The next day.
Keyaki Mall, Palette Cafe.
Hikigaya sat in a booth waiting.
Ichinose Kanon is Ichinose's family—in other words, his own family.
The reason for her hostility toward him.
Naturally, it wasn't hard to guess.
Escaping is useless; it's better to face it.
However.
According to what Komachi said.
Ichinose's sister doesn't seem like a bad person; it just feels like she's the type who is easily deceived.
In short.
Meet first and then talk.
A moment later.
Komachi and a pink short-haired girl appeared before him.
Aside from the hairstyle, both her appearance and figure were almost identical to Ichinose's.
Truly sisters.
"Hello."
Hikigaya quickly stood up and smiled: "I am third-year Class A..."
"Self-praise is unnecessary. You are Hikigaya?"
Before Hikigaya could finish, Ichinose Kanon interrupted him forcefully.
Her cold gaze scrutinized the person in front of her; this person was the scum who coerced her sister.
"Eh? Yes."
Hikigaya nodded and gestured:
"You are Ichinose's sister, Ichinose Kanon, right? I've already heard from Komachi. Anyway, sit down first. Order something you like; my treat."
"No need."
Ichinose Kanon sat opposite him, placed her bag aside, and said coldly:
"This is how you deceive those girls, isn't it? I won't be fooled by you."
"Ichinose-san..."
Hikigaya Komachi sat beside her and hurriedly added:
"We're going to talk now, so let's order drinks first? We can just split the bill later. What would you like to drink?"
"Then I'll have a glass of juice."
Ichinose Kanon hesitated for a moment and nodded.
Opposite them.
Hikigaya frowned.
This was the type Komachi described—kind but easily fooled.
I see, it really is so.
Hikigaya had seen many such people already.
Horikita Suzune and Nanase Tsubasa at the start of school were almost like this.
Narrow vision.
Only had her sister in her eyes.
Once a judgment was made, she could no longer tolerate others.
Ordinary dialogue has no meaning; someone who has drilled into a dead end simply won't listen.
Soon.
Hikigaya Komachi placed two glasses of juice in front of them.
"Then Komachi has some things to do and will head back first. The juice has already been paid for. Ichinose-san, you can just transfer it to me later."
"Understood, thank you."
Ichinose Kanon nodded.
She judged for herself that Hikigaya Komachi didn't seem to want to see this brother much either; being able to introduce the two of them was something she should be grateful for.
In reality.
One is Onii-chan, one is a sister-in-law.
If Hikigaya Komachi stayed here, she would easily be caught in the middle. Retreating directly was a sign of Komachi's cleverness in handling matters.
Furthermore, she also served as Onii-chan's undercover agent here.
Acting as if she was on bad terms with her brother.
Instead, it made it easier to gain Ichinose Kanon's trust.
"So..."
Looking at Ichinose's sister's cold gaze, Hikigaya met her eyes.
"I heard from Komachi that you have something to discuss with me. What is it specifically?"
"Can I ask you to leave my sister's side?"
As expected.
It really was for this.
"May I ask for the reason for the time being?"
"Does that even need to be asked?"
Ichinose Kanon clenched her fists, her eyes sharp:
"Using despicable means to threaten girls and dating multiple girls at the same time—don't you feel ashamed?"
Hikigaya did not respond.
He indeed should feel ashamed, but he had already grown used to it.
As time passed, Hikigaya did feel his sense of shame gradually weakening.
Anyway.
Dialogue in this state is useless.
Even if he stated he didn't use despicable means, Ichinose Kanon likely wouldn't believe it.
"More than that..."
Hikigaya faced her sharp gaze and said:
"Shouldn't you communicate with your sister first? Isn't there a possibility that she is willing?"
"Impossible, sister is kind and gentle; she is not that kind of person."
"Then shouldn't you communicate more?"
"None of your business."
Ichinose Kanon did not respond.
As expected, she had a different response when facing him, seemingly not bothering to waste words with him at all.
However.
According to what Komachi said.
Ichinose Kanon felt that she herself did not have such qualifications.
A sisters' quarrel?
Unlikely.
At least Ichinose has been absent-minded lately, seemingly very worried about her sister.
Hikigaya had a rough guess.
Only in the current state.
Even if Ichinose herself said she wasn't being threatened, Ichinose Kanon would probably think her sister was being deceived.
"I see..."
Hikigaya nodded and returned to the main topic.
"To tell you the truth, I don't plan to separate from Ichinose. In that case, what do you plan to do?"
"Then don't blame me for being unkind. I will make you drop out directly."
Ichinose Kanon stood up, her tone carrying a hint of coldness and determination.
These past few days she also discovered.
There are quite a few idiots in First-year Class D; she is fully capable of controlling the class.
She must protect her sister, even if it means utilizing the entire Class D at any cost.
In that case.
The entire First-year Class D would be enemies of Third-year Class A.
"I see..."
Hikigaya crossed his arms and nodded.
At least, this person's determination and concern for Ichinose were not fake.
"The teachers should have told you about the special exams, but you probably aren't clear yet."
"As long as I am the Student Council Vice President, I can interfere with the special exams to a certain extent."
"Although I can't completely stop cross-grade exams, I can reduce the punishment to a certain extent. Wanting to make me drop out in a cross-grade exam is impossible."
"Things that happen in school are generally adjudicated by the Student Council; wanting to make me drop out normally is also almost impossible."
"Then what do you plan to do?"
Ichinose Kanon lowered her head and pursed her lips.
These past few days.
She had naturally inquired about the school's situation and knew what the other party said was true; she also inquired multiple times about her sister's situation.
It could be almost certain.
The rumors told by that Second-year Class D senior were basically facts.
After all.
Hikigaya had a record of threatening girls in middle school and was proud of having two girlfriends at the same time.
These words were admitted by himself.
"Moreover, do you think your sister will listen to me, or listen to you?"
Hearing this.
Ichinose Kanon was full of anger and couldn't help clenching her fists.
She regretfully found.
With her sister's kind, gentle, and somewhat weak personality, she would most likely choose to settle the matter and let herself suffer, and was even more likely to stand on Hikigaya's side.
But precisely because of this.
She had to protect her sister even more.
Thinking of this.
Ichinose Kanon couldn't help but look up and stare coldly at the guy in front of her.