I am your brother

Horikita Suzune turned her head impatiently, meeting the perpetually expressionless face of her deskmate, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

"Ayanokoji, I told you, don't touch me casually."

"Horikita, giving up on the entire class right now might still be too early."

"Oh? Don't tell me you have some brilliant insight?"

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka tilted his head slightly, as if thinking for half a second, then offered a suggestion that seemed a bit of a leap:

"I wouldn't call it brilliant, but you might want to find the time... to go ask Kitagawa from Class B?"

The moment the words fell.

Horikita Suzune had already moved, opening her metal compass and jabbing Ayanokoji with it.

"Mind your own business. I have nothing to do with him."

Ayanokoji slowly looked down at his arm, where a clear red dot marked the spot.

"Hiss!"

He let out a belated intake of breath, tinged with a hint of bewilderment.

Ayanokoji quickly ran through his thoughts, assessing the usability of Horikita Suzune's tool.

Still not working, huh?

Horikita Suzune, doesn't she often visit Kitagawa Kai's dorm? Why is it like this?

Let's observe a bit more. If the situation worsens, it looks like I'll need to switch tools.

Four in the afternoon.

"President, calling me to the Student Council so urgently—is there some important directive?"

Kitagawa Kai pushed open the door to the Student Council President's Office, his face wearing just the right amount of puzzled deference from a junior.

Horikita Manabu set down his fountain pen and looked at Kitagawa Kai with a businesslike scrutiny.

"Kitagawa, according to the Student Council work records, since joining, you haven't fulfilled a single routine secretary shift."

He paused, his fingertip lightly tapping a duty roster on the desk.

"Can you explain that?"

A shift?

"Senpai?" Kitagawa Kai called softly, his tone full of a junior's reliance and need for confirmation. "So... we actually have shifts like that?"

"..."

Secretary Tachibana's heart skipped a beat under that innocent gaze—she really did seem to have forgotten.

"Um, President, I... I think I actually haven't had the chance to explain the shift details to Kitagawa yet." Her voice grew quieter and quieter, nearly inaudible by the end, and her head drooped lower and lower.

Horikita Manabu's gaze shifted from Kitagawa Kai's face to Tachibana, who looked like she wanted to disappear on the spot.

"I'll handle Secretary Tachibana's oversight separately."

"But as a Student Council member, proactively understanding and fulfilling basic duties is a necessary self-awareness. You'll cover the vacant shifts this week. I'll inform you of the specific times shortly."

"Yes, President. I sincerely apologize."

"Tachibana, go ahead and process the backlog of meeting minutes for archiving first."

At that, Tachibana quickly steadied her breath: "Yes, President."

She gave a slight bow, her gaze flickering briefly over Kitagawa Kai, as if she wanted to add a few words of advice to the junior who had made her "forget the important stuff," but in front of Horikita Manabu, she only managed a quick nod before turning and hurrying out.

"Horikita-senpai deliberately sent Secretary Tachibana away—so what's next is probably the real reason you called me here today, right?"

Kitagawa Kai's voice was unhurried, carrying a tacit understanding.

"Both reasons apply. How has Suzune been lately?"

"Horikita-senpai cares so much about your sister, and you're both in the same school—it should be easy to get in touch." Kitagawa Kai looked at Horikita Manabu with clear eyes.

"Wouldn't it be simpler to just ask her directly? Or... haven't you exchanged contact info?"

Horikita Manabu's hands, folded in front of him, paused slightly.

"Not yet."

"I see. So Senpai is... well, a bit too shy to make the first move?" Kitagawa Kai thoughtfully supplied a reason for Horikita Manabu's "not yet," then his smile widened.

"That's no trouble. Here, Senpai, give me your terminal—I'll handle it."

His outstretched hand hung steadily in the air, his fingertips even giving a slight, urging curl.

Horikita Manabu stared fixedly at the hand extended toward him, then at his "helpful" face, and let out a soft sigh before reaching into his uniform's inner pocket to retrieve his terminal.

His movement carried a faint hesitation, his fingertips pausing on the cold device for half a second before he handed it to Kitagawa Kai.

Kitagawa Kai took it as naturally as could be.

"I remember Suzune's ID is..." he murmured to himself, deftly typing in a string of characters.

"Mm, just confirming, this is the right one." Before clicking, Kitagawa Kai paused briefly, as if verifying the information, then his fingers flew across the screen, quickly typing a line.

Horikita Manabu watched in silence, his facial muscles seeming tighter than usual.

It wasn't until Kitagawa Kai hit send and turned the Terminal screen toward him that his always calm, unruffled expression finally showed a flicker of change.

On the screen, the verification message read clearly:

[Suzune-chan, accept it—I'm your brother.]

Suzune-chan?

Horikita Manabu stared coldly at Kitagawa Kai for several seconds, the light outside the window seeming to dim a little.

"Ding."

[Horikita Suzune has accepted your friend request.]

[Horikita Suzune: ?]

"Senpai, it's done."

Horikita Manabu took the phone, ignoring the slightly flippant verification message, and clearly typed a line.

[This is Horikita Manabu.]

"Now, Kitagawa-kun, can you explain?"

"President, about this, I think you don't need to dwell on the details."

"After all, I'm taking good care of Suzune-chan now and doing my best to help her grow. Using a more familiar tone is just to close the distance."

Kitagawa Kai spread his hands, wearing an "I'm just being nice" expression.

Horikita Manabu's mind almost uncontrollably flashed with some unpleasant images.

He certainly trusted his sister's character and judgment, but this Kitagawa Kai... his actions were unpredictable, his words ambiguous and bold!

"Kitagawa-kun, I've heard that Suzune often visits your dorm at noon?"

Horikita Manabu cut straight to the core fact that bothered him most, no longer beating around the bush.

Faced with Horikita Manabu's direct questioning, Kitagawa Kai's smile grew even more natural, tinged with a hint of "Oh, so that's what you're worried about" realization.

"Hey, it's nothing."

"We just eat lunch together."

"Eat lunch together?"

"Yeah." Kitagawa Kai nodded matter-of-factly.

"Cooking at the dorm saves quite a bit of personal points."

"Plus, it's quieter, more convenient for discussing things—way more efficient. The cafeteria's too noisy sometimes; you can't even talk properly."

Silence stretched across the room for a few seconds.

Horikita Manabu finally spoke.

"...Fine."

"However, as Suzune's brother, I must remind you to be mindful of appearances."

He clearly emphasized the words "brother" and "appearances."

"Naturally."

Kitagawa Kai's reply was crisp and without hesitation.

"...You can go now." Horikita Manabu said no more, issuing a dismissal.

"Yes, President. I'll take my leave." Kitagawa Kai gave a slight nod and exited the office.

Horikita Manabu stared at the latest message on his Terminal.

"Brother."

Now he needed to think about how to have an effective conversation with Suzune, yet he didn't know what to say.