"Listen up."
Ike Kanji turned back to look at several friends, his face serious: "I'll treat you to a big meal later. You absolutely must not disturb me, understand?"
"Mm-hmm."
"Of course!"
Sudo, Yamauchi Haruki, and others nodded like chickens pecking at rice.
"Hmph."
Ike Kanji adjusted his collar proudly, then suddenly turned back, feeling a bit embarrassed: "Wait, I'm suddenly so nervous, what should I do?"
"Are you going or not? If not, I'll go instead."
"Get lost."
Ike Kanji cursed. The thought of drinking coffee with Kushida Kikyo made his heart race with nervousness.
He suppressed his inner tension and slowly turned around.
Just then.
A flash of short yellow hair passed by, and the tears overflowing from her reddening eyes made one's heart ache instinctively.
"Kushida-chan!"
Ike Kanji couldn't help but shout, however, the girl of his dreams only blocked her eyes with her arm and swept past.
"Kushida-chan."
Yamauchi Haruki was a bit dazed: "She seems to be crying, what happened?"
"Now is not the time to discuss this."
Ike Kanji was instantly enraged: "Kushida-chan is crying! You guys go over there and see what happened for me, I'm going to check on Kushida-chan."
Saying that.
Ike Kanji chased after her without hesitation, wanting to comfort his beloved goddess.
"Ah? Oh."
Yamauchi Haruki paused for a moment before reacting: "Got it!"
The group hurried toward the rooftop cafe.
Ayanokouji couldn't help but look back.
No matter how you look at it.
Kushida Kikyo wasn't the type to be easily made to cry; this was clearly acting. Was she utilizing Ike Kanji and the others?
On the other side.
The rooftop cafe.
Hikigaya sat with arms crossed, staring at the phone on the table.
He didn't want to have any contact with Kushida Kikyo at all.
A woman who always wears a "protective suit" like that wasn't someone he could handle.
Moreover.
He wasn't good at dealing with girls his own age to begin with.
Even if he just left like this, it probably wouldn't be a problem.
When Kushida Kikyo realized her phone was gone.
She would likely come back to look for it herself.
Even if she couldn't find it, she could apply for a new one from the school.
Thinking of this.
Hikigaya stood up, wanting to leave.
If he ran into Kushida Kikyo coming back to fetch the phone.
It would inevitably be even more awkward.
At this moment, Ayanokouji, Yamauchi Haruki, Sudo, and others arrived at the rooftop cafe and discovered Hikigaya there.
"I see him, it's him!"
Yamauchi Haruki said with sharp eyes.
"As expected."
Veins popped on Sudo's forehead: "It's you guy again, Hiki-bitter (Hiki-ku), was it? You bastard, what did you do to Kushida?"
"Eh?"
Hikigaya said somewhat speechlessly: "I didn't do anything."
By the way,
My name isn't "Hiki-bitter."
Although he didn't want to say it.
Hardly anyone came to this cafe. When they first boarded the cruise, a few girls would come to check it out.
But as time went on, they found more desirable places.
Why did so many people come all at once today?
"Stop joking!"
Sudo said dissatisfiedly: "If you didn't do anything, why would Kushida be crying?"
"Exactly."
Yamauchi Haruki also spoke up for justice: "Making a girl cry is just too low."
These guys...
They pushed the blame on him without distinguishing right from wrong.
However, there truly are "simps" in this world who always stand by the girl's side unconditionally and without principle, feeling that the girl must be the victim.
It was the same in junior high.
It's not that he couldn't understand Sudo and the others' desire to stand up for Kushida.
But being a simp never ends well.
"If I have to say..."
Hikigaya explained nonchalantly: "It's just that I rejected her request. I didn't do anything else. If you don't believe me, why don't you just ask Kushida?"
"Do you take us for idiots?"
Sudo said angrily: "Just because of a rejection? Why would Kushida cry? she isn't such a fragile girl."
No.
I feel like you guys are indeed idiots.
Hikigaya scratched his head, feeling a headache coming on.
If you asked who understood Kushida Kikyo better, it was undoubtedly Sudo and the others from Class D; Kushida probably had a lot of popularity in Class D.
It was understandable that Sudo and the others didn't believe him.
But.
He didn't seem to have the necessity to explain things to these guys by force. Who do you think you are?
"If you don't believe me, then forget it."
Hikigaya said dismissively.
"..."
"You bastard."
Sudo clenched his fists, his face flushing red with anger: "You better confess properly, or don't blame me for being rude."
"Then why don't you try it."
Hikigaya rolled his eyes.
These little idiots always like to resort to violence at the drop of a hat. They really are naively cute. Do they think the surveillance cameras overhead are just for show?
"Calm down, Sudo."
Ayanokouji hurried to pull Sudo's arm, saying expressionlessly:
"Sorry, Hikigaya-kun. We just saw Kushida running out crying, so Sudo got a bit agitated. Can you tell us what happened here just now?"
"Well..."
Now that's a much better attitude.
Hikigaya casually explained what had just happened.
"Ha?"
Yamauchi Haruki became even angrier: "Kushida-chan just wanted to get to know you, what right do you have to treat her like that? You're way over the line. Who do you think you are? If you know what's good for you, go apologize to Kushida right now."
The contact info they had worked so hard to beg for.
This guy in front of them had easily shut Kushida out.
Doesn't that make them look like complete idiots?
Simply infuriating.
"..."
Hikigaya's face darkened.
Precisely for this reason, he disliked associating with these people.
As a member of the school's lower class.
A loner cannot resist the biased violence of the top groups.
As long as they know him and Kushida, most people will unconditionally side with Kushida Kikyo.
No matter what he says, he's wrong.
This world is truly unreasonable.
"Sigh."
Hikigaya was too lazy to continue explaining to these idiots: "Don't think everyone is like you guys, chasing after girls to simp. If there's nothing else, I'm leaving."
"You bastard."
The veins on Sudo's forehead bulged, making him even angrier.
Ayanokouji, standing by, also lost interest. After all that, it was just this trivial matter. These guys were clearly being used by Kushida.
Just then.
"Don't be like this."
A scolding voice rang out. Kushida Kikyo darted out from behind them and spread her arms to block the way in front of Hikigaya.
"Kushida?"
Yamauchi also spoke up for her: "Kushida-chan, why are you still helping him? You clearly wanted to be friends with him out of the goodness of your heart, and this guy doesn't even know how to appreciate it. He's just too much."
"..."
Looking at Kushida Kikyo blocking him, Hikigaya scratched his head helplessly.
In the eyes of simps.
It really turns out like this.
Kushida being willing to be friends with someone like him was almost like she was doing him a favor.
Laughable.
"It's not like that!"
Kushida Kikyo's beautiful face looked pained as she shook her head repeatedly:
--- PAGE 5 ---
"Hikigaya naturally has the right to refuse. This is all my fault; I shouldn't have forced him."
Well.
How should I put it?
Hikigaya stood to the side with a bit of a headache.
This girl said all the "good" things; what can I do?
Although the words were correct, it felt like this girl was becoming more and more "tea-like."
"But."
Ike Kanji, who had followed, was also extremely dissatisfied: "Kushida-chan, this guy made you cry."
"No."
Kushida Kikyo shook her head repeatedly while holding back tears:
"It's just that my heart is too soft. Hikigaya did nothing wrong. I beg you, please stop disturbing Hikigaya-kun. That will only make me feel more guilty. Can you guys leave first?"
"But... Kushida-chan..."
"I'm begging you, can you leave first?"
Kushida Kikyo cried out. Tears gushed out like a broken dam, making Ike Kanji and the others' hearts ache.
"Go... Got it!"
"Then we'll leave now. Kushida-chan, if you run into any problems, remember to contact us anytime. I'll rush over immediately."
Ike Kanji pressed his hands down to signal for her to calm down, leading Yamauchi Haruki and the others to retreat slowly.
"Mm, thank you, Ike-kun. You're truly a good person."
Kushida Kikyo nodded weakly, making Ike Kanji's heart bloom with joy. He gave Hikigaya a fierce glare before finally turning to leave.
The cafe fell back into an eerie silence.
Only Kushida Kikyo's occasional sobs were heart-wrenching.
"Um..."
Hikigaya was incredibly embarrassed.
After all, he wasn't heartless. Even if she was a "Green Tea," seeing a beautiful girl sobbing in front of him.
It was inevitably a bit hard to bear.
"Phone."
Hikigaya glanced at the table: "You forgot your phone."
"..."
Kushida Kikyo stole a glance back at him before walking slowly to the table and clutching the phone to her chest.
What now?
Hikigaya was full of helplessness. Whatever, let's just leave.
Just as he was about to speak, he heard Kushida say softly: "That... I'm really very sorry. It's all because of me that Ike and the others left you with bad memories."
"It's fine."
Hikigaya didn't really want to talk to her.
Compared to his dark history.
This wasn't even an appetizer. He might even forget it by tomorrow.
"Actually..."
Kushida Kikyo hunched her shoulders, saying a bit shyly:
"I invited Ike and the others here for coffee today. I didn't expect to run into you by accident."
It felt like this girl was throwing him a conversation starter, but Hikigaya still didn't want to engage.
The situation was far too coincidental.
Naturally, he had sensed something was wrong long ago.
As for why the "Three Stooges" of Class D appeared here, and whether Kushida Kikyo's "beauty saving the hero" was planned.
He wasn't interested at all.
These people can be wherever they want and do whatever they want.
As long as they don't bother him, they can do whatever they like.
"..."
Kushida's eyes shifted left and right, but inside she was cursing wildly.
This shouldn't be.
At this time, shouldn't Hikigaya care about why she was having coffee with Ike? She had even prepared her reasons, yet this guy didn't ask.
Moreover, this was related to how she would start the next topic.
This bastard isn't following the script.
For a moment.
Kushida Kikyo doubted her own charm, but thinking of Ike Kanji and the others' simp-like behavior, she felt reassured again.
She had no choice.
"Hehehe..."
Kushida Kikyo revealed a slightly awkward smile and said somewhat apologetically:
"As you know, my dream is to become friends with everyone in the school, so I need to maintain certain relationships frequently. I didn't mean anything special by it."
No.
I don't actually want to know what your relationship with Ike is.
Hikigaya's mind wandered, wanting to see how long this girl could keep talking.
"Actually..."
Kushida Kikyo's expression dimmed:
"Since the day I saw you, Hikigaya-027, giving up your seat to an elderly person on the bus, I've kept it in my heart. I can't seem to forget it."
"So."
Suddenly, as if gathering courage, Kushida Kikyo gazed at the man in front of her with watery eyes that held back tears.
"Hikigaya, can we exchange contact information? Even starting as friends is fine!"
This girl.
"Even starting as friends is fine."
Constantly hinting at the possibility of something more.
No wonder those Three Stooges from Class D fell for it; it seems you can't really blame them.
This girl isn't just a "Green Tea."
She's a bitch who enjoys toying with the hearts of innocent boys.
Anyway.
This girl is really persistent.
He felt that if he didn't exchange contact information, Kushida Kikyo would keep pestering him.
Why exactly was she targeting him?
Hikigaya thought for a moment and nodded helplessly: "If it's just contact information, I guess it's okay."
"Really? That's wonderful."
Kushida Kikyo wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes with her slender fingers, and a sweet smile appeared on her lips again.
"Sorry for letting Hikigaya see my bad side. I'll head back for today."
"Eh?"
Hikigaya was a bit confused: "Didn't you want the contact information?"
"It's fine, because..."
Kushida Kikyo's face turned red, and she looked down at her toes shyly:
"Actually, I've always kept your contact information in my heart."
"See you tomorrow."
With that.
Kushida Kikyo turned and ran away as if escaping, covering her face.
"Um."
Hikigaya only felt his heart racing, like a deer caught in headlights.
She's always kept my contact information in her heart?
What exactly does that mean?
Could it be she likes me?
As if.
He remained silent for a moment, took out his phone, and removed Kushida Kikyo from his blacklist first.
But.
This girl is really... just too theatrical.
Dealing with average people might be fine, but trying to deal with a "Loser King" like him, she's still a bit too green.
At night.
In the dormitory.
Hikigaya lay on the bed, looking at the incoming message from Kushida Kikyo on his phone.
This girl is way too clingy.
No choice.
Implement Plan B!
Hikigaya long-pressed the power button and swiped with his right thumb, choosing to shut down the phone.
As long as he replied tomorrow morning with "Sorry, my phone died" or something like that, it should be fine.
The evidence was himself.
Junior high girls basically always replied to him that way! And then there was never any more contact.
So, Plan B is definitely foolproof.
Although he didn't know what Kushida Kikyo was up to, he really didn't want to associate with someone like her.
Bye-bye to you.