On his way to the student council office, Hikigaya was still trying to figure out what exactly he had said to upset Horikita.
Then, up ahead, he noticed a small figure.
Ugh... the moment he saw her, his right eyelid started twitching uncontrollably.
He had a very bad feeling about this. Instinctively, he looked around. He was in a long, straight hallway with no other exits—there was no way to avoid crossing paths with her.
With no other choice, Hikigaya braced himself and walked forward, pretending he didn't recognize her, hoping to slip past unnoticed.
But whether by coincidence or on purpose, the silver-haired girl moved directly in front of him, blocking his path.
Hikigaya gave her a small nod as a greeting and tried to change direction, but she blocked him again.
They made eye contact. The girl smiled at him with a teasing look.
Without hesitation, Hikigaya turned and ran.
For a moment, the girl was stunned—her smile froze on her face.
The next second, she reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks.
Hikigaya instantly froze, like a statue, staring at her with a deadpan expression.
"Hikigaya-kun, you're surprisingly gentle," Sakayanagi Arisu said, leaning on her cane with a small smile.
Hikigaya kept his face blank and said nothing, which only made Sakayanagi smile even more.
It was then that he realized something—this hallway was the only way to the student council office.
Had she been waiting for him here on purpose?
"Hikigaya-kun, do you have a moment? I need a little favor." The girl leaned forward slightly, adjusting the beret on her head.
"Sorry, Sakayanagi, but the student council has a lot of work to handle. I'm afraid..." Hikigaya sighed helplessly.
Sakayanagi watched him for a moment, then smiled. "It's fine. I already spoke to Tachibana-senpai, and she said it's no problem at all."
"Huh?"
Hikigaya, who had been acting all regretful, immediately froze. His eyes met the girl's across from him.
Sakayanagi definitely planned this!
And... Tachibana-senpai, what did I ever do to you to deserve this betrayal?!
—
"This is what you needed my help with, Sakayanagi?"
Inside the [Palette] café, Hikigaya sat across from the silver-haired girl, staring at her with a "you've got to be kidding me" expression as she leisurely sipped her coffee. She even had the time to order a Mont Blanc chestnut cake.
"Yes. It's about a girl's feelings."
*Cough, cough, cough!*
Hikigaya nearly spat out his coffee. As expected, this silver-haired girl was just like a certain demon king—was she the mini version?
"And why is this coffee so bitter?!"
Sakayanagi had confidently said she would treat him and ordered a drink on his behalf. Hikigaya glanced down—great, it was black coffee.
"Hehe, because I think black coffee suits your personality, Hikigaya-kun," Sakayanagi said, dabbing her lips with a napkin.
There was no proof, but Hikigaya was sure she did it on purpose.
He instinctively glanced around as if searching for something.
"No need to worry, it's just me today." Sakayanagi smiled as if she had read his thoughts.
"I-I'm just not used to places like this." Hikigaya coughed, then looked at her seriously. "So, what exactly do you need?"
"Didn't I just say? It's about a girl's feelings. And... only you can help me, Hikigaya-kun."
Sakayanagi smiled playfully. "Actually, I'm really good friends with Yukinoshita-san. But lately... I've noticed she's been getting close to a certain boy. As her classmate and friend, I'm a bit concerned about his character."
So my instincts were right. Sakayanagi really is here because of Haruno. But... why am I the one getting dragged into this?!
"And?" Hikigaya replied dryly.
"And?" Sakayanagi blinked, seemingly surprised by his reaction, but then continued. "Of course, I'd like to hear your opinion."
Hikigaya's expression turned odd. "Hey, Sakayanagi... you're not actually into this guy yourself and just making up an excuse, are you?"
"?"
Sakayanagi's smile remained, but for some reason, the air around her suddenly felt colder. "Hehe, you sure have a talent for comedy, Hikigaya-kun."
Uh... was that supposed to be funny?
Lately, more and more people have been saying I'm funny... Could it actually be true?
"Well, looks like I misunderstood," Hikigaya said, trying to smooth things over. Then, with a smirk, he added,
"But seriously, which poor guy got unlucky enough to catch Yukinoshita-san's eye?"
"Hikigaya-kun, on the first day of school, at the teahouse in the western district by the zelkova trees, you guys weren't the only people there. Oh, and your little 'date' with Yukinoshita-san at the café... You're not going to deny that, are you? Also... doesn't this table look familiar?"
Sakayanagi smirked, watching as cold sweat started forming on Hikigaya's forehead.
Now that she mentioned it... Hikigaya suddenly realized they were sitting in the exact same spot as that day.
What the hell? Does Sakayanagi have some kind of weird habit?!
"This is a misunderstanding! A complete misunderstanding! Look at me—do I seem like someone who'd be involved in romance? Besides... there's no way I'd be dating the demon queen—no, I mean, Haruno! Dammit, who's spreading these rumors?! Do they want me dead?!"
Hikigaya frantically waved his hands in denial, looking so genuinely panicked that there was no way he was faking it.
Haruno? Haruno! You're calling her so affectionately, and you still say there's nothing going on?
Men... huh.
Sakayanagi let out a cold laugh.
"I think you must have been misunderstood..." She smiled meaningfully.
"How about I call her to clear things up?"
She actually took out her phone, ready to dial.
Hikigaya's expression changed instantly. "No, no, there's no need to bother her over something that isn't even real!"
He was absolutely certain—if Sakayanagi called, Haruno, with her cunning nature, would 100% go along with it. If that happened, there'd be no way for him to talk his way out of it.
But Sakayanagi didn't stop. Left with no choice, Hikigaya sighed in defeat. "Sakayanagi, let's just be direct. What exactly do you want?"
At this point, Hikigaya was completely sure—this girl was basically the same as a final boss.
Damn you, Sakayanagi, you little troublemaker!
"Reading chess is like reading people. I just want to play another game with you. That's all."
The playful smile on her face was gone, replaced by a serious expression.
---
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