Inside the room.
Gazing at Hasebe Haruka, who had a complicated expression, Ayanokouji asked calmly.
"So, does Hasebe have something to see me for?"
"Whew."
Hasebe Haruka held the mug, her eyes cold as she stared at Ayanokouji in front of her.
"Graduation is almost here. Ayanokouji-kun, don't you plan to go and apologize to Airi?"
During this period.
Ever since Sakura Airi showed signs of wanting to get closer.
The atmosphere of the class improved a lot, or rather, became much more active.
The easing of relationships and the soaring class points made Sotamura and others return to their noisy ways from the start of school.
Even more so.
They treated Sakura Airi's kindness as their own "charity" toward her.
After all.
The matter of the unanimous exam.
Caused endless trouble for Sotamura and the others.
It wasn't that Sakura Airi had forgiven them.
In the eyes of Sotamura and the others, it was they who had forgiven Sakura Airi.
Of course.
The easing of relationships.
Made them not mind expressing apologies for Sakura Airi's matter, to reflect their generosity and broad-mindedness.
Why.
Did Sakura Airi, as the victim, still have to forgive them?
Why.
Did Sakura Airi, as the victim, still have to apologize to them?
Isn't this very strange?
To be honest.
All of this made Hasebe Haruka very uncomfortable.
However.
Whether it was fake or hypocritical.
At the very least, they apologized; anyway, she and Sakura didn't care about these people like Sotamura, and mostly just put up with it for Hikigaya's sake.
They would surely be strangers after graduation.
But there were still people who hadn't even apologized!
Even though Sakura Airi took the first step, none of Ayanokouji, Miyake Akito, or Yukimura had apologized.
As former friends.
The indifference of Yukimura and the others was chilling.
There might be more complex reasons, but in Hasebe Haruka's eyes, that's how it was.
Opposite her.
Ayanokouji was deep in thought and somewhat puzzled. Did Hasebe Haruka find him just to say this?
The possibility of deliberately starting a topic to distract him was very high.
Or perhaps both meanings were intended.
As for the apology.
Ayanokouji had never thought of apologizing to Sakura Airi.
He and his father were not the same.
Ayanokouji Atsuomi wouldn't lend a hand to someone without utility value, but Ayanokouji Kiyotaka would.
After all.
Whether the other party has utility value depends on the user's method.
However...
Facing a tool that had already been used once, Ayanokouji wouldn't think about easing the relationship again.
It wasn't that it couldn't be done, but that the cost-performance ratio was too low.
Kiyotaka-kun.
Ayanokouji naturally couldn't have failed to notice the change in Sakura Airi's way of addressing him; he just didn't care.
For a tool that has already been used once, repairing it requires a much longer time.
With Hasebe Haruka's personality.
In reality, it was also hard for her to truly forgive him, the initiator.
Furthermore.
Sakura Airi's value was not high.
Being able to alleviate a conflict once and provide three hundred class points for the class was already everything Sakura Airi could give.
Therefore.
Ayanokouji never thought of apologizing; the cost-performance ratio was simply too low.
However, if it was to appease Hasebe Haruka, an apology wasn't out of the question.
It's just that it also depended on Hasebe Haruka's performance.
If she was just diverting the conversation to draw his attention, then appeasing her would be meaningless.
"I did indeed do a very terrible thing to Sakura, I won't deny that."
"So you're saying?"
"But..."
Ayanokouji changed the subject:
"Any apology will have to wait until after graduation."
"Why?"
Hasebe Haruka was suddenly dissatisfied.
She didn't understand why it was so hard for them to just give an apology.
"Apologizing now might affect class morale, and there's no difference if I apologize after graduation anyway. Is there some special reason you want me to apologize to Sakura right now?"
A strategy?
Although he had prepared in advance.
Ayanokouji was still testing throughout.
Hikigaya was more skilled at manipulating public opinion. Was it Hikigaya who sent Hasebe Haruka to use this to interfere with Class A's morale, and then had other countermeasures?
"You..."
Hasebe Haruka suddenly felt like exploding with anger.
Actually...
What she wanted was just an attitude...
Although it might be absurd, it felt like something far more useful than rationality.
Doesn't this imply.
That Ayanokouji didn't care about their former friendship at all, or that he placed the class above their former friendship?
While not entirely correct.
Hasebe Haruka vaguely had this feeling.
She was just like that.
Whether the good side or the bad side, both were very distinct.
Just like before.
When she hated Hikigaya, she couldn't stand him no matter what, and after liking him, everything about him was good.
Actually.
No matter what Ayanokouji said.
Hasebe Haruka would not be satisfied; she would only see the bad side.
Ayanokouji clearly understood this as well, so he didn't want to waste too much time on Hasebe Haruka, and was more testing Hikigaya's thoughts.
"Is that so... then do as you please."
Hasebe Haruka took a deep breath, also knowing that saying more was useless.
The friendship she cared about, the other party might truly not care about.
She originally wanted to see Ayanokouji's attitude.
To see if she truly had to do it.
Now it seemed there was no need for that either.
Hasebe Haruka immediately stood up and turned to leave the room.
Anyway.
What needed to be done had been done, and all that remained was the report.
However.
After Hasebe Haruka left.
Ayanokouji stood up and went to the desk, took out his phone from a heavy book, and turned off the camera function.
As early as when he heard that Hasebe Haruka had something to see him for, Ayanokouji had already prepared in advance.
Next.
He quickly browsed the recorded video.
He immediately discovered Hasebe Haruka's abnormal behavior.
Ayanokouji crawled on the floor and immediately found that white strip of cloth under the bed.
Pinching the panties in his hand, Ayanokouji remained expressionless.
The possibility of it being accidentally dropped was almost non-existent; it was indeed an attempt to frame him.
If he were accused of being a panty thief or performing actions against a female's will, expulsion would be instantaneous.
Was this Hasebe Haruka's own decision, or Hikigaya's arrangement?
If it were Hikigaya manipulating from behind, such a tactic would be too naive.
In fact.
By possessing this video.
Ayanokouji could already counter-attack.