Restaurant No. 5.
Just as they entered the restaurant.
Hikigaya saw a huge birthday cake, practically like a wedding cake, and there were many delicacies on the table; it probably cost a lot of money.
"Heh..."
Kobayashi Yume somehow circled behind Hikigaya and secretly stood on her tiptoes to put the birthday crown on his head.
"Oh".
Hikigaya adjusted the crown on his head and looked back at Kobayashi Yume somewhat awkwardly:
"Couldn't you just give it to me directly?"
It felt a bit shameful; what if it fell off?
"What does it matter".
Kobayashi Yume smiled nonchalantly: "There would be no atmosphere that way".
As she spoke.
Kobayashi Yume turned to look at everyone.
"Alright, everyone let's start quickly".
"Oh~"
Just as Hikigaya was wondering what was about to start.
Several girls lit the candles on the cake, and the boys quickly pulled the curtains and turned off the lights.
The room instantly became dim.
A weak orange glow reflected on everyone's faces; Ichinose pushed Hikigaya in front of the cake.
"Alright, let's begin then".
"Begin what?"
Hikigaya looked around nervously.
Although he had seen it in anime, was it necessary to make it so dark; it was as if an assassination was about to take place.
He saw.
Ichinose with a brilliant smile on her face, taking the lead in clapping her small hands.
"happy-birthday-to-you"
Kobayashi Yume and the others also sang softly with full smiles.
"happy-birthday-to-you..."
Oh.
So it's singing the birthday song.
Scared me to death.
Listening to the music around him, Hikigaya stood there somewhat awkwardly.
Speaking of which.
Should he sing or not?
As the person being blessed, singing "Happy Birthday to you" to himself.
Wouldn't that feel a bit strange?
Fortunately.
The duration of this song was not very long.
"happy-birthday-to-you"
"happy-birthday-to-you"
"happy-birthday-to-you"
"happy-birthday-to-Hikigaya!"
Clap clap clap.
Disorganized applause rang out.
Hikigaya looked down at the cake before him, a trace of a smile unconsciously rising at the corner of his mouth; although it felt somewhat meaningless, it didn't feel bad.
Target.
"Alright, Hiki-kun, quickly make a wish".
"Oh..."
Hikigaya quickly closed his eyes and put his hands together.
He made a wish in his heart.
Subsequently.
Under everyone's gaze, he blew out the candles.
Applause rang out again around them, and the lights in the room followed suit and brightened.
"Hiki-kun, happy birthday".
As the girlfriend.
Ichinose was the first to present a gift box to Hikigaya.
"This is the birthday gift I prepared; open it when you get back".
"Oh, thanks a lot".
Hikigaya nodded.
Since there was a birthday party, gifts were a matter of course, right?
Although exams were being held during Ichinose's birthday, he had also given her a birthday gift in advance.
In Sakurajima.
Opening the gift in person to show surprise would be the proper etiquette.
But since Ichinose said so, she probably considered the time issue; better to open it after returning.
Then it was Sakayanagi Arisu, Himeno Yuki, and Kamuro Masumi.
It was worth mentioning that Sakayanagi Arisu gave two copies, one of which had a drawing of a cute chibi long-tail horse girl, likely from Karuizawa.
Hikigaya was truly speechless.
If you care so much about the opinions of those around you, wouldn't it be better not to send one?
Subsequently.
"Here, Hiki-kun".
Kobayashi Yume handed the gift box to Hikigaya: "Happy birthday".
"Uh... thanks".
He.
Although it was slightly surprising that Kobayashi Yume would give one, it wasn't incomprehensible, so Hikigaya nodded.
Quickly, things started to go wrong.
Amikura Mako, Ando Sayo, Tsube Hitomi—classmate after classmate handed gifts to him, making Hikigaya almost unable to hold them all.
Fortunately.
There was a vacant dining cart nearby.
It was likely prepared deliberately by Ichinose and the others.
But if it's like this.
Won't everyone have to be given a gift back later?
But, he hadn't even said a few words to many people yet.
Fortunately.
Even before the exam started, Hikigaya had already memorized everyone's name and appearance through OAA; there would be no more situations of being unable to call out a name.
Although the gifts might not be expensive.
But this sentiment felt somewhat heavy.
"Don't be so constrained".
Kanzaki handed the gift to Hikigaya and smiled:
"This is everyone's intention; you've contributed a lot to the class. If it weren't for you, the class would probably be even more difficult than it is now; this is what you deserve".
Hikigaya was just about to open his mouth to deny it, but Kanzaki had already taken a step and turned to leave.
Really.
He clearly hadn't contributed much.
Doesn't this just make him feel more guilty...
For the class to hold on until now was undoubtedly the credit of everyone.
Until the very last one.
Shibata Sou appeared in front of him.
Immediately.
It made Hikigaya somewhat awkward.
He had long known that Shibata liked Ichinose.
After all, whom she likes is Ichinose's freedom, and Shibata had no room to intervene.
At the beginning.
Hikigaya hadn't taken Shibata to heart either.
But now.
Things having come to this.
Facing Shibata always made one feel somewhat ashamed.
"What's wrong?"
Shibata held the gift box and asked in confusion.
"No..."
Hikigaya explained with 960 awkwardness: "I just didn't expect that you would give me a gift".
"Oh, that".
Shibata quickly returned to normal and turned to look at Ichinose beside Hikigaya.
A brilliant smile couldn't help but appear at the corner of his mouth:
"Don't be like that; I have no longer taken those matters to heart. Even if things have come to this, what you should do now is also to make Ichinose happy, isn't it?"
"Take it, otherwise it'll make me feel a bit awkward too".
"Oh".
Hikigaya nodded and took the gift, watching the back of Shibata as he turned and left.
Although Shibata's smile was still sunny and brilliant.
For some reason.
He felt that Shibata had matured a lot compared to before, no longer as childish as he used to be.
However.
It was just as Shibata said.
What should be done now is to make them happy, trying as much as possible to keep the water level balanced.
Although it was almost an impossible task.
Hikigaya also didn't have much confidence in himself, but this was a responsibility he must fulfill.
"Hiki-kun, it seems you guys participated in the treasure hunt game this morning; how much did you find?"
"Three hundred thousand".
"What? How could it be so much? How did you guys find them?"
"Just good luck".
Hikigaya laughed it off and quickly changed the topic: "Sakayanagi and the others are the ones who are impressive; they found the fifty-thousand stickers".
As Amikura Mako and Kobayashi Yume and others started the topics.
The people of Class B also began to chat idly.