—
Keyaki Mall, Karaoke.
After the movie, Hikigaya followed Himeno Yuki toward the designated private room.
"Speaking of which, it's already six o'clock. Why pick this time for a victory party? Wouldn't it be better to just go home and eat?"
Even though it was the second time, Hikigaya was still somewhat reluctant and suddenly had the urge to go home.
"Huh?"
"It's already this time, how could we go back?"
Yuki pulled Hikigaya along, feeling speechless.
"We chose this time because after five o'clock, you can sing as much as you want in Karaoke. It's a great value! It's the same even outside school; don't you even know this?"
"Sakurajima is truly affluent."
Hikigaya gave a dry laugh.
Singing after school was one thing, but unlimited singing?
Dammit.
If you're a student, go study properly!
Hikigaya had the urge to write a proposal to the student council to simply ban facilities like Karaoke that affected studying.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt it was a viable idea.
If it was this school, maybe he really could eliminate all these annoying "normies"!
Unfortunately.
Whether it was Horikita Manabu or that little blond Nagumo Miyabi—
Neither of them would agree.
They were the ringleaders of the normies to begin with; they were the enemy!
"Then won't the victory party go on until very late?"
Hikigaya had a headache; he might have to sit there until the middle of the night.
Even a friendly class like Class B couldn't shake off the bad habits of being normies.
"Probably until around eight o'clock?"
Seeing Hikigaya's shocked look, Himeno Yuki explained:
"If it were just the girls' private gathering, it would go quite late. But isn't this the victory party for the whole class? With Ichinose's personality, it probably won't go too late."
"And last time?"
"Last time was on the cruise ship, so naturally we played from afternoon until night."
"…"
Hikigaya breathed a sigh of relief, then asked with confusion:
"Then what's the point of choosing a time for unlimited singing?"
It was only two or three hours anyway; why bother picking such a late time?
"Hmm? Doesn't it give you a great feeling of having 'earned' something?"
Himeno Yuki tilted her head in confusion.
"Isn't that just being brainwashed by consumerism?"
Hikigaya was even more speechless.
The foolish group of normies was truly poisoned by capitalist consumerism.
"It's not."
Yuki rolled her beautiful eyes.
"You'll understand later."
The two arrived at the designated room. Himeno Yuki let go of his hand and pushed the door open.
Hikigaya sighed helplessly and followed her inside.
Class B really was a group of overbearing "do-gooders."
"Yahoo."
"Himeno-chan, Hikigaya-kun?"
Hearing the door open, Ichinose greeted them with a smile, her gaze eventually landing on Hikigaya.
"Eh?"
"Himeno, Hikigaya, why are you two together?"
Other classmates also looked confused, though most of the confusion was directed at Himeno Yuki.
"We ran into each other on the road by chance. I saw him wandering around outside, so I brought him in."
Himeno Yuki turned around and sold him out.
She really was ill-natured.
However.
Hikigaya didn't care much and nodded in agreement.
If he hadn't run into Himeno Yuki, he might indeed have wandered around for a while before walking into the Karaoke.
Or he would have been hauled in early by some kind-hearted member of Class B.
"Well then, everyone."
"Now that everyone is here, the victory party officially begins~"
"Oh~"
A group of people cheered, which instantly gave Hikigaya a headache.
Last time, Ichinose had handed him a drink, and he had naturally accepted it.
But what should he do this time?
Should he pour it himself?
But the empty glasses were piled on two coffee tables, surrounded by people he didn't know very well.
Seeing Himeno Yuki walk over to the girls' table and naturally pour herself a glass, Hikigaya had no choice but to go to the boys' side and carefully pour himself a glass.
Having to constantly pay attention to the atmosphere around others was truly exhausting.
"Then, everyone~"
"To us taking first place in the school year for the Sports Festival!"
"Cheers~"
Hearing Ichinose's call, Hikigaya also slightly raised his glass of cola and took a sip.