"What do I want? I originally wanted to keep a fox, but unfortunately, Suzune, you don't seem to pass the test."
Suzune Horikita's downward gaze brought no pressure to Ren. Ren shook his head with some regret.
Perhaps having tired of the game, Ren tossed the leash in his hand to Suzune Horikita.
Suzune Horikita caught the leash. She found it unbelievable that Ren would let her go so easily.
Seeing Suzune Horikita not immediately remove the collar from her neck, Ren raised an eyebrow: "You haven't had enough fun yet?"
Without hesitation, Suzune Horikita quickly removed the leash from the collar end, but she struggled with the invisible clasp of the collar itself.
It was her first time wearing such a thing, and Ren had personally put it on her.
After fiddling with it for a while without success, Suzune Horikita gave up, deciding to go back to the dorm and figure out how to take it off in front of a mirror.
"Come here, I'll unfasten it for you."
Ren had watched Suzune Horikita clumsily struggling with the collar. He reached out a hand, signaling Suzune Horikita to come over.
Suzune Horikita did not move. She stood in place, watching Ren warily. Clearly, she didn't believe the malicious young man would be so kind.
Ren was slightly resigned: "Hurry up. You weren't afraid when you made the bet, but you're afraid of this little thing now? You don't want to go back to the dorm wearing that, do you?"
Noticing that Suzune Horikita still hadn't moved, Ren pulled out his trump card: "Suzune, you wouldn't want everyone to know that President Horikita's sister plays strange games with someone late at night, would you?"
The mention of Manabu Horikita's name immediately motivated Suzune Horikita.
She walked up to Ren. To make it easier for Ren to remove the collar, she proactively turned her back to him.
"You truly are a hopeless brother complex," Ren said, adjusting the collar around Suzune Horikita's neck.
Suzune Horikita ignored Ren, waiting quietly for him to unfasten the collar.
She had already planned it: the moment the collar was removed, she would run.
Clatter… The collar dropped to the ground.
The instant the collar came off, Suzune Horikita was about to run when Ren's words stopped her.
"Suzune, why do you think your brother only has this one piece of leverage?"
Suzune Horikita could tolerate almost anything said about her, but she could not tolerate any slander against her brother.
Turning around to face Ren, Suzune Horikita's voice began to fluctuate toward anger: "Ren, don't you dare slander my brother."
Looking at Suzune Horikita, who resembled a startled fox, Ren pointed to the empty seat on the long bench.
Ren had seen and petted many foxes, both domestic and wild… their eyes were always filled with cunning and a keen sense of danger.
Suzune Horikita possessed the fox-like eyes but inherited none of the fox's traits.
This was why Ren felt Suzune Horikita was not suitable. Ren felt that if he were to keep Suzune Horikita as a pet…
A stubborn mule in fox skin? It felt strange.
Dismissing his thoughts, Ren looked at the calm ocean: "Suzune, do you truly think your brother is fair and just?"
"Of course. The seniors in the second and third years unanimously agree on that." Suzune Horikita said directly.
Suzune Horikita, who had intentionally researched her brother's deeds, was completely confident in Manabu Horikita's integrity.
Suzune Horikita, who had admired Manabu Horikita since childhood, saw him only through a filter of perfection.
"Is that so? Then what about Miyabi Nagumo? He was personally recruited into the Student Council by your brother, President Horikita."
The Miyabi Nagumo incident was too scandalous. Even before the school officially announced his expulsion, any student who paid attention to the Student Council knew about it. Suzune Horikita naturally knew too.
"Nagumo Miyabi was Vice President for so long. Did President Horikita truly know nothing about the things going on beneath him?"
"He knew. He did it on purpose. With a corrupt official like Nagumo Miyabi, President Horikita looks good by comparison…"
"Nagumo Miyabi, the Vice President, was stained with bad deeds, while Manabu Horikita, the President, was seen as noble and incorruptible."
"Doesn't that create a stark contrast?"
Ren exposed Manabu Horikita's sinister scheme in front of Suzune Horikita, wanting to see her reaction.
Suzune Horikita, a staunch supporter of Manabu Horikita, could not possibly accept this: "Impossible, you are lying. Perhaps Nagumo Miyabi deceived him, keeping my brother in the dark."
Ren did not give Suzune Horikita new information. He followed her words:
"Then your brother is quite incompetent, to be kept in the dark by a second-year he personally recruited into the Student Council."
So, Suzune, what is your choice?
Suzune Horikita lowered her head and fell silent, desperately gripping her skirt.
"And the pure, incorruptible President Horikita is about to have his reputation tarnished."
"By tomorrow morning, the truth that Manabu Horikita intentionally recruited Miyabi Nagumo to Vice President to corrupt and exploit the second-year girls will spread throughout the school."
"Suzune, what is your choice now?"
Ren told Suzune Horikita his planned action, looking at the trembling girl with interest.
Without lifting her head, Suzune Horikita pinched her leg, forcing herself to stay clear-headed: "Ren, what do you want this time?"
Her brother absolutely could not lose his position as Student Council President before graduation; otherwise, it would become a stain on his future.
Once again, Suzune Horikita chose to compromise with Ren.
"Join the Student Council, in exchange for the disappearance of that rumor."
"Try to fight for the Student Council President position yourself, or stand by and watch your brother's position be taken away by someone else."
There was no unfair agreement, no harsh conditions, just one simple demand.
A wave of relief washed over Suzune Horikita. Ignoring the slight bruise on her leg, she looked up at Ren: "I accept."
The transaction was complete.
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