Chapter 167: You Are All My Angels
After the matter was settled, Hikigaya led the members behind him to their assigned dormitory. However, before Hikigaya could enter, Kōenji seemed to have rushed in first and taken the dormitory with the best location.
Kōenji: "I assume you all know the rule of first come, first served."
At first, it was nothing, but after Kōenji mentioned it, even Ryūen, who usually didn't get worked up, suddenly ran.
"Let the great master claim the best spot!"
'What's with this inexplicable fighting spirit...'
When Hikigaya turned his head, he realized that everyone except Hirata and himself had already entered the shared room.
Hikigaya wasn't worried. The dormitory spots were all the same. How bad could the worst one be?
Of course, when Hikigaya and Hirata went in, Ryūen didn't forget to mock them: "You're too slow, Hikigaya."
Hikigaya: "Everyone's spot is the same anyway..."
Kitō: "That's not necessarily true. Just by looking at you, Hikigaya, you haven't been through many shared lodgings."
Kitō was right. Both in junior and senior high, he lived near the school, riding his broken bike to school. There was no dormitory system. And even the few forest training camps he attended were just people sleeping in tents, where he could occasionally rub Saika's cheek, a truly excellent environment. Except… It wasn't until Hikigaya saw the two remaining spots that he realized the wickedness of society.
Hirata: "Hikigaya-kun... it seems only we are left to choose..."
"Do you want this spot, the one for opening and closing the door and turning the lights, or do you want this dark, cold, lightless position..."
'No matter which one I choose, it's a dead end...'
If Hikigaya had another chance, he would definitely run faster than everyone else...
After a brief judgment, Hikigaya decided to give the position that had to turn off the lights and close the door every day to Hirata, and he took the dark, cold, lightless position. It must be said... when Hikigaya sat on that bed, even Kitō remarked:
"This spot truly matches your isolation. It's a perfect combination."
At noon...
After finishing his dormitory matters, Hikigaya was the first to arrive at the cafeteria to eat. The girls' side seemed to only have Ichinose. She was resting her head on the dining table, looking exhausted. Although her large assets supported her body somewhat, it was visible that fatigue had completely enveloped her.
Some of her Class B classmates were sitting beside her. It was likely that Ichinose was assigned to the Class B side, it wasn't strange for her to be assigned to her former class.
Perhaps sensing the boy's arrival, the girl slowly lifted her head, forcing a healing smile despite her weariness.
Hikigaya handed the girl a cup of coffee and sat down gently beside her: "You've worked hard..."
The girl quickly returned a smile, then waved her hand and said:"It's nothing, nothing at all..."
"It's just that the girls' group allocation was more troublesome and complicated. We had to consider past grudges and previously unresolved relationships, which is why it took so long. What you mentioned before, Hikigaya-kun, about wanting the five of us to be in one group... it seems a bit difficult now," Ichinose said with a bit of guilt.
Hikigaya nodded. That was the ideal scenario after all, so it didn't matter if it wasn't achieved. Moreover, seeing even an angel like Ichinose this exhausted, it was clear that she must have put in a lot of effort.
Horikita and Karuizawa's personalities might have provoked quite a few people in the past, and Kamuro had issues due to her position. However, since she had Sakayanagi's care, there was no need to worry too much. For Sakura, Ichinose, and Kushida, it wasn't difficult to team up with people from other classes, to a certain extent.
(Except for their classmates, Kushida's true nature had not been exposed to outsiders yet.)
Ichinose: "They are still busy with the troublesome allocation issues. I was able to escape because my assignment was complete. Of course, this isn't slacking off. The five of us unanimously decided that one person must deliver the information to you."
Hikigaya: "That's a level of complexity that scares me just hearing it... Girls' relationships are too complicated."
Ichinose rested one hand on her chin, playing with the coffee Hikigaya had given her on the table, her expression warm.
Ichinose: "I don't know too much about the current situation because the grouping hasn't been finalized yet. And on our side, I'm the leader, and there are more people from classes B and C."
Hikigaya: "That's because of you, isn't it?"
The girl smiled slightly, not denying it.
Just like that, the two of them began to eat simply. After finishing, the girl did not leave immediately. Instead, she gently rested her head on Hikigaya's shoulder and closed her eyes.
Hikigaya instinctively wanted to pull away, but seeing the girl's exhaustion, he couldn't bring himself to do it.
Ichinose: "Actually, this feeling is quite nice. Being alone with you is a rare thing!"
Hikigaya: "There are so many people in the cafeteria. Ichinose, isn't this improper..."
Ichinose pouted her lips in annoyance, then retorted in a tsundere tone: "I don't care. The more people who see it, the more this 'rumor' will spread. One declaration of love isn't enough, so I'll do it twice, ten times, a hundred times. I, Ichinose, like you, and I like you so much I can't extricate myself, because you helped me at that time, you helped me when I couldn't do anything."
Hikigaya sighed helplessly, then gently teased: "A hundred times is too many. After you said it once in front of all of Class B, and once in front of Class C, it's now spreading throughout the entire grade. I'm sure the second and third years will know about this soon. I have to say, that's Ichinose for you... The influence is too great."
When Ichinose heard this, she thought Hikigaya was acknowledging their relationship, and she said triumphantly: "Of course. So, Hikigaya-kun, you can't... you can't let down my feelings!"
Hikigaya's heart trembled slightly. Thinking of the three girls, he didn't know how to explain himself for a moment.
His expression solidified at that moment, and because Ichinose was resting on his shoulder, she noticed his body tremble the instant it happened.
The boy's smile disappeared, replaced by a very serious expression: "Ichinose, what will you do if I tell you I already have someone I like?"
This was a question Hikigaya would never have asked before. Appearing self-important was what Hikigaya feared most, but it was precisely because he feared being self-important that he repeatedly wronged Sakura, wronged Kushida, and might even wrong Kamuro after this. Therefore...
This was not self-importance; it was something that absolutely needed to be confirmed.
Ichinose's smile solidified as well. Then, she slowly pulled away from Hikigaya's shoulder and stared blankly at the boy, speechless.
"Ichinose, I..."
Before Hikigaya could finish, Ichinose suddenly hugged the boy's waist tightly. Her trembling body, her sniffing nose, and her moist eyes made Hikigaya clearly feel that he couldn't continue speaking.
"If, if you fall for someone else, then I'll just let go, and then I'll fall for someone else. Even if I can't fall for someone else, I can just be alone for the rest of my life..."
"Hikigaya, did you think I would say that? No... I, Ichinose, am not that kind of person. Maybe in your eyes, I'm gentle, caring, kind, and even someone who can concede on anything."
"But if you think that can threaten me, then you are completely wrong..."
As she said this, two tears suddenly slipped from the girl's moist eyes, finally reaching the boy's clothes.
Hikigaya gently patted the girl's shoulder, trying to comfort her deep sadness.
A girl's mood was truly unfathomable. She was just smiling a moment ago, but the next moment she could burst into tears...
After being comforted by the boy, Ichinose did not stop sobbing immediately. Instead, she hugged him tighter, to a degree that would be embarrassing in the cafeteria.
A long time later, Ichinose finally looked up again. Although she didn't cry loudly, her red and swollen eyes seemed to declare that the girl was not joking.
"If you like someone else, then I won't let you go, even if I have to drug you."
"That's too scary."
"Hikigaya, I told you, I'm not as gentle as you imagine."
Without waiting for the boy's reply, the girl gently kissed the boy's Adam's apple, then quickly fled the area with her tray.
'What a headache... I hope it doesn't come to that.'
[In the chat room, Yuigahama had deliberately created distance, leaving enough space for Yukinoshita to maneuver. Iroha and the others also quickly retreated, leaving only Yukinoshita staring at Hikigaya with a cold smile and her head lowered.]
[Hikigaya: "Wait, I'm not running away from responsibility, but how is this my fault?"]
[Ignoring the boy's explanation, Yukinoshita immediately grabbed Hikigaya's throat directly, launching a quick throat-choke attack.]
[Yukinoshita: "It's here, is it? I want to smell if there's any woman's scent."]
[Saying this, Yukinoshita leaned close to the boy, inhaling sharply. Of course, there was nothing.]
[Hikigaya: "There's not... there's not, right? It's normal for there not to be. How can the events in the video be combined with the reality outside!"]
[Miura also quietly said to Hina: "Although I knew Yukinoshita was a fierce person, I've never seen her look like this... Doesn't it feel suddenly unbelievable?"]
[Ebina: "I truly pity Hikigaya-kun. The one who reaps the benefits is the one in the video, but the one who gets beaten up is his real self."]
[Miura: "But have you noticed? Yukinoshita expresses her dissatisfaction so openly and clearly declares her feelings, yet he remains unmoved. What's going on..."]
[Iroha: "There's no way. Senpai is Senpai. Even now, he doesn't intend to be honest. Yukinoshita-senpai is also stubborn. When two stubborn people interact like this, if they don't express their inner feelings in the end, it's meaningless."]
[Hayama: "How about... we give him a push?"]
[Yuigahama: "...No, I refuse."]
[Iroha, Ebina, and Miura all looked sharply at Yuigahama.]
[Yuigahama scratched her head and said softly: "I, I don't want to destroy the current Service Club relationship. I think the three of us are just fine right now."]
[Miura: "As your friend, I support you... But Yui, you know that in a relationship between three people, someone will always get hurt. Only by pulling away sooner can you avoid getting hurt..."]
[Ebina also stopped talking about 'fujoshi' topics and nodded in agreement with Miura's words.]
[Iroha: "What a headache, Yui-senpai, and Senpai, and Yukinoshita-senpai, they're all troublesome people... They clearly care about each other so much, but they refuse to say anything. Will they be happy watching the person they like end up in someone else's arms?"]
[Yuigahama: "I...."]
[Hayama: "You are all afraid, afraid that this hard-won relationship will be completely shattered by romantic feelings in the end, which is why you are so hesitant. But the truth is... if you continue to hesitate, the final result will only reach a point where no one can control it."]
[If you love, you must say it loudly. This is the only thing you can do during your student years.]
[Yuigahama slowly closed her eyes, finally stood up, and walked straight toward the boy and girl. The remaining four, understandingly, left the area temporarily.]
[The story named the Service Club would eventually end, and if they didn't face it now, one day... it would end just like that.]
[Yukinoshita was still stubbornly choking Hikigaya's neck, preventing him from moving, until Yuigahama's arrival allowed Hikigaya to catch his breath.]
[Hikigaya: "Are you trying to kill me?!"]
[Yukinoshita's surroundings instantly erupted with killing intent: "I said, three strikes and you're out. If there's a third time, you're finished."]
[Hikigaya: "No matter what... this is about the video. Come back to your senses, please."]
[Yuigahama: "Hikki is right. We should all clear our heads."]
[Yukinoshita didn't speak, only showing a calm smile. Facing Yuigahama, she knew... this battle was inevitable in the end.]
[Yuigahama stood between the two, grabbing their left and right hands respectively, placing them on her chest, and slowly closing her eyes, trying to recall the events of the past year.]
[Yuigahama: "I'm very happy to have joined this club. Regardless of the reason at the beginning, I've never regretted joining this club. I've even worried about club matters, worked hard, been happy, and been sad."]
["My high school life might have been too fake, as Hikki said, having to consider too many people. But after joining this club, you two taught me what a genuine way of interacting is, where I don't have to hide myself or deliberately go along with others. As long as I have my own thoughts, I can say them as I please. That feeling is truly wonderful."]
["I like it here. Not just because I can have a cup of Yukinon's black tea after school, and not just because the atmosphere here is just right. We've handled quite a few incidents together. Before this, I never felt I had such great energy, that I could actually help others."]
["However, this fake relationship, Yukinon, Hikki, and I all understand, will end sooner or later. Maybe because of graduation, maybe because of academics, or maybe because of different paths in the future. The relationship between the three of us cannot remain stagnant. So... Yukinon, make a decision."]
[Yukinoshita showed a calm smile. Yuigahama, who once most wanted to maintain the three-person relationship, was the first to step out of it. Wasn't this a form of growth? And Hikigaya, who had been listening to the girl speak, now wore an expression of complete confusion.]
[Yukinoshita: "Come on, Yuigahama."]
[Yuigahama gently nodded, then released the girl's hand, leaving only her hand tightly holding the boy's hand.]
["Hikki, all this time, maybe you thought I joined this club because I felt indebted to you, that I wanted to compensate you in various ways because I felt indebted to you, or that I gave you kindness because of my own kindness, but... that's not true. It has never been true."]
["I know what you seek is the genuine thing, that pure and noble relationship, but I can't do that. I like you simply because on that day, you stood in front of me and saved my dog. Perhaps to you, that wasn't a pure motive, but to me, in that moment, you were already different from everyone else in this school."]
["I know what you want to say. Maybe you think countless others standing there would do the same thing, would have the same approach, but... the person who stood there at that time was you, the person who protected my dog for me was you, and the person who acted without hesitation, regardless of personal risk, was also you. So... I like you. I have liked you, all this time."]
[Hikigaya was left speechless. Yuigahama was not a brave girl, but she was a strong one. How much courage did it take for her to say these words?]
[If it weren't for this video, he might never have heard these words in his entire life. It was precisely because she sensed danger and crisis, precisely because she knew her time with Hikki was disappearing day by day, that Yuigahama, encouraged by her friends, pulled herself together.]
[Outside the door, Miura, Hayama, Ebina, and Iroha were anxiously waiting for the result. Although the four of them were now crowded together, elbowing each other to eavesdrop, separated by a huge iron door, much of the conversation couldn't be heard.]
[Miura: "Who do you think Hikigaya will choose?"]
[Hayama spread his hands: "I don't know about that."]
[Ebina: "As Yui's friend, I naturally hope he can fulfill Yui's wish, but..."]
[Iroha: "Ebina-senpai, but what?"]
[Ebina: "If Yui fails, she still has us, but if Yukinoshita fails, she will have nothing left."]
[Hayama also sighed helplessly: "Unfortunately, this is a step they all have to take sooner or later. The more they delay, the more cruel it becomes. So... no matter who it is, let's all pretend that nothing happened."]
[Iroha: 'Why can't it be me....']
[Yukinoshita smiled in response: "Yuigahama, you are truly amazing, truly amazing... I knew from the start that one day you would take this step."]
[Saying this, the girl also grabbed the boy's other hand. Unlike the scorching warmth provided by Yuigahama, the long-haired girl's small hand was bone-chillingly cold.]
["Hikigaya-kun, just as Yuigahama-san said, we have been through too much together. Some things don't need to be stated too clearly, and some things don't need to be made too obvious. The result will be revealed one day, and our relationship will also end one day. Regardless of what happens, make a choice that you won't regret."]
["I know this is difficult for you, and I know you are a person who struggles to make decisions. You might doubt yourself, you might feel that you fundamentally don't deserve this great love, but now, I, Yukinoshita Yukino, tell you that I like you. I like your stubbornness, I like your isolation, I like your cold jokes, and I like your dead-fish eyes. And of course... What I like most is the you who likes me. So... make a choice, no matter what."]
[The left hand felt a scorching warmth.]
[The right hand felt a bone-chilling cold.]
[If he chose Yuigahama, he would surely be enveloped in tenderness. In life and in everything else, there would be no worries. He would only need to closely follow her steps to receive all her encouragement.]
[If he chose Yukinoshita, he would surely be hit again and again by life in the future. As the daughter of an official, Hikigaya would also have to face many political matters. Furthermore, due to their personalities, there would be many squabbles and arguments. But even so... they would still reconcile in the end, and he would receive the girl's scarce, yet total, remaining affection.]
[So... the answer was already there, wasn't it? No matter what was said, there could only be one answer.]
["You are both my angels... but, but, under this damned system, I'm sorry... I really, still, am sorry..."]
[Saying this, Hikigaya lowered his head, but his heart softly called out a name.]
[Yukinoshita...]
(End of this chapter)