In the school cafeteria.
After parting with Ibuki, Hikigaya prepared his lunch. From a distance, he noticed Ichinose, Kobashi Yume, and the others sitting together with gloomy expressions.
Now wasn't the time to worry about crowds.
Hikigaya ordered the D-set udon noodles and sat down at the table next to them.
"Hikigayakun..."
Ichinose and the others asked curiously, "Did Ibuki-san want something from you?"
"Yeah."
Hikigaya split his disposable chopsticks nonchalantly.
"She wanted to trade Ryuen's 5 million for Class B's praise votes—the kind you don't have to pay back. If you agree, you can go find her."
"I see..."
Ichinose shook her head bitterly.
While she didn't want to see anyone in this school get expelled, this was what the exam was.
As the leader of Class B, if she had to choose an expulsion target from Class C, Ichinose naturally knew that letting Ryuen be expelled was the most advantageous choice for Class B.
Since Class C couldn't provide 6 million private points, those out-of-class praise votes naturally wouldn't be given to them.
After all, even if they gave the votes to Ryuen out of momentary sympathy, Class C would still have to choose someone to be expelled.
Right now, they couldn't even take care of their own class.
It was better not to interfere in other classes' business.
"In that case," Kanzaki's expression was equally bad, "if we're only short by a million, I wonder if we can borrow it?"
When he said this, Kobashi Yume and the others couldn't help but look at Ichinose, as the person with the best relationships with other classes was undoubtedly her.
"The upperclassmen seem to be holding a special exam..."
"Absolutely not."
Hearing that she wanted to find Nagumo Miyabi again, mako, sitting opposite her, became even angrier.
"I never realized it before, but that guy is so despicable. Honami-chan isn't allowed near him anymore."
After the trade between the two was exposed, Nagumo Miyabi's reputation in Class B had plummeted. He actually wanted to take advantage of the angel Ichinose; he was even more hated than Ryuen Kakeru.
"But..."
Tears welled up in Ichinose's eyes. If she didn't borrow money from Nagumo Miyabi, she really couldn't think of any other way.
"In that case," the ever-rational Kanzaki said bitterly, "we can only choose one person to be expelled."
"Then let it be me."
Hikigaya ate his udon noodles casually.
Knowing that Ichinose and the others didn't have the intention of letting him be expelled, Hikigaya felt strangely calm.
If it came to that, it seemed there was nothing to be upset about if he were the one expelled.
"No way!"
mako immediately puffed out her cheeks, and Kobashi Yume also said unhappily:
"hikki is so annoying, always saying things like that. I hate it. You're not allowed to say that anymore."
"Yeah."
Kanzaki also nodded from the side. "No matter what, Hikigaya is an indispensable member of Class B. Even if someone has to be expelled, it won't be you. If it comes down to it, it'll be me."
"Huh?"
Hearing this, Hikigaya looked at him in a daze.
He ignored the "indispensable" part, but Kanzaki was the class's second-in-command—how could he be expelled? Was he joking?
"That won't work either."
Ichinose quickly refused, then said with some hesitation:
"None of you can be expelled. If it really comes to it, then let it be me. I originally planned to go work right after middle school anyway."
After being refuted by Hikigaya, she also didn't really want to go to Nagumo Miyabi and didn't want to disappoint Hikigaya. Since that was the case, expulsion was the only path left.
In Class B, no one deserved to be expelled.
The person who most deserved it was her, the incompetent leader. It was because she failed to lead the class in the right direction.
This wouldn't be happening otherwise.
"???"
Hikigaya was even more confused.
What was going on? Ichinose was the class leader; she couldn't possibly be expelled. Was getting expelled something people fought over now?
"That's even worse."
mako's eyes turned red. "How could we let Honami-chan be expelled? If it's not working out, then let it be me."
"Stop arguing."
Kobashi Yume looked at Hikigaya with some hesitation.
"Hiki-ga-ya-kun, do you have any ideas?"
"Uh..."
Feeling their gazes, Hikigaya's expression stiffened.
It was clear that their resolve to be expelled was real; he wasn't the only one who didn't fear it.
In that case, even if the exam proceeded normally, he probably wouldn't be expelled, as both Ichinose and Kanzaki had the ability to manipulate the votes.
And Hikigaya had no way to stop them.
If that happened, he couldn't let the class leader or the second-in-command be expelled no matter what.
There would be no point in the people staying behind.
Ascending to Class A would likely become even more impossible.
"Let me think..."
Hikigaya's face was stiff as he pinched his chin in thought.
He started organizing everything from the beginning.
The cause of this was the new Acting Director lighting three fires upon taking office by holding such an unreasonable exam.
The conditions: Ichinose couldn't sacrifice herself to Nagumo Miyabi, and no one could be expelled—including Hikigaya himself.
Gathering 20 million was simply too difficult. In fact, it was safe to say it was nearly impossible.
"Hmm..."
Hikigaya racked his brains, and his expression turned somewhat ugly.
In that case, there seemed to be only one way.
"What is it?"
Seeing Hikigaya's troubled face, Ichinose said with worry, "Hiki-ga-ya-kun, don't force yourself like this."
"I guess I should still be the one expelled," Hikigaya said with a forced smile.
After considering it for a long time, this was indeed the most reliable method and would cause the least loss to Class B.
"No!"
Kobashi Yume stared at Hikigaya with a slightly resentful gaze.
"Didn't we just say no? Why did it go back to that? Is there really no other way?"
"There is a way," Hikigaya said with a difficult expression, "but I really don't recommend it."
"Eh?"
When he said this, not only Kobashi Yume and asakura mako, but also Ichinose and Kanzaki were stunned.
"Hikigayakun, do you really have a way?"
Ichinose's voice was excited and full of anticipation.
"Without a single person being expelled?"
Kanzaki frowned, sounding doubtful.
"And," mako reminded him, "we can't let that scumbag get his way; Ichinose can't be sacrificed."
"There is one..."
Hikigaya felt truly conflicted. "But I really don't recommend it."
"Why?"
Ichinose and the others shared a look and frowned in unison.
"Because," Hikigaya said awkwardly, "it's very likely to lower Class B's evaluation. It would be safer just to let me be expelled."
"..."
Hearing this, Ichinose and the others stared at the man in front of them, left somewhat speechless.
"Now isn't the time to worry about that. Compared to the evaluation, Hikki is more important. What exactly is the method?"
"Uh..."
Hikigaya felt helpless.
They seemed to have chosen Hikigaya over the Class B evaluation.
"Uh... I'll only tell Ichinose about this, and then Ichinose can arrange how to do it."
That way, the loss should be kept to a minimum.
There was no helping it; this matter required Ichinose to organize it, and since she was the class leader, she had to take some responsibility.
"I see..."
Kobashi Yume and asakura mako shared a look and nodded indifferently. Fortunately, Class B had immense trust in their companions.
As long as Hikigaya said there was a way, they wouldn't ask further questions.
"Then..."
Ichinose said with a serious expression, "Hikki, how sure are you?"
"About seventy percent... probably..."
Hikigaya's gaze flickered; he didn't dare guarantee it.
In reality, he was 100% sure.
After all, as long as you found the essence of the matter, it wasn't actually that hard. But he didn't dare be careless.
Any single move could affect someone's future.
"That's enough!"
Ichinose breathed a sigh of relief, her beautiful eyes shimmering as she looked at Hikigaya. He must be the hero sent from heaven to save her.
"Also... there's that..."
Hikigaya said embarrassedly, "I might need you to go with me on a few trips over the next few days, Ichinose."
"No problem, then it's decided."
Ichinose nodded without a second thought.
"In that case," the hero Kanzaki also breathed a sigh of relief, "I'll go talk to the upperclassmen and see if I can borrow a million as insurance. We'll pursue both options."
"Oh."
Hikigaya felt relieved.
As expected of the hero Kanzaki—his considerations were truly thorough.
This world, this society, and these groups would not change at all.
This time...
Let him be the one to tell everyone.
Just what needs to be done to truly change this world!
Off to the side, the eyes of Kobayashi Yume and asakura mako sparkled like little stars as they watched Hikigaya.
He was simply too cool.
As expected, Hikigaya was like water in a sponge. No matter the difficulty, something could always be squeezed out.