In the end, Hikigaya still accepted the 1 million commission fee.
However, rather than saying Horikita was willing to pay such a high price to help Ichinose, it was more likely that she was just looking for an excuse to avoid accepting money from her brother.
After all, when a family helps each other, there's no reason to accept payment.
At least, if it were Komachi, Hikigaya would never ask her for money.
Horikita probably thought the same way. The problem was that even if she was willing to do it for free, Kushida and Matsushita had no such obligation. So, she had no choice but to shamelessly negotiate with her brother for compensation.
Of course, looking at the outcome, it wasn't a bad deal.
As long as Horikita-senpai was satisfied, outsiders had no right to criticize.
However, a new problem arose—
"Hikigaya-kun, what are you spacing out for?" Horikita urged. "You still haven't told me how you and my brother got to know each other. And given your personality, even if my brother invited you, I find it hard to believe you'd agree so easily. So, what exactly happened back then?"
"It's nothing… I just had a moment of recklessness."
Even though her brother had already left, Horikita had no intention of letting Hikigaya go. Instead, she pulled him aside to interrogate him about her brother's time in the student council.
So this is what people mean when they say talking can be exhausting.
From their first meeting to how their relationship developed, Horikita relentlessly questioned him about everything related to him and Horikita Manabu.
After being pestered for most of the day, Horikita finally showed a satisfied expression.
Seriously, if they're siblings, she should just go ask him directly!
By the way, she also made sure to ask about Tachibana-senpai's situation.
…Weird. Do all little sisters like to meddle in their brother's love life?
Komachi was like that back then too… Hmm, no, maybe she just enjoys gossip.
Yeah, it's probably the latter.
It was already the afternoon by the time Hikigaya parted ways with Horikita, but he didn't leave right away. Instead, he found an excuse to stay at the restaurant.
Mainly, he wanted to ask about the meal vouchers… and some other things.
"Excuse me, sorry to bother you."
Hikigaya approached the waiter who had served them earlier and took out the meal vouchers Horikita Manabu had given him.
"I wanted to ask… uh, can these be used at this restaurant?"
It wasn't that he didn't trust Horikita-senpai—he just wanted to be sure.
Think about it—if he brought his friends here someday, took out these so-called meal vouchers to pay, and was then met with the waiter's rejection and a weird look… Ugh, just imagining it made him want to die.
Huh? Someone said he'd need to have friends first.
…That's not the point.
The point is that Hikigaya didn't want to experience social death for no reason.
"Of course, let me take a look."
The handsome waiter took the meal vouchers and carefully examined them for a moment before handing them back with both hands.
"Yes, sir, you can indeed use this voucher," the waiter said with a smile and a nod. "As long as you present it in our store, we will do our best to fulfill any request you make."
"I see… thank you."
Hikigaya couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the waiter's words than met the ear.
Why emphasize 'any request' so specifically?
Normally, in a café, a meal voucher would either be used to exchange for food or drinks, or, like today, to access a VIP room.
Was there a need to phrase it so indirectly…?
Of course, maybe he was just overthinking it. Bad habits were hard to break.
"Uh, let me ask something out of curiosity."
Hikigaya decided to frame his question in an equally roundabout way.
"You mentioned that any request could be accommodated… So, say there's a highly sought-after figurine, and I can't line up for it because of classes—could I ask you guys to get it for me?"
Even he felt that was pushing it, so he quickly added, "I'm just asking randomly. If it's not possible, just treat it as a joke."
To his surprise, the waiter's smile didn't waver as he replied, "Yes, that's within our service scope."
"Huh? It is?"
Hikigaya was slightly taken aback. But this only further confirmed his suspicions.
"Then what if…"
"If it's something outside the school?" The waiter finished his sentence with a smile. "That's possible too, though it might take a little longer. Given the school's special environment, I hope you understand."
"…I see."
Now Hikigaya understood completely.
There was no doubt about it—this café was a means that Miss Haruno had set up during her time at this school to bend the rules for personal convenience!
ANHS strictly prohibited students from contacting the outside world, but that didn't mean there were no loopholes.
For example, club members traveling for competitions might find chances to send letters. Even if caught, their advisor might just turn a blind eye.
Another direct method was using the shop staff inside the school.
Of course, the school had strict measures in place and would immediately expel anyone caught engaging in such activities, so most wouldn't dare to take the risk.
But if the store itself was run by a student's family, that was a different matter entirely.
It was easy to imagine—Miss Haruno not only used it to stay in touch with her own family but also as a means to gain favor with other students.
After all, three years away from home, unable to even make a phone call—who wouldn't feel homesick?
The world was full of loopholes…
"You're very sharp," the waiter suddenly said with a smile. "Miss Yukinoshita has given out these vouchers to quite a few students, and some have come here, but you're the first to ask about this."
"Uh… is that a compliment?"
"Of course."
Since the café was relatively empty, the waiter started making small talk with Hikigaya.
"Forgive me for asking, but I have some understanding of this school's system. Given how sharp you are, you must be from Class A, right?"
"No, I'm from Class D."
"Oh? Is that so?"
He didn't show any hint of disdain but instead chuckled at himself.
"Looks like I don't quite understand how the class system works here. After all, most of what I know is just hearsay."
"It's true—I'm not exactly an outstanding student," Hikigaya said, shaking his head.
"You're too modest… Oh, if I'm not mistaken, you were the one who bought a cake from our store last Christmas, weren't you?"
"Eh…? Eh!?"
Now that he mentioned it, Hikigaya finally recalled.
"So you were that Santa Claus back then! No wonder you looked kind of familiar."
"Haha, well, I did have a fake beard on at the time."
The waiter laughed as he touched his face, then suddenly extended his hand.
"Nice to meet you. If you don't mind, let's get acquainted. My name is Matsunaga Taro. Pleased to meet you."
"Ah, ah… I'm Hikigaya Hachiman."
Hikigaya hesitated slightly before shaking his hand.
He hadn't expected things to develop this way… but there was no harm in it. The guy didn't seem like a bad person.
Besides, having connections outside the school could be important. He might need his help someday.
…
By Monday morning, the rumors showed no signs of dying down. If anything, they were spreading even more wildly.
And this time, it wasn't just Ichinose at the center of them.
"Hey, Bikigu! I heard you got rejected after confessing and became the laughingstock of your entire class—is that true?"
"Uh…" It was early in the morning, yet Yamauchi was already in peak form, his mockery dialed up to full power.
"Hey, don't just stay silent!" He pointed at his phone screen and burst into laughter. "The forums have all the juicy details of your embarrassing moment! Hahaha, I can't believe there's even a follow-up story about you. Why don't you explain both incidents at once?"
"…Yamauchi."
Hikigaya let out the longest sigh in history.
"If you kneel and beg, I might consider giving you some pocket money."
"W-What the hell!? What are you saying?! Who the hell would want your dirty money earned through shady means?!" Yamauchi's face instantly turned red as he yelled.
Ever since he learned that Hikigaya could lend out five million points at once, Yamauchi had been looking for excuses to pick fights with him… Of course, it was also possible that this was about the Sakayanagi incident.
Still, his pride wasn't thick-skinned enough to outright ask for a split.
Even Yamauchi knew that, at the very least, he'd need to rally the whole class behind him to have a chance.
Whether or not that would work was another matter entirely.
"If you claim you're innocent, then prove it to us!" Yamauchi continued his taunts.
Honestly, if he weren't concerned about collateral damage, Hikigaya would have loved to retort, "Who the hell do you D-Class nobodies think you are to demand proof from me?"
Unfortunately, he didn't dislike everyone in the class, so he had to hold back… A bit of a shame.
"Enough, Haruki. Cut it out already."
Sudo couldn't stand it anymore and grabbed Yamauchi by the shoulder.
"What? I was just joking around. What's the big deal?" Yamauchi said dismissively.
"This isn't something to joke about," Sudo warned him seriously.
"Come on, it's just a failed confession." Yamauchi continued to laugh it off. "Besides, it'd be even stranger if a girl accepted Bikigaya's confession. Honestly, I feel bad for the girl who got confessed to. She's probably traumatized by it."
For a brief moment, Hikigaya wondered if he'd been in the same class as Yamauchi all along.
Because back then, his classmates had said the same thing...
Wait… this is weird.
Hikigaya had always considered himself capable of talking about his dark past in front of familiar people. He would just preface it with "I have a friend who..."—though that excuse usually didn't last more than a second before being exposed.
No matter what, self-deprecating jokes could be a little painful, but...
Why was it that when someone else mocked him for it, his anger shot up instantly?!
Damn it… If this keeps up, I might end up in juvie.
For a moment, Hikigaya was genuinely worried about that. He felt the urge to kill someone.
Or rather, to take out Yamauchi!
Huh? What's the difference between the two?
Of course, there's a difference. The latter sounds way cooler!
Just then, Horikita entered the classroom and immediately sensed the unusual atmosphere. After gathering some information from other students, she quickly walked over.
"Yamauchi-kun, please refrain from making careless comments about unverified rumors. Just because something is posted on the forum doesn't make it true."
"But isn't this like Ichinose's rumors? Everyone already knows about it." Yamauchi pouted. "So even if we stay silent, it doesn't change anything. And if it is false, then there's no reason to be afraid of people talking about it, right?"
"That's not the point. Your attitude is disgusting."
Horikita shot him a piercing glare and delivered a ruthless remark.
"You're already a useless student in this class. I'd advise you not to lower your value even further. The only one who'll suffer from that is you."
"Who are you calling useless?!" Yamauchi shouted in frustration.
"The midterm mock exams are coming up soon. At least wait until you pass before talking big."
With that cold remark, Horikita returned to her seat, completely ignoring him.
Yamauchi was still making a scene, but fortunately, Hirata arrived in time to calm him down, and the matter was temporarily settled.
Meanwhile, Horikita immediately sent a message in the group chat.
Horikita: [Hikigaya-kun, what a disaster.]
Hikigaya: [Yeah...]
Horikita: [Most people have changed at least a little, but Yamauchi-kun hasn't grown at all.]
Kushida: [Horikita, shut up for a second.]
Kushida: [I want Yamauchi dead!]
…Kikyo-chan, you can't just declare a murder threat in the group chat.
If Yamauchi dies one day, you're going to be the prime suspect.
Watching Kushida continue cursing in the chat, Hikigaya let out a wry smile. Then, he suddenly noticed a strange gaze on him.
Uh… Matsushita-san?
If you have something to say, just say it.
Hikigaya looked back at her with a gaze that conveyed his thoughts.
As if receiving his message, Matsushita immediately spoke up. "Hachiman-kun, I've been wondering about something."
"What is it?"
"The rumor about your failed confession… Was it from the middle school field trip?" Matsushita frowned slightly. "I think the girl was… Ebina-san from your class, right? But I heard you weren't being serious, that it was some kind of prank. Is that true?"
"Uh…"
Hikigaya was stunned. How did Matsushita even know about that?
Sure, they went to the same middle school, but she didn't have to know everything!
Where's my privacy?!
"It was just a punishment game during the field trip," Hikigaya finally chose to hide the truth.
Mainly because explaining the whole backstory would be too troublesome… and honestly, a little embarrassing.
"Punishment game? But did Hachiman-kun even have friends to play with?" Matsushita asked, genuinely puzzled.
"Oi, that's just rude." Hikigaya protested. "For your information, I had a best friend since childhood… Unlike you, Shou—Shou-pon would never abandon me."
"Huh? Who's Shou-pon?"
"...Never mind."
She didn't get the reference.
It sucks when no one picks up on your jokes.
By the way, there was a time when Hikigaya suspected the Service Club was created by Yukinoshita as a ripoff of the Neighbors' Club. But considering she never read light novels, that was probably impossible.
Meanwhile, Horikita was still analyzing things in the group chat.
Horikita: [The last rumor was aimed at the character of both Hikigaya-kun and Ryuuen-kun. But this time, it seems to be purely for humiliation—probably an attempt to slowly expand its influence.]
Horikita: [It was the same back at the forest camp. At first, there were just a few whispers about Ichinose-san, and nobody paid much attention. But before anyone realized it, the rumors had spread throughout the entire school.]
Kushida: [Horikita, shut up for a second. That's not important right now.]
Kushida: [Anyway, I'm going to make Yamauchi pay for this!]
Horikita: [No, Yamauchi-kun is irrelevant. The real priority is figuring out how to stop Sakayanagi-san.]
Horikita: [In a sense, this is an underhanded move that could be considered foul play. How do you think we should counter such a tactic?]
Hikigaya: [It's fine. Let them say whatever they want. You guys don't need to worry about it either.]
After leaving that message, Hikigaya closed the group chat and stopped checking it.
Honestly… Horikita went through all that effort to type so much.
"Are you not planning to fight back, Hachiman-kun?"
Matsushita, who had been following the conversation in the chat, asked with a hint of concern.
"Hmm… No need for now."
"Oh—'for now,' huh?"
Matsushita let out a knowing "oh" in response to Hikigaya's seemingly loaded statement and didn't press further.
…Did she see through something?
Well, even if she had, it wouldn't be surprising—since this entire situation was something Hikigaya had orchestrated himself.
It wasn't like he had much of a choice.
Hikigaya could've directly helped Ichinose, but doing so would've been too blatant, opening himself up to scrutiny and gossip.
More importantly, that approach wouldn't have allowed him to strike back at Sakayanagi.
If Ichinose were aware, her kind nature would compel her to intervene and put a stop to everything.
To be perfectly honest, she was a troublesome woman in an entirely different way.
But if Hikigaya positioned himself as one of the "victims," then no one could question any counterattack he launched.
He could even openly collaborate with Class A, joining forces with them to take revenge on that damned white-haired girl.
As for why Ryuuen got dragged into the rumors too—that was just for the sake of appearances. It would've been unnatural if Hikigaya were the only target, so he deliberately included Ryuuen.
That way, from an outsider's perspective, this entire rumor-mongering incident would seem like a strategic attack by Sakayanagi against capable students from other classes.
Hmm… Though calling himself "capable" felt a little awkward…
There was one more thing that puzzled Hikigaya.
The rumor he spread about Ryuuen was—Ryuuen Kakeru secretly loves Pretty Cure.
Logically speaking, compared to minor gossip like a failed confession, this should've been the real headline-worthy scandal.
Something like, "The Legendary Delinquent Is a Hardcore Otaku?!"
If Hikigaya were in the news club, he would've slapped that title on the front page immediately.
Yet up until now, no one in the class had brought it up…
At the very least, shouldn't people be discussing which Pretty Cure character Ryuuen likes the most?!