Second homeroom.
The school held a pep rally in Gym No. 1.
The one in charge of the speech was a third-year Class A senior named Fujimaki, whose speech made Hikigaya start to doze off.
Until the speech ended.
Ryuen led the students of Class C over here. Kanzaki, Shibata, and others also stood behind Ichinose in unison to give her support.
Are they idiots?
Why do these people like group actions so much?
Are they planning to start a martial arts tournament...
With so many people present, it's impossible for a fight to break out.
Hikigaya stood to the side listlessly, having no intention of cheering for Ichinose.
"Ichinose."
Ryuen walked in front of Ichinose and the others and said flatly: "Classes that cannot trust each other will only hinder each other when cooperating. Don't come and interfere with us in this Sports Festival, understand?"
After making his unilateral declaration.
Ryuen turned and left with his group of Class C lackeys, seemingly not caring about Ichinose's opinion at all.
"In other words, you don't want to discuss it?"
Ichinose said, somewhat confused.
This time Class B and Class C were both in the White Team; they were partners by nature. Facing the Red Team composed of the third-year Class A and second-year Class A, the hope of victory was already slim.
If they couldn't even cooperate peacefully, the possibility of victory would likely decrease even further.
"I only left as a well-intentioned warning."
"Even if I proposed cooperation, I don't think you would believe me."
"In the end, we would just be probing each other's thoughts; it's a waste of time."
Ryuen looked back and sneered.
Hikigaya, standing to the side, was somewhat speechless. This guy is also the self-righteous type.
He, on the other hand, felt.
Given Ichinose's personality, she would likely trust Ryuen. It was just that Ryuen seemed only to believe in his own judgment, and the other party's thoughts didn't matter.
This could be considered confidence in his own strength.
However.
Wanting to live alone on a deserted island for a few days is no easy task. Given the competitive desire Ryuen had displayed, he probably had some kind of plan.
"I see, so you were considering us and saving us the trouble~ I see, I see."
"That's right, you ought to thank me."
Listening to Ryuen's reply, Ichinose nodded in deep thought, but she still didn't want to give up just like that.
"Sigh, Ryuen-kun, do you have the confidence to win this competition without cooperating?"
"Heh, who knows."
Ryuen smiled, then led the members of Class C to turn around and leave.
The members of Class B didn't know what to do for a moment. Shibata said somewhat helplessly:
"I didn't expect Ryuen to just give up directly; looks like we can only work hard on our own."
"Probably not."
Ichinose looked back and shook her head, saying: "I feel like Ryuen must have some kind of strategy, it's just that this strategy doesn't require cooperation with us, or he's paralyzing Classes A and D."
Hearing this.
Hikigaya looked toward the Class A group that was communicating with Class D. Just then, the leaders, Katsuragi and Hirata, simultaneously looked toward the Class A camp.
Curiously following their gaze, he discovered a petite girl holding a walking stick, sitting all alone on a folding chair.
"Uwah..."
With just one look, Hikigaya had a bad premonition.
It wasn't that the girl was unpleasant to look at—on the contrary, she was very cute—but her pretty face constantly maintained a fake smile, like a big sister working at a café.
That must be Class A's Arisu Sakayanagi.
The most terrifying thing was.
Arisu Sakayanagi didn't care at all about letting people know she was faking that smile.
It was as if in her eyes.
Everyone was just a toy for her enjoyment; it wouldn't be impossible for someone like her to betray class interests for her own sake.
What is this...
Isn't this a bit too scary?
Has Katsuragi been fighting against someone like this all this time?
Truly impressive.
Hikigaya quickly withdrew his gaze; he didn't want to deal with this kind of "fun-seeker" at all, feeling like he'd be played to death by the other party.
"That makes sense."
Kanzaki nodded calmly: "With the desire to win Ryuen has shown, he really doesn't seem like the type to give up easily; he must already have a strategy for victory."
"But we don't need to worry too much."
Ichinose smiled sweetly: "This time we are in a cooperative relationship with Class C, so we just need to seriously enjoy the Sports Festival."
"Yeah!"
Shibata beat his chest and said confidently: "This time, I will definitely take first place in the individual events!"
"Shibata-kun, so reliable—"
The other girls immediately chimed in.
After all, he was handsome, good at sports, had decent grades, and was cheerful, kind, sunny, and generous.
Damnable normie.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Shibata-kun."
Ichinose also breathed a sigh of relief.
After school.
Before he could even stand up, Ichinose came over to his seat.
"Hikigaya-kun, after school, we've decided to train on the field for a while, so don't leave first."
"Eh? Why?"
Hikigaya said, somewhat dazed: "Isn't it enough to just practice during PE class?"
These people are way too driven.
They're actually staying after school to train.
The school specifically increased the PE curriculum this month precisely because they didn't want to take up their private time.
Please appreciate the school's painstaking efforts.
"No can do~"
Ichinose said somewhat seriously: "Actually, our class's athletic scores haven't always been great. Although our overall grades are decent, our individual strength can't compare to the other three classes at all, so we have to train even harder."
Eh?
Is that so?
Hikigaya had no idea.
But thinking of that Sudo guy, even Shibata probably couldn't beat him; as for Class A, he wasn't sure at all.
Since Ichinose said so, then so be it.
"But..."
Hikigaya quickly explained: "I still have club activities."
"The Service Club doesn't have much activity content, does it?"
Kanzaki, sitting in the front seat, heartlessly dismantled his excuse: "Or is there something you, the President, want to do that I, as a member, don't know about?"
"Uh..."
But this time he really did have something to do. Hikigaya forced a smile:
"There's something this week; I'll participate properly next week."
"Hmm?"
Ichinose asked with some confusion: "Is there anything you need help with?"
"No, no need."
Hikigaya hurriedly waved his hand. Just then, a boy returned to the classroom, looking visibly surprised.
"Hikigaya, there's a girl outside looking for you."
"Eh?"
Kanzaki and Ichinose immediately gave him scrutinizing looks, and Hikigaya was equally confused. He didn't remember having an appointment with any girl.
Circulate.
Turn.
"Oh, I'm coming."
With a bit of bewilderment, Hikigaya stood up and left the classroom.
A girl with a good figure was standing in the hallway. Her pink hair was tied into two high pigtails, and she wore a pair of glasses.
Likely because she was in a strange environment, she lowered her head, hunched her shoulders, and looked somewhat constrained, her eyes glancing around from time to time.
She seemed to be a very introverted and timid person.
A group of nosy boys also peered out from the classroom to see which girl would come looking for Hikigaya.
"Who are you?"
Hikigaya became even more confused.
He didn't remember knowing anyone like this, let alone a girl...
"Ee-ee-ee-ee!!?"
The girl seemed to take a huge hit; her delicate body instantly became even stiffer, and tears seemed to be swirling in her sapphire-blue eyes.
"Oh, oh, I remember, I remember."
Seeing her like this.
Hikigaya also panicked slightly and quickly searched his mind for such a person.
He quickly raised a finger and said proudly:
"Airi-chan? Airi-chan, right?"
Come.
Don't worry.
Airi-chan, Daddy won't forget you!
Is the person in front of him Airi Sakura?
Probably.
"Wuwuwu..."
Airi Sakura let out a whimper. Her fair skin turned red from her neck up to her face, and her body began to sway.
Not long after.
"Excuse me."
Airi Sakura bowed slightly, placed her pink fists over her chest, and ran away.
"What's up?"
At this time, Watanabe and the others walked out of the classroom, looking in the direction she left with confusion:
"Hikigaya, did you make a girl cry?"
"No..."
Hikigaya said awkwardly: "How should I know... she probably looked for the wrong person?"
By the way,
What on earth did that person want with him?
She ran off after only one sentence; that really was too impolite, but it seemed to be because he took the liberty of calling her name, so he couldn't blame her.
Pity.
"Then I'll head off first."
"Hikigaya, I'll decide the event registration form for you then."
"Oh."
Hearing Ichinose's shout, Hikigaya waved his hand dismissively to show he understood.
Anyway, it was just going through the motions; it didn't matter which event he participated in.
Service Club.
Hikigaya sat at the table, his pen tip tapping against the paper.
Wanting to establish a club to "fleece" the school.
It was simple.
One just needed three formal members; basically, anyone could do it.
But maintaining it was very difficult.
Therefore,
Commander Manabu Horikita said this wasn't a long-term plan.
Clubs.
Every year, they need to submit results to the school.
For sports clubs, it's the results from off-campus competitions each year; non-sports clubs also have related evaluations.
But the Service Club.
Originally a discarded pawn, it luckily passed the application.
Naturally, there was no activity content.
Continuing it was almost impossible.
Hikigaya didn't have much attachment to this club, but with fifteen thousand points in specialized funds every month, it was a bit of a pity to give it up.
There were still about seven months left before the one-year mark; it wasn't necessary to deliver results right now.
However.
Student council elections were currently underway; next month, Commander Manabu Horikita would likely step down, and after that, the blond Miyabi Nagumo would probably take over.
It wasn't that he thought Miyabi Nagumo would specifically target him.
It's just.
He felt that under Manabu Horikita, proposals should pass more easily.
Although it had no effect, he had at least helped Commander Horikita teach his arrogant sister, Suzune Horikita, a lesson.
The other party should be a bit more lenient, right?
Hikigaya pulled out his phone and opened his personal page.
Personal Points: 853,623.
Five hundred thousand was the reward from the VIP exam; the rest was the fifty thousand from Ryuen and the thirty thousand from Suzune Horikita at the start of school.
Others were saved up from this semester.
"So little..."
Hikigaya sighed.
Twenty million personal points; there's still a long way to go.
It would be best if it passes.
If not, it's not a pity if this club disappears.
Just doing whatever.