Chapter 58: The Foolish Things We Did When Young
Hikigaya didn't know how much time had passed, nearly dozing off on the school bench, until the girl named Chihiro, covering her tear-streaked eyes, hurriedly left the special classroom building.
'Looks like… she was rejected…'
'But I know, no matter how cruel the outcome, I can't deceive myself anymore.'
Following the white-haired girl's departure, Ichinose Honami walked over to Hikigaya, seemingly lost in thought.
"Did you talk it out?"
The girl nodded, then sat beside him, their distance closing in that moment.
"I didn't want to hurt Chihiro or avoid her feelings, which is why things ended up like this."
She clasped her hands tightly, showing a relieved smile.
"Maybe you're right… I should've rejected her kindness sooner, been honest about my feelings. So… I told her I hope we can still get along like usual tomorrow. Do you think we can?"
'That's probably not possible… Don't make things harder than they need to be. But… if it's Ichinose, if it's Ichinose who's so gentle she doesn't want to reject anyone…'
Hikigaya deliberately scooted a bit away from her, saying calmly:
"That depends on her. After all, someone who's been rejected might end up hating you… But if handled well, you could act like nothing happened."
"Hikigaya, you're so mean."
"That's too much! I'm doing a good deed here."
"Well then… I guess I can't say that about you."
'Why does this girl feel a bit scary? Is she really Class B's leader? Aren't you guys in Class B worried your leader might get kidnapped by bad guys?'
Though their interaction was brief, Hikigaya realized this girl was even more naive than Yuigahama. Both were socially adept, but she was like a little girl who didn't understand the ways of the world.
Faced with someone like her, Hikigaya couldn't say he liked her. That kindness was never just for him, and his self-righteous heart found it detestable.
He hated himself for being so self-righteous, for thinking he knew everything, and thus… he hated gentle girls.
But Hikigaya misjudged one thing. Though the girl in front of him was an angel, she was definitely not a naive little girl who understood nothing.
Sensing the boy deliberately shifting two spaces to the right, she could tell what he was thinking.
Though naive, with her high intelligence, keen insight, and natural approachability, it wasn't surprising she could unite Class B so quickly.
From just a small gesture, she could tell this boy wasn't one of those guys who approached her with shallow intentions.
Perhaps this could be called a girl's sixth sense.
Since he didn't want to be so close for now, Ichinose naturally wouldn't force it. She wasn't capable of such pretense yet.
She stood up as the sunset completely vanished, leaving only a sky filled with red clouds.
She took a deep breath. After resolving the Chihiro situation, she felt much lighter.
"Sorry about today, making you go along with this silly thing."
"It's fine. I've done silly things like this before too."
Hearing the boy's reply, Ichinose looked at him curiously.
"Eh? Is this Hikigaya-kun's confession history? So that friend you mentioned was definitely you, right?"
"Idiot, I said it wasn't…"
"Besides that text confession, I've done even dumber things…"
Hikigaya looked up at the sky, perhaps finally understanding how much trouble his past actions had caused the two girls around him.
'Why do you understand so much, Hikki, but not this?!'
'Your methods… I hate them. I don't know why, I just hate them!'
Scenes from the past flashed by—moments of conflict with Yuigahama and Yukinoshita.
Indeed, life is a train moving forward. Looking back, you always realize the foolish things you did, mistakes you can't undo, scars that linger in your heart forever.
Seeing the boy lost in memories, staring at the sky, the pink-haired girl gave a small, silly smile and muttered softly: "It's totally you… You're so obvious, idiot."
Some time passed, a breeze brushing across the boy's face, fluttering his tie, snapping Hikigaya out of his reverie.
"Sorry, I spaced out."
"Hahaha, Hikigaya-kun spacing out? That's something interesting."
"I'm still a normal person, so cut me some slack."
Ichinose's cheeks lit up with another pure, innocent smile.
"When your name was ringing through the school before, though we'd met once, I thought you were just a bad-tempered guy. But it's not like that at all."
Hikigaya shook his head helplessly…
"Maybe… Maybe I am that bad-tempered guy."
"No, no, Hikigaya-kun is super kind. Even if others don't see it, it doesn't escape my eyes."
"Kindness doesn't suit me at all. For me, it's more like twisted, loner, solitary stuff."
"Sure, those are there too… but you're kind, Hikigaya. Even though we're rivals, what you did for Class D—wasn't that the simplest kind of kindness?"
Hearing the girl's praise, Hikigaya lowered his head, a bit embarrassed.
In the end, he could only fall back on this excuse…
"I was just doing it for myself."
"Hahahahaha…"
Ichinose Honami felt genuinely happy.
"Let's just say that's the case."
"Hikigaya-kun, I owe you one…"
With a grateful smile on her perfect face, Ichinose Honami waved goodbye to Hikigaya Hachiman.
Under the sunset's glow, despite just going through something so painful, Ichinose's back stood tall.
'As expected of Class B's leader.'
( End of this chapter)