The confident Horikita

"I agree with you, too. Yes, Suzune, your personality wouldn't let you do that. But you looked like you were enjoying the food just now!"

Horikita Suzune glared at Natsukawa and retorted:

"Natsukawa, I get it now! I've seen through that nasty personality of yours! You were teasing me again, weren't you? What a stupid prank!"

"Huh? You caught me?"

"Forget it. There's no helping you. Still, the taste wasn't strange. The Dumplings you recommended were worth trying!"

"I'll let you try other flavors next time."

Horikita Suzune frowned and said coldly:

"Hmph! I get the feeling you have some very malicious intentions!"

Natsukawa hurriedly replied with a smile:

"Absolutely not! Suzune, let's take a look over there. I hear the Observation Deck and Entertainment Venue the school built are really nice."

Horikita Suzune hesitated before nodding. Although she felt they had spent enough time already, she still impatiently agreed.

It was around noon.

Natsukawa and Horikita Suzune were at the Café.

A small gift box sat beside Horikita Suzune.

Sitting across from Natsukawa, Horikita Suzune seemed to have something to say but held back. After a moment, she finally spoke first:

"It's been long enough, hasn't it?"

"Hmm?"

"I mean we've fulfilled our deal for a date, haven't we? I read in a book that shopping and eating together counted as completing one. You can tell me the information about the school now, can't you?"

Natsukawa said with a smile:

"Haha, you're really impatient, Suzune."

"Of course. I'll tell you."

Natsukawa didn't mind revealing this little bit of information to Horikita Suzune at all, since it had already been half a month since school started.

Besides, given Suzune's personality, he could guess that even if she knew, she wouldn't tell her classmates. After all, she was someone who held herself to strict standards and had a cold, solitary disposition.

She was the sort who did well enough herself and demanded that she follow every rule perfectly. If others couldn't do the same, that only meant they lacked the ability...

Besides, even if she did tell them, Class D probably wouldn't believe what the unsociable Suzune said.

So Natsukawa slowly went over the information about the school:

"This school determines class placement through points..."

"They're divided into class points and personal points..."

Before long, Natsukawa finished.

It was the same explanation he had given Ichinose and the others-information that would be common knowledge after a month.

Horikita Suzune listened carefully to Natsukawa's account. After some thought, she murmured:

"So only graduates from Class A can enjoy the benefits the school advertises? No wonder my brother is in Class A..."

Natsukawa said with a smile:

"What do you think, Suzune? I sold this information to the other classes for 500,000 points! You got quite a bargain!"

The truth is, your class is too poor, and you don't even have a leader capable of pooling your points, so I never considered you...

After hearing that, Horikita Suzune actually nodded at Natsukawa and thanked him earnestly:

"Indeed! As expected of someone my brother thinks highly of. I acknowledge your ability! But I won't admit defeat..."

"Yes, this was part of the deal you agreed to, but thank you for your help all the same!"

Natsukawa smiled casually:

"Haha, why so serious, Suzune? You're special! We're friends now, aren't we?"

Yes, that's true enough! Only someone special can become a target of my system.

Suzune replied flatly:

"Hmph! I'll accept you as a friend for now! But you know, Natsukawa, our classes are rivals! I won't go easy on you!"

Then Horikita Suzune's expression shifted, a grim, angry look flashing across her face. She tried to rise, but Natsukawa stopped her.

"Where are you going, Suzune? Our food hasn't arrived yet."

Suzune settled back into her seat and replied:

"Yes, you're right. I got too worked up just now. Once we finish eating, our deal will be over, right?"

A faint blush crossed Horikita Suzune's face as Natsukawa watched her curiously.

After some hesitation, Horikita Suzune spoke to this friend she had just acknowledged, someone nasty but somewhat capable:

"Natsukawa, according to that information, aren't class rankings determined by ability?"

"That's the one thing I want to confirm!"

Horikita Suzune was acting just as she had in the original story, when she had rushed to see her homeroom teacher upon learning this information at the end of the first month.

Natsukawa understood that she might find it hard to accept. Amused, he countered with a smile:

"Suzune, was that what got you so worked up just now? You wanted to ask the school to confirm it?"

Suzune glared at Natsukawa and complained:

"What are you laughing at?"

Natsukawa continued:

"Do you think your abilities should have kept you from being assigned to Class D, Suzune?"

Suzune nodded with a grim expression.

That infuriating jerk. I told him because I wanted his agreement. Someone with a bit of ability like Natsukawa must have noticed that I'm capable of more than this.

He must agree that the school made a mistake with the class assignments.

What an utterly nasty person!

Horikita Suzune continued calmly:

"Yes. I believe my entrance exam results should have placed me around the top ten. The school must have made some sort of mistake!"

"Once we finish eating, I'll raise this issue with the school."

Natsukawa nodded with a smile. She really did think highly of herself.

"Fair enough, but Suzune, it's the weekend. Your homeroom teacher might not be around, right? I'd suggest waiting until Monday to ask."

Suzune nodded earnestly in agreement and replied:

"You're right! Even if someone is there, I shouldn't trouble them. I'll go on Monday, then."

"Haha. You're really cute, Suzune!"

Horikita Suzune huffed angrily:

"Hmph! What's that supposed to mean? Don't tell me you doubt my abilities?"

Suzune said confidently:

"Natsukawa, have you ever seen me at my best?"

"That's right, you don't know me very well yet. Forget it. We'll be rivals from now on. You'll see!"

"All right, all right. I believe you!"

Disregarding Natsukawa's remark, Horikita Suzune felt that this was simply his nasty personality at work, trying to tease her again.

He just didn't know much about her abilities yet.

She would prove herself in the future.

The two continued chatting afterward, though Suzune only occasionally replied with a sentence or two.

Natsukawa sent off a quick message.

[Little Kikyo, come over~]

Suzune asked in confusion again:

"By the way, why did you order three servings of dessert?"

"Oh, a friend needs to see me about something. You don't mind, do you, Suzune?"

"Hmph! Do as you like. If someone interrupts the date we agreed on, that's not my problem."

"But once we finish eating, our deal is over!"

Natsukawa had already messaged Kikyo. Before long, Kushida Kikyo appeared before the two of them.

"Hi! Hello, Horikita~"