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"Hey there. I'm Nagumo Miyabi from Class 2-A, the Student Council Vice President."
Horikita was quietly discussing with Akira how to get her brother's attention when she looked up and saw a blond-haired boy suddenly standing in front of her, an unreadable smile on his face.
She frowned. What was this guy smiling about?
Was he laughing at her for staring at her brother earlier?
She'd clearly seen him chatting with the upperclassman wearing the sunflower hairpin when she came in. Wasn't that his girlfriend?
But this person was actually the Student Council Vice President?
The lines Akira had prepared for her hadn't mentioned anyone like this at all.
Horikita unconsciously looked at Akira.
"Why are you looking at me?" Akira asked with a confused expression.
"What should I say to this person to make my brother think I'm polite?"
"Uh, your reaction right now is already pretty impolite, isn't it?"
Horikita choked on his words, her cheeks flushing slightly. She'd been so caught up in her confusion that she'd forgotten basic etiquette.
Nagumo saw it clearly from the side, and the smile on his lips deepened. He didn't get angry, just found her awkwardness kind of cute. "Looks like you're not used to talking to strangers yet. It's fine, I'm pretty easygoing."
He deliberately leaned half a step closer, his tone carrying a hint of intentional intimacy. "Your brother's not usually so cold in the Student Council, though. Want me to tell you what he's like when he works?"
These words hit Horikita's interest point directly. She pressed her lips together, not immediately backing away, but her eyes still held a wary look.
Akira understood that Nagumo was deliberately trying to start a conversation. He gently touched Horikita's arm, reminding her in a low voice, "Just a normal greeting is fine."
Horikita shot him a glance, as if to say 'why didn't you say so earlier,' but still turned to Nagumo and nodded stiffly. "Vice President, hello. No need to trouble yourself."
Nagumo raised an eyebrow exaggeratedly. "Your boyfriend and brother are both in the Student Council office. It's just talking, what's the trouble? I'd be happy to do it for you."
Horikita's brows furrowed again. Why was this person so annoying?
But why did he think Akira was her boyfriend? Was his eyesight that bad?
"He's not my boyfriend, just a classmate," she paused, then added.
"Oh? So he's not!" Nagumo seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, but his gaze toward her grew even more blatant.
He was growing increasingly satisfied with the Student Council President's sister. She looked like a typical cold, excellent student, but her reactions were a bit off-kilter, with a touch of adorable clumsiness.
"Shimizu," Horikita finally couldn't hold back and glanced at Akira.
She really couldn't stand this person. If they weren't in the Student Council office, she would've already retorted with a cold face.
After a moment of hesitation, she still looked to Akira for help.
"This person should be fine," to her surprise, Akira nodded.
Horikita finally felt a burden lifted.
Even Akira said so, which meant this person's relationship with her brother probably wasn't good.
"When I first came to the Student Council, you kept secretly looking at me. You haven't stopped since you came in, have you? Just say what you want!"
Horikita's voice already carried an uncontrollable chill, her face indifferent.
Nagumo was stunned for a moment. Why did she suddenly put on such a cold face?
He still smiled openly. "Because you're beautiful. The Student Council President's sister is so outstanding, what's wrong with looking a few more times?"
"Are you an animal? You can't help but approach beautiful people?" Horikita sneered, firing off questions like a machine gun. "Are you really a Vice President? How could my brother have recruited someone like you?"
Nagumo choked, and the smile on his face finally stiffened by half a degree.
He never expected that the girl who'd just seemed a little reserved would act like a different person after the boy next to her spoke. Her mouth was so sharp.
Nagumo actually knew in his heart that his character wasn't exactly upright and truly didn't fit the righteous atmosphere of the Student Council.
Most of the second-year students were well aware of this, and no one dared to point it out directly except for his childhood friend, Asahina.
He never expected that today, a first-year would directly call him out like that.
"After all, he's someone your brother recruited. If you say that, aren't you saying your brother has no eye for talent?" At this moment, Akira spoke again, trying to mediate.
"I didn't mean that," Horikita said, turning her head away, as if she couldn't be bothered to look at Nagumo anymore.
Although her words still carried some force, her attitude had clearly softened, losing all aggression.
'So obedient?'
'How exactly did he make her so obedient?'
'He can even "tame" the Student Council President's sister like this?'
Nagumo was indeed a little petty, but more than that, he was shocked. Why would Horikita listen to that Shimizu person so much?
To be honest, since enrolling, he'd had deep contact with many girls, but among them, nine out of ten weren't truly sincere with him.
They were either after his looks, or his status, or the points in his hands.
How did this guy have such ability to make a girl so willingly listen to him?
Could these two have already gotten together? His reaction just now might've just been part of their 'play.'
"Thanks for your 'verbal assistance,' Shimizu-kun," Nagumo withdrew his gaze, his tone carrying an unidentifiable meaning, and the arrogance in his eyes lessened when he looked at Akira.
Although it didn't sound like he was speaking up for him, in terms of results, he did stop Horikita's sharp tongue.
It was clear he also understood that this "sister" valued her Student Council President brother very much, so he knew how to speak carefully.
"It's nothing, Nagumo-senpai, just a small favor," Akira immediately replied.
"Shimizu-kun, you look a little familiar," Nagumo scrutinized him. Although Shimizu's appearance differed from his own, he was still a top-tier handsome guy. But for some reason, his first reaction was that he looked familiar, as if he'd seen him somewhere before.
He always remembered the beautiful girls from each class at a glance, but facing a boy now, he couldn't recall where he'd seen him.
"Last Saturday, I saw you at a parfait shop. It was probably then," Akira replied calmly.
"Ah! Now that you mention it, that's right!" Nagumo slapped his forehead, finally remembering. "Oh, right, weren't you with a really striking girl at the time? Looks like Shimizu-kun's pretty popular."
He remembered Shimizu was indeed with a girl at the time, and he deliberately emphasized his tone just to sow discord between him and Horikita.
He subtly glanced at Horikita, but saw her face was completely unperturbed, as if she'd known about this all along.
'Hm? What's going on? She actually knew?'