Soon after sending a message to the leaders of each class, Hikigaya received replies.
Ichinose: I think Hikigaya-kun is stronger.
Let’s eat lunch together!
[Smiling face] Ryuen Kakeru: Interesting.
Katsuragi: I will keep that in mind.
Sakayanagi: Classmate Hikigaya is truly a pleasant surprise.
It’s been a while.
I’ll be waiting for you at Palette at seven tonight.
Palette is a popular cafe at the school.
Most of the customers are girls, and boys wouldn’t think of going there without female friends.
[Sorry, I already have plans with a friend tonight.] Hikigaya felt a sense of dread when he saw Sakayanagi’s invitation to meet.
He immediately refused and decided not to open Sakayanagi’s chat interface again.
As long as there was no read receipt, he could use the excuse that he hadn’t seen it.
Hikigaya also wanted to refuse Ichinose’s invitation, but he had to eat in the cafeteria anyway.
It would be more troublesome if he ran into her while he was alone, so he agreed.
After replying OK to Ichinose, Hikigaya left Ayanokouji, who was surrounded and questioned by the “three idiots,” to pick up his nominal girlfriend from Class B and take her to the cafeteria.
Then, they had dinner under the harsh gazes of many students.
After dinner, they returned to their class.
Sudou and the others were already gnawing on bread and memorizing newly copied archaeological exam papers.
There were five subjects, and the exam was tomorrow, so time was very tight.
“I’ll circle the high-scoring questions that are easy to memorize.
Let’s start with those,” Hikigaya took the archaeological exam papers from Sudou’s desk and estimated which ones were easy to memorize and high-scoring to circle for him.
Sudou looked deeply moved.
“You’ve been a great help, Hikigaya.
You’re a truly good person.” Although Sudou easily lost his temper, he had no ill intentions.
He would stand up for his classmates if they were bullied, and he would never bully others by taking advantage of his physical strength.
“Please take leave from the club activities this afternoon as well.
Come to the classroom two hours earlier tomorrow.
We’ll go over the subjects you have in the morning before the exam, and I’ll also come early to help you find and fix any weaknesses.” “Okay,” Sudou shyly rubbed the back of his head.
He was a little flustered by being cared for so much.
“You really don’t want me to drop out, do you, Hikigaya?” “Just study your material.” Hikigaya replied while continuously circling easy-to-memorize, high-scoring questions.
He knew that his actions had put Ayanokouji in a difficult situation, reducing Sudou’s study time.
He felt obligated to make amends.
An occupied student’s room usually has small decorations or wall paintings they like.
Hikigaya’s room hadn’t changed much since the beginning of the semester, except for the addition of three beanbag chairs filled with soft foam.
When they aren’t in use, they can be stacked in a corner, taking up little space.
Hikigaya was quite satisfied with them; it wasn’t good to always make visitors sit on the bed or on the floor.
“Are there students in Class D who like to read as much as classmate Hikigaya?” Shiina Hiyori, who exuded a gentle aura, leaned lazily on a beanbag chair like a resting cat.
Her soft, long silver hair was brushed to the front, tied into a bunch by an off-white bandana.
Her slender legs, clad in silver-gray tights, were stretched out on the floor.
Ever since she traded information with Ryuen, Shiina and Hikigaya had become book friends.
They sometimes read together in the library, and other times Shiina would eagerly bring books to his place to share her reading experiences.
People who like to read?
Hikigaya’s mind immediately conjured the image of Horikita Suzune, always with a book in hand.
Imagining Horikita and Shiina reading together seemed perfectly reasonable.
“There’s a student named Horikita Suzune.
She’s just a bit difficult to get along with because of her aloof personality.” Hikigaya stretched.
“I’ll invite her to the dorm tomorrow after the exam and introduce you.” “Wouldn’t that be inappropriate?
I’ve met classmate Horikita too, and she doesn’t seem like someone who wants to make friends at all.” Horikita Suzune, being so cold and distant, was too difficult for Shiina to “win over.” She herself was not confident in her social skills.
In Shiina’s eyes, Horikita Suzune was like a thorny alpine flower, beautiful but unreachable.
“This is where I’ll need your understanding, classmate Shiina.
I hope you can be her first friend.” “Her first?!” “That’s right.
According to her, she hasn’t had any friends since elementary school.” “Elementary school?!
I don’t think I can do it, classmate Hikigaya.” “I have great faith in you, classmate Shiina.
I’ll help you too.” Hikigaya turned his head and looked seriously at Shiina’s somewhat surprised and cute face.
Faced with Hikigaya’s dead fish eyes, Shiina quickly gave in and agreed to his suggestion.
This was the first time Hikigaya had asked her for something.
Although she was afraid, she was also a little happy inside.
“Knock, knock, knock.” As Hikigaya was happy that the president’s precious sister was going to grow again, his door was knocked.
Kushida had a room key, and Hirata, Ichinose, and the others would always contact him in advance and get his permission to come.
So, it definitely wasn’t them outside.
“Interesting classmate Hikigaya, please open the door.
I’ve come to visit as agreed.” An elegant yet somewhat condescending female voice.
At this school, Hikigaya knew there was only one silver-haired brat with such a voice – Arisu Sakayanagi.
He took out his phone and opened the chat interface with Sakayanagi.
It showed her unreasonable statement that she would visit his dorm, and not speaking meant he agreed.
What a spoiled rich girl attitude!
He decided to pretend he wasn’t there.
“If you don’t open the door soon, Hikigaya-kun, I’ll kick it down.
We can’t help it if someone sees.” “Coming, coming!” Hikigaya immediately responded.
What a joke!
If someone saw Sakayanagi, such a famous beautiful girl, visiting him, how would he be able to live?
The perverts in Class D would definitely swarm him and ask endless questions.
Taking three quick steps, Hikigaya quickly opened the door.
Standing outside, not only was Sakayanagi, that detestable little demon, but also a tall, beautiful girl with bangs held back by a cute hair clip.
“Heh heh, I thought classmate Hikigaya would struggle a little longer,” Sakayanagi said, squinting and smiling slightly.
She walked into Hikigaya’s room like the owner, followed closely by the tall, beautiful girl, who looked like a bodyguard.
“Alala, isn’t this classmate Shiina from Class C?
Classmate Hikigaya’s ability to hook up with pretty girls from other classes truly surprises me.
Shall I introduce you to some cute girls from Class A too?” Putting down her cane, Sakayanagi slowly sat down on the beanbag chair Hikigaya had been using.
The other tall girl, without any hesitation, picked up his last beanbag chair and placed it next to Sakayanagi.
She introduced herself as Masumi Kamuro and then sat down confidently.
“Classmate Sakayanagi, please don’t misunderstand.
I’m just an ordinary friend of classmate Hikigaya,” Shiina retorted, putting down the book she was holding.
“Then let’s consider it that way,” Sakayanagi’s gaze shifted from Shiina to Hikigaya.
“Would you mind leaving for today, classmate Shiina?
I have a few private things I’d like to discuss with classmate Hikigaya.”