Horikita Suzune glanced at Horikita Manabu and immediately realized Tsukishima had called him over.
She gritted her teeth and took a deep breath, calming herself down. She wanted her brother to see how capable she was. "Tsukishima..."
Tsukishima raised a hand, interrupting her again, and pressed the call button.
Knock, knock, knock~
"Come in."
The waiter entered after receiving permission, eyes lowered and posture refined, every inch the picture of nobility.
"Five cups of coffee, a box of sugar cubes, and some snacks, please."
The waiter bowed slightly and left.
Horikita Suzune took a deep breath. "If you're hungry, you can go eat first. I can wait."
Tsukishima glanced at Horikita Manabu, whose brow was twitching, and chuckled. He asked curiously, "Have you thought about how this might turn into a war of words? What if we talk until our mouths are dry?"
"Have you thought about what happens if we get caught up thinking and don't know how to answer for a while?"
"Are we just going to sit here and talk? Are you really that confident in yourself, that sure you can convince me?"
Horikita Suzune's voice was cool. "Personal Points. You want Personal Points, and I'll give you some. Help me make sure no one in Class D gets expelled in the midterms."
The waiter returned and set down the coffee and other items Tsukishima had ordered, then quietly left.
Tsukishima took a sip of coffee and frowned. "This coffee's bitter and fragrant. Everyone, help yourselves."
Horikita Suzune frowned. "You can drink the coffee later."
Kiyotaka Ayanokouji lifted his cup and took a sip, expressionless. She's thrown the whole conversation off track.
Tsukishima casually added a sugar cube to his coffee. "Horikita, how many points do you have left? You came to talk to me about this, but did you even do the slightest bit of research on me?"
"Why would I research a student from Class D... Let's get back to the point. I give you points, you complete the task. It's a perfectly fair deal."
Tsukishima laughed. People really did laugh when they were at a loss for words. "Horikita, you... you... oh, damn, you've got me completely stumped."
He turned to Horikita Manabu. "Senior Horikita, don't you have anything to say?"
Horikita Manabu glanced at Horikita Suzune and said nothing.
Kiyotaka Ayanokouji cradled his coffee cup and spoke in a calm voice. "Horikita, I don't think Tsukishima is short on points. He made 400,000 last night..."
Horikita lacked any leverage in the negotiations.
Horikita Suzune bit her lip. "600,000!"
Tsukishima froze. "What did you say?"
"I said 600,000! I can give you 600,000!"
"Are you out of your mind? Forget whether you even have 600,000—does a midterm exam really warrant that much? That's a ridiculous overvaluation! I can't believe you'd even say that! Even if we signed a contract, I'd worry that you and your brother were setting me up. Senior Horikita, how about booking your sister a brain scan?"
Horikita Manabu's eye twitched so violently that he had to pinch the bridge of his nose to steady himself.
Tachibana Akane turned away, her shoulders trembling slightly.
The coffee in Kiyotaka's hand rippled faintly. It's over.
His calm voice carried across the room. "Horikita means the terms are negotiable..."
Horikita Suzune caught Kiyotaka's hint and glanced at Horikita Manabu. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. "So, what do you want?"
She paused, as if she'd found her footing. "Besides, if someone gets expelled, it'll affect the Class Points and your Personal Points. That's not something you want either, is it?"
Horikita Manabu's brow finally relaxed a little.
Tsukishima glanced at Kiyotaka and smiled. "I don't care. I've got at least the 400,000 your brother gave me last night, so I'll be fine for the rest of the term."
"If I'm careful with my spending, I'll be fine for the whole school year. So why should I care about Class Points?"
"As for what I want, what am I missing right now? I don't seem to need anything."
Horikita Suzune stared at Tsukishima, braced both hands on the table, and leaned toward him, trying to intimidate him.
"Tell me what you want. If you don't need anything, why are you sitting here talking to me? You think I can give you something you need!"
Tsukishima rolled his eyes. "Horikita, get one thing straight: you're the one who came to me. You banged on my dorm-room door last night, sent Ayanokoji to find me this morning, came looking for me in the cafeteria at noon, then tracked me down at the club after school. What was I supposed to do, not show up?"
"All I want is for you to leave me alone. Of course, you can try clinging to me like a nuisance and see if I beat the crap out of you."
Horikita Suzune's attempt to intimidate him failed. She sat back in her original seat, biting her lip, sweat beading across her forehead.
Without thinking, she reached for her coffee and took a sip, using it to hide her embarrassment at having no leverage left in the negotiations.
At last, she understood how to use what was on the negotiating table.
Silence fell over the private room.
Tsukishima sipped his coffee, raised an eyebrow at Horikita Manabu, then shifted his gaze to Kiyotaka Ayanokouji.
Kiyotaka Ayanokouji finally spoke. "Horikita is very persistent."
Horikita Suzune seemed to seize on something and suddenly spoke up. "What if we made a deal for peace and quiet in the future? I can shield you from the trouble you're worried about."
Tsukishima gave a soft laugh. "That is tempting, but I have a better option. For example, Senior Horikita. I trust his abilities and influence more than yours."
Horikita Suzune glanced at Horikita Manabu, who showed no reaction. "Why would my brother help you? What happened yesterday is over!"
Tsukishima laughed. "Yesterday's business is over, sure. But there's still you."
"The teachers at this school barely do anything. The Student Council handles most things. Take a guess at how much power and privilege comes with the Student Council president's position—and how many people have their eyes on it."
"Now think about what your identity is."
Horikita Suzune stared at Tsukishima and enunciated each word. "But that identity is mine, not yours. If you want to use it, you'll have to ask whether I agree."
Tsukishima set down his coffee cup and propped his chin on his hand. "Why would I need to use your identity? The information itself is already valuable."
Horikita Suzune grew a little flustered. She didn't want to cause trouble for her brother. "So how do you plan to use that information? Sell it? Or threaten my brother?"
Tsukishima didn't answer. He looked at Kiyotaka Ayanokouji instead.
Kiyotaka Ayanokouji avoided his gaze. "Everyone has friends, after all."
Horikita Suzune immediately seized on the point. "My brother has supporters too. You'll only end up with more trouble, and bigger trouble at that."
Tsukishima shifted his gaze to Horikita Suzune's face. "I'm not the only one who knows who you are. Everyone who knows you knows it. Do you remember your brother's self-introduction at the entrance ceremony?"
"Sometimes all it takes is a tiny hint for someone to remember. Everyone in the class is desperately short on points right now, too."
"Besides, Senior Horikita would be willing to grant me a favor in exchange for my not revealing your identity, wouldn't he?"
Horikita Suzune immediately retorted, "If so many people already know I'm your sister, what makes you think your information is worth my brother's help?"
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