After school.
The two of them left the classroom.
"So, what do we do next?"
Ichinose followed beside Hikigaya and asked with some confusion.
Even after hearing Hikigaya's plan, she still felt a bit dazed.
The operational difficulty was simply too high; it would likely require complete control over the entire first-year group to be possible.
"Hmm..."
Hikigaya stood in place, pinching his chin as he fell into deep thought.
After this incident, it was impossible for Ryuen to be expelled. Class C would need to select another person for expulsion, and Ibuki clearly understood this and didn't care.
In that case.
It would be best to keep it hidden; that way, Ibuki Mio should find it easier to operate, and it would be safer for Class B.
Otherwise.
If Ryuen found out he wouldn't be expelled, there was no telling what kind of trouble he might stir up.
"Um..."
Hitting a snag at the very first step, Hikigaya looked at Ichinose beside him with a bit of embarrassment.
"Do you have Ibuki's contact information? It would be best if you could ask her out alone."
"I do. So, what place would be appropriate?"
A place.
At the very least, it had to ensure privacy.
It was still after-school hours, and it was necessary to ensure Ichinose was present.
"Your dorm room, or maybe my dorm room?"
"Then let's make it Hiki's dorm."
Ichinose looked at Hikigaya and said with some shyness:
"The last time I went, it seemed like you hadn't been eating properly. This time, let's buy some ingredients, and I'll cook a meal for you."
"No need."
Hikigaya shook his head: "Cooking is too much trouble, let's not waste time. Besides, I usually eat out for better food."
"It's fine, it's dinner time anyway and I need to eat too."
Ichinose said somewhat self-consciously: "Besides, doing it this way might make it easier to talk with Ibuki, right?"
"Oh..."
Hikigaya nodded.
If Ichinose was going to eat too, then there was indeed no problem. Talking over a meal was indeed more appropriate, but he had no reason to eat Ichinose's food for free.
"My dorm doesn't have anything except the kitchenware provided by the school. Let's just meet at the restaurant instead."
While they might run into other students at the restaurant, the luck shouldn't be so bad if they found a private room.
Upon hearing this.
Ichinose's gaze became resentful.
He's so smart, so why is he so dense?
"No need."
Ichinose laughed as she walked, not minding: "We can just make something simple. Let's go. Besides, I need to properly thank Hiki for his hard work."
"No."
Hikigaya shook his head as he walked beside her:
"I am a member of Class B after all, this is what I should do."
"Then I must give you a good compliment."
A bright smile appeared on Ichinose's face: "I'm complimenting Hiki for finally stopping treating the class like a company."
"A compliment? Are you my boss?"
Hikigaya quickly defended himself.
It was indeed true; even though the school's system was designed this way, he found himself unable to view it as a company anymore.
Room 502.
Hikigaya sat at the low table, feeling like something was slightly off.
He once again mentally rehearsed the upcoming conversation.
In theory.
Ibuki Mio also didn't want Ryuen to be expelled, and she had a hasty temperament and a strong competitive streak. With Ichinose cooking in the kitchen, there shouldn't be any major issues.
"Ding."
The doorbell rang.
Hikigaya quickly stood up and went to the entryway, peeked through the peephole, and then opened the door.
"Welcome."
Ibuki Mio stood outside the door with her usual fierce expression. She gestured toward the inside with her chin indifferently, and the two of them returned to the main room.
"About finding you this time..."
Just as Hikigaya was about to sit down, he saw Ibuki Mio take off her burgundy coat and throw it on the bed, revealing the orange shirt underneath.
Immediately after.
Ibuki Mio stood in front of Hikigaya and began unbuttoning her shirt from the top down. One, two, three buttons—snow-white skin and blue lingerie appeared before Hikigaya's eyes.
"Wait, wait, wait."
Hikigaya finally realized something was wrong and was momentarily stunned: "What are you doing?"
"Didn't you want to sleep with me? Come on."
Ibuki Mio knitted her brows, looking somewhat confused.
Just then, Ichinose poked her small head out from the kitchen to witness the scene, instantly becoming dazed.
"What is this?"
"Why is Ichinose here too?"
Ibuki Mio kept her hand on the button, her brows furrowed in confusion as she gave Hikigaya a suspicious look.
Are you thinking about doing it with three people?
"No."
Hikigaya finally reacted. This girl probably thought he had agreed to her conditions and wanted to sleep with her.
"I didn't mean that."
Hikigaya explained, somewhat speechless: "The reason I asked you here was to talk about this exam. And Ichinose is here too. Anyway, you've misunderstood."
"Oh."
Ibuki Mio glanced at Ichinose, then let go of the buttons and sat down indifferently in front of Hikigaya.
"What's going on?"
Ichinose asked curiously.
"Well..."
Hikigaya looked at Ibuki and said, feeling somewhat speechless:
"This girl told me at noon that if five million points could get Class B to cast all their external praise votes for Ryuen, she would date me... I refused at the time... and I almost forgot about it just now."
"So that's how it is..."
Ichinose didn't mind. She breathed a sigh of relief, looked at Ibuki Mio, and smiled: "Ibuki, don't take it to heart. Hiki wouldn't do something that hurts others."
After all.
Hikigaya's personality was twisted, but he was practically harmless.
Ichinose didn't believe he would do such a thing; otherwise, wouldn't it be better for Hikigaya to make a move on her?
"Oh."
Ibuki Mio turned to look at Hikigaya and said indifferently:
"What's the matter? What did you want to talk to me about?"
"Wait a moment."
Ichinose quickly said: "I'm cooking over here, it'll be ready soon."
"Then I'll come back after you guys finish eating."
Ibuki Mio immediately stood up to leave, showing her lone-wolf style.
"Hey."
Ichinose quickly spoke up: "We prepared a portion for Ibuki too. You probably haven't eaten yet, right? Just wait a bit and we can eat together."
"No need..."
Ibuki Mio's expression became even more awkward.
"It's already prepared, let's eat together."
Hearing her words, Ibuki Mio sat at the low table with a face full of annoyance, seemingly very bad at dealing with the kindness of others.
She could only glare fiercely at Hikigaya opposite her.
Hikigaya was also somewhat helpless: "That's just how she is, you'll get used to it."
After all.
Ichinose's special care was still fresh in his memory. Unless it was due to the atmosphere, decisions made by Ichinose were very hard to change.
"Um..."
Hikigaya's eyes couldn't help but drift toward that glimpse of blue on Ibuki Mio's chest.
He was a boy, after all.
It couldn't be helped.
"Could you please do up your buttons?"
"Heh..."
Ibuki Mio tugged at her collar and said with some disdain: "Do you care that much?"
Hikigaya looked away with a face full of embarrassment, but he couldn't suppress the curiosity in his heart and glanced back again, only to see Ibuki Mio finally fastening the buttons.
She propped herself on the table, resting her cheek in her hand as she looked toward the kitchen.
"What, are you and Ichinose dating?"
"No."
Hikigaya said, somewhat confused: "I just needed a relatively private place to talk to you, so she's making dinner here while she's at it."
"Is that so?"
Ibuki Mio glanced at Hikigaya and sneered: "I feel like your brain doesn't work very well."
"You're probably not in a position to talk about me."
Hikigaya's face darkened.
Back in middle school, he was ranked among the top in the school, but in this school, his brain certainly wasn't considered top-tier—only average.
But it wasn't this idiot Ibuki Mio's place to say so.
"Heh."
Ibuki Mio gave a contemptuous laugh. For some reason, Hikigaya felt her laugh was very annoying.
A moment later.
Ichinose stepped out of the kitchen and placed three dinners in front of them. It was just home-cooked food like tonkatsu and rolled omelets.
"So."
Ibuki Mio watched Hikigaya and spoke immediately: "What do we need to talk about?"
"Ah..."
Hikigaya had just picked up his chopsticks and quickly explained:
"You give us five million, and Class B will cast all its external praise votes for Ryuen. Ichinose can testify to this, no problem, right?"
Suddenly realizing something.
Hikigaya quickly added: "Of course, that dating condition of yours doesn't count, it's not needed."
"Five million."
Ibuki Mio breathed a sigh of relief and confirmed with some joy: "Are you sure?"
"Of course, we can sign a contract if necessary."
"Sign it!"
Ibuki wasn't going to be polite with the two of them. Hikigaya helplessly pulled out a pen and paper to write the contract, and all three of them signed their names.
As per Hikigaya's request.
Ibuki Mio transferred the five million to him, and Ichinose represented Class B to cast all external praise votes for Ryuen Kakeru.
"This should be fine, right?"
Hikigaya handed the duplicate contract to her.
It couldn't be helped.
Right now, the private points were in Ibuki Mio's hands, and Ryuen had already prepared himself for expulsion and didn't care at all.
How could he not take this opportunity to make some extra cash?
Hikigaya wasn't Ichinose; when he encountered an opportunity to fleece someone, he would naturally fleece them for all they were worth.
Even though he quite admired Ibuki.
He wouldn't be polite when it came to private points.
As for Ichinose.
Since these private points had other uses, Ichinose also gladly handed them over to Hikigaya to use.
Both the plan and the execution required Hikigaya to complete them.
"Fine."
Ibuki Mio finally breathed a sigh of relief.
This way, Class C would have the qualification to continue fighting other classes.
She boldly transferred the private points from Ryuen's phone, along with some she had saved herself, into Hikigaya's hands, and they exchanged contact information.
If Ryuen didn't get expelled and found out the money was gone, she wondered if he would hit her.
Whatever.
This was the price Ryuen had to pay for trying to be a deserter.
"Um..."
"Cut the crap, I'm not stupid."
Ibuki Mio glared at him fiercely. She didn't even eat; she took the contract and left happily.
By preventing Ryuen from being expelled behind his back, she believed it would be hard for him to continue being so lazy.