"Uh…"
Hikigaya hesitated, eyeing Ibuki Mio, who was leaning against the armrest, her legs crossed nonchalantly. To get to his seat, he'd have to squeeze past her. And given her reputation, the risk of a swift kick seemed alarmingly high.
"Sorry, my seat's inside…" he said weakly, feeling his social anxiety hit a new high.
If he'd known things would turn out like this, he would've chosen a spot at the far corner. Why did today have to be the day he ran into a troublesome person? The universe clearly hated him.
Ibuki glanced at him, her gaze sharp enough to make him freeze. After a moment, she shifted slightly, as if allowing him to pass. But honestly, the space barely increased.
Hikigaya awkwardly pressed himself against the back of the chair in front of her and slid past as quickly as he could, dropping into his seat with all the grace of a panicked cat.
Those few steps were nerve-wracking.
He half-expected to be slapped or kicked for accidentally brushing against her. But somehow, he survived.
Maybe Ibuki Mio wasn't as bad as people said. She looked fierce, but maybe she was unexpectedly decent.
The lights in the screening room dimmed completely, and the movie began. Hikigaya subtly leaned away from Ibuki, increasing the distance between them as much as the narrow seats would allow.
After all, he barely knew her. The only reason he recognized her name was from the rumors spread by Ryuuen and Horikita Suzune.
The two of them watched the movie in silence.
Once the credits started rolling, Hikigaya stood up, planning to leave from the other side to avoid unnecessary conflict.
"Stop."
He froze mid-step. Why did everyone like ordering him to stop as if he was some kind of obedient dog?
"Sit down."
Seriously? What was he, a pet now? Hikigaya turned back, his expression clearly unamused. "What do you want?"
"I heard you really screwed over Kaneda," Ibuki said, still sitting as if she had no intention of leaving the theater. "That guy's been ranting about getting back at you."
"Is that so?" Hikigaya let out a sigh, already understanding what she was referring to. "If it's about the uninhabited island incident, that was just him misunderstanding things. It has nothing to do with me."
"True enough," Ibuki scoffed, her expression twisting into a disdainful grin. "That arrogant idiot just wants to blame you for his own failures. It's pathetic."
Wait. Why did it sound like Ibuki was defending him? Shouldn't she be on Class C's side? Wasn't she supposed to be Ryuuen's lackey or something?
But Hikigaya couldn't bring himself to care all that much.
"If that's all, I'll be leaving."
"Stop."
Hikigaya's shoulders slumped in frustration. Why was he always the one people wanted to torment?
"What now?" he grumbled.
Ibuki paused, her expression turning serious. "Aren't you scared of Ryuuen?"
"What's there to be afraid of?" Hikigaya replied, sounding almost bored. Ryuuen might be a troublemaker, but Hikigaya had dealt with worse.
People like Ibuki Mio or Suzune Horikita were far more terrifying.
The cold, direct rejection from a girl could freeze a man's soul to the core.
Ibuki let out a heavy sigh, her fingers drumming against the armrest. "Just because that guy throws money around, don't think he's some kind of nice person. He's a violent psycho who won't hesitate to crush anyone who gets in his way. If you want to keep living your peaceful little school life, stay away from him."
Hikigaya blinked.
Wait. Was she...worried about him?
"Uh… thanks?" he said, giving her an awkward smile. "But I'm not really the type to back down just because someone's being a jerk. If the rules favor me, I'll play along. If not, I'll rebel. Simple as that."
Ibuki looked at him with disgust, as if he'd just proudly declared his intention to rob a candy store. "So basically, you just want to take advantage without paying the price. You're the worst."
"Well…" Hikigaya scratched his cheek, not really sure how to respond to that.
"Whatever. If you want to keep poking at Ryuuen, it's your funeral," she muttered, leaning back and effectively dismissing him.
"Noted. Thanks for the concern, though," Hikigaya replied, turning and making his exit.
If it came down to it, he was more than willing to be the guy who reported incidents to the teachers. He was nothing if not resourceful when it came to preserving his own safety.
After leaving the theater, Hikigaya found himself at a convenience store, hoping to stock up on curry and snacks. Even though the vending machines in the dorm were convenient, they didn't have everything.
He spotted a few familiar faces—Ayanokouji and the three idiots from Class D, plus Kushida with some of her friends. Hikigaya promptly turned his gaze away.
Kushida had been pestering him to eat together for some reason, and he had zero interest in mingling with that complicated mess.
As he wandered through the aisles, he noticed a bald guy carefully examining a hairpin. Katsuragi from Class A, if he remembered right.
Hikigaya's mind immediately conjured some disturbing scenarios. Did Katsuragi have some... peculiar hobby? And considering he didn't even have hair, where was he planning to put the hairpin?
"To avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, I should explain," Katsuragi said in his usual stiff tone. "It's a gift for my sister."
"Ah… Got it." Hikigaya scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
So Katsuragi had a sister, huh? Somehow, that made him seem more human.
"If it's for your sister, you probably shouldn't go with cheap trinkets like hairpins," Hikigaya advised with a grin. "I've got a little sister too, and gifts like that just end up gathering dust in a drawer somewhere."
"I see… then what do you suggest?" Katsuragi asked, giving him an unexpectedly thoughtful look.
"Well, if you've got the money, sweets are always a safe bet. Girls love sweets. And, uh, there's this MAX coffee from Chiba. It's technically coffee, but it's sweeter than most desserts. And chocolate—Komachi loves this brand."
Katsuragi seemed a little overwhelmed by Hikigaya's sudden enthusiasm. But then, anyone would be.
"Thanks for the advice," Katsuragi said with a nod. "But… I haven't even figured out how to send the gift. This school doesn't allow outside contact."
"Ah, good point." Hikigaya rubbed his chin. "But I remember reading something about the school's sports clubs being allowed to travel for competitions. Maybe someone from your class's sports club could help you out."
Katsuragi's eyebrows rose. "That's… an interesting idea. I'll have to check."
With a mutual nod of understanding, the two went their separate ways. As Hikigaya left the store, he couldn't help but feel a little satisfied.
Even if it was just a bit of advice, it felt nice to help out a fellow older brother.
As he wandered back toward the dorms, he found himself wondering how Komachi was doing. Sending her a birthday gift from this place seemed impossible, but maybe he could find a way.
Maybe Shibata would be willing to help out.
His mind drifted off, thinking about what books to borrow from the library next
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