze for Kitagawa Kai to continue.
"Give me the Student Council Secretary position."
Student Council Secretary?
At Advanced Nurturing University, the Student Council held considerable authority, even the power to set Special Exam rules. The secretary was a core member.
If Kitagawa Kai joined the Student Council, Horikita Manabu could keep a closer eye on him. He could also have Kitagawa Kai take up the Great Flag for the First Year, to meet Miyabi Nagumo's challenge.
After a long pause, Horikita Manabu finally spoke, his voice decisive.
"All right. I recognize your abilities."
"The Student Council welcomes anyone capable who is willing to prove their worth. Kitagawa, I hope you won't disappoint me-or this position."
The next day.
A day off.
The hallway was quiet. Most people were still catching up on sleep.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
A short, forceful series of knocks, edged with barely restrained impatience, sounded at Kitagawa Kai's door.
Inside, Kitagawa Kai slowly opened his eyes and casually grabbed a shirt from the closet, draping it loosely over himself.
Barefoot, he walked across the cool floor with sleep still clinging to him and not a hint of self-consciousness. He reached the door and opened it.
Outside, Horikita Suzune's hand froze in midair as she was about to knock again.
Her gaze was inevitably thrown by his disheveled appearance.
Kitagawa Kai's handsomeness wasn't simply a matter of refined features. It was a contradiction, at once composed and powerfully captivating.
In particular, his open shirt and the faintly visible contours beneath it made Horikita Suzune instinctively look away for a moment.
Then she forced herself to look back at Kitagawa Kai's face, though the tips of her ears grew slightly warm.
[Ping!]
[Horikita Suzune's Affection Level +10, current Affection Level: 20 (curiosity/hostility)]
Kitagawa Kai leaned against the doorframe and let out a small yawn, looking bleary-eyed. "Morning, Horikita. You're full of energy for a day off."
"Kitagawa Kai."
Horikita Suzune's voice was a little tense. She raised an A4 sheet of paper that still smelled of ink. "What's this about?"
It was a printout from the School Internal System's bulletin board. The title stood out: [Notice of Kitagawa Kai's Appointment as Student Council Secretary].
Below it was a brief explanation of the appointment and Horikita Manabu's Electronic Signature.
"I saw it on the bulletin board this morning." She enunciated each word. "Student Council Secretary. You?"
Everything that had happened last night was still fresh in her mind.
This boy had knocked her brother down and extorted 2 million Points from him.
And after just one night, he'd somehow become the Student Council Secretary?
It was completely beyond her comprehension.
She desperately needed an explanation, but didn't dare ask her older brother, so she had no choice but to come and confront Kitagawa Kai.
Kitagawa Kai took the paper and glanced over it nonchalantly. "Oh, this? I talked with your brother last night. He thought I might be somewhat useful, so he gave me this job. What, do you have a problem with the appointment, Horikita?"
"Talked? After what happened last night? He appointed you to the Student Council? How is that possible?!"
Horikita Suzune's voice rose involuntarily.
"Why wouldn't it be possible?" Kitagawa Kai asked in return, finally straightening up, his air of languor fading.
"Horikita President is a practical man. Bringing excellent talent like me into the Student Council is a perfectly reasonable decision. Don't you think?"
"Reasonable?" She sounded as though she'd heard a joke.
"After I left last night, what exactly did you say to my brother?"
Kitagawa Kai didn't answer right away. He merely turned to the side and casually tilted his head toward the room.
"Come in first. Some things aren't convenient to discuss in the doorway."
It was early morning. Though there weren't many people around, there was no guarantee that an early-rising student wouldn't pass by.
An undressed boy and an emotionally agitated young woman.
If someone passing by saw them, who knew what kind of winding love story might start circulating?
That suggestion itself made Horikita Suzune freeze for a moment.
Entering the room of a man she barely knew was hardly a wise move.
Horikita Suzune instinctively touched her pocket and felt a cold, hard object: the Metal Compass she was accustomed to carrying with her at all times.
Kitagawa Kai had already turned around, seemingly unconcerned about whether she would follow. He was walking barefoot on the cool floor.
"Click."
Horikita Suzune took a deep breath. The moment she crossed the threshold, she gently closed the door behind her.