Horikita Suzune actually had a very good memory.
When it came to things she needed to remember—like textbook knowledge, key exam points, or her brother's words—she could recall them with perfect clarity.
As for things that had nothing to do with her, such as other people's gossip, malicious rumors about her, or anything unnecessary, she would casually throw them out of her mind.
And clearly, the "Advanced Nurturing High School Survival Rules" once written in the diary were extremely important and had to be remembered.
After deciding to properly record her own words and actions and those of people around her, Horikita began carrying a recorder every day.
She would turn it on in the morning, then stop and clear it at night on a regular basis.
Although she had bought it from Asakusa Tetsu on impulse, it turned out to be surprisingly useful.
Even when recording continuously for twenty-four hours, it still had plenty of storage and long-lasting battery life.
Three thousand points was actually a great deal.
…Not to mention, he had even provided "after-sales service" yesterday.
If she weren't short on money, she would've wanted to transfer him some more personal points.
Compared to money, the feeling of owing someone a favor made her even more uncomfortable.
After stopping and deleting the recording in front of Kushida Kikyo, Horikita didn't pay much attention to being called "sick."
She walked toward the entrance.
She was already used to being scolded. If anything, it would be strange if Kushida didn't scold her.
Although she didn't know exactly what friends were like, she figured they were probably people who could insult each other like this.
After all, Kushida understood friendships better than she did.
Hooking her heel, Horikita slipped her black-stockinged feet into her leather shoes.
She had come empty-handed, and she didn't plan on taking anything back.
She opened the door cleanly.
When she saw the bags quietly placed outside, she suddenly remembered that other classmates had brought gifts.
"Oh, those are gifts Xiao Mei brought. Help me bring them in," Kushida said lazily, with no intention of getting up. "I'll thank her tomorrow. They're probably useless, but I should at least look."
"…Don't you have hands?" Horikita said helplessly.
But Kushida gave her that same sweet, lovable smile she always wore in class and asked softly:
"We're friends, right?"
"..."
Without saying anything, Horikita picked up the bags, took off her shoes again, and carried them inside.
After she turned to leave once more, Kushida finally dropped the cute expression and shrugged.
"See? That's the proper way to use friends."
With just one sentence—"We're friends, right?"—you could easily make others do anything.
"I'll remember that," Horikita said quietly with her back turned. "Next time, I won't be fooled by that line."
With that, she crossed the threshold and gently closed the door behind her.
"…It's not like I can't just change how I say it," Kushida muttered with a sigh.
After a few faint sounds of movement, the door closed softly.
"Click."
Under gentle footsteps and motion-sensor lights turning on one by one, the girl pressed the elevator button.
"Ding—"
Before long, the elevator arrived and slowly closed.
The hallway lights went out automatically.
In the stairwell, Asakusa Tetsu slowly opened his eyes.
"..."
In his hand was a recorder connected to earphones.
One earbud hung in his right ear.
The recorder was calmly playing back the sounds faithfully recorded by Horikita's device.
"Hate," "don't understand," "sick," "friend"…
The girls' voices were crystal clear in his ears.
The smile that had been on Asakusa's face for a long time still hadn't faded.
His mood was unbelievably good.
Even without seeing their expressions, the voices alone conveyed more than enough.
Hesitant tones. Paused breathing. Slurred words.
After Sakayanagi Arisu's great show yesterday, he hadn't expected to see another masterpiece today.
He really, really liked Horikita Suzune.
Pure. Naive. Obedient. Easy to trick.
Occasionally she'd have moments of insight, but she'd soon do something ridiculous again that made people laugh.
That was why he liked her so much.
You could even say he favored her.
As for "Great Angel Ichinose" or "Library Background Girl," he didn't know them well—don't lump them in.
"Buzz—"
Suddenly, his personal terminal vibrated lightly.
A message.
[Shiina Hiyori: Are you hanging out with your classmates again today?]
It was just a calm question, but somehow, Asakusa felt a chill run down his back.
…But he was leaning against a wall right now!
Crap. He'd been badmouthing "background girl" behind her back and got caught.
Whatever. He'd stop listening for now.
He could listen later.
Today's plot index was terrible anyway. He'd save this good material for later and report it in the diary.
Honestly, it was all just a coincidence that he'd come here.
Maybe he'd used up too much "determination" with the headband.
Maybe he'd spent too much time in the White Gym.
Maybe he'd exhausted himself too much.
After leaving, eating breakfast to replenish energy, and feeling his body rapidly grow stronger, he still felt dazed.
He never really listened in class anyway—just pretended to.
But today, the daze was especially bad.
So after school, he decided to go back to his dorm and lie down.
Just sleep it off.
Who would've thought he'd see Horikita Suzune enter the dorm elevator alone—
And the floor stopped steadily at nine.
Who lived on the ninth floor?
Only one name came to mind.
Kushida Kikyo.
Those two together…
Damn, that had to be good drama.
The fog in his head instantly cleared.
He rushed up the stairs to the ninth floor.
No one knew he was there.
No one knew his recorder could copy recordings.
So even if he later went wild in his diary, there'd be no risk at all.
This—
Was the perfect crime.
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