Chapter 22: There is a traitor in Css D

  After finishing his student council work, Hikigaya easily convinced the siscon president to help his sister make friends—after all, he couldn’t just sit back and do nothing when it involved his own sister.

  After meeting up with Shiina in front of the dormitory building, the three of them entered the dorm lobby together. A short-haired girl with sharp eyes was leaning against the elevator, pying on her phone.

  When she noticed the three approaching, she merely gnced at them briefly before lowering her head again, as if she were waiting for someone.

  "She’s my cssmate, Ibuki Mio," Shiina said as they approached. “Good afternoon, Ibuki-san.”

  Ibuki gave off a simir impression to Horikita Suzune—though she looked slim, her physique gave a sense of strength. Her long legs were well-toned without an ounce of fat.

  Faced with Shiina’s greeting, she only gave a slight nod before lowering her head again, which made Hikigaya feel she was even more like Horikita.

  They waited for the elevator, and when the door opened, two people Hikigaya didn’t want to run into stepped out: Yamada Albert, a muscur Bck guy from Css C wearing sungsses like a bodyguard, and the leader of Css C—Ryuen Kakeru.

  Yamada was following behind Ryuen while holding a bck helium balloon that didn’t suit his image at all.

  The two of them swaggered out of the elevator and walked toward the exit. Ibuki silently followed after them.

  After this minor episode, the group arrived at Hikigaya’s room. A small, wooden dining table and a few elegant gray cushions had been newly added. Sounds of someone busy cooking came from the kitchen.

  "President, why don’t you go help your sister in the kitchen?"

  "In fact, I can’t cook," Horikita Manabu said, sitting down at the desk and flipping through one of the books on it with interest. “Hikigaya, your taste in reading is a bit too mature.”

  "What kind of books does the president like to read?" Shiina suddenly perked up and moved closer to Manabu, asking him questions enthusiastically. Manabu turned his chair and calmly answered each of her queries.

  When Suzune appeared at the kitchen doorway, wearing a gray apron, what met her eyes was the back of her brother chatting happily with a beautiful girl of the same grade while holding a book.

  The silver-haired beauty’s voice was filled with joy, and she naturally carried on an engaging conversation with the person Suzune had always believed to be aloof and unapproachable.

  A wave of emptiness washed over Horikita Suzune. The brother in her memory had always been cold and strong, someone who didn’t need friends—but now she realized that was just an image she had forced onto him.

  All these years of chasing after his shadow now felt foolish.

  "I told you, the president is human too. And humans can't live alone," Hikigaya said in a low voice as he came to Suzune’s side. "Try making a friend. Try understanding the president."

  "You talk like you understand my brother better than I do," Suzune muttered, biting her lip with a hint of frustration.

  Hikigaya chuckled proudly. “Of course I understand him better—we’re both siscons, after all.”

  “Stop making my brother sound like a weirdo. And what exactly are you so proud of?”

  Returning to her usual self, Suzune lightly punched Hikigaya in the back and returned to the kitchen.

  "Shiina, don’t forget today’s mission."

  Hikigaya dragged the entranced Shiina away from her chat with Manabu to the kitchen door. He gave her a push and shut the door behind her. "Good luck."

  Inside the kitchen, Shiina suddenly found herself face-to-face with the ‘final boss’ in her mind—Horikita Suzune.

  "I... I’m Shiina Hiyori from Css C. Hikigaya asked me to come and help."

  "No need, I can finish it on my own."

  Suzune’s cold tone almost made Shiina back down, but remembering Hikigaya’s instructions, she mustered her courage and looked straight at the 'boss.'

  Hikigaya had already given her the weapon to conquer the boss. She couldn’t let him down.

  "Horikita-senpai just said he was hungry and wanted to eat soon."

  “......” Suzune sighed helplessly. “Then help me wash those vegetables over there.”

  She pointed to the shopping bag on the floor and went back to her tasks.

  Although she suspected Shiina might be lying, she let it go since it involved her brother.

  Outside the kitchen, Horikita Manabu and Hikigaya sat facing each other at the dining table.

  “You two have such a twisted retionship,” Manabu remarked.

  “I have my own difficulties,” Hikigaya replied, sipping the tea on the table.

  “Guide her well—right now, she can’t cope with society.”

  Hikigaya agreed with Manabu’s point. Suzune was too blunt. A girl who hadn’t had a friend since first grade would have a tough time in the real world.

  “You’re not afraid I’ll lead your sister astray?”

  “Although you sometimes say strange and absurd things,” Manabu smiled slightly, “I’m sure you’re a good kid—and so is Shiina.”

  “Since I’m such a good kid, could I ask for a favor? I’m interested in the student council president position.”

  The next student council president is usually nominated by the current one and then elected by the students. If there’s only one nominee, there’s not even a need for a vote.

  “It’s impossible for me not to nominate Nagumo.”

  “But you could nominate me as well. And stay in your position as long as possible—I’ll try to make a run for it before you graduate.”

  “You do know how big an advantage Nagumo has, right?”

  “I know.”

  If Hikigaya was aiming for that position, he had surely looked into Nagumo Miyabi. Nearly 99% of the second-years were already under Nagumo’s influence, and even the third-year Css B had close ties to him.

  Nagumo had previously tried extending his influence to the first-years, but Hikigaya had unknowingly cut that attempt off. There was a chance Nagumo had already secretly aligned with Css C’s Ryuen Kakeru.

  But right now, Hikigaya was in the shadows while Nagumo operated in the light. There was still room to maneuver. Third-year Csses C and D had such low css points that they weren’t a threat to Css A. Since Nagumo was only interested in Manabu, he hadn’t extended his reach to those csses yet.

  “When do you want me to nominate you?”

  “As te as possible.”

  “Alright. Also, I ran into a first-year from Css C downstairs. You should keep an eye on her. There’s only one reason to use a helium balloon in this school.” Manabu pushed his gsses. “You’re not the target, are you?”

  Thinking of today’s strange events, Hikigaya could only give a bitter smile. “If I’m not wrong, I am. Someone in Css D sold me out.”

  The dorm card that had once been taken from near him, the helium balloon likely used to block surveilnce cameras, Ibuki Mio acting as a lookout by the elevator—all of it pointed to Ryuen Kakeru pnning something big against him.

  This meant Ryuen had already found out that Hikigaya was the one who advised during the Sudo fight incident. There was a traitor in Css D.

  Would you like help identifying who the likely traitor is based on this context?