After school.
Hikigaya left the classroom.
He still planned to eat a bowl of ramen to improve his diet.
Since Ichinose said she could borrow private points, then a few hundred points for ramen was inconsequential.
However.
Being frugal due to the exam.
He would eat Jiro Ramen today; it was good to change tastes once in a while. There was no such thing as bad ramen in the world.
Club time ended.
Hikigaya stood outside the Jiro Ramen shop, and a flash of eye-catching red hair passed by him, walking into the shop as fast as the wind.
Forget it.
Sudo seemed to be a member of the sports department.
Given the standards of this school, his exercise volume should be huge; finishing at this time and coming to eat ramen was nothing unusual.
"Sorry, I'm late."
Just as he walked into the shop.
Hikigaya heard Sudo's insincere apology and found that the shop was already full of people.
Looking closely.
Yamauchi Haruki, Ike Kanji, and the others were sitting at the dining table, surrounded by quite a few people, likely students from Class D.
Hikigaya unceremoniously sat at the flavor concentration bar; this was a seat specially reserved for loners by the ramen shop.
"Yo, that's rare, alone?"
Looking at Hikigaya in front of him, the shop owner said with some surprise.
"Oh, yeah."
Hikigaya squeezed out a forced smile.
Don't say it as if he had been dumped.
Does this shop owner have such a good memory? Selling ramen here is really a waste of talent.
Just then.
"Eh?"
A sound of surprise rang out, and Yamauchi Haruki and the others looked over:
"Isn't this Hikigaya?"
"Is he the guy from Class B who likes to threaten girls?"
"Then isn't he definitely going to be expelled this time?"
Ike Kanji and the others looked over and whispered, a group of people looking at Hikigaya with a sense of schadenfreude.
It might not be certain for other classes.
But for Class B and Class C, the people who would be expelled would probably be Hikigaya and Ryuen.
To say who the two most unpopular people in the school were right now.
It was bound to be Ryuen and Hikigaya.
One used violence at will and caused a lot of trouble for the school; being feared by the whole school while also being hated.
As for Hikigaya.
He was simply despised and hated.
This guy was just a mean-spirited person; his evaluation was still slightly better than Ryuen's.
"Hikigaya..."
Yamauchi Haruki walked over without a second thought, asking curiously:
"You're about to be expelled; how do you still have the heart to be here eating ramen?"
What's with this guy?
Coming up to chat just like that; those who didn't know would think we were friends. Can you even call out my full name?
"What does it matter?"
Hikigaya's voice was cold, hinting to the other party that I don't want to talk to you.
Furthermore.
If this guy were a classmate from Class B, it would be one thing, but we're not even in the same class; what does it matter to you whether I eat ramen or not.
"Eh?"
Yamauchi Haruki was a bit unhappy, thought for a moment and felt nothing was wrong, then said with some dissatisfaction:
"Don't be so stingy. You're about to be expelled; don't you have any feelings about it?"
Hikigaya's mouth twitched.
Now it's me being stingy?
How can someone be self-centered to this extent? Although I knew these guys were idiots, this still exceeded expectations.
By the way, why is this guy so annoying.
"Owner, how much longer for the ramen?"
Hikigaya faced the owner.
As expected, I should have gone to Tenkaippin; hidden shops actually have the special ability to keep idiots away, which is truly amazing.
Soon.
A steaming bowl of ramen was brought in front of Hikigaya.
Since this guy was so annoying, he could only use Plan B.
"Slurp."
Hikigaya slurped his noodles loudly, hinting to the other party that I am eating and cannot talk to you.
Unfortunately.
For idiots who don't understand the atmosphere.
This method was useless.
"Stingy."
Seeing Hikigaya lower his head to eat, Yamauchi Haruki let out a sigh of dissatisfaction:
"If only our class had a guy like Hikigaya who deserved to be expelled, we wouldn't have to be so troubled."
Hikigaya lowered his head to eat.
He truly didn't want to deal with this fool.
I think the person in Class D who deserves to be expelled the most is you.
Speaking of which, how does Class D even tolerate this guy? Why hasn't anyone bullied him yet.
However.
Thinking about Yamauchi Haruki's unreserved chatting just now, this guy probably doesn't treat others as people and says whatever he wants.
He was straightforward.
Without any calculation.
The only one who would feel awkward was probably everyone else.
This is the so-called "idiotic youth has much joy."
"Haruki, say a few words less."
Seeing this.
Ike Kanji quickly walked to Yamauchi Haruki's side and pulled him up, apologizing to Hikigaya with a smile:
"Sorry about that; our classmate has caused you trouble."
"Eh?"
Yamauchi Haruki said a bit dazed: "Kanji, what are you doing? I just asked him for his thoughts on being expelled. I didn't do anything; why are you apologizing to this guy?"
"Are you stupid?"
Ike Kanji glanced at Hikigaya and quickly lowered his voice:
"This guy is about to be expelled. What if he gets triggered and starts hitting people? Would you dare to hit back? It's better not to deal with this guy anymore right now, right?"
"Hiss..."
Yamauchi Haruki took a sharp breath, only then realizing, and quickly retreated while pressing his hands down.
"Um... sorry, my bad, sorry to bother you. Eat your noodles, keep eating... we'll head out first..."
Hikigaya stopped his chopsticks and gave them a flat glance; the two turned and left as if they were running away.
Even if you want to explain, couldn't you do it in private.
It was even so stupid that it made him want to laugh.
These people are so stupid they're almost cute.
The concerns of Yamauchi Haruki and the others were normal, after all, getting dragged down by a guy about to be expelled would be bad.
Whether it was Yamauchi Haruki or Ike Kanji.
In their eyes.
Hikigaya Hachiman was bound to be the target for expulsion in Class B; it wasn't something that even needed consideration.
Unfortunately.
In Hikigaya's eyes, being expelled was not a big deal in the first place, and his heart didn't even have a ripple.
And on the other side.
"Then what should we do?"
Sudo also said, looking a bit restless.
During this year, he had caused quite a bit of trouble for the class; he should also be within the range for expulsion.
"Ken, forget about you."
Ike Kanji was full of panic: "Your sports scores are so good and your academic scores have also improved; what else is there to worry about? We're different; those guys will definitely give us criticism votes."
"Yeah, I think so too."
What was that.
Eighth-grader syndrome?
Hikigaya pricked up his ears.
There was no need to listen carefully for the conversation to reach his ears.
Speaking of which.
He was also a bit concerned about how Onizuka-daimyojin would pass this exam.
Thinking of this.
Hikigaya looked back and actually didn't find the figure of Onizuka-daimyojin.
As expected of Onizuka-daimyojin.
He had completely concealed his presence, making it impossible for anyone to know he was there. This was a secret technique that could only be mastered by entering the realm of the loner.
"As expected, there's only one method, right?"
Someone nervously scanned the surroundings and lowered their voice:
"How about those of us here think about casting praise votes for each other, and then cast our criticism votes at others?"
Hmm.
Not a bad proposal.
Other classes couldn't be as united as Class B.
Judging by Karuizawa's situation.
Class D was definitely split into many small groups.
Agreeing with the members of one's own small group to step on people from other small groups for self-preservation.
Infighting within small circles.
Hikigaya listened with great interest; he really hoped they would step on each other even harder.
"Doesn't this seem like manipulating the vote?"
Yamauchi Haruki's voice sounded a bit guilty: "Would it be bad? If we expel Horikita and the others, what will we do in the future?"
Hmm?
Yamauchi would actually say something like that.
It really was outside of Hikigaya's expectations.
"What?"
Ike Kanji also gave him a dazed look: "Haruki, aren't you worried at all? What if you're the one who gets expelled?"
"Hmph, I don't need to worry."
Yamauchi Haruki crossed his arms, his face full of smugness:
"Did you guys forget? I still have Little Sakayanagi. Asking her for a few praise votes from another class won't be a problem!"
"This..."
Ike Kanji became even more nervous.
If that were the case, excluding Yamauchi Haruki and Sudo Ken, he would probably be the most likely one to be expelled.
"Impossible. What's actually going on between you and Sakayanagi? She probably wouldn't give you praise votes."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk."
Feeling everyone's shocked gazes, Yamauchi Haruki shook his head even more smugly:
"How could she not? You should know that Sakayanagi is obedient to me now; whatever I say goes. If I tell her to go east, she wouldn't dare go west. A few praise votes are just a small matter."
"???"
Hikigaya turned his head sharply and stared at them, truly shocked. Sakayanagi and Yamauchi Haruki?
Impossible, impossible, impossible.
No matter how you thought about it, it was impossible.
Although he didn't know what had happened between them, no matter how you thought about it, this was a bit too ridiculous.
It couldn't be that Yamauchi Haruki was hiding his strength.
And that's what caught Sakayanagi's attention, right?
No, no, no, that was even more impossible; Yamauchi Haruki's acting skills would have to be truly godlike—the Oscars would have to kneel before him.
Even if it was boasting.
This guy actually dared to spread rumors about Sakayanagi.
His guts were a bit too big.
"What are you doing?"
Feeling Hikigaya's gaze, Yamauchi Haruki felt a bit guilty.
Did Hikigaya also like Sakayanagi and want to beat him up after hearing his words?
"Really amazing."
A smile appeared at the corners of Hikigaya's mouth as he sincerely encouraged the other party, which immediately made Yamauchi Haruki even more smug.
Young man.
I see your forehead is dark; I'm afraid you have a calamity coming.
However.
Hikigaya wasn't interested; he turned back to eat his noodles.
Class A and Class D.
Hurry up and start fighting.
I'm so looking forward to it.
Unfortunately, he probably wouldn't be able to see it.
...