Chapter 163: Let's Exchange Names, Hachiman
The contents of the book were simply too fascinating. Under this temptation, Hikigaya completely immersed himself in it, only occasionally being woken up from the vast ocean of the book by the howling cold wind.
In contrast, Hiyori showed no reaction from beginning to end. Her level of focus could only be described as monstrous. This was because during this time, Hikigaya got up several times to buy MAX Coffee from the nearby vending machine, and Hiyori seemed completely unaffected, continuing to read her book.
Hikigaya finally compromised with the cold wind, gently patting Hiyori's shoulder. Only then did she look up at Hikigaya with a blank, confused expression.
"Hikigaya-kun, did you finish reading?"
"Not yet. I mean, how about we find another place to read? It's quite cold here."
Hearing the boy say this, the white-haired girl seemed to snap back to reality, her body immediately trembling violently. Seeing her extreme reaction, Hikigaya was startled for a moment. First, he mentally praised Hiyori's focus, since this girl was so engrossed in reading that she didn't even realize she was cold.
Next, he immediately took off the coat he was wearing and draped it over the girl. Because the school had a uniform rule, even in winter, girls had to wear short skirts, so they basically had bare legs. If it weren't for the heating in the classrooms, they probably wouldn't be able to concentrate, except for people like Hiyori.
Hiyori did not resist, letting the boy put the coat on her, and then she picked up the coffee the boy had just bought and rubbed it repeatedly against her inner thigh to warm up.
Hiyori: "I still want to read."
Hikigaya: "I'm not saying you can't read; let's just change the location."
Hiyori fell into a difficult contemplation, and after five seconds, she suddenly understood: "Then, should we go to your room?!"
Hikigaya seemed to think of something terrifying and immediately waved his hand to refuse:"No, no, how can a girl go to a boy's room? Besides, my room is messy."
Hiyori looked confused: "But Hikigaya-kun wouldn't be someone who doesn't tidy up. Your room can't be messy, so Hikigaya-kun is lying."
Hikigaya: "....."
Hiyori: "But, alright... Then, should we go to my room?!"
Hikigaya waved his hand again, his brain working overtime. In this simple back-and-forth, he immediately began thinking of reasons.
"No, no, how can a boy go to a girl's room? Besides... one must maintain caution. Do you often invite boys to your room, Hiyori-san?"
'Wait, why is it only rooms...'
Hiyori was slightly dejected when both of her suggestions were rejected. Her voice was noticeably low when addressing Hikigaya's question:
"No. Hikigaya-kun wouldn't be the kind of person to do that sort of thing, I can tell. And... I don't have any friends."
As soon as she said this, Hikigaya's heart and body couldn't help but tremble slightly.
Once upon a time, he, too, was this kind of person.
Hiyori continued in a low voice: "Because I usually read in my room or the library, I don't really know where else we should go..."
Listening to the girl's words, Hikigaya felt increasingly uneasy. This was born from the attraction of kindred spirits. Although Hikigaya had undergone immense changes in the past six months, he would never forget his past self, who was extremely similar to the current Hiyori, perhaps even more isolated.
If he hadn't changed at all, he might have also lived such a dull life at this school, though he wouldn't have been expelled, but that would have been the extent of it.
Hikigaya: "Let's go to the café. Although it's louder than the library, the coffee there is quite good. At least, that's where I went when I couldn't get MAX Coffee."
Hiyori nodded, not raising any objection to Hikigaya's suggestion. She slowly stood up and placed the book she had been clutching into her bulging bag.
Hikigaya was about to stand up and walk over with her, but he saw the girl stop in front of him.
"Hikigaya-kun, can we be friends?"
"Eh?"
"Actually, I don't necessarily need friends. To me, books are my friends. I can instantly see through the good intentions and bad intentions of other students, and I'm not very good at talking; sometimes, I feel like I'm ruining the atmosphere... But, if it's Hikigaya-kun, I think we can be friends. Whether in terms of discussing books or... other things."
A single sentence is enough when minds click, and Hikigaya was hearing Hiyori speak so much for the first time. Before this, she usually responded to others with silence, nodding, or shaking her head.
Hikigaya didn't immediately agree with the girl in front of him. He just felt she was very much like his middle school self: inwardly longing for friends but unable to find true ones. And now...
Hikigaya: "Shiina-san, I want to ask, what is your view on friendship?"
Hiyori fell into contemplation again, and after a gust of cold wind blew past, she found her answer.
"Perhaps in Hikigaya-kun's mind, a friend is someone who you don't need to deliberately keep in contact with but whose relationship remains as true as ever, someone whose sincerity is met with sincerity, an existence that needs no lies..."
The girl showed a comforting smile, instantly making the coldness in the boy's body feel enveloped in warmth.
"But for me, a friend is someone who hands you a coat to ward off the cold when you're shivering, even if that fool is also shaking from the cold."
Although Hikigaya and Hiyori had certainly not spent a long time together, Hiyori's interactions with Hikigaya allowed her to understand him. This attraction of kindred spirits made her even clearer about the kind of person the boy in front of her was.
For Hikigaya, he had always been wary of this girl, even though he clearly knew she was a kindred spirit.
If Hikigaya was someone who had retained kindness despite experiencing the darkness of the world, Hiyori was someone who still held onto innocence and purity after experiencing that darkness. Unlike Hikigaya, she chose not to use her highly sensitive observational skills to scrutinize society or see through people's hearts, even though she could.
Initially, Hikigaya's wariness was because he feared the girl's behavior was a facade, but as their time together increased, he understood her better.
If that was the case...
Hikigaya nodded gently.
Shiina Hiyori once again showed a comforting, innocent smile.
Hiyori: "Should we start by exchanging names first!"
Hikigaya: "Uh, actually, I've never really made friends from scratch either, so you're asking me..."
Hiyori looked enlightened: "Then I'll call you Hachiman! After all, that's what everyone else does! And from now on, Hachiman has to call me Hiyori!"
Hikigaya was a little helpless, but as the first step towards becoming friends, he supposed this was fine...
Hiyori: "Then let's head to the café!"
Hikigaya: "Wait, there's one very important thing."
Hiyori: "What is it?"
Hikigaya: "I need to buy out all the MAX Coffee until the machine is empty. This is a rare opportunity."
Hiyori: "Hachiman-kun, you really do have some unique habits..."
Hikigaya: "This opportunity might not come again, so I absolutely can't miss it."
Hiyori: "I see..."
...
[In the Chat Room...]
[Ibuki: "Shiina, you actually became friends with this pervert? I find that a little unbelievable."]
[Hiyori: "I think it's quite normal."]
[Ryūen: "Those people are all like that. Ibuki, you brainless fool, just stay out of it."]
[Ibuki: "Ryūen, are you calling me brainless?"]
[Ryūen: "That point doesn't need to be proven, does it..."]
[Without even needing other classes to play small tricks, conflict was already arising within Ryūen's own class.]
[Yuigahama: "Hikki finally has a friend in the true sense of the word. That's really quite touching."]
[Yukinoshita nodded in agreement with Yuigahama's words, but quickly shook her head: "And it's another member of the opposite sex. Having too many opposite-sex friends isn't a good thing."]
[Saying this, Yukinoshita directly pinched a section of Hikigaya's thigh. It instantly became red and swollen, and the critical thing was that Hikigaya couldn't even yelp.]
[Iroha also looked worried: "That's right. Senpai is really too popular with girls. This is not good..."]
[Hikigaya was pinched again, and to avoid the pain, he had to speak up and object: "That's not right. If I was so popular, I wouldn't have been rejected in middle school. And... I'm still more curious about which genius brought MAX Coffee in. It's simply incredible!"]
[Yukinoshita, Yuigahama, and Iroha simultaneously looked at the boy with disdainful eyes. It had to be said that Hikigaya was very good at changing the subject... Still thinking about that awful coffee at a time like this.]
[In contrast, Horikita, seeing Hikigaya gain a new friend, was momentarily at a loss for words.]
[Karuizawa: "Hey, Kushida, didn't you say you were going to keep an eye on him? Where are you? Now look, he has another rival."]
[Kushida: "I was probably guarding against Ichinose. Who knew he'd go and make a friend somewhere else? Where were you?"]
[Ichinose was also speechless: "Why are you guarding against me? Wouldn't it be better to just stay by his side..."]
[Karuizawa: "It's because you're too cunning! Just thinking about it makes me angry. I feel like I'm becoming an extra in my own life."]
[Sakura: "Alright, the home has been raided again..."]
Only when Hikigaya had bought so much MAX Coffee that his bag was completely unable to hold any more did he finally bring himself to leave the vending machine. If this were the last MAX Coffee in the school, he was determined to collect it as a treasure.
The two walked side by side, occasionally chatting about the content of the book, and sometimes about their favorite coffee flavors. However...
After Hiyori also tasted the MAX Coffee, she had already accurately guessed all of Hikigaya's favorite flavors. As expected of Hiyori.
Then, the two talked about miscellaneous topics. If this was making friends from scratch, even Hikigaya had little experience. In short, the two just kept chatting and walking until they arrived.
At the café, Hikigaya did not order a drink, as he was planning to savor the MAX Coffee he just bought, but the girl unexpectedly walked over with two cups of coffee.
"Try this. I mixed it to match the MAX Coffee you liked. I wonder if the taste is correct."
"Mixed?"
Hiyori answered easily: "Yes. Aside from the coffee bean variety possibly being different, as long as you have a reference chart for the ratio of milk and other ingredients, you can ask the staff to do it."
Hikigaya: "Even so, to know the ingredient proportions after just one drink is too incredible."
Saying this, Hikigaya picked up the coffee, still half-skeptical, and took a small sip.
As expected, the mellow richness of the milk slowly flowed down his throat, followed by the aromatic scent of coffee. Even if the taste wasn't exactly the same as MAX Coffee, it was close to 99%.
"..."
"How is it, Hachiman-kun!"
Hiyori seemed to genuinely look forward to Hikigaya's answer. After Hikigaya gently put down the cup.
"Hiyori, I desperately need your ingredient ratio... I'm willing to buy it for 50,000 points. Oh, no, 100,000!"
Seeing Hikigaya's excited expression, Hiyori knew she had succeeded. The smile on her face was self-evident, and she immediately wrote down the ingredient list on a piece of paper.
"As friends, we can't have monetary transactions, Hachiman-kun!"
The girl said this, pouting and with extreme seriousness.
Hikigaya looked at the ingredient list in front of him, then glanced at the girl with great emotion, but ultimately kept his gaze on the list.
Incredible... truly incredible.
Over time, he had actually obtained the recipe for MAX Coffee. Did this not also mean that regardless of whether MAX Coffee was available in the future, he could always make it himself?
Truly...
'Why didn't I meet Hiyori when the school year started... What a pity...'
Seeing Hikigaya happy, Hiyori was naturally happy too, but her happiness only showed in the smile on her face. Immediately after, she picked up a book and became immersed in it.
Hikigaya did not stay idle either. After all, the purpose of coming here was to read and relax during this rare leisure time; he couldn't forget his priorities.
Although internally, he was so excited that he probably wouldn't be able to sleep anyway.
Just as the area was becoming quiet, Hikigaya heard a very familiar voice suddenly sound behind him.
"Seriously, Hikigaya-kun is too incredible. Even though everyone thought the key victory this time was because of Kōenji, I don't think so. Haven't you noticed that every time Hikigaya acts, it's perfectly timed, and then our class wins?"
Ike's voice came from behind. Hikigaya did not turn around. If they discovered that he was standing right behind them eavesdropping, it would be quite awkward. Besides... he had Hiyori with him. If possible, he would just keep eavesdropping... oh wait, they were speaking too loudly.
Shinohara: "I started noticing something was off a long time ago. You must know that if Sakura's change was a coincidence, then the subsequent changes in Kushida, Karuizawa, and now Ichinose showing affection for him... I don't think any of this is a coincidence."
Ike: "It seems there are many things about this class that we don't know. It's definitely not as simple as it looks."
Shinohara: "That's right. Both the incidents with Hirata and Kōenji were too suspicious. They were resolved without warning. I already asked Wang Meiyu, and both Kōenji and Hikigaya were present at that time... If that's the case... it's probably what we suspect."
Ike's expression was a little amused: "So, Yamauchi didn't realize until the very end that he was kicking an iron plate, huh?"
The two exchanged faint smiles.
Hikigaya listened: 'I didn't expect them to slowly start noticing... But since they're on a date here, and there are only two of them... I guess the class will soon have its first couple.'
Ike took a sip of coffee and continued: "I have to say, we really need to thank Hikigaya. Without him, we definitely wouldn't have reached Class C, and subpar students like us might even have been expelled."
Shinohara: "That's right... The rank of subpar students isn't what it used to be. Sakura, Sudō, and Karuizawa's scores are increasing, and Yamauchi was expelled. You should have a sense of crisis, Ike."
Ike also gave a wry smile: "Definitely, I'm fully aware. I can't continue like this. If someone like me, who has poor athletic ability, also has poor grades, then... I'll just keep dragging the class down. I believe no one wants to lose, so even someone like me..."
Shinohara: "Then let's work hard together. We still have a spring break to prepare before the next semester starts, and then... let's climb up together."
Ike finally smiled: "Yeah, we have to make it to Class A someday. It's a promise."
'I didn't expect the usually pessimistic Ike to have this kind of ambition. He admitted his past mistakes, or rather, admitted the mistakes of people like him who were unconcerned and unmotivated about class affairs...'
'But, since he's made up his mind, he will surely undergo a different change next semester. The original trio... two of them are already on the right path.'
Sudō and Yamauchi went to different extremes, and only Ike was left. Everything depended on this spring break.
It had to be said that Class C was truly different. Compared to the start of the first semester, most of the students in the class were beginning to care about the class. The consecutive Sports Festival and Command Tower exams were what made these students gradually awaken their class consciousness.
Ike's vow made Shinohara even more confident in the boy. Deep down, she hoped the boy could improve alongside her. In this school, they could form a cozy group of their own, ensuring that neither of them would be easily expelled, and both would remain until graduation.
So...
Ike: "Shinohara, I have something very important to say to you."
Shinohara nodded, blushing slightly out of embarrassment, and then lowered her head.
The atmosphere suddenly became quiet. Even Hikigaya felt a little awkward and wanted to leave to go to the bathroom.
But, standing up at a moment like this would only make it more awkward.
Funnily enough, the white-haired girl, usually focused entirely on reading, actually looked up at this moment, seemingly wanting to witness the scene, waiting with great anticipation.
'This girl is eavesdropping too...'
Hikigaya and Hiyori exchanged a knowing look. It shouldn't be long before a new couple was born right here.
Ike slowly stood up, then took a large detour, and finally faced Shinohara.
"Shinohara... I... I..."
"I...."
Just at that critical moment, the boy seemed to spot something, a familiar ahoge, standing right behind Shinohara.
Seeing Ike freeze completely, Shinohara's gaze followed his.
"Nani?!"
"Hikigaya, what are you doing here!"
Hikigaya was a little helpless, yet didn't know what to say...
"Would you believe me if I said it was an accident?"
"Wait, when did you get here? How did I not notice you? And who is the girl next to you! I'll tell Sakura, I swear!"
Ike suddenly became agitated, presumably because Hikigaya's presence had ruined his confession plan, and he was also embarrassed.
Hikigaya quickly waved his hands: "We're just here to have some coffee and read... This is my... friend, Shiina Hiyori."
'I feel weird saying that out loud.'
Shiina Hiyori didn't say anything, only nodding in agreement. Her innocent appearance made it difficult to believe she was lying.
However, a man can be fooled by innocence, but a woman cannot. She was somewhat close to Kushida, and seeing the man Kushida liked with another girl, she asked with some doubt: "Are you really just friends?"
"Really, just friends."
To avoid continuing the argument, Hikigaya immediately shifted the topic back to the two of them.
"Let's not talk about me. Are Ike-kun and Shinohara-san in that kind of relationship?"
Hikigaya intended to strike while the iron was hot and facilitate a good outcome.
However... faced with Hikigaya's counter-question, Ike completely lost his composure, jumping up excitedly and saying: "Huh? Don't be ridiculous! Who... who would like this ugly girl! If everyone else wasn't busy with strange things, who would sit with her... You, you guys shouldn't think too much of it. It's absolutely not what you think."
"....."
Hiyori looked at Hikigaya with an innocent and confused expression and whispered, "Hachiman-kun, is that really true? They look exactly like..."
Hikigaya: "Children don't understand adult emotional issues."
Hiyori: "Oh, alright."
(End of this chapter)