After some casual conversation, Horikita finally brought up the main topic.
"Brother, about what I'm going to say next…"
She hesitated for a moment, as if still uncertain. But after taking a deep breath, she spoke clearly.
"I mentioned this over the phone last time… I wasn't the only one who helped Tachibana-senpai at the forest school. Including Hikigaya-kun, I also asked several classmates to assist. That's the only reason we succeeded."
In reality, it wasn't "several" people—just Kushida and Matsushita.
Horikita was likely exaggerating to strengthen her bargaining position.
She really wasn't holding back at all.
Hikigaya couldn't help but wonder—if Komachi ever adopted this businesslike attitude in negotiations with him, how would he feel?
Would he be so heartbroken that he cried? Or would he be proud of her growth?
Hmm… Probably the latter.
Of course, he might still end up crying anyway…
"I understand. That's a reasonable request."
Horikita Manabu nodded slightly, acknowledging his sister's words. However, he immediately posed a new question.
"Suzune, I'm grateful for everything you've done. But business is business—you understand that, don't you? If this was an arrangement based on mutual benefit, then the terms should have been agreed upon in advance."
It was as if he was responding to his sister's determination with equal ruthlessness at the negotiating table.
Both sides were now locked in a confrontation over their respective interests.
"But there wasn't even a verbal agreement beforehand. So I don't see why I should offer any tangible compensation."
His words were harsh, but that was the reality.
At the end of the day, Hikigaya had chosen to help Horikita-senpai of his own accord. There was no reason to demand compensation afterward.
Of course, if he did ask, the other party likely wouldn't refuse.
However, this wasn't just a matter between individuals. It was a negotiation between first-year Class D, represented by Horikita Suzune, and third-year Class A, represented by Horikita Manabu.
Personal feelings had no place here.
Manabu was likely using this as an opportunity to teach his sister an important lesson.
"You're right, brother. Strictly speaking, even if we don't get a single point, we have no right to complain."
Rather than arguing, Horikita chose to acknowledge the logic in his statement.
But this wasn't just an act of submission.
"However, brother, you seem to be forgetting one thing." Her gaze sharpened slightly. "The third-years still have one or two more special exams before graduation. At such a crucial time, is it wise to antagonize the first-years?"
"What's the issue? Besides, based on the reaction at the time, most of your classmates didn't even know about this matter."
"That's true. But the ones I asked for help are influential within our class."
Horikita smiled faintly as if she had found a weakness in her brother's stance.
"They sacrificed their exam performance to assist me. If all they get in return is a simple 'thank you,' I can't guarantee they won't resent you. They might even turn around and cooperate with Class B instead."
That… wasn't impossible.
The mixed training camp exam had already proven that even first-years could influence the results of third-year exams.
Even if they weren't in the same test venue, that didn't mean other grades couldn't exert some influence. It all depended on how it was done.
Of course, Manabu could simply declare that all he needed to do was defend against such tactics.
But whether it was worth taking that risk… that was for him to decide.
"…Suzune, I'm beginning to see you in a new light."
"Eh?"
"How about 5 million private points? That's all I can spare right now."
Horikita, who had been bracing for a scolding, was caught completely off guard.
"W-Wait a second, brother! Are you sure about this?"
"Isn't this the outcome you wanted?" Manabu looked at her curiously.
"N-No… I mean, yes, this is what I wanted, but… this is too much!"
Horikita became flustered, struggling to find the right words.
Seeing his sister like this, Manabu gazed at her with an uncharacteristically gentle expression.
"Suzune, don't overthink it. This is what you rightfully earned."
"But…" Horikita still hesitated.
"Compared to 20 million private points and 400 class points, 5 million is a bargain for me."
Saying this, Manabu turned to Hikigaya.
"More importantly, you saved Tachibana. She was prepared to sacrifice herself, wasn't she? Please allow me to thank you once again. Thanks to you, I didn't lose a precious comrade."
"Horikita-senpai…"
Watching this exchange, Hikigaya was deeply moved.
Back in May, when he had first witnessed these two siblings interact, Horikita had always been timid around her brother, carefully gauging his reactions before speaking.
But now, she had broken free from that past shadow. She no longer sought his approval blindly, and she could even make demands of him confidently.
She was even willing to use veiled threats to get what she wanted.
It sounded a bit strange to put it this way, but Manabu was surely pleased.
After all, this was what he had always wanted—his sister's growth.
"Suzune, I've transferred the points. Check your balance."
"O-Okay! Yes, I received them."
Getting such a large sum from her brother seemed to make Horikita uneasy.
If it were Komachi, she would have happily accepted it without hesitation.
She might even ask for more… Wait.
Thinking about it like that…
Could it be that, as a little sister, Horikita was more well-behaved than Komachi?
At least she wouldn't call her brother "garbage-chan" or anything like that.
…No.
Not.
Or rather, Komachi was the world's cutest little sister. It was precisely because she could be a little unreasonable at times that she was even cuter!
Yes, that was it!
For a brief moment, Hikigaya almost felt envious of Horikita-senpai… but that was just a fleeting glitch.
So, Komachi… this doesn't count as brotherly betrayal, okay?
"By the way, there's one more thing."
Manabu's tone suddenly became serious.
"Suzune, because you interfered in my battle with Nagumo, once I graduate, he will likely turn his attention to you."
"That's unavoidable," Horikita said, shaking her head lightly. "Besides, Nagumo-senpai has always been unusually fixated on you. As your sister, he probably would have taken notice of me sooner or later, even if I did nothing. And before that, Ayanokoji-kun was already on his radar. No matter what, our class was bound to be caught up in this."
"…You're quite perceptive."
"Anyone who experienced that biased trial during winter break could see it. To be honest, I'm still not convinced by the outcome. That ruling was completely absurd."
For some reason, as she spoke, Horikita shot Hikigaya a glare.
Come on, don't blame the wrong person here.
All Hikigaya had done was call Nagumo to the scene—the rest was beyond his control.
Besides, sure, Shiina's argument might have been a bit ridiculous… but it wasn't entirely impossible. Who said Ryuuen couldn't be in love with Karuizawa?
Love was inherently irrational!
"Well, as long as Nagumo remains student council president, every class will be affected… Never mind, this is just my speculation. Forget I said anything."
Manabu still seemed to have lingering concerns.
But with graduation approaching, there wasn't much more he could do. He could only entrust things to those who would remain.
"By the way, there's something I've been meaning to say for a long time."
Horikita Manabu fixed his gaze on his sister, enunciating each word carefully. "Suzune, when you first reached out to contact me, I was truly happy."
"Brother..."
"But you were too fixated on your identity as a Class D student, even showing signs of self-doubt. That disappointed me greatly… So in the heat of the moment, I failed to control my emotions and acted impulsively. I've always wanted to apologize to you for that."
With that, he lowered his head heavily onto the table.
He must be referring to the time he almost slammed his sister to the ground—fortunately, Ayanokoji had stopped him midway.
No matter how you looked at it, that was way out of line.
As Chiba's older brother, there was no way Hachiman could ever forgive something like that!
"B-Brother! Please lift your head!" Horikita hurriedly stopped him. "I know you didn't mean it. You only did it for my sake… In any case, I never held it against you. Thanks to you, I finally realized that there's no such thing as a perfect person and that Class D has some truly outstanding students as well."
"Yeah… Looks like you'll be just fine now."
As if reassured, Horikita Manabu stood up and walked toward the door.
He opened the door, then turned back to look at his sister.
"Lastly, though it may be a little early to say this to you now, these three years of battles have taught me that while dreams may not come true through shortcuts, everyone has the power to carve out their own future… You might think this is just pleasant-sounding talk, but this is truly what I've come to understand at this school."
Graduating as a member of Class A doesn't mean everything will be smooth sailing.
Without a heart that strives for progress, no achievements can be made.
Conversely, even if one doesn't receive this privilege, as long as they don't give up easily, whether it's further education or employment, they should be able to make it work.
Ultimately, it all depends on oneself.
"What a shame, Onii-san."
In response to her brother's words of advice, Horikita returned a confident smile.
"I've never even considered graduating as anything other than a Class A student. The same goes for you—be careful not to fall short at the last moment."
"Rin'ne, you… Haha, you're right."
Seeing that smile, Horikita Manabu let out a rare, genuine smile of his own.
Perhaps it was the first time he had smiled so gently… At least, Hikigaya had never seen it before.
And it seemed Horikita Suzune felt the same way, staring at her brother without blinking, as if she were in shock.
"…I've said all I needed to. I'll be going now."
Facing the odd stares from both his junior and his sister, even Horikita Manabu couldn't handle it and quickly left the room.
Seriously, what was there to be embarrassed about?
Since this was a rare opportunity, wouldn't it have been nice to talk with his sister a little longer?
But that was a matter between siblings. No matter what, Hikigaya wasn't nosy enough to meddle in their affairs.
Then, he couldn't help but remark to Horikita, "You know, I get the feeling my presence here was completely unnecessary. You two were talking just fine without me."
"No, that's not true," Horikita shook her head, her face slightly flushed. "If you weren't here, I wouldn't have had the courage to make my request to my brother, and I wouldn't have been able to show him how much I've changed… Thank you."
"…Uh, you're exaggerating." Hikigaya awkwardly turned his head.
"Heh, anyway, let's divide the money now."
Horikita smiled and pulled up the S-System interface on her phone.
"My brother gave us five million points. I think it would be reasonable for Hikigaya-kun to take two million, and for Kushida, Matsushita, and me to take one million each. What do you think?"
"No, that's too much," Hikigaya quickly waved his hands. "I'll just take five hundred thousand. The rest should be split among you guys."
He had never intended to take any money from the start. The five hundred thousand was meant for Manabe.
However, Horikita sighed with a helpless expression at his refusal.
"Sigh… You're doing it again. Didn't I already tell you? If you refuse, the three of us will feel even worse about taking the money."
"But—"
"Enough! It's decided!" Horikita cut him off forcefully. "You're a man, aren't you? Can you stop being so wishy-washy and just accept it for once?"
"…Okay."
Since she put it that way, Hikigaya had no comeback.
If he refused again, he'd probably feel like less of a man… Well, whatever.
Soon, Horikita transferred the points.
But the number on the screen was strange—it showed three million.
…Was this a mistake from someone like her?
Hikigaya couldn't help but find it amusing and immediately pointed it out.
"Hey, Horikita, you messed up the numbers. It's supposed to be '2,' not '3.' Didn't expect you to be this careless."
But Horikita didn't even lift her head as she continued operating her phone.
"No, that's not a mistake. I'll explain in a moment… Alright, I've also sent the other two their shares."
Only after finishing everything did she look up at Hikigaya.
"Hikigaya-kun, I didn't type the wrong number. That extra million is for you."
"Huh? What for?"
"Let me finish. That money is… for you to go save Ichinose."
Her words were completely unexpected.
…Had she lost her mind?
"Could you stop having such weird thoughts?"
As if she could read minds, Horikita shot Hikigaya a small glare before speaking in a quieter voice.
"I've been thinking a lot about what the right thing to do is. And… I've come to a conclusion."
Her tone carried a sense of determination.
"As the leader of my class, Ichinose is my enemy. No matter how I look at it, I have no reason to help her. But as a friend, I don't want to see her suffer like this. Yet I also can't abandon my class and act on my own… So I have to ask you to do it. Will you?"
"Horikita, you…"
Hikigaya was honestly moved.
Even though she found reasons to justify it, she genuinely wanted to help Ichinose, even at the cost of her own class's interests.
Without a doubt, this decision brought no benefit to Class D. But Hikigaya didn't dislike it.
"Don't get me wrong! When I said 'friend,' it was just to help you understand. It doesn't mean Ichinose and I are friends!"
Immediately after, Horikita added some strange clarification… though Hikigaya wasn't sure what exactly she was explaining.
"Besides, Ichinose helped our class with the Sudo incident before and even lost two million points because of it. So now that I have the chance, I just want to return the favor… Yeah, that way we'll be even!"
"Uh, you don't have to explain that to me."
"I want you to know anyway!"
Hikigaya had no idea why that mattered… Whatever.
He shook his head with a wry smile.
"Horikita, actually… you're too late."
"What do you mean by 'too late'?" Horikita frowned.
"Before you, someone already asked me to do the same thing. So you don't need to give me any money—I'll return it now."
Saying that, Hikigaya moved to transfer the points back.
But Horikita pressed his hand down, then asked, "That person… can you tell me who it is?"
"It's Shiina," Hikigaya answered, thinking there was no harm in revealing it. "You guys were in the same group during the forest training camp, right? And she's known Ichinose for a while. She was really worried about her, so she talked to me a few days ago. You don't have to waste your money."
Besides, the Service Club didn't charge for its work.
"So it was Shiina… Hmph."
Horikita muttered under her breath, then suddenly scoffed and slammed the table as she stood up.
"Hikigaya-kun!"
"Y-Yeah?"
Hikigaya flinched at her sudden intensity.
"I am me. Shiina is Shiina. What she does has nothing to do with me, so don't lump us together!"
For some reason, she seemed angry…
Had she really lost her mind?
That was a whole million points! Shouldn't she be happy to save money?
"Now, back to my request. Will you accept it?"
"Uh, well, sure, but this money—"
"That's the commission fee. There's no reason to take it back. Just accept it already."
"Uh…"
Hikigaya was stunned.
Was Horikita… competing with Shiina?
Where did this strange rivalry come from?
Was it because she lost in the last evaluation, so she felt unwilling to accept it?
Or… did they both want to be Ichinose's best friend?
…Wait.
Did everyone want to be Ichinose's best friend that badly?!