Inside the room.
Himeno Yuki knelt on a soft cushion, her small head rubbing crazily against Hikigaya's stomach.
"Wait..."
Hikigaya sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at the scene before him.
He was truly dazed.
Ever since they returned to the room, this girl had been sticking to him and wouldn't let go, suddenly becoming as well-behaved as a kitten.
"Um... exactly what kind of illness did you catch? Do you want to go to the infirmary?"
"No."
Himeno Yuki gave his stomach a light pat, rolled her beautiful eyes, and continued rubbing:
"You're just too cunning. I think I've fallen for you even more—what should I do?"
"No, I don't understand anything..."
Hikigaya was a bit confused.
He really didn't know what this girl was talking about.
"I happen to know."
Ichinose was sitting at the low table studying. Hearing this, she nodded with a slightly red face.
"Hikki, you were so cool today!"
"Ha?"
Hikigaya looked up, even more speechless: "How was that cool? I only said things that a piece of scum would say."
It had to be said.
Hikigaya knew how excessive his words were.
Not only did he openly embrace two girls, but he even used some boring value systems to belittle Ike Kanji and the others' dignity.
It really shouldn't be praised.
"It really was cool!"
Himeno Yuki cupped her cheeks with her hands, looking up at Hikigaya with a slightly red face:
"You said those things just to stand up for us, didn't you? Also, Honami and Yuki are already mine—so cool, cool, cool! Say it again!"
At the very end of her words, Yuki Himeno stood up and sat down next to Hikigaya, hugging his arm and acting spoiled while demanding he say it again.
"No."
Hikigaya's face turned red as he looked away: "Saying it again feels embarrassing."
Ichinose, sitting at the low table, just watched the scene with a face full of smiles. Seeing the people around her happy was her greatest happiness!
"But," Ichinose said with some helplessness at this moment, "if this continues, everyone's misunderstanding of Hikki will deepen. I'm sorry, I'm really useless."
"No."
Hikigaya shook his head indifferently: "That doesn't count as a misunderstanding, and you were the one who convinced the class, Honami. This is the result of a joint effort."
After all, having one on each arm was a fact. It really couldn't be called a misunderstanding.
"And..."
Saying this, a trace of a smile appeared at the corner of Hikigaya's mouth: "Saying it out loud made me feel a lot more relaxed."
So what if I'm trash? I'm trash and I'm proud. Since I'm a piece of scum, I should just face it calmly.
"Yeah."
Ichinose breathed a sigh of relief from the bottom of her heart, sharing the same thought.
"To be honest, I also feel much better after being scolded by Ike and the others."
The unknown is the greatest fear. Being scolded like that felt like nothing much. If it was only that, it could be faced calmly. Perhaps Ichinose's subconscious sense of guilt had never been eliminated, which is why she felt much better.
Furthermore, Ichinose glanced at the phone on the table. As a leader, she naturally had to be ready to receive messages from the class at any time; it had already become her habit.
At this moment, in the class group chat, girls like Yumeko Kobashi and Sayo Ando were all praising Hikigaya's performance after school. Last time it was just a rumor, but this time it was seen by everyone's eyes. This version of Hikigaya, standing up for his women, was simply too cool.
It was no wonder the two were willing to date Hikigaya at the same time and so on. Even the boys were expressing that it was "badass." They truly didn't expect the usually silent Hikigaya to be so brave at a critical moment. The atmosphere of the class group chat was much better than before.
"Is that so?"
"I, on the other hand, feel very annoyed."
Himeno Yuki hugged Hikigaya's arm and curled her lip, then changed her tone to act spoiled: "However, because I heard that phrase 'Yuki is already mine,' I'll forgive them. Hikki, say it again quickly."
"No."
"Eh? Just say it one more time."
"Yes, yes, yes, Yuki is already mine."
Shaken by Himeno Yuki until he had a bit of a headache, Hikigaya said it again with some impatience.
"What is this?"
Himeno Yuki let go of his arm, pouting with some dissatisfaction: "It doesn't feel like earlier at all. It's too perfunctory, not sincere at all."
After school, she really wished she could jump on Hikigaya right then and there and give him several hard kisses. She had originally hoped Hikigaya would straighten his back before she confessed to him, becoming a bit more sunny.
That forceful side of him was simply too much like Himeno Yuki's dream lover.
"No, there's no way I'm saying such embarrassing words again."
Hikigaya pulled away, looking rather disgusted. Those words—arrogant, selfish, extreme to the point of madness, and showing no respect for others—where exactly were they cool?
He really couldn't figure out Himeno Yuki's taste; the key was that even Ichinose thought so too. It could only be said that something was more or less wrong with their heads.
Unfortunately, such a forceful side was too rare to see in him. Perhaps because of this, it seemed especially precious.
"Forget it."
Himeno Yuki regained her smile, continuing to kneel on the cushion by the bed. She unbuckled Hikigaya's belt and said somewhat flirtatiously: "Seeing how cool you were today, let me give you a good reward!"
"Wait a minute, it's not even four o'clock yet, and Honami is still studying."
Hikigaya held up his pants, somewhat unwilling. During the special exam, they hadn't participated in either the Student Council or clubs. Even though he wanted it in his heart, they were just being lazy. They shouldn't disturb the person who was working hard, right?
"Uh... then let's wait until tonight."
Himeno Yuki looked back at Ichinose, feeling a bit embarrassed. This was the bad thing about three people: you couldn't do whatever you wanted. However, this was also entirely because she was someone who considered the other party.
"Mhm."
"Then I'll join too."
Watching the scene before her, Ichinose picked up the cushion beneath her and walked over to Hikigaya, kneeling on the floor with Himeno Yuki.
She looked up at Hikigaya and said with some shyness: "Hikki was really cool just now. Actually, I want to give a good reward too."
"I really don't understand what's cool about it."
Looking at the two kneeling in front of him, Hikigaya was somewhat speechless.
Ichinose and Himeno Yuki glanced at each other, the corners of their mouths curving up slightly. Although the usual Hikigaya was also handsome, a slightly more forceful version was indeed better.
"Hiss..."
Hikigaya sat on the edge of the bed. Since it had happened so many times, he didn't feel any embarrassment.
Just then, a phone rang.
Ichinose and Himeno Yuki didn't pay it any mind, but Hikigaya picked up the phone and glanced at it, saying with some confusion: "Um... a junior asked to meet me at Palette in a while. What should I do?"
"Well then."
Ichinose looked up slightly, while the Himeno Yuki beside her asked with some doubt: "Why would a junior look for you?"
"Uh, Tsubasa Nanase from Class 1-D. I don't know either."
Hikigaya was equally confused.
"Hikki, you haven't found a teammate yet. Could it be about that?"
Ichinose said, tilting her small head.
"It shouldn't be about that."
Hikigaya shook his head: "It seems she has already teamed up with a second-year. Should I go or not?"
"Why are you asking us?"
Ichinose tilted her small head in confusion: "Since there's nothing else to do now anyway, wouldn't it be bad not to go?"
The Himeno Yuki on the side was somewhat speechless. However, considering it was a meeting in a public place like Palette, there shouldn't be any problem. Hikigaya was safe!
"Go then, "