After wrapping up the first-years' mess, Yukio returned to his dorm.
What he didn't expect was that Horikita was waiting right outside his door.
This hallway was nothing but single rooms for Yukio's class boys. At first, they were confused—what was Second-year Class D's Horikita doing here, waiting for their boss?
Then came the teasing mood. They figured their big bro must have ridiculous charm if Horikita was standing here late at night for him… but once they saw her ice-cold face, even they started doubting that interpretation.
With that expression, it looked less like she was waiting for a man and more like she had business.
After watching for a while and realizing Horikita wasn't going to acknowledge them anyway, they gradually lost interest.
The surprise in Yukio's eyes faded. He opened the door casually.
"Something up?"
"Yes." Horikita nodded coolly and stepped inside. "I wanted to thank you. If it weren't for you tonight, Matsushita and I might've actually been in danger. And… I want to ask about what happened."
Yukio understood immediately.
Housen and Nanase's behavior had been too strange. It must've raised Horikita's suspicions—she came to thank him, and to get answers.
But just because Horikita asked… did that mean he had to answer directly?
That'd be boring.
Maybe it was because he'd just parted ways with that little devil Amasawa and got infected with her mischievous energy. Maybe it was simply his nature.
Either way, he didn't answer right away. Instead, he pointed toward the closet.
"I'm kinda sleepy, though. If you go change into that knight outfit, maybe I'll perk up enough to talk."
"…?"
Horikita's frosty expression actually cracked.
She looked completely blank, like she couldn't decide whether her ears were malfunctioning, or Yukio's mouth was.
The moment she remembered that knight cosplay, embarrassment bubbled up in her chest without permission.
That outfit was way too shameless. No matter what, she wasn't wearing it.
"Haah~" Yukio seemed to read her unwillingness. He put on an exaggerated, long yawn. "Sleepy, sleepy. If there's nothing else, Horikita, you should go back. I'm gonna rest."
On the surface, he looked exhausted, ready to pass out.
Inside, though, he was like an old hunter waiting for prey to stumble into the trap—full of anticipation.
That's the point. You have to not want to do it.
Seeing a cold, icy girl like Horikita force down her shame and change into a knight cosplay… that "trying to stay cold while barely holding it together" expression was exactly what made it fun.
"You—!" Horikita's face—no longer cold—flushed a suspicious shade of red, showing a completely different kind of girlishness than usual.
How could he be like this?!
If she'd known—if she'd known this guy was still this nasty, then back at the school gate last time she never would've draped her own coat over him too. She should've let him catch a cold and suffer for it!
While viciously thinking that, Horikita also desperately wanted to know what had happened tonight.
Why did Housen go as far as pulling a knife? What did Nanase mean by "don't hurt the innocent"? Who was innocent and who wasn't? And why was Yukio able to arrive in time?
Those questions were stuck in her head like thorns. If she didn't get answers, she knew she wouldn't sleep a wink tonight.
Her heart was at war—shame versus curiosity—and neither side could win cleanly…
Until Yukio tossed in another line.
"Honestly, I kinda want to see you cosplay the knight again."
He wants to see it…? What's so interesting about a knight outfit? Seriously… But… if I just put it on for him, wouldn't that be fastest?
Her curiosity—who knew where it even got the extra push from—suddenly surged and crushed her embarrassment.
She didn't say a word out loud, keeping her face cold… but her body had already walked to the closet.
This time, she didn't even tell Yukio to leave. She just went straight into the bathroom and changed like she'd done it before.
A moment later, Horikita stormed out—now wearing a gorgeous white knight outfit—looking furious.
In her hand was a pair of black plastic handcuffs.
"W-What is this?! Last time there wasn't this!"
"Didn't I tell you back at the school gate?" Yukio lounged there at ease, eyes full of teasing amusement. "A captured lady knight has to wear handcuffs. Otherwise, what kind of prisoner is that?"
"Y-You—!" Horikita grit her teeth, suddenly hit by a powerful urge to just bite him.
Seeing her little expression made Yukio feel downright delighted.
"Put them on already. It's the last step. If you don't, everything you endured up to now will be wasted."
"!"
That was what Horikita couldn't accept the most.
She'd already forced herself to wear the knight outfit. If she stopped here and didn't put the cuffs on, then all that suffering would've been for nothing.
She couldn't stand that.
So Horikita glared at him—angry and resentful—then, with a face full of humiliation, snapped the two plastic cuffs onto her wrists.
Now she looked completely like Yukio's personal little captive.
The moment her hands were restrained—by something usually meant for prisoners or criminals—an overwhelming embarrassment rose in her chest for no reason at all.
Her cheeks felt so hot they were about to ignite.
"N-Now talk! You can talk now, right?!"
Horikita tried to lower her head as much as possible, desperately hiding her face so Yukio wouldn't see how flustered she was.
Yukio was genuinely wide awake now. Not sleepy at all.
"It's nothing complicated. Acting Chairman Tsukishiro gave a small 'test' to a handful of first-years."
"If they can get Ayanokoji expelled, the first-years get rewarded with twenty million private points."
"…W-What?"
Even Horikita couldn't stay calm hearing that. She stared, utterly incredulous.
The acting chairman targeting a second-year student? Having first-years plan his expulsion, then rewarding them after—with twenty million?
With twenty million, you could transfer to Class A whenever you wanted. Even if you didn't, you could at least erase a one-time expulsion penalty!
Knowing exactly what twenty million private points meant, Horikita's eyes even showed the faintest flicker of temptation.
If expelling just one Ayanokoji got you twenty million…
Then at the very least, she could make him recognize her ability, right? Catch up to him, right? Catch up first—and someday, surpass him.
"Pff—" Yukio almost laughed out loud.
No way. Horikita, you actually got tempted?
"Don't even think about it. It's only for first-years."
Horikita blinked, disappointed, then immediately realized something else.
"Huh? Then why is Chairman Tsukishiro targeting Ayanokoji?"
Yukio kept the White Room part hidden. If it came to it, he could dump everything on Tsukishiro anyway.
"No reason. He just drew lots. Ayanokoji got unlucky and got picked as the target. Tsukishiro's just training the first-years—he's not randomly expelling students for no reason."
"I see."
"Oh, right." Yukio added casually. "I forgot to mention—these cuffs don't seem to have a key to unlock them."
"??? W-Why didn't you say that earlier?!"
"Haha. Slipped my mind."
"I-I-I'M GOING TO KILL YOUUU!!"