The rumor incident continues to linger unresolved as the end-of-term exams steadily approach.
One morning on my way to school, I spotted Ichinose, who had been absent lately. Surrounding her were her classmates, walking alongside her as if shielding her.
"...How pointless."
A farce. Empty gestures.
Those were the words that surfaced in my mind.
At a glance, it might look like a close-knit class. But to me, it seemed as if they were declaring, "We have to protect Ichinose Honami because she's absolute." I can't approve of Ichinose's methods. That kind of thing is just a game of pretend, relying entirely on her capacity for acceptance.
"Ah..."
While I was briefly observing Ichinose and the others, I heard a voice from behind. I wasn't sure if it was directed at me, but since there were no other students nearby, I turned around to find an unexpected person standing there.
"Senpai Tachibana... Did you need something?"
Tachibana Akane. She had been something like an assistant to the former student council president, Horikita Manabu. Did she have business with me?
"...Horikita-kun told me. During the mixed training camp, you... saved me. And our class."
Hearing the name of the training camp reminded me.
Right—I had intervened a little in the conflict within Tachibana-senpai's group back then.
"I've been looking for you lately, Hikigaya-kun, because I wanted to thank you for that."
"It wasn't anything that grand. I already received compensation from Horikita Manabu, so there's no need for you to worry about it..."
Besides, I had my own reasons for doing what I did. If anything, you could say I used Tachibana-senpai.
"N-No, that's not true! During that exam, I... I really was saved by you."
She still refused to accept my dismissal, cutting me off and closing the distance between us as she spoke.
"Saved"... That might be pushing it. Either way, school was about to start soon. It'd be wiser to just accept her thanks gracefully.
"Alright, I get it. I'll accept your thanks. But we should really get to class soon."
"Ah, right. Then, at least take this."
She rummaged through her bag in a hurry—perhaps flustered—and pulled out a neatly decorated box, holding it out to me.
"It's late, but... Valentine's chocolate."
Valentine's Day had been a few days ago. Had she been carrying this around the whole time, waiting to give it to me?
"Thanks... Well, I'd better get going now."
"I'm glad you accepted it. Really, thank you so much for what you did during the exam."
With a final polite bow, she thanked me once more before seeing me off.
It seemed she genuinely felt grateful. I'd been a little suspicious, but for now, I'd just accept her gratitude.
Stowing the chocolate in my bag, I quickened my pace toward the classroom.
.....
Lunch break arrived, and as I headed to the cafeteria as usual, a commotion from outside reached my ears—loud enough to be heard even inside the classroom.
"...What's going on?"
"Probably Sakayanagi provoking Ichinose again," came Ryūen's remark from nearby.
Ah, that would explain the noise outside.
"You're acting like you don't care, but how do you think this clash between Class A and Class C will play out?"
At Ryūen's question, I took a moment to think.
If it were just the rumors about Ichinose, Arisu would likely keep pressing the attack. But now, the rumors have escalated beyond Ichinose, dragging in other students as well.
There's a high chance the teachers will intervene.
"You've already figured it out, haven't you? It'll get interrupted halfway and end there."
Ryūen must have predicted as much. Otherwise, he would've gone outside to see what was happening.
"Kuku. Well, I have a hunch Sakayanagi has another objective in mind."
"Oh? What makes you think that?"
An unexpected statement. How was Ryūen interpreting this rumor incident?
His smirk faded slightly as he leaned against a desk and began speaking.
"When I first heard the rumors about Ichinose, I was sure Sakayanagi was involved."
That much was an easy assumption.
"But the recent rumors involving other classes changed my expectations. Why go through such a convoluted process? Sakayanagi must have anticipated the teachers stepping in."
If it were just rumors about Ichinose, the teachers wouldn't act since nothing was confirmed.
But if nearly the entire first year was involved, they'd have to investigate the slander and take action.
"More importantly, Sakayanagi wouldn't use such a strategy. She doesn't just relentlessly target one person—that's not her style."
If Ryūen's approach was to provoke every class (like in the first semester), then Arisu was the opposite.
"I see. So you think someone else spread the rumors?"
"There are countless candidates, but personally, I'd narrow it down to two."
...Two? He sounded pretty confident.
"Who are they?"
"...One is Ayanokōji. The method fits him."
"But some of the rumors were about Ayanokōji himself."
"That doesn't matter. If anything, he'd use rumors about himself to his advantage."
After their rooftop battle, Ryūen had truly come to understand Ayanokōji. His analysis was based on that experience.
That incident had clearly changed Ryūen.
"And? Who's the other one?"
At my question, Ryūen took a breath, then grinned slowly—
**"——You. Hikigaya."**
He pointed at me with a predatory smile.
"...Why me?"
"Who knows? I can't even explain it myself. But I'm sure of it. Either you or Ayanokōji is behind the rumors."
So it wasn't a logical deduction—just pure intuition.
"Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not involved in this. That's the truth."
I raised both hands in surrender.
Honestly, I hadn't done anything this time. Either way, I figured the rumors would die down soon.
"Kuku. Well, doesn't matter to me either way. If you say so, then it's Ayanokōji."
With that settled, Ryūen calmly turned his gaze toward the hallway, where the commotion was likely still unfolding.
After a while, the noise outside died down, and the classroom door opened—revealing Ishizaki.
"Ryūen-san! The rumor situation! It's over!"
Seems Ryūen had Ishizaki keeping watch outside.
At this point, Ishizaki was basically his errand boy. Not that he seemed to mind—he looked happy about it.
"So, what ended up happening...?"
Ishizaki's report was pretty much what I expected.
Ichinose had apparently admitted to being a criminal and apologized to the entire class. But Arisu wasn't done—she tried to press further, only for the teachers to step in.
"And from today on, spreading baseless rumors is banned. Punishable offense, apparently—disrupting discipline or whatever."
With rumors flying around like that, the teachers had no choice but to act. With exams coming up, they'd want to maintain order.
Either way, the rumors are over. Things should go back to normal now.
.....
Despite the conflict between Class A and Class C, classes proceeded without disruption, carrying on as usual.
I thought a little self-study time wouldn't hurt, but I kept that opinion to myself.
"Tomorrow is the end-of-term exam, so make sure you're not late. Also, regarding the rumors spreading among the first-years—any further spreading will be punishable, so keep that in mind. That's all for homeroom."
After briefly addressing the rumor situation, Sakagami-sensei left the classroom.
Once he was gone, I packed up and headed out as well.
"Fufu~ To think I'd run into you here. How lucky I am today."
On my way back to the dorm, I happened to cross paths with Arisu.
"Would you care to walk back together?"
"Sure."
With my agreement, she fell into step beside me, matching her pace to mine as we walked leisurely.
"Thank you for adjusting to my speed."
"No need to thank me. It's only natural... That aside, you seem in unusually high spirits today."
I'd noticed it the moment we met—Arisu was in an exceptionally good mood.
"Did something good happen?"
"Fufufu, yes. Something wonderful, in fact. I finally got Ayanokōji-kun to agree to a proper match. I'm sure you understand just from that, don't you?"
Her gaze pierced through me as she momentarily stopped walking.
So that's what it was.
I'd had my doubts from the start. Ayanokōji was the one who spread the rumors—but why?
Why would someone who hates standing out take such action?
Arisu's words made it all click.
Everything—pushing Ichinose into a corner, manipulating Ayanokōji into moving—was to force him into a confrontation. To prove to him that she was serious.
"I can hardly contain my excitement. That 'False Genius' I once saw... To finally face Ayanokōji-kun in battle. A wish I thought would never come true. It's been so long since I've felt this exhilarated."
Her eyes burned with a competitive fire as she murmured, lost in thought.
Now that she mentioned it, she'd had the same look when we first met—though not nearly as intense as this.
"Glad to hear you're enjoying yourself. I'll do my best not to interfere with your match."
"Fufu~, thank you."
Watching her excitement, I couldn't help but wonder something.
"...What do you really want from Ayanokōji?"
She tilted her head slightly, as if unsure what I meant.
"What I want...?"
"If it's just a simple competitive drive, then fine. But... to me, it seems like more than that."
Maybe it was just intuition, but I couldn't shake the feeling that Arisu wasn't just thinking about the match itself.
"...Perhaps you're right. Maybe... I want to save Ayanokōji-kun."
"Save him...?"
An unexpected answer.
Glancing at my reaction, she continued.
"Facing Ayanokōji-kun in battle—it's the greatest thrill for me. But at the same time... I believe I can give him something he needs: defeat."
For me—no, for both me and Ayanokōji—defeat carries a special meaning.
Perhaps only Arisu, the one person in this school who truly understands us, could say something like this.
"But that's regarding Ayanokōji-kun."
She turned to face me fully, locking eyes.
"What I want... is to save you."
"...Save me?"
"Yes. There are things that can never be understood through competition alone. And I want you to know them."
...I didn't understand.
Not what she meant by "save," nor what could only be conveyed outside of battle.
I had no frame of reference.
No experience with any of it.
"You don't understand, do you? What I'm trying to say. But... it has to be you. Because I've decided—it must be you."
Slowly, yet firmly, she took my hand in hers.
"This role... I don't want to entrust it to anyone else. These feelings... I want to be the one to convey them to you. Forgive me for being selfish."
"..."
I didn't get it.
My emotions were a blank canvas.
Joy, anger, sorrow—
I knew none of them.
How could I?
Suddenly, a certain phrase flashed through my mind.
————Hikigaya Hachiman is not human.
When I first read those words, I had accepted them without question.
All I had inside me was victory and self-interest.
Nothing else.
I'd lived my entire life in a world where that was all that mattered.
Had anything really changed since coming to this school?
"You may not understand now."
Arisu, who had been silent for a while, spoke again.
"Which is precisely why I will teach you."
Her eyes were gentle, yet burning with intensity.
"...I see."
That was all I could say in response.
"Fufu. I may have said something grandiose, but I'd be happy if you at least remembered my feelings."
She smiled at me, her gaze tender—as if looking at something precious.
If there ever comes a day when I finally understand...
Will I be able to say, with pride, that it was all thanks to Arisu?
"Shall we go back?"
"Yeah."
A short, emotionless reply.
But the expression on Arisu's face as she walked beside me seemed far more pleased than when she had spoken about her match with Ayanokōji.
=================================
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