Everyone turned to look at Hikigaya. He hadn't really wanted to say anything, but seeing how both Ichinose and Horikita were so focused on the 300 points, he felt he had to speak up. Otherwise, all his efforts would go to waste.
"You don't have to worry, Hikigaya-kun. We'll make sure to keep our leader's identity a secret."
Ichinose smiled, assuming Hikigaya was just concerned about their class.
Horikita, on the other hand, didn't take it at face value. Instead, she fell into deep thought, trying to figure out why Hikigaya had suddenly spoken up.
"Guessing the leader's identity might seem difficult, but you can't ignore the possibility. Between saving a few hundred points and the consequences of being found out, which one is worse? I think you already know the answer."
Hikigaya wasn't sure if Ichinose was being overly optimistic or just too confident.
If their leader was exposed, they wouldn't just lose 50 points—they'd also miss out on bonus points. At a minimum, they'd be down at least 100 points.
"I know there was some misunderstanding between our classes because of the surveillance issue last time, but everyone here knows the truth about that. So I can promise you—I won't try to guess Class D's leader this time."
Ichinose assumed Hikigaya was worried about that. After all, if Class D's leader was exposed, they wouldn't gain anything from this special exam aside from private points. That's why she made such a promise.
...
After leaving Class B's camp, as they were heading back to Class D's base, Horikita suddenly stopped.
"Hikigaya, about this plan... Was your original idea to sell all 300 points?"
She hadn't been sure at first, but what Hikigaya said to Ichinose just now made her suspicious again.
"Oh? What makes you think that?"
Hikigaya's expression remained calm.
"Because your words reminded me—Sensei said the theme of this special exam is 'freedom.' But that doesn't mean we have to save points!"
Horikita's tone shifted from doubtful to certain.
"I kept wondering why you wanted to sell the points to Class B. If Hirata had suggested it, I wouldn't have thought much of it. But coming from you, it felt strange. And after hearing what you said to Ichinose just now, I finally understood—you were never really after the 300 points. From the start, your focus was on the final rule, the part about guessing the leader!"
Horikita stared directly at Hikigaya, waiting for his response.
Hikigaya didn't deny it.
"That's right. But I knew the idea of selling all the points wouldn't get approved, so I had to settle for a compromise."
Horikita's expression said, "I knew it." But then, she clenched her fists, frustration showing on her face.
The more time she spent with Hikigaya, the more she realized how "ordinary" she actually was.
She used to believe she was special—just like her brother. She had chased after his shadow, constantly working to improve herself. But as she grew, she started feeling disconnected from those around her.
She didn't mind, though. She was talented, more mature than most of her peers. And over time, the gap between her and others widened. Eventually, she found herself alone.
But then she met Hikigaya.
And he crushed her pride without hesitation.
She had always believed she was outstanding, that she was different.
But to him, she was just another "ordinary person."
So in the end... I wasn't special after all.
In that brief moment, a thought suddenly crossed Horikita's mind, and a wave of coldness surged from deep within her body, making her feel like she had fallen into an ice cave.
"Hey, Horikita, are you okay?"
A warm hand pressed against her through her tracksuit, snapping her back to reality.
"I... what happened to me?"
Horikita looked confused. That's when she realized how close she was to Hikigaya—and that he seemed to be lightly supporting her body.
"Horikita, your face is so pale! If Hikigaya-kun hadn't reacted quickly, you would've collapsed just now!"
Kushida's voice came from the side. She sounded concerned, but for some reason, Horikita felt an underlying sense of displeasure in her tone.
"I..."
Horikita was momentarily stunned. Just now, all she had felt was an overwhelming chill. By the time she regained awareness, she was already like this. Worse, now that she was fully awake, the cold felt even more intense and unbearable.
"I already noticed you didn't look well back on the cruise. Turns out you really are sick."
Hearing Hikigaya's words, Horikita instinctively wanted to argue back. But the strange feeling in her body made even speaking difficult. Maybe because of the cold, she became unusually sensitive to touch.
Even with a layer of fabric between them, she could clearly feel the warmth of Hikigaya's palm. At the same time, goosebumps rose on her skin, and his presence as a boy felt strangely distinct. Her cheeks grew hot, and her head started feeling a little dizzy.
"Let's head back to camp first. There's a medical kit there."
Kushida quickly stepped forward to support Horikita and turned to Hikigaya.
"Hikigaya-kun, I'll take it from here. You can let go now."
Hikigaya knew it wasn't exactly appropriate for him to keep holding her, so he let go. But the next second, Horikita's hand instinctively grabbed the hem of his shirt, as if she wasn't willing to let go.
Hikigaya: "..."
Kushida: "!!!"
Horikita herself wasn't entirely sure what she was doing—she just instinctively wanted to hold onto that lingering warmth.
In the end, Kushida forcefully took over and helped Horikita back to camp.
When Hirata heard that the deal had gone through, he looked pleased. But soon, he also noticed that something seemed off about Horikita.
"I'll go get some medicine for you."
Hikigaya turned to fetch the medical kit, but Horikita immediately spoke up.
"No, don't waste our points. We don't have many left... I-I just need to rest for a bit."
Hikigaya frowned. Even in this state, she was still trying to act tough? He couldn't help but scold her.
"Horikita, I know you don't like relying on others. You don't want to use up points because of your own situation. But don't forget—this class doesn't belong to just you. And it's not just for other people either."
He paused for a moment, then added,
"I already used our points to get a first-aid kit earlier. The points are already spent."
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