Hikigaya's words were like daggers, each one striking straight at the heart of the matter. And he hadn't even said the worst of it.
If Class A truly resorted to a "three-out-of-one" lottery system because they couldn't gather enough money, then Ichinose's actions were nothing short of hypocrisy—putting on a noble front while engaging in something disgraceful.
Of course, she likely never intended it that way. She would genuinely mourn for the classmates who were forced to leave.
Most of the other students probably thought this was the fairest solution.
But… from an outsider's perspective, this so-called fairness was nothing but self-deception.
"Ah… ahaha…"
Ichinose opened her mouth, trying to come up with a rebuttal, but after struggling for a long time, she couldn't find a single word to say.
In the end, she could only let out an awkward laugh, her expression filled with embarrassment.
She had originally intended to use this as proof that Class A had steeled themselves for the exam.
Yet now, Hikigaya had utterly torn that notion apart.
If it had been simple criticism, Ichinose might not have taken it to heart. But to have Class A's unity denied at its very core… It was hard to accept, yet impossible to refute.
Especially since the example Hikigaya gave was just too easy to understand.
If Ichinose Honami, Kanzaki Ryuji, and Shiranami Chihiro were the ones placed in the selection, no one with a conscience could claim that Shiranami wouldn't be the one voted out.
Many would justify it as an unavoidable decision.
After all, the first two were crucial leaders of the class—talents that Class A absolutely couldn't afford to lose.
But this very mindset meant that the students had already been ranked in terms of value.
If Class A truly wanted to leave everything to luck, they shouldn't have set up a "three-out-of-one" system in the first place. Instead, they should have done as Hikigaya suggested—drawing lots from the entire class. Even if it meant Ichinose herself got expelled, they should have accepted the outcome.
Unfortunately, Class A's unity was nothing more than a façade.
In reality, they were just a group of close friends gathered around Ichinose.
"…I… I guess I really am an unfit leader, huh…"
Ichinose was a smart girl. With just a little push, she immediately grasped the contradiction in their approach.
And because she understood it, her frustration and disappointment deepened.
"Hikigaya-kun… Do you think… I haven't grown at all since the start of the school year?"
By the time she spoke again, her voice had grown so weak it was almost inaudible, exposing the insecurity and self-doubt buried deep within her.
The confidence and pride she usually carried as Class A's leader were nowhere to be seen.
Seeing this unfold, Hikigaya couldn't help but feel a little regretful.
He never particularly enjoyed lecturing others, but... that day, Ichinose had adamantly declared her desire to build a "genuine connection" with her class.
And yet, this was the result?
Maybe Ichinose's method could emotionally appeal to most people, but it was far from the real thing.
...That's right. The so-called "real thing" doesn't necessarily mean something beautiful.
Even Hikigaya wasn't entirely sure what it was, but he had a strong feeling that its true nature was something cold, cruel, and indescribably sorrowful.
Something no one would ever want.
So—
"I regret it."
"Eh...?"
This sudden statement left Ichinose completely dumbfounded.
Hikigaya had no intention of explaining. Instead, he pressed on, somewhat awkwardly, "Ichinose, your problem… No, rather, according to your understanding, what exactly does 'growth' mean?"
"That..."
As expected, Ichinose hesitated.
If she were to go by her middle school perspective, growth would probably mean achieving excellent grades and maintaining good relationships with those around her—things she had always excelled at.
But ever since she arrived at this school… although her grades hadn't slipped, every time she faced a special exam, she couldn't shake off a sense of powerlessness and exhaustion.
"I think… if I can find a better way to lead my class through difficult situations, that would mean I've grown, right?" Ichinose said uncertainly.
She must have realized it too—this answer was just an excuse.
Take this exam, for example. If she hadn't turned to Nagumo or Hikigaya, nor borrowed from anyone else, but had miraculously found two million yen on the street, or if a classmate suddenly pulled out the exact amount…
Even if that led to a better outcome, it wouldn't count as growth.
At best, it would be called cheating.
Reality didn't work that way. So in front of Ichinose, only three choices remained.
Either she accepted Nagumo's conditions, abandoned her principles to seek help from Hikigaya, or stood by and watched as her classmates got expelled.
"...In this meritocracy-driven school, there's probably only one way to define growth," Hikigaya said.
He didn't call Ichinose out for avoiding the question—because he, too, was someone who preferred to run away.
"And that is to become ruthless enough to make the optimal decision for victory under limited conditions."
Especially for a leader.
"Yeah... maybe you're right," Ichinose nodded with difficulty.
She could no longer bring herself to say things like, "No matter what, I will protect my friends."
Of course, her friends were still important to her.
But if they were truly that important, then why had she agreed to a plan that guaranteed her absolute safety regardless of which three were chosen?
If fairness was her goal, then the most just solution would have been to pick a single person out of all forty.
—In the end, am I just a hypocrite?
The thought suddenly surfaced in Ichinose's mind, yet she wasn't even surprised by it.
However, in the next moment, Hikigaya suddenly shook his head.
"No. Your answer is completely wrong!"
"Eh?"
"This is the part where you're supposed to say, 'Mind your own business!'"
"Ehh—?!?!"
That's right. That's how it should be.
Hikigaya Hachiman wasn't some saint. He couldn't even guarantee that his thinking was correct.
So there was no need for Ichinose to take his words too seriously.
Similarly—
"This damn school isn't some sacred ground, either. This whole meritocracy thing is just their one-sided narrative. There's no reason to take it to heart."
There is never only one path forward.
No one ever said you had to stick to the road that was paved for you… this isn't some slot car track!
"Honestly, I don't care what happens to Class A. But as for you—"
"M-Me?!"
Ichinose's eyes widened, her thoughts drifting somewhere far away.
But Hikigaya, completely immersed in his world, continued with unprecedented seriousness, "No matter how you choose to lead your class—whether it's through genuine connections, fake unity, or even if you decide to quit altogether—it doesn't matter. I just hope that in this school, you find what you truly want."
"What do I… truly want?"
"Yeah. Think about it carefully."
Seeing Ichinose's dazed expression, Hikigaya felt equally conflicted.
He was being completely selfish. But in the end, he didn't want Ichinose to become just an "ordinary person."
And yet, the price of avoiding that fate was so cruel…
No matter how things ended, he would probably regret it.
…No, he was already regretting it.
"Uh, sorry. I think I said something weird just now."
As his head cooled down, Hikigaya immediately felt overwhelmed by embarrassment.
Ichinose seemed just as shocked by his words, standing frozen in place.
"A-Anyway, that's it. I was just rambling, so don't take it seriously… See ya."
Feeling unbearably awkward, Hikigaya turned and left as if fleeing the scene.
Damn it… Why did he always say unnecessary things whenever he got caught up in the moment?
But if he didn't say them, he knew he would regret it… Argh, this is so annoying!
Alright, that's it!
Hikigaya immediately decided that once he got back, he would extend his usual "rolling around on the bed in frustration" time to a full hour.
Beep beep—
Just then, his phone suddenly chimed with a message.
Normally, he wouldn't have checked—he wasn't in the mood.
But for some reason, as if possessed, he took it out and glanced at the screen.
What he saw nearly made him drop his phone.
It was from Masumi.
…Yeah, this was something he had to face.
So, what should he do now?
Who can come up with a way for Hachiman to reject someone without making a girl sad within five minutes?
...
At the same time, in Class B, Mashima-sensei was announcing the results of their exam.
The top three rankings had already been decided, with first place going to Yamamura Miki, who received a total of twenty-four votes.
Although this result seemed somewhat forced, Hashimoto's persuasion undoubtedly played a significant role.
Now, the most crucial part—the student who would be expelled.
"Next… I will announce the student who received the most criticism votes. I believe you all know that once a name is called, that student must pack their belongings and come with me to the office."
Mashima-sensei had been a teacher at Advanced Nurturing High School for four years now and had witnessed many students leave due to expulsion.
Yet, every time something like this happened, the only thing he could do was force himself not to care.
"—The student who ranked last, receiving twenty-seven criticism votes, is…"
The classroom was filled with a subtle murmur.
Class B's students sat uneasily, waiting for the moment the name would be announced. Some occasionally glanced in a certain direction, only to quickly avert their gaze.
That person, of course, was Sakayanagi.
However, she remained perfectly composed, sitting quietly with a smile on her face.
After all, as a proper lady, one must maintain elegance until the very end.
Speaking of which, should she go see Hikigaya one last time before leaving?
Sakayanagi mused happily to herself.
His expression at that moment would surely be…
"Totsuka Yahiko."
…Huh?
The name snapped Sakayanagi out of her thoughts.
Not just her—the expressions of everyone in the room froze.
It was as if that name carried some kind of inexplicable power.
"Wait a minute! What's going on here?!"
Katsuragi was the first to react when the results were announced, standing up in disbelief.
Yahiko's expression was no different—actually, nearly everyone in the classroom wore the same stunned look.
Ignoring the commotion, Mashima-sensei continued announcing the vote counts for both praise and criticism.
Surprisingly, the student whom everyone had assumed would be ranked last—Sakayanagi—had only received a mere eight criticism votes…
This result shocked everyone.
"Sakayanagi, this was your doing after all! You pretended to give up, but in reality, you had already planned to secretly frame me!" Yahiko shouted, pointing at those around him. "And you guys! Have you all forgotten what Hikigaya said?!"
The students exchanged glances, confusion evident in their expressions.
Of course, they hadn't forgotten. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been so easily convinced to vote in Hikigaya's favor—to ensure absolute security.
Incidentally, Yahiko was the only one who, out of personal resentment, had refused to cast his vote…
And judging by their expressions, these students genuinely seemed unaware of what had happened.
Most likely, many of them had cast at least one criticism vote against Sakayanagi.
"Mashima-sensei, may I ask a question?"
Sakayanagi, having observed everyone's reactions, quickly grasped the situation.
"Could you provide us with the exact vote distribution?"
"No," Mashima rejected her outright. "This exam only announces the final results. No matter how many praise or criticism votes you received, those details are confidential—you'll have to figure it out yourselves."
Undeterred, Sakayanagi pressed on. "Then, what about the results of other classes? Are those confidential as well?"
"The first-place and last-place students will be posted on the bulletin board on the first floor."
"Heh… Then wouldn't it be fine for you to tell us now?"
As if expecting this response, Sakayanagi smiled knowingly. "Since this information will be made public, there's no harm in sharing it now, right? After all, it seems like everyone here is quite perplexed."
"…Fine."
After a brief pause, Mashima agreed.
He then turned around and wrote down the results of the other classes on the blackboard.
Immediately, Hikigaya's shocking eighty-eight votes of approval stunned everyone.
"I see… Heh."
Sakayanagi, though slightly surprised, revealed an expression of understanding the moment she saw the second-place result—Ichinose.
Ichinose had received a total of fifty-five votes, an undeniably impressive number.
However, in Sakayanagi's eyes, it still fell a bit short.
Excluding the thirty-nine votes from Class A, Ichinose had only secured sixteen votes from the other classes. Considering that Hikigaya had practically monopolized the votes from both Class B and Class C… Sigh, she had to admit—she lost to him this time.
At this moment, Sakayanagi truly conceded.
She had originally planned to give Hikigaya a little surprise at the last moment, but she hadn't expected him to be thinking the exact same thing.
Heh… We were thinking the same thing.
…Hehehehehe.
Suddenly, Sakayanagi felt an overwhelming urge to meet Hikigaya. She couldn't wait.
Aside from her, a few other sharp-minded students in Class B also started piecing things together after seeing the results from the other classes.
That included Hashimoto.
When he figured it out, his jaw nearly hit the floor.
Wait… Hold on, you two…
Is this some kind of love-hate rivalry or what?!
Without a doubt, this was the worst possible situation for a two-faced opportunist like Hashimoto.
He had assumed Sakayanagi was done for and was already considering his next move.
But to his surprise, not only was Sakayanagi completely fine, the person who had stepped in to help her was none other than Hikigaya—the very same guy who had barged into her class and openly declared he was going to take her down.
Of course, there was a chance this was the work of someone else in Class D.
But no matter how he looked at it, Hashimoto still felt that Hikigaya was the most likely culprit.
Ugh… What the hell is even going on here?
Are all of you this good at playing mind games?!
Holding his head as if in pain, Hashimoto let out an internal scream of frustration.
But in reality, compared to Hashimoto—who was at most an outsider to this mess—there was someone else in the room who had an even greater urge to scream.
"Kamuro, you've been lying on your desk this whole time. Are you okay?"
"…I'm fine."