Chapter 031 Is He Standing Up for Me?
"Our class points are 0, which means the personal points we get this month are also 0... what are we going to do!"
Things like class competition were still far too abstract for Class D; their primary concern was the immediate problem of food and daily expenses.
"Didn't the school give you 100,000 points in the first month?
Ara? No way... Is it possible that some people actually spent all 100,000 points already?"
Chabashira Sae began her sarcastic taunting.
"That..."
Nearly half the students in Class D shifted their gazes guiltily.
Chabashira Sae instantly grew even more furious! She had originally thought there were only one or two "gods" in the class, but she didn't expect it to be a full half of them!!
"Please don't worry, everyone. The school cafeteria and convenience store have items that are provided for free, so no one will starve," Kushida Kikyo took the opportunity to comfort the group.
"You mean that free mountain vegetable set at the cafeteria?
I ate it once out of curiosity and threw up on the spot. It's super disgusting!" Yamauchi Haruki complained with a look of utter disdain.
'Then have some guts and don't eat it!'
Hikigaya felt annoyed just watching this; he had to give credit to "Kushida the Little Angel" for being able to maintain her smile and endure it.
"Yamauchi-kun, that must have been hard on you. But I still hope you'll make sure to eat every day, okay?" Kushida Kikyo narrowed her eyes, suppressing her impatience, and managed to persuade him.
On the girls' side, Shinohara Satsuki was the first to jump out, firing a broadside: "Speaking of point deductions, it's all you boys' fault! You caused us to get a zero!!"
"Huh? When it comes to deductions, what right do you girls have to talk? Shinohara, you were caught by Mashima-sensei looking at a fashion magazine during English class—that definitely cost us points!"
Believe it or not, Ike Kanji actually had a rare moment of IQ, counter-attacking with a solid argument.
"You!" Shinohara Satsuki's face turned beet red as she stammered, unable to find a retort for a long time.
"Shut up!"
"We girls only made occasional small mistakes, a point or two at most." Karuizawa Kei took a very strong stance to defend the dignity of the girls' clique. "Ike, I haven't even settled the score with you for harassing Matsushita with private messages in the middle of the night yet!"
The girl named Matsushita Chiaki was outstandingly beautiful, gentle, and easy to talk to—the type who isn't good at saying no to others. Previously, under Ike Kanji's persistent pestering, she had reluctantly given him her contact info, only for him to take a mile after being given an inch, bothering her every day with messages.
"Karuizawa, thank you for speaking up for me," Matsushita Chiaki looked at her gratefully.
Hikigaya, meanwhile, cast a slightly surprised glance at Karuizawa Kei. He had originally thought she was just a fake "gyaru" who was all bark and no bite, but it seemed she actually had some backbone when it came to protecting her friends.
With that, the boys and girls of Class D began a full-scale war of mutual accusation.
"I have things to do, so try to get along..." As the homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae didn't step in to calm things down; instead, she found a random excuse to leave, letting the Class D students continue their ruckus.
Without a teacher to hold the fort, the gender conflict in Class D escalated. On the boys' side, Yamauchi Haruki and Ike Kanji—dubbed the "Abstract Duo"—acted as the main verbal damage dealers. On the girls' side, they followed Karuizawa Kei's lead, shouting back at the boys without backing down.
"Speaking of deductions, Sudo playing with a ball in the classroom and breaking a camera—isn't he the main culprit?" Karuizawa Kei pointed the finger directly at the basketball-loving Sudo Ken.
To be fair, her accusation wasn't wrong. However, Sudo Ken was like a powder keg that exploded at the slightest spark!
BAM!
He suddenly kicked the desk in front of him, letting out a loud crash.
"You damn woman, you've been looking for trouble with us guys since the beginning, haven't you?"
"I..."
Being glared at ferociously by Sudo Ken, Karuizawa Kei instantly froze. It was as if a bad memory had been triggered; her face turned deathly pale, and her legs trembled helplessly.
"Uuu~"
At the same time, Sakura Airi, sitting in the front row, was also frightened. Her chair had been bumped by the desk Sudo kicked. She had already been keeping her head down like an ostrich, but now she wished she could turn into a hamster and crawl into her desk drawer...
"I really can't stand this. There's no way to read peacefully here." Horikita Suzune's brow was tightly knit; she had zero interest in the class bickering. She was preparing to pack her things and leave.
A dull thud came from beside her.
Clatter!
The sound of a thermos hitting the floor drew everyone's attention.
Hikigaya stood up, picked up the thermos, pointed to the scratches on the bottle, and said with a cold face: "Sudo, you made me drop my thermos. How are you going to compensate me?"
This sudden confrontation left everyone in Class D bewildered. Sudo Ken was stunned for a moment before flying into a rage: "You dropped that thermos yourself! What the hell does that have to do with me!"
"It is your fault. Who told you to kick the desk? You startled me." Hikigaya narrowed his dead-fish eyes, insisting it was the other's responsibility.
"Hmm?" A flicker of surprise crossed Horikita Suzune's eyes. Based on her understanding of Hikigaya, he normally wouldn't meddle in class affairs.
"..." Sakura Airi couldn't help but look up, casting a cautious glance at Hikigaya.
Meanwhile, her neighbor Hasabe Haruka rested her chin on her hand, a hint of "tea-sipping" interest appearing on her face. She had noticed that when Hikigaya picked up the thermos, his gaze had subtly flickered toward Sakura's direction.
'Is this boy secretly protecting Sakura? Aww~ what a pure-hearted guy~~'
"Hey! Hikitani, what's wrong with you? Sudo is standing up for us guys!" Yamauchi Haruki spoke up to refute him. He had deliberately used the wrong name again.
"What do you mean 'us guys'? I don't recall authorizing Sudo to do anything like this." Hikigaya glanced at him expressionlessly, and to add weight to his words, he mentioned a few names: "Hirata, Koenji, Ayanokouji—did any of you ask Sudo to do this?"
"Well, I just hope everyone can get along peacefully." Faced with the chaos of mutual accusations, Hirata Yousuke was powerless despite his desire to mediate.
"Heh~ The beautiful me would never participate in such an ugly affair." Koenji Rokusuke continued combing his hair, but the mirror in his hand silently shifted toward Hikigaya's direction.
"Uh, me... I don't really have any thoughts on it." Ayanokouji Kiyotaka hadn't expected Hikigaya to call him out. Wanting to stay low-profile, he didn't want to do anything that drew attention.
"Hey, Ayanokouji! Do you want to be a traitor?" Ike Kanji shouted reproachfully.
"No, I... I'm also on Sudo's side." After weighing it in his mind, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka ultimately chose to support Yamauchi's small group.
This move naturally drew hostility from the girls.
"Tch! I actually thought that Ayanokouji looked okay, but he's just a hanger-on!" Sato Maya said with a face full of disdain.
"By the way, is this Hikigaya guy really that brave? He actually dares to provoke Sudo to his face?" Matsushita Chiaki asked curiously.
"He actually..."
With Hikigaya's interruption, Karuizawa Kei successfully managed to recover from the fear of her past memories. She looked at Hikigaya with a subtle expression, thinking to herself: Is he... standing up for me?
"This is ridiculous. In short, you're also here to pick a fight with me, right?" Sudo Ken's brain power was limited; he wouldn't think about the complex reasons. The only thing he was sure of was that Hikigaya was coming for him.
"Well-developed muscles, simple mind. That describes your type perfectly. It's irritating just to look at."
Hikigaya was angry.
Even though he knew he had absolutely no reason to be angry, he was. Acting because of those ethereal, fleeting dreams—he really was a fool.
Chapter 032 Ayanokouji: I Can't Beat Hikigaya
"You dead-fish-eyed bastard, you really have a big mouth!"
Sudo Ken turned red with rage instantly, storming toward Hikigaya with a menacing aura.
"Fine by me! I've been sick of looking at you for a long time!!
Acting all superior every single day!!!"
He stepped forward, grabbing Hikigaya by the collar with one hand. His 1.8-meter-tall, muscular frame was full of overwhelming pressure.
"Wait a moment, Sudo-kun!
Violence is not allowed!"
Hirata Yousuke immediately stepped in to intervene, only to be shoved to the ground by Sudo.
"Get lost!
Or I'll beat you up along with him today!"
Sudo's crude, violent behavior scared off the others who wanted to mediate.
"Um, Sudo-kun, please calm down. We can talk things through..."
Kushida Kikyo stepped forward at this moment. Although she was doing this to maintain her "helpful person" persona, as they say, judge a person by their actions, not their heart. Standing up now was indeed not easy.
"Kushida... this is none of your business.
No matter what, I'm going to teach this hateful dead-fish-eyes a lesson today!"
Facing Kushida's "gentle" offensive, the rage on Sudo's face diminished slightly, but that wasn't enough to make him stop. It was a classic case of the "drawn sword being hard to sheathe." He had already made a move in front of everyone; if he stopped now, he'd inevitably be mocked for being a coward later. For a teenager in the middle of puberty, that was absolutely unacceptable!
"Hikigaya-kun..."
Sakura Airi looked worried, secretly sending a distress text to Chabashira Sae on her phone.
"Hey... Sudo!
You—are you planning to bully the weak?"
Karuizawa Kei suddenly spoke up for justice, surprising many. After all, she didn't get along with most of the boys, and during the previous rumors about "Hikigaya harassing a girl from another class," she had even spearheaded the criticism against him.
Even Hikigaya himself was surprised. A strange look appeared on his face: This woman... she doesn't think I'm standing up for her, does she?
Horikita Suzune stood up, seemingly intending to intervene. But for some reason, after staring at Hikigaya's subtle movements, she sat back down in her seat.
"Damn it!"
Seeing the class's discussion leaning toward Hikigaya, Sudo's anger was supplemented by a layer of jealousy!
'That's it... anger makes people lose their reason.'
Comparing the physical difference between them, Hikigaya knew it would be unwise to go head-to-head. Sure enough, Sudo, blinded by rage, swung a punch at him without another word!
'Now!'
Hikigaya tilted his head, dodging the punch while accurately grabbing Sudo's wrist. Immediately following up, Hikigaya drove his knee forward, slamming it hard into Sudo's abdomen.
"Guh... ?!"
Sudo's eyes bulged. He clutched his stomach, hunching over like a shrimp.
"You... you bastard...!"
Sudo's face turned the color of soy sauce. Before he could catch his breath, his arm was forcibly twisted behind his back.
"Think about the consequences before you lay a hand on someone. Understood?"
Using a practiced joint lock technique, Hikigaya pinned Sudo firmly against a desk.
From Sudo grabbing Hikigaya's collar to Hikigaya's counterattack and pinning him to the desk... the reversal was so fast it left the onlookers speechless!
"Hiki... Hikigaya is actually that strong."
Yamauchi Haruki swallowed hard, his face full of wariness.
'Oh, he got the name right this time?'
"Hey, let go of Sudo!
How can you treat a classmate like this?"
Ike Kanji accused him righteously.
"You can't only remember we're classmates when you're the one getting beaten."
Hikigaya's words pierced through the other's nature of bullying the weak while fearing the strong. Yamauchi and Ike were instantly silenced.
"Ayan... Ayanokouji, we're friends, right?
Go help Sudo!"
These two cowards didn't dare face Hikigaya, so they pushed their "good friend" forward.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka looked speechless. Wanting to "live a low-profile life," he naturally didn't want to get involved.
"Um, sorry...
Hikigaya looks like trouble. I can't beat him."
Listening to Ayanokouji's "timid" and cowardly words, the others couldn't help but roll their eyes at him, and his reputation dropped further. They felt he was a disloyal guy who would watch a "friend" get beaten without doing anything!
'Keep pretending!'
Hikigaya didn't believe the act for a second. His gut told him that Ayanokouji was a fighter—likely stronger than even Horikita Manabu or President Mutou! He might be a dangerous person from some special agent organization... Hikigaya grumbled inwardly.
"Phew~"
Sakura Airi let out a secret sigh of relief. Looking at Hikigaya's profile as he decisively handled the trouble, a small ripple formed in her heart.
"Interesting~"
On the other side, Hasabe Haruka, who was secretly observing the girl, showed a deep interest in the unfolding "tea."
Karuizawa Kei's eyes flickered. She thought to herself: This Hikigaya is unexpectedly reliable. And if you look closely, his face is actually quite handsome; it's just that his eyes are a bit creepy.
"His martial arts movements have become much cleaner."
Only Horikita Suzune was honestly analyzing the situation.
'Though, he's still no match for Brother.'
"Stay still."
Feeling Sudo trying to struggle, Hikigaya applied pressure to the joint.
"Ah! Ow, ow, ow...!" Sudo yelled in pain.
"Hikigaya-kun, that's enough, isn't it?" Hirata Yousuke stepped forward again to mediate.
"I don't mind, but can you guarantee this mad dog won't bite?" Hikigaya didn't release his hold. From the sheer ferocity in Sudo's eyes, he knew the second he let go, Sudo would retaliate.
"Leave it to me. I will talk sense into Sudo." Hirata took a deep breath, his eyes firm and determined.
"Fine."
As Hikigaya let go, he immediately stepped back several paces to maintain a safe distance from Sudo. As expected, the moment Sudo regained his mobility, he turned and lunged.
"I'm gonna kill—eh!?"
Hirata Yousuke grabbed him from behind, his left arm across Sudo's chest and his right arm locked under the armpit—a full nelson that restricted Sudo completely.
"Sudo, please calm down."
Hirata's voice was exceptionally cold. Sudo felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine. He instinctively looked back, and upon meeting Hirata's terrifyingly fierce eyes, his rampage stopped instantly.
'This guy...
As expected, he's not as kind-hearted as he looks on the surface.'
A few drops of cold sweat broke out on Hikigaya's forehead. Thinking about it, it made sense. Someone with excellent grades, athletic prowess, good looks, and great popularity—how could a perfect person like that be assigned to the "defective" Class D? This guy probably did something significant in middle school that led the school to label him a "problem child."
Since it was Hirata who stepped in this time, no one in Class D spoke up for Sudo anymore.
"I..."
Sudo felt a surge of frustration, but his fragile pride wouldn't let him bow his head. Just then, the familiar sound of high heels echoed outside the classroom.
"I've only been gone for a few minutes. What kind of trouble have you stirred up now?"
Chabashira Sae entered the room and instinctively looked at Hikigaya. Seeing him looking normal and unharmed, a look of surprise flashed across her face. She had come because she received Sakura Airi's distress text.
"My deepest apologies, Chabashira-sensei."
Hirata immediately let go of Sudo and lowered his head to admit fault. His humble appearance was a complete 180 from the ferocity he had shown just a moment ago.
Chapter 033 Karuizawa Kei Wants a Backer
"What's this?
I thought you'd all be devastated about getting 0 points.
You seem quite energetic, though. I suppose I underestimated you."
Chabashira Sae spoke with cutting sarcasm. Then, changing her tone, she casually dropped a bombshell.
"Anyone who fails the midterm exams three weeks from now will face expulsion."
"Wha—What?!"
The class was instantly struck with terror.
"Expulsion? Chabashira-sensei, you're joking, right?"
Getting expelled just for failing an exam was unheard of in any other school!
"Oh?"
"Did I not mention it?"
"According to this school's rules, if you fail a single subject on a midterm or final exam, you must leave."
Chabashira Sae feigned surprise, though her eyes were filled with mockery. "You should consider yourselves lucky. If we were going by the results of the mock exam you took earlier, every student who scored under 32 points would be expelled right now."
"Huh?!"
"We never heard anything about that!"
Wails of despair erupted from Class D. Even Hikigaya couldn't help but frown. He had failed one subject too—he only got an 11 in Math.
While his Physics, Chemistry, and Biology scores were also terrible, they had at least scraped past the passing line.
Most schools outside follow a "happy education" philosophy and don't place much weight on exam scores; some even hide report cards to protect student privacy. If the Board of Education heard about Advanced Nurturing expelling kids for failing one test, they'd have a field day!
Well...
This is a closed campus. Students can't even contact their parents!
It really was a case of "crying out to heaven and earth with no response." Hikigaya complained bitterly in his head.
However, Hikigaya didn't feel a strong personal resistance to the idea that "failing means expulsion." He believed a student's primary job was to study. Given the school's incredible benefits, being a bit strict seemed reasonable.
If you don't want to be expelled, the correct approach is simple: find the subject you're failing and study it until you pass.
So, what are these people blathering about? Hikigaya found it incomprehensible.
"Well then, I wish you all luck in passing your exams."
After Chabashira Sae left, the atmosphere in Class D turned somber. Even the conflict between Hikigaya and Sudo lost its spotlight. It made sense—compared to an exam that meant expulsion, a grudge between two class "outcasts" meant nothing.
Under this pressure, the lessons for the rest of the day were unusually quiet. It had to be said that a good learning environment really mattered. As long as people weren't making a scene, Hikigaya's efficiency skyrocketed. He even took notes during Math for the first time.
Sakagami Kazuma stared at him for a while, but after confirming he was actually listening, he gave up on his plan to target him. Besides being the Class C homeroom teacher, Sakagami was also the first-year Math teacher, and he had some basic professional ethics.
.
.
.
After school.
Hikigaya packed his things as usual, planning to complete his daily training at the Martial Arts Club before heading back to the dorms to study.
'Come to think of it, this is what a normal high schooler's life should be like, right?'
Adding a club activity to the routine he had in middle school felt like an epic breakthrough for him. Komachi would be so happy if she knew.
"Wait, Hikigaya-kun."
Hirata Yousuke called out to him.
"What is it?"
"Uh, 'what is it'... haven't you checked the class group chat, Hikigaya?"
"What's a class group chat?"
"Huh?"
"..."
Hikigaya looked completely blank.
"Sorry! I'm truly sorry!" Hirata pressed his hands together, his handsome face filled with deep apology. "I created the group on the second day of school and told everyone to join... I thought everyone was in. I didn't realize I'd missed you. This is my fault!"
Oh, right... Hikigaya remembered the guy writing a group ID on the blackboard. At the time, his mind had been entirely focused on gathering intelligence, so he hadn't cared.
"No need to apologize. It's not your fault, Hirata."
"No, this is my problem! As the class representative, I failed to look after every classmate. I'm terrible!!"
'Wait, isn't this guy's sense of responsibility a bit much?'
Looking at Hirata's almost fanatical eyes, Hikigaya couldn't bring himself to say "I don't want to join." He felt like the guy would pester him forever if he did.
"Fine. Please, by all means, let me join the group." Hikigaya chose to accept. He could just mute the notifications after joining anyway.
"Mm~ That's better. A class should be 'whole and complete.'"
Hirata suddenly had a look of inexplicable happiness. The phrase "whole and complete" reminded Hikigaya of an old TVB drama he'd seen where a gang leader was caught. The leader begged, "One man does the crime, one man pays," only for the rival to say warmly, "A family must be 'whole and complete'..."
'Can Class D, with all its 'gods,' really stay 'whole and complete' for three years?'
From his research into the upperclassmen, Hikigaya had found that almost every class had lost members, with the exception of 3-A, where Horikita Manabu was. But looking at Hirata's intense sense of duty, Hikigaya couldn't bring himself to state this cruel reality.
'I feel like this guy would just break...'
Scanning the group chat, he was surprised to see Horikita Suzune was in it. She probably joined because Kushida Kikyo wouldn't stop pestering her. That girl was certainly persistent.
There was a new announcement: Hirata was calling for everyone to join an after-school study group.
"It's like this: I noticed your grades in the humanities are excellent, Hikigaya-kun. I was hoping you could help guide everyone at the study sessions. Please!"
As Hirata spoke, he bowed deeply toward him in a pleading gesture.
"..."
Hikigaya was stunned. If he remembered correctly, Hirata's grades were top-tier in every subject except Language, where Hikigaya beat him. In other words, he was begging for help for the sake of the failing students.
To go this far for others... "bleeding heart" didn't even cover it.
"Hirata, even if I agree... have you considered one thing?"
Hikigaya raised his voice intentionally: "Do the people in this class even want my help?"
The Class D students immediately showed expressions of disgust and resistance.
"That dead-fish-eyes is so gloomy, and he's a closet thug. Who wants to listen to him?" Shinohara Satsuki whispered. "Don't you agree, Karuizawa?"
"Ah, um..."
Karuizawa Kei blinked, thinking to herself that she actually was willing.
In her mind, Hikigaya had "stood up" for her by dealing with the Sudo who was bullying her, so he must have some feelings for her. While she didn't necessarily like him back, there was nothing wrong with getting close to someone friendly toward her.
With a powerful backer like Hikigaya, she wouldn't have to worry about being bullied anymore. The only problem was the "tough gyaru" image she had built to establish her authority; it made it very hard to take the initiative and approach him.
Chapter 034 Haruka: I Only Accept Hachiman's Tutoring
Taking in the reactions of the Class D students, Hirata Yousuke showed a look of disappointment.
In his mind, this was a perfect plan that killed two birds with one stone: it would help the failing students while simultaneously integrating the "outcast" Hikigaya into the "loving Class D family."
"Alright, I understand..."
'As long as you understand.'
As a loner, I don't need companions!
Just as Hikigaya was feeling smug about avoiding a major hassle, an unfamiliar female voice came from behind him, completely turning the tide of the battle.
"Um, I'm willing."
Hikigaya instinctively turned around.
The speaker was a girl with long blue hair, a beauty mark under her eye, and delicate features. Of course, the most striking thing about her was her extremely "generous heart" (large chest)!
'Wait, who are you?'
Hikigaya kept his gaze strictly level. Relying on his tenacious willpower, he resisted the pull of universal gravitation. It was nothing special—just a matter of practiced discipline!
"Oh~?"
Hasabe Haruka's eyes flickered. As a naturally beautiful girl, she was well aware of the immense gravitational pull her body exerted on the opposite sex. She personally loathed those lecherous gazes.
This was the first time Hasabe Haruka had encountered a boy who looked at her without his line of sight dropping downward.
Her internal evaluation of Hikigaya rose another level: It seems his secret protection of Airi wasn't out of some vulgar intent.
"Hasabe-san, is that true?
You're willing to join the study group?"
Hirata Yousuke looked surprised. Both he and Kushida Kikyo had individually invited her that morning, only to be rejected. Why the sudden change of heart?
"Sure. But, I only accept Hachi's~ tutoring."
Hasabe Haruka curled her lips into a smirk and playfully winked at Hikigaya.
"???"
Hikigaya was utterly bewildered.
'Who is Hachi?'
When did he get another nickname? Though, compared to "Hikitani," "Dead-Fish-Eyes," or "Fish-Eyes Boy," "Hachi" actually sounded quite pleasant to the ear.
"Waaaaah!!!"
Someone let out a sharp cry of shock. Immediately after, Hikigaya clearly felt several boys in the class directing looks of envy, jealousy, and indignation at him!
'Is it really necessary to be that green with envy?'
"Um, classmate... I'm not very good at teaching..."
Hikigaya indicated he didn't know this blue-haired, large-chested girl. He wouldn't fall for one of the "Three Great Delusions of Life"—She likes me—ever again!
Being someone who hated trouble, he was about to find an excuse to refuse her. But she seemed to have predicted his move, cutting him off: "Sakura-san will be coming with me too~~"
"Eh?! E-Eh?!"
Sakura Airi, who had been secretly watching the interaction, let out a cute squeak of surprise.
"..."
Hikigaya's mouth hung open as he forcibly swallowed his words of refusal back into his stomach.
"What's wrong? Sakura-san, didn't you want to study hard with Hachi~ too?" Hasabe Haruka teased.
"I, I..."
Sakura Airi's cheeks flushed as her gaze darted around. She twiddled her fingers in front of her, finally summoning her courage to look up and answer with resolve: "I... I want to study too!"
'Is it 'studying' you want? I'm almost too embarrassed to call you out on it!' Hasabe Haruka's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"I-In that case...
I... I accept this commission.
B-But I can't guarantee whether you'll actually learn anything...
P-Please don't have too high expectations of me..."
'Dammit! Why am I wavering?!'
Hikigaya's mind was in a frenzy.
'Ooh~ A youth romantic comedy between a dead-fish-eyes boy and a socially anxious girl~~ This is too interesting!!' Hasabe Haruka narrowed her eyes, her face full of the pure pleasure of a "gossip grand slam" victory!!!
"Kill... Kill him...!"
"Ayanokouji, let me go!"
"Aaaaaah! I can't take it!!"
"How can he enjoy two F-class girls all by himself?!"
Yamauchi and Ike let out agonized howls, their faces contorted by intense jealousy.
"Calm down, you two."
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka remained as stone-faced as ever, firmly gripping one arm of each boy. In his view, since others already perceived him as part of the "Yamauchi group," if he let these two run wild, he would inevitably be targeted by the resulting backlash.
"Hikigaya, thank you so much!"
Hirata Yousuke placed his hands on Hikigaya's shoulders, a sunny smile plastered on his face. Bringing three "outcast" students into the loving "class collective" all at once—today was a major victory for Papa Hirata!
In contrast to the boys' wailing, the girls were filled with surprise and curiosity.
"For real?"
"I can understand Sakura, but even that Hasabe..." Shinohara Satsuki looked incredulous.
Unlike the socially anxious and low-profile Sakura Airi, Hasabe Haruka was considered part of the "upper class" due to her top-tier looks and figure. The girls' cliques in class had reached out to her multiple times to try and recruit her, but she had never given them a straight answer.
Many girls had been secretly slandering her behind her back as "cold," "thinking she's special just because she's busty," and "probably wearing pads to cheat."
Never did they imagine that her "coldness" was only for them—Hasabe was actually willing to take the initiative to approach a boy.
"Unbelievable... what kind of taste does she have?"
"Refusing Hirata-kun only to go study with that dead-fish-eyes?" Shinohara complained on behalf of the handsome guy.
"I think... she's helping Sakura-san, right?" Matsushita Chiaki looked thoughtful.
She had noticed that when Hasabe first asked for tutoring, Hikigaya refused. But the second she mentioned Sakura, he immediately changed his tune.
"Nani nani~"
"Is there something going on between Hikigaya and Sakura?" Sato Maya's eyes lit up as her gossip soul awakened.
"Tch~ that dead-fish-eyes acts all deep and brooding.
Now it seems he's just another brainless male attracted by huge tracks of land!" Shinohara gave a sharp, belittling assessment of Hikigaya.
"..."
Karuizawa Kei remained silent, her eyes darting back and forth as she compared the "gap" between herself, Hasabe, and Sakura. Although she wasn't small by any means, the difference between Mount Fuji and Mount Everest was clear at a glance.
Just a moment ago, she had been agonizing over finding an excuse to approach Hikigaya, only for him to hook up with two F-class girls in the blink of an eye!
Having stood still while they moved, she had become the total clown of the situation!
'Dammit... I was here first!
Hikigaya is really something too. He already stood up for me—why couldn't he be just a little more proactive and come talk to me?'
Chapter 035 Ibuki: Hands Off Shiina!
After school.
Hikigaya first went to the Martial Arts Club to explain the situation to President Mutou, requesting to push back his training time.
President Mutou showed understanding. After all, he was a veteran here and knew the rules of this messed-up school.
"Sometimes, the content of the exam isn't necessarily found in textbooks..."
President Mutou said this to him with a meaningful look.
Hikigaya was momentarily stunned, his expression thoughtful. Then he nodded seriously: "I understand. Thank you, President Mutou."
"Ha~ thank what? I just said it on a whim."
President Mutou chuckled, letting the matter rest there.
As Hikigaya was leaving, he happened to run into Ibuki Mio, who had come for training.
"Hikigaya, leaving so early today?"
Over the past month, Ibuki Mio had grown accustomed to training alongside him.
Hikigaya briefly explained the situation regarding the study session.
"So that's how it is...
Heh~ to think you have to accept tutoring from others. It seems your academic ability isn't up to par, Hikigaya."
Ibuki Mio looked at him teasingly; she instinctively assumed Hikigaya was the "failing student" being tutored.
She immediately offered a suggestion: "How about you study with me instead?"
"Study... with you?"
Hikigaya did a tactical lean-back.
"Hey! What's with that look?"
Ibuki Mio's eyebrows twitched.
"To be blunt, Ibuki.
The 'honor student' thing completely clashes with your 'clumsily-cute' persona."
Hikigaya gave her a brutally honest rebuttal.
"The way you put that is really irritating..."
Ibuki Mio stomped her feet in anger, but she couldn't find a way to argue back!
"What I mean is, I'm currently receiving tutoring from an honor student in my class. Do you want to join us?
By the way, Shiina is a genius-beauty who gets straight A's in every subject~"
Ibuki Mio introduced her "bestie" with a proud look.
"Then she's quite impressive."
Hikigaya looked surprised.
However, he wasn't referring to her academic ability, but to the fact that this Class C Shiina-san was actually able to become friends with a natural-born contrarian like Ibuki Mio. She must be a very gentle and considerate girl, right?
"Hey! You're not allowed to get any ideas about Shiina!"
Ibuki Mio suddenly glared at him with wary eyes.
"What the hell...
I haven't even met her, okay?"
Hikigaya found himself caught between laughter and tears.
Then he shook his head, declining Ibuki's kindness: "I'll pass. Class D still has a few students with decent grades."
Hearing this, Ibuki Mio didn't push further, only cautioning him: "In any case, don't trip up on the midterms. If you get expelled, I'll laugh at you for the rest of my life!"
.
.
.
Meeting Point: Library Lounge Area.
Hikigaya's gaze swept across the room; nearly half of Class D had shown up.
This was thanks to the two popular figures, Hirata Yousuke and Kushida Kikyo. The participants of the study session gathered around the two of them in a tacit understanding.
'Seriously, are you guys here to study, or to look at the handsome guy and pretty girl?'
"Hachi~ over here, over here~~"
In a corner far from the crowd, Hasabe Haruka waved at him with a smile.
Sakura Airi summoned her courage, lifting one hand to wave slightly as she greeted him timidly.
"Sorry, I had to handle some club business, so I'm late."
Enduring the somewhat stinging glares from the surrounding area, Hikigaya sat down across from the two "F-Class" girls.
"Well then, let's start study—"
"Wait a second! We need to set the mood first."
Hasabe Haruka interrupted him, then stood up from her seat: "I'm going to buy drinks. Airi and Hachi, what do you want to drink?"
"I-I'm fine..."
Sakura Airi waved her hands quickly, not wanting to trouble her.
"Okay, Airi wants a strawberry milk tea."
Hasabe Haruka nodded, playing the part of the "read and reply with whatever" perfectly.
Seeing this, Hikigaya stopped being polite: "An Americano with two and a half packets of sugar, thanks."
"Ooh~ Hachi loves sweets. Intel +1!"
Hasabe Haruka extended a pinky finger, a playful smile appearing on her face.
"Even if you say that, my personal info has no value."
Hikigaya's heart remained unruffled.
"That's not necessarily true~"
Hasabe Haruka then turned to the stiffly seated Sakura Airi and gave her shoulder a slightly firm pat.
"Airi, do your best!"
"Uuu~ 'do your best' or whatever..."
Sakura Airi lowered her head, pretending not to understand, but her reddening ears betrayed the girl's inner turmoil.
'This girl...'
Hikigaya watched the blue-haired girl's cheerful departing figure.
Only Hikigaya and Sakura Airi were left at the table.
The atmosphere grew silent...
'So awkward!
What am I supposed to say when I'm alone with a girl?'
Hikigaya's brain rapidly scanned through his limited memories.
Experience 1: Talk about literature with Horikita Suzune.
Experience 2: Talk about martial arts with Ibuki Mio.
'Neither seems appropriate!'
His thoughts, for some reason, drifted back to scenes from his dreams.
"Um... does Sakura-san like photography?"
Hikigaya asked casually.
"Yes, y-yes!"
Sakura Airi suddenly looked up, her eyes instantly lighting up.
'She's actually... that interested...'
"Is Hikigaya-kun also... also interested in photography...?"
Sakura Airi finally managed to speak, albeit haltingly.
"It's alright.
I know a thing or two about photography."
Hikigaya replied.
"It's more than just a 'thing or two.' Asahina-senpai from the Photography Club said Hikigaya-kun is very good at taking pictures. His technical level isn't inferior to professional photographers outside!"
Sakura Airi's eyes sparkled with a hint of admiration.
A bold thought suddenly occurred to her: 'What if I asked Hikigaya-kun to help take pictures of me...
No, no, no, wouldn't that expose my identity as 'Shizuku'?'
Sakura Airi bit her lip, her heart becoming conflicted.
Hikigaya saw that she had something on her mind, but he didn't pry into her secrets, tactfully changing the subject: "Sakura-san, would you mind telling me your scores for each subject?"
"Uh..."
As soon as the topic turned to studying, the light in Sakura Airi's eyes immediately dimmed.
She lowered her head and fished a transcript out of her bag, handing it over with a face full of shame.
Japanese: 30, Math: 35, English: 48, Science: 34, Social Studies: 29.
Two subjects were below the passing line...
"I see."
Hikigaya took a deep breath. Fortunately, he specialized in Japanese and Social Studies, which was enough to tutor her in her weak points.
"Don't worry. Scores in humanities can be raised quite quickly."
Seeing her keeping her head down, looking completely devoid of confidence, Hikigaya—driven by some inexplicable impulse—reached out and gently patted her head: "I promise I'll help you pass the exam."
"!!!"
"???"
Feeling the soft, smooth strands of hair in his hand, Hikigaya's face froze.
'Hey, hey, hey!
What are you doing!
Hikigaya Hachiman!'
"Sorry! I'm truly sorry!
A moment of carelessness..."
Hikigaya looked panicked, quickly withdrawing his reckless right hand.
"Ugh!"
Sakura Airi instinctively cradled her head with both hands. Feeling the lingering warmth on her scalp, she spoke in a voice as quiet as a mosquito: "Actually, I didn't hate it..."
This was her truest inner feeling!
Even Sakura herself was surprised by this. After all, not long ago, she had been stalked by a fanatical admirer, which had led to a fear of men.
After enrolling, she deliberately used a plain, nerdy look to hide her true appearance. It was very effective and significantly reduced the amount of unwanted attention from boys.
Yet, only this boy in front of her had "discovered" her on the very first day.
It made Sakura Airi involuntarily think of an Utada Hikaru song, First Love.
♪ Caught a glimpse of you in the middle of a crowd~~ ♪
Chapter 036 Hachiman, Do You Really Not Like Me?
"I'm back~
It looks like you two had a very pleasant chat~~"
Hasabe Haruka returned with the drinks.
"Thank you, Haruka."
Sakura Airi took the strawberry milk tea, her cheeks turning redder than the strawberry juice on the cup.
"How many points?"
Hikigaya instinctively reached for his phone.
"Don't be a stranger among friends.
Besides, Hachi is sacrificing his own time to tutor us; how could I have the heart to take your points?"
'Huh? Since when did we become friends? Is making friends really this simple?'
As if seeing through the micro-expressions on Hikigaya's face, Hasabe Haruka sighed: "Don't look at me like that. I don't just befriend anyone. Airi and Hachi are the first girl and boy friends I've made since coming to this school."
"Mm-hmm! Same for me..."
Sakura Airi nodded vigorously.
"..."
Hikigaya averted his gaze.
"Hehe~ I just remembered, although Hachi doesn't socialize much in class, he seems to have quite a good relationship with girls from other classes."
Hasabe Haruka stared at him sharply for a moment before urging Sakura: "Airi, you better hurry up. Don't let a 'thieving cat' from another class snatch Hachi away."
"Haruka, what are you saying~"
Sakura Airi, looking flustered and annoyed, lightly tapped Haruka's chest with her small fists.
"Oh my~ embarrassed Airi is so cute."
Hasabe Haruka opened her arms and pulled Sakura into a hug, rubbing against her affectionately.
Two jade peaks collided, and the earth shook! Given this scene, what red-blooded male could keep his composure?
'Calm down! Calm down! Don't panic! It's just an illusion!'
Hikigaya took a sharp breath, forcibly diverting his attention. He began silently reciting poetry in his mind.
'Viewed horizontally as a ridge, from the side a peak, far, near, high, low, all great... Wait, I recited it wrong!!'
Hikigaya simply closed his eyes.
However, his mind involuntarily recalled another scene instead
'"Hachiman, do you really not like me?"
Yamero! (Stop it!)'
My rationality is about to evaporate!
Hikigaya snapped his eyes open, grabbed his coffee, and without adding the sugar packets, downed it in one go.
Good grief—it was a plain Americano, yet Hikigaya somehow managed to taste a hint of cloying sweetness in it...
Women are terrifying!
Looking at the deeply troubled Hikigaya, Hasabe Haruka couldn't help but stick out her tongue and giggle: "Hee-hee~ maybe I teased him a bit too much?"
"Study starts now!
Right now! Immediately!!"
Hikigaya transformed into a heartless "sensei."
He unleashed a torrent of knowledge, ruthlessly filling the two girls' heads!
"No... I really can't go on... Hachi.
My brain is about to burst!"
Hasabe Haruka slumped powerlessly onto the table.
"Uuuu~ Why do Japanese people have to learn Classical Chinese..."
Sakura Airi's body swayed, and even her glasses were askew. She looked completely broken.
"That's enough for today's tutoring."
Looking at the two girls who had been "tamed" by his academic onslaught, Hikigaya closed his textbook with satisfaction.
This caused the surrounding Class D boys to look on with heartache.
'For real... you brought two girls with 'F-Class' figures here just to actually study?'
"That Hikitani guy really doesn't know how to treat a lady, does he?
To think he'd exhaust the great beauty Hasabe to this extent!"
Ike Kanji looked righteous with indignation, wishing he could rush over and play the hero.
"Eh? Have you guys noticed? When Sakura-san doesn't have her glasses on straight, she looks quite..."
A sharp glint flashed in Yamauchi Haruki's eyes.
Noticing the strange looks from others, Hikigaya frowned and reached out to straighten Sakura Airi's crooked glasses.
"Eh?!"
"Thank you... Hikigaya-kun."
Sakura Airi snapped out of it, her cheeks heating up again.
"Chikusho! (Damn it!) That bastard keeping the good stuff to himself!"
The Class D crowd erupted in another wave of wails.
An hour later, Hasabe Haruka and Sakura Airi left, supporting each other. Kushida Kikyo claimed she had a meeting with an upperclassman and took her leave. The boys surrounding her, seeing their "Little Angel" gone, lost all desire to study and left one by one.
Only a few girls remained, though they weren't entirely there for studying—they were there because Hirata Yousuke was still present.
"Hikigaya-kun, next I'll be tutoring everyone in Math. Would you like to stay and listen?"
Hirata Yousuke took the initiative to invite him.
"I'll be in your debt then."
Hikigaya didn't refuse, accepting it as his right. Since he took on the task of tutoring others, he naturally should enjoy the right to be tutored.
Another hour passed...
Thud.
Hikigaya looked as if his soul had been sucked out, his head resting on the table.
It turns out that when pushed, a human can do anything—except Math! If you don't know Math, you just don't know it. Even with a knife to your throat, you still won't be able to solve it!!
"Heh~ what an idiot."
"He can't even do middle school plane geometry!"
Shinohara Satsuki mocked him.
"..."
Hikigaya didn't argue; after all, she was telling the truth.
"Well~ everyone has one or two things they're not good at..."
Matsushita Chiaki laughed awkwardly, trying to diffuse the tension.
However, Shinohara Satsuki continued relentlessly: "With your level, you're just wasting Hirata-kun's tutoring time."
"Ah! I don't want to study anymore."
"Come on, let's go to Karaoke!"
Karuizawa Kei grabbed the girls and started heading out without leaving room for argument. Before leaving, she cast a subtle, hidden glance back at Hikigaya.
'This woman... is she drawing the fire away for him?'
Hikigaya looked up and met her gaze. Karuizawa Kei quickly looked away and hurried off.
"Sorry, Hikigaya-kun. Shinohara didn't really mean any harm."
Hirata Yousuke took the initiative to apologize to him.
"It's fine. Mockery of this level doesn't even count as an itch to me."
Hikigaya shrugged indifferently.
"Also, regarding Math tutoring... how about I explain it to you separately?"
Math is different from other subjects; it relies heavily on foundations. Hikigaya was bad at Math in middle school, so trying to learn high school material was bound to be a struggle. Moreover, with every student having a different pace, how could Hirata possibly take care of everyone? It was clear that Math wasn't suited for one-to-many tutoring.
"No thanks."
Hikigaya refused. He didn't like owing people favors.
"Hirata, you're a member of the football club, right?
If you don't go now, you'll miss training.
Besides, I need to head to the Martial Arts Club as well."
As for the Math tutoring, Hikigaya planned to find another way.
Chapter 037 Hikigaya: Worried Suzune Might Be Tricked by a Bad Man
School Cafeteria.
"To think you'd use the class group chat to add my contact info. You're quite a forward fellow."
At this moment, Horikita Suzune was dressed in a white shirt with pink overall-style loungewear. Compared to when she wore the school uniform, she lost a bit of her "Ice Queen" aura and gained the approachability of a younger sister next door.
"I didn't expect you to approve my friend request so quickly, either."
Hikigaya waved his hand, signaling her to sit down and talk.
"..."
Horikita Suzune raised an eyebrow. Instead of answering his question directly, she continued her interrogation: "So, what exactly do you want, calling me out specifically at this hour?"
"It's dinner time, so naturally, it's for dinner.
Sorry, I didn't know what you liked, so I just ordered a few things at random."
Hikigaya brought over a tray from the premium counter of Cafeteria No. 1. It contained beef, prawns, grilled fish, broccoli, and a delicate little dessert—it was definitely a luxury meal.
"What is the meaning of this?"
Looking at the food, which was perfect in color, aroma, and taste, Horikita Suzune couldn't help but swallow her saliva.
Usually, she was a frugal person. After learning that this month's personal points were zero, a strong sense of crisis made her cut expenses even further. For dinner, she had picked up the legendary, notoriously foul-tasting "Free Mountain Vegetable Set," planning to take it back to the dorm for secondary processing to slightly improve the flavor.
"It's my treat."
"Why?"
"Eat first, talk later."
"No! You have to tell me your motive first!"
Horikita Suzune's will was firm; she wasn't someone who could be swayed by mere food.
"The beef and prawns should be eaten while they're hot, otherwise the cold will ruin the texture," Hikigaya continued to persuade her.
"I don't accept food given in charity.
Besides, this meal wasn't cheap, was it?
Is it really okay for you to squander points like this?"
Horikita Suzune frowned.
They had to make their personal points last until the end of the month. Furthermore, how many points Class D would receive next month remained an unknown. In the face of their current predicament, anyone with a brain would choose to save.
"It doesn't matter. These points were transferred to me by President Horikita anyway."
Hikigaya took out his phone and showed her his account balance: 138,500 (Hikigaya's 100k + Kamuro's 20k transfer + Horikita Manabu's official 100k transfer, minus a month's daily expenses).
Additionally, in Hikigaya's anonymous account, there were still 4.5 million personal points.
"Tch!"
Horikita Suzune bit her lip and glared at him fiercely. Then, she snatched the tray and began devouring the food without any further hesitation.
She muttered in her heart: This is the points Brother gave him, so it doesn't count as accepting charity...
Watching her quickly demolish the food on the tray, Hikigaya sighed inwardly. It seemed "Horikita-Sister" had been suffering quite a bit lately.
"Horikita-san, I hope you can do me a favor."
Hikigaya moved to the next step of his plan.
"On what grou—"
Horikita Suzune instinctively wanted to refuse, but looking down at the tray licked clean, the refusal got stuck in her throat.
The saying "soft is the mouth that eats other's food, short is the hand that takes other's gifts" exists for a reason!
"Don't worry. Although it's a bit of a hassle, it won't make things difficult for you."
Hikigaya paused, briefly explaining his goal.
"You mean... you want me to teach you Math?
And it's one-on-one tutoring?"
Horikita Suzune's eyes widened, seemingly surprised that he would make such a legitimate request.
"Yes. My Math grades are too poor. Even though I attended the study session today, I completely failed to keep up with the pace."
Hikigaya spoke the truth, presenting his problem to her without reservation.
"So, why should I help you?"
Horikita Suzune crossed her arms over her chest, her expression turning cold. She had never been one to enjoy helping others.
"Suzune, don't confuse the difference between being 'aloof' and being 'lonely'."
Hikigaya raised his hand to mimic pushing up glasses, imitating Horikita Manabu's stern lecturing tone.
"You..."
"Stop imitating my brother's way of speaking whenever you feel like it!"
Horikita Suzune's gaze wavered.
'Was that the point?' Hikigaya thought she would care more about him calling her "Suzune" directly.
The reason he sought out Horikita Suzune, besides actually wanting to improve his Math, was because of Horikita Manabu. Having accepted 1.5 million from the guy, even though the President hadn't made any specific demands yet, as a fellow "brother," Hikigaya could fully grasp Manabu's true intentions.
"Horikita-san, I'm counting on you.
This is the request of a lifetime..."
Hikigaya took a deep breath. A mountain of rhetoric was already prepared in his mind as he got ready to continue his "persuasion."
"Fine, I agree."
Horikita Suzune sighed, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.
'Huh?
What?
You just agreed like that?'
Hikigaya was dumbfounded, looking at Suzune with an expression of pure disbelief. He had prepared a massive speech and was even ready to use personal points as a bribe. He hadn't even started trying yet, and it was over?
It felt like preparing a massive amount of items, stacking every buff, and going fully armed to a boss fight—only for the boss to drop dead and explode into gold coins after a single basic attack.
"What's with that look?"
Horikita Suzune seemed uncomfortable under his gaze and turned red with embarrassment and anger: "Don't misunderstand!
" am only following my brother's wishes!
He told me to get along with you... and learn the skills of interacting with people.
This is absolutely not my own idea!!"
'I see. That makes sense.
But, Horikita-Sister... isn't agreeing to someone's request this easily a bit too reckless?
I'm starting to worry that she'll be tricked by some bad man in the future.'
"It's not my intention to freeload off someone's labor, either.
As payment for private tutoring, I plan to provide 100,000 personal points."
As Hikigaya spoke, he operated his phone and transferred 100,000 points to Suzune's account.
"..."
Horikita Suzune froze, looking up at him with a complex expression.
'Eh? What now?
Is 100,000 points too little?
I didn't expect you to be a greedy one.'
But considering his disastrous Math scores, paying a high price for a tutor seemed justifiable. Hikigaya initiated another transfer and sent another 20,000 over.
"You idiot, that's not what I meant!"
Horikita Suzune found herself between laughter and tears.
'You should have said so sooner! You damn riddle-maker!'
However, Hikigaya was too embarrassed to ask for the transferred points back.
"Well then, the extra points...
Can we consider them a meal allowance?"
Hikigaya casually voiced an outrageous request.
Chapter 038 Dreaming of Airi, but the Wife is Haruka!
After dinner, Horikita Suzune suggested going directly to his dorm for the math tutoring.
'This girl is far too defenseless...'
Considering it wasn't appropriate for a man and a woman to be alone in a room late at night, Hikigaya politely declined her, stating that the math tutoring would begin tomorrow.
It couldn't be helped... Horikita Suzune might be able to maintain a clear conscience, but Hikigaya couldn't. After all, he was the type to hallucinate a "Hikigaya Suzune" in his dreams; in a sense, this proved that deep in his heart, he did harbor transgressive thoughts about her.
"Hachiman."
Am I dreaming again...?
After a week's interval, Hikigaya once again dreamed of Sakura Airi.
Dressed in a long red dress that accentuated her curvaceous figure, her delicate features—enhanced by just a touch of light makeup—sketched the peerless face of a national-level idol. Although this wasn't the first time Hikigaya had seen this, he was still struck with awe.
"Hachiman-kun...
I'm a little thirsty, could you help me pour a glass of water?"
'What's going on? We haven't dreamed of each other in a week, and now she's being so formal?'
Hikigaya didn't think much of it. He turned to the kitchen, found a teacup, and poured her a glass of hot water.
"Speaking of which, why is this room different from the last one?" Hikigaya muttered with a puzzled expression. However, since it was a dream, there was no need to fuss over such details.
"Thank you~"
As Sakura Airi took the cup, her fingers accidentally brushed against his. Letting out a cute little squeak of surprise, a flush of crimson rapidly climbed her cheeks.
'Huh? What's this situation? We just touched hands. Why be shy between husband and wife?'
Looking at the suddenly bashful and lovely Sakura Airi before him, Hikigaya's heart began to pound violently.
'Not good! It's a trap! Could this be the legendary roleplay?'
In "Infinite Love," the reason the protagonists maintain a sweet relationship after years of marriage is that the couple frequently roleplays different characters—siblings, teacher and student, or even someone else's wife/husband...
In his view, the current Sakura Airi must be playing the role of a young girl with a secret crush. 'As expected of an idol, her acting is too good!'
"Actually, I came over today because there's something important... I wanted to tell you and Haruka, Hachiman-kun."
Sakura Airi's expression was complex.
'This... doesn't look like acting!'
Hikigaya took on a serious look: "What is it?"
"Yesterday, I received an invitation from the 'Dyfairy' group. It's a famous idol group in North America..."
Sakura Airi looked up at him with soulful eyes, her pearly teeth biting her lip, looking as if she wanted to speak but hesitated.
"..."
Hikigaya understood instantly. It was like a classic trope from a TV drama: one partner encounters a massive career opportunity and has to go abroad. At such a time, the lead usually chooses to let go "for the sake of the other's future" and encourages them to go.
Hikigaya loathed this kind of self-righteous "deep love" that completely ignored what the person involved actually wanted.
Without hesitation or doubt, Hikigaya took her hands in his: "Airi, I want you to stay."
"R-Really?"
Sakura Airi's beautiful eyes widened, and a breathtakingly stunning smile blossomed on her pretty face.
"Ha-Hachiman-kun...
I... I..."
Overcome with emotion, her body instinctively leaned forward, her eyes staring at him with burning intensity!
'I know this part!'
Having had experience with a "morning kiss" before, Hikigaya naturally knew exactly what she wanted. Honestly, always having the woman take the initiative—it was quite pathetic for a man!
Thinking this, Hikigaya decided to take the offensive. He cupped Sakura Airi's burning, hot cheeks in his hands. His gaze fell upon her pink, tender lips, which shimmered with an inviting luster.
Truthfully, if he could really marry such a cute wife in the future, Hikigaya would be willing to give up his dream of being a househusband and work a real job to support her!
"Eeya...!"
As if realizing what Hikigaya was about to do next, Sakura Airi's face showed excitement, agitation, and... a massive amount of guilt!
But she didn't regret it! Even if it was just this once. Sakura Airi closed her eyes, trembling.
"?"
A flicker of doubt passed through Hikigaya's eyes. He couldn't quite read her expression. Why was there a subtle, thrilling sense of "doing something behind someone's back"?
Regardless, kissing her should be the right move, right? Just as Hikigaya was about to take the final step—
Click.
The sound of a key turning in the door.
"I'm home, Hachi~
Airi is coming over for dinner tonight, so we have to entertain her well... eh?!"
Standing at the entrance was a beautiful, dignified blue-haired housewife, carrying a vegetable basket in her hand.
Hikigaya's eyes were blank at first, then his face suddenly froze! His brain's CPU immediately entered overclocked processing!!
First, let's organize the key information: [Different room] [A sense of distance with Airi] [Haruka returning from grocery shopping]...
Hiss—
Hikigaya's pupils shook as he took a sharp breath of cold air!! A terrifying possibility suddenly occurred to him!!!
Is it possible... that the wife he dreamed of this time... was the other F-class girl?
"Uuuuu~ I'm sorry..."
Sakura Airi covered her face with her hands, flattening herself on the floor like an ostrich. She kept repeating "I'm a bad woman" over and over.
"My, my, my, my~
This is quite an interesting scene. I wonder what kind of game my husband and my best friend are playing?"
Hasabe Haruka narrowed her eyes, her mouth curling into a "kind" smile.
" Eh?"
.
.
.
The next morning.
Hikigaya went to school with two massive dark circles under his eyes. Due to his poor mental state, he skipped his morning training.
"What's wrong with you? Did you stay up too late doing math problems last night?"
Horikita Suzune, whom he happened to encounter on the way, cast a curious glance at him.
"Horikita... not letting you come to my dorm to tutor me in math last night...
That was the biggest mistake of my life!" Hikigaya said with a straight face.
"Is it really that serious...?"
Horikita Suzune looked at him with a strange, wary gaze: "You're not thinking of taking the opportunity to do something weird, are you?"
Hikigaya spoke powerlessly: "Your wariness is correct."
"Hmph! Before you can even act, I'll use a cross armbreaker to put you into a deep sleep!" Horikita Suzune warned, raising a fist.
"Really? That would be wonderful!"
Hikigaya's eyes lit up. He thought to himself: If I'm in a 'deep sleep,' maybe I won't have those terrifying dreams anymore?
"Huh?"
Horikita Suzune pinched the bridge of her nose, looking completely speechless. "I said, what kind of dream-talk are you babbling so early in the morning?"
Chapter 039 Hikigaya Warns Kushida Kikyo
Class D Classroom.
Sakura Airi, who was usually solitary, now had a best friend she could talk to about anything: Hasabe Haruka.
"Good morning, Hachi~"
"Good morning, Hikigaya-kun."
"Morning..."
Hikigaya gave a brief response, his eyes darting away.
"What's with that reaction?
Why do you look like you got caught cheating by your main girlfriend last night... just kidding~~"
Hasabe Haruka teased him casually.
"Uh... how is that possible?
Ahaha... ahahaha..."
Hikigaya's mouth twitched uncontrollably as he gave an awkward, forced laugh. Inside, he was sweating bullets! This strange crossover between dreams and reality made him feel a wave of guilt.
Then again, you couldn't entirely blame him, right? Every other time he'd dreamed of a wife, it was Airi. Who could have predicted that in this dream, Airi would appear, but the wife would be Haruka! This unexpected development was truly hard for Hikigaya to handle.
"Um, are you okay, Hikigaya-kun?"
"You look a bit pale..." Sakura Airi voiced her concern softly.
"Eh, I'm fine."
"I just took two direct hits from nuclear bombs... Oh, I mean, I had a nightmare."
As Hikigaya spoke, he couldn't help but steal a few extra glances at Sakura Airi.
'This girl looks so honest; I didn't expect her to 'raid the base' of her own best friend...'
Of course, the primary responsibility still lay with Hikigaya himself.
.
.
.
During the daytime lessons, Hikigaya listened attentively and took notes. No matter how special this school was, it didn't change the fact that studying was a student's primary job.
However, it was worth mentioning that the tense learning atmosphere created yesterday by the midterm threat had already collapsed by half today. Since this morning, people had been slacking off, playing on their phones, or sleeping. Aside from Mashima-sensei in English class, the other teachers completely ignored it.
Hirata Yousuke wanted to intervene, but his temper was too gentle. His soft-spoken words were treated like white noise. Hikigaya shook his head; this class was rotten to the core.
After school.
As expected, the attendance for the study session had dropped by half. The Yamauchi group and Ayanokouji were nowhere to be seen. For those remaining, this was actually a good thing; at least they could study in peace.
Hikigaya spent an hour tutoring Sakura Airi and Hasabe Haruka in the humanities. The teacher was diligent, the students were serious, and both girls' levels were steadily improving.
"Thank you so much for today, Hachi~
As a reward, how about Airi and I treat you to dinner?" the two girls suggested.
"No thanks. I have math tutoring later. You guys go ahead.
By the way, remember to memorize the classical poems and practice reading comprehension when you get back," Hikigaya instructed.
"Yes, yes, Hachi really sounds like a teacher~"
The two girls shared a smile and left together. Watching them walk away hand-in-hand, Hikigaya's expression turned strange. Who would have thought that these best friends would one day become love rivals stabbing each other in the back...
'Well, it was just a dream. How can I take it seriously?' Hikigaya mocked himself.
"Hikigaya-kun, are you joining the math tutoring session next?" Hirata Yousuke invited him.
"No, I've found someone for one-on-one tutoring," Hikigaya declined.
"Really? That's great." Hirata breathed a sigh of relief. Teaching so many people with varying grades was no simple task.
"Wait, Hikigaya-kun."
Kushida Kikyo had been watching him secretly for a while. Seeing him about to leave, she decisively chased after him.
"Do you need something, Kushida-san?"
Hikigaya sighed. He didn't even need to think to know she only ever wanted one thing from him.
"Um, could I ask you to help me invite Horikita-san out?"
Kushida Kikyo looked at him with pleading, watery eyes. Her adorable face was in a begging posture that most boys would find impossible to refuse. Unfortunately, Hikigaya was not "most boys."
"Sorry. Without Horikita's consent, I won't do that," Hikigaya refused explicitly.
"Eh... why?" Kushida's face froze. She clearly didn't expect such a blunt rejection.
"Because I've already asked her to tutor me in math," Hikigaya told the truth.
"Oh? Isn't that perfect then... I wanted Horikita-san to join the study session to help more of our classmates." Kushida smoothly pivoted to her true intent.
"Is that necessary? Between you and Hirata, you can handle the people here today just fine." Hikigaya frowned, sensing she was digging a pit for Horikita.
"Uh, Yamauchi-kun and the others just had something come up today. I've already convinced them; they'll definitely come tomorrow. When they do, I hope Horikita-san, who has better grades, can be the one to teach them..."
Kushida seemed to be acting entirely for the sake of her classmates, and her logic—letting the person with the best grades teach—seemed reasonable on the surface.
"Kushida-san, do you hate Horikita?"
Hikigaya's question was surgical, nearly piercing her psychological defenses.
"Ah? Hikigaya-kun, why would you say that...?" Kushida's brow furrowed slightly as she struggled to maintain her fake smile.
"Isn't it obvious?" Hikigaya narrowed his dead-fish eyes. "Allow me to use a somewhat impolite metaphor: Yamauchi and those guys are like unevolved hominids! I don't believe for a second they'll study seriously."
They were the ones getting tutored—already getting a massive bargain—yet people had to beg them three or four times to come and learn.
Where do you get off having that much ego?
If it were Hirata, fine; "one is willing to hit, the other is willing to be hit." But Hikigaya absolutely could not accept Horikita Suzune teaching those hominids! Besides, he had paid 120,000 personal points for a "private tutor." Nobody was going to snatch her away from him!
"But... we're all classmates, we should help each other..." Kushida tried to continue her "kind" persuasion.
'Still playing this game with me.'
Hikigaya's expression turned cold, his face showing a hint of impatience.
"Kushida, I'm currently lacking a girlfriend. Why don't you come help me with that too?" His tone was laced with undisguised mockery.
"This..." Kushida's heart sank, her facial expression management nearly failing.
"Hey! Did you guys hear that? This guy is trying to confess to Kushida!"
"A toad trying to eat swan meat!!"
Not far away, Shinohara Satsuki, ever the meddler, began fanning the flames.
Hikigaya didn't even bother to look at those gossiping women.
He took a step closer to Kushida and, in a voice only the two of them could hear, whispered a demonic warning:
"If you're going to target Horikita, have you thought about the price you're willing to pay?"
'That should make her back off.'
Although he didn't know what grudge she held against Horikita, girl drama was usually just that—nonsense. Surely Kushida wouldn't use herself as bait to frame him just to hurt Horikita... right?
Having said his piece, Hikigaya turned and walked away, leaving Kushida Kikyo standing there with a face shifting through a kaleidoscope of emotions.
Chapter 040 Suddenly Feeling Like Giving You Some "Domestic Violence"
"Too slow!"
Horikita Suzune rang the doorbell to Hikigaya's dormitory. It took a good while before the door finally opened from the inside.
"Sorry, I just got back from Martial Arts Club training and took a shower."
Hikigaya had a towel draped over his head, rubbing his damp hair. Smelling the fresh scent of someone who had just bathed, the deep furrow in Horikita Suzune's brow relaxed slightly.
'Better than a stench of sweat, at least...'
"Next time, have indoor shoes ready for me."
Horikita Suzune kicked off her small leather shoes, her black over-knee socks stepping onto the wooden floor.
'This girl really doesn't stand on ceremony at all...'
Hikigaya's gaze swept down and caught sight of the two lunch boxes she was carrying. He froze for a second. "Horikita, what's this?"
"Didn't you say it yourself? You told me to prepare dinner for you." Horikita Suzune placed the lunch boxes on the table.
'No, wait. I just said that in passing. You actually agreed?'
Hikigaya gave her a strange look. He almost suspected she had been possessed by the "Hikigaya Suzune" from his dreams!!
"Uh, having you personally cook... isn't that too much trouble?" Hikigaya rubbed his head, feeling a bit sheepish. To be honest, in all his years, this was the first time he'd eaten a meal cooked by a woman other than his mother.
"It's not. I have to cook for myself anyway; adding another portion of ingredients doesn't take much effort. Besides, having received so many points from you, a dinner of this level is more than covered."
Horikita Suzune opened the lunch boxes. The food wasn't particularly extravagant—grilled chicken wings, Chinese cabbage, and tomato scrambled eggs—but it was simple and had the distinct "taste of home."
"Thanks. I'll dig in."
Hikigaya took a few bites, and an involuntary expression of nostalgia appeared on his face. "I have to admit, in terms of housewife capabilities, you're the superior one!"
Always competitive, Horikita Suzune refused to accept that. "Who says I'm going to be a housewife?"
Hikigaya's face lit up. "Really? That's great! My future dream is to be a househusband!"
"Tch~ such a pathetic guy. I really don't know what my brother sees in you." Horikita Suzune looked speechless.
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After the meal, Hikigaya brewed two cups of black tea.
"Hikigaya, you certainly know how to enjoy yourself." Looking at the rich, fragrant Ceylon Highland black tea in the cup, Horikita Suzune—who knew her stuff—recognized that this tea wasn't cheap.
"It's fine. It's only right to reward 'Horikita-sensei'." While Hikigaya's public personal points were dwindling, his anonymous account held a cool four million!
"True." Horikita Suzune nodded, accepting it as her due. "Well then, let's begin studying."
One hour passed... Two hours passed...
"Um, Horikita-sensei, can we call it a night?" After grinding through math problems for two hours straight, Hikigaya felt like his head was going to split open.
"No! There are two big problems left. Finish them!" Horikita Suzune said sternly.
"Sigh~ give me a break..." Despite his grumbling, Hikigaya's body was honest; he lowered his head and continued to labor away.
After he finished, Horikita Suzune spent another half hour explaining the techniques for solving the problems. In total, the math tutoring lasted three full hours.
'These 100,000 points were way too well-spent.'
"At this rate, you should finally be able to catch up with the high school curriculum by the end of the month. However, your foundation in math is too thin; you can't digest so many knowledge points in a short time. You'll barely manage a score of around 60." Horikita Suzune frowned, seemingly dissatisfied.
"Huh? Isn't that goal a bit too high? I just want to pass the 32-point line!" Hikigaya's mouth twitched.
For a chronic failing student, 60 points would be a middle-to-upper-tier performance—a literal leap forward!
"Shut up! How can a student I personally taught only aim for a passing grade? For this midterm, you must score above 60! For the next finals, the goal will be 70 or 80." Horikita Suzune urged him strictly.
"This is domestic violence! This is absolutely domestic violence!!" Hikigaya cried inwardly.
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"Hachiman, get up!
Today is practice... eh, you're awake?"
Short-haired Suzune was, as usual, preparing to wake the habitually oversleeping Hikigaya.
"..." Hikigaya stared at her intently, speaking with total seriousness: "Hori... Suzune. Turn around for a second."
"What? Is there something on my back?" Though confused, Short-haired Suzune complied. She was wearing a pink apron tied around her waist, and her dark hot pants perfectly accentuated her toned, perky rear.
"Whew~" Hikigaya took a deep breath and suddenly swung his palm.
Smack!
A crisp, loud sound like a drum.
"Ah! What are you doing?!"
Short-haired Suzune nearly jumped out of her skin. Covering her stinging backside with both hands, her cheeks instantly turned a deep crimson.
"Nothing. I just suddenly felt like giving you some 'domestic violence'.
Mm~ I feel much better now!" Hikigaya felt refreshed.
"Ha—chi—man—!
Have you... prepared your soul for the consequences?"
Short-haired Suzune ripped off her apron, and...
"!!!"
The blinding "holiness" before him caused Hikigaya's pupils to shake.
"W-wait a minute! I-I'm not ready yet..."
Short-haired Suzune let out a cold snort. Her face was full of shame and anger, but also carried a hint of subtle pleasure.
"Today, don't even think about leaving this bed on your own two feet!!"
.
.
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The Next Morning
Early the next morning, Hikigaya was at the track for morning training.
"Yo, Hikigaya. Why do you look so refreshed today? Did something good happen?" Ibuki Mio ran alongside him.
"I was 'domestic-violenced' last night," Hikigaya said truthfully.
"I see... Like hell I do!" Ibuki Mio's footing faltered, nearly making her faceplant. "I say, is there something wrong with your head?"
"Probably..." Hikigaya gave a bitter smile.
Lately, his "condition" was getting worse; he dreamed strange dreams almost every night. The key was that the experiences were so vivid that upon waking, it felt as though he had actually lived them.
'Too realistic!!'
"Stop talking nonsense... By the way, what do you plan to do about the tutoring?" Ibuki Mio asked again. "Your math scores are atrocious. Our homeroom teacher (Sakagami) has called out Class D's Hikigaya Hachiman as a negative example multiple times."
'Dammit! Does that square-faced, side-swept-hair teacher have that big of a grudge against me?'
Hikigaya grumbled in his heart.
"Do you really not need help? My friend Shiina is the top of the class, and she's very easy to talk to and get along with. Plus, she's not interested in class competition; she won't care that you're from Class D." Ibuki Mio recommended her best friend once more.
"I see..." After thinking it over, Hikigaya finally made a decision.