Time passed.
A week went by quickly.
Another Saturday.
Hikigaya woke up early in the morning, washed his face forcefully in front of the mirror, then checked the door chain of the room, and finally came to the balcony to observe downstairs.
At approximately eight o'clock.
He saw a group of girls, including Ichinose, Himeno Yuki, and Kobashi Yume, leaving the dormitory building.
It was precisely during the special exam period.
Although the exam content was not yet clear, it was, after all, a deserted island survival exam.
Physical strength was essential.
While cramming at the last minute wouldn't be very useful, and certainly couldn't compare to club members like Sudo who kept up high-intensity training.
But most people.
Would hold the idea that improving even a little bit counts.
Watching the receding figures of Ichinose and the others, Hikigaya stood on the balcony for a long time, unable to look away.
Although he was very confident in his plan.
Most plans.
In essence, require a bit of luck.
Whether the plan could succeed.
Hikigaya did not have one hundred percent certainty.
But one thing was certain: he would absolutely not betray the class, let alone continue to wrong Ichinose.
It was success or death.
Watching Ichinose's already vanished figure, Hikigaya could not turn back for a long time.
This might be the last time they saw each other.
After a long time.
Hikigaya's eyes turned cold again as he returned to the bedroom, dragging out his suitcase and packing his luggage without haste.
If things went as expected.
Around ten o'clock, Kamuro Masumi would call him.
Then.
At noon, Kamuro Masumi would prepare a meal for him.
After eating and drinking his fill, he would play the master-servant game with Kamuro Masumi until the evening, or go to the Keyaki Mall to do something even more exciting.
Finally.
Nearing ten o'clock.
The phone ringtone rang out as expected.
Hikigaya ignored it, took a deep breath, and rubbed his cheeks to try to make his expression look as desperate as possible.
There was no need to act.
After all, just thinking about the current situation was already very desperate.
The last time he saw Kamuro Masumi.
Besides stimulating Kamuro Masumi's sense of guilt and gaining her favor—which was only an effort, and whether it was effective only Kamuro Masumi herself knew.
The most important thing.
Was to let Kamuro Masumi be clear about his pattern of action.
This was an opportunity.
On the other side.
Girls' bedrooms.
Kamuro Masumi finished washing up and changed into her favorite outfit, dialling Hikigaya's phone with some expectation.
Today, let's go play at the Keyaki Mall again.
Although they could only meet on weekends every week, Kamuro Masumi was still very expectant, waiting for Hikigaya with some excitement.
As if waiting at any time for her master's favor.
Though Hikigaya might just treat it as a master-servant game or some kind of mood, Kamuro Masumi really felt it was very exciting and liked it very much.
The phone went unanswered once.
The phone went unanswered twice.
The phone went unanswered three times.
Kamuro Masumi finally noticed a trace of something wrong and couldn't help but furrow her brows, her expression turning ugly as she said:
"Has this guy turned the world upside down?"
Although she didn't want to keep threatening the other party all the time and hoped Hikigaya could cooperate a little.
After all.
She was already like this.
But Hikigaya always wanted to jump around at every turn.
She could only take out the video and start threatening.
But like right now.
Not even picking up the phone was a first.
This was rebellion.
Kamuro Masumi would never allow it.
Thinking that she wouldn't be able to do these exciting things with Hikigaya in the future, Kamuro Masumi felt some reluctance while also being somewhat angry.
She was already like this.
Although the means were through threats, in reality, she was serving Hikigaya very well.
Not only did she cook for Hikigaya.
But she would take whatever posture was wanted.
Exactly.
Although Ichinose did a lot for Hikigaya, for these past two months, it was she who cooked for Hikigaya every weekend.
Hikigaya wasn't Sakayanagi Arisu.
Even if he were a stone.
He should have at least a little bit of compassion by now, right?
She originally thought that the gap between Ichinose and Hikigaya would be an opportunity to step in.
Unexpectedly.
He actually started slacking off on her again.
And, not even answering the phone was simply too much.
Kamuro Masumi felt angry and a bit aggrieved at the same time.
Damn it.
Kamuro Masumi also discovered.
This guy Hikigaya just couldn't be followed all the time.
He must be pressed down occasionally.
Others are prone to floating up; Hikigaya is prone to falling down, and if one isn't careful, Hikigaya falls back.
Fortunately.
Ichinose and Hikigaya already had a gap between them.
Now he should be alone in his dorm, or maybe at the school or somewhere else.
But.
It didn't matter.
She could wait.
Anyway, she had held it in for almost a month in the fire escape before.
Waiting for half a day now wasn't an issue.
The school was only so big.
It was impossible not to return to the dorm for an entire day; otherwise, there wouldn't even be a place to sleep.
Thinking of this.
Kamuro Masumi was even somewhat excited.
Previously, Ichinose had always occupied Hikigaya's dorm, so she could only have trysts with Hikigaya in her own dorm and had never entered Hikigaya's dorm before.
Although the room layouts were roughly the same.
Just the thought of going to Hikigaya's dorm made Kamuro Masumi feel inexplicably excited.
Even.
If she left some traces for Ichinose and the others to find.
This could become the fuse for a breakup.
Kamuro Masumi had no sense of embarrassment and didn't have such high moral standards; if anyone was to blame, it was Ichinose herself for not being able to withstand the test.
After all, they weren't even married.
It wasn't certain who Hikigaya belonged to yet.
Even.
Even if they were married.
Kamuro Masumi also felt it was nothing; that seemed even more exciting!
Without thinking much.
Kamuro Masumi changed her clothes, conveniently packed her newly bought pajamas into a shopping bag, and left her room in high spirits.
Arriving at the fifth floor, she rang the doorbell.
Kamuro Masumi was already prepared for the possibility that Hikigaya wasn't there; in that case, she could only wait for him to come back in the evening or wait in the fire escape.
On the other side.
Hearing the ringing doorbell.
Hikigaya finally breathed a sigh of relief and put down the folded clothes on top of the suitcase.
It had to be said.
Simple-minded people are indeed easy to exploit.
The action pattern was guessed all at once.
But Hikigaya did not feel the slightest pleasure of strategic control.
He truly couldn't understand.
What was actually good about this kind of thing.
Whether it was Ryuen or Yanagi Arisu, they both seemed to like this kind of thing?
To show that they were strong?
Just exploiting other people's kindness, their defenseless good intentions, or their sense of responsibility for the class.
What was there to be proud of in exploiting these things?
Even though the object he was thinking of exploiting was Kamuro Masumi, Hikigaya still felt a bit uneasy.
After all.
Besides following Sakayanagi's arrangements and her own selfish desire for excitement, Kamuro Masumi was personally quite good to him.
When she saw him truly sad, Kamuro Masumi would silently comfort him by his side.
Though this bit of guilt.
Was completely incomparable to the shame he felt toward Shiina Hiyori.
But thinking of the current situation.
And Sakayanagi's joyful, self-righteous smile.
Hikigaya's eyes suddenly turned cold and sharp; since you are unkind, don't blame me for being unjust.
He had only exploited one Kamuro Masumi.
Did she really think she was all that?