"Are you saying... Suzune is wrong?" Horikita Manabu's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise in his gaze behind his glasses.
He clearly hadn't expected the first words from this suddenly appearing boy to be a direct accusation against his own sister, who was also the boy's classmate.
"Isn't that an obvious fact?" Akira crossed his arms, a hint of helplessness in his tone. "Horikita-san, I already told you about the class assignments last Friday. And Chabashira-sensei explained it very clearly yesterday, didn't she? Your assignment to Class D is completely reasonable and logical."
"So many days have passed, and I'm sure you've also verified it with the school authorities. Now even your brother has personally told you—it's because of insufficient ability that you were assigned to Class D. How stubborn do you have to be before you'll accept reality?"
Akira shook his head, his gaze shifting between the siblings. "Honestly, putting myself in his shoes, if I were the Student Council President..." He rubbed his temples. "Just imagining having to deal with this kind of family matter gives me a headache."
His gaze turned to Horikita Suzune. "There's also something you might not realize. Your brother, Horikita Manabu, was directly assigned to Class A back then. Your current questioning of the fairness of the class assignment system is, to some extent, also a denial of your brother's initial advantage."
Akira naturally walked between the two.
"After all, you're still siblings." His gaze swept back and forth between them. "Why make a relationship connected by blood so tense? This Horikita-san, it's time to face reality, isn't it..." He glanced at Horikita Manabu again. "And you too, Student Council President. Everyone's high school students now, not children, so don't try to solve problems with your hands."
Horikita Suzune's mood at this moment was a mix of emotions.
She'd originally thought that the suddenly appearing Akira was there to support her, but she hadn't expected him to be an advocate siding with her brother.
Honestly, she was starting to not even want to tutor him anymore!
Meanwhile, Horikita Manabu subtly raised an eyebrow.
He was indeed a little surprised.
The points this freshman raised left him with no flaws to find—every word was based on purely objective analysis.
As for physical action?
He hadn't even considered it.
After all, the other party not only spoke from his perspective but was also a junior from his classmate's club.
"I am Horikita Manabu, Student Council President of Class 3-A." He nodded slightly. "What is your name?"
"I am Shimizu Akira from Class 1-D." Akira replied appropriately. "I've long heard of the President's esteemed reputation."
"If you want to advance to Class A, then you should learn how to conduct yourself from this Shimizu classmate." As soon as he finished speaking, Horikita Manabu turned and left.
"He leaves quite decisively... Is he really just here to see his sister? Not very interested in others." Akira looked at the tall figure, rubbing his chin with some regret.
He'd wanted to take the opportunity to inquire about the Student Council Vice President, but the other party didn't even give him a chance to speak.
A subtle silence filled the air.
Horikita Suzune stood rooted to the spot for a long time. Finally, she slightly raised her chin, her voice carrying an almost imperceptible tremor. "Is the main reason for my class assignment... due to a lack of social skills?"
Akira's tone was very calm. "Have you finally realized this problem?" After a brief pause, he continued, "Not only that. Your condescending attitude, and your deliberate actions and words to keep people at a distance—these are probably all reasons for being assigned to Class D."
"...That evaluation is really uncomfortable. Even though you don't even understand Japanese Language class."
"I'm someone who just tells the truth, and besides! Japanese Language class grades don't represent a person's speaking ability at all."
"I don't need to rely on anyone, and I can't trust anyone!"
"...That line of yours, you'll see how delusional it is in a few years!"
Akira's topic suddenly shifted. "By the way, you're probably aiming for the Student Council President position, right? As far as I know, Tachibana Akane-senpai from the Student Council often acts with your brother. She's his capable assistant. So, your brother isn't always alone."
He was genuinely curious about this question at the moment—since the other party was imitating her own brother, why didn't she learn it thoroughly?
"...How did you get that information?" Horikita Suzune's face instantly darkened.
"...Any third-year would tell you if you just asked. Seriously, how long has it been since you had a proper conversation with someone else!" Akira was utterly helpless. "You can't even do basic information gathering, and you still want to be assigned to Class A? If your brother doesn't scold you, do you expect him to praise you?"
These two sentences were like two sharp arrows, piercing deeply into Horikita's heart.
How could that be!
She'd always thought... her brother was always moving forward alone.
She hadn't expected that a capable assistant had long been by his side!
Then what did all her years of persistence count for?
Akira noticed the other party suddenly lower her head, her lips bitten pale, her whole body trembling with disbelief.
He hadn't expected that such a simple sentence would instantly break her.
Come to think of it, wasn't this only natural?
After all, the other party was the Student Council President—without the support of others, how could one person stand firm in an election?
"You were indeed inconsiderate and too stubborn just now, so it's normal for your brother to be angry. Anyway, think it over carefully."
Akira finished speaking and turned to leave directly, without extra comfort or false pleasantries.
Horikita was not a dull person. She had her pride.
Everything that needed to be said had been laid out—with her intelligence, she'd naturally understand after this setback, once she calmed down.
After Akira returned to his dormitory, he lay sprawled on his bed.
He reread the messages sent by Chabashira.
A more important thought flashed in his mind.
"Since Nagumo Miyabi deliberately suppressed the information..." He thoughtfully rubbed his chin. "Then now, only Sakayanagi Arisu from Class A and I know the inside story? Class B and Class C should still be in the dark..."
This was simply a godsend—a perfect window for selling information.
"It seems it's time to expand the scope of business."
He'd never intended to limit the information to within Class D, nor had he ever promised any "exclusive buyout."
After all, in this merit-based school, information was the biggest bargaining chip, and the more people competed for a chip, the more valuable it became.
However, there was still a question buried deep in his heart.
That was, since it was deliberately suppressed information, how did Sakayanagi from Class A obtain this information?