Chapter 70: Horikita Suzune, You Should Be Expelled!
Chabashira-sensei wasn't lying—her cooking skills were top-notch.
From the hearty stews to the savory miso soup, everything was so delicious that Yuto and Airi couldn't stop praising her. Their taste buds and stomachs were thoroughly satisfied.
After savoring the meal Chabashira-sensei had prepared, Airi abandoned her idea of competing for control of the kitchen.
She decided that Chabashira-sensei would handle all three meals a day, while she would focus on the apartment's other chores.
'I'm determined to secretly learn all of Sensei's cooking secrets,' Airi thought.
'Because after we graduate, I'll be the one personally responsible for Yuto-kun's meals!'
After their feast, Airi nudged Yuto and Chabashira-sensei toward the living room to relax, taking over the dishwashing duties herself.
Unable to argue with her enthusiasm, Yuto let her have her way.
Chabashira-sensei made herself completely at home. Sitting on the living room sofa, she crossed her legs, the black stockings accentuating their tempting curves.
"Shimizu, are you confident about your bet with the Basketball Club?"
"Of course I am," Yuto replied. "Why else would I make a bet with them? If I lose, I actually have to join the Basketball Club."
Chabashira-sensei glanced at the brat. The Basketball Club wasn't just any club; it was an elite group. Yuto had been personally invited by the club captain himself, yet he had the audacity to refuse.
If the reserve players knew how little this kid cared about joining, they'd be green with envy.
She glanced at her wristwatch. "It's half past eight. Yuto-kun, go change into your sportswear. We're heading to the basketball court."
"Chabashira-sensei, you're coming too?"
"Yes. I have nothing better to do tonight, and watching you gamble on the court seems like a great way to pass the time," she said, her eyes lingering on his athletic form.
In truth, she was eager to see him dominate the court again.
"The rest of the apartment is still covered in dust, sensei," Yuto retorted. "You have plenty of work to do."
She glared at the brat who dared to assign her chores. "I'm exhausted. Can't it wait until tomorrow?"
"Fine, it's not urgent anyway..." Yuto grumbled.
If Chabashira‑sensei hadn't been the one responsible for his three meals a day, Yuto would have chased her around and forced her to finish the cleaning—poisoning his food in retaliation be damned.
What was so great about watching a basketball match anyway? Cleaning the apartment was way more important!
Yuto called out to Airi, who was busy in the kitchen, then left the apartment with Chabashira-sensei, heading toward the basketball court.
Though Yuto was only a first-year high school student, he had already outgrown Chabashira-sensei in height. To any observer, the two walking together looked like close friends or perhaps a couple.
Yet, their relationship was strictly that of student and teacher.
Walking beside him, Chabashira-sensei elegantly exhaled a cloud of cigarette smoke. Suddenly, her eyes caught a glimpse of a sharp, aloof figure on the street to their left.
"Shimizu," she murmured.
"Hmm?" Yuto looked at her in surprise, wondering why she had called his name so suddenly.
Chabashira-sensei kept her gaze fixed on the street to the left.
"Look at that person," she said. "Isn't that Horikita Suzune from our class?"
Chabashira-sensei's words made Yuto follow her gaze, and sure enough, he spotted Horikita Suzune.
"It really is her. What's she doing here? This isn't the student dorms," Yuto said, puzzled.
"A date, probably," Chabashira-sensei said slowly.
"Huh?" Yuto stared at her, his expression clearly saying, Are you kidding me?
"A date? With Horikita-san's aloof personality? No way," Yuto scoffed.
"Hmph, how naive, Shimizu-kun. No matter their personality, any woman will develop romantic feelings once she finds someone she likes. Look at Horikita-san's hesitant expression—she's clearly waiting for her boyfriend," Chabashira-sensei replied confidently.
"And Shimizu-kun, do you know what's over there?"
"What's over there?" Yuto asked.
"If I remember correctly, that's the third-year student dorms. The fact that Horikita-san is waiting there means she must be waiting for her boyfriend."
"Hold on a second," Yuto said, caught between laughter and exasperation. "Horikita-san is a new student, just like me. She only started two days ago. How could she have found someone she likes in such a short time?"
"...She really is decisive," Chabashira-sensei muttered. "To have already established a relationship with a third-year senior within two days..."
"Chabashira-sensei, you can just admit you were wrong," Yuto countered. "Is it really that embarrassing? I think she's actually waiting for her brother."
"Her brother?"
"Yeah," Yuto nodded, then explained to Chabashira-sensei that the Student Council President was actually Suzune's older brother.
"Horikita Suzune... Horikita Manabu... I never imagined she was the Student Council President's sister."
"I was surprised too," Yuto said. "Look, someone's coming. That's him—Horikita Manabu, Horikita Suzune's brother."
Yuto watched as a young man approached Suzune. It was indeed the Student Council President, Horikita Manabu.
However, the interaction that followed left both Yuto and Chabashira-sensei bewildered.
Though Manabu had met up with Suzune, the two siblings didn't exchange a single word. Instead, Manabu silently turned and walked away into a dimly lit side street.
Horikita Suzune seemed to follow her brother, looking a bit flustered.
"Something's not right," Yuto muttered. "This doesn't look like a happy reunion."
"It really doesn't," Chabashira-sensei agreed.
"Sensei, let's go see what's happening."
"Go see?"
"Yeah. I'm curious. When Suzune mentions her brother, her expression is... strange. It's like they have some kind of feud. I'm worried her brother might hit her."
Chabashira-sensei shook her head. "That's impossible. Don't let your imagination run wild. From what I know, Student Council President Horikita Manabu is an upright and just person."
"He's nothing like you, you brat. He's never bullied anyone."
Yuto rolled his eyes at her.
'You could just say he's a good person—why did you have to throw in that I'm a bully?'
"I'm going to check it out. If you don't want to come, you can stay here."
Chabashira-sensei watched Yuto's back as he headed toward the street. She hesitated for a moment, then followed. She wasn't curious—she was just being a concerned teacher!
But as she caught up with Yuto, she discovered the brat had actually started recording on his school phone.
"What are you doing, Shimizu?"
"Recording," he replied.
"I know you're recording. I'm asking why," Chabashira-sensei hissed, her voice low and annoyed.
"The tension between Suzune and her brother is strange. I don't know what's going to happen, but I want a record of it. If anything goes down, this will be our evidence," Yuto answered with a straight face.
Chabashira-sensei glanced at him sideways. She suspected the brat was just trying to find some leverage to scam points off the Student Council President.
Concealed in the shadows of the roadside trees, Yuto and Chabashira-sensei remained unseen by the Horikita siblings, who were completely unaware of the phone recording them.
Manabu stood in the shadows, while Suzune remained under the streetlamp's glow. A suffocating silence hung between them.
Manabu stared down at his sister, who kept her gaze fixed on her toes. "Suzune," he said slowly, "I never expected you to enroll in this school..."
"Brother, I am no longer the useless person you once knew. I came here specifically to prove that to you."
Yuto watched Suzune with a thoughtful expression.
'So that's how it is,' he mused.
Now he understood why her expression had turned so complicated upon seeing her brother.
It was simple: Manabu considered Suzune useless. Or, at the very least, she believed he did.
To prove him wrong, she had enrolled in the same school as her brother.
But Manabu was clearly disappointed.
After the club orientation, he had already reviewed the new students' files and confirmed that Suzune had been placed in Class D.
Apart from Yuto, everyone else in the freshman class was already aware that this school sorted students based on their overall merit.
Suzune's placement in the worst class—Class D—meant she had a major flaw somewhere.
Academic ability, social skills, personal history... Manabu knew her fatal flaw was her personality.
She was simply too stubborn.
Suzune was so rigid and inflexible, so convinced she could do everything on her own without outside help or cooperation. A personality like that was destined to struggle in a school like this.
Thinking about the fierce competition and the unique nature of the school, Manabu felt a headache coming on. He was certain his stubborn sister was utterly unfit for this environment.
Taking a deep breath, Manabu adjusted his glasses and said slowly, "Drop out."
"What?" Suzune stared at him in shock, unable to believe the coldness in his voice.
"This school isn't as simple as you think, Suzune. You won't survive here. Drop out now."
"I will not!" Suzune shot back, her inner resolve and frustration fueling her defiance.
But when she met Manabu's icy gaze, her spirit deflated like a punctured balloon.
Bowing her head, her voice turned weak and fragile. "Brother... this school is strange. The 100,000 points, the way the teachers and upperclassmen refuse to discuss them... there's something wrong."
"But that's still no reason for me to drop out!"
It was a defiant retort, yet Suzune's voice came out weak and trembling.
She simply lacked the courage to stand her ground against her respected brother...
Manabu offered a hint of approval. "You're quick to notice. Your observational skills are impressive."
"It wasn't me," Suzune corrected softly. "A classmate named Shimizu Yuto discovered it. He even shared his findings with the rest of Class D..."
Suzune recounted everything Yuto had said that morning. As she spoke, Manabu's gaze deepened. He was learning more about this freshman, Shimizu Yuto.
Not only had Yuto ruthlessly played Nagumo Miyabi, but his powers of observation were also astounding. Even with the school forbidding the sharing of information, he had managed to confirm his theories indirectly by contacting upperclassmen.
'What a remarkable freshman,' Manabu thought.
After finishing her account of Yuto's actions, Suzune added weakly, "I also sensed something was off about the 100,000 points, but I never sought confirmation."
"..."
'Suzune, you really should just drop out.'
"This school has a special class placement system," Manabu stated, slowly revealing the information the administration had forbidden everyone from disclosing during the first month.
"The top students are placed in Class A, while the worst are relegated to Class D."
Suzune's eyes widened in disbelief. "No... That's impossible. I aced both the entrance exam and the interview. You're lying to me, brother, you have to be."
"Do I have any reason to lie?" Manabu asked, his gaze cold as he watched the color drain from his sister's face.
"Suzune, I cannot change the fact that you are my sister. If people found out that the Student Council President's sister is in Class D, you would disgrace my name. Now, leave this school immediately!"
Horikita Suzune was utterly stunned by her brother's words. The light died from her eyes as she froze in place.
Manabu watched his devastated sister silently. He had to force his stubborn sister to leave this school. If she didn't drop out now, the future trauma would only be worse.
"Nii-san..."
"Hmm?" He frowned slightly.
As if a drowning person had finally found a straw to cling to, Suzune stammered, "The school... they must allow students with a good record to request a class change, right?"
"Brother, as long as I can get into Class A, this all becomes a non-issue—"
"Enough, Suzune. You're not capable of moving from Class D to Class A. To kill this delusion, I'll tell you the requirement: you need to earn twenty million points to qualify for a transfer," Manabu stated ruthlessly.
…
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