Late at night, as the clock's hands approached 11:30 PM, Horikita began to move.
She slowly sat up from her bed, stepping onto the floor without making a sound.
Since she was sleeping on the lower bunk, she shouldn't have to worry about waking anyone up with her movements. However, the moment she stood up, a faint voice came from behind her.
"Horikita-san? What's wrong?"
The voice belonged to Ichinose.
So she still hadn't fallen asleep… No, it was more likely that she simply couldn't calm her mind.
After all, this exam could result in expulsions. For someone like her, who cared deeply about her classmates, it was natural to feel uneasy. And on top of that...
Something like that had happened recently.
"Don't worry about it. I just need to use the restroom."
"Oh... The hallway outside is pretty dark. Will you be okay alone?"
"I'm not a child..."
Horikita shook her head, slightly exasperated, before leaving the room.
There were no restrooms inside the dorm rooms, so going out in the middle of the night was nothing unusual. However, if she stayed out for too long, it might raise suspicion.
Fortunately, the person who noticed her was Ichinose—she wouldn't go around spreading rumors. Besides, at this point, there was no turning back.
As she walked through the hallway and stepped outside, Igari was already waiting there.
She should at least greet him first.
"Igari-senpai, sorry for keeping you waiting."
"Cut the nonsense. What exactly do you want me to see?"
Igari's impatience was written all over her face, which was understandable.
After all, in just two months, the third-year students would be graduating. If she got expelled at this point, there'd be nothing to laugh about.
"Please don't rush. Just follow me."
As Horikita finished speaking and was about to lead the way, a sudden sound of footsteps came from nearby.
The next moment, she found herself locking eyes with a girl with yellow hair.
Horikita recognized her—it was Manabe Shiho from Class 1-C. However, since they had never spoken before, she decided to simply ignore her presence.
Manabe seemed to have the same thought, giving a glance in their direction before turning at the hallway corner and walking away.
She was probably heading to the restroom.
"Let's go, senpai."
Horikita called out and continued leading Ikari toward the field.
Although there had been a small unexpected encounter, there was no need to pay much attention to it… Hm?
Just as she thought that she suddenly had the feeling that someone was following them.
Could it be… Manabe?
Horikita couldn't be sure. The dim surroundings, with only faint moonlight, made it impossible to identify anyone even if she turned around.
But even if it was Manabe, it wouldn't be much of an issue.
According to Hikigaya, Manabe had likely been roped in by Nagumo, making her no different from Igari.
This meeting was meant for Igari to see something anyway. If Manabe was also watching, it wouldn't change much. If she reported back to Nagumo, it might even lend more credibility to their setup.
…Still, it might be best to inform Hikigaya-kun later.
Having made up her mind, Horikita chose to act as if Manabe wasn't there and proceeded with her original plan, bringing Ikari to a long bench on the field.
"This is the place, Igari-senpai."
Horikita pointed at the grass behind the bench.
"Please hide in there and make sure not to make a sound. Only come out when I call you."
"Huh? Why the hell should I—"
"Didn't you want to know the truth?" Horikita interrupted impatiently. "Just hide quickly. If Hikigaya-kun arrives, things will get complicated."
"…Fine."
Grumbling about bugs, Igari carefully crouched into the grass.
It was an unnecessary concern—there were no insect noises at all.
That also meant voices would sound even clearer than expected, ensuring Ikari could hear everything.
Moments later, a figure appeared ahead, accompanied by a low voice.
"Kikyo, is that you?"
"Hikigaya-kun, come here for a moment."
At the mention of that name, the figure hesitated for a second before stepping forward.
"You're… Horikita?" Hikigaya scratched his head and looked around. "Kushida was the one who asked me to come out. Why are you here?"
Then, he muttered under his breath, "Did I get tricked…?"
…What an impressive performance.
Horikita inwardly admired his acting skills but shook her head. "I'm sorry, Hikigaya-kun. I forced Kushida-san to lure you out. Please don't blame her."
"Oh, is that so…? Then, I'll be leaving."
Without waiting for a response, Hikigaya turned to walk away.
But Horikita was prepared. In a swift movement, she closed the distance and grabbed hold of him.
"Hey—Horikita?!"
"Sorry, but there's something I need to talk to you about."
"I don't have anything to—ow, ow, ow!"
"Resistance is futile." Horikita applied a little more pressure. "I know my brother trained you for a while, but I've been practicing martial arts since childhood. You'd be better off not struggling."
"Fine, fine! I get it! Just let go already!"
Forced onto the bench, Hikigaya sat down reluctantly, turning his face away in defiance.
"You violent woman… I hope you never get married."
"What was that?"
"…Nothing."
"Whatever." Horikita sighed. "Hikigaya-kun, before we begin, can I ask why you tried to run away as soon as you saw me?"
"Huh? Isn't it obvious?"
Hikigaya gave her a "What are you even saying?" look.
"It's just the two of us here, alone, in the middle of the night. If you falsely accused me of something, do you think the police would believe my side of the story?"
"Your first thought is the police? At least say the teachers wouldn't believe you first." Horikita couldn't help but retort.
"Hmph. I've never had such naive expectations."
"Geez, don't sound so proud while saying that."
Horikita rubbed her forehead as if nursing a headache, then suddenly clapped her hands together.
"Still, your paranoia did remind me of something… I have a few questions. Can you answer honestly?"
"What's with that sudden topic change?" Hikigaya said in exasperation. "And if you're asking whether I'll answer honestly, the answer is no. I don't even want to talk to you."
"Is that so? Then I guess I'll just have to start screaming about being assaulted."
"…Hey."
"Just kidding."
Horikita let out a soft chuckle before turning serious. "But I do have some questions. And I don't expect you to answer for free… You don't like Ayanokoji-kun, do you? If you answer my questions honestly, I'll help you deal with him—to some extent."
"Huh? Seriously?" Hikigaya feigned surprise. "I thought you and Ayanokoji were on the same side. And even if you say that, it's hard to believe right away."
"Ayanokoji-kun is indeed helpful for our class's goal of reaching Class A. But first, he never gives his full effort. Second, he sometimes takes dangerous actions. Keeping him in check wouldn't be a bad thing for the class." Horikita stated these points calmly and objectively.
"Wow, you are ruthless, huh?"
"I'm just thinking about what's best for the class… So, do you accept my offer?"
"Hmm, alright," Hikigaya said indifferently. "Though I already know what you're going to ask about… It's about Tachibana-senpai's group, right? You've been pestering me about the third years lately."
"…It was a trap set by President Nagumo and some third-year girls to target Tachibana-senpai, as a way to deal with my brother, wasn't it?" Horikita asked slowly.
"Heh, you figured it out after all."
Hikigaya gave a satisfied smile.
"As expected of Horikita-senpai's sister. Since this exam had separate male and female groups, your brother didn't notice right away. Otherwise, if he had talked to Tachibana-senpai even a little, he would have realized something was off."
"Yeah…"
"So, you're just here to confirm your theory? Well, you got it right."
"No, that's secondary." Horikita shook her head slightly. "Hikigaya-kun, my real question is—besides that, do you and President Nagumo have any other plans?"
"Other plans, huh…? Nagumo-senpai is planning a little surprise for Ayanokoji, but that's none of my business."
"I'm not asking about that. I meant whether there are any further plans regarding Tachibana-senpai."
"Further plans? What do you mean?"
"…Don't play dumb."
Horikita's tone turned cold as if she was certain Hikigaya was hiding something. "Let's cut to the chase. You've been getting very close to Ishikura-senpai ever since the exam started. That's unusual."
"What's so unusual?" Hikigaya spread his hands. "Ishikura-senpai and I are in the same large group, and we're both team leaders. A bit of conversation is normal."
"But considering your past behavior, you've never shown interest in class activities or exams. It's hard to believe you'd suddenly be so proactive."
"Ugh, can't argue with that."
Hikigaya scratched his head awkwardly, then let out a laugh.
"Alright, alright. Since you've already figured out this much…"
"Alright, alright. Since you even know Ishikura-senpai's name, it seems you've figured something out. Did Ayanokoji tip you off?"
"That doesn't really matter, does it?" Horikita blatantly changed the subject. "Anyway, just answer me honestly. Your purpose in approaching Ishikura-senpai wasn't to ensure the success of the operation, right? After all, the main executors of this plan are on the girls' side—it has almost nothing to do with the boys."
"Hmm, go on."
"But I don't think you'd do something meaningless. So I'm guessing… the 20 million private points meant to rescue Igari-senpai are with Ishikura-senpai, aren't they? Conveniently enough, the two of them are in the same class. I can't help but be suspicious."
"Haha, impressive, impressive."
Hikigaya clapped his hands lightly as if he were giving her praise.
"But you still haven't gotten to the key point, have you? Come on, let's see if you're really that sharp."
"…Your real goal was to persuade Ishikura-senpai to abandon Igari-senpai." Horikita spoke each word deliberately. "That way, Class 3-B would only lose 100 class points. And since my brother and the others will definitely save Tachibana-senpai, the gap between the two classes would instantly shrink. President Nagumo is using Class B's hand to defeat my brother, which is why he was willing to pay such a huge sum."
"Not bad. You've improved a lot since enrollment."
Hikigaya didn't deny it, which was the same as admitting it.
Horikita pressed on. "So? What was Ishikura-senpai's response? Did he agree?"
"Ah, at first, he was unwilling."
Hearing this, Igari, who was hiding in the bushes, felt her heart leap—almost enough to make her jump out.
"But, well… I later told him that even if he didn't rescue Igari-senpai, the 20 million points would still belong to his class. Plus, I offered an extra 10 million. Then he put on a reluctant act and shut his mouth."
"An extra 10 million… I heard Class C has to pay tribute every month. So that's true after all?" Horikita said with a complicated expression.
Hikigaya smiled but didn't answer. Instead, he simply said, "Have you finished asking your questions? If that's all, I'm leaving."
"One last question." Horikita hurriedly stopped him. "I know my brother recruited you into the student council. But why are you…? I won't say you're being ungrateful, but there was no need for you to get involved, was there? Did President Nagumo force you?"
"No, no one forced me."
"Then why…?"
"Hmm… if I had to say, I guess I just want to see Horikita-senpai lose once."
Hikigaya stroked his chin before continuing with something that truly surprised Horikita.
"Horikita, you've always been trying to catch up to your brother, haven't you? But do you realize that it's precisely that mindset that makes him distance himself from you? Because you've convinced yourself that you're inferior to him, and that makes Horikita-senpai, who cares about you, feel guilty."
"Eh…? My brother… thinks that?" Horikita froze.
"Instead of trying to earn his recognition by meddling in things, you should find a way to defeat him. That way, he won't have anything to say. After all, Horikita-senpai isn't someone who can't handle losing."
In reality, their conversation was mostly improvisation.
…No, actually, most of what Hikigaya said was the truth.
"Anyway, that's all I have to say. I advise you to stay out of this. Horikita-senpai isn't someone who can be easily defeated. Class 3-B hasn't won yet—they just have a few extra million private points. With your brother's abilities, he can erase that gap in no time."
"But… wouldn't that be a bit pitiful for Igari-senpai?"
"Why should you care?" Hikigaya rolled his eyes at Horikita. "A fool like her—getting tricked by a man into dropping out is a fitting end, isn't it? She should be grateful she wasn't tricked into getting pregnant. Anyway, I've said my piece. I'm going back to sleep."
"Hikigaya-kun, you sure have some nerve… Aren't you afraid I'll tell Igari-senpai everything you just said?"
"Tch, you think she'd believe you? Or did you bring a recorder or something?"
"Well, theoretically, that's impossible. Everyone's luggage was checked after we got off the bus." Horikita smiled slightly. "But girls have plenty of places to hide things—like inside their bras. You didn't think of that, did you?"
"…You seriously brought one?"
"Hehe, no."
"Then why the hell are you talking nonsense? I'm leaving."
After speaking, Hikigaya left as if he had lost interest.
After waiting for a while, Horikita turned her head and softly said, "Igari-senpai, he's already gone. You can come out now."
However, there was no response from the other side.
"Igari-senpai? What's wrong?"
Horikita quickly got up and walked around the bench to check. She found Igari crouching motionlessly in the bushes, looking completely dazed.
It seemed like she had suffered quite a blow… Sigh.
Feeling a bit sorry for her, Horikita gently patted her shoulder and spoke in a soft tone, "Igari-senpai, I know your mind must be in turmoil right now, but worrying won't change anything. Why don't you come sit down for a while?"
"Horikita-san…"
Igari slowly shifted her gaze. After staring blankly for a few seconds, she nodded and allowed Horikita to help her up. She then walked over and sat down on the bench.
"I… I…"
"Igari-senpai, you don't need to think about anything right now." Horikita interrupted her thoughts. "Go back and get a good night's sleep first. The final exam doesn't start until Thursday—there's still time to turn things around."
"No… that's not it!"
For some reason, Igari suddenly became agitated.
"It's not that simple! Even if I decide to take the exam seriously, what about the other people in my group? They've all been bought off by Nagumo!"
…Huh?
That was something Horikita hadn't expected. She had assumed that as long as she convinced Igari, the others wouldn't be an issue.
But in this exam, no matter how well the leader performed, if the group's average score fell below the passing line, the leader would be forced to take responsibility and be expelled.
Simply put, if two or three members deliberately scored close to zero, the average score would plummet.
Even if Igari could persuade her classmates, there were still third-year Class C and D students in the group. There was no guarantee they would listen to her.
From their perspective, getting students from Class A and B expelled would only benefit their own classes.
Despite this realization, Horikita maintained a composed expression and firmly held Igari's shoulders.
"Igari-senpai, please calm down and listen to me. Getting worked up like this won't solve anything!"
"Ah… ah… sorry."
"It's fine. I understand how you feel."
Seeing that Igari had finally settled down, Horikita continued, "I'm getting involved in this not just for my brother's sake, but also because I don't want to see Tachibana-senpai upset. That's why I won't give up halfway. For now, please go back and rest. We'll figure things out tomorrow."
"U-Understood."
"And… please stop treating Tachibana-senpai with hostility."
"…I'm sorry."
At last, Igari was pacified, allowing Horikita to breathe a sigh of relief.
However, it seemed like the situation was even more complicated than she had anticipated.
This wasn't going to be resolved so easily.