After school, Horikita asked Kushida to meet at a cafe in the shopping mall to avoid being bothered by others.
Kushida really didn't want to see Horikita right now, but seeing Horikita's persistent attitude, like "I'll follow you if you don't agree," was really annoying.
"I'm really so happy that you, Horikita-classmate, actually asked me out yourself," Kushida said, putting on a very happy front. "Is there something you need to discuss with me?"
Looking at Kushida's affected demeanor, Horikita got a headache. She wanted to talk to the real Kushida Kikyo, the one without her mask, not this masked person right now.
If that's the case, then let's just rip that mask off her face a little forcefully.
"Kushida-classmate, you should know that you can buy anything with points at this school."
"Of course, Chabashira-sensei told us that right after school started."
"So you don't need to act like this with me at all, because the reason you were assigned to Class D was also counted as one of the goods."
As expected, the moment Horikita spoke, Kushida's expression changed instantly.
I thought you were a good person before, but I was wrong! You're such a bitch!
She even felt like just flipping her chair and leaving.
Noticing Kushida's change, Horikita secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and immediately spoke again before Kushida could stand up and leave.
"I don't want to bring this up, but I'm not looking for the masked Kushida-classmate, I'm looking for the current you."
"Your know-it-all attitude is sickening!"
"But if I don't do this, I can't understand your true feelings," Horikita wasn't angered by Kushida's words. "In the end, I still don't understand why you hate me so much."
"But I'm truly sorry for my bad attitude towards you, who wanted to build a good relationship with me."
Kushida was clearly not expecting Horikita to apologize to her.
Because in reality, Horikita hadn't done anything wrong. She just didn't want to be friends with Kushida, and Kushida's persistent attempts to get close were all her own choice.
However, Horikita still chose to apologize, simply to ease their relationship.
This was because Horikita judged that Kushida's power was indispensable if Class D wanted to escape its current zero point predicament.
To gain this power, Horikita had thought a lot over the past few days about what kind of attitude she should take towards Kushida.
But seeing Horikita like this, Kushida became even angrier, or rather, hated Horikita even more.
Because Horikita chose the more difficult path. Unlike her, a coward who only avoided things, seeing Horikita made her unconsciously associate herself with her own weakness.
"What exactly do you want to say?"
"I want you to contribute to the class's promotion."
Hearing Horikita's words, Kushida felt it was hilarious. Class promotion? What a joke!
"Do you think Class D still has a chance for promotion after one person was expelled and Tatsuya was lost?"
"Even if the hope is slim, I'm not going to give up, and..." Horikita's expression was a little complicated. "Are you really that close with Kamio?"
Hearing Horikita's words, coupled with her current expression, Kushida immediately wanted to gloat and retort: "Definitely closer than you."
But then she remembered that Kamio Tatsuya had an even better relationship with Kamuro and Shiina than with herself, and she couldn't laugh anymore.
"You don't need to worry about that. What do you want?"
The topic finally returned to the main point. Horikita took a deep breath.
"Then I'll be direct, Kushida-classmate, you're Kamio-kun's informant in Class D, aren't you?"
This girl is so stupid.
"Why do you think that?"
"Because Ayanokouji once saw you being blackmailed by Kamio-kun." Horikita spoke vaguely, but she believed Kushida would surely understand. "So, I went to see Kamio-kun yesterday and negotiated with him."
As she spoke, Horikita took out the contract she signed with Kamio Tatsuya today.
"What is this?"
"This is the result of my negotiation with Kamio-kun."
Thinking about this, Horikita felt immense pain, because she had been clearly played.
Kushida picked up the contract with a skeptical look and examined it, then fell silent.
But soon, she suddenly burst out laughing.
"Haha, hahahaha... Horikita, it seems Tatsuya has played you for a fool. Tatsuya never threatened me to provide him with information."
What Horikita agreed to was definitely not easy. Seeing Horikita busy herself and then get played by Kamio Tatsuya, Kushida was extremely happy.
"So, you voluntarily gave him the entry form for the sports festival?"
Horikita's silly question made Kushida's laughter abruptly stop.
"Hmph, you still think I gave Tatsuya the entry form?" Kushida sneered and threw the contract back.
"Although I find you very unpleasant, I would never betray the class."
Hearing Kushida's words, Horikita froze.
"You, you say it wasn't you?"
At first, Horikita thought Kushida was lying, but she quickly realized that Kushida had no reason to lie to her at this point. Then who was it?
"What? Do you think I'm lying?" Seeing Horikita's shell-shocked expression, Kushida felt very satisfied. "Actually, Horikita, I stopped caring about you a long time ago.
I thought you would have seen that last time during the sports festival when I suggested prioritizing the safety of our classmates over winning, but I didn't expect you to be so foolish."
However, Horikita couldn't really listen to these words anymore.
Her mind was consumed by one question: If it wasn't Kushida who provided information to Kamio Tatsuya, then who was it?
Did he plant other informants in the class?
Could it be Sakura-san?
Did my worst fears come true?
This is too ridiculous.
"Looking at your expression, you don't actually think the informant Tatsuya left behind is Sakura-san, do you?"
"How could you..."
Horikita blinked in surprise and then retorted, but Kushida immediately interrupted her.
"Forget it. Although Tatsuya seems like that, he's actually surprisingly gentle. So he would absolutely not let Sakura do something like that."
It must be said that Kushida understood Kamio Tatsuya better than Horikita. At least Kushida wouldn't suspect Sakura of being Kamio Tatsuya's informant.
After all, if this identity were exposed, Sakura would have no place in Class D.
Therefore, Kamio Tatsuya never considered Sakura as his informant from the start, and she wouldn't have been suitable anyway.
"Then who do you think it was?"
"Who knows?" Kushida cheerfully finished her coffee. "If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now. You can just wrack your brain over it, Horikita-classmate. I like seeing you like this.
Oh, right, keep your little follower in check. If she dares to mention my business to anyone, I'll drag Class D down to hell."
Before leaving, Kushida didn't forget to remind the bewildered Horikita Suzune.
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