"I agree to Horikita-senpai's request… but what do I get iurn?"

  As soon as Hikaru posed the question, Manabu—seemingly expeg it—immediately replied, "If there's something you want, say it directly."

  Standing nearby, Suzune sharply lifted her head, staring ily at the boy before her.

  Her emotions had been plicated ever since her brother asked this mysterious first-year to help her.

  She wao prove her own ability, yet her brother rejected her ht.

  And now, this same boy was iating terms with her brother—and her brother was actually listening.

  The more she watched, the more curious she became about Hikaru.

  "Hmm… I was inally pnning to ask for Private Points." Hikaru scratched his head with a smile.

  "But after thinking it over, just colleg points seems like a waste."

  "Your Css B is currently gathering Private Points, right? This is a perfect opportunity—why the ge of heart?"

  "It's simple." Hikaru's gentle smile didn't waver.

  "Since Horikita-senpai trusts me enough to help Horikita-san reach Css A, then I should respect that trust."

  "If I just took points, it'd be a straightforward trade—and that's not my style."

  "I prefer mutual bes."

  "...Then what do you want?" Manabu's gaze sharpened, still uo fully read Hikaru's iions.

  "I'll help Horikita Suzune grow, but I want two spots—" Hikaru held up two fingers.

  "Two guaranteed spots iudent cil."

  "Oh?" Manabu raised an eyebrow. "I thought you didn't want to joiudent cil."

  "Not for me," Hikaru corrected him immediately.

  "I'll find two suitable didates and have them submit applications."

  "When that time es, you must approve them unditionally and, after they join, you ake things difficult for them."

  Hikaru smirked slightly, his tone light yet fident.

  "How about it? you agree to these terms, Horikita-senpai?"

  Silence.

  Manabu adjusted his gsses, pting for a moment.

  "…Fine."

  "You submit the names when you've decided. I'll have Tachibana hahe process."

  With a nod, Manabu agreed to the request.

  But he added, "If y in your people too soon, it might draw Nagumo's attention."

  "No problem." Hikaru shrugged casually.

  "Whether it's sooner or ter, we'll have to face him eventually."

  "If he really wants to enforce his vision of meritocracy, then we first-years have no choice but to accept his challenge."

  Seeing Hikaru's nont fidence, Manabu said nothing more.

  Instead, he turned his gaze to his sister.

  "Suzune," he said firmly, "exge taformation with Hikaru."

  "..."

  Suzuated.

  She wasn't familiar with Hikaru, and the idea of exging numbers with a near-stranger made her unfortable.

  But her brother's authority was absolute.

  Left with no choice, she relutly walked forward, pulling out her phone.

  After exging numbers, Manabu's tone softened slightly.

  "Suzune."

  "If you truly want to catch up to me, then show me."

  He adjusted his gsses, giving her one final look.

  "Hikaru will support you."

  "If you reach Css A before I graduate, I will aowledge your ability."

  "I…"

  "Do not reject help," Manabu cut her off coldly.

  "Hikaru noticed the school's hidden system on the very first day."

  "His insight is unpreted, even among past geions."

  "This is why I chose him to help you."

  "You ck many things, Suzune. Academic skill alone won't get you to Css A."

  "I'm not asking Hikaru to babysit or protect you—"

  "But from now on, if you have any pns, you sult him."

  "How he chooses to help is entirely up to him."

  "…I uand."

  Suzune nodded firmly.

  If her brother was finally giving her a ce, she wouldn't waste it.

  "Good."

  Satisfied, Manabu turned back to Hikaru.

  "Yoal is to lead Css B toward Css A, isn't it?"

  "As you work toward that, you guide Suzune—make her see her own weaknesses."

  "Don't worry, Horikita-senpai." Hikaru raised his phone, signaling for Manabu to do the same.

  "I won't break reement."

  "Let's exge taformation. Once I finalize my two didates, I'll send you the details."

  "Fine."

  Manabu nodded, and the two exged numbers.

  Watg this unfold, Suzu a deep sense of unease.

  She had withe entire iation.

  At first, her brother was in trol—but at some point, Hikaru had taken over.

  By the end, it was he who dictated the pace of the discussion.

  "Then that's it for today."

  "You two should head back to your dorms."

  "I have other matters to attend to."

  Without a moment's hesitation, Manabu turned and walked into the darkness.

  "…Horikita-san," Hikaru said, turning to Suzuh an easy smile.

  "I look forward t with you."

  "...Hikaru."

  She hesitated, then asked,

  "…When did you meet my brother?"

  With a small chuckle, Hikaru replied,

  "Hmm… probably right after school started."

  "We ran into each other on the sports field."

  Suzune frowned slightly.

  Somehow, she felt like there was more to it.

  "Since yoal is Css A, I'll support you from the shadows."

  "But you uand, right?" Hikaru smiled.

  "I'm a Css B student. I 't openly help Css D."

  "So from now o's unicate through our phones."

  "If you run into any problems, just message me."

  "I'll give you my thoughts."

  "And if something major es up, I'll arrange a meeting—but let's keep those rare."

  "...I uand."

  Suzune hough she wasn't thrilled about texting a near-stranger.

  She wasn't the type to exge messages freely, nor did she have much experieh socializing.

  "Heh."

  Hikaru grinned, waving his phone.

  "But don't think you just ignore me forever."

  "I already have Horikita-senpai's number."

  "So if you ext me…"

  "I'll just have to… well, you get the idea."

  "..."

  Tch.

  What a jerk.

  Suzu her lip, gring at the boy.

  "Fine! If I have any issues, I'll tell you."

  "Perfect."

  "We're allies now, after all."

  Hikaru smiled pyfully.

  "From now o's work together, Horikita-san."

  "…Yeah."

  Suzune gave him o gre before turning on her heel and walking away quickly—as if she couldn't wait to get away.

  Hikaru chuckled softly.

  "Tot cute at all."

  With a flick of his thumb, he opened his phone.

  Today had been incredibly productive—he had just added four new tacts.

  Hirata Yosuke

  Kushida Kikyo

  Horikita Suzune

  Horikita Manabu

  All of them were valuable information sources.

  And his request for the student cil seats?

  He already had one person in mind.

  After all, he had just spent a hefty 50,000 System Points.

  If he didn't turn a serious profit, it would be a waste.

  ~~~

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