Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari
----------
Horikita was silent for a long while.
She turned her face and quickly glanced at Akira.
"...You're right." She withdrew her gaze, her voice softer but clear enough. "Shimizu-kun... it's indeed possible for him to do it."
When these words left her mouth, even she was a little surprised.
But she really couldn't think of a reason to refute—Kushida was right.
In this class, the only person who truly embodied 'persistence' in his daily life, just like her brother, seemed to be Akira.
After all, the sight of him getting up early to exercise every day, rain or shine, a sight she occasionally witnessed when passing the sports field, held a resilience that was second to none.
"..." Kushida was also stunned, a genuine hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.
She hadn't expected her to admit it so readily—she didn't even try to argue or make excuses as she usually would.
Anyone with eyes could see that Horikita's respect for her Student Council President brother was almost at a level where it 'brooked no interference from others.'
'This is interesting.'
Her mind quickly churned with calculations.
'She's actually willing to compare Shimizu-kun to her brother?'
'Could it be... she really likes Shimizu-kun?'
The thought had barely surfaced before she dismissed it herself.
Earlier, when she mentioned her date with Akira, Horikita hadn't shown any particular reaction, not even a frown.
'But it can't be that she feels nothing at all, right? She's probably just the type who's very dense about emotions.'
'To say, "He might be able to do it," means she at least acknowledges him, right? This kind of implicit approval, tinged with admiration, is much more deeply hidden than direct praise.'
Thinking this, the smile in Kushida's eyes deepened, even the corners of her eyes taking on a sly curve.
'Heh, it seems there's definitely some affection there.'
But as soon as that thought settled, the curve of her lips stiffened, and her expression subtly darkened.
'Wait.'
A thought suddenly sprang forth, making her fingertips unconsciously tighten.
'In that case, after their relationship improves, will she talk to Shimizu-kun about my old, embarrassing middle school stuff?'
She knew girls like Horikita too well—they might seem aloof, but they rarely acknowledged others easily.
Especially since she clearly always compared others to her brother, for her to say, "He might be able to do it," implied an extremely high evaluation.
'In that case, the only boy she currently looks favorably upon is Shimizu-kun, isn't he?'
The moment this conclusion appeared, it made her inexplicably flustered.
She could even imagine the aftermath: Horikita, with her personality of fully committing once she decided on something, if she were to truly date Akira, would likely pour out all her secrets to him.
This was surprisingly consistent with the results of a private analysis by a certain boy earlier.
At that time, even if Akira didn't ask anything, she might proactively bring up her past.
'The one thing I don't want Shimizu-kun to know is my true nature...'
As this thought surfaced, her eyes uncontrollably flashed with images—not just the disgusted looks of her classmates after discovering her true face, but also Akira's expression turning to disappointment.
'No, that guy definitely wouldn't dare to dislike me. I have leverage over him—that school uniform with his fingerprints on it. I haven't washed it to this day and have it carefully stored in my room.'
At this thought, her tense shoulders subtly relaxed, and her fingertips were no longer so stiff.
'If he dares to dislike me, that would truly be digging his own grave.'
She slowly lowered her head, a sly ruthlessness flashing in her eyes, but a strange curve also formed on her lips.
'Then I'll expose the fact that he touched me that day and let the whole school know. He wants to force me to leave this school? At the very least, it's only fair if I drag him down with me.'
This thought was like a calming pill, slowly steadying her previously flustered heartbeat.
No fear, she still had one last resort—Akira was her safety net.
At worst, they'd both transfer schools.
If she fell, she'd never let Akira stay here peacefully—she'd always been this selfish.
Just like that night, when she stared into his eyes and said, "If you dare betray me, you'll die," she wasn't just speaking idly.
However... if it really came to that, she might give him some "compensation."
Didn't he mention he liked lap pillows? There'd be plenty of time after expulsion, so letting him lie there as much as he wanted wouldn't hurt.
Her thoughts had wandered a bit, so she lightly coughed to pull herself back—it was too early to think about these things now. There weren't even any signs of them dating yet, so wouldn't she make some small moves?
Fortunately, yesterday, using the pretext of Akira's date, she'd already figured out part of Horikita's personality and information.
She'd find another opportunity to talk to her and test her later.
If they really couldn't get along, she'd have to find another way—for example, digging into Horikita's own dark past.
As long as she held leverage over her, she wouldn't be afraid of her talking nonsense.
Only when she completely had this matter under control could she truly breathe a sigh of relief.
By then, no one in this school would be able to threaten her anymore—those secrets hidden from her middle school days could rot in her stomach forever.
...
After asking, Kushida smiled and waved at the two, then turned and returned to her seat.
Akira watched her retreating figure, truly unable to decipher the intent behind her words just now, why she'd suddenly steered the conversation towards him.
"Horikita, there's something I need to tell you." He paused, then spoke up. "I was the one who told Kushida-san that you and the Student Council President are siblings."
Horikita, next to him, paused her pen, then turned her face to look at him. "So, what kind of love potion did she give you?"
"She asked proactively, and I answered her question. I didn't say anything else," Akira explained. "If you're asking if there was a 'love potion' involved... I can only say, yes, there was."
As the words left his mouth, he remembered Kushida's earlier specific instruction—to keep the lap pillow a secret.
Thinking about it carefully, that lap pillow indeed seemed like a small trap coated in sugar.
In a sense, it could be considered a love potion.
"What exactly did you two do?" Horikita's voice suddenly rose, her eyes showing clear inquiry. "Is there something you can't talk about?"
Although she didn't often pay attention to such things, she'd seen snippets in movies and vaguely knew about the ambiguous connections between men and women.
The moment she thought of the words "can't talk about," her ears instantly turned red, and fuzzy images flashed uncontrollably in her mind.
But then she thought it was absurd—they weren't even dating, how could it be...
But the other person was Kushida. A girl who was so socially adept and always surrounded by people, maybe she took these things lightly?
Could it be... a kiss?