Perhaps he was just overthinking it.
Ignoring everyone.
After Ryuen finished speaking to himself, he led his lackeys out of the cafe, leaving only Shiina Hiyori behind.
"Why are you still here?"
Hasebe Haruka asked with knitted brows, though her tone was still somewhat kind. After hearing Hachiman's analysis, Ryuen didn't seem quite as scary anymore.
"Please wait a moment."
Shiina Hiyori picked up the flattened paper cup with a silly smile, turned to the counter, and brought back two new paper cups.
"If you don't mind, please accept these."
"What does this mean? Why give them to me?"
"You don't need to be wary of me. I saw what happened just now; it was undoubtedly Ryuen-kun's fault. As a member of Class C, I want to apologize on his behalf. Although it's a bit presumptuous, I've already added the sugar."
With a lazy smile on her face, Shiina Hiyori handed the coffee to Hasebe.
"Alright. I didn't expect Class C to have someone like Shiina-san. Actually, I didn't take it to heart."
Hasebe smiled and took it, taking a simple sip:
"It's delicious. It's basically the same as the cup I had just now. How did you do that?"
"A large amount of sugar was settled at the bottom of the cup. I calculated it backwards from the amount of undissolved sugar."
"Is that even possible?"
"Actually, it's surprisingly doable. Despite how I look, my observation skills are quite excellent. You all are studying, right? Sorry for disturbing you. Goodbye."
There's no way that's possible.
Rather than saying her observation skills are excellent, it's more like she's very tactful. This Class D group is really easy to fool.
After speaking.
Shiina Hiyori gave a slight bow, turned, and left the cafe.
Only then did Hachiman withdraw his gaze.
What a pity. It would have been great if they had started fighting.
"I heard Class C is looking for a hidden strategist in Class D."
Kobashi Yume turned sideways and joined the conversation with some concern: "You all seem to be having a hard time."
Eh?
Is that a thing?
Hachiman was baffled, and Hasebe and the others also looked confused:
"Is there such a thing?"
"Yes, I heard this is already a hot topic in Class C."
Hachiman was floored.
The people involved in Class D didn't even know, yet Kobashi Yume did. Girls' information networks are truly terrifying.
However.
She was often with Ichinose; it was likely Ichinose's information network.
"Eh? Is that so? Isn't the strategist referring to Horikita?"
"Yeah, I can only think of Horikita too."
Because Kobashi Yume had stood up for them earlier, the atmosphere between the two sides suddenly became much better.
Just then.
"If it's just idle chatter, can you please go somewhere else!"
Yukimura looked at the two of them with deep displeasure, his gaze not flinching in the slightest.
This guy is pretty brave
Hachiman gave him an admiring look; this guy was really something for daring to talk to girls like that.
"Yukimura-kun, you don't have to say it like that."
"If you can fail and be expelled without any complaints, then chat all you want. I'm going back."
Saying this, Yukimura picked up his bag, preparing to leave.
He had barely finished a few problems before they started chatting. It was already a hassle having Hasebe and Sakura Airi around.
At least Sakura didn't talk much, so he could barely tolerate it.
But now Kobashi Yume and the others from Class B had joined in.
Studying with these women was a pure waste of time.
"Ugh..."
Hasebe Haruka pressed her hands together and quickly apologized:
"Please, have mercy! Please teach me how to study!"
"Exactly. If you want to chat, do it after the exams."
Yukimura pushed his glasses up his nose and looked at Kobashi Yume and her group with dissatisfaction:
"You guys in Class B are also being watched by Class A. It must be tough. You don't need to worry about us at all."
Get out of the way.
His implication was just those four words.
They belonged to different classes; he had no intention of getting along with them.
While that was true.
Hachiman felt strangely irritated. Kobashi Yume had just stood up for them, and who knows what would have happened otherwise.
And now they were being treated with contempt.
These Class D people are way too self-centered and out of line.
"Will the exam be dangerous if you don't work hard at studying?"
Kobashi Yume said apologetically: "I'm sorry, we didn't realize that. Hachiman-kun, Yuki-chan, Mako-chan, let's go."
The cafe was meant for chatting.
But the main issue was the surveillance from Class A, which was undoubtedly disturbing Yukimura and the others who wanted to study seriously.
The world is neither gentle nor correct.
If Ichinose weren't standing in front, kind people like Kobashi Yume would likely be bullied and still feel like they were the ones in the wrong.
"There's no need, right? A cafe is a place where you're allowed to talk," Hachiman said, feeling a bit reluctant.
He didn't want to change locations before they even started. He had no idea how long this would drag on.
He wasn't willing.
Unless Kobashi Yume and the others would just let him go home, but that would probably be difficult.
"Eh?"
Kobashi Yume glanced toward the group from Class A and said helplessly:
"But they keep staring at us. It's not good to cause trouble for others. Let's change places."
"..."
Indeed.
It's not good to trouble others.
Yeah, right.
Speaking of which.
Hachiman felt strangely annoyed.
Kobashi Yume and the others were fine.
At least they were in the same class and working toward Class A.
But.
Why should they be treated with contempt after helping? Why should he care about Class D's business? Why should he care about the opinions of a group of people from Class D he wasn't even familiar with?
Why was it that the moment Yukimura spoke, they were the ones who had to leave?
Is there some kind of bug in this world?
What a trash game.
"Do you really care?"
Hachiman looked up at Kobashi Yume and asked in a low voice.
"Of course, right?"
"After all, we're the ones troubling Yukimura and the others."
Okakura Mako also looked a bit embarrassed.
Really.
A bunch of hopeless do-gooders.
Anyway, it wasn't a big deal, and changing places was a hassle.
"Then there's no need to leave. Just make the Class A people leave," Hachiman said plainly.
The culprits.
It should be the Class A people who had been pressuring them.
Even though he didn't care, normal people like Kobashi Yume and Yukimura would probably feel the pressure of being shamelessly watched.
"But..."
Okakura Mako said helplessly: "I don't think they'll listen to us. Should we go over and say something?"
Class A was doing it for pressure.
Naturally, they wouldn't listen to persuasion. Moreover, just staring wasn't against the rules; looking at whoever you want is a personal freedom.
It's not illegal; it's just immoral.
Dealing with a group of immoral people, normal persuasion would certainly be useless.
"Could it be..."
Kobashi Yume's eyes sparkled with anticipation: "Hachiman-kun has a way?"
"Roughly... I guess."
Hachiman felt a bit uncomfortable: "Also, can you please stop looking at me with those eyes? It's very uncomfortable."
"Eh, I didn't mean anything by it."
Feeling Himeno Yuki's gaze, Kobashi Yume waved her hands in a panic: "I was just curious about the method."
"Forget it. As long as we get those Class A guys to leave, right? By the way, who are they?"
"They seem to be Nishikawa Ryoko, Yano Koharu, and Hashimoto Masayoshi from Class A. They are all core members of the Sakayanagi faction."
"Eh? Did they come specifically to tail us?"
"Probably not, right?"
Kobashi Yume tapped her lip with her finger: "They weren't here before. They probably just happened to run into us and decided to apply pressure. So, what does Hachiman-kun plan to do? Is there anything we can help with?"
"No need. Just watch."
Hachiman crossed his arms and leaned on the table, deploying one of the 108 Hachiman Techniques against the Class A trio.
The Death Stare!
Allow me to explain.
Anyone caught in the gaze of these dead fish eyes will feel an inexplicable pressure, just like a normal person.
Um... it's just the kind of ability any normal person has.
Think of it as a passive skill humans are born with.
Hashimoto Masayoshi and the others.
They were using the same method to pressure them.
"Stare..."
Hachiman stared intently at them. He saw that blonde guy, Hashimoto Masayoshi, with a mocking smile on his face, as if he were laughing at them for being trash.
Good, good...
Then let me show you another of the 108 Hachiman Techniques.
The Endurance Contest.
The loner is long-time companions with solitude.
From the initial fear and worry to calm and acceptance, and finally evolving to enjoying the loneliness.
His endurance is not something an ordinary person can match.
Let me show you the willpower of Hachiman Hikigaya, who once stared at himself in a mirror for an hour.
"Stare..."
Hachiman continued to unleash his Death Stare.
By the way, why do all the annoying people have blonde hair? Do these people ever consider not dyeing it?
Wait, that's not right.
After all, they are Japanese.
Most blondes are "normies" who dyed it later.
In other words.
As expected, normies are the most annoying people in the world.
Hachiman reached a conclusion in his mind.
Precisely because they don't need to communicate with others, loners are better at thinking than ordinary people. Because they don't need to share with anyone, loners can think more deeply.
If they simply have nothing to do.
A loner can play with himself for a hundred years.
"Um, Hachiman-kun, what about your method?"
"Stare..."
Hachiman had no intention of responding. He stared fixedly at Hashimoto Masayoshi and the others. Hashimoto's smile began to turn unnatural from its initial mockery.
On the other side of the cafe.
"Um..."
Hashimoto Masayoshi withdrew his pressuring gaze and lowered his voice: "That guy has been staring over here the whole time."
"Is that so?"
Nishikawa Ryoko looked at the book in her hand, unconcerned: "He probably wants to use that method to make us back off. Just keep staring back at him."
"That's a bit..."
Hashimoto Masayoshi said unnaturally: "That guy's gaze is really uncomfortable."
Even they.
Would occasionally withdraw their gaze, take a sip of tea, or say a word.
But those dead fish eyes never looked away; he didn't even blink. He was like a ghost.
Hashimoto was truly starting to feel uneasy being watched like that.
"Hmm..."
Nishikawa Ryoko looked up and glanced at him: "Then you take a break. I'll take over."
After speaking.
Nishikawa Ryoko turned her body and locked eyes with Hachiman.
"Stare~~~"
The two of them began to stare at each other without fear.
One minute.
Two minutes.
By three minutes, Nishikawa Ryoko started to feel unnatural. She turned back to the others:
"That guy's gaze is so disgusting."
"Right?"
Hashimoto Masayoshi also felt uncomfortable: "It feels like bugs are crawling all over me. Yano, you try."
"Honestly, you two are so useless."
Yano Koharu turned to start staring at Hachiman, but in less than a moment, she admitted defeat.
"How about we just call it a day?"
"It's just a few people; it shouldn't matter."
"By the way, who is that guy? He's so gross."
"I think his name is Hachiman Hikigaya. I was in a group with him during the VIP exam. I didn't feel anything then, but why is he so disgusting now?"
The three of them badmouthed him as they withdrew their gazes, thinking they'd just let it go for today. Skipping one day wouldn't hurt.
However.
"Stare~~~"
Watching this scene, Hachiman widened his eyes, continuously increasing the output of his Death Stare.
Victory is in sight.
You think you can just apply pressure when you want and leave when you want? Who do you think you are?
Where in the world is the logic in that?
Hachiman stared deathly at the three. Beside him, Kobashi Yume and the others understood Hachiman's approach as they watched.
But could a simple gaze like that really drive them away?
"That guy is still looking."
Nishikawa Ryoko occasionally glanced back, only to find that no matter when she looked, Hachiman was staring.
"So disgusting."
Yano Koharu unnaturally rubbed her arms: "I feel like I'm getting goosebumps. Hashimoto, go talk to him."
"Fine."
Hashimoto Masayoshi shook his head helplessly, stood up, walked to Hachiman's side, and smiled:
"Excuse me, classmate. Could you please stop staring at us? My friends are feeling troubled."
"..."
Kobashi Yume and the others were speechless. Weren't you the ones staring first? Just as they were about to speak, they saw Hachiman raise his palm to stop them.
"Stare..."
Hachiman's dead fish eyes were fixed directly on Hashimoto Masayoshi.
Words were meaningless at this point.
Since the war had started.
They had to settle it.
Either admit defeat or get out.
If you've got the guts, just come and hit me.
"Stare~~~"
Hashimoto Masayoshi felt uneasy being watched. He forced a smile and said:
"Classmate, I'm talking to you."
"Stare..."
"You aren't a mute, are you?"
"Stare~"
"I'm talking to you."
Hashimoto's tone finally carried a hint of anger.
"Stare~~~"
However, the response remained Hachiman's Death Stare. If you've got the guts, do something here in public; if not, get lost.
"You..."
Hashimoto Masayoshi clenched his fists, finally realizing that this guy didn't want to say a single word to him.
But if he actually did something, he also had concerns.
"You win."
Hashimoto Masayoshi dropped a harsh remark, turned back to the Class A table, and shook his head. The group glanced in this direction.
They realized those dead fish eyes were still watching.
The three of them sat at the table.
One minute.
Two minutes.
Seemingly to prove they hadn't lost, the three of them persisted for another three minutes before finally standing up and slinking out of the cafe.