Library.
When Hikigaya arrived at the library, there were only a few figures in the vast space.
It was summer vacation, after all.
Most people were probably out "singing praises to their youth."
Hikigaya skillfully walked up to the second floor.
The Advanced Nurturing High School library had a massive collection, no less than the Chiba City Library. He had been here several times.
But every time...
Hikigaya would just borrow his books and leave immediately.
He wouldn't stay long.
People who say the library has a better "study atmosphere" and that's why they can study seriously are mostly fakes with zero self-control.
The headphones they use to block out noise are the best evidence.
If you really want immersive study, wouldn't a quiet dormitory room be better?
To put it bluntly...
They are just pretending to study, hoping to have a chance encounter with some acquaintances.
From that perspective...
Perhaps they are just afraid of being lonely.
Hmph.
A bunch of trash.
He was someone who could study peacefully even in his own room.
Hikigaya thought about random things while observing the categories on the side of the bookshelves.
Just then, a figure entered his line of sight.
A girl with waist-length white hair was standing on her tiptoes, reaching high with her arms to try and get a book. Her purple, "dorky-cute" eyes seemed to hold some confusion—why couldn't she reach it?
What a cute literary girl.
But...
Little sister, isn't the number of times you can't reach a book getting a bit high?
Don't you ever learn?
That's right.
He had seen this girl once before. Last time, she was also like this, falling by the bookshelf with a look of confusion, yet showing no intention of asking for help from those around her.
After all, the position of that book...
Was exactly within the range where it could be reached if one were just a tiny bit taller. Asking for help felt like a bit of a burden.
Hikigaya only gave her a glance before walking to the other side of the bookshelf.
Through the gap between the books and the shelf, a pair of "grand objects" appeared in his field of vision, swaying up and down with her tiptoeing movements.
Hikigaya's face turned red, and he looked up to a higher shelf.
It should be one of these books here.
It definitely wasn't that he intentionally wanted to help her; he just wanted to borrow some books too.
Hikigaya picked up a book and gave a light push toward the other side. The book wobbled and fell off the shelf.
To be safe...
He pushed several surrounding books down as well.
"Thud, thud, thud."
"Ouch~"
As several books landed, the girl made a sound of pain.
It shouldn't have caused injury from that height, but it still made Hikigaya feel somewhat apologetic.
"Oh, sorry."
Hikigaya spoke from where he was, then prepared to turn and leave.
Based on the last experience, the girl wouldn't take any action. A simple apology like this would be enough.
After all...
Not asking for help was enough proof that the other party was a relatively introverted person.
She probably wouldn't take a small matter to heart.
As for the extra books...
Leave them for the librarian to handle.
"Wait."
"Ugh..."
Hikigaya's neck shrunk. Why was it different from last time? Surely she wasn't going to blackmail him?
Such a cute girl...
She probably wouldn't do something like that... maybe.
Perhaps his apology just now lacked sincerity.
Nothing else for it then.
After all, his actions caused the books to hit her on the head.
Only a dogeza (prostration) apology would show enough sincerity!
Hikigaya turned toward the girl who was running over, prepared to kneel.
He couldn't help but marvel.
The "face value" of this school was truly high. Observing her face-to-face, he realized the girl before him was as exquisite and moving as a doll.
"Um, I'm very sorry."
Hikigaya apologized again, wanting to get past it. "I accidentally dropped the books just now. Are you okay?"
"Yes."
The girl tilted her small head slightly, scrutinized him for a moment, and said, "You did it on purpose, didn't you?"
It wasn't a question, but a statement of fact.
Clearly, she was quite certain.
"No-no-no, I didn't."
Hikigaya remained stubborn. "What evidence do you have?"
It's over.
Completely over.
Clearly a beautiful girl, but her heart is so "spiteful."
She definitely wants to confirm the charge of him intentionally causing injury and then extort a huge sum from him.
The prettier the girl, the more ruthless her heart.
"Hmph..."
A faint smile appeared on the girl's dorky-cute face.
"That sentence itself can be used as evidence, right? 'Where is the evidence' is a classic line for a culprit... What brilliant reasoning, you should become a novelist... 'I don't want to stay in the same room as a murderer.'"
"The last part is clearly a victim's line, a death flag, so to speak."
"As I thought, you know your stuff."
For some reason...
The girl clapped her small hands excitedly. "By the way, I haven't introduced myself. I'm Hiyori Shiina from Class 1-C. And you?"
"Ah? Oh."
Though he didn't know why it turned out like this, Hikigaya introduced himself politely. "Class 1-B, Hachiman Hikigaya."
"Oh, Hikigaya-kun!"
Hiyori Shiina's eyes sparkled even more. "You must usually like reading detective novels too, right?"
"Well, I guess so."
Hikigaya was startled and took half a step back.
He would read basically anything related to words; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he liked them.
Only...
What was with this kid?
He thought she was a quiet, literary girl, so why did she suddenly become so enthusiastic?
"I knew it!"
Hiyori Shiina clasped her hands together.
"I knew it. But, you asked me for evidence just now. Using a cliché line as evidence is indeed a bit improper. Actually, I did some proper reasoning~"
"Oh..."
Hikigaya was a bit bewildered, not knowing how to respond to such enthusiasm, so he just said "Oh."
By the way...
Why did it turn out like this?
Someone who didn't know better would think they were friends.
What does this kid want?
Is it not blackmail? Is she actually trying to defraud him of his property?
Scary.
This is far too scary.
But with the experience of being "taught by example" by his father's history of being scammed, Hikigaya didn't think anyone could scam him.
"Because~"
Hiyori Shiina couldn't contain her excitement. "You did the same thing last time, pushing a book toward me, and this time too. There can't be such a coincidence in the world! So, you actually wanted to help me get the book, right?"
"What brilliant reasoning, you should become a novelist."
Hikigaya's mouth twitched.
If this counts as reasoning, Conan would cry.
"I was just looking for some books I like."
"Is that so?"
Hiyori Shiina tilted her head, looking at the copy of The Tale of Genji in his hand. "Does Hikigaya-kun like this kind of book?"
"Hmm?"
Hikigaya looked closely.
He realized what he was holding and quickly shoved it back onto the shelf.
"No!"
Hikigaya said somewhat flusteredly.
This book was a bit too "spicy" for high schoolers; there was no way he liked that kind of thing!
"Then you really were helping me!"
Hiyori Shiina clapped her hands, the smile appearing on her lips once more.
She asked curiously, "Only, Hikigaya-kun, why use such a roundabout way? Wouldn't it have been fine just to reach up and grab it for me?"
"Ugh..."
"Oh, that... it's just that, you know, I just grabbed the wrong book."
Hikigaya glanced at the shelf beside him and randomly pulled out another book, refusing to admit to the fact that he was helping her.
...some.
It's just that this kind of excuse was full of holes.
He hurriedly changed the subject: "By the way, why didn't you react last time?"
"..."
Shiina Hiyori looked at the Hikigaya in front of her with a slight hint of confusion, wondering what she was thinking, but the smile at the corner of her mouth deepened further.
Hikigaya's cheeks flushed slightly.
He naturally recognized the meaning of that smile.
It wasn't mockery or ridicule; it was more like a smile coming from a genuine feeling of happiness.
He just really didn't understand what she had to be so happy about.
"That..."
Without continuing the questioning, Shiina Hiyori rested a finger on her chin and pondered: "When you pushed the book over last time, I thought it was some new kind of pick-up tactic, so I didn't pay it any mind."
Hey—
Translating that sentence: if it were a pick-up attempt, he would have been rejected immediately.
That's harsh.
"Isn't that a bit of a hasty deduction?"
Hikigaya said, somewhat speechless: "If someone really wanted to hit on you, it's not impossible for them to try twice in a row. The persistence of those superficial guys when they see a beautiful woman is quite strong."
"So this time, I responded."
Shiina Hiyori nodded with a light smile.
Hey—
What does that mean? Wait a minute, just wait a second. Hikigaya felt like his brain was short-circuiting; he couldn't process it.
His heart beat faster and faster, and Hikigaya felt his cheeks burning.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
Seeing this, Shiina Hiyori suddenly became flustered: "I was joking."
What the heck.
He was almost scared to death.
While feeling relieved, Hikigaya couldn't help but feel a slight sense of disappointment as he said:
"If you often make these kinds of jokes, it's easy to make boys misunderstand."
"I am truly very sorry."
Shiina Hiyori bowed in apology, scratching her hair a bit sheepishly:
"Because I've had almost no friends since I was a child, finally meeting someone with a common interest made me get a bit carried away. Jokes like that really are too much, aren't they?"
"I see."
Feeling a bit of a thrill from being played with—since it was a joke, Hikigaya didn't mind too much:
"It's not exactly 'too much,' it's just that this kind of joke easily leads to misunderstandings for boys. It might be dangerous for you, so it's best not to make them lightly."
"Mhm."
Shiina Hiyori nodded in relief: "So, I can really understand Hikigaya-kun's feeling of wanting to help but worrying about causing trouble for the other person, which is why you used such a roundabout method, right?"
If Shiina Hiyori truly had no friends, she would indeed easily understand that kind of feeling.
"I just grabbed the wrong book."
Hikigaya absolutely would not admit it.
"Let's just say it's like that. Speaking of which, what kind of book was Hikigaya-kun looking for in the library? I'm very familiar with this place."
Shiina Hiyori smiled dismissively, revealing her intention to help.
"Mhm."
Hikigaya wasn't quite sure either: "Does the school library have light novels?"
"Eh? Hikigaya-kun wants to read light novels?"
Shiina Hiyori was slightly stunned.
"I suppose so."
"Okay, I remember the light novels are over there. I'll take you to have a look, but we have to put the books that fell on the floor back first. Can Hikigaya-kun help?"
"Oh, sure."
Actually, just pointing the way would have been fine.
But for some reason, Shiina Hiyori wanted to go with him. Left with no choice, Hikigaya took the books from her hands and put them back in their original positions.
Since he had caused it, he didn't feel unwilling.
The two arrived at the light novel section.
Hikigaya looked seriously at the bookshelf in front of him.
The Advanced Nurturing Library actually collected quite a few light novels, but they didn't seem to have a detailed organization plan.
There were some with only two or three volumes, some with over ten, and even some series had missing volumes.
"So that's how it is."
Hikigaya nodded; it was just as he expected.