After the chaotic events of yesterday evening, Hikigaya once again found himself in front of the familiar staff room door. He had grown accustomed to coming here almost every day after class, attending extra lessons to make up for gaps in his basic knowledge.
But this time was different. Instead of the usual after-school routine, he was standing here at lunch break and for a completely different reason.
"…Here we go again."
With a resigned sigh, he slid the door open and stepped inside. The quiet murmur of teachers at their desks and the faint scratch of pens filled the air.
He began scanning the room for the reason he'd come, but before his eyes could settle, an overly cheerful voice greeted him from behind.
"Aha, its Hikigaya-kun! Fancy seeing you here at this hour!"
He turned around to see who had called out, and his eyes immediately landed on a nearby woman. She had a youthful appearance with chestnut-coloured wavy hair and a friendly smile as she looked his way.
Caught off guard by being addressed so openly and in such a friendly manner, he froze for a brief moment, unsure how to respond.
'Wow, she actually remembers me. Isn't that something! And why is she calling me out like we're suddenly close or something?'
He wasn't exactly used to people calling out to him like that, and while part of him considered just brushing it off, he knew that would only come across as rude.
"Good afternoon, Hoshinomiya-sensei," he said, keeping his tone polite.
Standing before him was likely the homeroom teacher of Class 1-B. He knew her name, but beyond that, nothing. He wasn't even sure what subject she taught.
He remembered her approaching him a few days ago, probably out of curiosity, after seeing him hanging around the staff room with other teachers for extra lessons—so, in a way, he wasn't completely unfamiliar to her.
"Did Sae-chan call you here for something?" she asked casually.
'Sae-chan? That's Chabashira-sensei, isn't it? And isn't she being a little too curious? Is she genuinely interested or just looking to kill time here? Are teachers always this nosy, or am I just overthinking as usual?' As he thought this, he couldn't help but raise his guard slightly.
"…You could say that," he replied vaguely.
Her cheerful smile lingered for only a moment before it faded as her eyes narrowed slightly, replaced by a curious look.
"…Hm?"
The change in her expression made Hikigaya instinctively stiffen. 'What's with that stare all of a sudden? Did I say something wrong. Wait Is she looking at—'
She took a step closer, leaning in slightly, her gaze narrowing as if examining him.
"Hold still a moment…" she murmured.
Panic flared in his mind at the sudden closeness. 'Whoa… T…too close! Emergency! Personal space breach! Social Predator detected! I…initiating evasion…'
In a split second, he stepped back, though it hardly made a difference. She was already leaning forward, close enough for him to catch a faint whiff of her perfume.
"…Is that an injury?" Hoshinomiya asked in a concerned tone.
"Huh?" Hikigaya muttered, already aware of what she meant as her eyes lingered on the purplish bruise spreading from just below his ear to along his cheekbone, the skin still swollen in places. The faint cut near his lip had been clumsily covered with a cheap bandage, doing little to hide how raw it looked.
He let out a tired sigh, scratching the back of his neck. "It's nothing serious. I just… fell. That's all."
Her brows rose. "Fell, huh? And yet you didn't come to the infirmary."
"…Didn't think it was worth the trouble."
"Trouble?" She tilted her head, "You do know I'm the school nurse too, right? I would've patched you up. That bruise looks painful it's definitely something worth receiving treatment for."
'Great… of course I'd run into the school nurse right after I specifically avoided the infirmary last evening,' He thought, feeling the weight of his bad luck.
The beating he took yesterday from the trio had left him with a few minor injuries. He chose not to go to the infirmary, figuring the others had already been there and not wanting to make it obvious he was involved or drag anyone else into it.
Besides, the bruises were nothing, he was used to far worse, so he didn't see any need for treatment.
"I'm fine, really. It only looks bad, but it isn't." he muttered, trying to downplay it.
Hoshinomiya leaned back slightly, a sly smile returning to her lips. "Oh? Trying to act tough in front of a beautiful teacher, are you now?"
"Wha—no. Definitely not," Hikigaya denied instantly.
"Mmhm," she hummed playfully, clearly unconvinced.
Then, as though remembering something, she tilted her head. "You know, now that I think about it… quite a few students from your class showed up at the infirmary yesterday. All with injuries."
"…Is that so?" Hikigaya muttered flatly, recalling the torment he'd put the idiot trio through yesterday. "Well, my condolences to those poor souls then. Hope they recover quickly."
"Hmmm. And here you are with fresh bruises too. You wouldn't happen to be involved with them, would you? Maybe that's why Sae-chan called you here?"
"Not at all," he said, his tone edged with denial. "If anything, it's just a coincidence. And as for Chabashira-sensei calling me… I honestly have no clue about that either.
Hoshinomiya tapped a finger against her cheek, studying him with the kind of playful scrutiny that made him uncomfortable. "Oh, relax. I've been at this school long enough, Hikigaya-kun. I mean boys do these kinds of things all the time. So, you don't have to be so stiff, Hikigaya-kun."
'Don't be stiff, she says… but when it feels like she's cornering me, how am I supposed to relax? She seems like trouble through and through. I've had enough of this.' He thought, leaning subtly away as if to put some distance between them.
"Well… it was nice talking to you, Hoshinomiya-sensei. Since Chabashira-sensei doesn't seem to be around, I'll just come by later."
He shifted a step to the side, clearly intent on making his way out.
"Oh, don't rush off. She'll be here any minute, but I can keep you company while you wait." She stepped lightly in his path, smiling. "Chabashira and I have been best friends since high school we even call each other Sae-chan and Chie-chan. So don't worry, it'll be fine with me here."
Hikigaya shook his head slightly. "Thanks, Hoshinomiya-sensei, but I'll just wait in the hallway. You seem to have a lot to handle already, so no need to bother yourself with me."
"Bother? Not at all. I actually wanted to chat with you more last time, but I didn't want to interrupt you too much since you were studying so seriously."
"…Chat with me?" he muttered, a little unsure.
"You know, it's actually pretty unusual," she said, folding her arms loosely. "It's not every day you see a first-year hanging around with the teachers, especially during the very first week of high school."
"Most students are off with their friends or having fun. But here you are, studying so diligently every day with almost every subject teacher of your class, like you're on some kind of academic quest. So, of course, I was curious to talk to you more."
He was a bit surprised to hear that. It wasn't as if he hadn't noticed the curious or lingering glances whenever he was in the staff room. Most of the teachers just gave him a weird look and then went about their business, likely uninterested in anything beyond that. He hadn't expected anyone to be curious enough to actually start a conversation with him.
'Not that I mind talking, per se… just didn't expect it from someone like her. I mean…
"Is it really that unusual for someone to do this? After all, isn't studying supposed to be the whole point of school? It shouldn't be that surprising." he muttered to himself.
Hoshinomiya laughed softly. "Well… sure, it's normal to ask one or two teachers for help now and then, but to study with almost every subject teacher in your class for hours on end, all by yourself? That's… a little unusual, don't you think?
Now that she put it that way, he really did seem like too much of an odd one out. Yet, he still couldn't entirely believe her.
She tilted her head, a teasing note in her voice. "You don't have too many friends, do you, Hikigaya-kun?"
"Well, I—I'll have you know that I live by the virtue of impartiality, and as such, am unable to form particularly intimate relationships with people," he replied stiffly, inwardly a little awkward.
"In other words, you don't have any, right?"
"W-well, basically…"
She pressed on. "And what about a girlfriend? Surely someone as diligent as you must have caught someone's eye."
'A girlfriend… as if my life had the luxury of such distractions. And why is she even asking me this? Isn't she supposed to be a teacher, not some nosy relative at a family gathering?'
Out loud, he said flatly, "If I had friends or a girlfriend, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be wasting my afternoons buried in study sessions with every teacher in the staff room."
Hoshinomiya's lips curved into a mischievous smile. "Wow, I didn't think you'd admit it this easily. Honest boys like you are kind of cute, you know?"
"'Honest boy,' really? Sensei, you're seriously exaggerating. My actions already speak for themselves—there's no need for excuses that only make me look more pathetic. And 'cute'? That's definitely the last word you should use for me."
She laughed softly. "Do you really hate being called cute that much?" She leaned closer towards him, still smiling. "But still… I think it's kind of charming. Someone so absorbed in their work instead of chasing distractions. Makes me want to root for you, even if you won't admit it."
Hikigaya instinctively stepped back at her approachi, raising a hand as if to put some space between them. Just as he was about to speak, a familiar voice broke the tension, and he let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"What are you doing, Hoshinomiya?"
Chabashira-sensei appeared out of nowhere. With a loud thud, she smacked Hoshinomiya-sensei on the head with her clipboard causing her to crouch slightly and clutch her skull in apparent pain."
"Ouch! What was that for?" she cried.
"For getting involved with one of my students."
"I was only keeping him company while he waited for you, Sae-chan." Hoshinomiya protested.
"It would have been better if you just left him alone. Thanks for waiting, Hikigaya. Let's go into the office."
Hearing here say that he just nodded and let out another tired sigh as he moved towards the Guidance office.
'Honestly… what a pain. I really need to stay out of Hoshinomiya-sensei's way from now on. Women like her are the most troublesome type—too cheerful, too curious, and far too unpredictable. Exactly the kind I don't want to get involved with.'
Sure enough, despite his wish, he noticed Hoshinomiya still tagging along at his side, still smiling as if nothing in the world could deter her.
Chabashira's expression darkened when she noticed. Her voice was sharp, almost commanding. "You stay."
"Oh, don't be so harsh, Sae-chan!" Hoshinomiya protested, puffing her cheeks in mock offense. "It's not the end of the world if I tag along. You've got your hands full with all those problem children in Class D anyway. Wouldn't it be easier if I lent a hand?"
"Your meddling won't help with anything," Chabashira replied flatly. "And besides, this is Class D's matter. You'd do better to focus on your own."
Hoshinomiya pouted dramatically. "So cold. You've always been like this, you know. No wonder the kids from your class run away from you. And as for problems in my class, Class B students never cause any. They're really good kids; I feel lucky to have them."
Chabashira's brow furrowed. "…Enough braffing. If you're done wasting time, leave."
"Fine, fine," Hoshinomiya said with a teasing grin, raising her hands in surrender before turning back to Hikigaya. "But really, Hikigaya-kun, next time don't be so reckless. At least let me take care of those cuts, hm?"
With a playful wink, she strolled away, humming under her breath.
Hikigaya glanced at Chabashira, who looked as though she was holding back the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. ''These two really don't get along… Hmm, they remind me of someone, or I've seen something like this before.'
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Um… sensei, why was I actually called here? Did something happen?"
The confusion in his voice however was nothing more than a lie. Hikigaya already knew exactly why he had been summoned. Pretending otherwise was simply the best for now.
Chabashira-sensei didn't waste time on pleasantries. Her arms rested casually at her sides, her expression stern.
"There have been some complaints against you," she stated, "From more than one student."
Hikigaya blinked slowly, feigning mild surprise though the words were hardly unexpected. 'Complaints, huh? well about time it comes to that.'
He kept his expression neutral. "…Oh. Okay,"
"Is that all you have to say, Hikigaya?"
"Well… I mean no… but what happened exactly? Complaints… about what? I don't think I did anything wrong."
The teacher let out a sigh, clearly unimpressed with the act.
"Are you sure about that, Hikigaya? You're certain you haven't done anything to get in trouble?"
Hikigaya gave a small unsure shrug, his expression slightly puzzled. "Well… I'm not entirely sure but could you… maybe clear things up for me, sensei? Tell me exactly what's going on?"
"Very well," Chabashira-sensei said, her tone measured. "This complaint comes from Ike and Yamauchi. They claim that you bullied and assaulted them, and that you continued to torment them afterward. Two other students have also come forward, insisting they witnessed these events firsthand."
"Yamauchi reportedly has a swollen jaw and bruised knees, while Ike has marks on his chest. They also claim that their friend Sudo was injured, though he appears to be absent today. From what I understand, they were agitated enough to prepare an official complaint."
Hearing that he thought to himself, 'Of course they ignored my parting advice and did exactly what I told them not to do. Heh well…'
"…That's bullshit Sensei," he said slowly, but edged with disbelief. "Do you honestly think I'm capable of doing all that to those guys?"
"That's exactly why I want to hear it from you," Chabashira replied, "If their claims are false, then explain your side clearly. What happened, Hikigaya?"
Hikigaya was a little surprised at how seriously she treated the matter. Most of the time, when a group points fingers at one person, the verdict's already in before the facts come out. The lone individual's side is rarely heard or taken seriously unless they've got real influence or the case is too severe to ignore. Teachers just want the problem to go away with the least effort, and the easiest way is to side with the majority.
Fairness? That's just a word people like to toss around when they want to sound noble. In reality, the one who stands alone always gets the short end of the stick just to make things convenient for everyone else.
'Still… at least she's actually willing to hear me out. That makes things convenient enough for me too.' he reflected.
"Sensei," he began, his voice calm. "Wouldn't it be better if they were here too? They're the ones who have accused me, and I'm sure my story will be very different from theirs. It would be easier to clear things up if we were all in the same room."
He let out a sigh. "But I'm sure they have no intention of coming here. It's hard to make a liar face the truth, after all."
Chabashira-sensei's eyebrows lifted slightly. "Are you saying they're lying?"
He shrugged. "I'm just saying that if they're so sure I did something, they should be here. If they're afraid to show up, it says a lot about their confidence in their own story, doesn't it?"
"Hmm… you think having them here will make things clearer, then?"
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "Well, sensei, how about this? You give me their contact info, and I'll call them myself right here, right now."
Chabashira-sensei leaned back slightly, her arms still folded, her eyes narrowing just a fraction as she regarded him.
"You seem pretty certain about this, Hikigaya," she said, "thinking you can just call them and get them to spill everything. You do realize it might not go as smoothly as you imagine."
Hikigaya shrugged slightly, his eyes flicking to the phone in his hand. "I'm not exactly sure it'll work… but it's the only way I can think of. I didn't do anything wrong, so I have to at least try."
Chabashira sighed and pulled out her phone. "Fine. Here are their numbers. Call them yourself and clear this up."
Hikigaya nodded, taking their contact info. "Understood, sensei. Thank you."
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Meanwhile, on the other side of campus, Ike and Yamauchi sat slouched on a bench, still seething from the previous day.
"I still can't believe that bastard did that," Yamauchi grumbled, rubbing the side of his jaw. "That psycho must've gone crazy on Sudo after we left. Sudo didn't even show up for class today."
Ike winced, clutching his ribs and stomach. "Yeah… but did we actually do the right thing by filing that complaint? What if he tries something worse? He's been messing with us for so many times… maybe we should—"
"Are you kidding me?" Yamauchi snapped, cutting him off. "Look at us! We're covered in bruises, and Sudo's probably worse off. They'll believe us for sure. We've got witnesses, and everyone in Class D already hates that fish-eyed creep. Nobody's going to take his side."
"Right," Ike said, forcing a shaky smile. "He's on his own. This is our chance."
"We can't let him get away after doing so many horrible things to us," Yamauchi said as he clenched his fist trembling. "This time…this time we…
Suddenly, both of their phones chimed almost simultaneously.
BING. BING. BING.
They pulled out their devices, exchanging confused glances. Three new messages had arrived in rapid succession from an unknown number.
They opened their messages.
[Yo]
[Come to the teachers' staff room right now. Sensei wants to see you guys too. Before you arrive, you should definitely look into this.]
[Video: 6:34 Min]
Ike hesitated for a moment before tapping the play button, and Yamauchi leaned over, their eyes locked on the screen.
The moment they played it, their eyes widened, and the hope in their expressions vanished, replaced by sheer disbelief and fear.
"W…what the hell…"
"…This can't be,"
BING.
A fourth message appeared on both of their phones.
They read the fourth message and couldn't help but glance at each other, faces tight with worry and unease.