Dormitory building, Room 1103.
Hikigaya carried two plastic bags, nervously observing his surroundings, and looked up warily at the surveillance equipment above his head.
To be honest.
This was his first time stepping into a girl's territory; would he be arrested?
In fact.
This was his first time coming to a place other than the fifth floor.
For some reason.
Even though the layout was exactly the same as the fifth floor, the air was filled with a pleasant fragrance.
Seriously, if someone saw him, would he really not be arrested?
Luckily, it was winter break.
The students seemed to have all gone out to play, and there were few people around.
Hikigaya hurriedly rang the doorbell.
Ding-dong~
"Hikigaya? Wait a moment, I'll be right there."
As soon as the voice fell.
The door was opened from the inside. Karuizawa pushed the door open, wearing pink pajamas with a white towel tied around her head.
"Alright, come in quickly."
Karuizawa spoke with a weak voice.
"No need."
Hikigaya handed the plastic bags to her:
"I bought some cold medicine and some white porridge. Remember to eat it yourself. It's a total of 2600 private points; here's the receipt."
"..."
A vein popped on Karuizawa's forehead.
She was simply stunned.
Although she was happy that he brought white porridge for a sick person, what did he mean by trying to turn around and leave?
Moreover, she wasn't even sick at all.
Since it was already the holidays, who would want to eat white porridge?
However.
It was just one Hikigaya; he was still quite easy to deal with.
"Thank you..."
Karuizawa took the plastic bags weakly, and her snowy little hand suddenly loosened, causing the bento containing the white porridge to hit the floor with a thud.
"Ah..."
Hikigaya was a bit dumbfounded.
Was she sick to the point where she couldn't even lift a box of porridge?
"Sorry, I didn't expect it to be so heavy."
Karuizawa quickly squatted down, her petite body softening as she leaned against the wall: "Don't worry about it, I'll clean up the rest..."
In front of Hikigaya.
He watched as Karuizawa shakily picked up the plastic bag, showing a forced and slightly bitter smile.
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
Hikigaya said somewhat angrily: "You're already this sick; why didn't you say so earlier? How could I just leave a sick person alone?"
"Sorry..."
Karuizawa was startled and lowered her small head guiltily.
"Sigh."
Hikigaya gave a sigh and said with some doubt:
"If you don't mind, you go back and rest; I'll clean it up."
"Really? Thank you."
Karuizawa secretly made a victory sign in her heart; dealing with Hikigaya was indeed an easy task.
The two walked into the dormitory.
Hikigaya observed the surroundings slightly; Karuizawa's room was completely different from his.
There was pink wallpaper on the walls, with many cute stickers, and the bedsheets were also a girlish color.
As expected of a slut.
"Where is the mop?"
"Oh, in the bathroom."
"You go rest first."
Once Karuizawa had lain down on the bed.
Hikigaya walked into the bathroom, trying not to look around too much as he took out the mop and cleaned up the mess from just now.
By the time he returned to the bedroom.
Karuizawa was clutching the sheet, revealing two watery eyes like blue sapphires, observing him.
"Don't worry."
"I didn't do anything."
Hikigaya said somewhat speechlessly.
Even without being watched, he wouldn't do anything bad.
"It's not that..."
How could it be surveillance? Karuizawa muffled her voice behind the quilt, her face turning red as she said:
"I just feel that Hachiman is very good at housework."
"Just average."
Hikigaya's face became even more speechless: "And why are you calling me by my name? This is only our third time meeting."
"What does it matter... you can just call me Kei."
Ling.
Karuizawa asked in a low voice, "And isn't this only the second time we've met? Why did you say it's the third..."
"Uh..."
Hikigaya's face stiffened as he averted his gaze.
The first time was back on the deserted island; if it weren't for what happened yesterday, even he wouldn't have remembered. Karuizawa likely forgot a long time ago.
Back in elementary school, he was called creepy just because he memorized everyone's names on the first day.
He wasn't going to make that kind of mistake again.
"Then I must have remembered wrong."
Hikigaya put the mop back in the bathroom before returning to the bedroom.
"Then get some rest. I'll be heading back now."
"I'm hungry..."
Looking at Karuizawa's big, watery eyes, Hikigaya's face was full of distaste.
I clearly brought you food.
You're the one who knocked it over.
Dammit.
Even he hadn't eaten yet.
But seeing the towel on Karuizawa's head, Hikigaya really couldn't harden his heart.
Forget it.
The sooner this is done, the sooner it's over.
"There should be some ingredients in the kitchen. I'll go whip something up for you."
"There are. Thank you, really."
"No need for thanks, that'll be five hundred private points."
"..."
Karuizawa pretended not to hear. She watched Hikigaya walk into the kitchen with a secret smile on her lips. Before long, a fresh aroma wafted through the air.
A moment later.
Hikigaya returned to the bedroom and placed a bowl of white porridge on the nightstand.
As for the side dish, it was just the bit of pickles he had brought earlier. Since they hadn't actually hit the floor, they were still edible.
"Alright, I'm going back."
Karuizawa's gaze was resentful.
Why was he always trying to leave? Did he really dislike being around her that much?
Setting everything else aside.
At the very least, Karuizawa was confident in her looks. It was precisely because she was so cute that she had been targeted by those bullies.
"Bang."
Karuizawa sat up abruptly, and the back of her head slammed into the wall.
"Ow, that hurts..."
"Are you okay?"
Hikigaya immediately stopped and walked back, looking at the scene with a bit of helplessness.
"I told you, doing that yesterday would definitely give you a cold."
"Sorry..."
Karuizawa rubbed the spot she had bumped, looking embarrassed.
"Um... can you feed me? I feel like the ceiling is spinning. I'm so dizzy."
Hikigaya hesitated, finally letting out a helpless sigh. He pointed to the chair by the desk and asked:
"Can I sit?"
"Huh?"
Karuizawa was momentarily stunned, but she quickly nodded.
"You can."
"Just lean against the bed like that."
Hikigaya pulled the chair over to the bedside and sat down. He scooped up a spoonful of the steaming white porridge and held it to her lips.
The thick porridge was billowing steam.
Karuizawa's lips just barely touched it before she jerked back.
She looked at him resentfully and said:
"Um... that's really hot..."
Hikigaya felt a flash of awkwardness, but he was also hesitant.
If he blew on it to cool it down, would she say he had bad breath?
Komachi never said anything like that, but other girls might be different.
After a moment of hesitation.
"Whew..."
Hikigaya blew the porridge cool anyway and offered it to Karuizawa's lips. Her crystalline lips caught the light as she took the spoon and swallowed.
Feeling a sense of relief.
Hikigaya picked up a few pieces of pickles with the spoon, blew on them a few times, and delivered them to Karuizawa's mouth again...
For a sick person, this should probably help the appetite.
"Mmm."
Karuizawa finished the porridge, a smile appearing at the corners of her mouth.
"I get the feeling that Hachiman is very good at taking care of people."
"I suppose so. I do have Komachi, after all."
"Who is Komachi?"
"My younger sister."
Hikigaya didn't stop his movements.
There was no helping it.
It was just his mode.
It worked.
After all, both his parents were corporate drones. Aside from giving them money, they had no time to look after them. The Hikigaya household followed this kind of "free-range" education.
In the past, whenever Komachi got sick, he was basically the one taking care of her.
But after Komachi graduated from elementary school, she was basically the one taking care of him.
Soon.
The bowl of porridge was finished. Hikigaya felt his palms sweating.
There was no helping it.
He was currently in a girl's dormitory, alone with her. Just thinking about it made him feel inevitably nervous.
"Alright, take your medicine. I'm going back."
Karuizawa's gaze was resentful. She pursed her lips and said:
"Can you wait until I fall asleep before you leave? I had a nightmare last night. I'm scared..."
"..."
Hikigaya's brow furrowed tightly; he was truly struggling internally.
After going through that yesterday, it wasn't surprising that Karuizawa would have nightmares. But this "promiscuous woman" sure had a lot of issues.
"Then take your medicine first."
Watching Karuizawa drink the cold medicine, Hikigaya sat in his seat and patted his thighs with both hands.
"Go to sleep..."
"Oh."
Karuizawa opened her large, doll-like eyes and stared at the boy in front of her.
"What are you looking at me for?"
Hikigaya said, somewhat speechlessly, "Hurry up and sleep. If you don't sleep, I'm leaving."
"..."
Karuizawa pursed her lips and said, "Do you really believe Ayanokouji is the one hidden behind the scenes of Class D?"
"Who knows. Are you going to sleep or not?"
Hikigaya was truly getting a headache.
Furthermore.
Who cared if it was Ayanokouji or not? He only knew a few people anyway; his social network was severely lacking.
"Then..."
Karuizawa said with some hesitation, "Why didn't you ask me? Aren't you curious?"
"Are you joking?"
Hikigaya said, even more speechlessly, "Ryuen did that to you in 4.1, and you didn't seem to say anything. What difference does it make if I ask? You won't say anything anyway, right?"
"Maybe..."
Karuizawa murmured, pulling the bedsheet up to hide her pretty face again, "I would."
"Not interested. Are you going to sleep or not?"
Hikigaya was truly getting a headache.
He couldn't even manage the affairs of Class B; who had time to worry about Class D's mastermind? If he had time for that, he'd rather focus on learning the names of all his Class B classmates first.
Karuizawa smiled and closed her eyes.
This guy saved her.
He really had no ulterior motives at all; he was even dying to get away.
Perhaps this was true kindness.
However.
He was handsome, smart, and though his personality was a bit awkward, he was actually very nice once you observed him closely.
How could she easily let go of such a perfect man?
Karuizawa fully believed it.
From now on, it was very likely.
She would never encounter someone else who would risk everything for her like that.
Only.
She wondered if he could accept the way she was.
Karuizawa's small hand, hidden under the sheets, touched her lower abdomen. Regardless, she had to try.
If it was him, it would surely be okay.
On the other side.
Hikigaya finally breathed a sigh of relief. This girl had finally agreed to close her eyes.
Just then, Karuizawa opened her eyes again and suddenly whipped back the covers.