Chapter 92: Exposing Kushida Kikyo's True Face!
Hikigaya Hachiman had wanted to flee countless times. Each step was a torment to his psyche.
He couldn't fathom why he had the audacity to follow this strange figure. Perhaps it was fate, but despite the fear gripping his heart, his steps never faltered.
In the dead of night, the chirping of cicadas enveloped the forest. Hikigaya Hachiman followed the figure quietly, knowing that even if he tried to retrace his steps, he wouldn't remember the way back. He had no choice but to press forward.
After what felt like an eternity, with countless moments of inner turmoil, the figure ahead finally stopped. This caused Hikigaya Hachiman's barely stabilized resolve to collapse instantly. His heartbeat quickened, and if this continued, he felt he might break down first.
[Ike Kanji, watching this, was visibly shaken. The eerie atmosphere was palpable even through the video. His voice trembled as he stammered, "Th-th-the island has ghosts!"]
[After Ike Kanji's words, the girls' eyes began to quiver with fear. Even covering their mouths to stifle any sound couldn't hide their terror.]
[What were they thinking? Relief that they had left the island? Or pity for Hikigaya Hachiman, a familiar yet distant figure? Regardless, the reality remained unchanged.]
[Unlike most of the girls, Horikita Suzune watched the video calmly. She didn't believe in supernatural ghosts, just someone wandering out in the middle of the night.]
[But who would come to a place like this at such an hour? And for what purpose?]
[Horikita Suzune pondered, searching for clues in the video, but she didn't know where to begin.]
[Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, on the other hand, showed no change in expression. Such events didn't stir his emotions. Like Horikita Suzune, he immediately dismissed the idea of a ghost. If it wasn't a sleepwalking classmate, the suspicion fell squarely on one person.]
[Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's gaze shifted to Kushida Kikyo. Normally, she would notice his look and flash a sweet, gentle smile to the crowd. But now, Kushida Kikyo's attention was entirely on the video. She wasn't scared like the other girls, and though she might try to feign fear, her expression betrayed her.]
[The answer was clear. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka didn't meddle further, returning his gaze to the video. He was merely an observer, one who didn't need to act or change anything.]
Hikigaya Hachiman desperately wanted to believe this was a dream, but his racing heartbeat told him otherwise, no need to slap himself to confirm it was reality.
Truthfully, he wasn't someone who believed in spiritual things like ghosts. But facing this situation alone, his physiological fear quickly overwhelmed him, challenging his rationality.
This wasn't something logic could explain. This was the moment to defeat Hikigaya Hachiman.
Unfortunately, no one knew his weaknesses, as he had neither friends nor enemies.
He suddenly recalled how, when watching movies, he'd get startled from being too immersed. He wasn't particularly brave, under these circumstances, he was even less courageous than the average person.
Driven by his inner resolve, he wavered: should he keep following or pretend he saw nothing and turn back?
Returning to camp now seemed impractical. It was still a while until dawn, and finding his way back in the dark, relying only on instinct, was impossible.
With that, Hikigaya Hachiman gritted his teeth and followed once more.
[Yukinoshita Yukino, half-covering her eyes in fear, didn't want to show her vulnerabilities, but how could those around her not notice?]
[Hikigaya Hachiman: "I'm saying, you don't have to force yourself. If you're scared, just close your eyes."]
[Though it wasn't kind to say, the Hikigaya Hachiman watching the video wasn't affected by his on-screen self's fear. While he was scared too, rationality dominated in the Service Club.]
[Yukinoshita Yukino shot him a resentful glance but forced herself to keep watching the screen.]
[Yukinoshita Yukino was just that stubborn. Sometimes Hikigaya Hachiman couldn't understand why she was so determined. At times she accepted his concern, but other times she resisted it no matter what.]
[Yuihama Yui was also scared, but her fear stemmed mostly from horror movie tropes, like a ghost suddenly appearing behind Hikki in the video, dragging him to a dark place for unspeakable things.]
[Yet Yuihama Yui was kind. Seeing Yukinoshita Yukino so frightened, she couldn't bear it. Mustering her courage, she pretended to be calm and held Yukinoshita Yukino's hand.]
[Feeling Yuihama Yui's hand, Yukinoshita Yukino flinched at first, then let her hold on. The two girls watched the video with open eyes, facing their fears head-on in a way.]
[Hikigaya Hachiman thought, 'How nice…']
[He genuinely admired the two girls.]
[Compared to them, Isshiki Iroha wasn't scared but pretended to be, trying to get close to Hayama Hayato. Of course, she was scolded by the fearless Miura Yumiko and…]
[A dejected Isshiki Iroha came to Hikigaya Hachiman, seemingly treating him as a substitute for Hayama Hayato to protect her.]
[Honestly, this girl wasn't scared at all, was she?]
[At some point, Yukinoshita Yukino and Yuihama Yui's fear vanished, replaced by glares directed at Hikigaya Hachiman and Isshiki Iroha.]
[Under pressure, Isshiki Iroha reluctantly left Hikigaya Hachiman's side.]
[Hikigaya Hachiman thought, 'As expected, she wasn't scared from the start.']
The radiant moonlight seemed to dispel all the darkness in the world, giving Hikigaya Hachiman a sense of reassurance.
But as time passed, that sense of security slowly faded.
After stepping into this part of the forest, Hikigaya Hachiman didn't know how long he had been following this "ghost." He only knew that turning back now would take just as long.
The moonlight was blocked by the forest canopy, making him uneasy. The psychological comfort he'd clung to vanished, leaving only endless darkness.
This place felt very bad.
Hikigaya Hachiman stood behind a tree, waiting for the "ghost" to move.
But the more he looked, the more familiar the figure seemed. Its silhouette was too much like someone from his class.
This strange sense of familiarity rekindled his confidence. For now, he pushed his earlier fear aside, focusing intently on the motionless figure.
"Finally here. You kept me waiting."
From the other side of the forest, a long-haired figure slowly emerged.
But judging by the build, it was clearly not a girl. And the voice was all too familiar to Hikigaya Hachiman.
"You bastard, what do you want me to do?"
The "ghost" he'd been following seemed furious. Upon seeing the man, she displayed a fierce expression, making it harder for Hikigaya Hachiman to identify her.
Was there such a ferocious classmate in their class?
Hikigaya Hachiman racked his brain but ultimately shook his head helplessly.
'I know too little about them. Most of their true personalities are just my guesses. I don't really know what they're like.'
Even the most ordinary person has at least two sides. Take Hikigaya Hachiman himself: at school, he was a reserved, marginal figure, but at home, he constantly babbled to Komachi.
Some people have more than two sides, showing different facets to different people. The girl before him was revealing her most ruthless side, or so Hikigaya Hachiman speculated.
But why was she so angry? That was what he most wanted to know.
The long-haired man listened to the girl's furious outburst without panic, casually putting his hands in his pockets and saying, "Such an attitude toward a potential ally? As expected of Class D."
"I never said I'd work with someone like you. If anything, you disgust me."
The girl remained furious. From their exchange, Hikigaya Hachiman picked up on something significant.
First, this girl was indeed from Class D, someone he saw every day. Second, this wasn't their first such conversation. The long-haired man had sought cooperation multiple times, only to be repeatedly rejected by the Class D girl.
That was all he could glean from their dialogue.
The long-haired man gave a faint smile, still looking at the girl calmly. "Kushida Kikyo, oh, Kushida Kikyo. I wonder what everyone would think if they saw you like this. Are you still their little angel?"
Hikigaya Hachiman's heart surged like a stormy sea, his scalp tingling.
Kushida Kikyo. The person talking to Ryuen Kakeru like this was that Kushida Kikyo.
Though Hikigaya Hachiman had long suspected her true personality wasn't as sociable as Ichinose Honami's, this transformation was too drastic. No wonder she always said those things to him.
Deep down, she didn't want to be hated, which is why she projected that persona.
Hearing the long-haired man's words, Kushida Kikyo's tone grew colder, laced with hostility. "Ryuen, I suggest you think carefully. Some actions come with consequences."
"Oh? Are you threatening me? Too bad. If I exposed this side of you to the entire first year, you'd lose your place in this school pretty quickly."
Kushida Kikyo didn't lose control at Ryuen Kakeru's provocation. Instead, her voice grew even colder, her mind seemingly rational as she said, "You have no evidence. Even if you said all this, no one would believe you. I've built connections with most of the school. Your words alone won't be enough to ruin me."
Kushida Kikyo was right. Even if Ryuen Kakeru spilled everything, given the rivalry between Classes C and D, no one would believe him. They'd think he was crazy.
Unless he had proof, his threats were meaningless.
Ryuen Kakeru didn't continue down that path. Instead, he shifted the topic to Class D.
Still smiling, as if everything was under his control, he said, "Kushida, why go all out for Class D? Aren't you just a two-faced person? If so, you shouldn't have any moral boundaries. Help me, and when the time is right, I'll let you join Class C. Isn't that a win-win?"
Ryuen Kakeru's proposal was flawless from his perspective. To him, Kushida Kikyo was a deceitful two-faced person with no loyalty or sense of responsibility to her class, let alone emotional attachment. Betraying her class should be easy, and there was no need for them to fight to the death.
But, unexpectedly, Kushida Kikyo rejected his offer.
She shook her head gently, as if she had anticipated his words.
"Ryuen, your little scheme is too low-level. It's so pathetic it makes me laugh."
"First, your so-called Class C is at a disadvantage. There's no benefit in working with you."
"Second, even if I'm two-faced, even if I deceive my classmates and hide my true self, that doesn't mean I'm emotionless. If you live with a rock for ten years, even a rock develops feelings. I have no reason to betray my current classmates and friends."
"Third, Ryuen, you're an unscrupulous person. Even if you promise me now, you'd find other ways to retaliate later, pushing me into an abyss. I won't work with someone like you."
Kushida Kikyo forcefully rebuffed Ryuen Kakeru, showing him no mercy. The negotiation broke down at that moment.
Hikigaya Hachiman listened to their conversation, his earlier fear completely gone.
Kushida Kikyo was a clever woman. From their exchange, Hikigaya Hachiman felt the remarkable strength she possessed.
Ryuen Kakeru's expression didn't sour at her words. Though he knew cooperation was unlikely, that didn't mean there weren't other ways.
His voice echoed through the night forest once more. "Kushida Kikyo, you should remember what happened in junior high, right? You were impressive, single-handedly destroying an entire class. How did you do it again?"
Ryuen Kakeru deliberately pretended to forget, teasing the girl before him. Kushida Kikyo's face darkened, a hint of pain slipping through, as if she desperately wanted to avoid that memory.
Ryuen Kakeru, as if grasping her weakness, continued in a low voice, "Oh, right. If I recall correctly, you exchanged 'secrets' with every classmate. Through your manipulations, they all shared their deepest thoughts with you. Then, when things spiraled out of control, you exposed all their secrets to the class, and then…"
Ryuen Kakeru gave a knowing look, leaving the rest to her.
But Kushida Kikyo couldn't utter a word, her head lowered as if lost in thought.
Ryuen Kakeru didn't give her a moment to breathe, continuing, "If I'm not mistaken, your so-called desire to be friends with everyone is just a way to extract their secrets, to prevent them from abandoning you in the future. Because there's someone in this school you fear, Horikita Suzune."
From a distance, Hikigaya Hachiman was shocked by Kushida Kikyo's story. But hearing Horikita Suzune's name in this context left him puzzled, deeply puzzled.
Horikita Suzune wasn't even Kushida Kikyo's friend and always seemed resistant to her…
Yes, always…
Hikigaya Hachiman suddenly understood something.
Kushida Kikyo's eyes turned red upon hearing Horikita Suzune's name, as if her bottom line had been crossed.
Ryuen Kakeru continued, "Horikita Suzune was at your junior high. She's probably heard about your deeds. If she recalls that incident, your status in Class D would vanish instantly. Need I say more?"
Ryuen Kakeru left the choice to Kushida Kikyo.
Kushida Kikyo asked, "How do you know so much?"
Ryuen Kakeru chuckled darkly. "You don't need to know that. Just know that if you refuse to work with me, your future will be grim."
A blatant threat, and Kushida Kikyo had no way to counter it.
If Ryuen Kakeru truly produced evidence, Kushida Kikyo's carefully constructed world would collapse in an instant.
She couldn't, absolutely couldn't, let the image she had painstakingly built be destroyed by him.
And so… Kushida Kikyo hesitated even more.
Making a deal with the devil, cooperating with him, would eventually turn her into a devil herself.
"I…"
"If you keep struggling, the outcome you fear will find you first."
Ryuen Kakeru's words shattered the last shred of Kushida Kikyo's resolve.
She wasn't without feelings. Even someone like her, doing such things to the classmates she saw every day, would feel a pang of guilt and unease in her heart.
But she had no choice. The faint hope she clung to had been mercilessly crushed by Ryuen Kakeru.
If no one discovered her true self, she could maintain this facade for three years.
She slowly walked toward Ryuen Kakeru, stopping a few steps away.
She thought of the boy who had once told her under the lamplight that one day, someone would accept all of her, every facet of who she was.
Kushida Kikyo smiled faintly.
If this was a fate she couldn't escape, then…
"Wait."
Just as Kushida Kikyo was about to step closer to Ryuen Kakeru, and just as his smirk grew more triumphant, Hikigaya Hachiman appeared.
He emerged out of nowhere in front of the two, stunning both Ryuen Kakeru and Kushida Kikyo.
Though Ryuen quickly regained his composure, a fleeting moment of shock passed through his eyes.
Yes, even Ryuen Kakeru could feel such emotions.
Compared to Ryuen, Kushida Kikyo was utterly frozen.
She had never imagined that the boy she was just thinking about would appear before her at this moment.
Ryuen Kakeru's face showed a hint of anger, but he restrained himself.
"Kushida, I never heard you had a friend like this."
Kushida Kikyo lowered her head, her expression dejected, clearly not wanting Hikigaya Hachiman to see this side of her.
But since he was here, there was no changing it.
Nothing could be changed anymore.
Her voice was low as she said, "I don't know why he's here. And we're not exactly friends."
At that moment, Hikigaya Hachiman smiled.
"What's that, Kushida-san? Have you already forgotten your goal of becoming friends with the entire school?"
Kushida Kikyo kept her head down, silent.
Ryuen Kakeru, finally regaining his usual demeanor, fixed Hikigaya Hachiman with his unchanging smirk. "Hikigaya, so what are you doing here?"
"Well, would you believe me if I said I was drawn here by a ghost?"
"Heh, that's a cold joke. Doesn't suit you."
"I think so too, but it's the truth. By the time I realized the 'ghost' was our class's Kushida-san, you were already here."
Ryuen Kakeru's smile faltered, clearly seeing no point in continuing this topic.
"So, after eavesdropping this much, what do you want to say? Or do you not believe what I said about Kushida Kikyo?"
Hikigaya Hachiman shook his head, saying softly, "No, that's not it."
(End of this chapter)