109 Jabami Yumeko's Heartbeat
Faced with Hikigaya Hachiman's refusal, Momobami Kirari could only shrug her shoulders helplessly.
As expected, this man wasn't someone who could be swallowed so easily.
But Kirari had plenty of patience. She believed that one day, Hikigaya Hachiman would kneel before her of his own volition, kissing her feet as a gesture of submission.
She had a hunch—that day was drawing near.
Perhaps, during the Great Bloom Festival.
"The assassin has already been locked up and is currently being interrogated for intelligence. Do you want to go back to Chiba to take a look now?"
Back to Chiba, huh?
Hikigaya thought of his promise to the Yukinoshita sisters and shook his head. "There's no rush in returning. I can go after classes are done. I'd like to trouble President Momobami to have your people hold her a little longer. I'll head to Chiba tomorrow and see this assassin in person."
"You sure can hold your composure~"
Kirari pouted slightly and tapped her jade-like finger on Hikigaya's beating heart. Then, tracing along the bulge of his uniform, she slid her hand down and slipped a note into the left chest pocket.
"The address of her holding cell is written on it. Once you get there and ask everything you want to know, that assassin is yours to deal with."
"I'll give you a little spoiler—the assassin is an absolute beauty~ And most importantly, she's still a virgin."
"Also, she's already been administered a special drug by the Hundred Devouring Clan. As of now, she's nothing more than a puppet who'll follow any order."
"No matter what Hikigaya-kun wants to do to her, she'll have no choice but to silently endure it."
In that empty hallway, Momobami Kirari boldly extended her hand, freely caressing Hikigaya's chest while uttering seductively tempting words.
"Or perhaps, Hikigaya-kun isn't interested in her. Then will you let her go, or have her sunk into Tokyo Bay? It's all up to your mood~ Hikigaya-kun."
Power.
For ordinary people, it's a nearly irresistible poison. But restrained by their status, even when granted power by those above them, they instinctively control their desire to use it. This cautious instinct is deeply engraved into human nature. The exercise of such power is often accompanied by unimaginable consequences.
The simplest example would be a class president, entrusted with authority by the homeroom teacher, who would still not dare to make things too difficult for their fellow classmates.
But Hikigaya Hachiman was different.
Capable, ambitious, with personal convictions—once someone like him tasted power, they would fall deep into it, unable to pull themselves out.
Life and death, reward and punishment—all at his command.
Momobami Kirari wanted to witness the "evil" inside Hikigaya's heart.
The greatest evil of human nature is the endless indulgence of one's desires within limited power.
This was a chance Kirari gave him—to taste that power.
'Will you fall from grace, Hikigaya?'
"Thanks."
...
...
"Eh? Hikigaya-kun is going back to Chiba this weekend?"
Walking on the way home from school, Jabami Yumeko seemed surprised. It wasn't a special date or occasion—why would Hikigaya-kun suddenly go back?
"Yeah, something came up. I need to go back for a bit."
Jabami Yumeko fell silent, her pink lips lightly biting together, before suddenly speaking up: "Then... can I go to Chiba with you, Hikigaya-kun?"
"I grew up in Tokyo and haven't been to any other places yet."
Yumeko's smile bloomed like a flower. That youthful radiance made Hikigaya Hachiman feel a moment of trance.
If what he felt when facing the Ougatou sisters was desire, then what stirred within him when facing Jabami was perhaps… love?
Hikigaya was scared.
He didn't know if what he felt toward Jabami was truly love, or friendship, or just lust provoked by her beauty.
The word "love" was too heavy. For someone like Hikigaya—a refined egoist—it was a term he didn't dare to use lightly.
"If you come to Chiba with me, will your sister be okay?" Hikigaya decided to throw the choice back to her.
If Yumeko didn't have a problem, then maybe he...
"No problem at all! The nurses at the University of Tokyo Hospital are really gentle. They'll take good care of my sister!"
Yumeko's eyes sparkled with hope. If Hikigaya-kun didn't refuse her, did that mean...
Hikigaya Hachiman gave a slightly delayed, faint nod, but quickly added, "But I probably won't have much time to take you sightseeing around Chiba. I'll be meeting some middle school classmates on Saturday for a meal."
"Is it Miss Yukinoshita?" Jabami suddenly interjected.
Hikigaya staggered, a shiver ran through his heart, and he felt an inexplicable fear.
Even when gambling, he had never experienced pressure like this. He stiffly replied, "You... already know?"
"Yup~ Miura-san already told me~"
'Damn you, Miura!'
"It's okay, Hikigaya-kun. I'm already really happy just to be able to go to Chiba with you. If you're going to have a meal with Miss Yukinoshita, go right ahead."
Jabami hummed a light and cheerful tune, her sleek black hair bouncing with each step, her joy clearly written all over her face.
Guilt.
Also known as "moral phobia"—it refers to the emotion that arises when a person has done something wrong and fears being condemned by their conscience or morals.
Hikigaya Hachiman once thought this emotion had long since left him.
That he wouldn't feel guilty over anything.
But he had overestimated himself.
Suddenly, he blurted out, "Do you want to stay at my place?"
"Eh?"
"I..." Hikigaya's usually sharp and clear mind was now a mess, and he didn't know how to properly express the thoughts in his heart.
But since he'd already said it out loud, there was no turning back.
All he could do was steel himself and continue, "My house is pretty big... um... and my little sister is really cute. Do you want to meet her?"
'Damn it, Hikigaya! What the hell are you saying?!'
'You're inviting a girl—who's going on her first trip with you... well, let's call it a date—back to your house?!'
'What's Jabami going to think of you?!'
'And now you're using your little sister Komachi as a shield?!'
'Aaaaghhh!!'
Hikigaya Hachiman felt like his SAN value (sanity points) were visibly dropping, and the carefully crafted persona he'd built for himself was crumbling at an alarming rate.
As expected, he really wasn't good at dealing with girls.
But just as Hikigaya was about to say something to explain his slip of the tongue—
Jabami's soft, supple body leaned against his back.
The warmth of her delicate, beautiful face, even through the fabric of their school uniforms, was clearly conveyed to Hikigaya's heart.
Her frail, boneless little hands tightly wrapped around Hikigaya Hachiman's waist.
This was the first time Hikigaya Hachiman had ever felt, outside of the confines of his memory palace, time slowing to a near-complete stop.
Yumeko didn't reject him, nor did she agree. She only spoke in a voice that only the two of them could hear:
"I feel like I'm going to die, Hachiman~"
Through the soft warmth of her heartbeat, at that moment, she was connected to Hikigaya's heart. Both of them felt the rapid acceleration of each other's pulse, leaving them at a loss for words.
As the sun set, the glowing afterglow of dusk stretched their closely pressed silhouettes long, until it covered the entire bus stop.