It was Friday, and tomorrow was the day of the vote.
Most students were feeling uneasy about this exam. Until the last moment, no one knew what the outcome would be, and there was no guarantee they wouldn't end up as sacrifices.
After all, Class B served as a prime example.
Sakayanagi, who should have been untouchable and never considered a candidate for expulsion, had not only lost her prestige and influence under Hikigaya's attacks but had also gained many enemies.
These enemies weren't just outsiders—some of them came from within her class.
The resentment and fear surrounding this exam had been skillfully redirected by Hikigaya toward Sakayanagi.
On top of that, the allure of money was undeniable... It was almost certain that all of Class B's critical votes would be aimed at her. This was already an unavoidable outcome.
And yet, even though Sakayanagi herself understood this, she didn't seem to care much.
She came to school on this final day as usual. The only difference was that no one greeted her anymore—not even making eye contact, as if avoiding her entirely.
The once-dominant queen of the class had now fallen into disgrace. While some found it pitiful, most were simply eager to watch the spectacle unfold.
It was the same as when rumors spread about Ichinose stealing things—whether someone was good or bad didn't matter. People always found joy in seeing those who stood at the top come crashing down.
By contrast, Class D, which had been the most chaotic at the start, was now the most relaxed.
Even for Class B, Sakayanagi's fate was still uncertain. But Class D had no such concerns—their strategy was set in stone, leaving them free from worries.
Even Yamauchi, who was in the worst position, wasn't worried about himself. He even had the leisure to comfort Sakayanagi instead.
Of course, not everyone was so naive.
Ayanokoji, for one, suspected that things wouldn't end so easily.
However, this matter had nothing to do with him. There was no reason to take a risk and get involved.
Besides… every time he got involved with Hikigaya, nothing good ever came of it.
By now, Ayanokoji had learned that lesson well.
So, this time, he had no intention of doing anything—he was content to simply observe from the sidelines.
As for the person being observed, he didn't mind at all.
After all, Hikigaya had already decided to do nothing. The thought of never having to see Ayanokoji again actually made him a little happy.
White Room? The so-called "masterpiece"? None of that had anything to do with a regular student like him.
Maybe Sakayanagi was right—those kids used as test subjects by the White Room were indeed pitiful.
But there were countless pitiful people in this world.
If one had the power to help, then sure, lending a hand wouldn't be a bad thing.
But neither Sakayanagi nor Hikigaya had that power.
That left only two choices—either find a way to accumulate strength or simply mind one's own business.
Hikigaya spoke kind words to Sakayanagi, yet without hesitation, he chose the latter for himself.
Thinking back on it… it did feel a little shameless.
But whatever—his dream was to become a househusband, after all!
Rather than worrying about these abstract matters, there was another, more immediate problem weighing on his mind.
Last night, Shiina had called him and invited him to lunch.
That had never happened before—at least, not at school.
And the timing was just too suspicious.
Could she have found out about the account suspension?
But she didn't mention anything on the phone—only that she wanted to treat him to lunch.
I guess he had no choice but to go.
Feeling like he couldn't refuse, Hikigaya reluctantly agreed. During lunch break, he left the classroom and headed to the meeting spot they had agreed on.
A bench in front of the library…
Wait.
He hadn't given it much thought before, but now that he was here, something felt off.
Having lunch here would be super awkward!
And his company was a ridiculously beautiful girl!
I mean, come on—this was right in front of the library, where people were constantly passing by… well, there weren't that many people at the moment, but still.
Hikigaya felt a little uneasy.
Luckily, Shiina hadn't arrived yet, which gave him some time to compose himself.
"Oh? If it isn't Hikigaya?"
Just then, someone nearby noticed him and called out.
Damn it… why couldn't people just pretend they didn't see him?
Hikigaya sighed internally and looked up.
"What is it, Hashimoto?"
"Oh, nothing much. I just happened to see you and thought I'd say hi." Hashimoto grinned. "But what about you? Sitting here alone—waiting for someone?"
"No, I'm just enjoying the breeze."
"Haha, still mad at the princess? Don't sweat it. You already know what kind of person she is."
Hashimoto's attitude was the same as ever.
It was clear he didn't care at all that his "boss" had been taken down.
Come to think of it, that was just the kind of guy Hashimoto was.
As long as he could graduate from Class A, nothing else mattered to him…
Well, that wasn't necessarily a bad mindset, but it sure didn't make him very likable.
"How about this," Hashimoto suddenly suggested. "I know it doesn't count as an apology, but let me treat you to a meal this time. Order whatever you want."
"No thanks."
"Aw, don't be like that."
Even with Hikigaya's cold rejection, Hashimoto remained as enthusiastic as ever, even plopping down onto the bench next to him with a casual grin.
"I know you're still mad, but I'm innocent in this matter, you know. I wasn't involved at all. At most, I just didn't tell you about it. You can't blame me for that, right?"
"...Who even needs you to tell me?"
"Yes, yes, of course you don't need me." Hashimoto nodded rapidly like a pecking chick. "After all, you handled our class's princess in just a few moves... Wow, that's really something. I honestly thought Sakayanagi could at least put up a fight against you, but she got crushed right away."
"She just chose the wrong battlefield."
That wasn't modesty—it was simply the truth.
Since Sakayanagi had resorted to spreading rumors first, Hikigaya had no moral qualms about returning the favor with the same tactic.
After all, when it came to being underhanded, he considered himself second to none.
"Regardless, Sakayanagi's expulsion is pretty much set in stone now… If you're still worried, I could help ensure things go as planned. How about it?"
At this point, Hashimoto finally revealed his true intentions.
So, this guy was here to pledge his loyalty.
"You seem really eager to see Sakayanagi expelled, huh?" Hikigaya gave him a sidelong glance.
"I wouldn't say that," Hashimoto shook his head. "But since things have already gotten this bad, we might as well minimize the losses. It's just unfortunate for our princess."
"Sakayanagi should have around two million points. You could try convincing her to use that to buy praise votes from Class A."
"Haha, come on, no need to be sarcastic."
Misunderstanding something, Hashimoto let out a bitter chuckle. "Our class's princess would never bow down to that Ichinose. Even if it meant staying, the humiliation would be unbearable. She'd never accept it… Sigh, that aside, even if you like big breasts, don't you think you're a little too biased toward Ichinose? But well, I guess—"
"Hold it right there!"
The more Hikigaya listened, the more off things felt, so he hurriedly cut Hashimoto off.
"Hey, hey, who said I like big breasts?"
"Huh? You don't?" Hashimoto looked genuinely surprised.
...No, what the hell is wrong with this guy?
If we're talking preferences... well, not many men could defy their instincts, right?
But still, this wasn't something to casually discuss!
"Oh, right! Let me lend you this."
Hashimoto, seeing through Hikigaya's awkwardness, grinned as he pulled a magazine from his jacket.
"This is the latest issue. As someone who loves big breasts, you should have the first look."
"I told you to stop—wait, what the hell?!"
Hikigaya reflexively took the magazine, only to jolt in shock at the cover.
A long-haired beauty in a swimsuit stared back at him, accompanied by an eye-catching, highly suggestive tagline.
It wasn't an explicit magazine—just some slightly provocative gravure photos.
Still, if a girl saw this, they'd look at him like he was trash.
Seriously, this guy... his taste was decent.
"Don't give me this kind of thing. Take it back." Hikigaya made a show of pushing it away.
"Aw, don't be like that."
Sensing the weak resistance, Hashimoto smirked internally and decided to play along.
"Just take it. Good things are meant to be shared."
"N-No, I don't need it."
"No need to be shy."
As the two pushed the magazine back and forth, a cold—no, an icy voice suddenly rang out from behind the bench.
"...May I ask what you two are doing?"
"...Eh?"
Hearing that voice, Hikigaya froze on the spot.
Oh, crap... He had completely forgotten about his meeting with Shiina!
"Uh, so you had company."
Hashimoto reacted quickly, rubbing the back of his head apologetically. "Sorry, I didn't know. I'll leave you two to talk. I'll drop by another time."
With that, the guy bolted.
And of course, he made sure to take the magazine with him. Smart move.
Unfortunately, that didn't erase Shiina's memory.
She still wore that unreadable, half-smiling expression as she stared straight at Hikigaya.
How should he put it…? She looked terrifying.
After who-knows-how-long, Shiina finally spoke.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting, Hikigaya-kun. I got held up in the classroom, so I arrived late."
"N-No problem! I just got here too!"
"...Hmm."
That was textbook politeness, yet for some reason, she seemed even more displeased.
…Yeah, Hikigaya wasn't clueless. He knew exactly what was wrong.
Damn that bastard Hashimoto!
Why the hell did he bring that kind of thing to school?!
Couldn't he have waited until the dorms?!
"Hikigaya-kun."
"Y-Yes!"
Lost in his grievances, Hikigaya was startled when Shiina suddenly called his name.
"What's the matter, Shiina-san?"
"Why are you suddenly using honorifics?"
Shiina tilted her head in confusion, then sighed and spoke seriously.
"Hikigaya-kun, it's fine to chat with friends, but you should also consider the time and place."
"Y-Yes, I understand!"
"Of course, I'm not trying to interfere with your matters… but…"
Shiina hesitated, then lowered her gaze—her eyes drifting toward her chest, looking somewhat dejected.
"...It's not only big ones that matter… right?"
...Huh?
Was she feeling insecure?
Now that he thought about it, back then, Yukinoshita would show a similar expression whenever she was around Yui—especially when Yui was bouncing around energetically.
…A bit nostalgic.
Still, comforting her now wouldn't work.
All he could do was look at her warmly.
"Hikigaya-kun… If you keep this up, I will get mad."
"Why?!"
When did she start becoming so unreasonable?!
"N-No, listen, Shiina." Hikigaya scrambled to explain. "That wasn't mine! Hashimoto was just being an idiot—anyway, I don't care about that sort of thing, so you don't have to either!"
...Wait, was that last part a mistake?
Shiina didn't seem to notice anything unusual and instead looked at him with expectant eyes as she asked, "Then, what kind of girls does Hikigaya-kun like?"
Whoa, whoa, that's a pretty tough question.
"Well… someone who's willing to support me."
After scratching his head for a while, Hikigaya finally gave a standard answer.
But Shiina didn't seem satisfied and pressed on, "What about besides that? If two girls both offered to support you, how would you choose?"
"There's no way that would happen!"
The sheer absurdity of the question made Hikigaya instinctively retort.
Just having one person like that would already be a dream.
Or wait… was she referring to Mom and Komachi?
But Mom doesn't count as a girl anymore, right…? No, no, I absolutely cannot let her hear me say that.
"Sorry, Hikigaya-kun, was that too mean of a question?" Shiina asked, her face tinged with a hint of guilt.
"N-No, not at all!"
Hikigaya blurted out almost reflexively.
Damn… the upturned gaze of a cute girl is too unfair!
What's worse, even after being forgiven, she still kept looking at him with that expectant expression.
Huh? Does that mean I really have to answer?
"Uh, if I had to say…" Hikigaya awkwardly scratched his cheek. "I think being able to have good conversations is important. In other words… having common interests, I guess?"
Though he wasn't entirely sure, that was probably the best way to put it.
"Mhm! That really is important!"
For some reason, Shiina suddenly seemed to brighten up, her whole demeanor radiating energy.
…Well, as long as she's happy.
"Oh, we've been talking for so long that I almost forgot—I haven't had lunch yet. Here, please try my cooking."
With that, Shiina spread out the bento she had been holding onto the bench. Inside was an assortment of beautifully arranged dishes.
Especially the presentation—it was clear she had put a lot of effort into it.
"This looks amazing. I almost feel unworthy of eating something this well-made."
Even though this wasn't the first time he'd seen her cooking, Hikigaya was once again impressed by her skill.
It might even be on par with his own!
"Not at all," Shiina replied. "Actually… I was really happy knowing I'd be eating lunch with you today, so I put in extra effort…"
By the time she reached the end of her sentence, her face had turned slightly red, and her voice grew softer.
…What kind of adorable creature is this?
"A-Anyway! Please eat as much as you'd like!"
Perhaps embarrassed by his gaze, Shiina suddenly raised her voice and shoved a pair of chopsticks into his hand.
"Well, I won't hold back then."
Taking the chopsticks, Hikigaya started enjoying the meal with a sense of gratitude.
Now that he thought about it, this was probably the last time he'd get to eat Shiina's cooking… Just that thought alone felt surreal.
Before enrolling in this school, he never imagined he'd meet so many people—or even end up joining the student council.
Life really is unpredictable, huh?
"Hikigaya-kun."
Midway through the meal, Shiina suddenly called his name in a small voice.
"If you don't mind… could I ask about the current exam situation?"
"Of course," Hikigaya responded without hesitation. "But just so you know, it's not that I don't want to share anything—it's just that my class is a total mess. They were never united in the first place, and Hirata is the kind of guy who doesn't want to abandon anyone, so in the end, we never reach a proper conclusion."
"Hirata-kun, huh… I see, that must be tough for him."
Shiina didn't have many friends, and she probably didn't have the courage to ask anyone else for information.
…Now he kind of felt bad for her.