As noon approached.
The groups, led by Class A, arrived at the cafeteria. This was the first opportunity to meet the girls since the bus arrived.
"Let's go."
Matoba Shinji and the others spoke plainly, as if Hikigaya Hachiman didn't even exist.
If he wants to slack, let him.
They would just work harder.
They would just treat this shameless person as if he didn't exist.
Watching the few people leave, the corner of Hikigaya's mouth curled into a slightly proud smile. A guy who could make his relationships with people this bad on the first day...
Probably only him!
However.
Hikigaya looked at the cafeteria; it couldn't compare to Advanced Nurturing High. With three grades squeezed together, the cafeteria was suddenly packed.
There were absolutely no empty seats suitable for a loner.
Since it was this kind of exam.
He would likely need to interact with people no matter what.
Hikigaya saw Ichinose and the others. Whether it was Kobashi Yume's group or Kanzaki's group, they were all gathered around her.
After thinking for a moment.
Waiting like this wasn't an option.
Hikigaya randomly found a seat to enjoy his lunch. A few people next to him looked at him but didn't say much, since they didn't know him at all.
Meanwhile.
"Ichinose, over there."
Hearing Kanzaki's shout.
Ichinose followed his gaze and spotted the ostracized Hikigaya Hachiman. She saw him sitting alone in an empty seat.
"Eh? What happened?"
"I'm not quite sure either."
Looking in Hikigaya Hachiman's direction, Kanzaki frowned and said:
"Hikigaya is in a group of fourteen people from Class A. Matoba and the others also said that as long as he doesn't intentionally score low, they will be tolerant and won't let Katsuragi drag anyone down."
"I really don't think Matoba and his group would lie at this time. After all, it's only the third semester of the first year. Considering the future, losing credit in strategic negotiations would be a huge deduction."
"That's why I agreed to let Hikigaya join. He shouldn't be getting ostracized, right?"
After all.
Even in Class B, Hikigaya preferred being alone. It was possible he was the one actively distancing himself.
Still.
Seeing Hikigaya all alone, eating in a group of strangers.
It was indeed a bit worrying.
"Let's go over and check."
Ichinose quickly stood up and spoke. She really didn't want to lose anyone in the class. The two of them came to Hikigaya's table.
"Hikigaya."
"Oh."
Hikigaya looked at Ichinose and Kanzaki standing beside him.
He asked with some confusion:
"Is something the matter?"
"No."
Ichinose shook her head, her pretty face filled with worry:
"I saw you separated from your group just now. Hikigaya-kun, you haven't been ostracized by them, have you?"
If he was ostracized by his group, this exam would likely become quite difficult.
"Oh, no."
It was he who ostracized Class A. Hikigaya raised his hand to indicate everything was fine: "The people in Class A are very nice; I know what I'm doing."
"Is that so?"
Kanzaki stared at Hikigaya for a moment before saying: "Alright then. If you run into any trouble, remember to find me at any time."
"That's right."
Ichinose also nodded firmly: "Hikigaya-kun, even if you're alone, you aren't fighting solo."
"Seriously..."
Hikigaya was made to feel a bit uneasy. He raised both hands:
"I can't guarantee other things, but this exam should be very safe for me."
"I see, then we'll head out first."
"You can contact me anytime if there are issues. You can also discuss things with Yume-chan and the others during lunch."
It took quite a while before he finally managed to see off Ichinose and the others.
Hikigaya watched the backs of the two as they left. Although Ichinose still seemed full of energy, he somehow felt she was a bit tired.
This was probably unavoidable.
After all, girls are the type who might say, "Just because your skin is a bit better than mine, what is there to get so full of yourself about?" They are the type who can say to someone's face that they hate them.
On the girls' side.
It was probably even tougher than on the boys' side.
But put another way.
Ichinose was once again looking after everyone else's feelings.
Right now.
The most she could do in class was pretend not to see things.
Whenever she encountered someone who needed help, Ichinose would still lend a hand without hesitation.
Night fell.
In the boys' dormitory.
Hikigaya stood by the window, his back to the crowd from Class A. He had to admit that Class A's schedule was very healthy; at least their self-discipline was strong.
It was only ten o'clock, yet they were already going to sleep.
"Ahem."
Hikigaya cleared his throat and looked up at the bright moonlight.
"If I could spread my wings and fly, I said I would never come back..."
"The goal is there, the blue, blue sky..."
"Before I remembered that sadness, I started to understand pain, holding these feelings for you..."
"Now, turning into thousands of words, waking up from the dream of an unknown world!"
Hikigaya's Adam's apple bobbed as the song Blue Bird echoed throughout the dormitory.
He didn't know how the soundproofing of this forest school was, nor did he know if people in other dorms could hear him.
In short, don't sleep—get up!
Singing in front of so many people made Hikigaya feel strangely embarrassed, but he still finished the song completely.
"For fuck's sake!"
The voice of that irritable glasses guy rang out: "Hikigaya, what the hell are you doing? Do you want to die?"
"No."
Hikigaya turned around with a bit of embarrassment: "A few days ago, someone told me my voice was quite good. They said if I practiced seriously, I could sing very well. I just wanted to try."
"Then don't you see what time it is?"
Matoba Shinji said, somewhat speechless: "If you want to practice, do it later. We need to sleep."
"Hikigaya."
At that moment, a deep voice spoke. Katsuragi, wearing slippers, turned on the dormitory lights before standing in front of Hikigaya and saying solemnly:
"What do you mean by this? If you refuse the exam, that's fine."
"But if you disturb our rest like this, it's truly possible we'll fall to last place."
"If that happens, I will definitely drag you down with me."
"Or do you think that by using 'practicing singing' as an excuse, the school will accept such an illogical reason?"
As soon as these words were spoken.
The people from Class A also suddenly reacted.
This guy was clearly trying to cause trouble and disturb their rest.
After all, the forest camp was a fairly physically demanding event. If they couldn't rest well, their grades would inevitably plummet.
"I'm going to..."
The short-haired glasses guy's explosive temper couldn't hold back for a second.
He put on his slippers, jumped down from his bed, and was about to get physical.
They had already allowed him to slack off and skip the exam, yet this shameless bastard was still messing with them.
"Wait."
Several Class A students quickly held him back.
"Let him finish first."
"Does it matter?"
Hikigaya leaned against the window, saying nonchalantly:
"Even if we fall to last place, Class B will only be docked 105 class points, while Class A will be docked 170."
"If we're lucky and Class B can win in other groups, there's a high probability we can rise to Class A."
It's about regressing.
The side that falls slower is the winner.
"In that case."
Katsuragi was silent for a moment, his voice low: "You will definitely be expelled. Ichinose and the others certainly won't be able to accept that, right?"
"Probably."
Hikigaya said indifferently: "But these are all my personal thoughts; they have nothing to do with them."
"I see... so that's what you've always thought."
Katsuragi closed his eyes.
Ever since the time they picked out a gift for his younger sister, he felt that Hikigaya was a bit like him.
Now he finally realized.
The other person might be the same type of person as him.
For the sake of the class, it doesn't matter even if they are expelled.
Hearing the conversation between the two, Matoba Shinji and the others looked at Hikigaya with eyes full of fear.
They originally thought he was just bluffing, only wanting to be lazy and drag Class A down a bit.
Now they realized.
Hikigaya truly isn't afraid of expulsion.
It's nothing more than becoming a "corporate slave" somewhere else, or changing schools and letting his shitty old man pay for his education.
He could see Komachi again and wouldn't have to study the hated science subjects.
What is there to be afraid of?
"What do we do now?"
The short-haired glasses guy looked at Matoba Shinji, pointing at Hikigaya with a look of total displeasure:
"This guy is really infuriating. It's my first time seeing such a disgusting guy. Should we punch him first?"
Hearing this.
Everyone looked toward Hikigaya, their teeth itching with hate.
They really wanted to beat this guy up.
But seeing Hikigaya leaning against the window, looking like he was just waiting for them to make a move, they didn't quite dare to.
As long as they dared to use violence, see if he dared to report it to the teachers.
If that happened.
It wouldn't just be a matter of competing with Classes B, C, and D—they would 100% drop to Class B.
He looks like a piece of trash.
Yet he feels like a hedgehog, making it impossible to lay a hand on him.
However.
If this continues.
No matter how hard Horikita Manabu and the others work, if the first-years can't rest well, they won't be able to prepare for the exam with full effort.
This large group.
Will inevitably fall to last place.
Hikigaya is going to drag them down with him.
Sakayanagi's plan would surely fail.
Class A's status would become even more precarious.
Thinking of this.
Matoba Shinji and the others were extremely unwilling, and at the same time, even more frustrated.
How could Class B have such a person?
Simply despicable and shameless, with no moral bottom line.
How did they run into such a thing?