As the old proverb goes:
When a man steps out of his house, he faces ten enemies!
What this means is:
Don't go out!
Hikigaya held his handheld console, lying on his bed like a salted fish. The holidays were set by the country, so naturally, one shouldn't go against the country.
As for Ayanokouji...
It seemed like there wasn't a problem for now.
If Ayanokouji or Tsukishiro decided to move against him, Hikigaya felt it was best to just surrender.
If he offended a national-level leader just because of school, he could only be described as young, arrogant, and ignorant of the world.
Hikigaya was a man with self-awareness.
Ding-dong...
Just then, the doorbell rang. Hikigaya put down his console and looked up at the ceiling.
Whatever.
He was used to it.
Hikigaya walked to the entrance indifferently and looked through the peephole.
A cute, petite girl wearing a white beret appeared outside the door.
"Uh..."
Hikigaya immediately felt disgusted.
Why was it Sakayanagi Arisu?
Speaking of which, how did she know he lived on the fifth floor?
He felt like someone had backstabbed him. Ichinose and Kobashi Yume knew he didn't want contact with Sakayanagi, so it shouldn't be them.
The remaining possibilities seemed to be Kushida Kikyo and Shiina Hiyori.
Shiina Hiyori didn't interact with many people.
The probability was too low.
As for Kushida...
It must be that "Green Tea." His favorability for her from buying Komachi a gift dropped to zero instantly. He knew he shouldn't associate with a Green Tea like that.
Hikigaya tiptoed back to the bedroom, pretending he didn't hear anything.
Outside the door.
Sakayanagi Arisu tilted her head in confusion.
Is he not here?
That shouldn't be.
Early this morning, she had arranged for Kamuro Masumi to keep watch. Hikigaya shouldn't have left the room today.
Not awake yet? Or deliberately pretending not to hear?
Sakayanagi Arisu raised an eyebrow.
If he thought he could hide like this, he was being far too naive.
In the afternoon.
The familiar doorbell rang again.
Hikigaya went to the entrance and looked through the peephole, but didn't see anyone.
After a moment of hesitation.
He put the door chain on, opened a crack, and peeked outside.
Suddenly, a cute little face appeared in his field of vision.
Hikigaya was genuinely startled.
"Good day, Hiki-kun."
Sakayanagi Arisu said in an ethereal voice. Looking at Hikigaya's startled expression, her lips curled into a pleasant smile.
"That..."
He couldn't pretend not to hear her anymore. Hikigaya held the door handle and said hesitantly:
"Is something the matter?"
"Didn't I say? I love geniuses the most."
Sakayanagi Arisu glanced at the partially open door and smiled: "You aren't planning to talk like this, are you?"
"Indeed..."
Hikigaya was speechless. Talking like this was indeed inconvenient and quite rude.
"Fair enough."
Hikigaya quickly went to close the door while saying: "Then let's talk about whatever it is on Monday. Goodbye."
Thud.
Hikigaya shut the door.
Was she joking?
How could he possibly let Sakayanagi Arisu into his dorm room?
His trashy old man once said:
Be careful of those women in art galleries with gentle smiles, let alone a "pleasure-seeker" like Sakayanagi.
Furthermore, unless he had no choice, Hikigaya didn't want to let anyone into his dorm.
Otherwise, if someone just left a pair of panties in his room, he'd never be able to clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River.
Boys have to protect themselves when they are out.
Outside the door.
Sakayanagi's face turned green.
Back at school, she noticed Hikigaya seemed very afraid of her, but wasn't this being a bit too cowardly and cautious?
Sakayanagi Arisu stubbornly rang the doorbell again.
Ding-dong...
Hikigaya opened the door a crack again.
There was no helping it; he couldn't pretend he didn't hear it now.
"Didn't we agree to talk on Monday?"
"On Monday, we have to decide the main events."
Sakayanagi hinted that the conversation was related to the exam and smiled lightly:
"By then, it might be too late."
Saying that, Sakayanagi looked down at her slender legs clad in white garter stockings.
"I have a congenital disability in my left leg and cannot stand for long. Can we find a place to sit and talk?"
She didn't necessarily have to enter Hikigaya's dorm.
They just needed to find a private place.
Whether it was Hikigaya or Katsuragi Kohei.
Both were burdened by the kindness in their hearts.
While they were qualified as leaders, they were also easily exploited.
As long as she used such an excuse, someone with a kind heart like Hikigaya would absolutely not be able to sit by and do nothing.
Either he'd let her in, or the two would find another place to talk.
"This..."
Hikigaya looked at her long legs in white stockings, his gaze hesitant.
He was truly suspicious.
Although Sakayanagi Arisu always carried a cane and seemed to have difficulty walking...
With this girl's personality, wouldn't she just throw the cane away and run faster than Ayanokouji?
That probably wasn't the case?
Looking at Sakayanagi, her legs did seem to have some issues. As for whether she truly couldn't stand for long, Hikigaya couldn't be sure.
"This..."
Hikigaya glanced at her hesitantly: "Wait a moment."
Saying that, Hikigaya closed the door again.
This time, a pleasant smile appeared on Sakayanagi Arisu's lips.
Although Hikigaya seemed very wary of her, as long as you knew a person's weakness, they were easy to handle.
He had interfered with her plans several times in a row.
While interesting, she wouldn't let him off easily.
It just so happened that this time she was only participating as a "pawn" in the competition, so she had enough time to deal with Hikigaya.
Sakayanagi Arisu stood outside the door waiting in a good mood.
She was planning how to use Hikigaya as a piece.
He was probably changing clothes.
Then, they would go to a crowded place like Keyaki Mall to avoid being in a private setting.
Unfortunately for him, Sakayanagi had already calculated that.
And even though the Commander for this exam was Katsuragi, she still had many pieces she could manipulate.
One minute passed.
Sakayanagi Arisu had a pleasant smile.
Five minutes passed.
Sakayanagi Arisu frowned slightly. This guy couldn't be playing dumb and pretending not to hear, could he?
Ten minutes passed.
Sakayanagi Arisu's face was dark. She rang the doorbell again.
However, there was no response for a long time.
Until...
With a ding, the elevator stopped on the fifth floor. Hoshinomiya Chie stepped out and looked at Sakayanagi Arisu in the hallway with confusion.
"Aren't you Sakayanagi-kun from Class A?"
Creak.
Just then, the door opened a crack.
"Hoshinomiya-sensei, she said she has a congenital disability in her left leg and can't stand for long. It would be bad if it left any permanent damage. Please take her for an inspection."
Hikigaya poked half his head out and pointed at Sakayanagi Arisu.
After saying that, Hikigaya shut the door again.
Hoshinomiya Chie wasn't just the Class B advisor; she was also the school nurse! Taking care of students was her duty!
This unreliable teacher finally came in handy!
Trying to "fleece" him?
In your dreams!
Aside from when he absolutely couldn't avoid it in class, he wouldn't be caught dead alone with Sakayanagi Arisu.
"Is... is that so?"
Hoshinomiya turned to look at Sakayanagi, her gaze worried: "Sakayanagi-kun, are you alright?"
"..."
Sakayanagi Arisu's face turned green with rage. Was this person really this difficult to deal with?
He wouldn't even open the door?
He wouldn't even offer a cup of tea?
Even if she could think of numerous schemes, if she couldn't even meet him face-to-face, what could she do?
Hikigaya's vigilance was maxed out!