Time passed.
Approaching late April.
The exam would begin in a few days.
During this period, both first-year and second-year students were focusing on study sessions, wishing they could increase every single point possible.
According to what Ichinose and others said.
Their relationship with Tsubaki Sakurako had finally made progress.
Although every time they went out, Tsubaki Sakurako would still sit on the side listlessly watching, she no longer really refused.
Or.
She had already profoundly understood.
How meaningless it was to refuse Ichinose.
This day.
Ichinose and Ando Sayo and others held a study session, and Hikigaya left the school as usual.
On the way.
Keyaki Mall was as lively as ever; the heat of the three-person dating topic had passed, and no one was talking about things related to him anymore.
Even when meeting students in school uniforms on the street.
At most, they would just give him an extra look.
After all, they weren't some highly moral crusaders; they just treated rumors as after-dinner conversation.
As long as no one was pushing from behind.
Once the rumors lost their attraction, they would naturally look for new trending topics.
Of course.
Except for the "defective products" of Class D.
If he occasionally bumped into them, Ike Kanji and the others would still look full of disgust yet not dare to come forward; however, they were mainly driven by inner jealousy.
Their main anger was vented on Hikigaya.
They rarely paid attention to girls like Ichinose.
At most, they just kept saying things like "the good cabbages have all been rooted up by a pig."
In short.
Not a big problem.
As long as he didn't actively approach, the influence of the rumors was almost nil.
Of course.
If they ran into a special exam that required mutual cooperation.
It might be a bit troublesome.
But that could also be solved through other means; it wasn't a major problem.
Dormitory building.
As soon as Hikigaya walked into the lobby, he saw a girl waiting in front of the elevator.
'....'
He had just seen her a few days ago.
Therefore.
Hikigaya's impression of her was quite deep; the injury on her foot seemed to have healed, clearly not a big problem.
Walking to the elevator.
Hikigaya had no intention of greeting her either, and quietly waited for the elevator.
This dormitory belonged to the first-year students.
Each floor had eight people for a total of twenty-six floors, and there seemed to be a few vacant rooms on the top floors.
At this time.
The elevator was stopped at the twentieth floor.
Even without considering personal reasons, the school should add another elevator.
However.
"It's you..."
The girl beside him was full of shock, then turned and left the dormitory building with a look of disgust.
Hikigaya was suddenly a bit dumbfounded.
Even if the other party despised him, such blatant disgust was still a bit heartbreaking, okay?
Did she not want to ride in the same elevator as him?
Isn't that a bit too much?
Dammit.
Looking at the slowly descending elevator numbers, Hikigaya truly felt a tiny bit hurt.
A moment later.
Slightly hurried footsteps came from behind him.
"Hey."
As soon as Hikigaya turned his head, a bottle of black tea was thrown at him, and he hurriedly scrambled to catch it.
Before he could speak, he heard Kamuro Masumi say with a cold expression:
"Now we're even. Don't get involved with me again in the future, understand?"
"Uh..."
Hikigaya was suddenly a bit dumbfounded.
How self-important is this person? He held the bottle of somewhat reddish black tea in his hand and asked with some confusion:
"What do you mean by 'even'? What does this mean?"
"Payment for the help last time."
Kamuro Masumi let out a sneer: "Can't you even understand something so simple?"
"No."
Hikigaya quickly shook his head and tried to hand the black tea back; she probably just bought it from the vending machine.
"I just got you a free umbrella, it doesn't count as helping,"
"Don't be so self-important."
Kamuro Masumi sneered:
"Don't think I don't know the tactics of you scumbags, you deliberately act like this to trick people into having a good impression, and then trick me into bed, right?"
"Anyway, you got me an umbrella, and I'm giving you a drink in return, so we're even."
Hikigaya was suddenly choked up and unable to speak.
An overly-confident woman?
Forget it.
His reputation was just like that now.
In the eyes of outsiders.
He was afraid that every move he made was to coerce girls.
It was only natural to want to distance herself like this.
Telling him bluntly that there was no chance by drawing such a clear line.
Hikigaya didn't dislike it.
Besides.
A bottle of black tea.
Only cost one hundred and fifty private points.
As a cheap return gift, it was indeed enough.
Since the other party didn't want contact, Hikigaya naturally wouldn't have any intentions.
"Alright then..."
"Shut up, scumbag, don't talk to me."
"..."
Fine.
Hikigaya stopped talking.
Kamuro Masumi opened the green tea in her hand and took a sip as if nothing were wrong.
The two of them waited for the elevator to descend.
Looking at the elevator stopped on the twelfth floor, Hikigaya unscrewed his bottle and took a few sips.
After all.
There are cameras in both the lobby and the elevator....
There was nothing worth caring about.
Seemingly finding the wait a bit boring, Kamuro Masumi took out her phone to kill time.
Finally.
The elevator stopped at the first floor.
Kamuro Masumi took the lead and walked directly into the elevator, casting a disgusted look as if she didn't want to share the space with him.
Unfortunately, there was only this one elevator.
Hikigaya wasn't so awkward as to refuse; he walked into the elevator without being polite, really not knowing what she was trying to snatch.
As the elevator doors slowly closed.
Seeing Kamuro press the 15th floor, Hikigaya hesitated.
Remembering she had just told him to shut up.
Hikigaya still reached his hand toward the button for the fifth floor.
"What are you doing."
With a "snap," his hand was ruthlessly slapped away. The girl in front of him crossed her arms, her tone somewhat panicked:
"What do you want to do?"
"No... I wanted to press the fifth floor, maybe you could press it for me."
Hikigaya quickly shrank into the corner, raising both hands to show he had no ulterior motives.
"Then why didn't you speak earlier?"
Kamuro Masumi had a look full of suspicion.
"This..."
Hikigaya said speechlessly: "You were the one who told me to shut up just now and not to talk to you."
"This..."
Only then did Kamuro Masumi say suspiciously: "Really?"
"Naturally it's true."
"Alright then."
Kamuro Masumi then retracted her gaze, however, the elevator had already reached the 8th floor.
"It's already passed the fifth floor..."
"This... then forget it."
Hikigaya was somewhat helpless.
Although climbing the stairs was also an option, waiting for the elevator to arrive again would be the same.
"Let's get this straight."
Kamuro Masumi turned back and explained in a cold voice: "This has nothing to do with me, you suddenly reached out your hand yourself."
"Oh..."
Hikigaya was truly speechless toward this overly-confident woman.
Even though she was pretty, he really had no interest in dealing with her.
As long as he kept a respectful distance, it would be fine.
Soon.
The elevator ascended slowly.
Hikigaya couldn't help but feel his head become a bit heavy, and the girl in front of him seemed to have double vision.
Suddenly, a wave of dizziness hit him.
"Ah..."
Subsequently.
Hikigaya's vision went black. In the moment before he fainted, he seemed to touch something soft.
Holding Hikigaya in her arms, Kamuro Masumi had a look of wild joy.
You bastard.
I've finally got you.
In reality, as long as you utilize Hikigaya's kindness and then deliberately pull away, dealing with this guy is quite easy!