On a dimly lit path inside the school at night, a disheveled boy in a thin shirt walked alone, his clothes stained with dark smudges. The few passing students couldn't help but glance at him with curiosity.
Thanks to years of training his mental strength and facial control, the boy managed to ignore the strange looks thrown his way.
Hikigaya had just come out of the laundromat. The owner told him that the stains on his jacket would take time to remove and that it wouldn't be ready until the day after tomorrow. If he was willing to pay extra, he could pick it up tomorrow. Hikigaya refused without hesitation. After all, the school had given them an extra set of uniforms, and he wasn't about to waste double the money just for some convenience.
His jacket situation was solved, but the stains on his shirt were another issue—one he'd have to deal with himself. He definitely didn't want to be mistaken for a flasher and get hauled off by the police.
Not long after, Hikigaya was about to reach his dorm when a few dark figures suddenly stepped out and blocked his way.
It was Ishizaki and Ibuki, whom he had met at the café before. Along with them was a guy named Yamashita and another student Hikigaya didn't recognize, but they were clearly from Class C. The only one missing was Ryuen.
Hikigaya didn't intend to acknowledge them. If they were dumb enough to try anything under school surveillance, that would actually work in his favor.
"Ryuen sent us to talk to you about Shiina."
Ishizaki's words made Hikigaya stop in his tracks.
"This isn't the place to talk. Let's go over there," Ishizaki said, pointing toward a dimly lit side path.
Hikigaya remained silent.
Ever since the first day of school, he had taken note of the security camera placements. After more than a month, he had memorized the entire layout. The path Ishizaki pointed to was one of the school's blind spots—an area with no cameras.
He didn't even have to think about it. If he stepped in there, a beating was guaranteed.
A wise man doesn't put himself in danger. Even if he wasn't exactly a wise man, he wasn't about to walk into an ambush for no reason.
But...
After considering it for a moment, Hikigaya nodded and followed the Class C students into the alley.
His unexpected compliance caught Ishizaki and the others off guard. They had been prepared to force him in if necessary, but now they didn't have to bother.
Ishizaki and Yamashita exchanged glances, smirking in amusement. Just as Ryuen had said—Class D students were trash. He couldn't even see through such an obvious trap?
As expected, the moment they entered the alley, their true colors showed.
Ishizaki, who had been walking behind him, suddenly shoved Hikigaya hard against the wall.
Hikigaya winced slightly from the impact but quickly noticed something interesting—Ryuen wasn't here.
Was he too arrogant to bother coming himself? Or was he being cautious?
"Ryuen said you're not allowed to go near Shiina anymore. Got it?!" Ishizaki warned, his tone full of menace.
Hikigaya let out a short laugh.
"Who I spend time with isn't Ryuen's business. And Shiina isn't his property. What, does he think he's some kind of tyrant? 'When the tiger's away, the monkey thinks he's king.'"
Hikigaya glanced around, but Ryuen was still nowhere to be seen.
"What tiger and monkey crap are you talking about, you dead-fish-eyed freak?! Whatever, just stay away from Shiina, or I'll beat you up every time I see you!" Ishizaki sneered.
"You idiot, do you even realize the situation you're in?"
Yamashita grabbed Hikigaya by the collar, his voice full of irritation.
"What, do you guys think this is some low-level delinquent high school? Or has grass started growing in your heads? You're only tough when you're hiding in places like this. The moment you step outside, you'd be back to cowering and pretending to be 'normal people.'"
Hikigaya wasn't the least bit fazed by their threats. If anything, he found them pathetic.
Since he was about to get beaten up anyway, he might as well win the argument.
His words instantly set off the group.
"I've had enough of your smug attitude at the library!"
Yamashita, out of everyone, seemed the most pissed off at Hikigaya.
Back when Class C was causing trouble for Class A and B in the library, Hikigaya had embarrassed Yamashita several times in front of everyone.
It looked like today was payback time.
"Hey, stop talking so much. If you're gonna fight, then hurry up and do it."
Ibuki, who had been watching from a distance, looked impatient. She was also the only girl in the group and didn't seem like she had joined willingly.
Yamazaki smirked and threw a punch into Hikigaya's stomach. Seeing him make the first move, Ishizaki and the others joined in. Surprisingly, Hikigaya didn't fight back. Earlier, when he had acted so bold, everyone thought he had some kind of trick up his sleeve. But now, it was clear—he was just bluffing.
"Tch, turns out he's all talk! Get him!"
"You can blame yourself for this. Ryuen-san told us to give you a proper welcome!"
"Hah, and here I thought you were tough. Turns out you're just stubborn. Even tougher than the pancakes at my house!"
At that moment, Hikigaya finally understood what that look Ryuen gave him at the café really meant. Damn, so this was all just a setup to teach him a lesson here.
The good news, at least, was that Haruno had made it back safely. She wouldn't have to see him in this pathetic, beaten-down state.
Just as Yamazaki and Ishizaki were about to go in for another round, a cold voice suddenly rang out from outside.
"Ishizaki! What do you think you're doing here?"
No one had noticed when she arrived, but a girl holding a plastic bag was now standing behind them, her face ice-cold.
"Shi... Shiina?"
Ishizaki and the others froze in shock. Even Hikigaya was caught off guard—he never expected Hiyori to show up here.
"Ishizaki, I'm asking you—what exactly are you doing?"
Hiyori stomped over, standing protectively in front of Hikigaya like a mother hen shielding her chick. Her tone was filled with anger, and even the way she addressed Ishizaki had changed.
"Uh… we…"
Ishizaki stammered, unsure of how to respond. The other guys didn't even dare to make a sound.
"Ishizaki, didn't you tell me you were going to study properly tonight? And now I find you here? Are you trying to start a fight?"
This was nothing like the usual soft-spoken, airheaded Hiyori. The Hiyori standing before them now was firm and commanding. Even Ishizaki and Yamazaki looked like scolded students, too afraid to talk back.
Despite her quiet and reserved nature, deep down, she had a strong will. She might seem shy, awkward, and obedient, but when faced with challenges, she stood her ground without hesitation.
"And you, Yamashita, Oda! Have you memorized the English words I organized for you? Didn't I say I'd be testing you tomorrow?"
Yamashita and another boy named Oda stiffened, lowering their heads, not daring to meet her eyes.
"And you—Ibuki!"
The blue-haired girl, who had been trying to slip away unnoticed, instantly froze.
"Ibuki, do you realize how badly you did on the midterms? Tomorrow, I'll set aside time to tutor you one-on-one."
Hiyori's tone softened a little when speaking to Ibuki.
"I-I don't need anyone's help! I can study on my own! Even if I end up getting expelled, that's my own problem!"
Ibuki snapped back, making it clear she didn't want anyone interfering.
Hiyori didn't get angry. Instead, she calmly said, "Oh really? Well, Manabe and the others are all working hard to improve. If things go on like this, you might end up being the only girl who fails and gets expelled. Ibuki, you wouldn't want that, would you?"
Ibuki's face stiffened. She seemed to be struggling internally before finally biting her lip and falling silent.
Ishizaki, Yamazaki, and Ibuki all stood there looking like scolded children, completely powerless against Hiyori. They nodded along like little chicks pecking at the ground, as if she was the only one who could keep them in check.
The tense, dangerous atmosphere had completely changed in an instant. Instead of a fight, it now felt like a teacher lecturing a group of troublemakers. Honestly, she was doing a better job than their homeroom teacher, Sakagami.
It was like watching some kind of power shift right before his eyes.
Hikigaya watched the scene unfold, feeling… well, how should he put it? Something about this just felt off.
It was like reading a lighthearted school romance manga, only for the next chapter to suddenly turn into a dramatic power struggle in a wealthy family. Or like reading an intense, action-packed battle manga, only for it to suddenly turn into a comedy at the very end.
This is ridiculous. The whole situation feels completely off! There's no way this isn't intentional!
Right now, Hikigaya had that weird feeling of "everything seems fine, but something still feels wrong."
"Hikigaya-kun, are you okay?"
Hiyori asked worriedly as she checked Hikigaya's injuries.
Hikigaya waved his hand, signaling that he was fine. At the same time, he found it a bit strange—he never expected that one day he'd be protected by a girl.
Seeing this, Hiyori let out a small sigh of relief. Then she turned her head and noticed that Ishizaki and the others were still standing there, which made her frown.
"Shiina, Ryuen-san said you're not allowed to interact with Hikigaya... S-So you should listen to him and stop—"
Ishizaki spoke carefully.
"Ishizaki!"
"…Yes!"
Hiyori suddenly cut him off. Ishizaki immediately froze in place, like a subordinate waiting for orders from his boss.
"Go back and tell Ryuen-kun that I'm helping the class because I don't want to see my classmates get expelled, not because I'm his tool. Who I choose to be friends with is my own business!"
Hiyori puffed up her cheeks angrily. It was clear that Ryuen's actions had really upset her this time.
"But—"
Ishizaki wanted to say something, but in the next second, Hiyori shot him a sharp glare, shutting him up instantly.
"I'm really mad this time! Really, really mad!!"
She puffed up her cheeks again, put her hands on her hips, and repeated herself. "So, you guys better be ready for tomorrow! If I find out you're not prepared for the spot check, hmm… you know what's coming!"
Ugh…
Hikigaya wasn't sure if he was imagining it, but he thought he heard the faint sound of Ishizaki and the others groaning in despair.
In the end, Ishizaki, Yamawaki, and the rest had no choice but to leave, though before they left, they shot Hikigaya one last glare, as if warning him to stay away from Hiyori.
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