Out of sheer politeness, Hikigaya Hachiman still chose to respond. "Does rain really need to choose when it falls?"
"Good question," Shirase praised, his eyes genuinely appreciative. "Think about it—if everyone uses umbrellas when it rains, isn't the rain falling for nothing?"
Huh?
What's this guy saying?
Is something wrong with my ears, or is there something wrong with his mouth?
Hikigaya looked over, thoroughly bewildered.
But Shirase completely ignored Hikigaya's confused expression and continued to speak thoughtfully: "Then again, maybe my thinking's flawed. If no one used umbrellas, all the umbrella companies would close down, and we'd end up with masses of unemployed people."
Ah, good—my ears are fine.
He really is the problem.
Hikigaya felt both relieved and regretful.
Why did I have to be polite and answer this guy in the first place?
If I hadn't responded, maybe he wouldn't be bothering me right now.
Besides, how does someone at the bottom of the social ladder like me even attract the attention of someone as famous as him?
Hikigaya looked at Shirase with a pained expression. "So... Am I supposed to join you in discussing this?"
"If you're interested, I'd gladly welcome the discussion," Shirase replied seriously.
No, I'm definitely not interested at all.
Hikigaya sighed inwardly. Still, since a popular student was willingly speaking with him—and seemingly earnest about it—it would be rude (or something worse) to pretend to be mute.
After a painful two seconds of thought, he forced himself to follow Shirase's train of thought. "You said just now that rain is useless if everyone uses umbrellas, but I don't really agree. After all, crops don't use umbrellas. You could even say it's connected to ecological balance—"
Hikigaya abruptly stopped talking.
Because he'd suddenly noticed the way Shirase was looking at him had changed completely.
It was... almost like he'd found a kindred spirit?
That gaze gave Hikigaya goosebumps, a vague terror rising inside him.
"So, you're also a fellow patient," Shirase sighed emotionally.
Wait, wait—this guy really has issues, doesn't he?
I only talked to you out of politeness, and suddenly you're calling me a "fellow patient"?
What exactly does he mean by "patient"? It couldn't be something like mental illness, right?
Hikigaya instantly decided not to speak anymore.
Now, he finally understood why someone as popular as Shirase Haruto, someone who rivaled Hayama Hayato, was always alone.
Turns out it wasn't because he was "aloof" or "cold" like the school rumors said.
This guy was just plain weird.
Without a few years spent studying in a psychiatric ward, how else could he casually say the things he just did?
But then again, being isolated at school because of being "strange"…
Hikigaya thought quietly. Wait, doesn't that mean he and I are actually the same kind of people?
Just then, a melodious female voice tinged with helplessness came from behind them. "If I had to guess, you're probably saying something weird again, aren't you?"
Hikigaya turned toward the voice. Oh, it's one of the famous quintuplets.
Since quintuplets were already rare, and the Nakano sisters were all in the same class, even without exceptional talent, they would naturally be known throughout the entire school.
Nakano Nino walked over, holding an umbrella. She glanced at Hikigaya briefly, realized she didn't know him, and spoke with a slight apology, "Sorry, Shirase here has something wrong with his brain. He probably said some really weird stuff to you, didn't he?"
Exactly right, he's extremely weird.
Hikigaya thought silently but didn't respond aloud.
Nino didn't mind. She nudged Shirase's shoulder. "Why aren't you saying anything?"
Shirase adopted a thoughtful pose. "I'm thinking about whether you're still at the 'really hate me' stage."
Nino smiled sweetly. "Ah, you're smarter than you look. You guessed right."
"Oh," Shirase said lightly, holding out his hand to her.
Nino blinked in confusion. "What are you doing?"
"Give me the umbrella. You came here specifically to bring it to me, right? We can go back together. Besides... you're shorter than me, so I'll hold it."
Nino snorted coldly, slamming the umbrella into his hand with a scowl. "Sorry, but I brought my own. Even if you asked me to hold the umbrella for you, I'd refuse. And what did you mean by I'm shorter? You got something against my height? I'm perfectly normal for a girl!"
Meeting her irritated gaze, Shirase smiled gently. "The reason I said I'd hold the umbrella isn't because of your height. It's because, this way, I can make sure you won't get wet."
Nino froze instantly, her pale cheeks visibly flushing bright red.
Calmly, Shirase opened the umbrella and gave Hikigaya a parting glance. "Let's go, Nino."
"Y-you... Why are you suddenly saying such strange things?"
"Come on, the rain just got lighter. If it turns heavy again, it'll be troublesome."
"In my eyes, you're the troublesome one!"
Her face burning, Nino followed him closely, heart hammering loudly in her chest. Her eyes rippled shyly yet irritably, the rosy blush spreading across her cheeks like blooming peach blossoms.
The entire smooth, masterful exchange left Hikigaya utterly dumbfounded.
I'm so stupid.
Completely and utterly stupid.
How could I ever have thought Shirase and I were alike? Such an idea was beyond redemption.
Hikigaya watched hopelessly as the two figures walked off in the rain.
Shirase Haruto, that bastard... He was just a hidden riajuu all along!
...
For Shirase, running into Hikigaya today had been entirely coincidental. Because he'd always had a good impression of this loner known as "Hachiman-sensei," he'd gone over just to say hello, deliberately using unusual conversation topics to leave a memorable first impression—making it easier to chat again in the future.
As for whether this would leave a weird impression of himself in Hikigaya's mind, Shirase didn't particularly care.
After all, the school rumors about him were already messy enough.
A few more misunderstandings wouldn't make a difference.
The sudden downpour that had arrived abruptly was dissipating just as quickly. Shirase had waited until the rain lessened to leave the school with Nino, and now that they'd barely walked a few steps, the rain was already dying down significantly, soon to stop entirely.
"You can move a bit closer," Shirase suggested gently. "I know you're still hating me right now, but there's no rule that says someone you hate can't hold an umbrella for you."
"Only you could say something so ridiculous," Nino muttered, yet her body moved obediently closer to him.
The moment she did, their distance disappeared, and their bodies brushed against each other.
The girl who'd been confidently arguing just moments before now had her heart thrown into chaos.
Isn't this the kind of distance only lovers would have?
At that moment, Nino's long lashes fluttered softly like butterfly wings, and her watery eyes blinked rapidly. Her shy embarrassment mixed with another emotion she couldn't quite identify, creating quiet ripples of youthfulness in her gaze.
Actually, she'd brought two umbrellas.
But when she'd set out to find Shirase, she'd inexplicably hidden one of them away.
Maybe she'd subconsciously known that with only one umbrella, a certain idiot she supposedly hated would insist they share.
She stole a quick glance at him. He was focused seriously ahead, probably watching the road and passing cars, clearly unaware of her flustered state.
Good, she was still safe. Now the most urgent priority was…
Think of something to say—quickly!
She desperately racked her brain for a topic, but before she could find one, Shirase's voice suddenly murmured beside her ear.
"Doesn't this... seem like something you'd see in a TV drama? You know, those scenes with the main couple?"
Wh—what is he saying?
Nino stared up at him in shock, her soft lips parted slightly, even revealing the pink tip of her tongue inside.
This guy…
Could he possibly be throwing me such a straightforward pitch at a time like this?