"I... I bought... bought a digital cara, but... but I don't have any points left..."
Sakura stamred as she spoke, sounding like she was about to run out of breath. After finishing her sentence, it was as if she had used up all her energy, nearly collapsing onto the desk.
She had thick bangs, large outdated glasses, and avoided eye contact with people. Hikigaya always saw her with her head lowered, as if that alone could shut out the outside world and protect her.
Shy, timid, insecure—that was the first impression Sakura gave. Naturally, that also made her an outcast, an easy target.
To so people, a timid personality like hers made for a perfect "negotiation" target.
"Hey, what are you mumbling about? I still have things to do later... Just hurry up already!"
Karuizawa looked impatient. As the leader of the girls' group and the girlfriend of Hirata, the class leader, her status in class was so high that even Kushida wouldn't dare challenge her head-on. Let alone this little ostrich hiding its head in a pile of fat.
"Just lend so money."
Hikigaya suddenly stood up and shouted toward the two not far away, "Hey, Doc, I need so points too. Lend so, will you? You already gave so to Yamauchi, so one more won't make a difference, right?"
Yamauchi and his so-called "Doc" buddy, Sotomura, had been arguing about how many points to lend. Hikigaya's sudden interjection caught them off guard, and at the sa ti, it startled both Karuizawa and Sakura.
"I was here first! Doc already promised to lend money! Get lost, Hikigaya!" Yamauchi shouted in a panic, afraid that the points he had painstakingly acquired by trading his new ga console and several manga volus would be snatched away.
"W-Wait, I never actually agreed yet..." Sotomura was also flustered and went back to negotiating with Yamauchi.
"What the hell are you doing?! Don't look at with those disgusting eyes!"
Seeing that borrowing money was a no-go, Hikigaya shifted his gaze to Karuizawa, only to be t with her disgusted outburst.
As the "queen" of the girls' group, she and the other girls often pointed fingers and made fun of him. The fact that soone like Ike or Yamauchi could mock him only proved he was at the absolute bottom of the class—a convenient punching bag, just like this big-breasted, glasses-wearing girl.
In her mind, that dead-fish-eyed loser should have imdiately panicked, apologized, and scurried away like a beaten dog.
"You've been asking a lot of people for money. I bet you've already gathered quite a lot of points, haven't you?" Hikigaya's eyes scanned Karuizawa.
"W-What do you want?! I-I'm not borrowing from you, so what does it have to do with you?! Just go away!"
Sothing about his gaze made her feel cold, like he could see right through her. Even she hadn't noticed that her voice was shaking slightly.
Was there really a need to be this scared?
Hikigaya was puzzled. Just making eye contact was enough to shake her? These so-called "tough girls" were way weaker than they let on.
"Tsk tsk, borrowing money, huh? Man, I wish I could do what you do—just casually find so idiot in class to lend points and then get away with it by saying, 'It's just a little money, don't be so stingy.' That would be great." He clapped his hands and looked at Karuizawa with exaggerated admiration.
"W-What the hell are you saying?!" Karuizawa's face stiffened, her tone no longer as confident.
"Heh, isn't this exactly what you just did? Calling it 'borrowing,' but really, it's just extorting points from others. Officially, it's all voluntary, but in reality, it's more like, 'You better lend money, or else.'"
Hikigaya suddenly chuckled. "Chabashira-sensei was right—this class is full of defective products. Contributing nothing but still dragging everyone down, yet sohow having the audacity to act so shalessly."
Karuizawa hadn't expected soone like Hikigaya, the lowest of the low, to talk back to her. For a brief mont, panic flashed across her face, but she quickly suppressed it. anwhile, her little entourage finally noticed the situation and rushed to her side, imdiately hurling accusations at Hikigaya.
"Defective products? Look who's talking, disgusting dead-fish eyes!"
"Ugh, typical gross guy—always picking on girls!"
With Shinohara and the others backing her up, Karuizawa started to regain so of her confidence. But when she looked back at Hikigaya's cold, indifferent gaze, whatever courage she had just built up crumbled instantly.
He stood there unfazed, not backing down an inch, sneering at the noisy group of girls.
He had seen this kind of thing too many tis.
Hikigaya suddenly stepped forward, but his movent made all the girls, including Karuizawa, instinctively want to step back. The shouting stopped imdiately.
"Bullying girls? Heh, you probably don't know that Sudou would even hit a woman."
Hikigaya's voice wasn't loud, but for so reason, it gave people goosebumps. Karuizawa, who was locked in his gaze, had the strongest urge to just turn around and run away.
"And you're right—everyone here is defective. Do you really think you're any better than ? We're all trash, the only difference is who stinks more. If we weren't garbage, we wouldn't have been put in the sa class. So... don't even think about running. If I'm in hell, I'll make sure to drag you all down with ."
It wasn't just Karuizawa and the others—everyone in class was shocked. The guy at the bottom of the social ladder was actually fighting back?
And he didn't just insult Karuizawa and her group—he roped in the entire class. Was he out of his mind? He just fired shots at everyone.
As soon as he finished talking, the girls in front of him exploded in anger. But Hikigaya didn't flinch. His face remained emotionless, showing no intention of backing down. Just as the tension was about to escalate, Hirata finally noticed what was happening and rushed over to diate. Kushida followed closely behind to help.
Hikigaya had already noticed that Kushida had been watching the situation unfold from the beginning. Even when things got worse, she didn't step in—only moving after Hirata arrived?
This little angel sure is calculating.
Hikigaya had been ready to clash with Hirata, but in the end, nothing happened.
After saying a few words to comfort Karuizawa, she actually left the classroom, though she still looked annoyed. Shinohara and the others followed behind her, clearly unhappy. Once they were gone, Hirata turned to Hikigaya with an apologetic expression. He also apologized to Sakura, who had been practically forgotten in the corner, and told both of them that if they didn't have enough points, they could co to him for help.
Hikigaya frowned at the "leader" of Class D. He wanted to say sothing, but in the end, he just sighed and stayed silent.
Sa as always, huh?
Hirata's actions looked like a smooth resolution, but was it really?
To Hikigaya, Hirata didn't actually solve anything—he just delayed the problem. This kind of "keeping everyone happy" approach was bound to backfire eventually. Instead of solving conflicts, it was just another form of enabling them.
At that mont, the classroom speakers crackled to life.
"First-year Class D student Ayanokouji, please co to the teacher's office. Chabashira-sensei needs to see you."
Seeing this as a good chance to leave, Hikigaya grabbed his backpack and walked out. He didn't notice the girl behind him, who hesitated as if she wanted to say sothing but stopped herself.
---
一 一 一 一 一
You can read 30 advanced Chapters on
pat reon/GMadman
一 一 一 一 一
Reviews
All reviews (0)