The next day at noon.
The bell for the end of class had just rung.
Ichinose stood up and shook her small fist toward Hikigaya.
"Hiki, do your best~"
"Yeah~"
Hikigaya gestured back and left the classroom without stopping, heading to the door of Class A.
Even so.
It was lunch break.
Quite a few students from Class A had already left, but fortunately, not many had.
At least it wasn't like back in middle school.
Every time it was mealtime, a group of people would rush toward the cafeteria like rabid dogs.
Class A seemed leisurely and full of intellect.
"Um..."
Hikigaya appeared like a ghost and blocked several boys.
"Is Sakayanagi here?"
Facing Hikigaya, the boys' expressions were sour.
Although it was Class A that had actively spread the rumors last time, Sakayanagi hadn't told them the details, so Class A didn't know the truth clearly either.
Naturally, they had doubts in their hearts.
But that didn't matter.
What mattered was.
Otherwise.
The Class A boys' group would have definitely been a lineup competing for first or second place.
Therefore.
In the eyes of Class A.
Hikigaya was definitely a malicious, despicable, and shameless bastard who didn't play by the rules.
Class A's impression of him was even worse than that of Classes C and D.
"Do you have some business with our little princess?"
Unexpectedly, a blonde guy with a small ponytail walked out with a face full of smiles.
"I have something. Is she in?"
Hikigaya thought he looked familiar, but unfortunately had no real memory of him. Still, minus one point for the blonde hair.
"Hashimoto, let's go. Don't bother with this guy."
One of the Class A boys said with a face full of disgust.
"Don't be so angry."
"Last time was mainly for the special exam. Hikigaya-kun only made the choice most beneficial to Class B. We don't need to keep it in our hearts."
So his name was Hashimoto. He looked at Hikigaya with a very friendly smile:
"However, you should make things easier. If you don't tell us what it is, it'll be hard for us to pass the message on."
Hashimoto Masayoshi's tone was a bit lighthearted; it seemed like a personal habit.
"Hmm?"
Hikigaya was seriously examining the man in front of him.
The leader of Class A right now was undoubtedly Sakayanagi Arisu. You, a corporate drone, actually dare to pry into the leader's business?
And in the presence of Class A classmates, in such an open manner.
Quite impressive.
Aren't you afraid the leader will give you a hard time later?
Most importantly, what did this guy want to do? To be able to make Class A classmates listen quietly by his side, this guy named Hashimoto clearly had a status in Class A that wasn't low.
Could it be that, like Katsuragi, Hashimoto also wanted to vie for the class leadership and was going against Sakayanagi?
Whatever.
None of his business.
The one currently leading Class A was Sakayanagi.
And looking at the discipline Class A had shown before.
As long as Sakayanagi nodded, it was enough. Telling others was meaningless and might even displease Sakayanagi.
"Forget it then."
Hikigaya turned and left. It's not like he was the only one he could talk to.
Why act so smug with me?
But then again, after that forest camp last time, the Class A boys clearly had a very bad impression of him. As expected, it would be more appropriate to talk to the girls.
Just then.
Looking at Hikigaya's back, Hashimoto Masayoshi laughed indifferently:
"She's here. Our princess usually brings her own bento for lunch and is usually around. I'll call her for you."
"Eh?"
Hikigaya turned back and looked at him, becoming even more confused.
Doesn't this guy want to compete with Sakayanagi for leadership?
Why does it feel like his relationship with Sakayanagi is actually quite good?
What exactly is the situation?
Whatever.
He had no interest in this blonde Hashimoto Masayoshi. Don't think about things you can't figure out; as long as Sakayanagi could nod, this matter would be settled.
"Princess-sama."
Hashimoto Masayoshi walked to the front door of the classroom and pointed his thumb at Hikigaya, who was out of sight:
"There's a guy named Hikigaya at the door who seems to have something to talk to you about."
"Oh?"
Sakayanagi glanced at Kamuro opposite her, and a smile couldn't help but appear at the corners of her mouth as she nodded.
"Let him in."
"Phew..."
Hearing their conversation, Hikigaya walked to the door of the room and observed the Class A classroom.
There were still quite a few people in the classroom. At this moment, they were all looking over here, some with confusion and others with disgust.
And Sakayanagi Arisu was sitting in the middle seat of the classroom. Even though there were quite a few people in the class, there seemed to be a vacuum zone around her.
She was in that position.
As if she were the queen of Class A, no one dared to approach her.
Of course.
Those girls didn't seem to be intentionally distancing themselves from Sakayanagi; it was more like they understood the gap in status.
It was like coincidentally running into a boss at the cafeteria; even eating would become particularly cautious.
There seemed to be an invisible wall between them, clearly and cruelly separating them from Sakayanagi.
Just seeing this scene.
Hikigaya felt there was no need to doubt; Sakayanagi's command over them was absolute.
Only in this school.
A class with such strict discipline would definitely have stronger combat power.
Only one girl was sitting opposite Sakayanagi. She was currently packing up her bento and getting up from her seat, presumably preparing to vacate the spot for him.
"Hikigaya-kun."
Sakayanagi looked at Hikigaya standing at the door and smiled: "Didn't you have something to find me for? Standing there all this time, you couldn't have just come to see me, right?"
"Haha, no..."
Hikigaya looked up at the surveillance camera in the classroom.
He really didn't want to have contact with Sakayanagi, but there shouldn't be any danger in such a public place.
"Um..."
Hikigaya walked up to Sakayanagi and looked at the people around them, asking for a private conversation.
Most people would likely find it hard to understand such a hint, but Sakayanagi easily perceived his thoughts.
"All of you, out. And close the door behind you."
Upon hearing this.
The few remaining people in Class A left the classroom without hesitation, closing the door as they went.
Really impressive.
Sakayanagi was like the King of Class A.
"Well? Not sitting?"
Sakayanagi looked at the seat opposite her and smiled: "Or do you plan to stand there and talk to me the whole time?"
"Um... is this a girl's seat?"
Hikigaya looked at the seat opposite her, feeling a bit embarrassed.
After all, he wasn't familiar with the people in Class A. If he were to be loathed for taking a strange girl's seat without permission, it wouldn't be good.
"Eh???"
Sakayanagi was momentarily stunned.
She had considered that the other party might refuse or agree, or respond with some kind of rhetoric.
But she had never imagined there would be this kind of question.
Having grown up in aristocratic schools since childhood without any close friends, she had always stood in the position of a leader.
Sakayanagi had never experienced this kind of issue.
"That's right. Is there a problem?"
Sakayanagi couldn't understand why the topic had jumped to this.
"No."
Hikigaya said indifferently: "Don't girls usually hate it when boys sit in their seats? It wouldn't be good to be loathed by them."
"Ho?"
Sakayanagi asked curiously: "Do the girls in Class B do such things?"
"I've never sat in their seats, so I'm not quite sure."
Hikigaya looked around: "Are there no boys' seats?"
Clearly, this was something that happened back in middle school.
Aside from his own seat.
Hikigaya would never sit in a girl's seat again.
"Forget it."
Sakayanagi said somewhat uninterestedly: "If you care about such trivial matters, there's a boy's seat right behind me."
Such a thing.
In Sakayanagi's eyes.
Was likely just a trivial matter of excessive self-consciousness.
But at the same time, it showed that Hikigaya's heart wasn't strong enough—at least in Sakayanagi's eyes.
"Oh."
Hikigaya quickly walked to the seat behind her and sat down.
If it was a boy's seat, he didn't need to care.
At most, he'd get shouted at a bit, which was much easier to accept than the kind of rejection from a girl that made one's soul freeze.
Sakayanagi also cooperated by turning around to face Hikigaya behind her, but then her eyebrows knitted slightly, and she said with a touch of admiration:
"I see. Is this the method you use to seize the initiative? It is indeed quite unexpected."
Although Sakayanagi hadn't experienced these things.
She had passively turned around for Hikigaya, and she quickly realized this was likely one of Hikigaya's tactics.
"???"
Hikigaya was momentarily dazed.
Do these smart-brained people like to make judgments on their own?
He quickly stood up and said:
"Then I'd better stand up and talk."
"No need."
Sakayanagi picked up her cane and stood up.
With her left hand, she somewhat laboriously turned the chair around.
Having difficulty walking indeed presented many inconveniences.
But she didn't seem to mind:
"Regardless of whether this was your tactic, the result is that I indeed passively needed to compromise for you, putting me at a disadvantage in the negotiation."
"No, let me do it."
Hikigaya quickly stood up and reached out his hand, wanting to help her turn the chair.
"No need."
Sakayanagi Arisu, with a poker-faced fake smile, raised her hand to stop him.
"Just as my unintentional action can trigger the kindness in your heart and make you stand up again, thereby dissolving the advantage you may have unconsciously built just now—this is all strength!"
As she spoke.
Sakayanagi finally turned the chair toward him and sat down. Her small face still wore that poker-like smile, and her voice was ethereal:
"Sit. Didn't you have something to find me for?"
"Oh..."
Hikigaya swallowed his saliva and obediently sat back down.
Even with difficulty walking, she never sought help from anyone and even actively used her own disadvantage as a weapon.
This person is indeed terrifying.