Ayanokoji-kun Takes Action

Approaching evening, Horikita Suzune timed it right, put down her book, and left the library to pick up You En. What she saw was a haggard figure who looked nearly dead.

"What happened to you?"

She didn't care about her persona anymore. She stepped forward, grabbed You En's arm, looped it over her own neck and onto her shoulder, letting him lean as much of his weight on her as possible.

You En said weakly, "I just came out of the sea. Don't dirty your clothes."

"I'll just wash them."

Horikita Suzune didn't mind. "How did you end up this wrecked?"

If she hadn't brought it up, fine. But when Horikita did, You En remembered that "training" again, and his face turned even paler.

It wasn't so much training as some kind of torture.

Who forces someone who just started learning to swim a few days ago to swim and dive in the sea right away?

If you didn't meet Anne's requirements, she'd just kick you straight in. If you didn't learn, you drowned in the sea.

Honestly, if it weren't for Hoshinomiya-sensei's powerful buff keeping him at the focus and energy level of his past life's college entrance exams, he'd have been done for in that class today.

Around this time, the school would probably send someone to the dock to fish out the body.

Then the evening campus news would cut in with a bombshell: some student drowned during an elective because a teacher's extreme negligence.

Would Horikita Suzune cry for him, even a little?

You En coughed, a bitter taste in his mouth, snapped out of his grim fantasy, and found himself still alive.

Still, Anne taught him what she needed to. It's just that this training method—getting kicked at the drop of a hat, practicing in the sea with zero safety measures...

You En figured not many people would survive it. It was really dangerous. He once ran into a rip current and nearly drowned, but Anne fished him out.

Honestly, just look at the skills he gained to know what kind of torment he endured.

Swimming Lv1 (Proficient)

,

Diving Lv1 (Proficient)

,

Knot Tying Lv1 (Proficient)

.

You En learned for the first time that even tying ropes into knots had so many variations. And even with that, his skills didn't include "Sailor." He dreaded to think what kind of torture it took to become a professional sailor.

Being a professional sailor here didn't mean just applying for a job and working as one.

"Professional" was a level.

For example, everyone in the class was a "student," but not everyone had the "Exam-Taking" skill.

Only You En, Horikita, Ayanokouji, and Kouenji reached the "Professional" level. Shinohara and Matsushita were probably only "Proficient." Most other classmates were just "Beginner."

And there was a handful who didn't even have "Beginner."

"Professional" meant a skill you could live off. A "Professional-level" sailor could apply to any ship and be qualified for the job. As long as management wasn't blind, they'd definitely hire you.

You En's head ached just thinking about it. The two courses he signed up for were exhausting and totally unorthodox, with zero regard for human life. But the gains were massive. Pain and pleasure, he guessed.

Horikita Suzune saw him like this and felt something strange in her chest. She couldn't describe it, but it hurt a little.

"Forget it. I won't ask. You don't have to talk. Find a place to sit for a bit. I'll go get you something to eat."

She guided You En to a bench and sat him down.

You En could only trouble her. It wasn't that he was exhausted, but he really didn't want to move now.

"The west cafeteria's free dinner is pretty good. Sorry for the trouble."

Horikita shook her head and looked at him calmly. "Eat something normal today. Any dietary restrictions?"

"Alright then. I'm not picky."

You En decided that when he could pay back the points later, he'd add 30% interest.

Horikita Suzune seemed to read his mind. Her beautiful eyes glared at him as she said something that wasn't really a threat.

"If you try to pay those points back, then forget about repaying the debt at all."

You En had to give in. He really fell for that. Honestly, not letting him repay a debt hurt worse than death.

"Rest well. Don't move. I'll be right back."

Horikita Suzune went to the school store.

Even though You En said he wasn't picky, she couldn't just buy anything. Should she make him eat the same thing as her?

Would he think she didn't put any thought into it?

Just then, a slightly surprised voice rang out.

"Horikita-san, what a coincidence running into you here."

Horikita Suzune turned to look.

It was Kushida Kikyou, who looked gentle and harmless. She seemed genuinely happy, as if she was truly delighted to see Horikita.

But thanks to You En's warning, Horikita knew this person wasn't what she appeared to be. She harbored deep hostility toward Horikita, just hidden well.

"Oh, Kushida-san."

She said it flatly, continuing to browse the food section.

"Huh, are you buying dinner too?"

Kushida Kikyo pressed on relentlessly. If she could tolerate someone like Yamauchi, then Horikita Suzune's cold reaction was nothing.

"Mm."

Horikita Suzune nodded. She didn't want to talk to her, that was one thing, but refusing to respond at all would be impolite.

Mainly, Kushida hadn't actually provoked her yet. Her suspicion of Kushida's hostility was just a guess, not solid fact.

"Mm—hm?"

Kushida Kikyo looked her over, adopting a thoughtful pose. "You're not buying that bento for yourself, are you?"

Horikita Suzune didn't see anything wrong with that.

"Do you have any advice?"

Kushida Kikyo's eyes curved into a smile.

"It's for You En-kun, right?"

Horikita Suzune turned sideways. The expression on this person's face—she trusted her own judgment and You En's, but was this look really fake?

"Seems like you haven't had much Communication with boys."

Kushida Kikyo spoke like a senior, but without any smug superiority. More than anything, she exuded a trustworthiness that made people want to rely on her.

Horikita Suzune said nothing. Forget boys, she hadn't even talked much with girls. To put it bluntly, she had very little contact with humans at all.

"So let this senior teach you a thing or two,"

Kushida Kikyo said, patting her chest.

"Boys, honestly, they'll like anything a girl gives them with her own hands. In simple terms, even handing them a bottle of water can make them happy for days or weeks. Some might even remember it for a lifetime."

Horikita Suzune just thought the boys Kushida described were pathetic. She had no desire to build good relations with that kind of person.

Kushida Kikyo acted as if she were genuinely giving her best advice.

"Mm... but it looks like your feelings for You En-kun are special, so make a bento for him yourself."

Horikita Suzune was about to retort, but hearing the second half, she thought... it wasn't bad.

"Thanks for the advice."

She picked out two bento boxes and walked to the checkout counter to queue for payment.

Kushida also grabbed one, deliberately choosing a different type from the two, then followed behind Horikita.

"You're welcome. But is that really enough to eat?"

"It's not."

Horikita Suzune had no intention of explaining much to this person. In fact, that was her attitude toward everyone else—she didn't want to explain, and there was no need to.

This woman!

Kushida Kikyo gritted her teeth inwardly. She'd been putting on a warm face and getting the cold shoulder from the start, and even she was starting to crack.

She already feared and loathed Horikita Suzune. The other's repeated dismissals only stoked the fire of her hatred.

Horikita Suzune arrived at the bench area. Where there had once been only one person sitting, now a crowd had gathered—all girls.

"Eat mine!"

"It's my turn to feed you."

"You're too rough. Be gentler."

The person surrounded inside said something, and the girls reluctantly dispersed.

"How did you manage that?"

Horikita Suzune walked over, watching the departing girls. They were all first-year students from other classes. Why had they gathered here to feed someone?

"It's nothing,"

You En said, feeling helpless. He'd just glanced at a small snack in some girl's hand, taken a bite when she offered it, and then somehow a bunch of people rushed over to feed him.

But he had a rough idea why.

"Probably... the sickly pretty-boy bonus."

Horikita Suzune would normally have sneered at that, but his current appearance really did stir a girl's sympathy.

"I shouldn't have bought this for you. You're already full from all those girls."

"No, I've been waiting for you,"

You En said. "And I was just tasting. One or two bites of each snack. I haven't eaten normal-tasting food in a long time... I feel like I've already forgotten it."

"Who cares."

Horikita Suzune tacitly accepted that explanation, pulled out the smaller bento, and handed it to him.

You En took it. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Horikita Suzune noticed You En's complexion gradually improving, and her attitude slowly cooled, reverting to her usual aloof state—this was her norm.

In truth, when Kushida made that suggestion, she had really wanted to take You En back to the dorm and cook for him.

But if she did that, she would have to face a very serious question: was their relationship really just friendship...

"Thanks for the hospitality."

You En thanked her again, tugging at his damp school uniform.

"I'll head back now. This sticky feeling is uncomfortable."

"...Wait,"

Horikita Suzune asked casually, "Do you have time this weekend?"

You En nodded. "I do."

Horikita Suzune hesitated for a long moment, then finally spoke seriously, "I'm planning to go to the library to summarize what I've been studying these past few days. Do you want to come along?"

You En just remembered it was the fifth day since enrollment, which meant Friday. Annie had reminded him today too—it was time for him to read some books and study on his own.

"I'd like to go. Let's go together."

Horikita Suzune felt a little pleased.

"I'll come find you tomorrow morning."

Not far away, three groups were secretly observing the scene.

Masumi Kamuro and Ishizaki Daichi were each reporting the situation to their respective bosses.

And there was Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, who had been watching both of their actions.

Ever since he was knocked out and fell into a completely defenseless unconscious state, Ayanokoji had become cautious beyond measure. He no longer contacted anyone in his class, worked hard to erase his presence, and decided to investigate thoroughly first.

He had finally confirmed that this school was anything but simple. The "upperclassmen" or "graduates" here might possess abilities surpassing his own.

But the problem was that upperclassmen were even restricted from interacting with lowerclassmen—aside from club activities, they basically never met.

So how could one have taught him a lesson?

That left only one reason: that upperclassman had a close connection with some first-year student.

The answer was obvious.

The person who knocked him out was Student Council President Horikita Manabu, and he had acted because of Horikita Suzune.

Horikita Suzune was most likely his biological sister, or perhaps a family member—either way, they had a deep connection.

If he wanted to uncover the secrets of the upperclassmen, he would have to start with Horikita Suzune.

Still, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka found himself in a bind. It wasn't that he was afraid, or that he lacked means to deal with You En—there were many methods and approaches.

But a very instinctive intuition told him that unless necessary, he absolutely should not provoke or offend that seemingly easygoing person.

"I'll test the waters."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka made his decision.