"So you're saying no?"
Ryuen's face darkened instantly. "I never go easy on my enemies. It doesn't matter if you're a woman."
"You're really making a fuss over nothing. I just turned down your request to be an informant, and you're already acting petty?"
Haruno shook her head, looking disappointed. "You're really small-minded. Let me guess—next, you're going to resort to violence to get your way?"
"Hah, so what if I do? Violence is the simplest and most effective way to make people submit and fear you. Especially for you arrogant Class A students—I'd love to see you on your knees, begging for mercy."
Ryuen openly preached his belief in violence, not caring that they were in a school setting. His confidence came from the power he held in Class C, a power he had gained entirely through brute force.
The mood suddenly turned heavy. If Ryuen had been merely arrogant before, now he was making a blatant threat.
"If violence worked so well, you wouldn't be sitting here talking to me."
Haruno wasn't fazed by Ryuen's threats. In fact, she didn't even bother to hide the contempt in her voice. "I've never heard of the strong negotiating with the weak. Let's be honest—maybe your so-called 'violence' worked in other schools, but here? It's the lowest-tier method."
Haruno looked at Ryuen calmly, as if she had already seen through him. She chuckled. "You understand that too, don't you? That's why you're here, sitting down for a talk."
Ryuen's face was clouded with anger, while Haruno remained perfectly composed. The contrast between them made the winner obvious. And with every word she spoke, it felt like Haruno's words were cutting straight into Ryuen's heart.
Words could hurt more than fists. How brutal.
"Heh... hahaha!"
Ryuen ran a finger down the bridge of his nose and covered half his face with his hand as he laughed. His voice grew colder. "You really piss me off—just like that shorty Sakayanagi."
Bang!
Ryuen suddenly grabbed the coffee cup from the table and threw it at Haruno. No one had expected him to be this reckless, daring to pull such a stunt in a public space. Even though Haruno reacted quickly, she couldn't completely dodge it.
But in the next second, someone stepped in front of her.
The black coffee splashed all over the boy, soaking his clothes, face, and even his hair.
"Hikigaya!"
Haruno rushed forward, but Hikigaya simply waved his hand, signaling that he was fine. Without any hurry, he grabbed a few napkins from the table and started wiping his face.
The moment Ryuen had let out that fake laugh, Hikigaya had been watching closely. He had already sensed the "hidden hand" behind that laughter.
"Heh, I prefer my coffee a little sweeter."
Even now, Hikigaya managed to joke with Haruno before casually sitting back down, as if nothing had happened.
But Haruno's face was no longer playful. The teasing smile had completely vanished, replaced by an icy cold glare directed at Ryuen.
"Oh dear, my bad. My hand must have slipped."
Ryuen gave a fake apology, but the smirk on his face made it clear he wasn't sorry at all. Finally, his gaze landed on Hikigaya.
"The trash from Class D, huh? Well, at least they're useful as shields. But it looks like the student council in this school is just a place that collects trash."
Ryuen sneered with disdain.
Hikigaya's eyes sharpened. He immediately caught the meaning behind those words. At the same time, Ryuen seemed to have already known about him?
Thinking about it, that made sense. He had dealt with so many incidents involving Class C students causing trouble, so it was only natural that Ryuen knew about him. In that case… was the initial act of ignoring him intentional?
"Heh, ignorance really is fearless."
Hikigaya looked at Ryuen, who had made it clear from the start that he was here to cause trouble. His expression was cold as he spoke indifferently.
"If you're so desperate to reach Class A, but as the leader of Class C, you've been looking down on the student council from the very beginning, then all I can say is—this is the extent of your ability."
In fact, the signs were there from the start when the student council was recruiting new members. Among the four classes, students from every class except Class C had signed up. Only Class C showed no interest at all.
Hikigaya's expression remained calm, but his tone was unexpectedly sharp. Even Haruno glanced at him in surprise, as if noticing something different about him.
Though his voice was flat, Haruno could hear the anger beneath it.
Even when she had deliberately teased him multiple times, he had never truly been angry. He would always complain or say he hated it, but she never once felt that he actually disliked her. It always seemed like he would tolerate anything from her.
But now, for the first time, she could sense real anger from him.
"Hah? Do you even know who you're talking to?"
Ryuen laughed like he had just heard the biggest joke of the century.
"Hahaha! Someone actually dared to say 'this is the extent of your ability' to me?"
The next second, Ryuen stared at Hikigaya with a sinister grin.
"Do you know what happens to people who say things like that?"
Haruno was just about to speak when Hikigaya suddenly chuckled.
"You think this place is Suzuran, Furin, or Oya High where everything is decided by fists? All I know is that dogs that bark… don't bite."
The next moment, Haruno let out a laugh.
It was a perfect callback to when she had mocked Ryuen earlier, calling him a 'little puppy.' The others also caught the reference, but only Haruno laughed openly. The rest of them remained silent.
Hikigaya wasn't falling for Ryuen's act. If they were in a normal school, Ryuen's threats and intimidation might have actually worked.
But in this school, only true ability mattered. Violence was just one part of that, and it was the lowest form of power.
"The best strategy is to outthink your enemy. If that fails, outmaneuver them. If that fails, use force. If even that fails, then you lay siege."
From the way Ryuen was talking, it was clear that he had failed to outthink his opponents, so he immediately jumped to using force. That was a low-level move.
It was already the 21st century, and he still thought he could solve everything with violence? What was he thinking?
The real battlefield was always hidden beneath the surface.
And on that battlefield… Hikigaya had already experienced what it meant to lose completely.
"Good. Very good."
Ryuen didn't react with anger like Hikigaya had expected. Instead, he clapped and laughed.
"A guy who's been rejected by his own class actually has the guts to say that in front of me?"
Hikigaya's expression didn't change, but internally, he became even more cautious.
So Ryuen didn't just know about him—he had done a thorough investigation?
"Your Class D must be having a hard time, huh? You even have to rely on a woman to pay for your drinks just to be here. Well? I've got plenty of points. Want some?"
Ryuen suddenly changed the subject, bringing up points out of nowhere. The sudden shift caught Hikigaya a little off guard.
But he quickly understood.
Ryuen wasn't just targeting Haruno—he was aiming at him, too.
Was it because the student council position made him stand out too much?
And also… what did he mean by relying on a woman to pay? Haruno was the one who insisted on treating them, okay?!
This is what being a stay-at-home husband is all about!
Damn it!
"Heh, after all that roundabout talk, it turns out you just want to plant a spy in another class."
Hikigaya smirked coldly.
"What's so strange about that? Someone like you, who'd still be shunned by your class even if you somehow joined the student council, who's looked down on and insulted behind your back—don't tell me you'd never betray your class. Don't tell me you actually have feelings for them. That's the funniest thing I've heard all day."
Ryuen spoke with clear contempt, as if he knew everything about Hikigaya's situation.
"Even though you didn't do anything wrong, you still have to pay the price for those losers in your class. That class is already rotten to the core, so what's even left to hold on to? In this school, the most useless things are sympathy, guilt, and that pathetic sense of self-sacrifice. Do you really think that if you don't betray them, they'll be grateful to you?
"Hah! They'll just become even more suspicious, always wondering when you'll finally turn on them. And once they have that excuse, they'll have every reason to toss you aside! But right now, I'm giving you the chance to grab onto something better."
What Ryuen said was cruel, but it wasn't necessarily wrong.
In fact, Hikigaya felt that his words could very well come true. After all, people's worst instincts worked just like that.
In an unstable group, just a little doubt was enough to destroy someone's reputation. Hikigaya knew that better than anyone. Even this conversation with Ryuen today would probably be used against him.
But—
Hikigaya chuckled. "Grab onto something better? You? Do you even qualified to say that?"
Then he glanced at Haruno, making it obvious what he meant. Compared to an A-class student, who would even consider grabbing onto a C-class student?
Not to mention, Haruno was a girl. If he had to cling to someone, at least it wouldn't be some hairy-legged guy like Ryuen.
As soon as Hikigaya finished speaking, Ryuen's face darkened. But instead of looking at him, he turned to Haruno.
"So that's how it is. You keep saying you won't get involved in class battles, but behind the scenes, you've already made your move."
It was as if he had figured out Hikigaya and Haruno's true relationship, and he sounded completely confident in his conclusion.
"This just keeps getting more interesting! I can't wait for the day you're on your knees, begging me for mercy!"
Ryuen then turned back to Hikigaya and sneered.
"I was wondering where someone like you, the lowest trash in his class, got the nerve to stand against me. But now I see—you're just someone else's dog.
"Of course. Otherwise, a useless D-class nobody like you would never make it into the student council. You're nothing but a lapdog, relying on someone else's power. No wonder you're so full of confidence."
Wait, what? Where did that even come from?
And could this guy ever finish a sentence without saying 'trash' or 'useless'? It was like he literally couldn't say anything decent.
Ryuen kept talking, not giving Hikigaya a chance to interrupt.
"Since that's the case, there's no need for further negotiations. I'll crush A-class from the top, and as for D-class… hah, you guys can just wait for me to grind you into dust! Look forward to that day—and get ready to kneel and beg. Maybe if I'm in a good mood, I'll even take pity on you! Hahaha!"
With that, Ryuen stood up, ready to leave.
But just then, Haruno, who had been watching quietly, suddenly laughed.
"Tsk tsk, what a terrifying declaration."
"But here's a little advice."
Her smile faded, and her voice turned cold.
"In this school, students don't just get expelled because of exams. There are plenty of other reasons too. I just hope that when the time comes, I'll still see a dog running around, instead of a stray with nowhere to go."
Ryuen narrowed his eyes. "Are you threatening me?"
"I'm just stating a fact."
Ryuen snorted. "Only the weak care about reason. The strong are the reason! And I… am the reason! Hahaha! Enjoy your peace while it lasts—I'll show you what real hell looks like soon enough!"
Arrogant. Conceited. Completely full of himself.
But at the same time, ruthless, cunning, and willing to do whatever it took to win.
That was the impression Hikigaya had of him.
As Ryuen walked away, he gave Hikigaya one last look, a smirk lingering on his face.
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