Keyaki Mall. Movie Theater.
"Hiki-chan, which one do you think is better to watch?"
"Either is fine."
"I see."
"I'm going to the restroom for a bit, I'll be back."
"Got it. What about you, Kushida?"
Since it was a large group activity, Hikigaya decided not to express an opinion and quickly turned to leave the theater. Since he was already here, he wouldn't choose to run away.
Hikigaya walked over to the milk tea shop.
"Four pearl milk teas. Three hot, one iced. Thanks."
A moment later, Hikigaya took the four cups from the clerk and took a sip of the iced one.
Kobashi Yume and the others had helped him clean his dorm, so he naturally needed to show some appreciation. Hikigaya really didn't like owing favors. Buying a cup of milk tea for each of them should be enough.
As for Kushida Kikyo and the others? You must be joking. There was absolutely no need to treat them to milk tea.
Back at the theater, Kobashi Yume and the others were chatting with Kushida's group; they seemed to have picked a movie.
None of them had bought drinks or snacks, likely due to the tight private point situation in their class.
"Oh, Hiki-chan, you're finally back. The movie is about to start." Noticing Hikigaya, Kobashi Yume and the others hurried over.
Hikigaya timely handed over the milk teas: "Here."
"What's this?"
"Bought them for you." Hikigaya said nonchalantly. "Consider it a return for helping me clean my room."
"Oh, I see... but..." Kobashi Yume and the others held the milk teas, their faces showing hesitation as they glanced at Kushida Kikyo's group.
Hasebe Haruka's expression wasn't great. She knew buying milk tea was a plus, but there were seven people and he only bought four. She really couldn't tell if Hikigaya had high or low emotional intelligence.
Even though they were from different classes, they didn't really care, but shouldn't he at least have bought one for Sakura Airi?
What would Sakura Airi think? She really didn't know how Sakura Airi could fall for a guy like this. Hasebe stole a look.
She saw Sakura Airi looking full of envy. Sigh. Unfortunately, this girl was hopeless. She was already so infatuated with Hikigaya that she couldn't see straight.
Otherwise, Hasebe would feel Hikigaya was unworthy of Sakura Airi.
"Then let's go quickly, or we'll be late." Kushida Kikyo smiled to ease the awkwardness, indicating they shouldn't worry about it.
Having a social expert/schemer around really could lighten the atmosphere.
"True." Kobashi Yume quickly handed a movie ticket to Hikigaya. "Here, this is for you."
"Oh."
Hikigaya took it nonchalantly and then asked, "How much was it?"
"Honestly," Kobashi Yume waved her hand, "Friends don't need to be so calculative. You can just treat us back next time. Hurry up, the movie's starting."
With that, Kobashi Yume and the others linked arms and walked into the screening room.
"Friends, huh..." Hikigaya's face flushed slightly before he followed them.
That said, if she didn't tell him how much the ticket cost, he wouldn't know what a proper return would be.
They entered the screening room. He thought Kobashi Yume and the others would pick the middle seats for a better view, but to his surprise, they chose the very last row.
Maybe because they had a lot of people; it would be hard to find seven seats together on Christmas.
Hikigaya felt it would have been better to sit separately, but since the tickets were already bought, there was nothing to be done.
He followed them to the back row. Starting from the bottom right corner going inward were Sakura Airi, Hase-something, Kushida Kikyo, Okakura Asako, Kobashi Yume, and Himeno Yuki.
It's better for girls to sit together. But couldn't you guys have given him the seat at the end?
Under the dim lights, a row of long, fair legs lined up, forming a beautiful sight.
Hikigaya felt quite embarrassed seeing this and wanted to discuss swapping seats with Sakura Airi.
But the person on the other side was Himeno Yuki from Class B. With Sakura Airi's timid personality, she probably wanted to be with her friend, and Sakura Airi probably felt even more awkward.
"Um... can I get through?" Hikigaya asked hesitantly.
At this, Kobashi Yume and the others all looked over, and Sakura Airi quickly responded.
"Sorry." Sakura Airi sat in her seat and tried to scoot back a bit, and Kushida Kikyo and the others followed suit, leaning back.
Why do girls always make room this way? The movie hasn't even started.
Can't you guys just stand up and let the person pass?
Hikigaya, feeling helpless, gritted his teeth and pressed himself against the chairs in front as he walked past them.
His pant legs brushed against their long legs, making him break into a cold sweat.
With great difficulty, Hikigaya reached his seat and sat down, physically and mentally exhausted.
"Eh?" Himeno Yuki subtly patted his thigh and lowered her voice: "Whose legs do you think are the prettiest?"
"Hiss..." Hikigaya sucked in a breath of cold air.
This girl with the wicked personality was teasing him even now. How was he supposed to answer that?
He could only say all of their legs looked quite good.
Seeing his distressed expression, Himeno Yuki was finally satisfied and pretended to watch the screen nonchalantly.
Sitting so upright, what are you pretending for?
Hikigaya was indignant.
He relaxed and leaned against the left armrest, distancing himself from Himeno Yuki while waiting for the movie to start.
It couldn't be helped; this girl must be a demon to be able to see through others' thoughts so easily. She was really hard to deal with.
As more people arrived, the screening room became noisy, and one could see many of those damn "normies" out for Christmas.
"Ah..." Just then, a surprised voice rang out.
Hikigaya looked to the left of where the sound came from.
At some point, Karuizawa appeared in front of him, followed by Hirata, Ayanokouji, and a girl he didn't recognize but who was clearly a "gyaru."
Hikigaya immediately felt a bit repulsed. Why did he have to run into this person?
But it wasn't that surprising. Since Karuizawa had hidden her past for nearly a year without being discovered, it meant she had successfully integrated into the class.
He just didn't expect her to be with Hirata.
In that case, Karuizawa's status in Class D must be quite high, maybe even high within the school.
To think that after suffering such terrible things, she could still climb to the top of the school hierarchy.
This girl really was something else, as expected of a gyaru who liked to play smart.
"What's wrong, Karuizawa?" Hirata leaned over to observe the group. "Is there someone you know? Ah, Kobashi-san, and Kushida-san, Hasebe-san, and Sakura-san are here too?"
From the sound of it, Hirata even knew Kobashi Yume and the others.
As expected of a damn normie, that hateful "blonde-haired boy."
"Yeah."
"Didn't expect to run into you all here," Karuizawa realized and nonchalantly greeted Kushida, who was at the far end.
"Yeah."
"Didn't expect to bump into you. Still so lovey-dovey, I see," Kushida said with her hands together and a face full of apology, since it was indeed inconvenient to talk right now.
However, from the sound of it, Karuizawa and Hirata seemed to be dating.
Since she was out playing with Hirata and the others, it was likely true. Nothing to be surprised about.
"Not really." Karuizawa's face stiffened as she quickly laughed. "Ayanokouji and Sato-san are here too."
After saying that, Karuizawa apologetically sat in her seat, and Hirata, Ayanokouji, and the others followed suit.
The order on that side became: the unknown gyaru, the creepy Ayanokouji, the blonde Hirata, and Karuizawa.
Hikigaya helplessly rested his hands on his legs and sat up straight, just as upright as Himeno Yuki.
Karuizawa and Himeno Yuki. One was an overt gyaru, the other a hidden one. Being sandwiched between them—
Hikigaya felt quite uncomfortable. As expected of gyarus, while their perfume smelled nice, it was far too strong.
As the lights dimmed and the screen lit up, the movie officially began.
Karuizawa leaned against the right armrest, closing the distance between herself and Hikigaya. She seemed hesitant, as if she wanted to explain something, but it didn't seem like the right time.
As for Kushida, Kobashi Yume, and the others, Karuizawa didn't care about them at all. Since those guys were sitting so prim and proper, they were clearly just ordinary friends.
But this guy was actually watching the movie? That's too much.
Karuizawa stole a glance at Hikigaya, hesitation in her beautiful eyes.
But as the movie went on, Karuizawa leaned toward Hikigaya's side, and a smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.
Even though they hadn't said a word, and Hikigaya was clearly out with others, with many people around them, Karuizawa felt a strange sense of peace.
Without a comparison, it might have been different, but with one, she naturally could tell the difference.
What true kindness was. What truly being good to her meant.
No matter how noble Ayanokouji's excuses were, he only had himself in his heart.
Drop dead, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka!