When Hikigaya realized that Horikita Manabu was planning to use force, he quietly moved behind him. He struck from behind, grabbed Manabu's arm and wrist, and firmly locked his hold.
"H-Hikigaya-san?!"
Horikita Suzune's eyes widened, disbelief written across her face. First, she was shocked that he had appeared here; second, that he could actually stop her brother's attack.
"Hey, did you really intend to hit her with that palm strike just now?"
Hikigaya stared at Horikita Manabu with his dead fish eyes. As an older brother, Manabu couldn't inflict such cruelty on his sister—no matter the reason.
"Oh?"
Just by meeting his gaze, Manabu understood the intensity of Hikigaya's resolve.
"Hikigaya, please don't do this…"
"Doing unnecessary things…"
Suzune lowered her eyes, her voice weak.
Hikigaya froze for a moment. It was the first time he had seen Suzune so vulnerable.
Taking advantage of Hikigaya's brief distraction, Manabu swung his arm, breaking free, and punched at Hikigaya's face.
No… buddy? Are you serious?
Hikigaya instinctively leaned back to dodge.
"You're skilled. Have you practiced before?"
A gleam flashed in Manabu's eyes as he continued to test him with high kicks.
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
Hikigaya dodged instinctively, his dead eyes scanning each movement.
Manabu attacked with consecutive left and right punches.
"Bang, bang, bang~"
Hikigaya crossed his arms like a turtle taking a beating, yet his gaze carefully tracked each motion.
Now!
Seeing the gap in Manabu's middle guard during a punch, Hikigaya kicked him squarely in the chest.
"Your technique is solid, but your strength… a bit lacking."
Manabu staggered back a few steps, dusting off his chest, expression unchanged.
"Brother! Stop fighting!!"
Suzune hurriedly grabbed Manabu's arm.
"It's puzzling…"
"You have impressive skills, yet your conditioning is lacking."
Manabu observed Hikigaya, perplexed. The student gave off a contradictory impression, as if trained yet untrained simultaneously.
"Ahem~"
"You're unreasonable!"
As student council president, Manabu had been beaten over a disagreement. Hikigaya's arms ached from the strikes.
"Hikigaya, are you okay?"
Suzune, rarely showing concern, carefully inspected him.
"Im fine…"
"Why are you so surprised that I held my own against your brother?"
Hikigaya's face remained expressionless.
"Wha-"
Suzune's eyes darted away, inwardly amazed. That skinny body could truly hold its own against her brother?
In truth, even Hikigaya found it strange. No formal martial arts experience, yet his body moved as if familiar with the motions.
"Suzune, your friend protected you this time."
Manabu's gaze flicked with approval.
"He is not my friend…"
Suzune murmured weakly.
"It seems you still don't understand the difference between aloofness and loneliness."
Manabu shook his head, disappointed.
"Correction: I had no intention of protecting Horikita Suzune."
Hikigaya interjected.
"Then why intervene?"
Manabu asked.
"Because I don't like you."
Hikigaya met Manabu's eyes directly.
Horikita Suzune's mind spun. What kind of reasoning is this?
"I see."
Manabu understood immediately.
"What on earth is going on?"
Suzune's curiosity spiked.
"Suzune, just for the record, what do you think of Hikigaya Hachiman?"
Manabu addressed him directly, clearly aware of Hikigaya's actions.
It clicked. Hikigaya remembered Asahina-senpai's words: the student council could review surveillance footage, meaning his S-system intelligence collection was already known.
"Hikigaya Hachiman…"
Suzune looked up, scrutinizing him.
"He's handsome, from appearance alone."
Huh? Horikita Suzune thinks I'm good-looking?
Hikigaya's chest stirred slightly, quickly dampened by her next words:
"It's a pity he has a pair of dead fish eyes."
What about dead fish eyes? It's packed with DHA, thank you very much.
Suzune continued: "He's a loner, has no friends, and has certain literary talent…"
"Are you introducing yourself?"
Hikigaya muttered.
Suzune glared, unable to refute him.
Manabu gave a fair evaluation: "Then you two are quite a match."
Hikigaya balked at the seriousness.
"Suzune, your understanding of Hikigaya is superficial. Only the surface."
"Brother… why do you know him so well?"
Suzune pouted.
"On the first day, Hikigaya bought free groceries at the supermarket."
"This…"
Suzune's confusion shifted to disbelief. "You discovered the truth about personal points on the first day?"
"That's hardly surprising. Do you really think the school will give 100,000 points each month?"
Hikigaya replied casually.
"…."
Suzune froze. Of course—common sense would contradict blind trust.
"Later that afternoon, Hikigaya sneaked into the senior school building to gather intelligence."
"!!!"
Suzune's eyes widened in sudden realization. She had wandered near the senior building herself, paying little attention at the time.
"Well, this is a misunderstanding…"
"I went to take pictures of the scenery in the senior grade building."
Hikigaya couldn't admit the intelligence-gathering, or his anonymous account would be exposed. He reinforced credibility by showing photos taken by Asahina-san.
"You… are unexpectedly clever!"
Suzune immediately believed him, though her expression showed mild disdain.
"…."
Manabu's eyes flickered subtly. Remembering Nagumo's sullen face yesterday, the corners of his mouth curved in quiet amusement.
"What's so funny? I got beaten for no reason…" Hikigaya stared straight at Manabu with deadpan eyes.
"I'll make it up to you."
Manabu pulled out his phone, transferring money on the spot.
Only 100,000 points? Who do you think you're dealing with!
100,000 personal points are significant for ordinary students, but Hikigaya, with a net worth exceeding three million, barely flinched.
Then, his anonymous account pinged: another transfer of 1.5 million points.
Hikigaya's expression darkened. "Onii-chan~ How about you throw a few more punches?"
***
Ayanokoji can't aura farm anymore 😭🙏