Chapter 115: Question the Normie, Understand the Normie, Become the Normie!
[Ichinose's Class…]
[Kanzaki: "Hikigaya's got a ton of clever ideas. To think he came up with this."]
[Ichinose nodded in agreement. While watching the video, she'd thought of strategies too. Her idea was to ask sensei to buy a tool to swap SIM cards and leak VIP student info. Though similar, Hikigaya's plan achieved a win-win.]
[Crucially, no matter how others tried to expose it, they couldn't pinpoint the real VIP students. This double-layered safeguard was Hikigaya's specialty. Unlike Katsuragi's caution, his was rooted in understanding people's hearts.]
[Ichinose, smiling: "Good thing he's not our enemy. We couldn't beat someone this smart."]
[Kanzaki, still serious, nodded but shook his head. "Actually, facing him once or twice wouldn't be bad. At least in the video, Ryuen's growth is visible."]
[Ichinose couldn't deny it. But if she faced Hikigaya as an enemy, could she fully commit? Her heart kept asking.]
[Even now, there was no answer. Perhaps only when she stood against him would the video's version of her provide one.]
[Ryuen's Class…]
[Ibuki Mio: "This isn't like you, Ryuen. You'd usually force everyone's phones out to check for VIP students."]
[Even Ibuki felt that confirming the pattern would ensure their class's victory. But the video's Ryuen hadn't done so.]
[The video's Ryuen seemed to have lost his absolute edge. Outside the video, Ryuen gave a mocking smile, shaking his head.]
["After so many failures in the video, I no longer have the right to rule as a tyrant. Forcing everyone's phones would only prove my incompetence."]
[Ibuki: "Then what? This is our chance. You're not letting it slip away, are you?"]
[Ryuen: "Don't worry, I'll win this exam. I trust myself. The rankings might not change, though, since Manabe and the others' fate is in Hikigaya's hands."]
[Ibuki: "So this exam is pointless?"]
[Ryuen: "No. I need to reclaim my position to keep climbing."]
[Manabe Shiho: "Is there really no way to save us? Even in the video, I feel so helpless. Who'd have thought Hikigaya would set aside past grudges to help Karuizawa?"]
[Manabe's plea met Ryuen's cold gaze. Though just in the video, her true nature was clear. Disobeying orders would only harm the class.]
[Ryuen: "You've angered him. If you still had a chance after that, it'd be a joke."]
[Manabe and the others fell silent. They hadn't expected this outcome. Rika, crying, regretted being egged on to become a bully, only to face expulsion.]
[She didn't want this, truly, but there was no regret medicine in this world.]
After finalizing with Ichinose and Kanzaki, both sides held large meetings in their groups.
For the Rabbit and Dragon Groups' plans, their members needed to be informed and cooperate to avoid self-betrayal, which would be disastrous.
For Class B, this was critical. For Class C, only those present needed to know. Uninformed members like Sotomura and Yukimura would help the plan naturally.
Self-betrayal would be voided and wouldn't affect the exam, so it didn't matter.
To fool everyone, you first fool your own. Hikigaya wasn't a magician, but he could grasp people's psychology.
Soon, the third discussion began with the bell.
Ichinose and her classmates arrived first, followed by Yukimura, Ibuki, Sotomura, Class A's Machida and two others, Hikigaya, Manabe's trio, and Karuizawa.
When Karuizawa walked in, it wasn't she who flinched but Manabe's trio.
Though they'd just arrived, their eyes kept darting to Hikigaya. They'd decided to seek Ryuen's help, but lacked the courage to speak.
At least, they'd try to win the exam to make up for it.
Another option was negotiating with Hikigaya to let them off.
But when Karuizawa sat next to him, that hope vanished.
They'd clearly reconciled. To get through Hikigaya, they'd need to get through Karuizawa, an impossibility in their eyes.
Manabe's trio weren't the only ones shaken, Machida was too.
Yesterday, Karuizawa had clung to him like a kitten, treating him as her master. He thought his charm was working. But this morning, she'd given him a metaphorical green hat by sitting with Hikigaya.
He couldn't fathom what happened overnight. They seemed closer than imagined, no, Karuizawa was deliberately sticking to Hikigaya.
Her aggressive approach even overwhelmed Hikigaya.
Machida felt like a clown. Forcing calm, he pulled his allies to a side table, opting out of the discussion as usual.
Opening his phone, he saw the viral photo on the school's platform, stood in anger, and glared at Hikigaya.
The room fell silent.
Ichinose: "Machida-kun, got something to say?"
Machida: "No."
It was clear: Hikigaya, that fox, must've lured Karuizawa to his room last night, doing something to make her fall for him.
Wait, no… the room was Karuizawa's.
Machida's brain felt like it was burning, endless theories flooding his mind like an ocean.
In the end, he couldn't figure out what was going on.
Ichinose could somewhat understand Machida's feelings. Though Hikigaya had explained it wasn't like that, without solid proof, a weight lingered in her heart, unable to settle.
Often, watching their intimate interactions, Ichinose Honami could only force a smile. She wasn't part of their class, nor was she someone important to Hikigaya Hachiman. She was just an ordinary female classmate, perhaps not even a friend in his eyes.
She frequently didn't understand why these feelings stirred in her heart. He hadn't done anything, yet this affection grew deeper, sometimes making her lose herself.
In the end, she could only bury these unspeakable feelings deep inside. Though she could occasionally tease or joke with Hikigaya, that clearly wasn't what she wanted.
What she wanted was something far simpler.
Once everyone gathered, Ichinose didn't dive into the topic. Instead, she pulled out a Monopoly board. Hikigaya had once advised her to ease into discussions more naturally, and now wasn't the time for heavy topics.
Games could lower people's guards, evoking childhood innocence, perfect for a setting filled with scheming and deceit.
So, except for Machida and his two allies, everyone joined the Monopoly game. Unlike their usual focus on reading others, Hikigaya, Ichinose, and even Karuizawa Kei threw themselves into it.
It was as if the game was just a game, free of any exam-related motives.
The hour passed quickly. Though it was unclear what others felt, Ichinose's expression showed she genuinely enjoyed the game.
Thus, the third discussion ended pleasantly, leaving even Machida, who hadn't joined, wondering if they were taking the exam seriously.
Meanwhile, after the Dragon Group's discussion, Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo reported their situation. It was similar to the Rabbit Group's, revealing VIP student identities wasn't straightforward, so they needed to delay until the final discussion to limit opponents' thinking time.
Playing games and revealing identities at the end seemed like a solid strategy.
At the same time, Class B shared their two VIP students' identities, hoping Class C would cover for them. This was agreed upon in their collaboration, and Hikigaya wouldn't break his word.
Even the seemingly united Class B only identified two VIP students, showing it wasn't as perfect as Hikigaya thought. While they lacked Class A's glaring issues, every class had problems. Class B, with Ichinose, was no exception.
Though Class B seemed united under Ichinose's protection, some scoffed at this "unity." It could eventually drag them from their high rank. Kindness and gentleness couldn't persist in this school.
Normally, such students would follow Ichinose, but this anonymous exam gave those with different ideas a chance to act independently.
Hikigaya didn't dwell on it. It was another class's issue, like Class A's division, Class D's tyranny, his own class's lack of leadership, or Class B's awakening. No class was perfect, nor were their students, Sakayanagi Arisu, Katsuragi Kohei, Ichinose, Ryuen Kakeru, or even Hikigaya himself.
As for Koenji Rokusuke, Hikigaya unilaterally declared he barely counted as human.
After the third discussion, the exam was halfway done. The fourth, fifth, and sixth discussions would conclude over the next two days, with results announced tomorrow.
Hikigaya lay on his bed, having eaten a simple lunch, planning to spend his vacation time lounging.
Despite the endless exams, this cruise was decent. He hadn't spent much but enjoyed the luxury, almost unbelievable.
His classmates were probably at the entertainment facilities, not wasting the rare cruise experience.
For Hikigaya, the soft bed was his true home.
Bang!
The door burst open, revealing Sakura Airi and Kamuro Masumi. Their expressions startled Hikigaya, he'd never seen Sakura look so terrifying.
Hikigaya: "G-Good afternoon, ladies… How've you been?"
Kamuro, arms crossed, rolled her eyes disdainfully. "Don't play dumb. What did you do? Spill it."
Compared to Sakura, Kamuro seemed unfazed, as if used to Hikigaya's antics, first Sakura, then Kushida, now the blonde. She was accustomed.
Sakura, caring deeply, couldn't accept this. As a sensitive girl, her mind spiraled after seeing the photo.
Hikigaya stood, ushering the two in with a smile. "Let me guess, the photo, right?"
Unknowingly, he'd become the kind of person he once despised. Only now did he realize some things were truly unavoidable.
He wanted to say, "It's exactly what you saw, no explanation needed."
But that would only invite disaster.
Seeing his cooperative attitude, Sakura, not one for aggression, softened her anger and asked gently, "Hachiman, what's going on?"
"I'm not sure. She wasn't feeling well that day. Since we're in the same group, I took her to her room and left. Then I got photographed."
Sakura, enlightened, trusted Hikigaya unconditionally and didn't press further.
Kamuro, however, wasn't so easily convinced.
Her scrutinizing gaze scanned Hikigaya's body, expression, and movements, then she asked skeptically, "Is that really it?"
"Really."
"Really?"
"Fine, there was a small accident, but it's minor. I'll tell you when the time's right."
Kamuro, satisfied enough, didn't push further.
Hikigaya wasn't great at lying. Under Kamuro's intimidating pressure, that was the best he could manage.
Sakura didn't blame him for hiding things. She knew his style and character, trusting his actions completely. Her earlier anger was just a moment of impulse.
Still, she had heartfelt advice for him.
"Hachiman, I don't know what kind of person Karuizawa is inside, and I won't judge. But her reputation… people have opinions. You need to be careful, very careful."
Hikigaya nodded. Sakura genuinely cared for him, and he couldn't dismiss her kindness.
Karuizawa's personality did have issues, her assertiveness wasn't always a good sign.
Hikigaya: "You didn't come just for this, right?"
His words made them sheepish. Sakura was fine, but Kamuro, with her pride, would never admit she came for an explanation.
Stammering, she huffed, "O-Of course not! As Sakayanagi's appointed protector of you, I don't answer to you."
"Yes, yes, my bad."
"Hmph, good you know. What's with your recent exam antics?"
Hikigaya was speechless. Their silence strategy had stalled the exam, and now they had the nerve to ask him.
From his exasperated look, Kamuro seemed to catch on and said, "That's Katsuragi's doing, not mine. Sakayanagi's core faction didn't join that idiotic silence tactic, it insults Class A."
Hikigaya: "Can't be helped. Class A took a huge hit in the island exam. Another loss like that, and they might lose their top spot."
Kamuro rolled her eyes. "You're still playing dumb. Your little schemes got me too. Should've left you in the wilderness."
Hikigaya: "The past is the past. Besides, you're not that cruel."
Kamuro's face flushed, and she sharply looked away, avoiding his gaze. "I'm plenty cruel!"
With that, she stormed out.
She felt she would make her lose control if she stayed little longer.
Watching Kamuro burst out, Sakura smiled. Even the formidable Kamuro couldn't handle Hachiman.
[Service Club…]
[Isshiki Iroha: "Senpai, you've changed a bit."]
[Hikigaya: "You've said that how many times now?"]
[Isshiki: "Well, you have changed. And every time I say it, you dodge with weird excuses."]
[Yuigahama Yui smiled faintly, lowering her head. "Hikki, you've changed a bit. You don't seem as withdrawn."]
[Hikigaya: "Hey, is that a jab or a compliment?"]
[Hayama Hayato, hand on chin, teased, "Hmm, you're walking further down the normie path."]
[Hikigaya: "Slander! That's slander! I'll never be a normie!"]
[Yukinoshita Yukino: "Hikigaya-kun, is this some self-proclamation? Seems pointless, though."]
[Everyone in the Service Club, except Hikigaya, nodded in silent agreement.]
[Hikigaya, as if seeing a ghost, stared at them, then at the video's version of himself. "No way… am I really becoming a normie?"]
[Yukinoshita, teasing further: "Someone can't say 'normies should explode' anymore."]
[Hikigaya's heart felt pierced, a pain as real as physical or mental wounds, one only he could feel, inescapable.]
[What led him to this point? Even racking his brain, he couldn't figure it out. But one thing his heart knew: what the Service Club said was probably true.]
(End of this chapter)