Considering Kushida was a partner for Class promotion.
Although he felt that her role in Class promotion was only auxiliary, it was actually very difficult to find someone who could assist in this Class.
Especially since the Class was a disorganized mess; both Hirata and Kushida were the Class's adhesives.
Therefore, Hachiman was still quite protective of Kushida.
Thus.
It was already this late, and she was still outside, in such a secluded place. It wouldn't be good if something happened.
Thinking this.
Hachiman went to the lake railing where he had met Chabashira a few times and where no one else came.
That place was known among a small number of people for being hidden and having few people and cameras.
However.
Because of this, if something happened, it would be very troublesome.
It was difficult to even call for help because there was no one around.
Wait a minute.
Does Hachiman have a persecution complex?
However, Kushida was indeed very cute, and Hachiman felt that many people liked her, and she would show kindness, so some introverted people would be full of good feelings towards her.
Then wasn't she dangerous?
Thinking this, Hikigaya began to act.
After all.
Kushida was a usable aid, and she couldn't have problems because something happened.
Moreover, the other party was also a Classmate, and Hachiman couldn't just ignore her.
...
Most areas inside Advanced Nurturing High School were equipped with surveillance cameras.
There were only a few places without surveillance, mostly empty alleys.
But there were exceptions.
For example, in the dormitories, the corridors on the female dormitory floors had surveillance.
However, the floors where the male dormitories were located did not.
Outside the apartments, past a stretch of green lawn and woods, was the school's boundary—
The sea.
Advanced Nurturing High School was located on an artificial island, and the edges of the island were very neatly maintained, completely enclosed by railings to prevent anyone from accidentally falling off.
And often, students here would choose to walk to the railing and lean against it to look at the sea.
Or look across the sea at the city on the other side, only a few thousand meters away.
Actually, Hachiman had always felt that this distance was nothing; although on the surface, only two bridges spanning thousands of meters connected Advanced Nurturing High School and Tokyo.
But in fact, students here could completely jump into the sea and swim back.
Well, of course, no one would ever choose to do that.
Both sides of the road were planted with neatly trimmed trees, and there were streetlights every ten meters. The ground was paved with stone slabs engraved with exquisite patterns, and there were also wooden benches with metal armrests for two people to rest on.
Further ahead, the stone path turned into a two-meter-wide wooden floor.
It had to be said that in these details, the school truly did its best.
Also, they spent a lot of money.
They were too rich.
"Clang—thud—clang—"
Hachiman walked along the coastal railing towards the dormitory, but when he was halfway there, a dull thud with the crisp metallic sound unique to metal came from ahead.
It seemed like someone was deliberately damaging the railing.
Could it be some kind of struggle or fight?
Hachiman started to quicken his pace and walk towards it.
But soon, he stopped again.
Because.
Hachiman clearly saw Kushida at the railing under the streetlight.
But it wasn't that something had happened to her; she was the only one there.
And.
She was... secretly venting her anger on the railing.
Kushida had shoulder-length short hair and was quite beautiful.
But her current actions were not beautiful at all.
Because.
At this moment, she was raising her right leg, kicking the railing forcefully like a violent person, completely devoid of ladylike grace.
Just by looking at her, you would never imagine she had such strength.
And she was kicking very hard, with loud thuds.
Of course, from this angle, she didn't care at all that she was exposing herself.
It was black lace.
I didn't expect her to be so mature.
And Kushida was kicking the railing while venting her emotions.
"That bitch Horikita!"
"Just because she's pretty and has good grades, she acts arrogant all day long, does she think everyone will like her?"
"Finally becoming friends with me, she doesn't even consider how much effort I put in before!"
"You want to be friends with me, so I have to obey you?"
"What a great favor!"
"Why doesn't Horikita just die! Die, die, die!"
"Bitch, that bitch Horikita..."
The girl kicked the railing forcefully while speaking malicious words, and her normally sweet and cute face was distorted and ferocious, as if she had completely turned dark.
This was completely different from her usual pure and innocent demeanor. If someone saw her like this, Class C, no, everyone in the school would probably collapse, right?
After all, the pure and innocent girl, admired and secretly loved like an angel, turned out to be this kind of person.
[My goal is to become friends with everyone here.]
[How mean, there's no purpose, I just want to be friends with Horikita.]
[Hikigaya, I want to get along with Horikita, can you help?]
[Horikita, good morning~]
Thinking about the gentle words the girl usually spoke with a sweet smile, combined with her current state, there was no doubt that this was an extreme contrast.
However, it was not cute.
If others saw it, they would probably only feel disgusted and repulsed.
Because people always yearn for beauty in their hearts, and once beauty is tainted by anything ugly, it will be reviled.
It's like a good person who has done countless good deeds but accidentally made one mistake, and a bad person who has done countless bad deeds but 'turned over a new leaf'; people will always subconsciously be lenient and tolerant towards the latter and harsh towards the former.
As for Hachiman.
As an observer of humanity, he had long since realized that Kushida was a ticking time bomb, liable to explode at any moment.
But now.
The exposed side of this bomb was actually nothing more than this.
That's right.
Although it was quite surprising, the Little Angel usually had this kind of face.
But.
One must understand, truly selfless people are rare, or rather, almost nonexistent.
Although he said 'almost', Hachiman had not yet encountered such a person.
But he did not deny that such people might exist.
However, most people have something they seek.
So, like Kushida.
Hachiman didn't think she was absolutely good, but she genuinely showed kindness in her daily life, so she must have accumulated a lot of emotions, which she was now venting.
This was a... somewhat normal behavior, he supposed.
Only.
"Horikita is truly wronged, sigh."
Hachiman shook his head, not knowing what to say.
No one understood Horikita better than he did, so he knew very well that although Horikita knew there was a Class strike in junior high, she didn't know that Kushida was leading it.
So.
Horikita had always faced others with her own attitude, including Kushida.
So.
Such a Horikita was still being cursed by Kushida.
It was a bit pitiful.
However, just as he thought this, the sound of kicking the railing and the girl's crisp yet venomous curses came again.
"That bitch Hikigaya."
"Promoting Class, promoting Class, treating people like tools, always bothering me, don't you know how annoying you are!"
"And the exam papers couldn't be used, and you made me work so hard for so long, it was a complete waste of effort!"
"..."
Saying this, Kushida continued to kick the railing to vent.
And Hachiman was somewhat silent.
Because in Kushida's heart, he was this kind of person: when there was something, it was Kushida, and when there was nothing, he would tell her to leave.
And there were indeed many things.
Although it couldn't be denied, Kushida was thinking this way.
"Hikigaya, you're just a bitch, so pretentious!"
"What 'finding true friends', do you not understand how troublesome you are!"
"I have so many friends to deal with, how do I have time for you!"
Crack, crack, crack!
Kushida continued to kick the railing.
Although he didn't know how long she had been cursing Horikita before, now that Hachiman had arrived, he felt that most of it was directed at him.
Hmm.
"..." Although he knew that Kushida might just be venting her daily emotions now.
But.
Hikigaya was not in a good mood right now.
So.
Normally, if he happened to see Kushida venting, he would leave and not disturb her.
But now.
Hikigaya then walked directly towards Kushida from not far away, deliberately making his footsteps heavy.
Footsteps were heard.
Although Kushida was kicking the railing to vent, her hearing was fine.
She heard Hachiman's footsteps.
"Gah!"
Kushida immediately jolted, taking several steps back, instantly moving away from the railing she had been fiercely kicking. It was as if by moving away from the scene of the crime, she could completely dissociate herself from her dark image just now.
"You…"
Kushida looked at Hachiman nervously, feeling a bit guilty.
She couldn't let anyone see her in this state; otherwise, the 'Kushida Empire' she wanted to build, where everyone trusted her and became her friend, would instantly crumble.
And the problem wasn't just that.
Not only was her true nature exposed.
Moreover.
She had just cursed Horikita, and then Hachiman.
And, she cursed Horikita first, then Hachiman.
Which meant, it was highly likely that he had heard it.
So, what should she do?
Would he be angry?
Or would he use her true nature as a threat?
Kushida didn't want either of those options right now.
Rather.
She was a little panicked.
Because revealing, exposing, or having her true nature known by everyone, this wasn't the first time for her.
Was it going to be the same even after coming to this school?
"Hikigaya—" Kushida quickly reverted to her usual cute expression.
"Um, when did you get here?" Kushida maintained her usual Little Angel demeanor, probing cautiously.
She hoped that he hadn't heard anything, and hadn't seen her breakdown just now.
Then she would still be safe.
"…" Hikigaya.
But Hikigaya didn't say anything.
Kushida, however, actively stepped forward.
"Hikigaya—" Kushida probably got close, and there was a fragrant scent about her.
Only.
Hikigaya walked right past her.
?
Kushida was a little surprised.
Because Hikigaya's reaction was completely different from what she had imagined.
He wasn't angry, nor surprised, nor did he want to use this as a threat to expose her.
Instead.
"Bang—!"
Hachiman walked straight towards the seaside railing without looking sideways, then kicked the railing, emitting a dull thud.
Hachiman's strength was completely incomparable to Kushida's; the loud sound startled Kushida.
Although she was very bitchy, and incredibly dark.
But she was just an ordinary girl; her physical strength couldn't surpass a boy's. If Hachiman were to lay a hand on her here, she would absolutely be unable to resist.
And now, was Hikigaya trying to get rough?
Kushida felt it was a miscalculation.
She shouldn't have come out today.
And as she thought this.
"Kushida, that bitch!"
"Just because she's cute and good at studies, she acts so arrogant all day long, does she think everyone will like her?"
"Why doesn't someone like Kushida just die! Die, die, die!"
"Bitch, that bitch Kushida…"
Hachiman kicked the railing while cursing.
And Kushida's expression changed from serious to surprised, and then to distressed.
Because, those were exactly the words she had used to curse Horikita earlier.
Hachiman deliberately repeated her words, kicking the railing in front of her and repeating her actions to curse her.
It was a provocation, and also a statement of fact—'I saw everything'.
And he had started listening from when she cursed Horikita, which meant he must have heard everything she said when she cursed him.
And this was indeed the worst possible outcome.
Her true nature was exposed, and at the same time, he would find a way to retaliate against her.
"So, what do you want to do!"
Kushida's cute demeanor, which she had just maintained, had already reverted to the darkened state she was in when kicking the railing.
Rather, perhaps this was her true self.
"If you want me to drop out, it's useless. You want to get into Class A, right? And the classmates, it's not just me saying it, need someone to act as a binder."
"So, I am necessary." Kushida said.
Huh?
But Hachiman blinked.
He seemed a little surprised by her audacity.
Because.
Her secret had just been discovered, and now, Kushida, you're displaying a strong attitude.
Don't you know you're in a major crisis right now?!
So.
Hikigaya took out his phone.
"Just now, I recorded it." Hachiman said. "I recorded you cursing Horikita."
"What do you think," Hachiman said, "would happen if I sent this recording to Horikita Suzune right now?"
As he spoke.
Hachiman held his phone, his face showing little expression.
But this gesture was terrifying.
Kushida's eyes instantly widened.
Because.
Oh my god.
She had only just come here to vent, and she had started by cursing Horikita Suzune, and now he had recorded all of it.
And the recording included her cursing Horikita, so if this recording were exposed to Horikita.
Her "friendship" with Horikita would immediately end.
And if Horikita knew her dark history, she would immediately make it public, right?
How unlucky could this be?
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