Hikigaya didn't raise his voice, but everyone in the room heard him loud and clear. Their reactions varied.
There was no doubt Horikita had made a big mistake this time.
But comparing her to Sudou? That was a stretch.
Horikita's fox-like eyes were practically shooting fire, but even so, she said nothing.
She clenched her teeth, looking like she wanted to snap back but was forcing herself to hold it in.
"Frustrated? Good."
Hikigaya ignored her glare completely.
"Because this won't be the first time. And it definitely won't be the last."
With that, he turned away from her and walked toward the security cameras in the hallway and near the stairs, taking out his phone to record and take pictures.
"Evidence collection is complete. Now, for the next steps—everyone here will come with me to the student council room. The president has been waiting."
Without another word, he turned and left.
The others exchanged glances before following.
Horikita and Ayanokouji remained silent on the way there, while Hirata and Ichinose looked worried.
Ishizaki, on the other hand, looked strangely excited—almost as if he already knew what was coming next.
Before long, they arrived at the student council room.
Originally, today's meeting was supposed to be about the final decision on Sudou's fight.
But now, that issue would have to wait.
There was something far more serious that needed to be dealt with first—
Class D's illegal installation of surveillance cameras on campus.
The review meeting was once again led by Horikita Manabu and Tachibana Akane. Compared to the previous fight incident, this violation was clearly more serious, making the atmosphere even heavier and more tense than before.
From the moment she entered the room, Horikita kept her head down, as if she didn't dare meet her brother's eyes.
Hikigaya handed over the video recording and phone to Horikita Manabu and then recounted the entire incident in detail. Throughout the explanation, Horikita Manabu's face remained emotionless, showing no change at all.
His gaze shifted to the students from Class C, then he listened to Ishizaki and the others give their statements. Their account was mostly the same as what Hikigaya had said—that Class D had secretly set up a surveillance camera to pressure Class C into withdrawing their complaint about Sudou's fight. Ishizaki, however, insisted that he hadn't fallen for it and accused Class D of fabricating lies to trick him.
Before Ishizaki could say more, Horikita Manabu raised a hand to cut him off. With no other choice, Ishizaki fell silent.
Then Horikita Manabu turned to Ichinose and asked a few questions before stating, "So, Ichinose, you didn't know beforehand that the surveillance camera in the hallway was fake. You mistakenly thought it had recorded the fight between Class D and Class C last week, which is why you chose to help Class D. Is that correct?"
Ichinose looked troubled and instinctively glanced at Hikigaya, only to meet his cold gaze. His earlier scolding seemed to echo in her ears.
Beside her, Haruno gently touched her hand and whispered, "Ichinose, think about your classmates. And don't let Horikita's efforts go to waste."
After a moment of struggle, Ichinose finally nodded.
"So, you're saying Class B was also deceived and is actually a victim in this situation?"
Horikita Manabu confirmed again.
"Yes... that's right."
Saying those words seemed to drain all of Ichinose's strength.
A brief silence fell over the room, and everyone's eyes naturally turned to the person at the center of it all—Horikita Suzune.
Setting up an unauthorized surveillance camera was a serious violation, and the one responsible was standing right there—Horikita Suzune from Class D.
Feeling all eyes on her, Horikita took a deep breath and glanced at Hikigaya before speaking with firm resolve.
"I planned and carried out everything on my own. It has nothing to do with anyone else."
Ichinose turned her head away, unable to watch. Kushida frowned, looking irritated. Ishizaki, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying the show. And behind them all, Ayanokouji watched the scene unfold with an unreadable expression.
Horikita had taken all the blame upon herself. It was both expected and surprising—expected because it aligned with her personality, but surprising because few would have the resolve to bear such a burden alone.
Taking full responsibility would at least keep others out of it and minimize the damage.
But carrying such a burden alone... how many people could actually do that?
It was like the scandals often exposed in the news—big companies always found someone to take the fall for the sake of the bigger picture. Interns, temporary workers... it happened all the time.
And now, Horikita had chosen to be that scapegoat. This was her way of holding onto her pride and dignity.
As soon as she admitted guilt, several people in the room let out quiet sighs. They understood—Horikita was sacrificing herself to protect her classmates and her class.
Despite her determination, she couldn't help but steal a glance at her brother. She had expected to see disappointment or anger on his face.
But... nothing.
Not even a flicker of emotion.
It was as if she were a stranger, someone completely irrelevant to him.
Horikita felt a sharp pain in her chest, like something had slammed into her. The intensity of it left her dizzy.
Why?
Even anger or disappointment would be fine. Anything would be better than this complete lack of reaction.
Just then, Horikita Manabu shifted his gaze toward someone.
"Hikigaya, what do you think about this?"
With Horikita Manabu bringing him into the conversation, all eyes turned to Hikigaya.
He looked at Horikita for a long moment before finally speaking.
"Student Council President, I think something doesn't add up."
"Oh?"
"Is this really just Horikita's mistake alone?"
The room fell silent.
"I think she's taking the blame to cover for the real mastermind."
Hikigaya's voice wasn't loud, but his words hit like a thunderclap. Everyone's eyes widened in shock.
Especially...
"Hikigaya! What are you saying?! I already told you—I planned and carried out everything myself! No one else was involved!"
Horikita suddenly stood up, staring at Hikigaya in disbelief before quickly speaking.
Ichinose, Kushida, Ishizaki, and the others all looked confused, unsure of what Hikigaya was trying to do. Even Ayanokouji frowned slightly, sensing something was off. Only Haruno seemed to realize something, a smirk forming on her lips.
"Horikita, I think you're misunderstanding something."
Hikigaya's face remained expressionless as he spoke. "This was never just about you taking responsibility and ending the problem. It was never something that could be solved just by you admitting guilt. The decision of what's true and who's responsible has always been in the hands of the student council."
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