Early June, Saturday.
Two months had passed since the last special exam.
The first-years seemed to have finished their second special exam; it wouldn't be surprising if the second-years started one at any time.
Inside the dormitory room.
Even though it had been less than a month.
As those who shared his bed, Ichinose and Himeno Yuki more or less felt that something was wrong.
During this time,
Hikigaya left early and returned late.
Previously, he would shout every day that he wanted five more minutes of sleep.
Now, Hikigaya didn't need anyone to wake him.
He would wake up on his own before seven, earlier than them, and after washing up quietly, he would head out for a morning run.
That was one thing.
But it wasn't until around eight at night
that Hikigaya would return to the dorm to start studying, as if he were deliberately avoiding them.
Even at night.
Unless the two of them insisted, Hikigaya wouldn't even touch them, wishing he could just sleep on the floor.
At this time,
approaching noon.
At the low table.
Ichinose and Himeno Yuki sat facing each other, looking dejectedly at the rich lunch on the table.
"It looks like..."
Ichinose pursed her lips and said with a complex expression: "He's not coming back today either. Has he replied to your messages?"
"Still shows as unread."
Himeno Yuki said irritably.
"It's really infuriating, there's definitely something wrong with that guy."
Himeno Yuki pounded the table angrily.
"Don't be like that."
Ichinose forced a smile and said: "That's Hikki after all, there's probably something he can't explain to us yet. He'll surely tell us eventually. Let's eat first."
Even though
Hikigaya's behavior was clearly abnormal.
Ichinose still gave him her full trust, but she still hoped that if something was wrong, he would discuss it properly with them.
Even if it was something difficult.
She still hoped the three of them could face it together.
"I can't eat. Honami, don't stop me. I'm going to look today!"
Himeno Yuki slammed the table and stood up, walking toward the closet with a look of dissatisfaction, pulling out Hikigaya's clothes one by one.
For the past few days,
Ichinose had been stopping her.
Talking about trust, trust, trust.
Himeno Yuki naturally knew
that touching someone else's private belongings was indeed a bit unethical.
But trust my foot.
If she trusted him any more, she felt her man was going to become totally abnormal.
Some time ago,
when they went shopping, they would occasionally buy a few clothes for Hikigaya.
Compared to when school started,
Hikigaya had quite a few more clothes now.
One piece, two pieces...
Himeno Yuki didn't miss a single corner.
Eventually,
she finally found a strand of hair on a jacket.
"Honami, look."
Himeno Yuki held up a purple strand of hair, bringing it in front of Ichinose to compare it for a while, her expression immediately turning serious:
"It's not yours, and it's not mine!"
"As expected, there's a que—"
Before she could finish,
she saw Ichinose pursing her lips, her expression becoming complicated.
"Honami."
Himeno Yuki's brows furrowed as she said: "Do you know something?"
She only just realized now.
Ichinose was the one who always washed Hikigaya's clothes.
If there was an abnormality, how could Ichinose not have noticed?
"It's fine."
Ichinose took the hair and held it in her hand, smiling with a complex look: "Hikki isn't that kind of person. This might have just accidentally gotten stuck on him at some point."
She indeed had noticed long ago.
Not just hair, there were also scents of other women on the clothes.
However,
Hikigaya already looked so miserable that Ichinose couldn't bear to keep questioning him; otherwise, it would surely make things even more difficult for him.
"How is that possible!"
"The evidence is right in front of you, and you're still deceiving yourself!"
"No, I have to ask him today!"
Himeno Yuki was simply exploding with rage.
She knew it.
Now,
if Hikigaya were having an affair, Ichinose would probably just suffer in silence alone given her personality; she didn't expect Ichinose would even hide it until now.
It was too infuriating.
As night approached.
An inconspicuous purple strand of hair lay on the low table.
Himeno Yuki sat at the table with her arms crossed, looking serious. Ichinose, beside her, was a bit hesitant:
"Yuki-chan, how about we just forget it? When Hikki wants to say it, he'll definitely tell us."
"No, Honami, you're just too indulgent with him. That guy can't be spoiled!"
Himeno Yuki crossed her arms, her eyes flashing with a sharp light.
From her position,
it was hard to criticize Hikigaya for having an affair.
But if something was wrong, why couldn't he say it clearly and face it together?
Though she knew Hikigaya looked pained, she just couldn't stand his secretive behavior.
Right then, the sound of the door opening was heard.
"I'm back."
Hikigaya appeared before the two of them, looking dispirited. His eyes flickered away when he saw Ichinose and Himeno Yuki sitting at the table.
He quickly went to pick up his stationery, preparing to study.
"Sit down!"
Himeno Yuki spoke coldly, and Hikigaya sat across from them with his stationery.
"What is this?"
Himeno Yuki held up the purple long hair, her tone icy, immediately making Hikigaya's expression stiffen.
"This is... what?"
"I'm the one asking you!"
Himeno Yuki slapped the table and said coldly: "I found this on your clothes. I was wondering why you've been so strange lately. Tell me, are you out fooling around with some woman?"
Hearing her words.
Hikigaya felt even more guilty.
Though it wasn't frequent—Kamuro Masumi only threatened him on weekends—he indeed was "fooling around."
Could he tell Ichinose and the others about this?
The answer was naturally no.
If they knew,
Himeno Yuki and the others would either go pick a fight with Sakayanagi, and if they just suffered in silence, nothing would change.
The handle was already in Sakayanagi's hands.
The final result
would either be Ichinose compromising and letting Sakayanagi indirectly control Class B, following him in betraying the class and completely losing hope of reaching Class A.
Or Ichinose would be disappointed in him and break up, which still wouldn't change the fact that he was being controlled.
As long as someone truly wanted to drag the class down,
no amount of precaution would help, especially with Sakayanagi pulling the strings behind the scenes.
And that was still the best outcome.
The worst outcome would naturally be Sakayanagi giving the video directly to the school.
Regardless of the result,
letting Ichinose and the others know would be meaningless other than adding to their troubles.
"No."
Hikigaya forced a smile and said: "I might have just accidentally picked it up in some shop."
Hearing his words,
Ichinose pursed her lips, and Himeno Yuki's expression was equally grim.
They both understood that he was lying.
Never mind the hair; the scent of a woman on the clothes couldn't be faked.
"Hikki..."
Tears were welling up in Ichinose's eyes as she spoke hesitantly:
"If you've met someone you like... you can... you can bring her back for us to see, okay?"
Hearing this,
Himeno Yuki irritably turned her face away without stopping her.
The implication was clear.
Bring her back to see, and they might just agree. Even though she felt unhappy about it, there was nothing she could do if Hikigaya kept hiding it.
"No... it's not like that."
Hikigaya said with a forced smile.
He couldn't possibly like a bitch like Kamuro Masumi.
"You..."
Himeno Yuki immediately turned and glared at him, but Hikigaya kept his head down in silence.
Even after all this, he still wouldn't say?
No one was blaming him, so what was he afraid to say?
Himeno Yuki held back the anger in her heart.
"I've been running all day and I'm a bit tired. If there's nothing else, I'll go rest first."
With that, Hikigaya got up to get a change of clothes; if all else failed, he could only pretend to sleep.
"Sleep by yourself if you want, I'm leaving."
Himeno Yuki slapped the table, stood up, and left the room directly. She felt annoyed just looking at this guy.
It wasn't like she had to sleep here.
She had her own room.
Looking at Himeno Yuki's departing back, Hikigaya opened his mouth but didn't know what to say, and in the end, he could only remain silent.
Taking a deep breath, Hikigaya said dejectedly:
"You should go back and rest too, right?"
"Hikki, are you driving me away?"
"No..."
"Then I'll still stay here tonight."
Ichinose shook her head with a brilliant smile on her face, which truly made Hikigaya feel it was a bit too dazzling.
Night fell.
The two of them lay in bed.
Staring at the back of Hikigaya's head, Ichinose hugged him from behind and whispered:
"It's okay. When you're ready to say it, tell us then, okay?"
Hikigaya pursed his lips and didn't respond, only feeling Ichinose hugging him tighter, almost making it hard to breathe.
If only it could always be like this.
It was all the fault of those two bitches, Sakayanagi Arisu and Kamuro Masumi. Even if they used any means necessary, they should have had a bottom line.
Those two bitches.