Chapter 2: Youth Is a Lie
Aniverse
"Why did the TV suddenly turn on? Was this some kind of prank?" Shinomiya Kaguya asked the president and Secretary Fujiwara, her voice edged with confusion.
Shirogane Miyuki shook his head and turned his gaze toward Fujiwara Chika.
Ishigami Yuu muttered, "It has to be another one of Fujiwara's pranks. Some sudden burst of energy… yeah, that's exactly her style. But wait—why'd they skip me this time?"
Kaguya frowned. "Ishigami, you're too cynical. Besides, you're not the type to pull this sort of trick."
All three pairs of eyes settled on Fujiwara.
But Fujiwara only shook her head in bewilderment before hugging Kaguya tightly.
"I swear it wasn't me! Could it be… haunted?"
Inside the student council room, unease spread. The four of them huddled together, watching the mysterious video that had appeared on its own.
---
Video Projection
Youth is a lie. A sin. Those who glorify it are only deceiving themselves, clinging desperately to a fake optimism about the world around them.
With the word 'youth,' they twist common sense, warp values, and dress up lies, concealment—even failure and crime—as if they were beautiful experiences. And if even failure is considered the proof of youth…
Then aren't those who fail to make friends the "youngest" of all?
But of course, no one will admit that. Because this "truth" is only a convenient excuse they've made up for themselves.
Let me cut to the conclusion.
Hikigaya Hachiman looked around. He was sitting on a bus, dressed in a school uniform he had never seen before.
What on earth happened?
Though his surroundings were unfamiliar, Hikigaya—the so-called "monster of rationality"—remained calm.
Dozens of students around him wore the same uniform, all heading toward the same destination.
His restless glances caught the attention of the girl seated beside him—Horikita Suzune. She turned her head away, clearly unwilling to deal with him.
"Sorry to bother you," Hikigaya said casually. "But what's going on here? Some kind of mass time-travel experiment?"
Before he could process the situation, Kushida Kikyo's cheerful voice rose from the front of the bus.
She was supporting an elderly lady who didn't have a seat. Turning to the blond boy sitting in the priority section—Kōenji Rokusuke—she asked if he could give his up.
Naturally, Kōenji refused without hesitation. Kushida's pleading eyes then swept across the rest of the bus.
"Um, could someone please give this old lady a seat?"
Should I just pretend I didn't hear that? I really don't want to draw attention to myself… Hikigaya thought.
But no one stood up. Everyone averted their eyes.
"It seems everyone's just like me," Hikigaya muttered. "Choosing to be a bystander to avoid standing out."
---
Aniverse
From the side, Yuigahama shot him a resentful look—her warmth contrasting with the indifference of the others.
Isshiki Iroha also piped up: "Senpai, you're so heartless! Look how pitiful she looks."
Of course, Hikigaya saw through the setup immediately. Still, he had no idea why he was appearing in this strange video.
"It's just a video," he said flatly.
At the same time, every classroom in the first-year wing of Advanced Nurturing High School began showing the same projection.
"…I've never seen this guy before. He's not from our grade," Sudou muttered, breaking the silence.
His words sparked a wave of murmurs, but no one recognized the boy on screen.
Horikita Suzune, however, stared at the video in disbelief. She knew perfectly well that the person sitting beside her back then had been Ayanokouji Kiyotaka—who was still right next to her now.
Because Horikita, Kōenji, and Kushida also appeared in the footage, the three instantly became the focus of the classroom's attention.
Yet no matter how hard they tried, none of them could remember Hikigaya.
Meanwhile, Ayanokouji remained silent in the corner. Outwardly, his expression didn't change. Inwardly, though, he understood.
He knew for certain that he had been sitting in that seat on the bus.
"…Could this be an assassin from the White Room, sent to erase my existence?"
His already unreadable expression darkened further.
If you're the White Room's assassin… come, then.
---
Video Projection
On the bus, Kushida's plea still hung in the air, but no one moved.
Hikigaya felt a pang of guilt, like a hundred needles pricking at him. Even if everyone else pretended not to notice, the scene was happening right in front of him. It was his problem now.
He straightened his posture, propped his chin with one hand, and smirked faintly.
"If no one else will give up their seat, I could do it. But honestly? Giving up a seat I already earned, while everyone else just sits back and laughs—that's too much. See? We're all the same. We're all selfish."
His voice wasn't loud, but in the quiet of the bus, everyone heard him clearly.
"…Well, if you don't mind, please take my seat," a young man finally said, raising his hand.
With Kushida's help, the elderly lady sat down at last.
As she passed, Kushida glanced back at Hikigaya—and smiled faintly.
"I've been seen through."
The bus fell into silence again. Yet Hikigaya could feel countless eyes pressing against him.
---
Aniverse
Watching the projection, Yukinoshita Yukino sighed.
"No matter where you go," she murmured, "your way of thinking never changes, does it?"