"Sorry, Hiyori."
As he left the library, Hikigaya apologized to her in his heart.
The bait had been set. Now, it was just a matter of whether they would take it. But even if they didn't, it didn't really matter...
"Hikigaya-kun! W-Wait for me!"
Suddenly, a familiar voice called out from behind.
Hikigaya turned around and couldn't help but smile bitterly.
The girl had run out of the library and caught up to him, slightly out of breath. After calming down, she looked at him with guilt and apologized.
But before Hikigaya could say anything, she suddenly spoke up. "Hikigaya-kun, let's have dinner together!"
"...Huh?"
Hikigaya froze, then sighed as if he had realized something. "Hiyori, if you're only doing this to defy Ryuen, I really don't think it's necessary. This won't solve anything, and it'll only make things more awkward for you in your class."
Yes, to Hikigaya, Hiyori's sudden invitation seemed like her way of showing dissatisfaction and resistance toward Ryuen. Since Ryuen didn't want Hikigaya to get close to her, she deliberately did the opposite.
To many students in Class C, Hiyori, the quiet literature-loving girl who was often alone, seemed easygoing and willing to compromise. But no one truly understood her. Despite her gentle and fragile appearance, she had an unyielding spirit. Once she made up her mind, she wouldn't hesitate to see it through to the end.
Simply put, she was someone who responded better to kindness than to force.
Ryuen, the "tyrant" who controlled almost every student in Class C, might not resort to violence against Hiyori, but there were plenty of other ways to make her suffer. In fact, psychological pressure could be even worse than physical harm.
"Hikigaya-kun, what are you saying?"
For some reason, Hiyori suddenly seemed upset. "Are you saying that just to survive in class, I should abandon my friends?"
"No, it's not that serious. I just think there's no need for you to put yourself in a difficult situation because of an outsider like me. Taking some time to cool off would be good for everyone."
Hikigaya quickly explained, but Hiyori's expression only grew more discontented, her eyes filled with complicated emotions. "Hikigaya-kun, have you ever noticed? Why do you always look down on yourself? You're actually… really kind."
Looking at him, she suddenly felt a strange sense of pain in her chest.
"I-I'm just analyzing things rationally."
Hikigaya remained calm. "Knowing how Ryuen operates, I believe he treats both boys and girls the same way. That's why I don't want you to get hurt because of me, Hiyori."
"Of course, I know how Ryuen-kun does things, and I understand that you're worried about what might happen to me in the future."
Hiyori's lips curled up slightly, but she quickly returned to her usual serious expression. "But it's exactly because I know how he operates that I have to do this."
"Huh?"
Hikigaya was momentarily stunned. If she knew she'd be excluded and hurt, why insist on going through with it?
Then, he suddenly remembered something she had said before—she wanted to work together with her classmates. From the beginning, everything she had done was for the class, not for any individual, and definitely not for herself.
So the reason she was defying Ryuen's orders was actually…
"You want to make sure there isn't only one voice in the class, don't you?"
"Hikigaya-kun, you really are sharp!"
Hiyori was briefly surprised, then genuinely praised him. "It seems everyone has underestimated Class D. I'd be really worried if we had to face you one day."
"A class with only one voice might seem united and efficient, but if no one is there to keep it in check, it eventually turns into a dictatorship."
Hiyori's face showed concern. "Class C is in a unique situation. We can't let Ryuen-kun be the only voice—we need others too. One day, he might lead everyone down a path that spirals out of control. When that day comes, I hope I can be the 'speed bump' that slows things down, a safeguard for the class."
Hikigaya took a sharp breath, reevaluating the girl in front of him. He hadn't expected Hiyori to have such a sharp perspective, and her ability to see the bigger picture was even more impressive.
But what struck him the most was her willingness to sacrifice herself. Standing up against someone like Ryuen wasn't easy, especially for a girl.
Look at Ishizaki, Yamashita, and even Albert—the huge guy—who had all submitted to Ryuen's rule. The pressure on Hiyori must have been immense.
At the same time, she was probably the most clear-headed person he had met at this school.
Hikigaya completely agreed with her belief that a group shouldn't have only one voice.
People often assumed that as long as everyone followed a leader, the group would function at its best. That was an idealistic view.
In reality, having just one voice in a group was more harmful than beneficial.
It reminded him of his conversation with Haruno about Class A. Unity through struggle leads to true cohesion, but unity through submission leads to collapse.
That's the tricky balance between a group and its individuals. A team should be united as a whole, but internal conflict is necessary. That's how real-world politics work—not just some high school game.
At least in Class C's case, Hiyori's thinking was completely justified. There needed to be someone who could rein in Ryuen when necessary, someone to keep the class from spiraling out of control.
For Class D, however, things were different. Their problem wasn't a lack of voices—it was the opposite. There were too many, too scattered. What they needed was someone like Ryuen, a strong leader who could take control. Hirata's approach was just too soft.
"Looks like Class C should be more worried about you, Hiyori, rather than Ryuen."
Hikigaya couldn't help but sigh. If Class C were under Ryuen's leadership for all three years, they wouldn't be much of a threat. They'd burn bright for a moment and then quickly collapse.
But with someone like Hiyori around, things might not be so simple.
Hiyori's face turned red when she heard Hikigaya's words, and she said shyly, "Actually... I just read about this in books. I happened to think C-Class's situation was really similar to a novel I read before, so I just copied what I saw. It's not like I'm that amazing."
"No, that actually makes it even more impressive. Being able to apply what you've learned to real life—just that alone is already better than most people."
Hikigaya spoke honestly.
"Hehe."
Hiyori couldn't help but smile proudly, even though she usually tried to stay reserved.
"Actually... that's not the only reason."
Hiyori hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Hikigaya-kun, do you remember that accident in the library?"
Library? Accident?
Hikigaya immediately recalled the first time they met. He instinctively touched his nose, and right then, he saw Hiyori's face suddenly turn bright red.
Uh... now that he thought about it, that library incident was still ridiculously absurd.
"Every time I think about that day, I feel really bad about it. I've been wanting to treat you to a meal as an apology for a while now."
For some reason, Hiyori looked really excited as she said that, like she had been waiting for this moment.
"I see."
Hikigaya's expression became complicated. Eating with a girl? No way, no way, that's something only normies get to do!
As for before... that was obviously an accident!
"Well, uh, maybe we should—"
Before he could finish, he saw the light in Hiyori's eyes dim, her once bright, star-like gaze suddenly losing its shine. Even the cheerful energy she had just now seemed to disappear.
"...Alright, fine. I'll go."
In the end, he couldn't bring himself to let the girl in front of him look disappointed.
Hearing his answer, Hiyori immediately grabbed his wrist excitedly, her eyes sparkling.
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