Chapter 195: I Want to Give Hachiman a Gift
The final sparring match ended with a victory for Advanced Nurturing!
The Sobu High side didn't feel particularly discouraged by the loss. After all, as a regular high school, Sobu High wasn't known for its athletic prowess, and the Judo Club was merely a recreational group.
However, Yukinoshita Yukino's sudden appearance significantly raised the public opinion of Sobu High. Consequently, both sides were very satisfied with the results of the club exchange.
In the afternoon, there were open classes. Students from Advanced Nurturing were dispersed into various classes at Sobu High to attend lectures alongside their hosts.
Hikigaya was very lucky; he was assigned to Class J, where Totsuka Saika was.
"Hikigaya, you can pick any seat you like." The homeroom teacher was still Hiratsuka Shizuka. Talk about a coincidence.
"Yui, this is a great chance!" Miura Yumiko nudged her best friend.
"But... wouldn't that be too proactive...?" Yuigahama Yui looked bashful, hesitating and too embarrassed to speak up.
"Then I'll just pick randomly."
' Are you kidding? Does this even need a choice?'
Hikigaya pretended to look around the room before finally locking onto the seat next to Totsuka Saika.
"Eh? You actually took an interest in my seat?" The person sitting next to Totsuka was a guy with a slicked-back hairstyle who looked a bit frivolous. He tactfully stood up and yielded the seat, then clapped Hikigaya on the shoulder with practiced familiarity, teasing, "Are you sure you don't want to reconsider? There are quite a few beauties in our class."
"No need, thank you." Hikigaya politely declined the suggestion.
"Hachiman~ Being able to be your desk-mate feels like a dream." Totsuka Saika revealed an angelic smile.
"Me too." Hikigaya internally hoped he could have a beautiful dream tonight about going to school with Totsuka.
"Ah, he went to Saika's side." Yuigahama Yui's expression fell.
"See that? Hesitation leads to defeat." Miura Yumiko looked at her with an "I-told-you-so" expression of disappointment.
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Next was class time. Hiratsuka Shizuka taught Japanese.
"Today we are studying modern prose. Please open your textbooks to page 86, Osamu Dazai's Run, Melos!..."
Hikigaya hadn't expected to hear Hiratsuka-sensei's Japanese class again after moving schools. Thus, amidst his nostalgia, he listened exceptionally carefully.
"How do we interpret Melos using his best friend as a hostage to bargain for three days from the King to return to the countryside for his sister's wedding?
Who can answer this reading comprehension question?
Hikigaya, you answer it."
If this were Advanced Nurturing, Hikigaya would have definitely slacked off. He would have seriously said: "Is it not natural to sell out a friend for the sake of one's sister?"
But this was Sobu High, and Hikigaya decided to give Hiratsuka-sensei some face. Definitely not because he was afraid of being disciplined by her iron fist...
"It is a two-way test of trust.
The mutual trust between Melos and his friend. To Melos, this isn't just a tactic to gain time, but an act of entrusting his and his friend's lives to trust itself. He firmly believes he can return, and he firmly believes his friend will trust in his return...
This plot is a psychological projection of the author. According to Osamu Dazai himself, he wrote this story because he had broken a promise to a friend for personal reasons and felt an intense sense of guilt.
Striving to fulfill the promise even at the cost of his life is, in a way, the incarnation of Dazai's ideal self."
Hikigaya gave the perfect interpretation.
"Very good. Correct answer!"
Hiratsuka Shizuka showed a gratified smile. She thought to herself that it seemed this kid had been studying hard at Advanced Nurturing after all!
She really didn't know what that Chabashira woman had to complain about.
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School ended. Hikigaya politely declined the karaoke invitation from the "normie" group led by Hayama. He took Totsuka with him to meet up with his sister, and they headed straight for dessert and some shopping. At this moment, Hikigaya felt like the luckiest man in the world!
"Ah..." Totsuka Saika seemed to have spotted an acquaintance and pointed in a certain direction.
Hikigaya followed his gaze and saw a familiar pink-haired "puffball."
"Yui... something or other?" Hikigaya hadn't remembered the girl's name.
"She's a pretty older sister and you can't even remember her name? Brother, you're such an idiot!" Komachi poked his side with her elbow, looking dissatisfied.
"She's Yuigahama Yui from our class." Totsuka Saika's eyes flashed with curiosity.
"She seems to have entered a men's clothing store!"
"Preparing a gift for a boyfriend? Ah, youth." Hikigaya squinted his dead-fish eyes and commented indifferently.
"Hmm~ From what I remember, Yuigahama-san doesn't seem to have any close male friends." Totsuka Saika mused.
"Then it's an unrequited crush. But that's none of our business. Let's go." Hikigaya had zero interest.
Just then, another familiar girl walked toward the men's clothing store. Hikigaya paused, a hint of curiosity finally surfacing: "Yukinoshita Yukino?"
"Eeeh~ Onii-chan actually remembered this Senpai's name. Is she your type?" Komachi rubbed her chin, thinking.
"I didn't expect to see Yukinoshita-san here. How curious." Totsuka Saika's eyes lit up and he suggested, "Let's head over there too!"
"Totsuka, since when did you become such a gossip?" Hikigaya teased.
"It's not that. I just suddenly realized that Hachiman is leaving tomorrow. I want to give Hachiman a gift." Totsuka Saika smiled gently.
"Re... really? Won't it be too expensive?" Hikigaya's heart warmed, feeling incredibly excited.
"Don't be so formal; we are best friends~~" Totsuka Saika took his hand and led him forward with a cheerful step.
"Wow~ Totsuka-niisan is really too good to Onii-chan!
How does Brother plan to repay him?" Komachi reminded him.
"How to repay... by offering myself in marriage?" Hikigaya said with a serious face.
"Pfft~" Totsuka Saika just laughed.
" Onii-chan! How can you return kindness with such malice?"
Komachi put her hands on her hips and glared at him with disgust.
"Totsuka-niisan is... handsome and so gentle. He'll definitely meet a super pretty older sister in the future. You 'trashy Onii-chan' better not trouble him!!"
'How biting! '
Hikigaya felt a heavy blow to his ego. But he had to admit his sister's judgment was spot on.
"That won't happen, Komachi-chan~ Even if I get a girlfriend in the future, Hachiman will still be number one in my heart~~" Totsuka Saika poured his heart out with total sincerity.
'Truly, this is an angel'
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