"Um..."
Looking at Mio Ibuki, who had her legs crossed and was leaning against the armrest, Hikigaya hesitated.
If he walked straight past, he would definitely accidentally bump into her.
What if he got hit?
"Excuse me, my seat is inside..."
Hikigaya said weakly.
If he had known, he would have picked the bottom-left seat. Why did he have to run into this person? Today must not be his day.
"..."
Ibuki glanced at him. Hikigaya felt like he was being glared at and instantly became nervous.
He saw Ibuki shift her slender body, pulling back slightly.
It was likely her way of letting him through.
Though the distance didn't seem to change much.
Hikigaya helplessly pressed himself against the back of the front seat, brushed past Ibuki, and quickly sat in his own seat.
After just a few steps...
Hikigaya felt incredibly tense.
That was great; he almost thought he was going to get hit.
Although she looked fierce on the surface, Ibuki might unexpectedly be a decent person.
As the lights in the theater went out completely, images appeared on the screen; the movie began.
Hikigaya leaned against the other armrest to put more distance between himself and Ibuki.
In the end...
He hadn't even spoken more than a few words to Ibuki.
He had only heard her name from the mouths of Ryuen, Suzune Horikita, and others.
The two of them finished the movie without incident.
Seeing that Ibuki had no intention of leaving, Hikigaya stood up, planning to leave from the other side.
"Wait."
Hikigaya stopped in his tracks.
Why does everyone like to tell him to wait? Does he really look that easy to bully?
"Sit down."
Are you training a dog?
Hikigaya turned back, somewhat speechless. "Is something the matter?"
"I heard you tricked Kaneda pretty badly."
Ibuki remained in her seat; she seemingly planned to watch the next showing. "That guy has been saying he's going to make you pay."
"That's not what happened."
Hikigaya understood she was likely talking about the uninhabited island. He said, exasperated, "He misunderstood on his own. It had nothing to do with me."
"Exactly."
Ibuki showed a look of contempt. "That self-important guy trying to pin the blame on you is disgusting."
Hm?
He got the feeling that this girl's relationship with Class C wasn't very good.
Instead, she was speaking up for him, an outsider.
However...
Hikigaya didn't care much about that.
"If there's nothing else, I'll be going."
"Wait."
"..."
Hikigaya waited with a resentful gaze for her next topic. Ibuki went silent for a moment before asking, "Aren't you afraid of Ryuen?"
"What's there to be afraid of?"
Hikigaya was speechless.
Compared to Ryuen...
He felt people like Ibuki and Suzune Horikita were scarier.
When a girl seriously rejects you, that icy tone can truly freeze a person solid.
"Ha..."
Ibuki sighed heavily and clicked her tongue.
"Don't think that guy is a good person just because he's generous with money. He's someone who won't hesitate to use violence. I advise you to have less contact with Ryuen. Don't let money blind you."
Hikigaya was stunned. He said incredulously, "Are you... worried about me?"
"Ha? Of course not, idiot!"
Ibuki punched the armrest hard. Feeling a few scattered gazes, she lowered her voice.
"In short, if you still want a peaceful school life, you'd better stay away from that guy. Understand?"
Sure enough, you can't judge a book by its cover.
He didn't expect Ibuki to be such a gentle person.
"I know what you mean."
Hikigaya's smile softened slightly. "Violence is indeed terrifying, but that's only because the victims are unwilling to speak up."
"Unluckily for him, I'm the type who's willing to keep playing as long as the rules benefit me, but will rise up and fight back when the rules are against me."
"Ha?"
Ibuki looked at him with utter disgust. "Doesn't that just mean you want to take advantage without giving anything back? I didn't think you were such a scumbag. And why are you suddenly smiling? Gross!"
"Ugh..."
Hikigaya was choked up; this girl was really too much.
"Forget it. If there's nothing else, I'm leaving. Anyway, if Ryuen only has violence and some petty, despicable tricks, I don't think he's scary at all."
After saying that.
Hikigaya turned and left; Ibuki didn't speak again.
In terms of being despicable...
He was confident he wouldn't lose to anyone.
As for violence?
He was a "good child" who loved to tell on people to the teacher.
Leaving the cinema.
After having curry for lunch, Hikigaya went to the convenience store.
Although there were several vending machines downstairs at the dormitory, it felt quite inconvenient.
One should know that in Chiba...
Farmers buy MAX Coffee by the crate.
He also planned to buy a crate to keep in his room.
Since it was summer vacation...
There weren't many people in the convenience store.
But he could see a few familiar shadows: Ayanokoji and the three idiots from Class D, as well as Kushida and several girls.
Hikigaya turned his head and pretended not to see them, walking straight to the other side.
Kikyo Kushida had been pestering him to eat with her; Hikigaya really didn't want to get close to those troublesome people.
A bald head appeared before his eyes—it was Katsuragi from Class A.
He hadn't planned to pay attention, but Hikigaya noticed that this guy was seriously examining a hair clip.
Hey—
Hikigaya was shocked.
Could this serious-looking guy have some kind of special fetish?
The key point is, even if you have a special fetish, you don't seem to have any hair.
Hikigaya secretly observed his bald head. If he bought a hair clip, where exactly would he wear it?
"To avoid unnecessary misunderstanding, I should probably explain."
Katsuragi looked at the hair clip and said in a deep voice, "This is a gift for my sister."
"Ah? Oh... okay."
Hikigaya gave an embarrassed dry laugh.
Clearly not looking this way, yet he still noticed. This guy's insight is truly sharp; as expected of a Class A leader.
Hearing that the other party was buying a gift for his sister, Hikigaya couldn't help but feel a sense of kinship.
"If you're buying a gift for your sister, it's better not to buy small accessories like this."
"Oh? Why?"
"Because I also have a sister."
Hikigaya explained proudly, "A brother's aesthetic usually isn't accepted by his sister. Even if she happily accepts the gift, she'll probably just throw it in some corner for her collection."
"Like the bag charm I gave Komachi in junior high. She threw it in a drawer and never used it. When I found out, I was heartbroken for a long time."
Hikigaya tirelessly preached to him the "Way of the Little Sister."
"That makes sense."
Though most of it was this guy bragging about his sister, Katsuragi pondered for a moment and nodded.
"Then what do you think would be a better gift?"
"Well."
Hikigaya also helped him think. "Since you have money now, why not send some sweets that are usually hard to find? You know, there isn't a girl in the world who doesn't like sweets!"
"Hmm, thanks. I'll take that as a reference."
Katsuragi nodded, put down the hair clip, and walked toward the dessert section.
Hikigaya followed behind, pointing at the MAX Coffee and commanding, "I especially recommend this MAX Coffee from Chiba. It's coffee, but it's sweeter than most desserts! Oh, and this chocolate, Komachi loves it! Oh, and this one."
Looking at the aggressively promoting Hikigaya, Katsuragi was a bit speechless.
I'm buying a gift for my sister, not your sister, you bastard.
However...
A person who loves his sister this much definitely wouldn't be a bad person.
"Although I appreciate the sentiment."
Katsuragi shook his head helplessly. "But I haven't thought of how to send the gift out yet. No need to rush."
"I see..."
Hikigaya also retracted his hands somewhat awkwardly. His "sister soul" had accidentally erupted.
"If you want to send it, find a club to help you mail it out."
"Hmm?"
Katsuragi frowned. "I remember the school can't contact the outside world."
"Oh, right."
Hikigaya remembered now. "However, I recall that the school's sports clubs occasionally need to go out for competitions. If you find a member of a sports club in Class A to help you mail it, it shouldn't be that hard, right?"
"Hmm?"
Katsuragi was slightly stunned. "Really?"
"Probably. Go ask the sports club people in your class and you'll find out, right?"
Hikigaya wasn't entirely sure.
After all, he had only researched it briefly at the start of the term.
"Indeed."
Katsuragi nodded, a trace of a smile appearing on his stern face.
"Anyway, if the gift can be sent out, I'll owe you a favor."
"No need."
Hikigaya raised a hand and turned to leave. "Don't let your sister down."
This was a silent understanding between two brothers.
Only...
It was mid-summer vacation.
He wondered how Komachi was doing at home.
Although Komachi's birthday was in March, he probably needed to consider how to send a gift in advance.
After all...
The Service Club (Volunteer Club) didn't have any competitions that required leaving the school.
There was no chance to go out.
Forget it.
He'd just ask Shibata for help when the time came. He felt like that guy wouldn't refuse; isn't the value of a "normie" (riajuu) to be used at times like this?
His head full of Komachi...
Hikigaya lost interest in continuing to hang around.
Just as he stepped out of the convenience store, he was drawn to the books displayed at the entrance.
Regarding My Reincarnation as a Slime
"I didn't expect it."
Hikigaya picked up a copy. "I didn't expect the school to have light novels like this. They've really thought of everything."
He had liked these kinds of light novels in junior high.
He even had a "chunibyo" phase.
However.
As he grew older...
Hikigaya still preferred literary works with some depth.
Thinking it over.
Hikigaya put the light novel back.
He might as well go to the library to borrow a few books and take them back to his room.