The movie ended.
Hirata and the others said their goodbyes and left. Although Karuizawa was a bit reluctant, she couldn't say much.
The main goal of this gathering was to help Sato Maya pursue Ayanokouji Kiyotaka; Karuizawa really had no excuse to stay.
Otherwise, it would cause Sato Maya's dissatisfaction.
Once a persona is established, one can only maintain it by constantly sacrificing personal time and relying on lies.
After they left, Hikigaya turned to the group.
"The movie's over. What's next? Going home?"
"It's not even four o'clock! How can we go back!" Kobashi Yume puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction.
Fair enough. As expected, it couldn't end that easily.
"Sorry, we need to go to the restroom!"
"Then we'll wait for you at the entrance."
"Got it~"
With that, Hasebe Haruka took Sakura Airi and left. Kushida Kikyo stayed behind to chat with Kobashi Yume and the others.
After all, they weren't in the same class. If three of them disappeared at once, that Hikigaya guy might just leave.
In the girls' restroom—
"This is bad."
Hasebe Haruka pinched her fair chin and knit her brows.
Originally, the three of them wanted to find Hikigaya to hang out and create an opportunity for Sakura Airi.
To their surprise, they ran into Kobashi Yume and the others.
That Hikigaya guy—
Even though he looked like a loner who was bad at communicating, who would have thought he was so popular in Class B?
Well, saying it that way was a bit off. It looked more like Kobashi Yume and the others were dragging Hikigaya along to play.
As expected, Class B had way too many do-gooders.
More importantly, once Kobashi Yume used the line "Hikigaya is also a comrade of Class B," they had no room to argue.
As a result, Sakura Airi and Hikigaya were placed at the furthest distance from each other.
If this continued, forget creating an opportunity—it would be a total waste of effort.
Indeed, it was far too difficult for people from different classes to date. More than that, Sakura Airi herself was just too ineffective.
She couldn't sit next to Hikigaya, and she couldn't sit next to the others either. In the end, she sat back next to Hasebe.
"Kaka, what should we do now?"
Sakura Airi clutched the gift in her bag and spoke anxiously.
She had finally managed to prepare a Christmas gift with great difficulty, only for things to turn out like this.
"Hmm…"
Seeing Sakura Airi's timid expression, Hasebe held her forehead, unable to hide her worry. She sighed.
"First, tell me—what have you two done together before? Or is there anything Hikigaya likes? Ideally, something he wouldn't refuse."
"Hmm…"
Sakura Airi thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up.
"Ra… ramen? Hiki-chan really likes eating ramen… probably…"
She wasn't entirely sure, but he likely did.
For some reason, seeing Kobashi Yume and the others being so close to Hikigaya made her feel anxious.
Even though she had permission to call him Hachiman, she still felt that calling him Hiki-chan was more intimate.
Sakura Airi didn't want to lose.
"Ramen, huh…"
Hasebe showed a trace of disdain.
What kind of person takes a girl out to eat ramen? No sense of taste at all.
In her heart, she had already handed Hikigaya a death sentence.
But since Sakura Airi liked him, Hasebe would do her best to help. After all, Sakura Airi was just too cute.
"Alright. Then we'll suggest ramen next. You must seize the chance and try to bring up a topic that only you and he know about, okay?"
"Can I really do it…?"
Sakura Airi lacked confidence. Kobashi Yume and the others all seemed so outstanding.
"It'll be fine."
Hasebe smiled and patted her small head.
"Airi-chan is so cute. You won't lose to them."
"I'll definitely try my best!"
Sakura Airi gathered her courage.
She couldn't keep making Kaka and the others worry. She had to work hard too.
Outside the movie theater, Hasebe and the others returned to Kushida's side, then looked at Kobashi Yume and the group.
"Have you decided where to go yet?"
"Not yet. We were waiting for you two to come back so we could discuss it."
"Do Hasebe-san or Sakura-san have any suggestions?"
"How about ramen?"
Hasebe suggested with a smile, though she felt slightly embarrassed inside.
Suggesting ramen to a group of girls—
They were probably laughing at her internally.
"Ramen?"
Kobashi Yume's expression stiffened.
Normally, most girls didn't have a good impression of ramen shops. They felt like places only middle-aged men went to, and for girls, they felt a bit unsafe.
Even if that wasn't the case here, it still wasn't somewhere girls usually wanted to go.
"Mm-hmm!"
Sakura Airi nodded vigorously, her face flushed red.
"Jiro Ramen is really delicious!"
"I don't have any objections either,"
Kushida Kikyo added.
That immediately made Kobashi Yume, Moko Asakura, and Himeno Yuki look troubled.
"What about Hiki-chan?"
Kobashi Yume turned back to ask.
"Ramen? Sure, sounds good."
Hikigaya nodded toward Sakura Airi with a gentle smile.
Eating ramen was much better than whatever chaotic ideas they might come up with.
It seemed Sakura Airi still hadn't discovered those two hidden ramen shops yet, so they could only stick with Jiro Ramen for now.
Next time, he'd tell her about Tenkaippin.
"Alright…"
Moko Asakura nodded helplessly.
The minority submits to the majority; there was no choice but to go along.
"Okay."
Kobashi Yume remained optimistic.
"Maybe we're just biased against ramen shops. Since so many people like them, they must have their own charm."
"Mm-hmm, ramen really is delicious!"
Sakura Airi nodded excitedly.
Seeing Hikigaya nod back at her, little Airi became even more thrilled.
"Let's go."
In the dining area of Keyaki Mall, the group arrived at the entrance of Jiro Ramen.
Hikigaya wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but there seemed to be fewer customers than before. Most of them had probably been taken by Tenkaippin and Toranoyu.
Kobashi Yume and the others pushed the door open.
"Welcome—"
Before he could finish, the staff member froze.
It was rare for girls to enter a ramen shop. While there were occasionally bold solo female customers, six girls coming in together was truly unheard of.
Then he noticed that familiar regular customer with the dead-fish eyes.
The people already eating also looked over in unison.
It couldn't be helped. Six beautiful girls entering a ramen shop at the same time was simply too shocking.
Moreover, that dead-fish-eyed guy was clearly a member of the Ramen Friendship Society.
This was a closed school with limited foot traffic. Frequent ramen eaters quickly became familiar faces, and many people recognized Hikigaya Hachiman.
They watched as the dead-fish-eyed boy walked to the vending machine and began explaining things on his own.
"What do you want to eat? If it's your first time, I think shoyu ramen is the safest choice."
"Oh, then I'll have that!"
"Hiki-chan, do you come here often?"
"I guess so."
"Then we'll follow Hiki-chan~"
The customers currently eating suddenly felt their ramen had lost all flavor.
What the hell?
If you're a normie, go to a sparkling café! Don't come here stealing seats in a ramen shop!
And this guy was spending Christmas with six beautiful girls?
Six at once? Are high schoolers these days really that terrifying?
For a brief moment, the gazes directed at Hikigaya Hachiman were filled with hostility.
Meanwhile, Hikigaya handed the three tickets he bought to Kobashi Yume and the others.
"Here…"
"What's this?"
"Consider it a return for the movie tickets earlier?"
Hikigaya said uncertainly.
A bowl of ramen cost about 500 private points. For three people, it should be roughly equal, right?
"I see."
Kobashi Yume and the others accepted them with smiles.
"Then I'll treat you next time."
"Wait."
Hikigaya frowned.
"There's no need. If we keep doing this, it'll never end, right?"
"What does it matter?"
They replied casually.
"That way, we'll be friends for life."
"Then Hiki-chan can be considered one of our besties."
Moko Asakura giggled, covering her mouth.
"Um… I'm a guy, you know."
Hikigaya said, dumbfounded.
Was it possible—however unlikely—that they had mistaken his gender?
"Then you're our guy bestie."
Kobashi Yume looked around the shop while holding her ticket.
"Um… this is my first time here. What do I do?"
"Oh, just hand it directly to the clerk."
They walked up to the counter.
A lone middle-aged office worker hesitated before picking up his bowl and leaving.
What was that? Treating people like they were contagious was incredibly rude.
Hikigaya glared at him—only to hear the man muttering under his breath.
"Damn normies… go to your cafés…"
"..."
Hikigaya's expression stiffened.
He finally realized the situation and quickly looked back at Kobashi Yume and the others.
Today—on Christmas—
He was actually wandering around with six beautiful girls.
"Hiki-chan, what are you standing there for? Sit down."
Kobashi Yume patted the seat beside her. On the other side sat Himeno Yuki, followed by Kushida and the others.
"Oh."
Hikigaya quickly sat down and handed his ticket to the staff.
On the other side, Hasebe's expression darkened.
Kobashi Yume was really getting in the way.