Next, Yukio asked a series of contentious questions, and Horikita, true to his expectations, gave nothing but the most confrontational answers—perfectly fitting the hiring criteria he had in mind.
"Excellent, Horikita. You're exactly the kind of talent we need in the Student Council."
'What's this now, Kushida? After praising you so much earlier, you're getting fussy over a single compliment directed at Horikita?'
In the unseen space beneath the desk, Yukio subtly pinched Kushida's cheek, silently signaling her to behave and stop stirring up trouble.
"Hmm? So, I… I passed the interview?" Horikita, somewhat excited, asked with a slight tremor in her usually composed voice, entirely unaware that Yukio had one hand propped under his chin while the other was stealthily occupied elsewhere.
It wasn't her fault. Normally, Horikita's keen observational skills wouldn't let her miss such a detail. But in her current state of excitement, she was understandably less perceptive. After all, when someone is elated, their focus tends to waver, causing them to overlook minor details—a natural tendency.
To draw a comparison, it's like winning the lottery jackpot. You drive to claim your prize, so ecstatic that when you park, you accidentally misalign your car and cross the line. You're so overjoyed that even seeing a parking ticket afterward wouldn't dampen your spirits—you might even laugh and imagine adding another zero to the fine amount.
Of course, Horikita wasn't experiencing lottery-level joy, but she was undoubtedly thrilled. Her eyes sparkled with a sense of accomplishment and pride.
'Does this mean Yukio has acknowledged me?'
Although she had only succeeded in joining the Student Council for now, which could be considered a small step toward following in her brother's footsteps—he too had joined as a first-year—she wasn't fully caught up just yet. To truly match him, she might have to become Student Council President by her second year.
Even so, receiving genuine praise from Yukio was rare and heartwarming for Horikita. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt this happy.
From a young age, Horikita's life had been filled with family expectations: "Suzune, you should follow your brother," or "Suzune, you must learn from your brother."
This constant pressure shaped her into the stoic and solitary person she is today, entirely focused on acquiring knowledge and chasing after her brother with little regard for others' thoughts or feelings.
It could have been worse. A child with less emotional resilience might have grown to resent their sibling under such circumstances. But instead of harboring hatred, Suzune shouldered the burden and aimed to close the gap between herself and her exceptional brother.
She didn't dream of hearing relatives say, "Manabu should learn from his younger sister." That would be too idealistic, too far-fetched. All she wanted was to someday hear, "Manabu is exceptional, but Suzune is no less impressive."
As a result, Horikita's perspective became singularly focused: at the forefront of everyone's vision was her brother, a beacon of excellence, a lofty peak to aspire to.
Even when she poured her all into studying until midnight every day, she could never seem to catch up to him. This only drove her to work harder. Meanwhile, other students were wasting time on frivolous activities—playing, joking, and generally not striving for anything substantial. To her, it seemed like such an egregious waste of time and potential.
Her brother remained the epitome of excellence in her eyes, and she couldn't understand why other students weren't striving to surpass someone so remarkable. This mindset naturally made her prone to offending others, often without even realizing it.
Over time, Horikita's world became singularly fixated on her brother, seeing him as an insurmountable mountain and overlooking everyone else as irrelevant distractions.
But then, Yukio appeared.
From the midterms shortly after enrollment, he stood before her like another towering peak—unpredictable, cunning, and always finding ways to entangle her in his schemes.
Even Horikita herself didn't realize it, but the once monotonous world, with only her brother as its centerpiece, had suddenly gained another prominent figure.
Initially, she dismissed Yukio as a vile, manipulative presence—someone impossible to compare to her brother.
The Workplace Special Exam had shattered Horikita's long-held perceptions. A single blaze and two videos had dismantled everything her brother had painstakingly built.
She had never imagined that Yukio, someone her age, could outright surpass her brother, a senior two years ahead of them. This realization reshaped the hierarchy of the two towering figures in her otherwise monotonous world.
Unconsciously, Suzune had begun to view Yukio as more exceptional than her brother. His acknowledgment now outweighed Manabu's in her heart.
Because of this unconscious shift, despite not yet matching her brother's footsteps, receiving recognition from Yukio brought her genuine happiness.
Meanwhile, Yukio found it perplexing. Was joining the student council as unpaid labor really something to be this excited about? Even though the smile on Horikita's face was faint, it was the first time he had seen the cold girl genuinely smile.
It left him scratching his head, but he still confirmed her membership:
"Alright, congratulations on joining the student council. Like Kushida, you'll serve as a secretary handling miscellaneous tasks."
"No problem, right?"
"Not at all!" Horikita replied decisively, the glimmer of joy in her eyes replaced by a blazing determination.
'Just you wait, Yukio! Being acknowledged by you is not enough.'
She resolved to work hard in the student council, determined to eventually surpass Yukio and leave him in awe of her abilities.
If possible, she fantasized about the day when she would be more exceptional than him. Perhaps he would ruefully admit, with a bitter smile, that teaching her those strategies during the sports festival had been a mistake.
Imagining such a scenario, Horikita couldn't help but smile even brighter, her mood soaring.
Yukio raised an eyebrow. 'What's wrong with this girl?'
Sure, her smile was beautiful, especially since she usually carried such a cold demeanor, but was anyone this thrilled to work for free? She must be one-of-a-kind.
Without any unnecessary chatter, Horikita, mirroring her brother's efficient demeanor, confirmed her acceptance and promptly excused herself.
After the door closed behind her, Yukio didn't immediately call Ichinose to summon the next candidate. Instead, he turned his attention to Kushida, pulling her out of hiding.
"Well, well, aren't you bold? You really weren't afraid of being caught by Horikita?"
"With you here, why should I be?" Kushida replied with a teasing grin, her cheeks carrying a faint, rosy glow that made her all the more alluring.
"You're not afraid just because I'm here?" Yukio raised an eyebrow.
"Not at all," she said confidently, her smile broadening mischievously as if the thrill of mischief in Horikita's presence was its own reward.
"Really not afraid?"
Kushida quickly backtracked. "Okay, okay, I'm scared! Being around you is exhausting!"