"Ichinose."
"Give me a break!"
Himeno Yuki suddenly stood up, looking down at Ichinose in front of her, her red eyes no longer able to hide her anger.
"Even introducing a boyfriend to me, are you here specifically to show off?"
"I didn't mean that..."
It was the first time she had seen Himeno Yuki show such a side, and Ichinose was immediately panicked.
However.
Before she could finish, she was interrupted by Himeno Yuki.
"Even asking me when I started liking him—I'll tell you, I've liked him since school started."
Himeno Yuki's icy gaze stared at the girl in front of her.
"Still saying you didn't know? What is this? Is it that if you knew I liked Hikigaya, you wouldn't have dated him?"
"Don't make me laugh."
"Ichinose, you don't even like Hikigaya that much."
"Right?"
Suppressing the tears swirling in her eyes, Himeno Yuki questioned coldly.
No matter what high-sounding reasons Ichinose pulled out, she definitely didn't like him more than she did.
"You just fell in love with him after being saved a few times? Loved him so much you couldn't help yourself? Don't make me laugh."
"In any case, you probably just used some lowly method to get hikigaya to date you, right?"
"If it were me..."
As she spoke.
Himeno Yuki could no longer hold it in, two lines of tears trailing down her cheeks, and her voice became choked up toward the end.
She knew very well.
Ichinose might indeed not like Hikigaya more than she did; however, what Ichinose liked was the whole of Hikigaya.
Whether it was the good side or the twisted side.
Ichinose liked all of it.
Without any disdain.
It was she herself.
She felt that the previous Hikigaya was a bit hard to show off, and wanted to slowly make him more popular before making a move.
Everything was her own problem.
That gave Ichinose the chance to succeed.
She clearly wanted to burst out in curses at Ichinose, but by the end, Himeno Yuki simply couldn't say it.
This really couldn't be blamed on Ichinose.
It was all her own problem.
If there were a chance to do it again.
She definitely wouldn't care about when Hikigaya could correct himself, whether he was cheerful, or whether his social level was sufficient.
Himeno Yuki was ultimately a gentle person.
"If it were me..."
Himeno Yuki's hands couldn't help but grip Ichinose's arms tightly, and she lowered her head, sobbing with unwillingness:
"Clearly I was here first, the person who saw him first was me, the person who went shopping with him first was me, the person who watched movies with him first was me..."
"Clearly I was here first, can you give him back to me... can you give him back to me... please, Ichinose..."
A trace of pain came from her arm; looking at Himeno Yuki's gaze full of unwillingness, regret, and expectation.
Ichinose was stunned in place.
So.
Without her knowing, Himeno Yuki's face was already covered in tears.
If the person in front of her were a friend from another class, Ichinose could still sternly retort.
However.
The person in front of her was the most important partner from the same class.
Thinking of the times Himeno Yuki had shown her concern when she was downcast, her contributions to the class, and everyone's smiles when they gathered together.
Ichinose was unable to speak for a long time.
She could only let Himeno Yuki's sobbing echo in the room.
It might indeed be as she said, and Hikigaya's guess was also correct.
While she didn't dislike him.
Compared to herself, compared to Hikigaya, Ichinose cared more about her class companions.
Only.
Previously, there was no need to prioritize.
Now there was.
Hearing Himeno Yuki's plea and gazing into her regretful eyes, Ichinose's gaze was blank as she responded.
"Okay..."
"Cunning..."
Hearing Ichinose's words, Himeno Yuki pinched her arm, but her expression became even sadder.
She looked up at Ichinose in front of her, her eyes already blurred by tears, and she shouted unwillingly:
"Ichinose, being good to the point where people are left speechless, don't you think you are being a bit despicable?"
She asked Ichinose to give up Hikigaya, and she actually gave him up.
However.
What could Himeno Yuki do now?
Was she supposed to accept it joyfully?
Hearing this.
Ichinose's heart tightened.
Today's Himeno Yuki was completely different from the past.
However.
Those things were not important now.
Being so good it left people speechless made her seem even more despicable.
Yeah.
Himeno Yuki was also a very kind person; both were very kind, so could they really accept it frankly?
In the future in class, how should they face each other?
But.
What should be done?
"Then..."
Ichinose didn't know either, she felt a bit bitter: "What should we do..."
Himeno Yuki's hands couldn't help but apply more force, then her eyes turned sharp, and she messily wiped her tears with her sleeve before walking to the bedroom door.
"Ichinose."
Looking back slightly at Ichinose, who was stunned in place, Himeno Yuki's voice was cold:
"If you really feel you owe me, stay here for the night; you can use anything in the room."
As she spoke.
Himeno Yuki left the dormitory without looking back.
Until the sound of the door closing rang out.
Ichinose was instantly drained of all strength, falling to the floor in a "duck sit" position.
Gazing at the somewhat dim room around her.
Ichinose covered her face with her hands.
Tears fell uncontrollably from her cheeks.
Why did it turn out like this, how could Himeno Yuki like Hikigaya so much?
Why hadn't she noticed it before?
Now.
What should she do?
Clearly she had promised she would never give up.
Clearly she had promised she would definitely make Hikigaya happy.
Clearly she had promised she would stay with Hikigaya to prove the feeling between them was "genuine."
But.
How could it be so hard?
Ichinose leaned against the bed and let out painful sobs.
Although she didn't need to worry about Karuizawa and the others—Hikigaya was trustworthy enough—she herself was a useless person.
Soon.
Ichinose couldn't help but discover.
The bedsheet under the quilt had already been soaked by tears.
She could imagine.
Just how sad Himeno Yuki had been before, yet she still forced herself to stand in front of her as if nothing had happened.
And when she saw her.
Just how painful it must have been for Himeno Yuki.
They were all such gentle and kind children, the most important partners in the class.
Ichinose hugged the tear-soaked pillow tightly in her arms, her painful tears mixing with the water stains left by Himeno Yuki.
What would Himeno do?
Ichinose had a general guess.
"I'm sorry, hikki...
Ichinose buried her small head in the pillow, tears falling incessantly.
She couldn't give Hikigaya the thing he wanted.
Even.
She couldn't even get past this first hurdle.
She could only sit here and let out useless sobs.