The additional special exam for the first-year students had finally come to an end.
On Monday, Class D students arrived at school as usual.
The only difference was that one less desk remained in the classroom.
Yamauchi, like Ike before him, had left the school forever.
However, compared to Yamauchi's expulsion, the students—especially the girls—seemed more concerned about Hirata's state.
After all, when Ike was expelled last time, Hirata's reaction had been frightening.
Fortunately, this time… No, it wouldn't be right to say he was completely fine.
Though he still responded when others talked to him, he was clearly forcing himself.
In a way, losing a companion might feel as traumatic as being violated.
There's a saying: Life is like being assaulted—if you can't resist, you might as well enjoy it.
Similarly, Hirata couldn't fight against the school's rules, so he could only slowly adapt.
And, in truth, he was adapting rather well.
Strictly speaking, Yamauchi's expulsion was slightly more unjust than Ike's.
The latter was expelled for secretly filming the girls' changing room, whereas the former was eliminated due to an unreasonable exam set by the school.
That was likely why Hirata's reaction wasn't as intense this time. In a sense, it could even be considered progress.
"Hey, Hachiman-kun."
As Hikigaya Hachiman was lost in thought, Matsushita suddenly called his name.
"Are you thinking about something pointless again?"
"…No."
At moments like this, Hikigaya always doubted himself.
He was supposed to be good at hiding his emotions…
But on Saturday, Ayanokoji had immediately seen through him, realizing he was internally calling him a coward. Was it really that obvious?
"I was contemplating a profound philosophical truth—'same people, different fates.' That's hardly pointless." Hikigaya replied with a straight face.
Matsushita glanced at him, unimpressed. "That is pointless. Let me guess—you were thinking about how Hirata made a huge scene when Ike got expelled, but now that it's Yamauchi, he barely reacted?"
"Uh…" For a brief moment, Hikigaya was genuinely taken aback.
Could Matsushita read minds?
Or had she secretly obtained a Level-3 Hikigaya Analysis Certification without notifying him? Either possibility was terrifying.
"You're mistaken. I wasn't thinking about Ike or Yamauchi at all."
No matter what, Hikigaya refused to admit Matsushita had seen through him.
That would mean defeat!
"I was thinking about… Sudo. Yes, Sudo!" Hikigaya quickly pointed to the side. "Look, he's also feeling down about Yamauchi, yet no one is comforting him. That's a stark contrast to Hirata."
For the record, Sudo had merely lost his best friend, whereas Hirata had suffered emotional trauma.
"This world is just too unfair."
"…That's even more pointless. Never mind, let's stop talking nonsense."
Matsushita sighed, then shook her head and got to the main topic. "By the way, what you asked me to do—it's about done."
She took out her phone, opened a group chat, and showed it to Hikigaya.
Over the weekend, nearly all the students had been discussing the exam.
Specifically, they talked about Class 1-C and the things Tokito shouted before his expulsion.
It was almost like a scene from One Piece—If you want my treasure… No, wrong reference.
Rather, it was more along the lines of This wasn't part of the deal! I demand to see President Nagumo! Nagumo, you traitor! and so on.
As a result, many people were now speculating whether Nagumo had secretly interfered with the first-year exam.
"Thanks, Matsushita. I appreciate it."
Through Kushida and Matsushita's extensive connections, these rumors spread from one girl's group chat to another, eventually reaching the entire school.
Of course, all of it was completely fabricated.
After all, Hikigaya had no way of knowing what had happened in Class 1-C that day.
For all he knew, Tokito might have left quietly without saying a word.
However, judging by the reactions, it seemed Class C's students did know something.
Ryuen had exposed it on the spot… That guy wasn't dumb, after all.
"It wasn't much trouble," Matsushita said, but her face suddenly showed concern. "But… what's the point of doing this? Do you think it will make a difference?"
She knew Hikigaya had been waiting for a chance to deal with Nagumo.
But from her perspective, this wouldn't have much effect.
Even if Nagumo had failed to manipulate Class C's exam, this minor setback wouldn't harm him in the slightest.
Hikigaya understood that as well.
The reason he spread those rumors was simply to bait Nagumo.
Once that guy caught wind of it, he would come looking for answers.
"Don't worry. Just wait until after school… and enjoy the show." Hikigaya reassured her confidently.
"…Enjoy?"
Matsushita immediately noticed the odd wording.
Hikigaya merely smiled without responding.
He hadn't told anyone about his plan—not even Ayanokoji, who was assisting him.
At best, Ayanokoji could make an educated guess.
After school, the student council held a brief welcoming ceremony.
The guest of honor was none other than Katsuragi from Class 1-B.
"Katsuragi, welcome to the student council. From now on, I'll be working you to the bone, so be prepared."
"I understand. Please take care of me."
Watching Nagumo and Katsuragi shake hands, Hikigaya couldn't help but feel a sense of unreality.
So he accepted the invitation…
Of course, Hikigaya originally suggested it. Katsuragi had the right to refuse or accept it.
But… this time, the expelled student was Yahiko—Katsuragi's best friend.
Hikigaya had assumed he'd be too shaken up to act so soon, yet just a day later, he was already inquiring about the contract and joining the student council.
…Well, this worked out fine.
The student council had few members anyway, so after a brief round of introductions, the meeting ended.
"There's nothing urgent going on, so everyone should head home early. Hikigaya, help Katsuragi with the paperwork. Don't forget to give a copy to the teacher."
"Got it."
Hikigaya nodded, unsurprised at having extra work dumped on him.
He was about to lead Katsuragi to the archives when Nagumo called out to him.
"Oh, and come back to the student council room later—I have something to discuss with you."
"…Sure."
At those words, Hikigaya felt his stomach drop.
If he had to guess, Nagumo probably wanted to inquire about the exam.
After all, Tokito's words had spread across the entire school—there was no way Nagumo would ignore it.
And besides that… there was something he likely really wanted to know.
After finishing Katsuragi's paperwork, Hikigaya messaged Ayanokoji before preparing to return to the student council room.
However, this time, it was Katsuragi who stopped him.
"Sorry, could I trouble you for a moment?"
"Hmm? Sure."
Hikigaya agreed without hesitation.
After all, Nagumo didn't set a specific time limit for returning. Making that guy wait a little wouldn't kill him.
"Actually, I wanted to ask… about that…"
But just as the words reached his lips, Katsuragi hesitated, his face showing a conflicted and troubled expression.
Hikigaya, however, could more or less guess what he wanted to ask, so he decided to be upfront about it.
"If you're asking about this exam, then yes, I did call for Class D students to vote for Sakayanagi. So whether you want to criticize me or just vent, I'll accept it."
"…No, I… don't have the right to complain to you."
His tone was strained, but Katsuragi still managed to articulate his words clearly, one by one.
That said… even if he understood the logic, emotionally, it was probably hard to accept.
At the end of the day, it was Hikigaya's actions that indirectly led to Yahiko's expulsion. And favoring one's friends was only natural.
It was just like how Sudou, despite knowing all of Yamauchi's flaws, still stuck by him—because back when Sudou first started school, he wasn't much better himself. He was constantly fighting, making everyone wary of him.
In that situation, only Ike and Yamauchi were willing to associate with him.
For Sudou, who was ostracized by the class, those two were undoubtedly his best friends.
The same logic applied here. Katsuragi was well aware of Yahiko's shortcomings.
But no matter how mature he appeared on the outside, he was still just a first-year student.
Even adults find it difficult to remain completely impartial when it comes to subordinates who admire them.
The fact that Katsuragi could maintain this level of composure was already impressive.
"Besides, that's not what I wanted to ask you." Katsuragi let out a deep sigh. "For one, I had already heard about it. More importantly… the person I truly want to blame is myself."
"…But I remember that you voluntarily offered to be expelled back then. I was the one who interfered, wasn't I?"
Hikigaya felt somewhat helpless. Since Katsuragi had already done so much, there was no need for him to keep blaming himself.
He had undoubtedly done everything in his power to save Yahiko.
"No, I think you misunderstood me."
Katsuragi turned his head, gazing through the hallway window at the distant scenery. His eyes, slightly unfocused, held a trace of pain.
"I know my abilities are limited. It's frustrating that I couldn't help Yahiko, but I understand that it was an unavoidable situation—someone had to be sacrificed in this exam."
He paused for a long moment before continuing.
"But what I truly can't accept is… the moment I learned that I wasn't expelled, a part of me… felt relieved."
"I see…"
At last, Hikigaya understood.
Even though Katsuragi had been willing to take his friend's place, that didn't mean he was entirely at peace with it.
Setting aside the advantages of graduating from Class A, just being in this school—where tuition, accommodation, and even living expenses were covered—was already far better than most schools in the world.
For Katsuragi, an orphan who had been living under someone else's care, this was a place he couldn't easily give up.
But in exchange… he lost his best friend.
That was the root of Katsuragi's inner turmoil.
Guilt toward his friend, and… relief at having been saved.
"Katsuragi, what do you plan to do from here on out?" Hikigaya didn't intend to offer empty words of comfort. "You joined the student council pretty quickly, so I assume you're not planning to just wallow in regret?"
"Yeah… The class is in an uncertain situation right now. Everyone feels uneasy about the future, so I want to do whatever I can."
It seemed that Katsuragi was still the same student who prioritized his class above all else.
"One more thing—this is just out of personal curiosity, but when you recommended me for the student council, was it just to oppose Sakayanagi?"
"Hmm… That was just an excuse."
"But even without that excuse, it wouldn't have been an issue, right?" Katsuragi questioned sharply.
That was exactly the case.
On the surface, it seemed like Hikigaya was trying to reestablish Katsuragi's faction, but thinking about it logically, there was no need for that at all.
Those two contracts were the lifeline of Class B, and the rumors surrounding Sakayanagi's father were just a tool to fan the flames.
The key was to create an environment where Class B students could justify voting against Sakayanagi with a clear conscience.
Although, looking at the results, this might seem like a wasted effort… No, perhaps not entirely.
That guy will change, even if only a little.
"…Alright. Recommending you to join the student council—I did have other considerations."
At this point, Hikigaya no longer intended to hide the truth.
"I originally thought that after I dropped out, if Nagumo started acting recklessly again, you might be able to restrain him to some extent… Of course, that was just my wishful thinking."
Katsuragi had once applied to join the student council, but the real reason he was rejected was that Horikita Manabu believed he would be influenced by Nagumo.
However, Hikigaya didn't see it that way.
This man never yielded to Sakayanagi—how could someone like Nagumo possibly sway him?
"I see… Wait a minute, did you just say you were dropping out?"
Katsuragi, mid-sentence, suddenly caught on, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Uh, well, I did have that in mind." Hikigaya scratched his head, looking awkward. "You know I worry about my sister, so I figured I'd take this chance to leave… But things didn't exactly go as planned."
Not just a small hiccup—this was practically a major accident.
"…Sigh, you make dropping out sound like a joke." Katsuragi sighed from the depths of his heart.
For students who were desperately trying to stay in this school, Hikigaya's attitude and actions were nothing short of an insult.
"N-No, that's not it. I… When I found out I wasn't expelled, I was a little happy too, just like you."
That was the truth.
On one hand, Hikigaya had called for everyone to vote against him. But on the other hand… he hoped they wouldn't.
At the very least, they should've hesitated for a moment, right?
Yet they seemed completely indifferent—most of them were even chatting happily before the vote… Tch.
The more Hikigaya thought about it, the more suffocating he felt.
Even if he knew his thoughts were unreasonable, emotions weren't so easily deceived.
If this had happened back in middle school, he probably would've cried into his pillow. Though, honestly, he still kind of wanted to cry now.
"Looks like you have a lot on your mind."
Katsuragi commented with a trace of sympathy, then furrowed his brows in confusion.
"But now that you're not dropping out, are you really okay telling me all of this?"
"Hm?"
"I mean about Nagumo. You just said it yourself—you hope I can help restrain him. In other words, there's some conflict between you two, or you're secretly planning something against him." Katsuragi crossed his arms and spoke in a low voice.
"Yeah, so what?" Hikigaya replied, unfazed.
"…Aren't you afraid I'll report you?"
"Would you?"
"…No."
"Then there's no problem."
Katsuragi was at a loss for words, momentarily stumped by Hikigaya's casual response.
Or rather, he couldn't understand why Hikigaya trusted him so easily.
In truth, it wasn't about trust—Hikigaya simply didn't care.
Even if Ayanokoji suddenly lost his mind and sided with Nagumo, he wouldn't be particularly concerned.
More importantly, though, an unexpected opportunity had just presented itself.
Hikigaya suddenly realized that Katsuragi might be worth recruiting.
Ichinose, like Katsuragi, had been rejected from the student council when she first applied. That was why she was grateful to Nagumo for recommending her later.
Because of that, Hikigaya had always hesitated to involve Ichinose in opposing Nagumo.
Even without that debt, Ichinose's personality meant she wouldn't want to be dragged into this kind of power struggle.
And to be honest, Hikigaya didn't want to trouble her either… so he let it be.
But Katsuragi was different.
He was pulled into this by Hikigaya, and with his intimidating bald appearance, he was not someone Nagumo, a superficial womanizer, would favor.
It was obvious from the welcome party—Nagumo barely spoke a word to him.
That guy was such a lecher, after all…
More importantly, Katsuragi had once led his faction, standing against Sakayanagi in Class A. He had plenty of experience in these power struggles.
If Hikigaya could recruit him, he would be a valuable asset in the future.
Hmm… Might as well give it a shot.
Without hesitation, Hikigaya made his move and asked, "Katsuragi, now that you know about this, what do you think?"
"…What do you mean?"
"It's simple."
Under Katsuragi's wary gaze, Hikigaya smiled and extended an olive branch.
"Want to join me in taking down Nagumo?"
This was essentially forcing him to pick a side.
And Katsuragi clearly understood that, as he fell into deep thought.
If it were the old him, he would've rejected the offer outright.
Getting involved in the student council's internal struggles wouldn't benefit his class in the slightest. Besides, their opponent was the student council president, who ruled over the entire second year. There was no reason to take such a risk.
But now, he had to consider another angle.
If opposing the student council president was bad, then… was opposing Hikigaya necessarily good?
Katsuragi couldn't conclude so easily.
"Hikigaya, before I answer, I want to ask you something."
"What?"
"Setting aside why you want to go against Nagumo… does Ichinose know about this? Or rather, is she on your side?"
If Hikigaya had already recruited Ichinose, then Katsuragi wouldn't mind joining as well.
But unexpectedly, Hikigaya's face darkened.
"That's none of your business. I'm asking you—which side are you on?"
"Uh…"
For some reason, Katsuragi suddenly felt like he was being treated differently.
Was Hikigaya this forceful with Ichinose too? No way, right?
…This feels kind of unfair.