Chapter 17: Class A Is Full of Bad Women
Ike: "I'm not mistaken, right? That guy actually approached the monster from Class A."
Masayoshi Hashimoto: "Wow, this is interesting. Someone really walked up to the princess. This is going to be good."
Hayato: "I just don't know what he plans to do with the princess when she's alone."
Hashimoto: "Don't worry about that. No one in this school dares to bully the princess. Besides… she's the kind of person who can manipulate others without them ever realizing."
Sakayanagi: "It seems you're very confident in me, Hashimoto. But… I'm actually quite interested in that young man. Maybe he'll give me a different impression."
Kamuro, standing nearby, looked at her in disbelief. This girl always treated him as nothing more than a tool. He spent a lot of time around her and knew she rarely showed interest in anything. But why did this boy spark such a reaction?
Sakayanagi, as if she had seen right through Kamuro's thoughts, gave a small smile.
"Since you're stepping in for Ayanokouji… let's see what kind of waves you'll cause in Class D."
---
The boy walked over to the girl with crutches, pretending to browse the bookshelf.
Finally, he picked up a book and said casually:
"Do you need me to grab one for you?"
Sakayanagi smiled. "Well… let me think. I believe the one I want is the one you're holding right now."
"…."
Hikigaya was speechless. Really? Of all the books here, the one he just happened to grab was the one she wanted?
In the end, he handed it to her. After all, he hadn't come here for books anyway. Helping this girl was the real goal.
This has to be a huge plus in Komachi's eyes!
"Actually, I don't need this one. I only came to study some math, so… take it."
"Oh? You're quite honest. That's rare in this school. What a good boy you are."
'What's with this girl? Is she some kind of silver-haired fairy? Why does she feel exactly like that annoying person?'
He hadn't noticed it earlier, but now Hikigaya felt the powerful aura radiating from the girl before him. Despite her delicate appearance and polite smile, she carried the same suffocating presence as Haruno.
'Terrifying…'
Sakayanagi accepted the book, smiling playfully at him.
"Why are you so defensive toward me?"
"Can you read minds? You're not really a fairy, are you? Did I wander into a world of fairies or something?"
"I'm just an ordinary little girl. Even if a strange older brother said something to me, I'd still get angry."
"You're not ordinary. The way you move, sit, and carry yourself shows proper training. You remind me of an old acquaintance…"
Of course, that "old acquaintance" was Yukinoshita Yukino. The etiquette and elegance of someone raised in a refined family wasn't something you could fake.
"So, you're here to study science?"
She had noticed the book he tried to hide behind his back with just a single glance.
"Uh…"
"Do you want your Fairy Sister to teach you? I'm pretty good at math."
"No, I don't think it's the teacher's fault."
After all, he'd had good science teachers before, but his grades never improved. He had long since accepted that his struggles with science were entirely his own problem.
Sakayanagi didn't press the issue. Since his refusal was so firm, there was no need to force him.
"By the way, what class are you in? Judging from your uniform, you must be a freshman."
"Before asking others, shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"
"First-year, Class A. Sakayanagi Arisu."
"First-year, Class D. Hikigaya Hachiman."
"Well then, see you later, Hikigaya Hachiman."
As Sakayanagi left, Hikigaya finally let out a breath of relief. He only wanted to do a good deed, but instead he had gotten caught up with someone troublesome. Could it be that all of Class A was full of dangerous women? Even that side-ponytailed girl he'd run into at their classroom door still occasionally stalked him.
How horrifying…
Shaking his head, he found a quiet corner and started reading.
---
Meanwhile, Sakayanagi walked to a secluded spot where a girl with a side ponytail was waiting.
"Sakayanagi, I told you not to keep treating me like a tool…"
The girl was Kamuro Masumi, one of Sakayanagi Arisu's closest followers.
"The boy you meant… that was him, right? The one we saw outside our classroom."
"Class D, Year 1—Hikigaya Hachiman."
Kamuro nodded slightly. She felt some disdain upon learning he was from Class D, but to protect Class A's secrets, she still reported everything to Sakayanagi.
Of course, that "chance encounter" had been staged from the very beginning. If Hikigaya hadn't offered help, Sakayanagi was prepared to show off her acting skills instead. After all, who could ignore a girl on crutches falling over?
But what neither of them expected was that Hikigaya Hachiman saw through her little act at a glance.
"At least from what I just saw, he's only an ordinary Class D student. Nothing special," Sakayanagi said.
Her words eased Kamuro's worries. Clearly, Class D was still full of nothing but fools.
But both Sakayanagi and Kamuro—watching later on video—realized how mistaken they had been. This boy who exposed the school's trap could hardly be called "ordinary." If they let themselves be deceived by appearances…
Sakayanagi: "I really failed this time. I never thought even I would make such a mistake…"