[Did Horikita really change her hairstyle?]
[Horikita with short hair... she actually looks quite cute, even cuter than with long hair!]
[So pretty! Why did Horikita decide to change her hairstyle today?]
Almost all the boys in the class turned their attention to Horikita Suzune, though Saiki Kusuo quickly averted his gaze before he could see her muscle fibers and bones.
[That bitch, always drawing attention to herself. Damn it!]
Kushida Kikyo maintained her smile, her gaze also fixed on Horikita Suzune.
'Every day is the same.'
Saiki Kusuo complained in his mind.
[Especially last night. Were you mocking me with that attitude? You must know about my past. I have to find a way to get you expelled!]
'Wait, what are you talking about?'
[I won't forget what happened yesterday, Horikita!]
Saiki Kusuo was puzzled for about 0.1 seconds but quickly realized what was going on.
Most likely, the memory Kushida Kikyo had erased was filled with something related to Horikita Suzune. Given her deep hatred for Horikita, her brain probably filled in the blank with a memory of her clashing with Horikita... That's why she continued to vent her frustrations and curse Horikita Suzune last night.
In short, because of the memory erasure, Kushida Kikyo's hostility toward Horikita Suzune seemed to have deepened.
Saiki Kusuo slightly turned his head, looking out the window as if he knew nothing.
Horikita Suzune ignored the gazes of those around her and returned to her seat.
"Good morning."
As she passed by Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and Saiki Kusuo, Horikita Suzune greeted them and then sat down.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka turned his head, seemingly puzzled as he glanced at Horikita Suzune.
"Why are you looking at me?"
Horikita Suzune noticed Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's action and glared back at him.
"Oh, nothing. It's just that you seem different today."
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka shook his head and responded.
As he had just said, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka could keenly sense that something had changed about Horikita Suzune.
[Horikita isn't the type to greet others proactively. Today is strange.]
[Generally, girls with long hair don't cut it so easily. Something must have happened for her to do this.]
[Last night, Horikita and I left Saiki's room around the same time. It was already late. If something happened, it must have been after that. So, what happened during those hours?]
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was curious about the changes in Horikita Suzune. He believed that, given her personality, it wouldn't be easy for her to undergo such a noticeable change in such a short time. Even Ayanokoji Kiyotaka himself had planned to take his time to mold Horikita Suzune into someone he could use.
The fact that Horikita Suzune had taken the initiative to change meant she must have experienced something significant.
What could it be?
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's mind raced, though he would never find the answer. Even if he knew Horikita Suzune had changed because of her brother, he wouldn't know what Saiki Kusuo had done.
[The true meaning of being aloof and isolated... What did Brother mean by that?]
[I always thought Brother distanced himself from me because I wasn't capable enough. That's why I tried to distance myself from those who weren't capable either...]
[Was that approach wrong all along?]
'Yare yare, she's finally starting to reflect on her own issues.'
Hearing Horikita Suzune's thoughts, Saiki Kusuo gave a mental nod. With this, Horikita Suzune's attention on him should lessen a bit.
...
Soon, it was time for school to end. As agreed earlier, several students headed to the school library for tutoring.
'I really don't want to waste time on this, but now there's no way to refuse. I just hope they can finish this study session quickly.'
Saiki Kusuo thought to himself as he followed the others to a suitable seat in the library. His gaze swept over everyone present.
[No matter what, we need to quickly improve their grades. Rising to Class A is a must.]
Horikita Suzune thought this, then took out her textbook and began explaining the material to everyone.
[She's actually teaching so seriously. Did she cut her hair just to draw attention?]
[So sad... Kushida-san rejected my movie invitation...]
[Horikita... she actually looks quite pretty. She's probably one of the most attractive in the class, right?]
[What should I eat later...]
'It seems only Horikita Suzune is actually serious about studying...'
Saiki Kusuo felt a bit helpless. It seemed no one else was focused on learning.
At the same time, Saiki Kusuo could also pick up some unfamiliar voices.
[Are these Class C students? They're the ones who took our class's spot... Damn it.]
[Ryuen told us to monitor their class and gather information about them.]
[The black-haired girl is called Horikita Suzune, right? And the other girl is Kushida Kikyo. A lot of people in our class know her...]
Saiki Kusuo shifted his gaze and saw a few unfamiliar faces at a nearby table, glancing over at them.
Just from their thoughts, Saiki Kusuo could tell they were from Class D.
'So, that Ryuen guy has indeed taken action against our class, huh?'
[Someone's secretly watching us. Are they from another class?]
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka also noticed the gaze directed at him—though his attention quickly returned to Saiki Kusuo.
[Saiki just turned his head and glanced at those people. Did he notice them too?]