Mid-April. As time passed, the anxiety humans feel when facing a strange environment returned to calm. The students of Class 1-B had all made their own friends and were happily enjoying school life.
The only thing abnormal was that this class was simply too strange.
Ordinary classes are usually divided into several groups: the "normie" group, the sub-normie group ready to take their place, the otaku group, and everyone has their own close friends, along with various loners.
However, Class B presented an atmosphere of complete harmony. No matter which group it was, they could interact amicably. Within this, Ichinose's role was irreplaceable.
Although he didn't know where the problem lay, this was definitely problematic. These things could not escape the eyes of the "Human Appraiser" Hikigaya; it was practically challenging his worldview.
Impossible. Absolutely impossible.
You ask if there's one more person? Oh. It turns out it's me.
Aside from Ichinose greeting him, Class B seemed to have defaulted to the idea that he was a guy who liked being alone, so there was no interaction. His life was generally between two points: school and the dormitory, or going to the library to borrow a few books to read at the club.
Speaking of which, this school's efficiency was far too slow. Except for food, considering cost savings, other items seemed to be procured only once a month.
Today was the sixteenth day without MAX Coffee. To know why he knew this, it was because he had asked the "Commander" Horikita Manabu when he returned his club application. Commander Horikita frankly gave him the answer. Equipment could only be applied for after all clubs were established; it seemed to be a unified measure for cost reduction and efficiency, as there were new ones to add and others to replenish. That would be after the end of April. Managing a school was no easy task.
Special Teaching Building, Fifth Floor. In front of the classroom door, three large characters were written: Service Club.
Hikigaya fiddled with three nutritional meals—tonight's dinner, and tomorrow's breakfast and lunch. Although the taste wasn't great and the portion was lacking, it was about enough when paired with the free toast and eggs. He would reward himself on the weekend. Little by little, he could save a large amount of money this way.
Hikigaya sat in a chair with his legs crossed, holding toast in one hand and flipping through a book with the other.
"Wah." Just then, Himeno Yuki slid open the door, making a strange sound.
"Hmm?" Hikigaya lifted his eyelids, somewhat speechless: "What are you doing?"
"What do you mean?" Himeno Yuki walked to the opposite side of the table and sat down, saying somewhat boredly: "I was dead certain that a boy staying in a classroom alone would be doing something weird, and I wanted to give you a scare. I didn't expect it to be so ordinary. How boring."
"Heh." Hikigaya ate his toast unconcernedly: "What are you doing here?" The implication was: "Be sensible and go back quickly."
"Ha..." Himeno Yuki sighed heavily, her delicate body leaning across the table, her "marshmallows" inevitably squeezed together: "I've really had it. Ichinose and the others make me go to gatherings every day. I'm exhausted."
An ordinary person might suspect she was showing off. But based on his understanding of Himeno Yuki, she was likely here to seek refuge.
"Well," Hikigaya's eyes were inevitably drawn to her, though he spoke as if it were none of his business: "Since they invited you, it just goes to show you have a good relationship. Just participate frankly."
"Once would be fine," Himeno Yuki said, somewhat speechless, "But after the first party, there's a second party, then a third party. It goes on until nine o'clock every night. Isn't that unbelievable?"
Nine o'clock at night. After washing up, she would probably have to go straight to sleep, without even a bit of private time. No wonder Himeno Yuki came to seek refuge. If it were him, he would probably just leave.
No. If he were there, the gathering would definitely turn cold immediately; there wouldn't be a second time. What do you know, I'm actually the most powerful one! A total party-killer!
"If you don't like it, just refuse," Hikigaya looked at the novel in his hand, maintaining his detached attitude.
"It's because I can't do that that I have a headache." Himeno Yuki rolled her beautiful eyes: "You clearly know that, yet you still say it. Your personality is truly malicious to the extreme."
"I suppose so." Fine. He admitted it—he did it on purpose! Seeing Himeno Yuki's miserable state, he couldn't even help but want to laugh. That's what you get for acting like a good girl and using me as a servant!
"Forget it." Himeno Yuki stood up, causing a slight tremor in her chest, and said: "After club activities end, you're coming back with me."
"Eh?" Hikigaya couldn't help but look over: "Why?"
"I mean, I escaped today by saying I planned to go to the club," Himeno Yuki said somewhat impatiently: "If I'm found alone, won't it be bad?"
"..." This person was actually using his Service Club as a shield. How excessive. It seemed the Service Club's activities now included one more item.
"Well, if it's just going back together, there's no problem." Hikigaya looked back at his book. Anyway, there were still a few days before he had to return the book, and he was going straight back to the dorm anyway; having one more person didn't make a difference.
"Do you eat these every day?" Himeno Yuki looked at the nutritional meals on the table, which only contained very ordinary corn, chicken breast, etc.: "Can your body take it?"
"It's fine. I'll have a big meal on the weekend anyway," Hikigaya said indifferently. The main reason was that Jiro Ramen was truly an anomaly in the ramen world. Although the application for the hidden shop had been approved, considering the students' daily lives, the renovation could only take place during the summer break. Adding the trial operation phase, the opening would probably have to wait until the second semester.
"Is that so?" Himeno Yuki rested her chin on her hand and thought for a while, then stopped worrying about it and asked about the club equipment again.
Since she was also a member of the Service Club, Hikigaya, the president, told her everything. Himeno Yuki took out her phone and began to entertain herself; neither of them paid much attention to the other.
Strangely enough, Hikigaya didn't find it awkward. He knew clearly that Himeno Yuki was just using him as a convenient shield.
After club hours ended.
"Ah, I'm exhausted." Himeno Yuki gave a lazy stretch, doing something she would absolutely never do in class, allowing her figure to be fully revealed. This girl really looked down on him.
"You were just playing on your phone, where exactly are you tired?" Hikigaya stood up and said unceremoniously: "Hurry up and get out, I need to lock the door."
After Himeno Yuki left the classroom, Hikigaya locked the door. The two left the school side-by-side.
"Want to grab something to eat before going back?" Himeno Yuki suggested.
"Didn't you know I already ate dinner?" Hikigaya was somewhat speechless: "On purpose?"
"Eh?" Himeno Yuki looked at him with some surprise: "I thought you were just having a snack; can that even be considered dinner?"
"Well, it'll be about right after I eat a cup of instant noodles back at the dorm," Hikigaya said indifferently. It seemed that since living alone, his requirements for life had diminished. This is how most guys are, right? It couldn't really be just him like this, could it? Surely not?
"I say," Himeno Yuki said somewhat speechlessly: "At least eat some normal food."
"No need, as long as I'm full."
"Sigh." Himeno Yuki sighed and said: "Or would it be better to have Ichinose and the others come?"
"Please absolutely do not do that!" Hikigaya gave a dry laugh.
Speaking of which, his body no longer belonged to just himself, but to the class. If the class were affected because of personal reasons, Ichinose and the others would certainly not sit idly by; Himeno Yuki probably felt the same.
Wait. If that's the case... Hachiman, is he actually very popular?
"Then let's have the pasta set; I haven't had dinner yet anyway." Himeno Yuki pointed at the nearby Palette Cafe.
Even though she told him to watch his health, the suggestion she made was still in the junk food category; while pasta isn't exactly "junk," it isn't very nutritious either. What exactly was this girl thinking?
Forget it. He didn't have any objections anyway.