"Enough."
Ike Kanji quickened his pace and walked up to the three, pointing at Hikigaya and shouting:
"Exactly how long are you going to keep holding her hand?"
As soon as he spoke.
Shinohara hurriedly pulled her small hand away.
The surrounding customers couldn't help but look over, and the Class D students who were originally servers also had their attention drawn.
As for Ayanokouji, he had actually been watching all along.
Sitting in his seat, Hikigaya couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.
With so many people.
As long as the time was long enough, someone was bound to notice something was wrong.
He originally thought it would be Kushida or someone else; he didn't expect it would just be Ike Kanji.
Forget it.
It didn't matter.
As long as someone came.
"What."
Hikigaya frowned, looking somewhat displeased: "What does how long I hold it have to do with you?"
"Of course it matters, Shinohara is my girlfriend."
"Ha?"
Hikigaya became even more displeased: "Then what does that have to do with me? Isn't this a project you prepared yourselves?"
"This..."
Ike Kanji was instantly at a loss for words, arguing:
"But you can't hold it for that long, right?"
"Why not?"
Hikigaya opened the menu on the table, becoming annoyed:
"Please, you didn't write any time limit on here. If there was a time limit, I wouldn't have ordered it, okay?"
"Move aside quickly, don't bother me here."
Hikigaya waved his hand dismissively.
He forcefully took Shinohara's small hand again, interlocking his fingers with hers, tightening and loosening as he rubbed her jade-like fingers.
Talking to Ike Kanji and the others was meaningless; the ultimate goal was still to give Horikita Suzune a lesson.
Feeling Hikigaya's movements.
Shinohara was suddenly a bit panicked, looking at Ike Kanji with a helpless gaze.
Someone nearby frowned.
Hearing about him was not as good as meeting him.
They had long heard Hikigaya was a scumbag; seeing him now, it really was so.
But there were also boys who couldn't help but swallow their saliva.
Watching Hikigaya's palm and Shinohara's palm sometimes joined, sometimes apart, and sometimes gently stroking her fingers.
So lewd...
Is there such a lewd way to shake hands?
Many boys felt moved; fifteen hundred points seemed like something they could consider.
"Enough!"
Ike Kanji was practically exploding with rage.
He forcefully separated Hikigaya's and Shinohara's hands.
Shinohara was his girlfriend; even though it was just a handshake, it felt uncomfortable.
"Slap!"
Hikigaya seemed stunned for a moment.
Then he slammed the table and stood up abruptly.
"This is a project you provided yourselves, and I even paid for it. Why won't you let me shake hands?"
"..."
Ike Kanji clenched his fists, gritting his teeth and stammering without being able to speak, making Hikigaya a bit speechless.
What are you standing here for? Go back and call someone.
Witnessing the scene, Sato Maya and the others looked distressed, yet they didn't step forward.
After all.
They didn't know how to handle it either.
Since it was clearly written as a handshake, wouldn't any normal person know it's just one shake?
How could there be someone like Hikigaya.
To actually hold on and not let go, with such a lewd handshake method that made their hearts feel itchy just watching.
Shameless.
Just then.
"What's going on?"
Hearing the commotion, Horikita Suzune walked out of the kitchen, her brows furrowed as she walked up to several people. Some Class D people poked their heads out.
"Horikita."
Ike Kanji seemed to have found his backbone, pointing at Hikigaya with anger:
"This guy is shameless. He kept holding Shinohara's hand and wouldn't let go; it's been nearly half a minute and he still won't release it, and he used a very lewd way of holding it."
"Hmm?"
Horikita Suzune didn't care about the way he held it. She turned to look at Hikigaya and then at Shinohara.
At this time.
Feeling everyone's gaze, Shinohara, who had come to her senses, hesitated for a moment and then wiped the corner of her eyes with her finger, letting out a sob.
An "I am an innocent victim" expression.
Mainly, having a boyfriend and still flirting with someone like this could very likely affect her evaluation.
But on the other hand.
Shinohara was also slightly inclined toward Hikigaya's side.
Since Hikigaya seemed interested in her, he was much stronger than Ike Kanji.
Seeing this.
The people around didn't find it easy to say much.
One had to say.
Every woman is a born actor.
Shinohara's crying instantly established her image as "I am doing this for the class and don't know what to do," making Ike Kanji even angrier.
It was all this scumbag Hikigaya, despicable and shameless.
"Don't you feel ashamed?"
Horikita Suzune turned to look at Hikigaya, her tone dissatisfied.
"Are you joking?"
Seeing Horikita Suzune appear, Hikigaya picked up the menu and said with disdain:
"This is a service you provided yourselves. What is there to be ashamed of?"
"It is indeed a service we provided."
Horikita Suzune stole a glance, feeling disgusted:
"I really hope you can recognize your identity. Exploiting rules to take advantage of a girl; as the student council vice president, don't you think this behavior is immoral?"
"That's really strange. What does this have to do with my identity?"
Hikigaya didn't take it to heart at all, similarly showing disdain:
"Aren't you all just seeing that there are many pretty girls in Class D, thinking this is Class D's advantage, and wanting to use beauty to attract traffic and earn revenue?"
"You can't take it when someone comes to the door? How can you act like a whore and still want to set up a chastity arch? You really are shameless."
Hearing Hikigaya speak.
The students around were stunned.
It felt like what he said made some sense.
Class D earning revenue in this way was exactly using beauty for profit; they couldn't take it when they got halfway.
Acting like a whore while still wanting a chastity arch.
On the other side.
Several adults still watched the scene with flat expressions.
In fact.
It wasn't really immoral; it was just that Hikigaya's actions were very poorly mannered.
However.
People like this are everywhere in society.
If you want to use beauty to attract customers, the more "indecent" the shop, the more likely you are to encounter such indecent people.
Touching and taking advantage is actually quite common.
Even opening a soapland isn't an easy task.
Beautiful employees, excellent security, smooth tactics, and a strong background are all indispensable; otherwise, it will only affect the evaluation and reputation.
But these were students.
Most would care about the evaluations of those around them, and would care about their own dignity.
Even if they were reluctant to let go of those soft small hands.
They would eventually endure the pain and let go.
They weren't as thick-skinned as old-timer adults.
However.
Hikigaya would not.
He stared at Horikita Suzune in front of him with a flat expression.
Wasn't she quite proud.
Clearly, Horikita hadn't considered all this, naively thinking the clothes looked good and interesting and were feasible for winning the cultural festival.
However.
Doing this would only leave a point of vulnerability and trigger a series of problems.
Not considering this.
Already proved that Horikita Suzune didn't possess such tactics.
"You..."
Horikita Suzune's face was unsightly.
She really had treated this as Class D's huge advantage, but as Hikigaya said it, it was like selling their looks.
Originally it was Shinohara and the others who volunteered, but now that they encountered a problem, they weren't volunteering anymore.
This had clearly exceeded Shinohara's limit of endurance. Sato Maya and the others beside her were also hesitating; they clearly hadn't considered this much.
If they had known they'd be held like this.
Who would have agreed?
However.
Horikita Suzune couldn't say anything.
If she blamed her subordinates for everything, what would she be a leader for?
Failing to prepare in the beginning.
Failing to explain the pros and cons to them in the beginning.
Even if someone changed their mind temporarily.
The people were arranged by Horikita Suzune, and the matter was approved by Horikita Suzune.
If any part of the process went wrong.
It was the leader's responsibility.