Chapter 109: Horikita: Koenji, Don't Mess Around!
Watching Karuizawa Kei storm off in a rage without looking back, Hikigaya Hachiman sighed inwardly.
His interpersonal skills were as terrible as ever. If this had been Hayama Hayato, he probably could've handled it smoothly.
Even so, Hikigaya didn't think he was wrong. Someone who pursued truth and sincerity believed Karuizawa was indeed at fault here.
But sometimes, some women were just that unreasonable. They didn't care about right or wrong, only whether the people they cared about cared for them, supported them.
This was the core conflict between Karuizawa and Hikigaya. One believed in facing facts, while the other thought he should take her side. That was likely the main reason things escalated this way.
It was true that Hikigaya didn't see her as a friend, but it was also true that he didn't want his classmate to go down a wrong path.
If there was a chance, he'd definitely try to correct her extreme dependence on others.
With these thoughts, Hikigaya returned to his room, only to find the door already open. Someone was waiting inside.
He paused for a second or two, confirmed it wasn't some unscientific ghost, and cautiously stepped in.
A girl with long black hair sat on his bed, casually sipping coffee and reading a book as if she owned the place.
"Horikita, how'd you get in?"
"I saw the door wasn't locked, so I came in. Don't think I'm trespassing, I thought you were out, so I waited here."
Hikigaya quipped helplessly, "You believe that yourself?"
Horikita seemed a bit embarrassed, but being Horikita, even if her whole body softened, her mouth stayed firm.
"I do."
That single sentence made Hikigaya's brain start steaming, leaving him momentarily at a loss for words.
[Service Club…]
[Isshiki Iroha glanced at Yukinoshita Yukino, teasing meaningfully, "Senpai, another clueless girl has entered your room. What punishment are you planning for her?"]
[As soon as Isshiki spoke, Yukinoshita's terrifying gaze shot over. Since she was right next to Hikigaya, the menacing aura made his breathing quicken.]
[Saying the wrong thing could literally be deadly.]
['Damn that Isshiki, always saying things that cause misunderstandings, then acting all cute so people think she's charming…']
[Hikigaya felt like life wasn't worth living, but Isshiki continued, "Senpai, do girls usually come to your room? Look, today alone, one, two, three, four, five, five girls have been in your room!"]
[Hikigaya desperately wanted to tape Isshiki's mouth shut, but before he could act on the thought, a sharp pain shot through his thigh.]
[No need to guess, it was Yukinoshita venting her frustration on him. He snuck a glance at her, only to find Yukinoshita staring straight into his eyes, aggressively asking, "Is that true?"]
[Hikigaya: "Of course not! I don't even have friends, how could anyone come to my room? Forget my room, no one's even stepped into my house. That's the discipline of a loner."]
[Yukinoshita's skeptical gaze scanned him, finally settling on his cheek. She gave a faint smile and said, "So, the people who entered your room are your friends, then?"]
[Hikigaya wanted to scream that it was just a video, just a video!]
[But it was too late. He'd been stripped of his right to speak.]
[Yes, sometimes women were just that irrational. She knew the truth but still acted unreasonably to prove her importance. This applied to any teenage girl, including Yukinoshita Yukino.]
Inside the room…
Hikigaya: "So, you're not here just to make trouble, right? That's not like you, Horikita."
Horikita: "Sometimes, one person can be changed by another. You don't have to judge me by past stereotypes."
Hikigaya nodded. Indeed, Horikita Suzune had changed a lot recently. She used to be extremely proud and looked down on those in lower positions. But through her growth, she'd slowly begun accepting the so-called "weaker" students.
In this special exam, she saw even more clearly that those students excelled in ways she didn't, reinforcing her belief that her changes were right.
Hikigaya was glad for Horikita's growth. Though her prideful nature hadn't fully faded, she was on the path to growth. Perhaps soon, she could truly become the class's leader.
Or maybe, in the near future, she could fulfill her promise with her brother, rising to Class A and earning his respect.
That must be the driving force behind Horikita's efforts.
Horikita gently closed her book, took a sip of coffee, and said, "I'm here for a reason, of course, about this VIP student exam."
Hikigaya: "Which group are you in? I don't think I have the energy to help members of other groups."
Karuizawa's situation alone had him frazzled, and he still had to keep an eye on Kushida Kikyo's side since both were VIP students. If they were found out, it'd be a massive blow to the class.
If Horikita was another one, especially a VIP student, he'd be in serious trouble.
Horikita didn't hesitate, saying calmly, "I'm in the same group as that Kushida. I want to put the past behind us and work with her, but thinking about what happened, I can't get over it."
Hikigaya had a moment of realization. If Horikita and Kushida were in the same group, they could complement each other, but only if they could let go of the past. That was clearly tough for Horikita.
And Kushida, never one to seek help, likely had her own pride to maintain against Horikita.
'What a troublesome duo…'
Horikita: "Ryuen's side seems to be making big moves. He lost badly in the deserted island exam, but as their class's sole leader, he still holds absolute authority. I heard he's already identified all the VIP students in his class."
Hikigaya didn't know where Horikita got this information, but given her rigorous and traditional nature, she'd likely verified it multiple times before speaking.
Hikigaya: "Who's in your group?"
Horikita: "Ryuen, Katsuragi, Kanzaki, Kushida…"
Horikita rattled off a long list of names. Though Hikigaya didn't recognize most, just the first few told him this group's overall ability was far greater than his own.
Honestly, breaking through this group was the toughest challenge in Hikigaya's mind. With both Ryuen and Katsuragi, neither easily fooled, he wasn't sure if his plan would succeed.
Horikita: "Have you thought of anything?"
Hikigaya: "If I was that good, I wouldn't have been assigned to Class D at the start."
Horikita: "Sorry, I put too much pressure on you."
Hikigaya: "No need to apologize. I'm doing this for myself too."
Horikita: "I heard Koenji's group already finished their exam."
Hikigaya wasn't too surprised. His heart skipped a beat at "finished the exam," but hearing Koenji Rokusuke's name, he quickly calmed down.
In just one round, Koenji had already exposed the VIP student.
Horikita: "I'm worried he's being reckless."
Hikigaya: "He won't be. Koenji lacks private points, so answering wrong benefits him nothing. But that guy's a monster. I have to say, our class is lucky to have him."
Horikita: "We just don't know if his blade will strike us or our enemies."
Hikigaya had no certainty there. Koenji was someone no one could control. His terrifying physical abilities, athletic prowess, and intelligence in academics and exams proved he far surpassed normal limits.
Hikigaya: "The good thing is he's still in our class, and his gains will benefit us too."
Horikita looked at Hikigaya, seeing his conviction, and nodded calmly. "If you trust him that much, I'll trust you."
Hikigaya: "Your group doesn't need to be overly aggressive. Discuss a few more times, and don't try to stand out too much. For now, that's all our class can do."
Regardless of what Ryuen uncovered, Katsuragi's silent strategy and his inherently cautious nature had already trapped Horikita's group in a deadlock.
Ryuen wouldn't be fooled, nor would Katsuragi, and they wouldn't turn on their allies. That was the stalemate for Horikita's group.
If so, the best outcome was avoiding detection altogether.
Horikita sighed helplessly. "For now, that's all we can do."
[Sakayanagi's Class…]
[Hashimoto Masayoshi: "Looks like Hikigaya is not without weaknesses. He's too kind. If it were me, I'd definitely go after Class B."]
[Kamuro Masumi, with a disgusted expression: "Don't compare everyone to yourself. It makes you look cheap. Backstabbing isn't something to brag about."]
[Hashimoto, still smiling: "Little Masumi, you're wrong there. This is a school that values ability above all. For the class's honor, I don't think it's shameful."]
[Kamuro: "Hmph. That's the gap between you and him. People who only chase short-term gains won't go far."]
[The tension between them grew thick, making Kito Hayato, standing nearby, unable to watch any longer.]
[He stepped between them, pulling them apart. "Enough, Hashimoto, Kamuro. The princess is right here. Don't be so rude."]
[Hashimoto quickly put on a front, showing no trace of his earlier anger, but his words carried on. "I don't want to argue with a classmate over an outsider. Right, little Masumi?"]
[Kamuro: "Call me by my name again, and I'll rip your mouth off."]
[Looking at the two who never stopped, Kito could only sigh helplessly.]
[Kito: "Princess, what do you think?"]
[Sakayanagi Arisu: "Though I intended for Katsuragi to leave Class A, I didn't expect these two to make the plan progress so quickly."]
[Kito, Hashimoto, and Kamuro were stunned. Two people? Who were the two?]
[They knew one was Hikigaya, only his performance could draw the princess's attention, but who was the other?]
[Sakayanagi didn't hide anything, saying frankly, "In this exam, Hikigaya will lose."]
[Hashimoto: "Hahaha, I knew it! That guy can't keep winning forever."]
[Kamuro clenched her teeth. "Princess, are you sure?"]
[Sakayanagi nodded. "He has too much to handle. Even if he hides the VIP students he knows, his class will still lose overall. They lack the unified strength Ryuen's class has."]
[If Horikita's class followed Hikigaya's orders like commands, they wouldn't lose. But right now, that was impossible, whether it was Koenji, Karuizawa, or the many who were indifferent to Hikigaya.]
[Ryuen's class excelled in one key way: even after losing his tyrant status, his authority remained unmatched. That was his strength as a leader.]
[A class with a core and a scattered one were entirely different.]
[Kito: "So, Princess, you think this exam will drop Horikita's class back to D, while Ryuen rises to C, returning to the old order?"]
[Sakayanagi shook her head, her expression turning deadly serious. "No, it's different. The biggest loser this time will be Class A."]
["I'm afraid Class A's throne will have to step aside for a while."]
[Hearing Sakayanagi's words, Kamuro, Hashimoto, and Kito were stunned, completely stunned. They'd never imagined Sakayanagi's Class A would fall to Class B. Though still an upper class, the feeling of A versus B was entirely different.]
[Hashimoto: "This is Katsuragi's fault, right? It's his leadership that led to this, isn't it?"]
[Kito: "Only that guy could make Class A stoop so low. If the princess wasn't unwell, Class A would never be in this state."]
[Sakayanagi: "This isn't entirely bad. Class A will be ours eventually. This opportunity will completely remove Katsuragi's faction, ending the division once and for all."]
[Hashimoto: "Princess, you're truly magnanimous. Even falling to Class B, you maintain a king's heart."]
[Sakayanagi: "It's just a meaningless title. Caring too much about it only traps you in a dilemma."]
[Hashimoto Masayoshi: "As expected of the princess. I've rarely seen anyone with your kind of resolve."]
[…]
After finishing his chat with Horikita Suzune, Sakura Airi came to see him. Seeing her flushed face, Hikigaya Hachiman initially thought she had a fever, even wondering if he'd passed one to her.
He placed his hand on her forehead to check her temperature, but there was nothing unusual, though her face turned even redder.
In the end, Sakura didn't say what was on her mind and hurriedly left after a rushed goodbye.
Hikigaya couldn't help but sigh inwardly. He'd scared off another one…
If Hayama Hayato was in his place, it probably wouldn't have ended like this, at least, that's what Hikigaya thought.
The time for the second discussion arrived quickly. Following the previous meeting, the three Class A members, led by Machida, completely disengaged this time, sitting off to the side and doing their own thing.
Karuizawa Kei, who had sat beside Hikigaya before, deliberately chose a spot as far from him as possible, as if avoiding him. She occasionally shot him glances that seemed to say, "See? This is what happens when you cross me."
Ichinose Honami scanned the room, first showing some helplessness toward Class A's strategy, then noticing the tension between Karuizawa and Hikigaya. She quietly moved to sit beside him and asked, "What's up? Did you two fight?"
"No, we're not even close enough to fight. Only friends can fight, you know."
Ichinose gave an understanding look and started chuckling softly, then whispered, "So, if it's us, could we have a fight?"
Hikigaya glanced at her, his expression still calm. "Don't tease me. Someone like you wouldn't fight, it'd be a shame to your 'angel' title."
Ichinose puffed out her cheeks in mock indignation. "Hmph, I'd love to try that feeling with you, Hikigaya-kun. And I'm not some angel, if you upset me, I'll get mad too, you know."
Hikigaya looked at Ichinose's adorable expression and couldn't help but think, I really can't imagine fighting with her.
Meanwhile, Karuizawa noticed their close interaction and silently cursed, Damn Ichinose. If that blockhead wants to ignore me, fine. I'm not apologizing, and it'll drive him nuts!
In the end, she'd only end up frustrating herself.
But Karuizawa didn't back down. Seeing their closeness, she immediately approached Class A's Machida, using her striking looks to charm him until he was practically disoriented.
After chatting with Hikigaya, Ichinose returned to her seat. As the leader of the Rabbit Group, she had to maintain her position.
However, Sotomura, sitting nearby, looked at Hikigaya with envy. "Hikigaya, you even know our grade's angel, and you seem pretty close. Is it… that kind of relationship?"
Since they weren't too far apart and Sotomura's voice, though lowered, was still rough, Ichinose likely heard him.
Her expression didn't change as she managed the discussion, but only she knew what was going on inside.
Hikigaya: "Are you an idiot? She's just teasing me. We're just regular classmates."
Sotomura: "Good. If you were in that kind of relationship with our grade's angel, you'd get crushed by everyone."
Yukimura Teruhiko: "Stop talking nonsense during the meeting. We should focus on the exam."
Ichinose forced a smile. "Right, let's keep going and aim for a unified goal before the exam ends, so we can achieve Outcome 1 and end peacefully."
Though she said this, the atmosphere remained cold. Class A had completely detached from the discussion, and the three Class C members, led by Manabe Shiho, seemed fixated on Karuizawa.
Yukimura: "I still believe in the necessity of discussion. We need to figure out who the VIP students are."
Karuizawa, fiddling with her phone, said dismissively, "But will discussion really give us answers? This exam is too hard."
Ichinose: "Maybe it depends on everyone's perspective. The deserted island and this exam are essentially about turning things into a pleasant surprise for the school."
Sotomura jumped up, clenching his fists excitedly. "As expected of the angel, always seeing things so optimistically!"
Ichinose ignored him, her gaze settling on Hikigaya. "Hikigaya, life on the ship is fun, right? Even with the rule to gather, we can still chat freely and use our phones."
Hikigaya nodded, glancing at Sotomura, who stood frozen, and then at Ichinose. His eyes seemed to say, You're too harsh on your admirer.
All he got was Ichinose's angelic smile.
And Sotomura's fierce glare.
As expected, it turned out like this.
(End of this chapter)