Then came an even colder male voice:
"I told you not to do anything unnecessary."
Sakayanagi Arisu stopped in her tracks.
She didn't speak immediately. Instead, she lightly tapped Su Wei's shoe with her cane.
"Hey, Su Wei."
"Eavesdropping isn't very nice... but it looks like we've stumbled onto quite a scene."
Su Wei glanced at Sakayanagi Arisu, who had clearly been deliberately lightening her steps and had even pulled him into the shadows with her.
"If you think eavesdropping is wrong, then don't drag me into it."
He sighed, but didn't pull away.
As they drew closer, the conversation grew clearer.
"Sounds like... Horikita!"
Sakayanagi Arisu covered her mouth in surprise.
"Shh, keep it down," Su Wei reminded her.
"Such a hypocrite."
Sakayanagi gave a soft snort and murmured in a breathy voice only the two of them could hear:
"But..."
"What if I like you even more now?"
Her warm breath brushed his ear, carrying the faintest hint of teasing.
Su Wei chose to stay silent.
There was no reasoning with women. He might as well just watch the show.
If he had a choice, he'd actually rather watch women fight—pulling hair and tearing clothes.
The identities of the two people around the corner were easy enough to guess.
One of them was Horikita Suzune, whom Su Wei had parted from not long ago.
The black-haired bespectacled man with his back to them was naturally Horikita Suzune's older brother.
Horikita Manabu.
The student council president, the robot bro, a total enigma.
But things had played out a little differently from what Su Wei remembered.
This time, Class D had started out with zero points and suffered a double defeat in the Black Sphere Exam.
The proud girl seemed to have finally understood that talk alone was worthless.
So...
This time, there was also some truth to the idea that Su Wei was the reason she had gone to Horikita Manabu.
She wanted to get the answer sheets from previous midterm exams from her brother, the student council president, and take the opportunity to probe him for information about the Black Sphere Exam.
"...Buy exam answers?"
Horikita Manabu turned around.
He looked down at his sister, who had always followed the rules to the letter.
"That's right."
Horikita Suzune bit her lip.
"I investigated. The school has no written rule forbidding upperclassmen from revealing exam content to underclassmen. It's within the bounds of the rules."
"As long as I can get a high score..."
"I'm willing to try even this sort of method!"
Horikita Manabu didn't answer right away.
Though he was somewhat surprised that she had learned to be flexible.
He still pushed up his glasses, using the reflection in the lenses to hide his expression.
"I didn't think you'd learn to cut corners."
"You should know this will only make me more disappointed in you."
"No, that wasn't what I intended..."
"I just... I just wanted..."
Horikita Suzune's expression flustered, and the courage she had forced herself to summon crumbled away.
Horikita Manabu understood instantly.
This was clearly not something Horikita Suzune could have come up with herself.
Had someone been advising her behind the scenes?
Or...
Horikita Manabu fell into thought.
"If I report this to a teacher, or bring it to the school's attention..."
He stepped forward, his imposing presence forcing Horikita Suzune to retreat.
"Do you think Class D would still have any hope of turning things around?"
"Have you even considered that this might be a violation in itself?"
"Huh?"
Horikita Suzune's mind went blank.
Fear, shame, self-doubt... countless negative emotions swallowed her up in an instant.
Just as she stood helpless, on the verge of completely breaking down—
"My, my, aren't you strict, Mr. President."
Accompanied by the crisp tap of a cane against the ground,
Sakayanagi Arisu emerged slowly from the shadows, arm in arm with Su Wei.
"Horikita Suzune, Horikita Manabu... I should have realized you two were related."
Their private business had been exposed.
Horikita Manabu showed no sign of panic.
He didn't bother hiding it, either.
"It's nothing surprising."
"She's just a good-for-nothing little sister who brings shame to the family."
"..."
Horikita Suzune lowered her head, her nails digging deep into her palm.
"That's not entirely true, is it?"
Su Wei, who had been silently watching, suddenly spoke up.
"In this school, where strength is everything, the result is what matters, regardless of the methods used, isn't it?"
"Thanks to her, at least in yesterday's Special Exam, Class D's ranking ended up tied with Class A's."
At that, Horikita Manabu glanced at Su Wei.
"Your Class D?"
"Mm-hmm."
Sakayanagi Arisu picked up the thread, smiling innocently.
"That's right. As one of the participants, I have to admit it, too."
"Horikita worked very well with Su Wei. The two of them scored a combined 90 points and actually tied with Class A!"
Hearing that,
Horikita Suzune looked at Su Wei and Sakayanagi with a complicated expression.
She felt ashamed and disgusted at having taken credit that belonged to someone else.
Yet deep in her heart, a faint glimmer of hope rose.
If that was the case...
Would her brother's opinion of her change, even a little?
Would he acknowledge her, even just a tiny bit?
Unfortunately, Horikita Manabu completely ignored her feelings.
He turned his head and let his gaze linger on Sakayanagi for a moment.
"I remember you. Sakayanagi Arisu of Class 1-A."
"It seems... this year really is different."
Faced with the cryptic remark, Sakayanagi Arisu merely nodded with poise.
"We can't help it. We're special."
Horikita Manabu turned his gaze back to Horikita Suzune. His expression remained cold.
"I don't believe this so-called 'achievement' is something you accomplished through your own ability."
"You haven't even recognized your own shortcomings yet."
Horikita Suzune was deeply shaken. She opened her mouth to argue, but couldn't find anything to say.
There was no helping it. It was the truth.
She simply wasn't good enough. She had even taken credit that belonged to someone else, making it even harder for her to hold her head up in front of her brother.
Horikita Manabu looked at her, utterly disappointed.
"If you can, drop out."
"You don't have what it takes to survive at this school."
"..."
The atmosphere dropped to freezing point.
Su Wei opened his mouth, hoping to lighten the mood.
He knew Horikita Suzune wouldn't actually drop out.
But if this little Yukinoshita left, he'd definitely have one less source of amusement at school!
Before he could speak,
Horikita Suzune, her head bowed, suddenly spoke in a muffled voice:
"I won't drop out."
As Horikita Suzune retreated step by step, seemingly using the gesture to preserve what little dignity she had left,
Su Wei couldn't help nodding.
"Keep it up. I'm already lying down, so carry me, please."
"..."
The tragic air Horikita Suzune had built up faltered.
She turned and glared at Su Wei, gritting her teeth.
"I won't rely on your charity! And I won't let you give me the credit again!"
"I'll do it through my own abilities!"
Before you continue