Chapter 70: Ishizaki: You're Not Lovers, So What, Dogs?
Ishizaki: "What a joke!"
The moment he left the meeting room, he angrily slammed the wall. The sharp pain didn't ease his expression.
Returning to Class C with this result—not to mention the loss of class and personal points—even without losses, Ryūen would never let him off easy.
Sakagami Kazuma, however, was calm, showing no obvious expression. As Class C's homeroom sensei, he had known the cause and effect from the start. But as their sensei, he had to stand by them. Yet… their supposed control had no real effect in the eyes of the other side.
Sakagami Kazuma: "Don't embarrass yourself here."
Leaving those words, he hurriedly walked toward the faculty office, leaving Ishizaki's group stunned outside the meeting room.
Komiya: "What do we do… If this continues, Ryūen-kun will definitely…"
Even without saying it, Kondo and Ishizaki knew what kind of outcome awaited.
Ishizaki shook his head, gradually calming down.
"We have no choice. The plan completely failed. At this point, we can only report everything to Ryūen."
Meanwhile, Sudo slung his sturdy arm over Hikigaya's shoulder as they walked out slowly, his smile so obvious even a blind person could sense his joy.
Behind them, Horikita stood with arms crossed, looking haughty, while Sakura, head lowered and silent, followed quietly behind Hikigaya.
At that moment, Class D's four faced Class C's three head-on. Both sides paused briefly. After Hikigaya's gaze swept over the three, Class D's group acted as if they saw nothing and left, leaving Ishizaki's group stunned again.
Ishizaki glared viciously at the skinny boy in the distance, his anger exploding like oil poured on a fire.
If not for this guy, they wouldn't have ended up like this.
This guy was Hikigaya Hachiman, the one Ryūen kept mentioning. Just a guy playing petty tricks…
His rationality was completely overwhelmed. Ishizaki turned to Komiya and Kondo, showing a meaningful smile.
"Hey, don't you guys want to bully someone too?"
Since coming to this school, Ishizaki, once a delinquent, hadn't found a clear target. Now… he had one.
[Sakura: "Sudo's case… it's resolved… and we even gained so many points."]
[Horikita glanced at the silent Ayanokouji beside her, saying: "This guy did what we couldn't. He brought out decisive evidence."]
[Sudo said enviously: "If this guy were really in our Class D, if he could exist in this world, how great would that be?"]
[Ike: "Sudo, Sudo, instead of thinking about this, face reality. Who knows, watching this video, an exam might pop up."]
[Yamauchi agreed, chiming in: "Exactly, Sudo, stop daydreaming. Someone like you could never be like that in reality. Just accept this outcome."]
[Sudo didn't speak, quietly etching the scene into his heart. The ideal version of himself began to take root.]
[Hirata: "Still, what a complete victory… It feels like Class D in the video keeps getting lucky."]
[Karuizawa: "But all that luck comes from one person… It's all because of Hikigaya that Class D got this far."]
[Hirata: "As long as we're united and work hard, we'll get there someday too."]
[Kushida nodded, agreeing: "Yes, yes!"]
[Though Hirata and Kushida's words were inspiring, rallying the class, Karuizawa felt an odd sensation.]
[Meanwhile, in the Service Club, Hikigaya sighed lightly. The incident had finally concluded perfectly.]
[Yukinoshita frowned, looking displeased at the video.]
[Yuigahama, noticing Yukinoshita's unease, asked with concern: "Yukinon, what's wrong?"]
[Yukinoshita nodded to Yuigahama, then fixed her gaze on Hikigaya: "Hikigaya-kun, didn't you notice? Class C's group has a lot of hostility toward you."]
[Hikigaya, of course… of course he noticed!]
[Yukinoshita looked at Hikigaya with worry, her gaze unwavering: "These guys are delinquents. I feel they'll follow through. If they use violence against you…"]
[Yukinoshita's expression grew tense, even more nervous than the person in question, as if she were the one about to be bullied.]
[Her worry was palpable, felt by everyone in the Service Club. Isshiki quickly responded, soothingly: "It'll be fine, right? It's a school, after all. Violence or bullying…"]
[Yukinoshita's expression hardened, her tone unprecedentedly serious: "It matters!"]
[Perhaps past memories surged up, and with this boy being an unshakable weight in her heart, the girl became like this.]
["Every school has bullying—verbal, mental, or physical. Isshiki Iroha, you need to understand this. Our school surely has it too; it's just a matter of degree."]
[Hearing Yukinoshita's words, Hayama lowered his head in shame.]
[Once, he'd had a chance to save the girl named Yukinoshita, but his inability to choose firmly only plunged her deeper into the mire. Hayama hated that kind, all-encompassing self.]
[Yukinoshita noticed Hayama's guilt, but it didn't matter to her. She'd never expected him to save her. Right now, she was more concerned about what would happen to Hikigaya. This school had already seen violent incidents like Sudo's.]
[Yukinoshita took a deep breath, her gaze fixed on Hikigaya: "Just to ask, have you ever studied martial arts?"]
['Miss Yukinoshita, how could a shut-in like me learn something like that?']
[Though Hikigaya didn't answer, his expression told Yukinoshita everything. She'd already known, so she wasn't surprised or expectant, but…]
[Her worried gaze, though never voiced, grew increasingly obvious.]
[In contrast, Hikigaya wasn't worried about being bullied. He'd never truly experienced it—only isolation. If the video's him ever faced that, he believed he had countless ways to escape.]
[But Yukinoshita's concerned look—he genuinely felt it. Being cared for like this wasn't bad.]
After this series of events, Class D's atmosphere exploded.
Hirata, delighted, looked at Hikigaya in the corner: "Hikigaya-kun, how did you do it?! You accessed the school's surveillance."
Karuizawa: "Yeah, yeah, I heard the surveillance is top-secret. Normal people can't access it."
Shinohara nodded, looking at the boy with admiration.
Hikigaya shook his head calmly, explaining simply: "It's all thanks to Sakura Airi. She's a student council member, so she could access the school's surveillance. Plus, she's the eyewitness. It has nothing to do with me."
Ike: "Eh? Really, Sakura-san?"
Yamauchi, excited, flattered: "I knew Sakura-san was smart, predicting something like this would happen. And… she's really pretty too."
Sakura Airi, thrust into the spotlight by Hikigaya's words, had been noticed before for her stunning looks without glasses. This time, the class realized how smart she was.
Unlike last time, Sakura handled it calmly. Perhaps she knew Hikigaya would push the credit to her, or perhaps, in her eyes, only he mattered now.
So, even surrounded again, her cheeks didn't flush. Though her words were still hesitant, this was rare growth for her.
As everyone crowded around Sakura, Kushida somehow appeared before Hikigaya.
"It's great! Sudo-kun wasn't punished, Class D's points didn't drop, and we even closed the gap with Class C."
Hikigaya shook his head, refuting Kushida: "Even so, Class D's points didn't increase. Even surpassing Class C, the class hasn't changed substantially. We're still far from Classes B and A."
Kushida looked at the boy in disbelief.
"Is that… your goal?"
"Less a goal, more a man's competitive spirit."
Though said in jest, Kushida noticed the boy's change. Before, he'd deny his efforts and their meaning.
But now, it was different.
What changed him? Sakura Airi? Horikita Suzune? Or someone else?
"Hikigaya, you're awful."
"Better than a twisted personality…"
Hikigaya smiled faintly, looking at the blonde girl still wearing her mask, and said softly: "People always change. Even if you haven't changed before, or now, one day you'll suddenly realize you've changed. Maybe in a year, ten years, or tomorrow… You're the same, Kushida Kikyo."
"One day, you'll find that being honest is much happier than this."
Hearing Hikigaya's slightly serious words, Kushida froze, then flashed her sweet smile: "Hikigaya, you're too kind. You don't understand… No one would like the real me."
"Who knows…"
Without answering her further or looking at Sakura Airi, Hikigaya sat quietly in his seat.
Perhaps coming to this school wasn't as bad as he'd thought.
Seeing Kushida leave, Horikita Suzune approached the boy.
"This time, I have to admit your contribution was significant."
"I told you, it's all Sakura's doing."
Feeling the girl's piercing gaze, Hikigaya didn't deflect further…
"Anyway, I saw everything you did. Even if no one notices or acknowledges it, I will… praise you."
"Idiot, that kind of thing…"
Before Hikigaya could continue, Horikita Suzune dropped her usual haughty demeanor, looking at him sincerely with a faint smile:m"Hikigaya, thank you for everything you've done for Class D."
'What an idiot.'
Meanwhile, under Class D's lively atmosphere, Class C was eerily silent. Except for Ryūen on the podium, staring at the others, no one dared speak—a true… silence.
Ishizaki: "That's how it went…"
Ryūen kept smiling, even knowing the class lost 300 points in one incident, remaining calm: "Oh? So, Hikigaya just used the school's surveillance?"
Ishizaki: "Ryūen-san, should we teach him a lesson, show him Class C isn't to be messed with?"
Ryūen's smile vanished instantly. Ishizaki realized he'd said the wrong thing.
"I told you, Ishizaki, didn't I? Don't try using violence against him."
"But…"
"No buts! Are you questioning my decision?"
Ryūen's terrifying presence instantly filled Class C, causing even those uninvolved in the incident to lower their heads. It was unimaginable what kind of pressure Ishizaki's group was under.
This incident was a massive blow to Class C.
Though Ryūen didn't show it outwardly, the loss of 300 class points had instantly dropped them to Class D's level, wiping out their efforts from the past two months.
Even so, Class C's students still believed in Ryūen. Though a tyrant, his strength was undeniable. The issue wasn't his fault, nor was it a fatal mistake.
With Ryūen, a comeback wasn't impossible. That was the tyrant's deterrence and absolute control.
But could Ishizaki's group really swallow this resentment?
Even though Ryūen had ordered them not to bully Hikigaya, as long as they acted discreetly and showed him the consequences of crossing them, their plan would succeed.
Kondo: "That's not a good idea. If Ryūen finds out…"
Komiya: "Yeah, we've already caused Class C this much trouble, and Ryūen didn't do anything us. If we…"
Ishizaki: "Are you guys okay with this outcome? If we don't show these guys the consequences of messing with us, they'll walk all over us next time. Think about it—will you still have a place in this school then?"
Kondo: "But…"
Ishizaki: "No buts. This time, we'll teach that guy a lesson. I want to see what makes Hikigaya so special that Ryūen cares about him, why we can't touch him."
Komiya seemed convinced, while Kondo was still hesitant.
Ishizaki: "Stop hesitating. This time, we'll be more discreet than last time. I want to see what kind of expression that cold-faced guy with dead-fish eyes makes when we beat him!"
Komiya, hearing Ishizaki's words, showed an excited expression: "Yeah, yeah, I've been annoyed by his cold look and those dead-fish eyes. I want to see if he'll cry and beg when we hit him. That feeling… hahahahaha, it'll be awesome!"
Kondo sighed helplessly: "Fine…"
Ishizaki: "Then this afternoon… we'll follow him. When he goes to a secluded path with no people or cameras, we'll act. The alley by the dorms is the perfect spot."
The three exchanged glances, finalizing their plan.
The day passed quickly. After resolving Sudo's case, even the air felt fresher.
Sakura Airi approached Hikigaya, ignoring everyone's gazes, and showed her first smile of the day.
"Hachiman, thanks for all the help these past few days. Starting today, I'm joining the student council… I… I'll wait for you!"
Hikigaya gave a faint smile in response, watching the girl leave the classroom.
"Ha… Hachiman?!"
"Hachi… Hachiman?"
Yamauchi and Ike exchanged glances, feeling dizzy.
Of course, Horikita, closest to Hikigaya, noticed too.
Her expression turned subtle. Not just her—most of the class saw it, momentarily stunned.
Horikita, with a resentful look, grabbed her bag and quickly left the classroom.
Sudo shot Hikigaya a "Yo, nice job!" look before heading to the basketball club.
More and more people realized their reactions, pretending they hadn't seen anything.
'Idiots, you heard it…'
Feeling embarrassed, Hikigaya grabbed his bag and left the classroom.
Today, he could rest early since there was nothing left to do. Though he'd join the student council in the future, and these days would eventually end, for now… this feeling was pretty nice.
Hikigaya didn't linger, heading straight to the dorms.
His shut-in soul awakened; he had no desire to stay outside.
But…
A slight sense of unease crept over him.
Hikigaya glanced back, seeing nothing unusual.
Kamuro was following him, as usual, unchanged.
Hikigaya stopped. In the distance, three others also paused, puzzled.
'Oh… so that's it.'
He instantly sensed the anomaly but didn't react, continuing forward as if nothing happened.
At the alley's entrance, Hikigaya never turned to look at the three, though he already knew.
Heavy hands landed on the boy's shoulders. In this deserted street, Ishizaki was about to throw a punch, but… his fist was blocked by a pair of slender hands.
Such strength, such force.
Kamuro, realizing Hikigaya was being followed, had stayed close. Her appearance undoubtedly spared him that punch.
She pushed hard, creating an arm's length distance between the five.
Ishizaki: "Who are you?"
Kamuro crossed her arms, sneering: "First-year Class A, Kamuro Masumi."
Ishizaki: "So, you're lovers?"
Kamuro's face flushed, losing her earlier calm, frantically shouting: "Lov-lov-lov-lov… lover, you dead ghost!"
Ishizaki: "How surprising. A Class A student protecting a Class D student. If you're not lovers, then you must be his dog."
Kamuro: "You're asking for it!"
Ishizaki: "You're the one asking for it. Even if you step in, what's the point? There's three of us against two powerless weaklings. Easy."
Indeed, Ishizaki was right. Kamuro glanced at Hikigaya behind her, realizing their situation was tricky.
The path was blocked by the three—a tough fight.
( End of this chapter)