Ayanokoji to the Rescue

The two lingered in the Student Cafeteria a little longer, only getting ready to leave after finishing their own portions of food.

By the time they left the Student Cafeteria, the sky had gradually darkened. The campus streetlights came on one after another, their dim yellow light spilling through gaps in the leaves and dappling the ground with a kind of beauty.

Ken Kaneki and Hiyori strolled down the quiet, tree-lined path, their fingers interlaced as they enjoyed their time alone together.

The evening breeze blew gently, carrying a hint of chill. Hiyori instinctively edged closer to Ken Kaneki, slipped both hands inside his clothes, and giggled.

Ken Kaneki merely stroked her little head affectionately.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he caught what seemed to be a furtive figure behind a nearby bush.

He peered closer in the faint light. Damn, wasn't that Kiyotaka Ayanokoji?

The guy was crouching by the bushes like some spymaster on a stakeout, craning his neck to look ahead.

Amused, Ken Kaneki turned to Hiyori and made a shushing gesture. She nodded obediently and instinctively softened her footsteps.

Ken Kaneki crept over, silently coming up behind Ayanokoji.

Following Ayanokoji's gaze, Ken Kaneki saw a cool, aloof girl with long black hair. It was Horikita Suzune from their Class D.

Familiar with the plot, Ken Kaneki immediately understood that an iconic scene was about to unfold, but he still decided to play dumb and mess with him.

He leaned close to Ayanokoji's ear and lowered his voice, his tone full of teasing. "Seriously, Kiyotaka? Stalking a girl out here this late at night? I never knew you were into that."

The voice suddenly sounding beside his ear gave Ayanokoji, who had been wholly absorbed in spying, quite a fright. His body gave an almost imperceptible twitch.

He turned, and only when he saw Ken Kaneki's mischievously grinning face did his taut nerves relax.

He rolled his eyes at Ken Kaneki in annoyance and let out a long sigh of relief.

Just then, Hiyori also tiptoed over. Ayanokoji gave them a slight nod in greeting, then pointed ahead, signaling for them to keep watching.

Horikita Suzune stood alone in the clearing, seemingly waiting for someone.

Before long, a slender, upright figure slowly emerged from the shadows.

The newcomer wore glasses and had a cold expression and an imposing presence. His features bore some resemblance to Horikita's.

He was the Student Council President, Horikita Manabu, and Horikita Suzune's older brother.

Tsk, tsk. Horikita's actually having a secret late-night rendezvous with the Student Council President. If word got out, that would be one hell of a scoop. After all, other people don't know they're siblings.

Ken Kaneki silently snarked to himself, enthusiastically settling into the role of a spectator watching the drama.

The three hid behind the bushes, straining their ears to eavesdrop on what was happening over there.

"Why are you here?" Horikita Manabu's voice was cold and stern, without a trace of an older brother's warmth.

"I told you long ago. The fact that you were placed in Class D proves that you haven't improved at all.

You have no chance of reaching Class A, and that so-called Class D will soon fall apart completely. I advise you to drop out sooner rather than later. Stop making a spectacle of yourself here."

Faced with such harsh criticism and rejection from her older brother, the old Horikita Suzune would probably have been trembling in fear already, unable to utter a word.

This time, however, things were completely different.

After the blow Sae Chabashira had dealt her, and after seeing firsthand how unfathomable Ken Kaneki, Ayanokoji, Koenji, and the others were, Horikita Suzune's mindset had undergone a subtle change.

Rather than shrinking back as she had in the original story, she straightened her back and met Horikita Manabu's piercing gaze without yielding an inch.

"Brother, I will never drop out!" Horikita Suzune said through gritted teeth, her voice full of determination.

"I admit I might not be able to do it on my own, but Class D really is different now. I swear I'll reach Class A, because..."

[There are plenty of monsters hiding in this class who simply can't be judged by ordinary standards!]

Horikita did not say those words aloud. She only thought them to herself.

At his sister's words, Horikita Manabu's eyes flickered slightly.

He clearly had not expected his weak, incapable sister, who had always done nothing but chase after him, to dare contradict him in that tone.

"You have no idea of your own limits." Horikita Manabu snorted coldly, seemingly intent on shattering her inexplicable confidence.

He abruptly stepped forward, roughly reached out, and grabbed Horikita Suzune by the collar. Then, with the strength of one arm, he lifted her clean off the ground, leaving her dangling from his arm.

Horikita Suzune struggled in pain. Horikita Manabu was clearly serious now, intending to force her to face reality through this rough treatment.

Noticing the danger over there, Ayanokoji turned to Ken Kaneki, asking for his opinion with a look.

Ken Kaneki raised his chin slightly and gestured for him to go ahead, generously handing him this chance to take the spotlight.

Back when he read the original story, he had not found Horikita's behavior particularly likable, and he had no intention of getting involved with this girl.

Ayanokoji nodded in understanding, his gaze instantly sharpening.

Just as Horikita Manabu was about to apply more pressure, a figure darted out of the darkness like a phantom.

Before Horikita Manabu could react, Ayanokoji had already clamped down precisely on his right arm, forcibly stopping his movements.

"Student Council President, getting rough with a girl this late at night isn't quite befitting of your position, is it?"

Ayanokoji spoke calmly, his tone carrying a hint of teasing and mockery, rather like Ken Kaneki and Beautiful Guy.

At the same time, Ayanokoji abruptly tightened his grip.

By now, under Ken Kaneki and Koenji's subtle influence, his personality had long since taken on something of a mischievous streak.

As such, he did not hold back nearly as much as he originally had. Although he did not use his full strength, he put a genuine measure of force into it.

That sudden, powerful grip locked around Horikita Manabu's arm like an iron vise.

Horikita Manabu let out a muffled grunt, his previously cold face twisting slightly from the intense pain.

He stared in shock at the seemingly unremarkable first-year before him, his mind reeling.

Seriously, bro, who the hell are you? Do your folks know you're this badass?

(I skipped class today and put out a few extra chapters. I'll keep skipping tomorrow. If I get caught, I'll just say I'm already on the high-speed train, heading home anyway o((＞ω＜ ))o)