Chapter 351: Horikita Manabu: Suzune is No Longer the Same
After finishing the deliveries for the second-year targets, Hachiman arrived at the faculty office.
"My, my~ Hikigaya-kun, have you finally lost your patience and decided to make a move on Sae-chan?"
Hoshinomiya Chie seemed to be paying quite close attention to his whereabouts, intercepting him right at the office door.
"Ah, yes."
Hachiman gave a dead-fish-eye stare. He was well aware of her black-bellied personality and knew he absolutely could not let her lead him by the nose. In his view, Hoshinomiya Chie was practically a grown-up version of Kushida Kikyo, while Chabashira Sae was the adult version of Horikita Suzune—the two shared a classic "frenemy" relationship.
"Oh ho? As expected of the Great Demon King, such a bold style is truly unscrupulous."
Hoshinomiya narrowed her eyes and took a step closer, leaning forward to reveal a fair, snowy cleavage. The scent of perfume characteristic of a mature woman drifted toward him, enough to make one's heart waver.
Her voice carried a syrupy charm: "Hey~ Hikigaya-kun, since you're interested in Senseis, why don't you consider me?"
It was a tease full of malice. Yet, within Hoshinomiya's playful tone, there seemed to be a few grains of sincerity mixed in.
"Hoshinomiya-sensei should really watch her language as an educator."
Hachiman's face remained unmoved.
"Pupu~ Is Hikigaya-kun lecturing me?
Even though you're such a man of action yourself~"
Hoshinomiya spoke with implication, using her fingertip to trace a small circle on his chest. An average pure-hearted young boy would likely be unable to withstand the "Big Sister's" playfulness. But Hachiman was different; while he couldn't say his heart was like a still pond, he could at least keep his "gun" under control.
"I'm sorry, Hoshinomiya-sensei, I don't understand what you're talking about."
Unexpectedly, her next sentence nearly made him crack.
"My dear Honami-chan... was she delicious?"
"..."
Hachiman's eyes flickered, his brain CPU running at high speed as he frantically tried to cook up an excuse to smooth things over.
"No need to quibble. That girl's youthful aura has already transformed into the scent of a young wife~"
Hoshinomiya spoke with absolute certainty.
"Ahem~"
Hachiman looked awkward, forcing himself to stay calm as he replied: "Ac-according to Japanese law, high schoolers have reached the age where they can marry..."
"No way~ Marriage is the grave of love."
Hoshinomiya raised a finger in a dismissive gesture and continued: "Besides, with Hikigaya-kun's 'Tyrannosaurus' constitution, I'm afraid Honami-chan alone won't be enough to satisfy you, right?"
'Damn it!'
Had the hot spring competition from the mixed training camp already spread that far? Hachiman felt incredibly frustrated.
"It's okay~ Hikigaya-kun.
Sensei understands your predicament of insatiable desire very well."
Hoshinomiya's eyes were like silk, and her words became increasingly outrageous: "It just so happens that the 'star friends' on my side aren't very capable, leaving me with no interest at all.
I'm currently in a state of extreme thirst~"
Her finger slowly slid down from his chest, attempting to seize the "foundation."
Hachiman took a step back, subtly avoiding her "Eternal Grasp." "Hoshinomiya-sensei, I think you're still hungover from last night and your brain is muddled."
"Yes, Sensei's head is filled with nothing but sticky thoughts now~"
Hoshinomiya showed no restraint, continuing with wolfish words: "Although my 'heart' is a tiny bit smaller than Honami-chan's, my technique and experience are countless times better than hers~
Hikigaya-kun, why don't you reconsider?"
Facing the woman's blatant and crude harassment, Hachiman maintained his reason and resistance: "Sorry, this has nothing to do with technique or experience. I just don't want to be used by you, Hoshinomiya-sensei."
Hachiman knew perfectly well why she was tempting him. It was nothing more than using his power to help Class B rise, while simultaneously pinning Chabashira Sae down in Class D!
Having her goal exposed, Hoshinomiya stopped pretending and said straightforwardly: "With Hikigaya-kun's strength, it should be easy to achieve. It's just a small favor, and in exchange, you get to enjoy a glamorous female Sensei. What's so bad about that?"
"Hoshinomiya-sensei, I suggest you stop wasting your efforts on me.
I've already gotten used to a 'lying flat' lifestyle."
Hachiman refused firmly, while simultaneously thinking of shifting the trouble elsewhere: "Speaking of which, isn't there another candidate in Class D?
That guy is powerful and in great physical shape. He's very suitable to be Sensei's 'star partner'."
Hoshinomiya's lip twitched: "That's a mean thing to say... though that Ayanokouji kid is indeed an interesting fellow.
But a prey targeted by the Acting Chairman feels very dangerous.
One slip-up and I might lose my iron rice bowl of a teaching job."
Regarding Tsukishiro's targeting of Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, the faculty weren't fools, even if they didn't know the specific reasons.
"If you lose your job, you lose it.
At worst, just cling to him and have a child.
Wouldn't it be wonderful to be the wealthy wife of a prominent family?"
Hachiman continued his persuasive guidance.
"Tsk tsk~"
Hoshinomiya couldn't help but click her tongue: "Hikigaya-kun is truly a bad boy, actually trying to instigate a Sensei to do such immoral things."
'Before discussing morality, you have to have some first.'
"Hoshinomiya, what are you doing pestering a student from my class again?"
A familiar, cold voice from behind interrupted their conversation.
Hoshinomiya spoke as soon as she opened her mouth: "How hateful~ It was clearly your bad student who was trying to seduce his Sensei."
Hachiman's face darkened: "Hoshinomiya-sensei, please don't lie in front of the person involved."
"Enough! Don't I know exactly what kind of person you are?"
Chabashira Sae interrupted her "best friend's" performance and turned to look at him: "Hikigaya, you came looking for me, right? Come into my office to talk."
"Eee~ Sae-chan is so bold~~"
Ignoring Hoshinomiya's teasing remarks, Hachiman entered Chabashira's office and locked the door behind him.
Chabashira seemed startled by his action; her eyelid flickered as she said with interest: "You... surely you don't actually have improper intentions toward your Sensei like Hoshinomiya said, do you?"
"Ambiguous talk should be avoided by 'Virgin Sensei' Chabashira-sensei."
Hachiman's single sentence silenced the other party.
"You brat...!!"
Poked in her sore spot, Chabashira was filled with resentment but had no way to deal with him.
"Alright, business first."
Hachiman pulled the remaining four gift bags from his backpack: "How many points will it cost to send these out?"
"White Day returns?"
Chabashira counted on her fingers: "Hikigaya's sister, the second Miss Yukinoshita, and what was the pink-haired one's name again?
Wait, this extra one... could it be for Shizuka?"
Hachiman looked speechless: "What are you saying? Sending this to Hiratsuka-sensei would only trouble her, wouldn't it?"
Chabashira nodded thoughtfully: "True, that woman is quite simple-minded. If she took it seriously, it would be hard to wrap things up."
Hachiman's lip twitched: "Chabashira-sensei really knows Hiratsuka-sensei well."
'After all, they are old—'
Chabashira seemed to sense something, her gaze suddenly becoming sharp: "What rude thing are you thinking!!"
"Sorry. This extra one is used to bribe you, Chabashira-sensei."
Hachiman spoke the truth.
Chabashira was stunned at first, then laughed out of anger: "You think a mere bag of handmade cookies can buy me off?"
"How about 2 million?"
Hachiman opened with a bombshell.
"..."
Chabashira froze.
"1 million is to buy the permissions from the S-system.
The remaining 1 million will be your private commission, Sensei."
In principle, Advanced Nurturing High School prohibits students from sending or receiving items from the outside world. However, as per the S-system rules, there is nothing in this school that points cannot buy.
"You really are loaded."
Chabashira looked helpless.
The student benefits for A, B, C, and D are strictly hierarchical, and the same goes for the homeroom Senseis' salaries. As the Sensei for the worst class, D, Chabashira's monthly salary was only 300,000+. Although her family didn't lack money, she could only spend personal points within the school. Hachiman offering three months' worth of salary in one go made it very difficult to say no.
"I already purchased the sending permissions previously."
Chabashira said calmly: "Now, each use only requires a payment of 500,000 points."
"Don't be modest, the rest is a thank-you to you, Sensei."
Hachiman knew well that without her help, he wouldn't have received gifts from his sister and friends. He remembered this favor.
"In that case, fine."
Chabashira stopped being polite: "I accept."
"Thank you for your help, Sensei."
Hachiman bowed respectfully to her.
"Drop the act...
You're in such a hurry to pay me back just to prevent me from asking you for favors later."
Chabashira saw through his true intentions and said irritably: "You're clearly just a brat, so why do you act like a hardened old veteran?"
"Thank you for the compliment."
Hachiman looked proud.
Chabashira waved him away with a look of disgust: "If there's nothing else, get lost!"
Watching Hachiman leave the office, Chabashira picked up one of the gift bags from the desk. After opening it, she took out a cookie: "These are actually made quite decently... no wonder his dream is to be a full-time house husband."
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"White Day is finally over."
Feeling his backpack significantly lighter, Hachiman exhaled a long sigh. There were no classes during the end-of-term period, so students were free to move about. Hachiman originally planned to head back to the dorm and lie down, but he received an unexpected message on his phone.
[Horikita Manabu: Hikigaya, come to the Martial Arts Club.]
"Is he planning to have a fight before he leaves?"
It was graduation season, and the third-year Manabu Horikita was about to leave the school.
Incidentally, Third-year Class A had successfully defended their position and won the final special exam. There was never any suspense about that. Under Manabu's leadership, Class A had remained stable for three years.
Only the mixed training camp at the start of this semester, where Miyabi Nagumo sabotaged Tachibana Akane, had posed a slight threat. However, due to Hachiman's intervention, Class A avoided the crisis. They passed the subsequent two special exams smoothly without incident.
At the Martial Arts Club.
Manabu Horikita had already changed into training gear and was sparring/warming up with other club members.
"You're here."
Manabu signaled for the others to leave.
"Hikigaya, I heard that your declaration upon joining the Martial Arts Club was that you wanted to defeat me."
'Why is this guy bringing up old accounts right off the bat?'
Hachiman denied it immediately: "When did that ever happen?"
"No need for words."
Manabu reached up to adjust his glasses, his gaze exceptionally sharp: "I also want to have a proper match with you."
Knowing he couldn't refuse, Hachiman had to change into training gear: "Uh, Horikita-senpai, let's keep it as a spar. Friendship first, okay?"
"Fine."
Manabu nodded, and then immediately opened with a heavy, powerful straight punch!
Bang!
Hachiman raised his arm to block. His body was jolted back several steps, and his expression changed instantly.
"Wait!? This isn't 'sparring' strength, is it...?"
Manabu didn't say a word; the power of his punches only grew heavier.
"Hah!"
A high roundhouse kick swept toward Hachiman's head! If this hit landed, it would be no joke!
Hachiman was so startled he scrambled backward: "Whoa, hold on, brother!?"
Bang!
Manabu suddenly lunged forward, grabbing Hachiman around the waist in a tackle, attempting to lift his entire body for a brutal slam!
"Horikita-senpai, are you trying to kill me?"
In shock, Hachiman quickly dropped his knees to stabilize his lower half and immediately reached out to press down on Manabu's shoulders. The two were locked in a stalemate of strength.
"I do indeed harbor murderous intent toward you."
Manabu's voice was cold: "As for the reason, I think you know perfectly well."
"..."
A flicker of guilt flashed across Hachiman's face. Could it be that his "practical combat" with Suzune had already been discovered?
"This sort of thing can be seen at a glance."
Within Manabu's steady voice was a mix of indescribable complexity: "Suzune... she is no longer the same."
Hachiman didn't dare respond directly and could only speak from the side: "I remember Horikita-senpai saying before that you truly hoped your sister could find a good man..."
"That may be true, but I didn't expect you to make your move so fast!"
Manabu stared at him with stern eyes: "Hikigaya, I originally thought that with your twisted personality, your love life would definitely not go smoothly. Plus, with other girls around you, I thought the emotional tug-of-war would drag on for at least two or three years."
Under normal circumstances, that would indeed have been the case. But the dreams he had every night had changed him, and changed them as well.
"Accept your fate, Hikigaya!"
Manabu's eyes were bloodshot: "This is the Iron Fist of Judgment from an older brother!!"
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