Chapter 13: Kushida's Request
It seems the store clerks were already used to this sort of thing… This is supposed to be a public school, yet they're so accustomed to violence? Just what kind of place is this?
Hikigaya: "Yeah, he seems to be in the same class as us."
Horikita: "If I get involved with someone like that, I'm afraid even my character will be criticized."
It was obvious Horikita had no intention of dealing with people she wasn't interested in. That was simply her personality.
"I'll let you go today…"
No violence actually broke out. The so-called three seniors just looked down at the red-haired hedgehog as if he were a toy.
"I really can't bear to bully you defective products."
"Don't you dare come at me?!"
"Hahaha, bark all you want. You'll soon experience what real hell is."
"Damn it!"
After kicking over a trash can, the red-haired hedgehog stormed off in frustration. From inside the convenience store, Hikigaya naturally heard everything.
"Hell…?"
To avoid bumping into him and becoming a punching bag, Hikigaya chose a different route out of the store.
---
Horikita: "I'm absolutely certain this is our past. Everything in this video is what I experienced. The only difference is you, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka."
Her words once again turned the class's attention toward Ayanokouji.
Horikita: "Except that Ayanokouji Kiyotaka has been completely replaced by this guy named Hikigaya, nothing else has changed. What the hell is going on?"
The others murmured among themselves. Ayanokouji, as always, just shook his head calmly.
If it wasn't some school exam, then it had to be the "White Room." Those were the only two possibilities. And if it was neither… even he couldn't make sense of it.
Yamuchi: "Ahh, compared to all that, I really don't want to see myself looking so stupid at the beginning of the year—blowing all my points, slacking off in class, and ending up with zero class points."
Shinohara: "Ichi, stop it. We're all the same. Since it's the past, we can't change it."
Kushida Kikyo: "No, it is the past, but that's exactly why it's the only variable. In Hikigaya's case… if he realizes this, he might be able to change the past."
Kushida Kikyo had always wanted Ayanokouji gone—expelled. She wasn't going to let this chance slip by. If Hikigaya could demonstrate some tangible difference, the class would surely start asking: Why is Ayanokouji here instead of Hikigaya?
Ayanokouji naturally understood Kushida's intent. But… he wasn't weak enough to be erased so easily.
---
Several days passed. Using the information he'd gathered earlier, Hikigaya remained cautious.
As expected, cliques gradually formed in class. And, just as expected… Hikigaya found himself alone again.
---
Yukinoshita: "Isn't it a bit cruel to send Hikigaya-san to a new school?" she said, pressing her fingers to her temple in frustration.
Hikigaya: "No, it doesn't matter where I go. I don't have friends anyway."
Yuigahama: "Although… I do consider Hikki an important person!" she said with an awkward, embarrassed smile.
Isshiki Iroha: "That's right. If it weren't for senpai, I wouldn't have become the student council president. So no matter what, I have to take responsibility."
Inside the Service Club, Hikigaya only remained silent.
---
Of course, he wasn't the only one isolated. His deskmate hadn't spoken a word to him since they exchanged names at the convenience store.
Meanwhile, the boys in class bragged about their new gadgets, and the girls made plans to go shopping right after school. Hikigaya simply watched, the same way he used to back at Sobu High.
They didn't seem to care about saving points at all. With 100,000 points a month, it was natural for them to splurge.
In comparison, he felt completely out of place. No wonder he had no friends.
Yamauchi: "Why'd I even buy a game console? I wanna slap myself back then."
Ike: "Same here. I dropped 80,000 on a laptop and sold it later for less than 30,000. How stupid can I get?"
Everyone laughed over their past mistakes, but only Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, Horikita Suzune, Kushida Kikyo, and Hirata Yosuke quietly observed Hikigaya.
---
At lunch, Hikigaya preferred eating alone on the rooftop. He'd also noticed that Horikita always ate her sandwich alone at her desk.
One afternoon, just as he was about to leave for the rooftop, a girl with short brown hair stopped him.
"Um, you're Hikigaya, right?"
The girl clasped her hands nervously in front of her chest, trying to muster courage.
But unfortunately, performance was still just performance.
Hikigaya: "Well… you're Kushida, right?"
Kushida: "That's great, you remembered my name."
Hikigaya: "Hard not to."
He could see right through her mask. Even without knowing her true face, he knew this bubbly act was just that—an act.
Kushida: "Um, are you free right now?"
Hikigaya: "If I had to say, I was planning to eat."
Kushida: "Um, excuse me! Just give me a moment!"
The girl suddenly bowed deeply, her body trembling as though terrified of rejection. Her eyes shut tight. Fake or not, her acting was convincing. Without prior suspicion, Hikigaya might've been fooled.
Hikigaya: "Go ahead… You don't need to bow like that. You don't want to do it anyway, right?"
Kushida: "Are you and Horikita close friends?"
Hikigaya: "…"
Kushida: "But you're desk mates. My goal is to be friends with everyone in school. I asked Horikita for her number, but she refused. She said she wasn't interested in making friends with anyone."
Hikigaya: "Well… what she said isn't wrong."
Just as he answered, the girl suddenly threw herself into his arms and grabbed his hands tightly.