After finishing his student council work, Hikigaya easily convinced the sister-loving Student Council President to help his own sister make friends.
He felt it wouldn’t be right if he didn’t help his sister himself.
After meeting Shiina in front of the dormitory building, the three of them entered the lobby together.
A girl with sharp eyes and short hair was leaning against the elevator, playing on her phone.
She glanced at them briefly before looking back down at her phone, as if waiting for someone.
“This is Ibuki Mio, a classmate from my class,” Shiina said, approaching her and greeting her.
“Good afternoon, Mio.” Ibuki Mio gave off a similar vibe to Horikita Suzune.
Though seemingly slender, she exuded a sense of strength, and her long, shapely legs were toned without an ounce of excess fat.
In response to Shiina’s greeting, Mio only looked up, nodded, and then looked back down.
This made Hikigaya feel even more that she resembled Horikita Suzune.
He pressed the elevator button, and when it arrived and the doors opened, two people Hikigaya didn’t want to see appeared.
One was the muscular black man from Class C, Yamada Albert, and the other was the leader of Class C, Ryuen Kakeru.
Albert, wearing sunglasses like a bodyguard, followed Ryuen, carrying a black hydrogen balloon that seemed out of place with his appearance.
The two of them swaggered out of the elevator and headed for the exit of the dormitory building.
Ibuki Mio quietly followed.
After the brief interlude, the group arrived at Hikigaya’s room.
A small, wood-colored dining table and some elegant gray cushions had been added to the room, and sounds of activity could be heard from the kitchen.
“President, won’t you go help your sister in the kitchen?” “Actually, I don’t know how to cook.” Horikita Manabu sat directly at his desk, flipping through the books on it with interest.
“Hikigaya, your taste in reading is too mature.” “What kind of books do you like to read, Horikita Manabu?” Speaking of books, Shiina seemed to transform and moved closer to Horikita Manabu, asking him questions.
Horikita Manabu turned his chair and calmly answered her questions one by one.
When Horikita appeared at the kitchen entrance, wearing a gray apron, she saw her brother talking with a beautiful girl of the same year, holding a book.
The beautiful girl with long silver hair spoke with joy, easily and naturally conversing with her brother, whom she always perceived as aloof and unapproachable.
A sense of emptiness washed over Horikita Suzune.
In her memories, her brother was always so cold and strong, needing no friends.
It turned out that was just the impression she had imposed on him.
Her efforts over the years to chase after her brother’s shadow felt foolish.
“I told you, the President is also human, and humans can’t live alone,” Hikigaya said, walking up to Horikita Suzune and lowering his voice.
“Try making friends and understanding him.” “You talk as if you know my brother better than I do,” Horikita Suzune said, biting her lip in frustration.
With a light laugh, Hikigaya’s voice held a strong sense of smugness.
“Of course I know him better than you do, because we’re both sister-complex guys.” “Don’t describe my brother like he’s some weirdo, and what are you so smug about?” Horikita returned to her usual demeanor, giving him a light, firm punch on the back before returning to the kitchen to continue her work.
“Shiina, don’t forget our task today.” Hikigaya pulled Shiina, who was engrossed in conversation with Horikita Manabu, to the kitchen doorway.
He then gave her a push from behind him and closed the kitchen door.
“Good luck.” In the kitchen, Shiina, who had been pushed inside, immediately met the gaze of the “great demon king” Horikita in her mind.
“I…
I’m Shiina Hiyori from Class C.
Hikigaya asked me to help.” “You don’t need to.
I can finish it myself.” Horikita’s icy voice made Shiina want to back out, but remembering Hikigaya’s instructions, she summoned her courage and faced the “big boss” head-on.
Hikigaya had already given her the weapon to defeat the boss; she couldn’t let him down.
“Horikita Manabu said he’s hungry and wants to eat as soon as possible.” “…” Horikita Suzune sighed helplessly.
“Then could you start by washing the vegetables over there for me?” She gestured to the shopping bags on the floor and continued with her work.
Although she suspected Shiina might be lying, it concerned her brother, so she had to go along with it.
Outside the kitchen, Horikita Manabu and Hikigaya sat facing each other at the small dining table.
“Your relationship is quite awkward.” “I have my own difficulties,” Horikita Manabu said, taking a sip of the tea brewed on the table.
“Guiding her growth is up to you.
She can’t adapt to this society yet.” Hikigaya agreed with what Horikita Manabu said.
Horikita Suzune was too straightforward.
He could only imagine the terrible experiences she would face in society, having had no friends since the first grade.
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll corrupt your sister?” “While you can be a bit erratic and say some strange things,” Horikita Manabu said, a slight smile on his lips, “I’m certain you’re a good kid.
Shiina is also a good kid.” “If I’m a good kid, then could you help me?
I’m interested in the position of Student Council President.” The next Student Council President is usually nominated by the current president and then elected by the students.
If there’s only one nominee, even an election isn’t necessary.
“It’s impossible for me not to nominate Nagumo.” “But you can nominate me as well, and try to stay in the President’s position for a longer time.
I’ll try to aim for the position before you graduate.” “Do you understand how much of an advantage Nagumo has right now?” “I do.” Since Hikigaya had aspirations for that position, he must have researched Nagumo Miyabi.
Nagumo had won over almost ninety-nine percent of the second-year students, and he also had a close relationship with Class A in the third year.
Previously, Nagumo had even tried to extend his reach to the first-year students, but Hikigaya had inadvertently thwarted him.
It was possible that he had already secretly joined forces with Ryuen Kakeru of Class C without Hikigaya knowing.
However, now Hikigaya was operating in the shadows while Nagumo was in the open.
He still had room to maneuver.
Classes C and D in the third year posed no threat to Class A due to their low class points, and Nagumo, who was only interested in Horikita Manabu, hadn’t yet interfered in those two classes.
“The time to nominate you.” “The later, the better.” “Alright.
Pay attention to the Class C first-year students you encountered downstairs earlier.
The purpose of a flying hydrogen balloon in this school is singular,” Horikita Manabu adjusted his glasses.
“The target wouldn’t be you, would it?” Given the strange encounters of the day, Hikigaya could only offer a bitter smile.
“If I’m not mistaken, it should be me.
Someone in Class D sold me out.” The room card that was taken from him, the hydrogen balloon used to obscure the camera, and Ibuki Mio, who was likely acting as a lookout by the elevator – all these signs indicated that Ryuen Kakeru was planning something big for him.
This meant that Ryuen knew about his involvement in planning the Sudou fight incident.
There was a traitor in Class D.