After Amane-san was driven out of the room.
Horikita-san and Kushida-san sat down face to face.
However, Horikita-san did not speak first.
Instead, she quietly looked at Kushida-san.
This action disrupted Kushida-san's plan.
Kushida-san had originally prepared various ways to respond.
But Horikita-san's silence rendered all her preparations useless.
If things continued like this.
Even if they sat until tomorrow morning, there would be no progress.
It seemed she would still have to take the initiative.
"Horikita-san, didn't you have something to say to me?"
"I remember, Kushida-san, that you also seemed to have something to say to me?"
Horikita-san's cold tone made Kushida-san feel disgusted.
She hated people who appeared so aloof.
So, she no longer intended to maintain that hypocritical facade.
"You really do know something, don't you?"
Horikita Suzune was not surprised to see Kushida-san's true colors.
She had long sensed that Kushida-san was faking her approachable demeanor.
As for how she found out...
After being with someone for a long time.
It's easy to see through whether their behavior is an act.
"Kushida-san, what do you mean? I don't quite understand."
Horikita-san took a sip of the drink Amane-san had left on the table.
Hiss.
So cold.
This person actually drinks such cold things and even adds ice cubes?
Horikita-san crunched the melted ice shards in her mouth.
She couldn't help but worry about Amane-san.
Doesn't she know this can easily cause diarrhea?
She must properly tell her these common sense things later.
"Stop pretending. We came from the same school; we should understand each other a bit. It's just a shame that I don't get along well with honor students like you."
Kushida-san sneered as she looked at Horikita-san.
Horikita-san rested her chin on her hand, seemingly recalling something.
"Speaking of which, I seem to have heard some strange rumors."
Kushida-san immediately clenched her fists.
"What did Horikita-san hear?"
"It seems a class in our year fell into disarray and became unfunctional due to certain events. If I were to say the specific details, I'm not too clear myself, Kushida-san, would you believe me?"
Horikita-san actually only had a partial understanding of that matter.
She usually had no friends, living a simple life of two points and a line.
No one ever shared gossip with her.
Besides, what did another class collapsing have to do with her?
So Horikita-san wasn't too clear about what exactly happened.
However, judging by Kushida-san's reaction.
It seemed to have a significant connection to Kushida-san.
"Stop lying, you must know."
Kushida-san's eyes were full of anger.
"If you say that, I can't refute it. How can I prove that I don't know?"
Horikita-san calmly met Kushida-san's furious gaze.
"Then I'll assume you know."
Kushida-san's tone also became gloomy.
The expression on her face no longer concealed her disgust for Horikita-san.
"You can assume what you like, but I'm very curious, what exactly happened to make you like this, Kushida-san? Do you really want to erase everything from the past? That's impossible, you know."
Horikita-san's words deeply stung Kushida-san's heart.
"Whether it's possible or not is not for you to decide."
Facing Kushida-san's unyielding attitude.
Horikita-san held her forehead, feeling a headache.
"It seems there's no way we can have a proper conversation."
However, Horikita finally understood the real reason Kushida hated her.
In a way, she had gained something.
"I am a bit curious, how do you plan to erase everything from the past?"
Horikita probably already knew what Kushida wanted to do.
But she still wanted to hear her true intentions.
"That's none of Horikita-san's business."
"You approached Amane-san with ulterior motives, didn't you?"
Horikita wasn't afraid of Kushida retaliating against her or doing anything to her.
But if Kushida deliberately approached Amane-san just to target her, then that was something she couldn't easily forgive.
Taking advantage of Amane-san's desire to make more friends, and then using Amane-san just to get close to Horikita to find out if she was an insider... such a method touched her bottom line.
"Huh? Horikita-san, aren't you thinking too highly of yourself? Amane-san and I are indeed friends, but with your obnoxious presence, it's truly sickening. Moreover, since you know something, don't blame me for doing something."
Kushida spoke in a chilling voice.
The strong emotion of disgust in her voice surprised Horikita.
What exactly happened in the past to make Kushida so desperate to hide her past?
"What do you plan to do? Harm Amane-san?"
Horikita stood up.
She just slightly closed the distance between herself and Kushida.
Kushida recoiled several steps in fear.
Only after putting distance between herself and Horikita did the expression on her face soften slightly.
"I wouldn't be so stupid as to do something that would leave a handle. I heard that your relationship with Amane-san hasn't been very good recently?"
Kushida asked in a teasing tone.
In reality, she already knew everything in her heart.
The friendship between Amane-san and Horikita had already developed cracks.
Although it still looked like they were connected by a thread.
But with just a little force, the fragile thread of friendship between Amane-san and Horikita could be broken.
"That's none of your concern."
Although Horikita's expression showed no concern, she felt a little anxious inside.
She knew better than anyone that if things dragged on any longer, she might really never hear Amane-san call her Suzune like today again.
"Then I'll play a game with Horikita-san. I'm going to completely take Amane-san away from you. Don't you always like to put on a snobby face and act aloof? Then I'll snatch away your only friend, so Horikita-san, you can slowly experience a lonely and solitary school life."
Kushida's words made Horikita waver a little.
"I'm afraid you're overthinking it, Kushida. Amane-san isn't someone who would abandon a friend."
"Amane-san wouldn't, but that doesn't mean you wouldn't. I guess the reason your relationship turned out this way is because of you, Horikita Suzune, right? Since you yourself ruined your relationship, then don't blame me… hehe."
Kushida's words made Horikita feel an unprecedented sense of pressure.
She didn't even know whose weight was greater in Amane-san's heart, hers or Kushida's.
"What you do is your business. I don't mind talking to Amane-san about some rumors I've heard about certain people."
Under duress, Horikita could only resort to a rather shameless tactic.
Using mere rumors as her trump card.
Telling Amane-san about Kushida's unsavory past.
It was like telling on someone to the teacher.
Amane-san might keep her distance from Kushida.
But for Horikita, it wouldn't necessarily improve Amane-san's attitude towards her.
It might even backfire, causing Amane-san to keep her distance from Horikita to avoid having her own secrets revealed.
"You really are something, Horikita Suzune. Weren't you this kind of person too? Since you've declared war, how about we see who's faster? Whether you break my friendship with Amane-san faster, or I pull Amane-san away from you faster."
Kushida challenged Horikita Suzune to a duel.
Meanwhile, Amane-san, who had been squatting by the door for a long time, had no idea that she had already been placed on the gambling table.