Ayanokoji-kun Got Beaten Up

"Hiss..."

"Are you alright, You En?"

You En had a dream. He dreamed of standing against countless enemies, adrift in a sea of blood. He destroyed a city, ended a nation, buried an era.

But he... didn't feel pleased.

And so, the dream ended.

You En looked up. A long-haired black-haired girl was bent over in front of him, her eyes hiding concern and worry for him.

"I'm fine."

You En handed the exam paper to Secretary Tachibana Akane.

Secretary Tachibana took the paper. The daze on her face had stopped, but the turmoil inside her hadn't.

She couldn't help asking, "How can you be so... cruel yet clear-headed?"

"Hm?"

You En was puzzled. Aside from the paper, he guessed what Tachibana meant.

"It's just making choices. I'm still pretty good at that."

"..."

Tachibana didn't understand how someone could personally make such a choice.

Still, With him among this year's new students, and in the same class with decent relations, Suzune's chances of surviving until graduation finally had some guarantee.

Tachibana composed herself, sat down, seriously graded the paper, then announced the results, "You passed the assessment. As long as the Student Council President agrees, you can enter the preparatory sequence for Student Council membership.

Oh, the President is coming to the office around this time. He's a bit late today—maybe something came up. You just need to wait a little longer."

You En felt like she'd forgotten something.

"Um... Senior Tachibana, I'm in the Kyudo Club."

Tachibana only then remembered he was just trying it out.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot."

"Let him in."

A male voice devoid of any emotion rang out.

Horikita Manabu walked in from the door.

"President."

Tachibana called out.

Horikita Suzune looked at him, hoping for a glance her way, but he never once looked directly at her. So she didn't call him brother, instead speaking with a mix of sadness and respect, "Presi... dent."

You En nodded. "Hello, Manabu."

"?"

Question marks appeared on Tachibana and Horikita Suzune's foreheads. Was this guy really that bold?

"Mm,"

Key point—Horikita Manabu actually acknowledged it.

"I've read your personal history. It's quite good. You passed the test just now too, right? Then letting you join the Student Council preparatory sequence isn't a bad idea."

"President!"

Senior Tachibana's tone was a little anxious. She brought up, "He was pulled in by Senior Qiao Heng and has already joined an advanced club."

"So what?"

Horikita Manabu didn't change his decision at all. "I think he has the ability. He's worth me making an exception."

"This requires an exception?"

You En asked.

Senior Tachibana seemed to find hope and quickly said to You En, "Graduating from this school is very hard. Formally joining an advanced club increases the difficulty. If you add the Student Council on top of that, it'll be nearly impossible to graduate."

"Tachibana, don't say things you shouldn't."

Horikita Manabu only mentioned it once, and Tachibana shut her mouth, saying nothing more.

"So, do you want to join? If you do, I can process the paperwork for you anytime."

"No."

You En shook his head, pointing at Suzune.

"I came with her today."

Hearing this, Horikita Manabu's gaze shifted over, lingering on Horikita Suzune for only a moment before looking away.

"Some people shouldn't indulge in unrealistic fantasies. Don't try to challenge what you can't overcome. It's not courage or pride—just stupidity and ignorance."

Horikita Suzune lowered her head even further, her hands clenched tightly against her inner thighs, squeezing incessantly.

"Just because it's not possible now doesn't mean it won't be later,"

You En said. "There are still some areas where I'm not as good as her."

Horikita Manabu snorted coldly, though he was actually somewhat satisfied that You En could speak up for his sister.

"As I see it, this one is inferior to you in every way. Someone unfit for this school should drop out early, so they don't drag others down."

"..."

Horikita Suzune's lips moved slightly, but faced with Horikita Manabu's accusations, she didn't even have the courage to defend or deny them.

You En stood by her side.

"I don't think she's a burden."

Horikita Manabu's tone shifted.

"Are you serious?"

You En showed no fear. "Every word I say is serious."

"Can I take that as you challenging me?"

Horikita Manabu's voice was calm.

"Forget it..."

Horikita Suzune grabbed You En's shoulder.

"Don't say anymore."

Tachibana Akane felt Horikita Manabu was about to mock his sister further and thought it was going too far. She clapped her hands.

"Speaking of which, President, why were you a bit late today?"

"I was 13 minutes late today. Ten of those were spent handling a conflict between clubs."

Horikita Manabu didn't turn to look at the clock on the wall.

"After that, on the way to the Student Council Room, I saw someone sneaking around tailing their own classmate, so I gave them a little lesson."

"Tailing a classmate?"

You En caught the key detail.

Students who would tail someone—basically all of Class C.

The issue was "tailing a classmate," and on the way to the Student Council Room, so the target had to be him and Horikita Suzune. That meant it was definitely someone from Class D.

It couldn't be Matsushita Chiaki, right? He and Horikita Suzune probably weren't her type of interest.

So, it must be Ayanokoji.

But even he got beaten up—how rare. From what You En knew of the original story, Ayanokoji rarely took a loss, but things had already veered far off the rails.

Manabu-senpai managed to reach third year in this bizarre school and run the Student Council; it was only natural he could handle Ayanokoji with ease.

"Alright, since you have nothing else, get out. The Student Council doesn't welcome unrelated people."

Horikita Manabu issued an order to leave.

You En also felt that Horikita Suzune's current state wasn't good—clearly not the time for conversation. There was no point in staying.

"Then we'll be going now, Manabu-senpai, Tachibana-senpai. See you next time."

You En looked at the silent Horikita Suzune, took her wrist, and she offered no resistance, standing up obediently. The two of them walked out together.

Once they were a certain distance from the Student Council Room, You En let go.

At that moment, Horikita Suzune spoke.

"I'm heading back first."

She left immediately, not giving You En a chance to stop her.

After a few steps, she stopped.

"I'm not jealous of you... I just don't understand why my brother won't even look me in the eye."

"I think he actually cares about you,"

You En said.

"That kind of person—how do I put it—he's tsun-tsun-tsun-tsun-tsun-tsundere. With that personality, he'd lose in any harem battle for sure."

Horikita Suzune's eyes were full of stubbornness, she wasn't listening at all.

"Is surpassing you enough to make you acknowledge me?"

You En ignored this remark, which was clearly tinged with childish emotion, and instead glossed over the question, speaking up.

"Suzune, do you know?"

Horikita Suzune was bristling like a kitten now. "What?"

You En continued.

"You say your brother never looked you straight in the eye—but have you ever truly tried to know him?"

"How could I... not have,"

Horikita Suzune retorted instinctively, but inside, a storm raged.

Had she... ever really known her own brother?

After a long moment, The girl's eyes were weary, but what weighed heavier was the interrogation of her soul.

"I'm tired."

You En found it somewhat amusing anyway.

"Take it slow, I'll be with you... I'm kind of free anyway."

Horikita Suzune let out a snort.

"I don't have time to waste on you."

After a few exchanges with this person, her mental state finally stabilized.

"But really, thank you, You En. Thanks for being with me today... See you tomorrow."

Horikita Suzune bid farewell to You En, planning to go back and reflect properly. Once she had mentally prepared herself, she would meet her brother again.

You En also intended to head back to the dormitory, but at a corner alley by the roadside, he encountered a person lying on the ground.

Unfortunately, it wasn't a sleeping beauty, But an unconscious Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

You En was somewhat reluctant to get involved, but still looked up the Medical Office's contact info on the campus map and made a call.

"Yes, near the Club Headquarters Building, the second alley. Someone's collapsed. Come take a look."

As if the sound had stimulated him, Ayanokoji's little finger twitched.

You En saw it clearly—this guy was probably already awake, just pretending to be unconscious.

"Ayanokoji, stop pretending. Get up."

Ayanokoji quickly matched the voice in his memory. It was You En?

So he wasn't dead. Had that person left?

"I don't know what you went through, but I called the school clinic for you. Just wait here. I'm leaving."

"Wait."

Ayanokoji got up from the ground, stretched a bit, and felt he wasn't seriously injured—the other party had only subdued him. A few days of rest would be enough, with no lasting effects.

He expressed his thanks, but still wore that expressionless face. "Thanks."

You En figured he didn't need to farm Ayanokoji's favorability, so something more practical would be better.

"If you're really grateful, you could transfer some points to me."

"?"

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka thought it over. Transferring points would require adding a friend, which might let him understand this person better.

"Alright, how much do you think is fair?"

"500."

You En wasn't trying to extort him. Since the other party hadn't offended him, a token amount would do.

After the transfer, Taking advantage of the transaction, Ayanokoji caught a glimpse of You En's account balance.

"500.00"

That meant before he transferred these 500, You En had zero points.

Spent that fast?

No, Ayanokoji immediately dismissed the thought. In his view, You En wasn't that type—outwardly lazy, but mentally strong and purposeful, not the kind to casually waste points like others in the class.

Recalling You En's relationship with Suzune, he had usually been eavesdropping while sitting nearby, and the joke about being a creditor surfaced from his memory. So... it was possible the other party had spent all his points on elective courses.

Ayanokoji wanted to confirm, so he asked.

"How did you spend your points so fast?"

You En said casually, "No idea. They were gone in a blink."

Anyway, there was no need to speak honestly with this guy—just spout nonsense.

Ayanokoji's head ached a little, whether from the earlier injury or something else.

In any case, seeing You En like this, he knew today would be a wasted trip.

What could he do? He couldn't exactly interrogate the guy, and the school infirmary staff were already heading this way. It wouldn't be good to run into them while committing assault or torture.

You En sensed a hint of malice from Ayanokoji.

Was Ayanokoji-kun thinking of roughing him up?

Don't get him wrong—You En knew full well that even though Ayanokoji had just been beaten up by that senior, his own scrawny arms and legs couldn't take a hit right now.

But that wouldn't be the case later. When he was strong enough to beat up Ayanokoji-kun, he'd make sure to do it three times a day for nine meals total—morning, noon, and night—to settle today's score.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka felt a strange unease, as if he'd regret it if he didn't beat this guy up today.

But he quickly shook off the thought. Regret was an emotion he'd never experienced; it was just an illusion.

"Tch."

You En felt a dull ache in his body. Could it be that the python's constriction hadn't healed yet?

Sure, Ed-sensei had said in class that there was no problem, but who knew if that was just his opinion?

You En wasn't a man like Takashima who could wrestle wild boars, nor was he a watered-down urban soldier like Ayanokoji. He was just an ordinary transmigrator.

"Good evening, you two."

Hoshinomiya-sensei walked over in her pale purple high heels, her mature, pretty face still carrying a hint of girlishness.

You En's eyes lit up. Perfect timing—he could head to the infirmary too.

He just wanted her to check his body. Nothing else.