After watching a movie.
Most of the student council's subsequent work had probably ended.
Hikigaya and the others finally met up with Ichinose; it was almost approaching dinner time.
"Then what should we eat?"
Several people sat on the deck feeling the sea breeze blowing against them; Hikigaya asked softly, feeling his stomach getting hungry.
"Hmm, it's about this time, that should do".
Ichinose murmured softly, tilting her small head to ask: "Hikki, what do you want to eat?"
"Oh, any—"
Before he could finish.
Important.
Hikigaya recalled what happened a few days ago.
Although in junior high his opinions would be troublesome and basically ignored, in front of Ichinose and the others, his opinion was still important.
Always saying "anything".
Instead, it made it harder for people to decide and would give an impression of being very perfunctory.
Can't say "anything".
"Yakiniku (Grilled meat) then..."
Under.
After thinking for a while, a smile appeared at the corner of Hikigaya's mouth.
No matter what, he successfully earned 300,000 personal points today, and Hikigaya also wanted to eat something good to reward himself.
Although he possessed a huge sum of 30 million.
Hikigaya only splurged once at the very beginning; his consumption was still as thrifty as before.
More importantly.
Earning money after working will definitely not be as easy as it is now.
He wanted to save these 30-plus million personal points as much as possible for university expenses and potential future spending needs.
Ah.
"Eh!?"
Himeno Yuki dragged out her voice with a somewhat disgusted expression: "Grilled meat? No way, I want to eat something lighter right now".
"That's true".
Sakayanagi Arisu, sitting beside Hikigaya, couldn't help but nod:
"We've been eating big meals every day lately; it indeed is a bit greasy".
"And grilled meat is too expensive".
Quite a bit.
Ichinose couldn't help but nod, feeling a bit stingy with the money.
Although the cruise was indeed fun, they couldn't cook for themselves; being subjected to various temptations every day, their spending was much higher than usual.
"Hmm, I'm also a bit worried about my weight".
Kamuro Masumi couldn't help but nod and suggest: "Let's go for a buffet; choose whatever you want to eat, how about it?"
"Oh, agreed~"
"???"
Hikigaya was momentarily helpless.
Fine.
His suggestion was still rejected; what was the point of saying it then?
In the corridor.
Hikigaya walked in the middle position, with Ichinose, Sakayanagi, and the others following on the left and right sides respectively.
Although he preferred to hang back, he had been told off by Ichinose and the others.
It could only be like this.
However, when shopping for clothes, Hikigaya still hung back.
Due to matching Sakayanagi Arisu's pace, the speed was somewhat slow.
From time to time, they would encounter students playing on the cruise, which would always attract the other party's attention.
After a long while.
The five of them arrived at Restaurant No. 5.
Gazing from afar at the closed doors, Hikigaya frowned.
Except for the dedicated restaurants and canteens for teachers and staff, most restaurants on the cruise were open to everyone; seeing the doors closed was truly a bit rare.
However.
There was no sign hanging in front of the door saying "temporarily closed"; it was probably just accidentally closed.
Several people arrived in front of the restaurant doors.
Ichinose, Kamuro Masumi, and the others fell back a step unnoticeably; Hikigaya tried to push open the door—if it didn't work, they would just switch to the next place.
"Bang".
As the door was easily pushed open.
Several party poppers suddenly went off; countless colorful streamers, sequins, and petals fell onto Hikigaya.
"Hikigaya! Happy Birthday!"
Kobayashi Yume and Amikura Mako at the front spoke in unison, followed by Ando Sayo, Kanzaki, and others behind them.
Immediately.
Hikigaya was startled and took a step back.
Ichinose and the others had performed completely normally today; he thought they were indeed just mentioning it casually, so Hikigaya hadn't taken it to heart anymore.
Unexpectedly.
They actually organized such a surprise.
Clearly, Ichinose and the others had hidden it from him on purpose; Sakayanagi and Kamuro Masumi were also in on it.
"Really..."
Seeing Hikigaya take a step back, Ando Sayo covered her mouth and laughed:
"It was just a few party poppers; Hiki-kun, why were you scared like that?"
"No... it was a bit startling".
Hikigaya brushed the ribbons off his arms with feigned composure, his face somewhat awkward.
Just now he was indeed startled.
Speaking of which.
There was no need to make celebrating a birthday so scary.
Hikigaya quickly changed the topic.
"Isn't this a restaurant? If you guys are like this, other people will surely have a problem with it, right?"
"It's fine, we booked this entire restaurant tonight".
Ichinose hooked Hikigaya's arm and pulled him inside, the smile on her face brilliant: "Alright, quickly come in; the birthday party is about to start!"
Hmm?
Hikigaya was momentarily stunned.
Booking the place?
Although in name, personal points could buy everything...
But he had never heard of such a thing; after all, there were plenty of places on the cruise convenient for talking, so there was no need to book a restaurant or the like.
It would at least cost several hundred thousand personal points.
"I see".
Hikigaya followed the crowd into the restaurant and said quickly: "I'll transfer the points to you later".
After all.
His personal points were in his own hands.
What was used must have been class funds.
Having only his own birthday be so extravagant would surely make others feel resentful; it would be better to use his own personal points.
Meaning.
"???"
Ichinose suddenly stopped her pace, sensing several scattered gazes; she quickly pulled Hikigaya to the side and said in a lowered volume:
"No need, this was agreed upon by everyone together, and..."
As she spoke.
Ichinose said somewhat resentfully: "Doing this gives off a feeling of being distant; it will make everyone very sad".
"Is that so, I'm sorry..."
Hikigaya responded somewhat awkwardly.
Thinking carefully.
Ichinose couldn't have arbitrarily misappropriated personal points to hold a birthday for him.
She must have sought everyone's opinion.
Karuizawa had also told him to accept other people's kindness properly; those words just now might indeed have given off a sense of being distant.
Although he had changed quite a bit, interpersonal relations are not something that can be learned overnight; he could only learn slowly.
"Alright".
Ichinose also knew he wasn't good at this and revealed a brilliant smile again:
" Today Hiki-kun should just listen to my arrangements and enjoy yourself!"
"I see..."
Hikigaya couldn't help but nod.
Last birthday was lumped together with the celebration banquet—it was just incidental and didn't have much of a birthday atmosphere at all.
Strictly speaking.
Besides his younger sister Komachi's birthdays since childhood.
This was the first time Hikigaya had participated in a proper birthday party, and the star was himself.
Speaking of which.
Komachi's birthdays were also just family dinners.
What exactly does one do at a birthday party? Are there any rules?
Thinking of this.
For some reason, Hikigaya felt a bit nervous.
"Alright, let's go".
"Oh".
Hikigaya responded stiffly.
I said not to make it a birthday party.
Doesn't this make one incredibly nervous?
Forget it...
Just listen to everything Ichinose says.