After school.
Keyaki Mall.
After the Cultural Festival ended, 2nd Year Class B held a grand victory party.
When Hikigaya and the others walked out of the Karaoke, they happened to run into Horikita Suzune and others from 2nd Year Class D, who had also just finished their victory party.
Perhaps having noticed that the class atmosphere was somewhat off.
Class D's study time was clearly increasing, but the atmosphere was slowly starting to drop.
It was still difficult to judge whether it was good or bad.
But Horikita Suzune also judged that at least they couldn't just sit and wait for death, wanting to use the victory party to improve the atmosphere.
Furthermore, there seemed to be quite a few classes holding victory parties, and many classes could be encountered on the road.
The Cultural Festival was different after all.
Compared to grades.
Many students cared more about whether they had a good time and leaving a beautiful memory for their youth.
Therefore.
Many people looked at Hikigaya with unfriendly eyes; they were likely the students who chose to open shops at the school gate.
However.
Hikigaya didn't care and walked toward the dormitory building with Ichinose and a group of others.
Just then.
Not far in front of everyone.
"Why did we run into you again? How unlucky. Seriously, a whole day's good mood is completely wasted."
Several girls from Class C looked toward Class D and giggled while covering their mouths.
Once this was said.
The originally lively atmosphere of Class D immediately fell into silence, as Ike Kanji, Sotomura, and others lowered their heads without responding.
This scene.
They had already experienced it countless times.
In the beginning, they would get angry, furious, or argue back, but they couldn't refute it, and every time they faced criticisms like an overwhelming mountain.
All that remained was silence.
"That's enough."
Just then.
Horikita Suzune stepped forward and responded with a flat expression.
"I know you are doing these boring things because you received personal points. I was the one who made the decision to expel Sakura Airi, and even today, I still think this decision was not wrong. If you have a problem, come at me."
"However, I still want to tell you one thing: instead of doing these boring things, you should think about how to improve yourselves."
"Otherwise, the only ones who will regret this in the future will be yourselves..."
"Horikita..."
Watching Horikita Suzune step forward, Onodera and others had complex expressions.
"Forget it, let's not talk to these people. Let's go."
On the other side, the girls from Class C curled their lips in disdain and turned to leave indifferently.
"Phew..."
Horikita Suzune took a deep breath.
She looked back at Hikigaya and the others, hesitated for a moment, then nodded and turned to leave with the people from Class D.
Behind them.
Hikigaya and the others quietly watched this scene, not quite understanding why that person nodded.
She seemed to know they couldn't sit and wait for death, but unfortunately, Horikita Suzune failed to understand the essence of the problem.
"Horikita-san is indeed quite impressive."
Sakura Airi held Hikigaya's arm and looked at Horikita Suzune's back with some admiration.
At such a critical moment, Horikita Suzune actually chose to actively shoulder everything.
"Is that so?"
Hikigaya said indifferently: "In my view, she is just like a drowning person's death struggle."
What the boys faced was far more brutal than what the girls faced; however, girls' minds are much more complex than theirs.
Now that things have reached this point.
With the passage of time.
Some people were no longer just criticizing Class D's actions or just acting because they received money.
Rather.
They genuinely wanted to cast Class D into the lowest stratum of the school.
Even Ichinose was condemned by everyone, let alone the people of Class D.
A small number of people might be holding the idea.
Of taking this opportunity to completely crush Class D.
No.
Perhaps that's slightly inappropriate.
It was more like.
Class D are morally inferior scum, so by stepping on Class D as hard as I can, I am a good person; in their hearts, there was more or less such a thought of deliberate performance.
Problem.
Fundamentally, there is a difference.
They might not have had the intention of deliberately harming someone, but the effect brought by their actions was the same.
In the beginning.
Class C might have continued discussing the Sakura Airi matter because of personal points.
However, now.
The nature of the matter has long since changed.
More people only wanted to express themselves or randomly vent their dissatisfaction toward Class D.
This was unavoidable.
Class D had already fallen to become the lowest existence in the school.
When someone is unhappy, they can criticize them with a few words without any risk, and the people around won't think there's any problem.
Even if the other party refutes.
They just need to ignore it.
Those few girls.
Were clearly not moved by Horikita Suzune's words; it was simply because Horikita Suzune held the status of a Student Council member.
Some things.
Once you make a mistake, there is no way back.
"Is that so?"
"Instead of that..."
Ichinose pulled Hikigaya's arm and slowed her pace, and Himeno Yuki and others couldn't help but coordinate.....
"Hikki..."
Ichinose held Hikigaya's hand and said somewhat hesitantly:
"You can't do things like what you did today anymore, okay?"
"Hmm? Which thing are you referring to?"
Hikigaya was somewhat confused.
He had done quite a few unpopular things today, and for a moment, Hikigaya couldn't distinguish which one it was.
"You are not allowed to go and crash into Yagami like you did today; it's just too dangerous."
"No... that was just the duty of the Student Council..."
"Even though that's true..."
Ichinose held Hikigaya's hand, pursed her lips for a long time, then said:
"Hikki, I might not be as good as you imagine. When I saw Ryuuen being saved, I didn't feel relieved at all; more than that, I wanted to ask why you did that, and even more, I didn't want you to get hurt..."
"Hikki, I beg you, from now on, you are not allowed to do such dangerous things."
"Is it that dangerous?"
Himeno Yuki, who was on the side, was somewhat confused.
Just hearing the descriptions from Ichinose and others didn't give her any sense of reality.
"Hmm..."
Ichinose continued with a few more sentences.
She was indeed frightened, describing how terrifying Yagami Takuya was.
"Honestly..."
Himeno Yuki gave Hikigaya's stomach a light punch with her pink fist, and instantly stood on Ichinose's side, becoming somewhat resentful.
"You are already the boyfriend of several of us women, so pay a bit more attention. Wasn't the teacher still there? If you encounter these two kinds of dangerous things, let others do it."
"It's fine, I've been training for so long after all. I'm not that frail, and I even have abs now, okay?"
Hikigaya showed a smile and poked his stomach.
In a fight, he definitely couldn't win.
But with such a long period of training, there was at least some improvement; he wouldn't be taken down that easily.
At least.
When he grabbed Ryuuen's wrist, he could make Ryuuen unable to ignore it.
But sensing the worried eyes of the others, Hikigaya managed to maintain a smile and said somewhat awkwardly:
"I know, I know. I thought that if I encountered this kind of thing, I would pay more attention."
"That's more like it..."
Himeno Yuki said satisfyingly, and only then did Ichinose breathe a sigh of relief.
Indeed.
He was already their man, and he couldn't let them worry like this.
What use is being kind?
Compared to duty, Ichinose still hoped he could prioritize his own safety.