Chapter 21: No Choice, self destruction?
"Ha…!"
She covered her face, trying to hide her smile, but her sickly expression only made the classmates more unsettled.
Chabashira Sae's laughter stopped abruptly. Her smile vanished, replaced by her usual cold mask.
"For today's class, consider it an absence for everyone. And you, Hikigaya—you've disrupted discipline. Come with me to the office. Now."
She picked up her book and walked out. Hikigaya followed, slipping his phone back into his pocket.
Better this way. Staying in that classroom would be even more dangerous.
After all, he had just made himself the enemy of everyone.
But… it was working.
The moment the two left, the classroom erupted.
Ike slammed his desk. "What the hell's wrong with that guy? He really thinks everyone's like him."
Yamauchi sneered. "Yeah, his grades aren't even good. Just some gloomy loner."
Shinohara shook her head. "Creepy. Probably some kind of psychopath. He even got the whole class marked absent!"
Karuizawa twisted her hair, frowning. "Wait… who even is he? I don't remember anyone like that in our class."
"..."
Their chatter carried on, but Horikita's eyes widened slightly. Her body trembled as the realization hit her. She couldn't look away from his empty seat.
Hirata wanted to speak up in defense, but even he couldn't wedge himself into the storm.
The atmosphere in Class D had already taken shape.
Koenji, of course, remained detached, arms crossed with a smug grin. Sakura, meanwhile, sat fidgeting, her hands pressed tightly against her thighs, confusion written across her face.
---
Ike sighed, scratching his head. "Damn… he pulled something like that for us, and we're sitting here trashing him. I feel like crap."
Sudou snorted. "What, you think I'd actually hit him? Provoking me doesn't mean I'd go that far."
Karuizawa clicked her tongue. "Still… he turned it all around. Saved us from getting zero points. That's insane. Shame I still don't even remember his name."
Sakura whispered, almost to herself. "It's so pitiful… he's still being blamed even after doing something like that…"
Yamauchi shrugged, as if it were obvious. "That's what he gets for running his mouth."
Horikita murmured, her eyes narrowing. "So this is what he meant… the same as on the bus."
From Class B, Ichinose frowned, her angelic smile slipping. "Trying to protect the whole group alone… that's not okay. That's not how it should be."
For someone like her, who built everything on mutual trust, his method was unacceptable.
Ichinose frowned, her angelic smile slipping. "Trying to protect the whole group alone… that's not okay. That's not how it should be."
For someone like her, who built everything on mutual trust, his method was unacceptable.
Ryuen leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Heh. A guy like that would've made things way more fun in my class."
Across the room, Sakayanagi's faint smile never wavered. Her sharp eyes gleamed with interest. She'd never seen such a talent before—this ability to twist the entire atmosphere belonged only to him.
And if he could use it well… the results would be catastrophic.
---
At the end of the corridor, a tall woman in uniform waited. Chabashira Sae lit a cigarette, inhaled deeply, then exhaled a cloud of smoke.
"What's this about,? Acting cool like that… are you possessed by Hiratsuka Shizuka?"
Even after everything, her tone was casual—almost amused. Hikigaya had braced for scolding, but instead, she simply studied him.
"Honestly," she said, "when I read your file before the term started, I thought you were just another ordinary student. The same as anyone else in Class D."
Hikigaya didn't smile. He answered flatly.
"The truth is, I am ordinary. Just like everyone else."
"Self-righteousness is a disease," he continued. "It's the belief that you're different—smarter, better, more special. That kind of arrogance is just a refusal to accept reality."
Chabashira didn't bother arguing. She just watched him quietly, then said:
"…Well done, Hikigaya."
"I wanted to praise you, but I'm not sure I even qualify to judge you. You figured this out yourself, didn't you? Piece by piece, fumbling through, gathering information about this school… even if your methods were crude."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Even so—you're the first student I've seen in ten years who's managed to change Class D's fate in the very first month."
She gave him a sharp smile. "Your powers of observation are terrifying. I've met plenty of gifted students, but none with your eye for detail, your ability to deduce—and then twist everything with it. With just that, you reshaped the entire class."
She caught herself, realizing how much she was praising him, and frowned slightly.
Since when do I talk about a student like this?
But Hikigaya wasn't swept away by her words. He kept his gaze steady.
"Teacher, I'm here to be criticized. Not praised. And don't forget—everyone's the same. Including you, Chabashira-sensei."
He paused, then added, "Classes aren't randomly assigned. Teachers aren't either. You've been with Class D for a long time. You want to move up."
Chabashira flinched—just slightly. She hadn't expected him to read that much.
How much has this boy already seen through me?
"…Sharp insight," she muttered.
"But," Hikigaya went on, "all I want is a quiet, ordinary high school life. I'm not interested in this competition. I'd rather stay away from it all."
Chabashira dropped her cigarette into the trash and folded her arms. She leaned against the wall, giving him a cold smile.
"You really think you can stay out of it, when you're already neck-deep in it?"