Katsuragi pondered for a long time, unable to make a decision. The main issue was that he found it difficult to gauge the risks involved.
Being targeted by the current student council president was certainly not a good thing—it could very well endanger his class.
However, by this time next year, Nagumo would be graduating and leaving the school, while Hikigaya would still be here for another year.
From that perspective, siding with Nagumo and making an enemy of Hikigaya was clearly not a wise choice.
He could choose to remain neutral, but...
The internal strife within Class B had caused significant damage to the class, but it had also given Katsuragi some insight. The so-called neutral faction appeared to remain uninvolved, offending no one, yet when real trouble arose, they still suffered. At that point, they might not even have anyone to speak up for them.
During the uninhabited island exam, Hikigaya had shown no mercy to the neutral faction.
With that in mind, Katsuragi increasingly felt that opposing that guy was not a wise decision.
Moreover, those two contracts brought in nearly two million personal points every month, and yet Hikigaya had let them go without hesitation… That level of decisiveness was truly remarkable.
"Hikigaya, before I answer, I'd like to ask a few things. What exactly is the conflict between you and President Nagumo?"
That said, Katsuragi had actually already made up his mind.
What he was considering was not the present, but the future.
Once Nagumo was gone, who would be the next student council president?
Katsuragi himself had no intention of competing for the position. He had joined the student council late and had never made any significant contributions during exams—both in terms of sentiment and logic, he lacked the qualifications to command authority.
Besides, he had some understanding of the current state of the student council.
It was essentially a dictatorship under Nagumo. In other words, Nagumo would likely interfere in the selection of the next president. And it was well known that he doted on Ichinose—even privately pursuing her.
If he prearranged for Ichinose to become the next president, it wouldn't be surprising.
After all, Nagumo had outright abolished the general election system and removed term limits—nothing he did would be unexpected.
While Ichinose was certainly capable of handling the role, she was the leader of Class A—the biggest enemy of Katsuragi's Class B.
In that case, setting aside all other factors, supporting Hikigaya as student council president would undoubtedly be more beneficial for his class.
However, Hikigaya's response was beyond Katsuragi's expectations.
"Well… how should I put it? I just find Nagumo incredibly irritating."
Hikigaya paused for a moment and decided to be honest.
No matter what Nagumo did to Ichinose, that was between the two of them. As an outsider, Hikigaya had no right to meddle.
But by that same logic, he had every right to go against Nagumo as well.
"…Irritating?"
That response left Katsuragi at a loss for words.
If Hikigaya had said he wanted to be student council president, then Katsuragi could have simply agreed.
But saying he was acting just because he found Nagumo irritating… What kind of reasoning was that? Was this guy really that willful?
…Wait a second.
Katsuragi suddenly seemed to realize something and showed a thoughtful expression.
"Could it be that, in your eyes, President Nagumo's methods are similar to Sakayanagi's?"
"…Even more disgusting than Sakayanagi's."
That wasn't just Hikigaya's bias.
Take the rumor incident, for example. Sakayanagi had only obtained information about Ichinose's past from Nagumo before exaggerating it and spreading it around.
Nagumo, on the other hand, had first tricked Ichinose into revealing her secret, then betrayed her without hesitation. Even after being exposed, he didn't show a hint of remorse.
From a personal standpoint, Hikigaya found the latter's actions far more repulsive.
Most people hate traitors more than they hate enemies, right?
"Is it because of the mixed training camp, when Nagumo broke his agreement with Horikita-senpai?" Katsuragi asked, stroking his chin.
Nagumo had publicly challenged Horikita Manabu in front of all the male students, only to break the agreement in the end and suffer a humiliating defeat.
That incident was quite well known.
"No, it has nothing to do with that," Hikigaya shook his head. "Even though he gained nothing in return, he still threw away twenty million points just to defeat Horikita-senpai… Honestly, I kind of admire his level of obsession."
To be honest, if the target had been someone else, Hikigaya wouldn't have cared at all.
If Nagumo had tried to frame Ayanokoji instead… well, that would have been a cause for celebration.
But because the target had been Horikita Manabu—someone he deeply respected—Hikigaya had interfered purely out of personal bias.
He never misunderstood that fact.
"Then what exactly is your reason?" Katsuragi was confused.
"Mm… It's complicated. Why don't you just listen for yourself?"
"Listen?"
Under Katsuragi's puzzled gaze, Hikigaya handed him a magnetic key card.
"This is the key card for the broadcast room," Hikigaya explained. "Once you get there, I'll call you. Just connect your phone to the equipment. If you don't know how Ayanokoji will teach you."
"Ayanokoji is involved too?" Katsuragi was a bit surprised.
"Yeah."
Since student council members had free access to the broadcast room, coming up with an excuse to get a spare key card wasn't difficult.
"Katsuragi, you can still refuse. There's still time to back out," Hikigaya said sincerely.
Regardless of how this ended, after today, if the first-year students still wanted to stand with Nagumo, they'd first have to consider how others would perceive them.
"…No, there's nothing to regret."
After a brief moment of contemplation, Katsuragi shook his head. "You were the one who pulled me into the student council. If you fall out with Nagumo, there's no way the other side will trust me either… Besides, on a personal level, I'm quite curious about what methods you plan to use against the student council president."
"You'll find out soon enough."
Hikigaya waved at Katsuragi, and they each headed to their respective destinations.
Upon reaching the student council office, Hikigaya dialed his phone and confirmed that Katsuragi was ready. Ayanokoji was also standing by.
Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door.
"Sorry for making you wait. I got held up by something with the faculty advisor."
Before Nagumo could speak, Hikigaya proactively provided an excuse.
"No worries, have a seat first."
Nagumo wasn't the type to fuss over trivial matters. He casually gestured for Hikigaya to sit across from him.
However, instead of doing so, Hikigaya rubbed his arms and glanced toward the open window.
"President Nagumo, I feel a bit cold." Hikigaya's body trembled slightly. "If this conversation is going to take a while, can I close the window?"
"Oh, of course. Just do it yourself."
Nagumo didn't suspect anything and casually pointed to the control panel by the door.
Advanced facilities were one of ANHS's perks—even the windows were motorized, closing at the press of a button.
Of course, lighting and even the broadcasting system could be controlled from the same panel.
If someone wanted a quiet conversation, they could even turn off the broadcast.
"Thanks."
Hikigaya expressed his gratitude, swiftly adjusted the settings, and then took a seat across from Nagumo.
"So, what did you want to talk about?"
"Nothing much. I just wanted to ask about your account—has it been unbanned?"
Nagumo maintained a facade of indifference, but Hikigaya nearly burst out laughing.
This guy must be racking his brain trying to figure out who ruined his plan.
After all, not just anyone could casually produce two million points. And since Ichinose would never expose Kushida or Matsushita to suspicion for colluding with another class, she'd keep this a secret.
Knowing this, Hikigaya played dumb. "It was unbanned this morning."
"This morning…?"
"Yeah, is there a problem?"
"…No, nothing."
Nagumo scrutinized Hikigaya for a moment, but he didn't find anything suspicious.
Of course, that was to be expected—after all, Hikigaya wasn't lying.
"You went out of your way to see me just for this?"
Hikigaya suddenly placed his hand on the table and tapped his fingers rhythmically.
This was the signal to begin.
"I don't think that's all, right? After all, President Nagumo doesn't seem like the type to concern himself with his subordinates… Ah, except for Ichinose, maybe."
"…What do you mean?"
Sensing the underlying message in Hikigaya's words, Nagumo narrowed his eyes slightly.
"No need to be so tense." Hikigaya chuckled. "Lately, I've been hearing some strange rumors around school, and I was wondering if they had anything to do with you."
"You mean the first-year Class C situation? That's just baseless gossip."
"Is that so? But I asked some Class A students, and they all said that it's true—you lent Class A two million points in exchange for them voting for a candidate of your choice…"
As he spoke, Hikigaya no longer concealed the amusement in his eyes.
"Logically, that praise vote should have gone to Tokito, but for some reason, it ended up with me instead… President Nagumo, do you know why that happened?"
"Uh…"
"Why aren't you saying anything? After putting on such a grand performance on stage, shouldn't you at least try to figure out who was watching from the audience?"
"Hikigaya…!"
At this point, Nagumo was sharp enough to realize what was going on.
Just as it seemed like he was about to explode in anger, he suddenly let out a chuckle, as if he found it amusing.
"Heh… So it was you behind all this. You finally couldn't resist revealing yourself, huh?"
"Finally? Do you think you've seen through everything?"
"…What?"
Unfortunately, Hikigaya had no intention of clearing up Nagumo's confusion just yet.
He continued the conversation, saying, "Nagumo, it's your business who you lend money to, but don't forget—the person sitting in front of you is your creditor."
"Hmph, I haven't forgotten. But we agreed on a six-month repayment period."
Nagumo snorted disdainfully.
"So you're ruining my plan just because you can't wait? Since when did you and Ryuuen get so chummy?"
"No, this isn't about Ryuuen… How about this? Let me explain from the beginning."
Saying that, Hikigaya stood up and slowly circled Nagumo.
"When my account got frozen, I was already suspicious. Why were you cooperating with Class B so much? At first, I thought maybe you were just a lolicon and had taken a liking to Sakayanagi."
"Hah, are you trying to provoke me?" Nagumo sneered.
"No, I'm just being honest about my initial thoughts." Hikigaya leaned in close to his ear. "But then, something didn't feel right, so I did some digging… and it turns out you've been pursuing Ichinose all along."
"So what? Is there a problem with that?"
"No, not at all. Love and romance are perfectly natural."
Hikigaya placed a hand on Nagumo's shoulder in an unmistakably provocative gesture.
"The problem is, Ichinose doesn't seem to be interested in you. She keeps coming up with excuses to turn you down… So you resorted to some underhanded tactics, didn't you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Nagumo's expression darkened as he slapped Hikigaya's hand away.
"Whether you understand or not doesn't matter, as long as I know what you did, that's enough. Heh."
As he spoke, Hikigaya suddenly let out a chuckle.
"To be honest, when rumors about Ichinose were spreading, I was wondering why you leaked her secret to Sakayanagi. Turns out, you were just trying to play the hero and save the damsel in distress, huh?"
Under Nagumo's expressionless gaze, he mocked him without hesitation.
"I mean, Nagumo-senpai, aren't you a bit too old for this? Did you think that just by comforting a devastated Ichinose afterward, she'd fall for you? Let me remind you—this is reality, not some two-dimensional fantasy world."
"…Are you done?"
"Not yet, just a little more."
Ignoring Nagumo's increasingly cold expression, Hikigaya continued speaking loudly in the student council office.
"You know, I couldn't figure out why you were cooperating with Class B at first. So, I decided to ask someone. Guess who?"
"Uh…"
"I asked Sakayanagi." Hikigaya spoke without hesitation. "She seemed to think I was beyond saving, so just like those villains in TV dramas, she went ahead and told me all about her plan… including the part where you lent two million points to Class A on the condition that Ichinose date you."
"…I don't know what kind of relationship you have with Sakayanagi, but I don't recall making such a demand." Nagumo outright denied it.
"Hmm, I thought so too."
Rather than refute him, Hikigaya nodded as if he completely agreed.
"Because if that were true, you'd be utterly pathetic, Nagumo-senpai. You can't win over a girl, so you resort to bribing her? Even in the world of anime, only the ugliest losers would stoop to such a low. Let alone you, the ever-so-charming Nagumo-senpai, right?"
"Uh…"
"And even if you were to buy affection, just two million points? At least be a little more generous." Hikigaya continued to mock him. "I mean, come on, that's freeloading… Ah, of course, I'm not saying you're stingy, Nagumo-senpai. You wouldn't be that cheap, right?"
As he spoke, he patted Nagumo's shoulder again.
"Even if you lost forty million points recently and are buried in debt, I doubt you'd be that stingy, right?"
"…Are you done talking?"
"Besides, only some dark and pathetic virgin would pull such a ridiculous move. Nagumo-senpai, you… uh, surely you're not still a virgin, right?"
Hikigaya deliberately paused multiple times before letting out an amused laugh.
"You know, there are guys like that. On the surface, they act like experienced players, pretending to be all cool and popular. But the moment something serious happens, they get played like a fool. Of course, since they hold high positions, people around them just humor them, never calling them out. But behind their backs? They're probably laughed at countless times."
"…I asked you, are you done talking?"
"Oh my, are you mad?"
Seeing Nagumo's darkened expression, Hikigaya feigned realization and quickly apologized.
"Sorry, sorry, Nagumo-senpai. I wasn't talking about you. I was talking about those pathetic guys who think lending two million points will force a girl to date them… hmm, or maybe they're just naturally… incapable."
"…Incapable?"
"It means you were born… dysfunctional. That's why you're so psychologically twisted."
"…!"
Though Hikigaya had been explaining in good faith, Nagumo reacted as if he couldn't bear it any longer. He suddenly shot up from his chair, his eyes glaring daggers at him.
Sigh, so much for good intentions.
"Whoa, whoa, Nagumo-senpai, what's wrong? I wasn't talking about you, why so worked up—"
"Enough. Cut the crap."
Nagumo impatiently interrupted him, then smirked coldly.
"Yeah, I did it. So what? What now? Are you here to avenge Honami?"
"Not really. Whatever Ichinose decides to do is up to her."
Seeing Nagumo admit it, Hikigaya's previously uncertain heart finally settled.
"I just wanted to tell you—"
Ding—!
Before he could finish, Nagumo's phone, resting on the desk, suddenly rang.
Hikigaya instantly felt something was off. Their conversation was being broadcast live throughout the school.
In other words, this was likely a call from Nagumo's subordinates.
"Who the hell is calling at a time like this?"
Nagumo muttered in annoyance and reached for his phone.
Seeing this, Hikigaya steeled himself, dashed forward, and snatched the phone before Nagumo could grab it.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?"
Nagumo frowned immediately.
But before he could question him further, Hikigaya casually tossed the phone away, then arrogantly poked Nagumo's chest with his finger.
"You're asking me what I'm doing? That should be my line. Who do you think you're talking to right now? Did you dare to pick up a call? Who the hell gave you that kind of nerve?"
"…I see, Hikigaya, so this is your true face."
After the initial shock, Nagumo quickly composed himself, smirking coldly.
"You think just because you ruined my plan this time, you've beaten me? Fine, I admit, losing this round is a bit annoying. But do you think this will affect me in any way?"
Nagumo spread his hands and chuckled, "I exposed Hōnami's past, yet you think she doesn't resent me? That's because she wants to lead her classmates to graduate from Class A."
"Oh? And what, a mere student council president like you can decide matters for the first-years?" Hikigaya asked knowingly.
"Heh, I can't do that directly. But don't forget—becoming the student council president is a great advantage in solidifying Class A's position. In other words, as long as Hōnami still wants to be the next student council president, she has no choice but to obey me. Sooner or later, I'll have her in my bed."
"…Sigh, you really are a pathetic guy."
Hikigaya looked at Nagumo with pity.
"You know what? You're like a brat who keeps showing off his toys—forever stuck in childhood."
"Say whatever you want." Nagumo sneered. "But let's be honest, Hōnami is nothing more than a toy to me. Back then, I used the excuse of inviting her into the student council to easily trick her into revealing her secrets. Heh, what an unbelievably foolish woman."
He seemed to be deliberately provoking Hikigaya.
Unfortunately for him, Hikigaya had the exact same plan.
"No, you've got it wrong. When I said you were pathetic, I wasn't talking about that. I meant you'll never get what you truly want."
Nagumo didn't react much to those words, only letting out a quiet scoff.
However, the next sentence made his entire body tense up.
"I know, the only thing you really want… is Horikita-senpai's recognition. No—rather, everything you've done, even orchestrating that attack during the training camp, was just for that, wasn't it?"
"...Could it be—"
"That's right, it's exactly that 'could it be.'"
Hikigaya gazed at the dumbfounded Nagumo with a satisfied look.
Finally, this guy was about to break.
"I'm not like Horikita-senpai—so rigid and uptight. The moment I saw your ridiculous collective responsibility rule, I already knew what kind of bullshit plan you were up to. So I played along, personally requesting to be Ishikura-senpai's negotiator. And the result? Heh, sowing discord was even easier than I expected."
"It was you…?"
"Yup, it was me." Hikigaya grinned as he leaned in close. "You, a pathetic clown, were still basking in your so-called brilliant plan right up until the moment it collapsed, weren't you? You were even fantasizing about the look on Horikita-senpai's face. But in the end, the one who was left dumbfounded was you. Do you have any idea how hard I had to try not to laugh at that moment?"
"…Shut up."
"Oh, and let's not forget—not only did your plan fail, but you lost forty million personal points, three hundred class points, and still owe me five million. I'm really curious, Nagumo-senpai, the oh-so-proud top student of our grade—how did you feel at that moment? Or better yet, how do you feel right now, being questioned by your creditor? Does it feel the same?"
As he taunted him, Hikigaya even reached out and lightly patted Nagumo's cheek.
"You should give up on getting Horikita-senpai's recognition. At least in this school, that's impossible. The only one he'll ever acknowledge… is me, Hikigaya Hachiman."
"...! Hikigaya! You bastard—!!"
That was the final straw. Nagumo couldn't hold back anymore and swung his fist at Hikigaya in a fit of rage.
Yet Hikigaya didn't dodge or block it. He simply accepted the punch with complete composure.
In fact, just before getting hit, he even had enough room in his mind to make one last remark to himself.
Seriously, what's with this guy? Getting so worked up over another man… It's honestly disgusting.