The two returned to the dormitory.
Hikigaya stood waiting in the lobby of the dormitory building, letting Karuizawa go up to get the uniform.
After a short while.
Karuizawa returned to the first floor and indignantly handed the shopping bag to him.
"Here."
"Thanks~"
Hikigaya thanked her without much sincerity.
After all, he was the one who lent it to Karuizawa in the first place, so he was technically the one helping out.
"Do you hate going to my room that much?"
Karuizawa's eyes were resentful.
No matter what she said just now, Hikigaya refused to go up and wouldn't even tell her the location of his own room.
"I won't fall for your tricks again."
Hikigaya looked serious, feeling that he had let his guard down a bit.
This girl had actually used being sick as an excuse to trick him into her room and then tried to use that to threaten her—it was truly despicable.
After all, they were in different classes.
Entering the other's room was indeed a dangerous thing.
"Sigh."
Since she had indeed done something wrong, Karuizawa let out a helpless sigh:
"Fine, I've already washed the clothes for you."
"Oh, thank you."
Hikigaya nodded sincerely; he hadn't expected her to be so polite.
"Then I'm leaving."
Hikigaya stepped into the elevator, and Karuizawa quickly followed.
The elevator stopped on the fifth floor.
Watching Hikigaya walk out of the elevator, Karuizawa was finally satisfied; knowing Hikigaya's room number wasn't difficult to begin with.
Meanwhile.
Hikigaya walked to the door of Room 502 and pulled out his key card.
Just then.
"You finally decided to come back!"
A sharp female voice sounded from behind him. Hikigaya shuddered and quickly turned around to look.
Yuki Himeno was holding a shopping bag.
She was walking angrily toward him from the emergency exit.
"What are you doing here?"
Hikigaya asked in shock.
Even though he didn't know who his neighbors were yet, the fifth floor should be the boys' dormitory regardless.
"Dammit."
Yuki Himeno's nose was red from the cold.
She directly gave Hikigaya's shin a kick.
"How long do you think I've been waiting? I almost froze to death. Hurry up and open the door so I can go in."
"Oh."
Hikigaya hurriedly opened the door.
Looking at Yuki Himeno's cold-reddened nose, she probably had been waiting for a long time.
The two entered the room.
Himeno sat directly on the edge of the bed and wrapped the quilt around herself, causing Hikigaya's lips to twitch. This girl really didn't treat herself like a stranger.
"Cocoa."
"Huh?"
"Make me a cup of cocoa, don't you understand?"
"I don't have any. I only have MAX Coffee and regular coffee."
Hikigaya sighed.
Although he didn't know what this girl wanted, since she was inside, he should indeed make some tea.
As for the coffee, it was leftover from when he made his own MAX Coffee at the start of the term, so it should be fine.
"Huh?"
Himeno was momentarily confused: "Is there a difference? Why categorize them specifically?"
"Don't put MAX Coffee and regular coffee in the same category."
Hikigaya said seriously: "Strictly speaking, MAX Coffee is closer to a dessert."
"I still don't see the difference. Whatever, just give me MAX Coffee then. Make it hot."
"Understood."
Hikigaya went into the kitchen and soon brought out two steaming cups of MAX Coffee, handing one to Yuki Himeno.
"Yay."
"Ooh, I'm back to life~"
Himeno held the coffee, her beautiful eyes lighting up: "Is this the one you drink at the club? I didn't expect it to be so tasty."
"I'm glad you like it."
Hikigaya sat at the low table, a smile appearing on his face.
No one in the world dislikes MAX Coffee, unless there's something wrong with them.
"However."
"It's just too sweet."
"You'll get fat if you drink too much of it."
Even as she said this.
Himeno still took a beautiful sip; having it once in a while was fine. She looked at the shopping bag next to Hikigaya with some confusion.
"How rare. Did you go out to play by yourself today?"
"Oh."
Hikigaya was about to say something.
Then he realized that the matter regarding Karuizawa should remain unknown.
"I went to the laundry to pick up my clothes."
"Eh?"
Yuki Himeno's eyes widened: "You even spend money to have someone wash your clothes?"
"Well... occasionally, just occasionally!"
Hikigaya shifted his gaze guiltily and quickly changed the subject:
"Why did you come to the fifth floor?"
"To look for you, obviously."
Yuki Himeno pulled a shopping bag from under the bedsheet and held it out to Hikigaya:
"Here."
"What's this?"
"A Christmas present."
"Huh?"
Suspecting a trap, Hikigaya didn't take it and asked in confusion: "Didn't you give me one yesterday?"
"Yesterday's doesn't count."
Yuki Himeno rolled her eyes beautifully and said: "That one was bought entirely because Koyuki dragged me along. It didn't fit my taste at all."
Even when buying gifts.
One had to pay attention to their persona.
It really was hard work.
"I see. Then I'll return yesterday's to you."
Hikigaya said with some hesitation.
Since he had accepted gifts from Kobashi and the others, it didn't feel right to refuse, but receiving two Christmas gifts from one person also felt wrong.
"No need, just take it when I tell you to."
Himeno lifted the bag in her hand and added: "However, you have to return two to me as well. One for the public side, and one for the private side."
"You really play both roles perfectly..."
Hikigaya was truly impressed.
Giving two gifts and receiving two gifts.
Himeno glared at him, then tilted her chin and said: "Open it and see if you like it."
"Oh."
Hikigaya quickly began unwrapping the packaging.
After all, in Sakura Island...
...it was proper etiquette to open a gift in person to show happiness.
Yesterday, Kobashi and the others had given him a winter three-piece set: a hat, gloves, and a scarf.
As for whether it fit Yuki Himeno's current persona.
To be honest.
Hikigaya wasn't quite sure either.
Soon.
The exquisite gift box was opened, and something resembling a vest appeared before him.
"What's this?"
Hikigaya was momentarily stunned.
"A posture corrector."
Yuki Himeno's face broke into a smile: "I told you, you need to straighten your back to suit a trench coat. Yesterday you didn't look like a match at all."
"I see. It's just a habit, so there's not much I can do about it."
Hikigaya held the posture corrector with some helplessness: "Kobashi and the others didn't say anything, so it shouldn't matter."
"They might not care, but someone does."
Saying this, Yuki Himeno buried half of her small head in the quilt, her legs kicking playfully.
"That's someone else's business, I don't really care."
Hikigaya rolled his eyes.
Although he did quite like dashing trench coats, the thought of having to put on a posture corrector every morning felt like a hassle; he'd rather sleep for a few more minutes.
"Alright, just try it on."
Yuki Himeno urged him: "Once you straighten your back, you'll definitely become super popular with the girls."
However.
Since it was a gift from someone else, it seemed he couldn't just not use it. After all, he still had to return a gift of equal value, otherwise it would be a loss.
"As if."
Hikigaya took off his trench coat and simply put the posture corrector on over his body.
"If straightening your back made you popular, then bamboo would be loved by everyone."
Hikigaya stood in front of the mirror, still having those same dead-fish eyes.
But with his back straightened.
It indeed gave off a much more refreshing feeling.
It wasn't useless, it was just that wearing it every day would be a chore.
"What, you don't believe me?"
Yuki Himeno looked Hikigaya up and down, saying playfully: "If what I say doesn't come true, you can come find me?"
"What's the use of finding you?"
Hikigaya was even more speechless.
Even so, there shouldn't be any inevitable connection between being popular and how straight one's back is.
"Hey, hey."
Seeing Yuki Himeno walking toward him wrapped in the quilt, Hikigaya quickly glared:
"That's my quilt."
It was one thing to drape it over herself on the bed, but dragging it on the floor was too much.
"Oh, oh."
Yuki Himeno looked down and quickly lifted the quilt a bit higher, then leaned toward Hikigaya's ear, whispering mischievously:
"If you don't become popular, I'll compensate you with a girlfriend then, how about it?"
"Eek."
Hikigaya made a strange sound, his cheeks flushing. He quickly covered his ear and leaned back to create distance from her.
"What's wrong?"
Yuki Himeno continued to smirk: "You look totally freaked out. I'm serious."
"No, it's just that my ears are quite sensitive."
Hikigaya moved even further away, really not good at dealing with this girl.
"Eh? Is that so..."
Himeno's face turned red. She quickly hid her face in the quilt, leaving only her two large eyes visible:
"So, remember to wear it every day, okay?"
"Whether I wear it or not is one thing."
Hikigaya rolled his eyes and said: "You don't think I'm someone who will date just anyone, do you?"
If he really just wanted to find a woman.
He could have threatened Suzune Horikita long ago, and now he could threaten Kei Karuizawa too.
However.
Those things were ultimately fake.
Hikigaya didn't want them.
"Don't worry."
Himeno giggled mischievously: "How could I screw you over? I'll definitely compensate you with a beautiful, long-legged girlfriend with a good personality and no prior dating experience. Is that good enough?"
"That's not what I meant."
"Then what do you mean?"
"Forget it, I can't explain it clearly to you."
Hikigaya was somewhat helpless; even if he said it, she probably wouldn't understand. He looked at Yuki Himeno and changed the subject:
"How much?"
"How much what?"
"I mean this."
Hikigaya tugged at the posture corrector on his body.
After all, only by knowing the price could he return a gift of corresponding value.
"Hmm... forget it, I won't tell you. Go find out for yourself."
Yuki Himeno rolled her eyes and shook her head.
Making Hikigaya rack his brains just to return a gift for her felt even better.
"I say, you..."
"Alright, I'm going back."
Himeno dragged the quilt to stand in front of Hikigaya, her face full of mischief:
"Now the quilt is covered in my scent. You're allowed to smell it."
After saying that.
Himeno pulled a sneak attack, throwing the quilt over Hikigaya's face, and then made her escape.
Hearing the hurried footsteps and the sound of the door closing.
Hikigaya was utterly speechless. He pulled the quilt off and threw it directly onto the bed.
Childish.
Is this girl still a kid?
What's the point of just smelling a quilt....