At the low table.
Finally feeling hungry, Hikigaya was wolfing down the dinner Ichinose had prepared.
Watching this scene.
Himeno was somewhat speechless.
Had she known, she would have learned cooking properly in the past.
Dammit.
Ichinose's advantage in this area was simply too great; how could she make it taste so good?
"Slow down, you won't choke to death."
Himeno glared fiercely at Hikigaya and snatched a piece of egg roll from his hand, putting it into her own bowl.
"Is that really necessary..."
Hikigaya chewed his rice, somewhat speechless, and picked up another piece.
There was still so much.
Why did she keep snatching his?
Having let go of her obsession.
Ichinose also had the energy to focus on other things. She put a small ball of rice into her mouth, her face once again regaining that high-energy smile.
" yuki-chan, you really are different from how you are in class. Were you just pretending in class?"
"Ugh..."
Himeno's face turned red as she turned her head away.
But then she thought about it.
Things had already reached this point; she couldn't keep up the act anymore.
"I suppose so."
"Eh? Why?"
Ichinose tilted her head, becoming somewhat puzzled.
However.
Whether it was the Himeno in class or the current Himeno, her gentle nature remained unchanged.
"No reason."
Himeno continued eating, not wanting to explain.
"Honestly."
Ichinose said somewhat helplessly: "Then what should we do next? Are we going to keep going like this?"
Upon hearing this.
Hikigaya also couldn't help but look at Himeno.
That was the real problem.
Whether she would continue to pretend or not.
Actually.
Hikigaya always felt that there was no need for her to disguise herself.
By showing her true self, Koshigaya Meng and the others would likely be even happier.
After all.
Himeno was just a bit playful and disliked those endless gatherings; she wasn't a bad person.
"Hmm..."
Himeno pondered for a moment but still shook her head: "Let's just keep it like this. Don't tell the others."
"Eh?"
Ichinose tilted her head and said: "I feel like if you were more genuine, everyone would be happier."
"Ichinose."
Himeno put down her chopsticks, her expression becoming cool and distant:
"Since things are like this now, I'll take this chance to tell you. Do you know what I hate most about you?"
Hearing this.
Ichinose's pretty face froze, and Hikigaya, sitting nearby, immediately buried his head in his food.
The real Himeno was very bold.
To deal with this girl, one had to use "group advantages," which was exactly Ichinose's area of expertise.
Unfortunately.
Right now, there was only him—a "food-eating machine."
Ichinose might not be a match for Himeno.
"What I hate most is your meddlesome personality."
Himeno said with some annoyance: "You like to stick your nose into everything and always love giving long lectures. Before, you even asked us to help that Sudo guy; what did that have to do with our class? It was annoying as hell."
Ichinose's face stiffened.
Aside from Hikigaya, this was the first time someone had criticized her to her face.
Seeming to feel that she had gone a bit too far, Himeno quickly changed her tone, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Forget it, it's not actually that annoying anyway."
Saying this, Himeno lightly kicked Hikigaya under the table and raised her chin:
"Let her hear the answer I like."
"She can do whatever she wants."
Hikigaya said somewhat helplessly.
Why bother so much? If she wants to pretend, let her pretend.
Even though he knew Himeno had been acting like a "good girl," Hikigaya had never thought about interfering in her business.
At most, when there was no other choice, he would poke fun at her with a few words.
"See?"
"I see..."
Ichinose shook her head bitterly.
She unexpectedly hadn't noticed at all.
This past year.
Himeno had likely endured her many times; she really was a failure of a leader.
Forget it.
As long as Himeno was happy, there was no need for her to care so much.
"However."
Himeno formed a hand-blade and quickly poked Hikigaya's side, her gaze somewhat resentful:
"I still hope Hikigaya-kun would meddle with me a bit more."
"Why?"
Hikigaya clutched the spot where he had been poked, suddenly feeling dazed.
Dammit.
This was truly unbearable.
Just a second ago, this girl said she didn't want Ichinose to be meddlesome and even made him take a stand.
Yet the next second.
She told him to meddle more.
Changing every second.
How did she even do that?
Hikigaya really couldn't understand Himeno's train of thought.
He had originally thought she was just a girl acting like a "good girl" who was kind-hearted but actually a bit of a "gyaru."
But now.
Hikigaya discovered that he completely failed to understand Himeno.
This girl's way of doing things was simply beyond human comprehension, changing every second—she changed faces faster than one turns pages.
"If you don't understand, just eat."
"Oh."
Hikigaya quickly buried his head in his food.
Forget it, whatever she says goes. He really didn't want to waste brainpower thinking about things he couldn't figure out.
Beside him, Ichinose and Himeno looked at each other.
For some reason.
Both simultaneously revealed a helpless smile.
Perhaps.
Himeno was the same as her.
Hoping that Hikigaya could be more assertive, more domineering—though not the kind of unrestrained dominance.
It was just.
This attitude of not caring at all.
Felt as if he didn't have them in his heart at all.
They hoped Hikigaya could be greedier regarding them, more domineering, treating them as his own people.
Fortunately.
Although it might not be possible right now.
Hikigaya's sense of responsibility was incredibly strong; as long as it was his business, he would definitely take responsibility to the end.
In that case.
The hope in their hearts.
Might just be a matter of time.
After finishing dinner.
Ichinose looked at Himeno, her pretty face couldn't help but flush slightly.
"Himeno-chan, are you going back to rest... or..."
"I'll go up and grab some things first. From now on, I'm sleeping here too!"
"Mhm, here is the spare key card. Let's go get another one made tomorrow."
"No problem."
With that.
Himeno took the key card and turned to leave the room.
She had discovered when she went to the bathroom earlier that Ichinose must have been staying here the whole spring break. She wanted to as well!
After Himeno left.
The two went to the bathroom.
Ichinose washed Hikigaya's body for him.
Though he felt a bit embarrassed.
Ichinose especially liked doing this; it felt more like the role of a wife.
"Are you okay?"
Hikigaya asked after a moment of hesitation.
Although everything seemed fine on the surface, no one knew Ichinose's true thoughts.
"Eh?"
Ichinose shook her head, her face flushing.
"Didn't I say it just now? I've already figured it out. Himeno-chan is a very gentle person, so there won't be any problems. Just let the two of us serve you!"
Saying this.
Ichinose washed him even more seriously.
Within a few moments.
Himeno rushed in carrying a plastic bag. Seeing the scene before her, she was suddenly speechless.
"Cunning! It's only been how long, and you've already started 'eating' secretly, Ichinose."
"It's not..."
"I want to too!"
With that.
Himeno walked up to the two of them, held Hikigaya's cheeks, and kissed him.
Forget it.
Hikigaya held the two of them and stopped thinking.
He would worry about tomorrow's matters tomorrow.