Chapter 086: Protecting Food? Send It Over!
Nagumo came quickly and left just as fast. Once he confirmed that things hadn't spiraled into an irreversible disaster, he stopped lingering.
Ultimately, he was the one who overstepped first by trying to interfere in the first-years' special exam; being countered by Sakayanagi was simply a case of "bad luck."
Furthermore, he realized he had been betrayed by Ryuen from Class C rather than being targeted by an active strike from Sakayanagi. As long as he didn't provoke her again, she likely wouldn't keep hounding him. For him, the priority remained unifying the second-year students.
Sakayanagi, however, didn't care about Nagumo's departure at all. Once his figure vanished from the restaurant entrance, she returned her full attention to the silver-haired senpai sitting across from her.
"Speaking of which, it's been a long time since we sat down and talked like this, Senpai. The last time we met was at that birthday banquet six years ago, right?" Sakayanagi spoke with a tone of undisguised familiarity.
It was evident the two had known each other long before entering this "merit-based" school. Kiryuin Fuuka raised her eyes slightly, but her burgundy gaze remained calm and unruffled.
"I'm surprised you remember. I thought you'd be uninterested in such boring banquets."
That family banquet six years ago had been hosted by the Kiryuin family. Nominally, it was to celebrate her birthday, but in reality, it was just a venue for adults to network and consolidate interests.
Even back then, Kiryuin had been fed up with such hypocritical and noisy environments.
"Well, sometimes you have to show a bit of respect," Sakayanagi chuckled softly. "At the time, my father said you were a true genius."
From her tone, she had attended that banquet half out of duty to her family and half to see this "genius" senpai for herself. Kiryuin understood immediately; it seemed this kouhai had been an "extraordinary person" who refused to stay quiet since she was very young.
However, she and Sakayanagi were different after all.
Sakayanagi could calmly accept the resources and confidence provided by her family, moving forward along a paved path.
Kiryuin Fuuka, on the other hand, avoided the innate wealth and shackles that came with her birth like the plague.
Growing up without her parents' company, combined with talent far exceeding that of her peers, she had always stood above those her age. Precisely because she was born into a top-
tier financial conglomerate, she saw the calculations, hypocrisy, and interest swaps of the adult world far too early.
She had no longing for the so-called "upper-class life."
If anything—she would rather have been born into an ordinary family, living a life that didn't carry the weight of the name "Kiryuin."
This was exactly what Nagumo Miyabi had previously found incomprehensible. She possessed from birth what ordinary people spent their whole lives chasing, yet she turned away to yearn for the most mundane, ordinary daily life.
"What good is being a 'genius' if you still find it hard to pursue the life you want?" Kiryuin Fuuka's voice was light but carried a long-settled exhaustion.
"My parents were busy with the conglomerate's affairs; I grew up with my grandfather. They gave me fine food and clothes, a status others dream of, but they never once asked me what I truly wanted.
I grew tired of the flattery from those around me, tired of being watched in every word and action, tired of a life that was predestined from birth—either inherit the conglomerate or enter an arranged marriage to maintain the family's glory, trapped forever in the shackles of the name 'Kiryuin.'"
She paused, her gaze drifting toward the empty, quiet campus outside the window. A faint but genuine yearning flickered in her eyes.
"I just want to live the life of an ordinary person.
Without being bound by status, without bearing so much responsibility. Find an ordinary job, live in a small house, be free and unconstrained, stable and dull—and completely sever ties with the Kiryuin family."
Sakayanagi listened quietly without interrupting. She waited until Kiryuin had finished completely before she finally spoke. This time, her tone was uncharacteristically calm—neither opposing nor agreeing.
"I don't oppose your choice. Everyone has the right to decide their own life; there's nothing wrong with that." She shifted her tone and shook her head gently.
"However, I still find it a bit of a pity. You possess wealth and resources that others couldn't gain in a lifetime, yet you'd rather discard it all for a mundane life—it's a bit of a waste. Moreover, do you really think you can completely escape the shackles of the Kiryuin family?
As your grandfather gets older and your parents age, someone eventually has to take over the conglomerate. You can hide here now to escape it, but one day they will find you. You will eventually have to go back and inherit the family business. It's an innate responsibility you cannot hide from."
Sakayanagi wasn't just being dismissive.
She herself was the sole heir to the Sakayanagi family. Because of their similar backgrounds, she could empathize with Kiryuin's situation more than anyone.
However, she would not run away. Her mother had passed away giving birth to her, but she grew up with her father's affection and accepted everything the family gave her; naturally, she would repay them in her own way rather than blindly escaping.
Kiryuin Fuuka didn't look flustered upon hearing this. Instead, she showed a faint but composed smile.
"Of course I know I can't hide forever. If that day truly comes, I'll just recruit a 'live-in son-in-law'."
It seemed she had already considered her future.
"I'll find a like-minded person who doesn't care for my family's wealth or status and have him marry into the Kiryuin family to take over everything. I'll continue to live the life I want—that way, I won't fail the expectations of my grandfather and parents, and I can keep my original intentions. It kills two birds with one stone."
Sakayanagi raised her eyebrows, a flash of surprise in her eyes, followed by a gentle shake of her head.
"That's a bit reckless. Marriage isn't child's play. If you just pick someone at random to marry in just to escape responsibility, and you end up with the wrong person, it won't just ruin your life—it will drag down the entire Kiryuin conglomerate."
Kiryuin Fuuka didn't argue. She just smiled faintly and said no more.
Looking at her like this, a complex emotion suddenly crossed Sakayanagi's heart.
Actually, her visit to the Student Council today wasn't just to report Nagumo Miyabi and trade for points from Kiriyama. After that, she did one more thing: she spent a high price to buy Hikigaya Hachiman's personal file from within the Student Council.
The wool comes from the sheep. Since Hikigaya used a recording to dig a pit for her to jump into, she would use the value gained from that recording to investigate Hikigaya himself.
As the saying goes, "know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated."
The information on the file was concise to the point of being plain:
[Hikigaya Hachiman. Born into an ordinary working-class family. Both parents work; only one younger sister at home. Ordinary family background with no backing or connections. Reclusive personality but meticulous thinker. Shows a clear tendency toward specific subjects; humanities scores are extremely excellent.]
Just now, the moment Kiryuin mentioned "recruiting a live-in son-in-law," the first thing that jumped into Sakayanagi's mind was this file.
Hikigaya Hachiman's background was plain, ordinary, and lacked ambition, yet he had the potential for cultivation—perfectly matching Kiryuin Fuuka's requirement for someone "not seeking wealth or status."
Additionally, with the long-standing friendship between the Sakayanagi and Kiryuin families, if she recommended Hikigaya, Kiryuin might actually consider it seriously.
The words were on the tip of her tongue.
Yet, Sakayanagi suddenly paused and, in the end, didn't say them.
Even she couldn't explain why. It was clearly something that could benefit both parties, and given her personality, if she thought it was appropriate, she wouldn't hesitate to speak. But this time, she felt a strange hesitation.
Deep down, she didn't want to link Hikigaya and Kiryuin together.
Seeing her looking dazed and silent, Kiryuin didn't ask further and simply continued her meal quietly. The restaurant fell back into silence, save for the subtle clinking of cutlery against porcelain.
Sakayanagi slowly raised her head, looking at the empty and lonely campus outside. Since she couldn't leave for the special exam, she had other things she could manipulate. For instance, Nagumo Miyabi was grounded and temporarily couldn't cause trouble for her.
Even so—she still felt that it wasn't fun at all. This school, this campus life, was as boring as ever.
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Meanwhile, on the other side. Aboard the massive luxury cruise ship was the exclusive world of the first-year students. On the first day of boarding, everyone was still immersed in novelty and excitement. Even after becoming broadly familiar with the ship's layout, their spirits remained high.
Time quickly flowed into the dinner period. All services on the ship were free, and the choices were so numerous they were dizzying. There were five-star hotel-standard buffets, dishes prepared on-site by professional chefs, popular fast food like KFC and McDonald's, and several luxuriously decorated, elegant Western restaurants.
However, regarding the choice of where to eat, Hachiman was slightly conflicted. He had received invitations from several girls during the day, and although he had prioritized meeting Horikita Suzune earlier, he had to consider the others at least a little.
With that in mind, Hachiman decided to reply to Sakura Airi first. Among this group, Sakura had the most introverted and sensitive personality, making her the easiest to overlook. In the original story, she was even more miserable; even with Ayanokouji's help, her lack of self-expression meant she had almost no room to perform, eventually being tacitly treated as an outsider.
This time, Hachiman planned to proactively ask Sakura Airi out. But before he could finish editing the message, a minor commotion broke out at the restaurant entrance ahead. Several familiar figures walked one after another into a particularly high-end and elegant Western restaurant.
If Hachiman remembered correctly, this was the exact location in the original story where those from Class D had their first head-on confrontation with Katsuragi's group from Class A.
However—the scene before him was different from his memory. He squinted his eyes to look. Katsuragi Kohei wasn't inside. Instead, the purple-haired Kamuro Masumi was standing a bit further away, looking toward the shop with a slightly surprised expression, as if watching a play.
And it indeed was a play. There were no main members of Class A inside, but almost all the members of Class C were present.
Shortly after Class D's Ike Kanji, Sudo Ken, Yamauchi Haruki, and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka (who followed behind them) walked into the restaurant, Ryuen Kakeru sauntered over with a group of henchmen.
The atmosphere turned subtle in an instant.
Ike Kanji, Sudo Ken, and Yamauchi Haruki from Class D had just found a seat. Holding the English menus handed to them by the restaurant, their faces showed looks of bewilderment. Because of the dense English words, they didn't recognize a single one.
They couldn't even tell what the dishes were from the pictures on the menu. They could only look at each other in embarrassment.
"Hey, Ayanokouji, can you read this?" Ike Kanji was the first to turn around and look at Ayanokouji Kiyotaka sitting beside him, who had remained silent. In his eyes, although Ayanokouji didn't like to talk much, he looked more "cultured" than them—maybe he could understand the English.
Of course, Ayanokouji had scored 50 in English during the entrance exam, making him the best student among the four of them. Ayanokouji scanned the menu quickly, his face devoid of any expression, but he shook his head rapidly. "I don't know either."
His answer instantly deflated the three boys. Sudo Ken frowned and scratched his hair irritably. "What the hell? Why use an English menu? Are they making things difficult for us on purpose?"
Yamauchi Haruki chimed in, his tone full of complaints. "Exactly! Why make a free restaurant so fancy? Can't they just keep it simple and put a Japanese menu?"
But then they thought—they had been eating mountain vegetable sets at school for a month. Finally encountering such a high-end restaurant, they were naturally reluctant to leave. So, Yamauchi raised his voice and waved at a nearby waiter, his tone casual and somewhat impatient: "Waiter! Come here for a second!"
His shout wasn't quiet, and it instantly shattered the silence in the restaurant. The students who were originally dining quietly all looked over. Several students wearing Class A uniforms looked at them with obvious disdain and contempt, whispering among themselves.
"So uncultured, shouting in a place like this."
"Can't even read an English menu, yet they have the nerve to come to a high-end restaurant like this? It's an embarrassment."
"You can tell they're from Class D at a glance. Just like the rumors—crude and ignorant."
The whispers weren't loud, but they were just enough to reach the ears of the four from Class D. Yamauchi Haruki's face flushed red with shame and anger.
He wanted to stand up and argue, but Sudo Ken pulled him back. Although Sudo was impulsive, he knew that starting a conflict with Class A here wouldn't end well; after all, they couldn't even read the menu, so making a scene would only be more embarrassing.
Especially since Sudo felt that Class A students could definitely read the menu.
At that moment, Ryuen Kakeru, accompanied by Albert, Ishizaki Daichi, and others, sauntered to their table. Ryuen had his hands in his pockets as he leaned down slightly, his eyes sweeping contemptuously over the English menu on the table before looking at the red-faced Yamauchi Haruki. His tone was full of mockery and disdain. "What's this? You can't even read a menu, yet you dare come here to eat?"
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a strong sense of pressure. The surrounding whispers stopped instantly, and everyone's eyes focused here.
Noticing it was Ryuen, several Class A students also began to pay attention. Some clever ones even took out their phones to start recording, hoping to obtain useful intelligence.
But Ryuen swept a casual, disdainful glance at them before refocusing on the Class D boys. He sneered and continued, "If you can't read it, get out. Don't be an eyesore here. It's one thing to embarrass yourself, but you're making the whole first-year grade look like a joke."
Incensed by Ryuen's words, Yamauchi Haruki stood up abruptly and pointed at Ryuen, wanting to argue.
"What nonsense are you talking! We—"
Before he could finish, he met Ryuen's cold eyes. This gaze carried a hint of ruthlessness and warning, as if looking at a jumping clown—as if if he said one more word, he would be dealt with the next second.
Ugh!
Yamauchi's momentum weakened instantly. His fingers trembled slightly, and the words at the tip of his tongue were forced back down. He felt that Ryuen truly might hit someone—especially since this Ryuen had been mentioned on the school notice board several times for causing violent incidents.
He had even seen some Class C students coming to school covered in bandages.
He instinctively looked at Ike next to him, who was also looking flustered, clearly intimidated by Ryuen's presence. Although they usually acted tough in Class D, they could tell that Ryuen's group from Class C wasn't to be trifled with. Their ruthless methods were well-known; if things really turned into a fight, they definitely wouldn't come out on top.
Especially the glasses-wearing Albert behind Ryuen—he was built like a wall, radiating an intense sense of pressure.
Yamauchi couldn't help but wonder: 'Is such a massive guy really in the same grade as us?'
Once cowardice emerged, it couldn't be suppressed. Yamauchi slowly lowered his hand, the anger on his face fading into embarrassment and panic. He looked down, not daring to meet Ryuen's eyes. Ike Kanji pulled his arm and whispered, "Forget it, forget it. Let's find another place to eat. Don't cause trouble here."
"Ryuen, this restaurant doesn't belong to you right now. What right do you have to tell us to get out!" But there were also people with backbone in this group. It was Sudo Ken.
"Oh? I forgot about you." Ryuen raised an eyebrow with a playful tone, clearly remembering the boy he had provoked at the beginning of the month.
"Sudo, if I didn't have to deal with this special exam and had the time to take care of you, would you dare speak to me like that? Speaking of which, you failed last month's exam, didn't you? To fail an exam so ridiculously easy—it seems you don't even deserve to be in Class D. You should go rot in Class E."
Indeed, just like in the original story, Ryuen had specifically provoked Sudo at the beginning of the month. At that time, Sudo only felt incompetent rage but refused to submit. And Ryuen was spiteful; his words stabbed right where it hurt most.
"Crap! I can't take this anymore!" Sudo exploded in rage, clenching his fists to charge at Ryuen, radiating a violent aura.
"Okay, okay, Sudo, let's go somewhere else—" Ike Kanji quickly grabbed his arm, pulling hard and refusing to let go.
"Look, there are so many Class C students here—" Ike glanced around, his heart jumping into his throat, his voice full of panic. He realized that while Ryuen was talking, twenty or thirty people had stood up directly. It seemed that if Ryuen gave the order, they would all join a group fight together. It wasn't just boys; there were girls too.
That was terrifying, okay?
"How can I swallow this... I will never submit..." Sudo struggled, his tone full of resentment, but he couldn't seem to break free from Ike's grasp.
"Enough, Ken! Hey, Ayanokouji, you say something too!" Yamauchi didn't want to actually fight either. There were other shops anyway, and it was all free, so there was no need to stay here. He could bluster with the students in Class D because he knew he wouldn't be hit, but now, he felt he truly might get beaten up.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, who had been sitting silently, finally spoke.
"Logically, the school is paying the bill, so we can be here too," Ayanokouji said. "And Ryuen, it seems you have a record with the Student Council because of several violent incidents."
"So what?" Ryuen raised an eyebrow, his tone still arrogant, his eyes carrying a hint of provocation.
"So, you think I don't dare to move here?"
"..." Ayanokouji didn't reply to him.
"Let's go," Ayanokouji said to the others. Then he, Yamauchi, and Ike combined their strength to pull Sudo away from the place.
"Hahaha—" Ryuen watched their pathetic retreat with a mocking smile. Then, he turned around and looked toward a window seat not far away.
There sat the class representative of Class B, Hikigaya Hachiman, quietly watching everything unfold. Ryuen didn't hesitate. He stepped over, pulled out a chair, and sat down grandly. Looking at Hachiman, his tone carried a bit of playfulness: "Hey, Hikigaya, that Ayanokouji you mentioned isn't all that much!
His performance is mediocre—merely slightly better than a meathead like Sudo who can only vent through violence." Ryuen sneered, his tone full of indifference, clearly not taking Ayanokouji seriously.
"Then who do you think would win if it really came down to a contest of violence between him and Sudo?" Hachiman asked back.
"..." Ryuen actually thought about it for a moment. In the situation just now, when the Class C students stood up, Yamauchi and Ike Kanji wimped out instantly. Sudo only refused to submit verbally but was internally cowed—otherwise, being held by just one person, it was
impossible for Sudo not to break free. But only Ayanokouji, while seemingly acting as a peacemaker, showed no expression of fear.
Even though he brought up the fact that Class C had a record and thus wouldn't dare move easily—looking back, the guy really didn't seem to take him seriously.
"Interesting," Ryuen finally said. "It seems this Class D is quite a den of hidden dragons and crouching tigers!"
"..."
Actually, after entering the restaurant, Hachiman noticed that several gazes were fixed on him—mostly from Class C, with a few from Class A. Hachiman didn't like this feeling of being watched. So he also decided to change shops; he hadn't even ordered a lemonade.
Logically, he had told Ryuen before to pay attention to Class D's Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. Then Ryuen started testing them today, and he moved as soon as Ayanokouji and the others entered the shop. This meant he had taken it to heart and was specifically waiting for them.
Since it was a prepared test, why say it out loud in front of students from other classes? He was probably preparing to leak this intelligence to Class A as well.
After all, Class D was also a competitor to Class C. Anything that could add trouble for a competitor was something Ryuen would naturally do. Especially if Ayanokouji of Class D really was something, it would put pressure on Ayanokouji rather than just letting Class C bear it.
Of course, there was another theory: Sakayanagi wasn't here this time, and Katsuragi was under a lot of pressure. So, by annoying Katsuragi now and letting him know there were dangerous people in Class D, Katsuragi's pressure would increase even more.
Although this approach was a bit much, what did it have to do with Class B? So, Hachiman didn't mind helping Ryuen heighten the atmosphere, which is why he cooperated with Ryuen's talk in public.
"If you only have that level of awareness, then perhaps you'll have to take this exam seriously," Hachiman said. "I have never underestimated any class. Since everyone was chosen by the school, it means everyone has a value worth taking seriously."
Having said that, Hachiman took the opportunity to walk out of the restaurant. He didn't let out a sigh of relief until he reached the hallway. This feeling of suddenly becoming a million-watt lightbulb was something he still disliked.
However, just then, a soft and slightly nervous voice came from behind him to his side: "Hi-Hikigaya-kun..."
Hachiman paused slightly and instinctively turned his head. There stood Sakura Airi at a nearby hallway corner, as if she had quietly followed him out of the restaurant. She was still dressed in her somewhat rustic large twin-tails and half-frame plain glasses. She kept her head down, and though she spoke, even her voice was trembling slightly.
Judging by Sakura's not-too-hurried breathing, she should have been nearby just now.
Uh. Hachiman froze for a moment, then realized—Sakura was actually here too.
Speaking of which, Sakura's sixth sense had always been exceptionally sharp; she always managed to inadvertently appear at the scene of various events.
In the original story, she appeared at the scene of Sudo's fight. Just like now—she clearly just came to the restaurant to eat, yet she happened to run into the conflict just now, and also happened to run into him and Ryuen.
Noticing Hachiman's evaluating gaze, Sakura's shoulders tensed in nerves. She slowly raised her head, her eyes darting away.
She stammered, "Hikigaya-kun, I-I saw you just now... I want to invite you to have a meal together here, is that okay? I have... some things I want to say."
After finishing, she quickly lowered her head again, her cheeks so red they looked like they might bleed, fearing that Hachiman would refuse her.
Hachiman looked at her nervous appearance and was about to agree. After all, he had planned to invite Sakura out anyway, so this was just going with the flow. But before he could speak, a cool and somewhat aloof voice suddenly came from the side, intercepting Sakura's invitation.
"Sorry, I'm afraid Hikigaya can't eat with you."
The sudden voice startled Sakura.
She instinctively shrunk her shoulders, her body trembling slightly like a frightened little rabbit. Both Sakura and Hachiman turned their heads simultaneously. There stood Kamuro Masumi with a stern, unsmiling face, slowly walking toward them.
Seeing Kamuro Masumi, the shyness on Sakura Airi's face vanished instantly, replaced by panic. She instinctively took a small step back.
Clearly, with her introverted personality, she wasn't good at dealing with high-cold types like Kamuro. To be precise, just standing there made her feel uncomfortable all over, even her breathing becoming cautious.
But at that moment, an unexpected scene occurred. Before Hachiman could even open his mouth to smooth things over and ease the awkwardness, Sakura actually plucked up her courage. She raised her head slightly and took a small step forward.
Although her voice was still nervous, it carried a hint of determination as she whispered, "Th-then, are you the one inviting him?"
"?" Kamuro froze. She probably hadn't expected Sakura to ask that.
But—an invitation? Her eyes then settled on Sakura. She likely hadn't expected a girl who looked like the timid type to have such a firm side. However, she suddenly thought of the eldest young lady Sakayanagi, whom she had been serving.
Thus, as if thinking of something, she said directly, "I have no romantic feelings for him."
"Eh? I-is that so... that... um!" Sakura was stunned instantly, her eyes widening slightly.
A look of bewilderment appeared on her face. It took several seconds for her to slowly react to the meaning of Kamuro's words. Because that sentence sounded like it was saying she wouldn't compete with Sakura for Hikigaya-kun.
But—her inviting Hikigaya-kun wasn't to say they were going to date. Right now, there were only... good feelings.
Sakura wanted to open her mouth, but she noticed Hikigaya-kun's gaze was also looking over.
Ugh! In an instant, Sakura felt a sense of shame rise in her heart. "I-I understand," she said hurriedly, and then left as if fleeing. She left behind only a flustered back, which quickly disappeared around the corner of the hallway.
"..." x2
Hachiman and Kamuro Masumi fell into silence simultaneously. The hallway plunged into an awkward quiet, leaving only the slightly heavy breathing of the two. For a moment, no one spoke first.
"So, does Sakayanagi have any instructions?" Hachiman wasn't very good at being in this kind of atmosphere with girls, so he took the initiative to speak. In his view, Kamuro wouldn't come looking for him on her own; there must be... something Sakayanagi had in mind.
Of course, since Sakayanagi couldn't come to participate in this exam, she likely thought of a strategy: arranging for Kamuro to "eavesdrop" on his inner thoughts.
Well then.
'Kamuro suddenly coming to find me this time is likely because Sakayanagi arranged some instructions. Based on my understanding of Sakayanagi, since the content of the exam is still uncertain, she might even have authorized her phone to Kamuro. That way, if an exam requires the use of a phone, Kamuro can help as a proxy.'
Hachiman planned to go along with the scheme and casually arrange some irrelevant inner thoughts to transmit over. But, almost at that exact moment, a look of shock and bewilderment appeared on Kamuro's face.
"?"
'No way. Sister. So, Sakayanagi really did entrust the phone to you?'
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