The conversation with Chabashira-sensei regarding Sudou's expulsion had ended. We had succeeded in canceling the punishment, and I was walking down the stairs with Yukinoshita, Horikita, and Ayanokouji on our way back to the classroom.
None of us spoke; only the sound of our footsteps echoed around us.
Maybe this was for the best.
However, Horikita seemed to have a different opinion and wanted to talk.
"Hikigaya-kun..." Horikita stopped behind while I continued walking ahead quickly.
Chabashira-sensei's words were still lingering in my mind. Right now, all I wanted was to get away, but after hearing my name, I stopped walking and turned toward her.
She was looking at me with the same face I saw on the first day—the same irritated expression that looked down on people arrogantly.
Ayanokouji and Yukinoshita also stopped, watching to see what would happen.
"Why don't you try explaining what happened back there?" The calm tone I had recently noticed in Horikita's voice disappeared, and her old hostile tone returned.
"Isn't it obvious? Chabashira-sensei agreed to give Sudou one point from her side." If we ignored everything else, that was exactly what had happened.
But Horikita clearly wasn't satisfied with my answer. Her eyebrows furrowed in annoyance.
"That's not what I mean. How did you convince her without using personal points?" Horikita began walking through the hallway, her footsteps echoing sharply.
She stopped directly in front of me and crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for an explanation.
I slowly looked away and sighed quietly. It seemed Ayanokouji and Yukinoshita had no intention of asking for an explanation, but Horikita wasn't going to give up that easily.
It's difficult when you think you're the smartest person in the room, only to discover that something happened without you understanding it.
She's annoying.
Well, at least I shouldn't act hostile toward her right now.
I kept staring at the wall as if I expected it to help me somehow.
"There are things that are difficult to explain... and even if I explained them, they'd still be difficult for you to understand." How was I supposed to explain that Chabashira-sensei and I had made a deal that allowed me to ask her for one favor someday?
She probably wouldn't even believe it. Besides, this involved a teacher—I wasn't going to reveal it here.
This is my responsibility now...
Horikita clearly disliked my attempt to dodge the question. She clenched her teeth and narrowed her eyes at me.
She's honestly terrifying when she's like this.
"This is seriously irritating. You always avoid answering and twist your words around. Who exactly do you think you are?" Horikita clenched her fist tightly while glaring directly at me.
"Hikigaya Hachiman?" Well, that's who I've thought I was since the day I was born. Nothing has changed until now.
"Ah... what was that?" Horikita took two steps back after hearing my answer, her eyes trembling slightly.
Even Yukinoshita and Ayanokouji started staring at me.
No, no, no... she might get even angrier. This is bad...
"Horikita, there's no need to worry about this anymore. It's already over... focus on what comes next." I tried to return the conversation to a serious tone before this turned into complete chaos so I could end it quickly.
"Horikita, it's probably better to forget about it for now. Hikigaya already helped us solve this problem in his own way..." Ayanokouji finally stepped in after silently observing the situation from the beginning.
He stood behind Horikita, trying to calm things down.
"Yeah... for now, we should conserve our personal points as much as possible." In this school, personal points were the most important thing. They could open paths you'd normally never even consider.
"Horikita-san, during this time I've come to understand that dealing with this creature is extremely difficult, so there's no point trying right now." Yukinoshita also stepped in and stood in front of Horikita while pointing at me with her finger as I stood behind her.
That's honestly disrespectful...
Horikita frowned after the others pressured her into backing down.
"You're seriously strange. You never stop rambling... are you saying you're one step ahead of us?" Horikita slowly stepped back, but she clearly wasn't done yet. There was still something she wanted to say.
"No. I'm just walking on a different path." I'm not trying to surpass anyone or prove I'm better than them. I simply have my own way of doing things, and I don't feel like explaining it.
She stared at me one last time before quietly exhaling and leaving toward the classroom.
The sound of her footsteps slowly faded down the hallway.
Only the three of us remained.
Ayanokouji watched us quietly, as though he wanted to say something.
He looked at me, seemingly waiting for the right moment to speak. It would probably be better to end everything here.
Then he glanced at Yukinoshita as if expecting her to leave, but she didn't react, so he gave up.
"I'll head out now..." He turned around and walked away through the hallway as well.
I had no idea what he wanted to say... was it something important?
"I thought Horikita-san had managed to change a little..." Yukinoshita began speaking while watching Horikita's back disappear into the distance.
"I told you already. People don't change that easily." Even if someone finds the desire to change, it's still difficult. But at least she managed to take the first step, so she'll probably be fine.
"Should we go too?" Yukinoshita asked as she started walking ahead of me.
Hmm... she's not going to ask?
"Don't you want to know what happened?" I tilted my head slightly while looking at her. I hadn't expected her to back off and ignore the matter so easily.
"It wouldn't be fair for you to tell me while refusing to tell Horikita-san... I'll just settle for guessing for now." She tilted her head too, imitating me while a beautiful smile formed on her lips.
Now she's thinking about fairness?
That smile itself is unfair.
Well, this works for me too. Explaining everything would be troublesome.
"Also..." Yukinoshita started fidgeting nervously beside me, as though trying to gather the right words. "I know you have your own methods. As long as you managed to help someone without hurting yourself, that's enough for me." Her expression disappeared from my sight as she lowered her gaze toward the floor.
Yeah... I'm trying my best to stay away from my old methods...
All I could do was sigh and silently watch her.
"Go back to class... I'm heading to the student council now." Going back to the classroom right now would be annoying. Explaining everything to more than thirty students would be harder than dealing with Horikita.
Actually... wait. Horikita is harder.
Whatever. I'll just use the student council as an excuse to avoid everything.
What is this...? Has the student council actually become useful for once?