In order to maintain Kikyo-chan's radiant image in front of her classmates, Hikigaya was reluctantly dragged into the search for Miyake Akito.
But seriously, why did they have to go out of their way to look for him? Wouldn't a phone call suffice…?
And more importantly, why did that guy try to stop Class A and Class B from fighting in the first place?
Something felt off… Could it be that he caught Hirata's "good samaritan" virus?
As Hikigaya absentmindedly grumbled in his head, Ayanokoji suddenly received a call. Judging from the conversation, it seemed to be Hasebe on the other end.
A moment later, he hung up and said, "Haruka and the others found Akito. He's on the road behind the gym."
"So, are Class A and Class B having a duel or a full-on brawl?"
"…From what I heard, only Kanzaki and Hashimoto are confronting each other."
"Oh, so it's a duel."
That being said, since Kanzaki was involved, things definitely wouldn't escalate into a fight.
Hikigaya had a decent grasp of his personality—he probably caught Hashimoto in the act of spreading rumors and confronted him about it. But at most, he'd just demand that he stop.
At the end of the day, Kanzaki was more flexible than Ichinose when it came to handling situations, but he was still a fundamentally kind-hearted person.
Since he couldn't do anything too extreme, there was no way he could take on Sakayanagi's group, who loved playing dirty.
—
When the three of them arrived, they saw the two guys standing face to face.
Meanwhile, Miyake stood nearby, watching them like a supervisor, while Hasebe and the others lingered a bit further back, clearly just here for the spectacle.
Good grief… What the hell are these people doing?
"Miyake, since when did you start getting involved in other people's business this much?" Hashimoto scratched his head in annoyance. "And you even brought friends along—was that necessary?"
"I was just worried you two would start fighting."
"I told you, Kanzaki's the one picking a fight. I've had no interest in dealing with him from the start." Hashimoto put on an innocent act.
Miyake didn't buy it, responding vaguely, "If that's the case, then good."
"You're such a hassle… Huh? Hikigaya, you're here too?"
Hashimoto finally noticed him, and their eyes met.
Then, without warning, he started yelling.
"Perfect timing, Hikigaya! Hurry up and take your classmate and Kanzaki away! I thought the misunderstanding was already cleared up back at the forest camp, but this guy just won't let it go!"
"There was never any 'clearing up' in the first place," Kanzaki said firmly. "I just told you, your behavior is suspicious. You've been lurking around campus after school, pretending to have casual conversations while spreading false rumors, haven't you?"
Hashimoto didn't deny it. Instead, he just smirked. "Oh, you mean those rumors about Ichinose? I was chatting with friends. What's the big deal?"
"So you blindly believed unverified rumors and started spreading them?"
"That kind of thing happens all the time. Whether it's true or false, if it's interesting, people naturally talk about it. I even told you last time—girls love gossip even more than guys."
He wasn't exactly wrong.
Rumors were hard to combat because they didn't always stem from malice.
Sometimes, people just find them amusing and casually mention them to friends. But if someone ever held them accountable, they'd just brush it off as "just a rumor" to avoid responsibility.
However, Hashimoto's case wasn't that simple.
He was doing this deliberately.
"But these rumors are completely baseless. And yet, you're spreading them recklessly. That's just malicious. How are you any different from Ryuuen?" Kanzaki accused.
Despite Kanzaki's sharp tone, Hashimoto wasn't intimidated in the slightest.
Instead, he mocked him right back.
"And? What do you want me to do about it? I'm not the only one talking about this. I just overheard it somewhere and passed it along. If you're so bothered, why don't you shut everyone up?"
"Stop lying. I've been investigating your class these past few days."
"And?"
"I traced the source of the rumors. They all started with a few boys and girls in Class 1-B. When I asked them where they heard it from, all of them dodged the question—just like you're doing now. The answer couldn't be clearer."
Looks like Kanzaki had done his homework.
"Hashimoto, I'm certain that these rumors targeting Ichinose originated from Class 1-B."
"Oh? You got any proof?"
"Stop playing dumb. I've found upperclassmen from both the second and third years who overheard you spreading these rumors. If necessary, I can bring them here for a confrontation."
Hikigaya hadn't expected Kanzaki to go so far as to involve upperclassmen in his investigation.
Too bad it was all for nothing.
Just as he thought, Hashimoto remained completely unfazed.
"So what? Maybe they overheard the same rumors from somewhere else. Just because you say the source is Class B, doesn't mean I know anything about it. Besides…"
He suddenly grinned.
"Tell me something, Kanzaki… Are you sure these are just rumors?"
"…What do you mean?"
"Ever heard the saying, 'where there's smoke, there's fire'?"
—He pulled the classic "blame the victim" tactic.
"Think about it. Why is it Ichinose that everyone's talking about? Why not someone else?"
"Who says it's just Ichinose? Or are you trying to subtly diss me for being irrelevant?"
"What are you talking—…huh?"
Halfway through his sentence, Hashimoto realized something was off.
Because Kanzaki hadn't spoken just now.
That voice came from behind him.
Slowly turning around, he nervously locked eyes with Hikigaya.
"Uh… Hikigaya, I swear I had nothing to do with this!"
"I never said you did."
"Oh, phew! I knew you were reasonable." Hashimoto let out a small sigh of relief before continuing. "You heard everything, right? Kanzaki's being completely unreasonable. He's convinced our class is responsible, but he doesn't have a single piece of evidence."
Hikigaya nodded.
"Yeah. Kanzaki doesn't seem experienced in dealing with scumbags. He still thinks logic and reasoning can make someone admit their wrongdoing. But that's just not how it works… After all, he's just like Ichinose—kind, gentle, and naive."
"Huh? Wait… Are you calling me a scumbag?" Hashimoto pointed at himself in surprise.
"If you think that label fits, then sure."
"Uh, well… I don't think it fits."
"Unfortunate. I think it does."
"…Uh…"
Hashimoto was completely thrown off by Hikigaya's roundabout responses.
More importantly, he had no idea what Hikigaya was trying to do.
He let out an exaggerated sigh, shrugged, and said, "Hikigaya, I know you and Ichinose have a good relationship, but I don't think you need to get involved in this matter. Try to consider it objectively—Ichinose hasn't confirmed or denied the rumors, nor has she sought help from anyone. With your intelligence, I'm sure you understand—"
"Stop bringing up Ichinose to me." Hikigaya impatiently cut him off. "Don't get me wrong, I never had an obligation to stand up for her in the first place. If she won't even defend her rights, all I can do is call her an idiot—nothing more."
"Uh… then what are you doing now?"
"I'm talking about my own business."
Hikigaya stared at Hashimoto with a blank expression, his eyes locked onto him.
"Hashimoto, I'd like to ask—where exactly did you hear that I confessed and got rejected, becoming the laughingstock of the entire class?"
"W-what? That has nothing to do with me!" Hashimoto hurriedly waved his hands. "I only talked with my friends about the rumors surrounding Ichinose. As for you… uh, this is the first time I've heard about it today."
"So, you're planning to spread rumors about me next, aren't you?"
"N-no way! Not!"
Faced with Hikigaya's subtle yet unmistakable threat, Hashimoto didn't dare brush him off as casually as he did with Kanzaki.
"And like I said earlier, I am innocent in all of this. I haven't done anything."
"Hah, stop playing dumb." Hikigaya scoffed. "Sakayanagi ordered you to spread these rumors—don't act like no one can figure that out."
"Wait, isn't it bad to make baseless accusations like that?"
Hashimoto still tried to argue, putting on an air of reason.
"Sure, our 'princess' is aggressive and often makes provocative remarks about Ichinose, but that's just talk. It has nothing to do with us in reality. Besides, there's no proof."
"You think I'm Kanzaki? That I need proof to deal with you?"
Hikigaya's tone suddenly sharpened as he fixed his gaze on Hashimoto, who was now looking noticeably uncomfortable. He spoke slowly and clearly.
"Hashimoto, I suggest you use your brain. Don't assume that just following Sakayanagi guarantees you a spot in Class A… Some things shouldn't be done."
"You've got it wrong—this isn't about following anyone."
"If you get expelled along the way, then Class A will mean nothing to you, right?"
"Uh…" That was a blatant threat.
Hashimoto felt a wave of irritation. He had already noticed the new rumors circulating on the forums recently.
He even asked Sakayanagi about it, and she told him not to worry.
But the problem now was… Hikigaya seemed angry.
If it were anyone else—whether through logical argument or physical intimidation—Hashimoto could handle it with ease.
But Hikigaya was different. He never played by the rules, and just being targeted by him felt ominous.
"And don't think I have no way of dealing with you just because you're playing the victim." Hikigaya continued, "I wouldn't even need to get involved myself. If Kanzaki were to fight you right here, all of Sakayanagi's little tricks would fall apart."
"Huh?"
Before Hashimoto could process what that meant, Miyake, who had been standing nearby, immediately jumped in.
"Hold on, Hikigaya! Are you seriously encouraging them to fight?"
He had stepped in to prevent a conflict between Hashimoto and Kanzaki in the first place, so hearing that naturally made him anxious.
Kanzaki, however, remained calm and asked in a low voice, "Hikigaya, can I ask why? Why would a fight between Hashimoto and me resolve anything?"
"It's simple. That would force the school to intervene."
Ignoring Miyake, Hikigaya explained to Kanzaki, "As Hashimoto said, the reason the school hasn't acted is that Ichinose hasn't sought help. So they're turning a blind eye. But if this leads to a serious conflict, that's a different story."
If a fight broke out because of the rumors about Ichinose, the school would have no choice but to take action to prevent future incidents.
"Stop that. You all know how strict this school is about fights," Miyake urged everyone to stay calm.
"That was before."
"Before?"
"The current student council president… tends to ignore minor disputes. Hikigaya, as a student council member, you should know that, right? So this plan won't work."
As he spoke, Hashimoto smiled at Hikigaya.
He had most likely heard that from Sakayanagi, which explained his confidence.
"You just reminded me of something." Hikigaya stroked his chin. "But you also said they only ignore minor disputes… So if I were to crack open your skull, would that still count as minor?"
"…Huh?"
Hashimoto froze for a moment before forcing a grin. "But if that happens, Class A will also face severe punishment. It'd be a lose-lose situation."
"That's fine. I'll testify that you threw the first punch. There aren't any cameras here, after all." Hikigaya said with conviction.
"Ugh… But Kanzaki wouldn't do something like that. And isn't Ichinose the type who hates conflicts the most? She'd be really upset."
"Even a cornered rabbit will bite."
Hikigaya glanced at Hashimoto.
With only one Class B student present, and Class D as neutral witnesses, their testimony would be the only one the school could rely on.
"So? Want to give it a try?"
"…I think I'll pass."
Hashimoto finally understood the extent of Hikigaya's threat—there was no countering it.
In the end, all he could do was let out a dry laugh.
Kanzaki, though not planning to resort to violence, had also grasped Hikigaya's intent. He stood there silently, staring at Hashimoto.
Under this double pressure, Hashimoto made a quick decision.
He raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, I get it… After school, I'll head straight to my dorm and won't talk about Ichinose anymore. Happy now?"
"Don't make it sound like I'm forcing you."
"Right, right, totally voluntary." Hashimoto nodded rapidly.
…Why did it feel like he was being sarcastic?
Well, whatever. This was enough for now.
"Seriously, who's the jerk that dragged Hikigaya into this mess?" Hashimoto sighed, scratching his head as he walked toward the school building.
Maybe he was going to report back to Sakayanagi. Or maybe he was just grabbing his bag. Either way, it didn't matter.
Kanzaki didn't stop him, probably considering their agreement settled.
Of course, whether Hashimoto would keep his word was uncertain, but there was no point dwelling on it now.
"Hikigaya, thanks for your help this time," Kanzaki said with a nod.
Hikigaya hesitated for a moment before sighing.
"Kanzaki, you… Never mind, this is your class's issue."
"Yeah. I wouldn't want to drag you in any further."
Kanzaki glanced at Ayanokoji and the others.
"Well then, I'll be going."
He gave a brief farewell before heading toward the dorms.
Hikigaya had no reason to stay either. He turned to leave, saying, "Alright, Kikyo. I'm heading out, too."
"Ah, wait a sec! I'm going back too."
Kikyo turned and waved to Hasebe and the others, flashing a bright smile.
"Since things are settled for now, I'll leave you guys to your get-together."
"Aw, don't say that." Hasebe teased. "You could join us, Kikyo. We wouldn't mind having you and Hikigaya."
"Ahaha, well… I should get going."
Before she could be further roped in, Hikigaya was already walking off. Seeing this, Kikyo quickly said her goodbyes and followed.
Watching her leave, Hasebe crossed her arms and muttered, "So that's what favoritism looks like… Well, it makes sense."
"What are you talking about?" Miyake looked over in confusion.
"Nothing. But speaking of which, I feel like I just witnessed something pretty thrilling."
"Thrilling? I was worried sick!"
Miyake couldn't help but sigh.
"Hikigaya was way too reckless, actually inciting them to fight. What if they really started throwing punches?"
"But in the end, Hikki did resolve the situation, didn't he?" Hasebe said nonchalantly. "With just a few words, he shut that arrogant Hashimoto up. Last time, he also drove Sakayanagi away… No wonder Kikyō is so infatuated with him. The way she was looking at him just now, I swear I could almost see little hearts in her eyes."
"Eh?! Kikyō likes Hikigaya?!"
Miyake shouted in surprise, as if hearing this for the first time, and Yukimura, beside him, also looked shocked.
"Sigh… Aside from Kipyon, it seems like all the boys in our group are hopeless," Hasebe said helplessly, spreading her hands.
"I know this might sound strange, but why am I the exception?" Ayanokōji suddenly asked.
"Huh? You haven't noticed?"
"Well… let's not get into other people's business. Let's just head back to the café."
Ayanokōji felt that no matter how he responded, it wouldn't be appropriate, so he simply ended the topic.
However, from this conversation, he picked up on two key points.
The first concerned the rumors surrounding Ichinose. From Hashimoto's tone and attitude, it wasn't hard to tell that those rumors weren't entirely false—there must have been some truth mixed in.
The second was about Hikigaya… and this was quite intriguing.
Hashimoto claimed to know nothing. Of course, there was a possibility he was lying, but Hikigaya was convinced that Hashimoto was behind it.
Given Hikigaya's personality, that certainty seemed a bit too forceful.
Back in the classroom, Hikigaya had also relentlessly gone after Sakayanagi, as if he had already grasped some kind of evidence.
Could it be… he had known about Ichinose's situation all along?
Or had he gotten wind of Sakayanagi's plans from somewhere else?
Regardless of the answer, Ayanokōji was sure of one thing—The rumors on the forum had been posted by Hikigaya himself.
It was his way of justifying his intervention in this matter.
…No wonder he didn't take my bait.
Ayanokōji felt a slight sense of disappointment at this missed opportunity, but at the same time, he was eager to see what would happen next.
He wanted to know how Hikigaya planned to take down Sakayanagi.
At the very least, based on the current information, Hikigaya might be able to prevent Sakayanagi from spreading more rumors, but harming her directly would be much more difficult.
And Hikigaya didn't seem to genuinely want Kanzaki to fight—otherwise, he would have manipulated things from behind the scenes rather than instigating it so openly. He must have had another plan in mind.
More importantly, this situation could serve as a useful reference for the future.
Right now, Hikigaya wasn't showing any hostility toward him, but who knew when he might inadvertently step on one of Hikigaya's landmines? It was better to be prepared in advance.
Besides… that man had started to make his move as well.
Depending on how things unfolded, pulling Hikigaya into the equation might prove to be useful.
That was precisely why Ayanokōji had deliberately extended an olive branch earlier, proposing a solution that could resolve both Hikigaya's and Ichinose's dilemmas simultaneously.
Of course, that didn't stop him from setting a little trap along the way.
Unfortunately, if he had confirmed sooner that Hikigaya was orchestrating things from behind the scenes, he might not have ended up playing into his hands.
But then again, whether Hikigaya or Sakayanagi ended up losing, it would still remove a potential nuisance.
If he recklessly got involved, he might just end up setting himself on fire—just like Hashimoto.
Thus, Ayanokōji concluded that staying on the sidelines was the best choice for now.