The temperature in early May isn’t very high.
Most students wear a light jacket when they go out.
During this time, which is neither cold nor hot, the swimming pool at the Keyaki Activity Center is usually empty, especially on a Saturday morning.
“It’s really quiet this morning.” Ichinose rarely sees the Keyaki Activity Center so silent and empty.
She usually comes with her classmates during busy hours.
“You don’t have to grab my wrist, no one’s even watching,” Hikigaya said, shaking his left hand that Ichinose was holding.
“And I told you not to bring a swimsuit today.” Ichinose’s left hand held a small bag containing a swimsuit.
ANHS has swimming classes.
He can swim, but he doesn’t like it.
His purpose for coming here with Ichinose today is fishing, not to be tempted by Ichinose’s swimsuit.
Kushida is very useful.
With her maximum communication skills, she easily passed the information he needed to convey to Ryuen to Yamauchi, the mole.
Being the kind of guy who doesn’t want his girlfriend to wear a swimsuit in front of others but still wants to see it, he chose Saturday morning when it’s mostly deserted for them to have some couple’s activities.
Makes sense, right?
In the men’s locker room, where there are absolutely no cameras, he’s alone.
He doesn’t believe Ryuen won’t fall for this bait.
“Huh—Ryuen didn’t take the bait, and you’re not even going to swim?” Ichinose let go of his hand and took out a pair of men’s swim trunks from the small bag.
“I also prepared swim trunks for Hikigaya-kun.” “No, there’s no chance.
Ryuen took the bait.” The phone vibrated, and Hikigaya immediately took it out to check.
It was a text message from a third-year senior saying Ryuen had taken the bait.
After typing a reply, he had already reached the men’s locker room.
“Just wait for my news in the women’s locker room.” “Okay.” After seeing Ichinose into the women’s locker room not far away, Hikigaya slowly walked into the relatively spacious men’s locker room.
Several shower stalls were to the right upon entering, with cabinets for personal belongings on the left and a wide-open space in the middle.
After taking off his jacket, he took off his short-sleeved undershirt.
Hikigaya stood bare-chested at the far end of the men’s locker room, waiting for Ryuen and his group to arrive.
He hadn’t prepared a recording device or anything else to threaten Ryuen with later.
The future where Ichinose wanted to swim with him today would not happen, because he was going to have a grand showdown.
…
When Ryuen put up a “Under Maintenance” sign outside the door and walked into the men’s locker room with a smile, his smile gradually froze on his face.
Seeing him enter with Yamada Albert, Ishizaki Daichi, and Ibuki Mio, Hikigaya Hachiman, who was standing there, looked as if he had foreseen everything.
“You’ve got a good physique, Hikigaya,” Ryuen said, ignoring the footsteps behind him as he walked up to Hikigaya and stopped.
“I didn’t expect you to be the type who looks thin in clothes.” Ryuen looked past Hikigaya’s body to his eyes.
Through the gaze that was completely different from his usual lazy expression, Ryuen instantly understood Hikigaya’s intentions.
“Unexpected, unexpected, Hikigaya, I’ve been underestimated by you.” Ryuen laughed heartily and looked at the newcomers behind him.
Fukumaki-senpai from Class 3-A, whose build was as strong as the Black-haired Yamada Albert.
Sudou Ken, even stronger than Ishizaki Daichi but with less fighting experience.
Horikita Suzune, who, like Ibuki Mio, had studied martial arts for several years.
“Can you ask Yamada and Ishizaki to step out for a moment with Fukumaki-senpai from Class 3-A, Ryuen?” Hikigaya spread his arms and did a few chest expansions.
He had called them over solely to create an environment for a one-on-one fight with Ryuen.
Raising his hand to stop his followers from speaking, Ryuen Kakeru threw his jacket on the ground and laughed, “Of course, Hikigaya.
I’ll show you what hell is like.” “You can only talk big at times like these,” Hikigaya said, taking out the red headband Sakura had left with him as a gift from his pocket.
He pushed his bangs back and tied them up with the headband.
By the time everyone else had left, Ryuen had already taken his stance a couple of steps away, waiting for him to attack first.
“I don’t have anything like a recording device.” “I’ll confirm it myself after I beat you down.” “Here I come,” Hikigaya started to laugh too.
“Bring it on!” Lowering his stance, Hikigaya threw a right punch towards Ryuen’s chest.
Faced with Hikigaya’s initiative, Ryuen also threw his right punch.
Ryuen didn’t dodge, but Hikigaya, lacking experience, wisely chose to be reckless.
They both took each other’s punches to the chest.
The sudden burst of pain made Hikigaya wince, and Ryuen, who had thought he was used to pain and intended to continue punching, stiffened.
Hikigaya’s punch was heavier than he expected.
The best way to defeat an experienced opponent is to bring them down to your level.
Enduring the pain, Hikigaya continued to grapple closely with Ryuen.
Even though his movements were not smooth, Hikigaya’s right hand landed blows on Ryuen’s body, hitting his side, back, and arms – wherever he could.
By only attacking and not defending, he naturally took hits as well.
The pain of being beaten quickly flooded his brain from all parts of his body.
“It hurts!
It hurts so much!
Ryuen!” The intense pain made Hikigaya strongly feel that he was alive.
After his rebirth, his memory became almost photographic, and his physical strength gradually surpassed that of an ordinary person.
This gave him a sense of unreality.
Under the pressure, he had done many things that were out of character for him.
Only recently had he started to straighten out his attitude.
“Welcome to hell, Hikigaya!” Ryuen shoved him with all his might, and they both rolled onto the ground.
At this point, neither of them was holding back anymore.
They both simultaneously aimed punches at each other’s faces.
One hit, still moving.
Two hits, still moving.
…
Not moving anymore.
As Ryuen’s retaliating hand lay quietly on the ground, Hikigaya felt his face go numb.
Fresh blood dripped onto the ground from his vision.
Some of it was Ryuen’s, and some was his.
Wiping his face, Hikigaya stood up from the unconscious Ryuen and roared at the sky, “Fighting!
So exhilarating!” An overwhelming, inexplicable emotion made Hikigaya’s body tremble.
His heart pounded hard against his chest, and his thoughts soared to a clear blue sky without a single cloud.
Breaking free from yesterday’s shackles, today I finally know myself!
A passage from the classic novel *Water Margin*, which he had read in the past, came to his mind.
“Today I finally know myself!” “Today I finally know myself!” With a laugh, Hikigaya no longer dwelled on whether his existence was justified.
He just needed to do what he liked in the way he thought best.