Horikita Suzune looked at Sakura Airi and lowered her head.
"Sakura-san, I also have to say sorry to you. I said it was for everyone before, but in fact, it was just that I myself wanted to reach Class A."
"I'm sorry..."
Now that the class no longer needed her, saying it was for everyone was also untenable.
Horikita Suzune already understood that it was just her who wanted to reach Class A.
Reaching Class A with everyone was secondary.
Understanding this, she realized she had indeed done something very excessive to Sakura.
"That..."
Sakura Airi looked back at Hikigaya.
After all, Horikita Suzune had already apologized last time; she didn't understand the reason for apologizing again this time.
It was just that Horikita Suzune's apology last time was completely lacking in sincerity.
She still firmly felt she was right.
It was just to test the waters.
She felt Sakura Airi could hate her, but Horikita Suzune would not apologize.
This time's apology.
Could be considered an apology for her cruel behavior.
Only.
To her, Horikita Suzune was just a stranger; Sakura Airi had already stopped taking it to heart long ago and didn't know what to do.
"I can't accept it."
Without waiting for Hikigaya to speak, Haruka expressed her refusal.
"This person completely failed to consider what Airi should do after being expelled. Why is it that she must be forgiven now?"
"I'm the same as Haruka..."
Karuizawa hurriedly stated her position.
After all, she was on very good terms with Haruka and Airi now.
She would definitely stand on their side.
So.
"kaka..."
Sakura Airi looked at Hikigaya with some hesitation.
After all.
Her relationship with Horikita Suzune was almost no different from that with a stranger, so naturally, Horikita would not care about her like Haruka did.
Although Haruka was only speaking from her own standpoint, this was what Horikita Suzune wanted to do.
Haruka and the others were already the very easy-to-talk-to type.
Not to mention people like Sotomura.
The first step was so difficult; naturally, there was no need to mention future matters.
"Cannot refute..."
Horikita Suzune said with her head down.
She knew very well that obtaining the other party's forgiveness was no easy task.
"If you feel it's necessary, I can kneel and apologize."
"What?"
Hasebe Haruka was suddenly stunned, and Kushida Kikyou beside her also furrowed her brows and glanced at Horikita Suzune.
Never did they expect.
That Horikita Suzune would be willing to go to such lengths, but Hikigaya felt something wasn't quite right hearing this.
Perhaps because of her upbringing, Horikita Suzune's character always carried a bit of pride, and it was still the same even now.
It wasn't a big problem though.
"Horikita, you'd better not think that just apologizing like this can solve the problem."
Hikigaya reminded her.
It sounded a bit like moral kidnapping: "I've already apologized like this, what more do you want?"
If Horikita Suzune was like this, running to kneel and apologize to Sotomura and others, it felt like she had moved into another extreme.
"Of course, I know, but I did indeed do something excessive to Sakura-san. This apology is deserved."
Horikita Suzune said with her head down, and in her kneeling position on the floor, she moved back a step as if about to kowtow.
However.
This set of actions worked on Sakura Airi and the others.
"No need for this, Horikita-san..."
Seeing this, Sakura Airi hurriedly began to stop her.
"Please raise your head; actually, I no longer take it to heart."
Haruka couldn't say much more either.
After all, Sakura Airi hadn't been expelled yet, so it wasn't good to say things too harshly.
"Thank you very much..."
Horikita Suzune breathed a slight sigh of relief.
"But..."
Sakura Airi said with some confusion: "Horikita-san, why are you obsessed with easing everyone's relationships? Your relationship with Sotomura and the others wasn't that good either, right?"
Aside from Ayanokouji and Sudou, she hadn't seen Horikita Suzune have an interaction with anyone else.
Doing what is known to be impossible left several people a bit puzzled.
"It should be considered atonement... no..."
Horikita Suzune pondered for a moment, then shook her head again and said:
"It should just be that I don't want to regret it myself, because the things I decided on my own filled their high school lives with bad memories."
"If I don't do something, I feel like I will definitely regret it in the future."
That's true.
After graduation.
When recalling high school campus life, it would likely just be a string of tragic memories of being excluded by the entire campus, and she might even refuse to recall this experience.
Right?
She probably wouldn't be able to let it go easily herself.
Even if she could no longer reintegrate into the class, Horikita Suzune might as well do something during this period while she was still at school.
Knowing she couldn't do it, yet she still wanted to do it.
It was foolish and at the same time made one feel a hint of respect.
"Idiot."
Kushida Kikyou mocked coldly.
Several people also looked at Hikigaya in unison; ultimately, it still depended on Hikigaya's opinion.
To be honest.
Sakura Airi felt it didn't matter; at most, there was just one more person in the group.
But Hasebe Haruka was somewhat unwilling.
Why should they forgive Horikita Suzune and then turn around to help her?
Even if nothing needed to be done.
She didn't want to associate with someone like Horikita Suzune, nor did she want to see Horikita Suzune swaying in front of her all day.
"Well, I feel since she wants to do it, it's not like she can't be given a chance... but..."
Saying that, Hikigaya looked at Horikita Suzune and said:
"Specifically, it depends on her performance. You guys don't need to care too much, it's fine even if you leave her alone."
Naturally, he still stood on Haruka's side.
Specifically, it depended on Horikita Suzune's actions; if she could convince Karuizawa and others to assist, that was her ability; if not, there was no way.
Horikita Suzune clearly understood this too.
"Fine, we'll talk about other things later. Horikita-san, you should go back for today; we won't keep you for dinner."
Hearing this, Hasebe Haruka hesitated for a moment and then chose to see the guest out.
Horikita Suzune did not choose to stay forcefully, knowing it was likely impossible to solve the problem in one go.
Hasebe Haruka and Kushida Kikyou—the most difficult to deal with were likely the two of them.
After Horikita Suzune left.
The several people turned to look at Hikigaya, and Hasebe Haruka was a bit resentful.
"Hikki, what do you mean by this? Knowing Horikita did such an excessive thing to Airi, could it be you've taken a fancy to her?"
Now Hikigaya didn't find it hard to answer, and he shook his head:
"It's just that I don't want you guys to have only unpleasant memories when you look back on high school life. If you are unwilling to accept her, just leave it alone and let Horikita do it herself. And... primarily, I feel she is a bit pitiful."
Just because of one mistake, one can never obtain redemption; it is indeed a bit pitiful.
Pity.
The mistake Horikita Suzune made was just that serious, and primarily she couldn't let it go herself.
"Pitiful?"
Kushida Kikyou was stunned for a moment, and Hasebe Haruka was similarly a bit speechless.
"You and Airi are just like this, easily deceived. And you, Airi, how can you forgive that person so easily?"
""
Sakura Airi stuck out her tongue, feeling a bit guilty.
"I feel Horikita-san seems to really want to apologize, and it's already in the past, so I don't really care anymore. If you're unwilling, just ignore her."
"Really, you guys make it seem like I'm the only one who still cares."
Hasebe Haruka crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.
To be honest.
Whether to forgive Horikita Suzune didn't matter; she was just a stranger, at most she would feel some schadenfreude seeing Horikita Suzune suffer.
But wanting her to express forgiveness for the other party through words.
It was truly very hard.
Only people like Sakura Airi could let go of these matters easily.