On the way back to the dormitory, Hikigaya and Kushida talked about what had just happened.
"Hey, Kikyo, why did you have to call me over?" Hikigaya complained, his face twisted in frustration. "I'm not like you—I don't even know Hasebe and the others that well. It was so awkward back at the café, I nearly died."
"Hmm? I didn't think it was awkward at all. It felt perfectly normal to me."
"...Well, it was awkward for me, so that's that."
"Oh, you just overthink things too much. And besides, you can't entirely blame me for this."
Kushida tried to comfort him at first, then explained, "I just wanted to buy a cup of coffee, that's all. But then I ran into Hasebe, and she wouldn't let me go. So really, I'm a victim here too, you know?"
"Is that so…? But you still haven't explained why you dragged me into it," Hikigaya said, unconvinced.
"Well, obviously, I couldn't be the only one suffering."
"Uh…" Hikigaya was left speechless at how naturally she said that.
So, he was just collateral damage?
"Alright, alright, don't sweat the small stuff… Actually, I have something I want to ask you."
Perhaps because she had some concerns, Kushida suddenly leaned in closer.
The two of them were practically pressed together now.
Hikigaya could understand that she wanted to keep their conversation private, but… wasn't she a little too close?
As he struggled to keep his composure, Kushida lowered her voice and asked, "Hachiman, why did you reject Ayanokoji's plan earlier? Did you think it wouldn't work?"
…So that's what this was about.
"No, that's not it," Hikigaya shook his head slightly. "Without a doubt, his plan is effective. If we get the school involved, then whether it's in private conversations or on the forums, no one would dare to spread rumors so carelessly."
If the school investigated, they'd definitely find out the truth. Sakayanagi knew this too—she was just exploiting Ichinose's weak spot.
She was, essentially, bullying the honest.
"Then why…?"
Kushida tilted her head in confusion.
…Was she doing that cute gesture on purpose?
Hikigaya sighed at how cunning girls could be, then continued, "The problem is what comes after. Think about it—if we really went with Ayanokoji's plan, and one day the truth came out, we'd be completely backed into a corner."
"But couldn't we just filter the information?" Kushida said smugly. "I know plenty of people's secrets, but some of them are just common gossip within small circles. If we only use those, no one would ever suspect me."
"…You're being too naïve."
If it weren't for their current relationship, Hikigaya would've mocked her for such simple-minded thinking.
Had she already forgotten the lessons she learned in middle school?
"Wait, Hachiman, what's with that look?!"
Unfortunately, Kushida seemed to pick up on his condescending gaze.
She immediately puffed out her cheeks in protest. "I bet you're thinking I'm an idiot! Hmph, I know there's risk involved, okay? That's why I'd just blame it all on Ayanokoji. After all, the idea was his in the first place."
"Easier said than done. How do you plan to shift the blame?"
"Heh, tell me, who do you think people are more likely to believe—me or him?"
As self-assured as Kushida sounded, she wasn't wrong.
If you randomly picked a hundred students in this school and asked them who was more trustworthy between Kushida and Ayanokoji, at least a hundred and one would choose Kushida.
Especially in Class D, where Ayanokoji's reputation had already hit rock bottom.
But sometimes, a bad reputation could be an advantage—the "low moral ground" benefit.
"Kikyo, do you remember what happened that night?"
"Huh?"
"You know, the night when you grabbed my hand and rubbed your—ow!"
Before Hikigaya could finish, Kushida stomped hard on his foot.
Then, with her face flushed red, she snapped, "Y-You idiot! Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden?!"
"Hey, keep your voice down."
"You're the one spouting nonsense first!"
What nonsense? That was something she did! …Forget it.
Being the bigger person, Hikigaya decided to let it slide. He continued, "I'm bringing it up for a reason. Just think—what if I hadn't poured water on you back then? If I hadn't wiped away that handprint, what do you think would've happened next?"
"What would've happened? Isn't it obvious?" Kushida turned her head away with a huff. "Then you would've had to listen to everything I said. You'd do whatever I asked, wouldn't be allowed to act on your own, and most importantly, you'd never be allowed to talk back to me again."
"Who do you think you are, a tyrant?"
Hikigaya was amazed at her sheer audacity. Seriously, was her need for control always this intense?
"Alright, then let's say one day I didn't listen to you, and you decided to expose everything. What would happen?"
"What else? I'd get everyone's sympathy, and you'd be branded a pervert, obviously," Kushida answered in a playful tone.
"Exactly." Hikigaya sighed and nodded. "My reputation isn't great to begin with, so no one would believe me even if I said I was falsely accused. But have you thought about what kind of impact this would have on you?"
"Huh? Me?" Kushida blinked, pointing at herself.
"To everyone else, you're a kind and lovable angel… Stop smiling, I'm not complimenting you right now."
Geez, they were having a serious conversation here.
Sighing internally, Hikigaya continued, "But the moment you produce that piece of clothing with my fingerprints, everything changes. Sure, I'd be labeled a creep, but you? People would see you as manipulative, and your entire image would crumble."
"…Eh?"
"Think about it. If you were truly harassed, you'd either report it immediately or choose to forgive. Either option wouldn't hurt your reputation. But instead, you chose to hold onto evidence to use as leverage. From a third party's perspective, what does that make you?"
"That…"
Kushida was momentarily speechless, unable to respond.
Of course, whether or not a fingerprint would actually remain on the fabric was another matter. The point was to make her understand the principle behind it.
"I could've even turned myself in, saying I accidentally touched you. Worst case, we'd both face social ruin, but I wouldn't get expelled."
For a student, social ruin was no small matter, but Hikigaya's reputation was already at rock bottom, so it didn't make much difference to him.
But for someone like Kushida, who thrived on being well-liked, it would be a fall from grace.
"It's the same with Ayanokoji's plan. If we go through with it and he later exposes everything, the damage we take wouldn't be equal."
Even if Hikigaya could somehow talk his way out with the school, the students affected by the rumors wouldn't let him off so easily.
Ayanokoji, on the other hand, would just be seen as someone trying to help his classmates. He might even get some praise.
And Kushida? Once those secrets got out, it wouldn't be hard for people to figure out she was behind it.
If Ayanokoji came clean, she wouldn't stand a chance.
Simply put—
Hikigaya would be unforgivable for spreading rumors.
Kushida would be unforgivable for betraying her friends' trust.
Ayanokoji? He was just a well-meaning guy with a bad idea.
His plan wasn't to help—it was to make Hikigaya enemies and set him up for expulsion.
Previously, at the forest camp, Kouenji had subtly hinted that Ayanokoji had used a wild boar to frame the second-year students.
Although Ayanokoji repeatedly denied it, Kouenji completely ignored his protests and remained convinced of his theory from beginning to end.
This wasn't because Kouenji had any concrete evidence—it was simply that he didn't believe Ayanokoji's words. He only trusted his judgment.
Of course, this was a method only someone like Kouenji, who operated on an entirely different level, could use.
For ordinary people, if they simply assumed Ayanokoji was a liar, they could greatly reduce the chances of being deceived.
It was similar to the scams in the outside world—no one could guarantee they'd never fall for one.
But if they never believed what strangers said, they could filter out 99% of scams.
As they talked, the two of them arrived back at the dormitory building.
The moment they entered the lobby, they saw Kanzaki sitting on a couch in the corner, seemingly waiting for someone.
"Sorry, Hikigaya, could I borrow a bit of your time?"
It looks like this is a follow-up to what happened earlier.
Kushida was tactful as always, flashing a polite smile. "Well then, Hikigaya-kun, I have something to take care of, so I'll be heading off. Kanzaki-kun, I'll be taking my leave as well."
"Ah, sorry for interrupting you two."
"It's no problem."
With that, she turned and left.
Kanzaki remained silent until Kushida had taken the elevator. Only then did he turn to Hikigaya and speak.
"Earlier, I couldn't say much in front of Ayanokoji and the others. Hikigaya, our class owes you once again. I truly appreciate it."
"You don't have to be so formal. It's not like I did it for your sake."
"Even so, please allow me to repay the favor. Otherwise, it would be too rude of me."
"...Then treat me to a meal. How about that?" Hikigaya suggested.
It wasn't that he was after a free meal—he simply wanted to find a place where he could talk with Kanzaki alone.
And the dormitory lobby wasn't a good place for that.
"Understood. You can choose the place." Kanzaki agreed without hesitation.
"Then follow me."
Under Hikigaya's lead, the two of them headed to Keyaki Mall.
After some thought, he decided on a quiet café tucked away in a corner—after all, it wasn't exactly a popular spot.
"This is… a café?"
Looking at the sign, Kanzaki seemed to wonder if they had come to the wrong place.
"Don't worry, they have all sorts of food inside," Hikigaya reassured him as he pushed open the door. "Not just pasta and sandwiches, but even omurice and tonkatsu."
These days, many businesses expanded their menus to increase profits—even cafés adopted a family restaurant model, offering a wide variety of dishes, some even having hidden menus.
Incidentally, the hidden menu here featured stir-fried noodles loaded with an absurd amount of garlic... The kind that made you hesitant to talk to anyone afterward.
After taking their seats, the two of them ordered their preferred dishes. Even during peak dinner hours, the café had only a handful of customers, making it an ideal place for a private conversation.
Of course, Hikigaya could have taken Kanzaki to a VIP room, but this wasn't a discussion that required such secrecy—there was no need to go overboard.
Neither of them was particularly talkative. After taking a few bites of their food, Kanzaki took the initiative to get to the point.
"Hikigaya, you were right back at the forest camp. Based on my investigation, there's no doubt that Sakayanagi was the one spreading the rumors."
"...Wait, you're still caught up on that?" Hikigaya sighed, feeling exasperated. "When I heard your conversation with Hashimoto earlier, I already found it strange—why are you even bothering to gather evidence? That's completely meaningless."
"But we can't falsely accuse someone innocent, can we?"
"Innocent?"
Hikigaya shook his head, pointing out the crucial issue.
"From a strategic perspective, if the purpose of spreading rumors was to ruin Ichinose's reputation, then the best move for your class would be to tarnish the reputation of your biggest competitor—Class B's Sakayanagi. If I were in your class, I'd have my classmates spread the word everywhere that this was all part of Sakayanagi's scheme. Just say she resorted to such petty tricks because she couldn't win through special exams."
Whether it's true or not, with Ichinose's reputation, this kind of statement can easily become reality.
In fact, the one who was originally under the most suspicion was Sakayanagi. There was just no evidence... but a battle of public opinion doesn't require evidence—it's just a matter of which side has the better reputation.
Sakayanagi claims Ichinose engaged in compensated dating. Then I can just say she got into Class A through her father's connections.
Throwing dirt at each other—who's afraid of who?
Kanzaki hesitated. "But something like this..."
"I know, I know. Your class wouldn't do something so underhanded." Hikigaya interrupted impatiently. "But in the end, you guys are still the same. Whenever something happens, you just rely on Ichinose. 'Boo-hoo, as long as Honami-chan is here, everything will be fine!' That's basically the girls in your class, right? Sometimes I wonder—could she actually be your mom?"
"Uh... I really can't refute that."
Kanzaki opened his mouth but ultimately could only smile bitterly.
"I've thought about this before. Our class does rely on Ichinose too much. I've always worried if that would put too much pressure on her."
"That's an understatement."
Hikigaya continued his merciless commentary. "If Ichinose collapses, your class would turn into a headless chicken. Just like this time—most people just whine, 'Boo-hoo, I'm so worried about Honami-chan!' but not a single one of them takes action."
"No, that's not entirely true..."
"Alright then, let me guess—aside from you, has anyone in your class done anything?"
As he spoke, Hikigaya picked up the glass beside him and downed the remaining water in one gulp.
"Can't think of anything, huh? Let me guess—you guys just say a few comforting words, tell her to stay strong, and that's it? Anything else?"
"Uh..." Kanzaki fell silent.
"The only one who took action was you, and even then, it was pointless... but hey, at least that's better than the rest of them."
If not for that, Hikigaya wouldn't have bothered wasting his time talking to him.
Most of Class A's students were good people—but completely useless.
To put it bluntly, they just wanted a leader who would handle everything for them, so they didn't have to think for themselves.
For a while, Class D was the same, blindly putting their faith in Hirata.
But then came the conflicts on the uninhabited island, Hirata's mental breakdown during the sports festival, and Horikita taking control afterward.
Those events forced some of them to wake up—at the very least, they no longer blindly followed whatever Hirata said.
"But there's nothing we can do." Kanzaki sighed, clearly frustrated. "We've tried persuading Ichinose so many times to report this to the teachers, but she keeps telling us not to worry about it. What else can we do except trust her?"
"What do you mean what else can you do?"
Hikigaya was stunned by this textbook example of incompetence.
"If Ichinose tells you guys to do nothing, you just obediently do nothing? Are you her puppets or what?"
"...She is the one directly involved, and our class leader. We have to respect her wishes."
After enduring Hikigaya's repeated jabs, Kanzaki's tone stiffened slightly—he was probably getting annoyed.
But even so, he kept his composure... what a spineless guy.
"You just called her your leader. When a leader is in trouble, shouldn't you guys be helping to share the burden?"
"A lot of people in our class want to help Ichinose, but she keeps insisting she doesn't need it. We can't force her."
"And why do you guys have to listen to everything Ichinose says?" Hikigaya felt exhausted just talking to him. "Even if she refuses to report it, can't you all submit a class-wide petition? Or are you so unpopular that you can't even get people to sign it?"
"Uh..." Kanzaki instantly fell silent. After a long pause, he spoke again, his expression darkening.
"That would just cause more trouble for Ichinose."
"And this flood of rumors isn't causing her trouble already?" Hikigaya shot back without hesitation.
Kanzaki fell silent again, completely at a loss for words.
Earlier, Hikigaya had suggested that Kanzaki fight Hashimoto. He didn't expect him to do it—it was just meant to scare Hashimoto a little.
But deep down, a small part of him had hoped Kanzaki would go through with it.
If he did, the problem could be solved instantly.
Not only would Ichinose be freed from this mess, but even Sakayanagi would be saved in the process. The only one who'd suffer would be Hashimoto.
But unfortunately, Kanzaki didn't have that kind of resolve.
To put it simply, their entire class was just a bunch of Ichinose's yes-men.
A class that blindly says "Yes, ma'am" without independent thought is doomed to fail—if not by Sakayanagi's hands, then eventually by someone else's.
What they truly needed wasn't just a brilliant strategist.
They needed someone who would challenge Ichinose.
Sakayanagi and Ryuuen were dictators—anyone who opposed them was nothing but an obstacle.
But a genuinely good person like Ichinose needed someone to call out her naivety.
Even if it meant going against the entire class—such a presence was always necessary.
"...If you're not going to do anything, then I have nothing more to say."
Hikigaya got up, ready to leave.
He could help Ichinose.
But if possible, he wanted her classmates to take action.
That way, Ichinose could gain true friendships—rather than just playing the role of their caretaker.
"Wait a minute."
"Hmm? What now—?"
Hikigaya suddenly felt something was off.
That voice didn't come from Kanzaki.
It came from behind him.
And judging by the sound, it was a girl.
When he turned around, he found himself locking eyes with a twin-tailed girl.
Something about her gaze felt familiar… huh?
Wait a second.
Why do you have dead fish eyes too?