Chapter 27: My Knight, Hikigaya
"Unbelievable… How could a background character suddenly attract the leaders of two classes?" Matsushita Chiaki murmured, her eyes wide.
"This guy… he's actually important enough for Class A's leader!?" Yamauchi almost choked on his words.
Horikita Suzune silently watched, disbelief flickering across her face. To her, Class A was a distant, unreachable goal—the embodiment of everything she aspired to. And yet… the leader of Class A had come here personally, and not for her, but for Hikigaya Hachiman.
Even my brother… would he take notice of someone like him?
Her thoughts were cut short when Hikigaya let out a tired groan.
"Oi, there aren't any little idiots in this class."
Sakayanagi Arisu simply giggled, her smile sweet yet calculating, like a cat toying with its prey.
"What does it matter, Hikki? It's a cute nickname… don't you think?"
"…What do you take me for, some kind of pet? …Well, it does sound decent, I'll give you that."
The nickname rolled through the room like a wave. Even classmates who barely interacted with Hikigaya suddenly felt tempted to try calling him that.
"Anyway, I'm here for our appointment. Won't you join me for lunch?"
The silver-haired fairy's charming expression would've set off alarms in anyone's head. Hikigaya's instincts screamed trap. And yet, there was no denying it was temptingly lethal—far more effective than Isshiki's clumsy fake-cute act back in middle school.
Ryuen's scowl darkened instantly. "Tch. Sakayanagi, are you looking to die?"
"Ufufu. This is fair competition, Dragon Boy. In the end, the choice is Hikki's to make."
Caught between the two, Hikigaya pinched the bridge of his nose.
"…If I'd known I'd be this popular, I should've been dumped in Class A or C. Being in D is nothing but trouble."
Chabashira sneered. "With your social contribution score of E+ and unimpressive academics, Class A or C was never even on the table. Pipe dreams, Hikigaya."
"…Talk about discouraging. Not that I had high expectations."
He truly couldn't understand why two class leaders were fighting over him. He had no great ability. At best, he'd drag them down. Yet… they extended invitations like he was some rare prize.
"…Fine. Let's talk."
Following the Service Club's philosophy of answering every request, Hikigaya reluctantly accepted Sakayanagi's invitation.
Ryuen only smirked. "I hope your negotiations fail." With that, he turned and left.
Under the stares of the class, Hikigaya stood and approached Sakayanagi. Her faint smile alone captivated the boys of Class D, who could only gape at the fairy-like figure.
"Finally, my knight," Sakayanagi whispered.
Hikigaya scratched his head. "…I don't exactly have a knight's devotion."
But Sakayanagi merely extended her delicate hand, her gaze playful.
He froze. "Eh…?"
"Why? Am I not pretty enough?" she tilted her head innocently, as though the answer was obvious.
"…Well, if I had to say—"
The murderous stares from the boys of Class D told him one thing: run, now.
Suppressing a sigh, he took her slender hand. And together, they left the classroom under a wave of shocked silence.
Sakayanagi's playful smile lingered in his mind like a brand.
---
Class D was in complete disarray.
"What the hell are those guys even trying to do!?" Sudo roared.
Ike slammed his desk. "Yeah! First a beautiful girl, then Ryuen protecting him… who the hell gets treated like this on their first week? Has anyone even talked to him properly!?"
The silence that followed was damning. Not one of them could say yes.
"…Pathetic," Hirata Yosuke muttered, shoulders slumping. He still remembered the storm earlier—the chaos he failed to control. It was Hikigaya, the supposed loner, who steadied the class then.
He must've seen everything clearly from the start. So why… why go that far for us?
Hirata bit his lip. He hadn't done what Hikigaya asked of him before. If only he'd handled it better—if he'd reined in the class, avoided the violations—things wouldn't have spiraled so badly.
No matter how he looked at it, Hikigaya had saved him.
Such a person… Hirata knew they couldn't afford to lose him.
---
in the service club of sobu high school Miura Yumiko frowned. "Why bother worrying about classmates who insult you like that?"
Hikigaya shrugged. "Dunno. Maybe I'm just carrying on the Service Club's traditions. Everyone here has flaws—big or small. I can't save everyone… but when I see someone floundering, my body moves before my brain tells me otherwise."
Miura blinked. "You're… actually pretty gentle, aren't you?"
"Right, right!" Yuigahama chirped. "See, Hikki, even Yumiko noticed. You're super gentle!"
Miura smirked. "Hard not to notice. He's the kind of idiot who'd sacrifice himself for others."
Ebina chuckled quietly. She'd already known—after all, she'd once been saved by him too.
Gentle, huh? Hikigaya himself didn't believe it.
He'd saved people, yes. But he'd also hurt people. Like Tsurumi Rumi.
And then there was Yukinoshita Yukino. The one person he had to face properly, one day. Their story wasn't over yet.