"There's no need to be nervous. Have some tea first."
Sakayanagi, the chairman, gestured toward the cup of black tea that had already been prepared on the table, his face adorned with a gentle smile.
"Ah, thank you."
Hikigaya accepted the offer without hesitation, lifting the cup and taking a small sip.
It must have been brewed in advance, as the temperature was just right—not too hot, not too cold—making it easy to drink, even for someone with a cat tongue.
And… this aroma—it was oddly nostalgic.
What he hadn't expected was to be having tea in an office like this, and with none other than the chairman himself. Well, rather than calling it "enjoying tea time," enduring it might be a more accurate description.
That said, he couldn't deny that thanks to this cup of tea, his initially tense body had begun to relax.
At the same time, he realized how he should steer the conversation.
However, the man across from him seemed unwilling to let him take control so easily.
"Hikigaya-kun, how's your hand? What did the doctor say?"
Noticing that Hikigaya was still holding the cup with his left hand, Sakayanagi's expression showed a hint of concern.
"Thank you for asking. The doctor said it should fully recover in about a month."
"That's good to hear. If you need anything, don't hesitate to come to me."
Sakayanagi let out a small sigh of relief, his gentle smile returning.
"Once again, I must apologize. My daughter, Arisu, has caused you considerable trouble—not only making daily life inconvenient but also preventing you from fully enjoying the sports festival. I'm truly sorry."
"It's really not a big deal. You're being too formal."
To be honest, Hikigaya couldn't care less about the sports festival.
If anything, watching his classmates give their all while he got to slack off felt pretty great.
"That said, Arisu couldn't participate either," the chairman added, his voice tinged with a hint of bitterness. "Back in elementary and middle school, I always made time to attend her sports festivals. She would greet me with a bright smile every time, but… occasionally, I'd catch her looking at her classmates on the field with a tinge of loneliness and envy. Every time I recall that, I can't help but feel a deep sense of guilt."
"Uh…"
Hikigaya wasn't sure how to respond. Perhaps the best course of action was to simply listen.
Still, it was hard to imagine Sakayanagi showing envy toward others.
Then again, it wasn't entirely impossible—after all, who wouldn't wish for a healthy body?
Maybe the reason she carried herself with such dominance wasn't just her personality but also an effort to mask her vulnerabilities.
…Wait a second.
Why had the topic shifted to Sakayanagi?
Hikigaya suddenly realized that from the very beginning, the conversation had been completely under the chairman's control, following his pace.
This was bad.
"Excuse me, Chairman Sakayanagi, may I ask something?"
It was impolite to interrupt like this, but he had no choice.
"Did you call me here just to talk about this?"
The underlying message was clear: Let's not waste any more time.
Sakayanagi blinked in surprise before offering a wry smile.
"Fair enough. Let's get to the main topic… You've probably already guessed why I called you here."
As he spoke, he stood up, retrieved a piece of paper from his desk, and placed it in front of Hikigaya.
The handwriting was familiar—it was the brief report he had submitted to Chabashira-sensei.
"Is there an issue with it?" Hikigaya asked calmly. "Does the school think I'm making baseless accusations or stirring up trouble? Are you planning to give me a warning or maybe even a formal punishment?"
At those words, Sakayanagi visibly tensed.
At that moment, he understood—this wasn't going to be a simple matter.
"No, you misunderstand. The school takes this matter very seriously and has already launched an investigation. As a result…"
He hesitated, as if unsure how to proceed.
"In short, your claims were largely accurate. We've traced the anonymous account back to a student named Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. I assume that name isn't unfamiliar to you?"
"Yes, he's in my class," Hikigaya confirmed.
Sakayanagi nodded and continued, "Additionally, the victim in this case, a girl named Karuizawa Kei, is also in Class D. So I was wondering if—"
"Excuse me, but could I say something first?" Hikigaya suddenly interrupted.
"Ah, of course."
"Unless I've misunderstood, it sounds like you've already concluded that Ayanokoji is the perpetrator. Isn't that a bit premature?"
Hikigaya's composed tone carried a sharp edge, catching the chairman off guard.
"Of course, I understand that the SIM cards issued by the school are linked to each student. But that alone doesn't prove Ayanokoji is the culprit, does it? What if a third party took his phone and used it without his knowledge? He may be innocent."
"That's…"
"That's why I request the school to conduct a thorough investigation. We absolutely cannot punish an innocent person."
At first glance, it seemed as if Hikigaya was defending Ayanokoji.
But in reality, he had just completely cut off any escape routes.
If the school carried out a full-scale investigation, could there be a mistake?
What a joke.
If Ayanokoji could be so easily framed, he wouldn't deserve the title of "masterpiece" in the first place.
Even if, by some miracle, he truly was being set up, then that only meant an even more cunning mastermind was hiding in the shadows. And exposing them would be a good outcome too.
Because Hikigaya's real target wasn't Ayanokoji.
It was those who had no sense of decency.
"Ugh…"
This time, Sakayanagi fell into a long silence.
He probably wanted to cover for Ayanokoji but had no idea how to counter Hikigaya's move.
If it were any other adult, they might have tried to use their authority as chairman to suppress the matter, demanding that Hikigaya stop probing further.
After all, from their perspective, he was just a student—easily manipulated, easily silenced.
Of course, if things had escalated to that point, Hikigaya was prepared to make sure no one walked away happy.
Plan C had been created for precisely this kind of situation.
In short, he was ready to blow this case wide open, ensuring everyone knew about it and using public pressure to force the school into giving a proper response.
That said, Hikigaya had no intention of actually resorting to that. It wasn't necessary.
As long as he made his position clear, Sakayanagi would naturally weigh the pros and cons.
That was why such tactics had a chance of success at ANHS Academy.
In a regular school, expelling a student was often just a matter of a single decision.
But this was a government-run institution.
Even the chairman couldn't dictate everything on his own.
As proven by what happened next.
"…I sincerely apologize, Hikigaya-kun."
Sakayanagi suddenly bowed his head deeply.
"What…?"
Hikigaya was utterly stunned.
If the chairman had been apologizing for his daughter, that would have been understandable.
But what did Ayanokoji have to do with him?
Was there a need to go this far?
Could it be…
An illegitimate son?!
That was the only possibility Hikigaya could think of.
"I know this is confusing for you," Sakayanagi said with a wry smile. "But please, don't worry. I'll explain everything properly. Before that, though, let me ask you—what kind of person do you think Ayanokoji-kun is?"
"...Terrifying."
Though he wasn't entirely sure of the chairman's intent, Hikigaya answered honestly.
"Terrifying, huh…? I suppose I can't deny that."
Sakayanagi's response showed no surprise, only a sense of quiet acceptance.
"What you just said is actually correct. Under normal circumstances, we shouldn't hastily conclude that Ayanokoji is the culprit. But the moment I saw the results of the investigation, I knew. Unless something truly unexpected happened, it had to be him. That child was raised in an environment devoid of love from the very beginning. It's hardly surprising that he would commit something this extreme."
From these words, it was clear that he had a deep understanding of Ayanokoji's nature.
"However, I don't believe the blame lies solely with Ayanokoji."
Sakayanagi looked Hikigaya straight in the eyes, his expression serious.
"I've always believed that a child's personality is shaped primarily by their surroundings. And the place where Ayanokoji grew up… 'harsh' wouldn't even begin to describe it. It was disturbingly twisted. That's why, when the opportunity arose, I specifically admitted him to this school. I wanted to give him a chance to change."
Even though he had omitted certain key details, Hikigaya understood perfectly.
So, this chairman… really was a kind person.
"I can understand your sympathy for Ayanokoji," Hikigaya said, choosing his words carefully. "But isn't this unfair to the other students? Do you remember our first conversation? Back then, you assumed I was questioning why Sakayanagi was placed in Class A. But what I actually wanted to ask was why Ayanokoji was given special admission."
"Wait… Are you saying—"
Sakayanagi's expression shifted as realization dawned.
Hikigaya ignored his surprise and continued, "It's true that Ayanokoji's circumstances are unfortunate. But you took a risk enrolling him here, gave him a chance to change. That should have been enough, shouldn't it? Now, he's the one who wasted that opportunity by violating the rules so severely. If he gets expelled, it's his own fault. If you try to cover for him now, that would be crossing the line."
"You're right. But even so…"
"Besides, isn't Ayanokoji a ticking time bomb?" Hikigaya bluntly cut him off. "Even for someone of your status, dealing with him must be stressful. After all… his father, right?"
He didn't spell it out, but he knew the chairman would understand.
Yet, Sakayanagi seemed to misunderstand something entirely.
"Hikigaya… Don't tell me you were also invited to visit the White Room?"
"…Hmh?"
"So that's how it is," Sakayanagi muttered to himself. "No wonder you know so much."
Had he just arbitrarily decided that Hikigaya was some kind of prodigy too?
No way in hell.
He had nothing in common with a so-called "masterpiece".
…And was "White Room" the actual name of that secret facility? What a lousy name.
"Think whatever you want."
Hikigaya sighed, not bothering to correct him.
"But either way, you're well aware of the risks involved."
"Of course. Even for me, handling this situation is no easy task." Sakayanagi chuckled bitterly. "To be honest… Just thinking about that instructor's methods makes my skin crawl. But even if I weren't here, Ayanokoji wouldn't be expelled so easily. That's why I intend to hold my ground."
"…What?"
Hikigaya's eyes widened in shock.
According to Haruno-san, Sakayanagi had no real defenses against Ayanokoji's father.
But in truth, he knew everything. He had simply chosen to shoulder the burden alone.
This kind of person… He didn't know what to say.
"Hikigaya, forgive me for being selfish."
Suddenly, Sakayanagi stood up and, without hesitation, bowed deeply.
"I know what I'm asking is unreasonable. But could you also give Ayanokoji a chance? Please."
"…And what if something like this happens again?" Hikigaya's voice was bitter.
"If it does, I will take full responsibility. I promise that I will formally resign."
It wasn't an empty declaration. If it were, he wouldn't have risked everything for Ayanokoji in the first place.
"Now, I'd like to say something a bit unusual."
Sakayanagi looked at Hikigaya with an unreadable expression—almost as if he were seeing a reflection of himself from twenty years ago.
"Perhaps this is just my self-indulgence… But ever since I first met you, I've felt that we are alike. So even if you don't agree with my methods, I believe you at least understand me."
"…!"
Hikigaya opened his mouth several times, but no words came out.
Until now, he had only heard about Ayanokoji's past from others. Sakayanagi, however, had witnessed it firsthand.
If their positions were reversed, could he guarantee that he wouldn't feel sympathy for Ayanokoji as well?
Though he hated to admit it, this time… he had lost.
Plan C wasn't just a threat to Ayanokoji—it would also expose Karuizawa's past bullying. Hikigaya would never let that happen. At most, he had only intended to use it as leverage.
But now that Sakayanagi had seen right through him, Plan C was nothing more than a dud—completely useless as a bargaining chip.
That realization left an unbearable discomfort in him.
An inexplicable anger surged within him, yet there was nowhere to vent it.
Taking a deep breath, he forced it down.
"…I understand." His voice was stiff. "Is there anything else?"
"…I'm sorry for putting you in this position."
"If not, then I'll be leaving."
With those final words, Hikigaya could no longer contain his frustration. He turned on his heel and walked out the door without looking back.
Behind him, Sakayanagi remained silent, staring at the now-empty doorway, his expression filled with quiet regret.