According to Hiyori Shiina's understanding.
regarding the Student Council: since it was truly as Vice President Miyabi Nagumo said, once Subaru really became a member of the Student Council and obtained decision-making power to some extent, then Kakeru Ryuen would not casually look for trouble with Subaru, at least for a short time.
At the very least, this would be the case until Ryuen thoroughly figured out the rules of this academy.
"Shiina, this is merely jumping from one trouble right into another new trouble."
Subaru looked at Hiyori Shiina, shook his head slightly, and said, "Furthermore, I feel that accepting the invitation to join the Student Council is far more troublesome than the trouble brought by Ryuen."
"Is that so?"
"True, you don't like socializing very much, Subaru."
Hiyori Shiina came to a realization and smiled. "If you join the Student Council, you will definitely need to interact with different people."
In Hiyori's perspective, Subaru basically spent his time reading books with her. Even on their last 'date' shopping trip, when they ran into a classmate—and a classmate with whom he clearly had an unusual relationship—Subaru didn't show much reaction to Kikyo Kushida's greeting.
Subaru could be considered a type of person who was quite 'energy-saving' when it came to socializing.
"I don't actually hate socializing."
Hearing Hiyori's voice, Subaru smiled and said, "It's just that I have very high requirements for the objects of my socializing. For some people, I can spend a very large amount of time."
Saying this, Subaru paused and glanced at Hiyori.
Hiyori's gaze became somewhat drifting and overwhelmed; obviously, she knew he was talking about her.
After all, no matter how one looked at it, the person Subaru spent the most time with was her.
"There are some people who are slightly lacking; as long as they aren't overly entangled, I can endure them a little."
"And for some people, I have almost no patience."
"I don't actually dislike Ryuen. Because Ryuen's attitude is quite clear. On the contrary, I don't have much patience for that Student Council Vice President, Nagumo-senpai."
In the end, Subaru used the weighted ratio of Kakeru Ryuen and Miyabi Nagumo in his mind to give Hiyori Shiina an analogy. Compared to someone like Ryuen who directly set up his forces to fight him, Subaru was more weary of and lacked patience for someone like Nagumo.
If sorted by patience and tolerance levels, the current order would roughly be: Hiyori Shiina > Kikyo Kushida > Kakeru Ryuen > Arisu Sakayanagi > Suzune Horikita.
Originally, Suzune Horikita was second only to Kikyo Kushida in Subaru's mind. But there was no helping it; Horikita always liked to speak nonsense that had no meaning to Subaru, so her weight ratio dropped all the way down, becoming even lower than Arisu Sakayanagi, who spoke in roundabout ways.
That is to say, Horikita basically spoke directly.
She also rarely hindered Subaru. After Subaru ignored Horikita, she basically maintained her pride and no longer paid attention to him. So, even though Subaru's patience value for Horikita was constantly decreasing, she rarely made him feel impatient.
Horikita basically only communicated with Subaru during the gaps in class.
"I see."
At this moment, Hiyori nodded, seeming to understand yet not fully understanding.
Although she still wasn't very clear on the specifics, however... Subaru's special treatment of her was likely not the ambiguous kind she had understood, but something else—something special. Simply put, perhaps Subaru felt happier getting along with her.
So he preferred to stay with her more.
It wasn't the kind of thing she had misunderstood before, carrying a hint of ambiguity or romance.
Thinking of this, Hiyori breathed a sigh of relief in her heart, but at the same time, she felt a little bit of small depression.
Even though she had already been considering whether she should accept Subaru's confession if he really fell in love with her... After all, Subaru's abilities were excellent, his looks were quite good, and they got along very happily.
If it were Subaru...
Even if she wasn't ready to be in a relationship yet, she wouldn't resist such a thing.
"In that case, I don't know what other methods there are."
Hiyori's nose let out a soft hum.
It was unclear if she was secretly annoyed at her own 'unrequited affection' or unhappy with Subaru's 'lack of tact.'
"As for Ryuen's side, let nature take its course."
Looking at Hiyori, whose expression was a bit off, Subaru felt it was somewhat funny.
Compared to Subaru, Hiyori was still somewhat immature. Although her ability to observe words and expressions was considered outstanding among her peers, it was only within the range of her peers.
Subaru was not within this age range.
Subaru saw Hiyori's series of small expressions just now. He knew Hiyori's thoughts, her expectations, and her secret annoyance at feeling she had guessed wrong.
It was just that...
Although Hiyori gave Subaru a very good feeling.
Subaru's expectations for Hiyori were also very high, and as time passed, they became higher and higher.
However, truth itself had always been bidirectional.
Subaru was very satisfied with Emilia and Reinhard, and even at the moment before losing his colors, he was equally satisfied. But that was just a unilateral result.
To possess one's own color in Subaru's eyes, mere unilateral satisfaction was far from enough.
Emilia had to maintain her original heart, to loathe and hate Subaru's actions.
Reinhard also must not possess a single shred of pity for a person like him, whose hands were covered in fresh blood.
Unfortunately, due to spending a long time together, Emilia twisted her original heart, and Reinhard also developed feelings of pity for him due to some very good impressions from the past.
This was all wrong.
The color of truth must maintain its original heart.
Subaru did not need the color of truth to stand on his side.
He only needed the color to be true; that was enough.
So... Subaru's feelings toward Hiyori currently wouldn't have any other issues. Subaru had met many people similar to Hiyori.
For example, Kakeru Ryuen could tentatively count as one.
Subaru greatly appreciated Ryuen's directness.
However, appreciation did not equal Subaru having infinite tolerance for Ryuen. The prerequisite for Ryuen to possess his own color in Subaru's eyes was to last long enough.
For instance, in this school, he must maintain his original heart, and under the premise of making a move on Subaru, still be able to 'survive' under Subaru's counterattack.
Survival was the true, greatest test.
Subaru would not go easy on the other party just because they possessed the possibility of becoming real. Instead, he would truly go all out.
Ryuen needed to 'survive' while facing the Purge King head-on. When such time was long enough, and Ryuen could guarantee his original intention as always, he would possess his own true color.
Subaru had never been afraid of things like trouble; he just didn't want to be troubled by guys with no prospects.
'Hiyori Shiina...'
'When we have spent a truly long time together and you learn of my true past...'
'What kind of result will it be in the end?'
Looking at the somewhat charmingly naive face of Hiyori before him, such a thought flashed through Subaru's mind.
Would she be like Emilia back then—because she spent enough time with him, her original heart would be twisted, completely leaning towards him? Or would she be able to guarantee her original intention and truly possess her own color?
Subaru was both expectant and afraid of this.
Expectant, because Hiyori truly had potential to possess her own color in the near future.
Precisely because he once possessed his own truth, his own color, Subaru was expectant enough, but also afraid enough—one could even say terrified.
One day, Hiyori would see the real him.
Subaru felt that the day Hiyori saw the real him and made the final choice would not be far away.
"Let nature take its course?"
Hiyori did not detect the thoughts flashing frantically in Subaru's heart and felt somewhat strange.
If they let nature take its course, wouldn't that be no different from her initial suggestion of 'ignoring the targeting from Kakeru Ryuen'?
"Yes, let nature take its course."
Subaru had never taken the initiative to strike.
Including during the period of the Purge King. Perhaps in the eyes of many, many of the killings Subaru committed were without reason, carrying the meaning of pulling up weeds by the roots and anticipating the enemy.
But in reality, in Subaru's perspective, these people had already made a move on him, and had even killed him once.
It was just that the others didn't know.
On that day, after being chased down by Ram and luckily surviving, Subaru made up his mind not to wrong himself anymore.
Why should it be that just because this person killed him in the last loop, nothing happened in this loop simply because they hadn't acted yet?
There was no such logic.
Just like that, the Subaru of the Purge King era, amidst the fearful and uncomprehending gazes of many, groundlessly—either personally or indirectly—harmed the lives of over one hundred and twenty-nine thousand people.
Subaru never considered himself a troublemaker.
As long as he wasn't hindered, Subaru would absolutely be the quietest, most honest person.
Unfortunately, it was very regrettable that there were always people who would unconsciously hinder him. Even because of the interests he controlled—that wealth rivaling a nation—they harbored malice toward him and put it into action.
Some succeeded, some failed.
But without a doubt, regardless of success or failure, these people would not have a good end. Ultimately, along with their relatives and kin, they became members of those one hundred and twenty-nine thousand lives.
Subaru did not make a move on Haruki Yamauchi just because Yamauchi looked at him unpleasantly, as long as he wasn't hindered.
There was only one reason for Haruki Yamauchi's expulsion: he hindered him.
Ryuen was the same.
Before he truly made a move in the real sense, Subaru wouldn't have any special movements.
However, once it really got serious—even if it was a matter of a previous loop, even if in Ryuen's perspective he clearly hadn't done anything yet—Ryuen could only pray that he could retreat in one piece under Subaru's counterattack.
As long as he retreated in one piece once, Ryuen's weight ratio in Subaru's heart would greatly increase.
Retreating in one piece once would allow him to stand shoulder to shoulder with the current Kikyo Kushida. Twice would allow him to approach Hiyori Shiina's status. Three times retreating in one piece, and Ryuen would completely replace Hiyori Shiina's position, becoming the NO. 1 in Subaru's heart.
The subsequent matters naturally became simple.
Neither Hiyori nor Subaru continued chatting on the previous topic.
After all, Subaru himself had said to let nature take its course. Moreover, Hiyori herself didn't have any particularly good methods regarding Ryuen. Strictly speaking, Ryuen's wariness of Subaru was also not problematic.
From the perspective of Year 1, Class C, it was like this.
They had to launch offensives against Year 1, Class B and Year 1, Class A, but also had to guard against Year 1, Class D beneath their feet stabbing them in the back.
Only by thoroughly making Year 1, Class D become docile, harmless, and non-threatening could they truly wholeheartedly target Class A and Class B.
Hiyori was mainly just dissatisfied with the means Ryuen used.
If it were that kind of fair competition, honest and honorable means, Hiyori definitely wouldn't have spoken to Subaru about it.
As time passed and the sky became slightly dim and dusky, Subaru and Hiyori left the library.
Hiyori had the habit of cooking for herself, so she didn't go to the cafeteria with Subaru.
As for inviting Subaru to eat in her dormitory together... it was still a bit too early; it would make people misunderstand.
If Subaru really had that intention, it would be fine. Hiyori wasn't someone who would only wait. But the biggest problem was that Subaru didn't have that intention, so Hiyori definitely still needed to be reserved.
Consuming a small amount of time to settle dinner, Subaru sat by the coast for a while again.
Only after the sky completely darkened did Subaru prepare to return to the dormitory.
'Hm?'
Just as he walked to the floor where his dormitory was located, Subaru looked at Kei Karuizawa, who was squatting and hugging her knees in front of his dorm door with an expression that seemed somewhat conflicted, and was slightly surprised.
As a prominent gal in the class, Subaru still had some impression of her.
It was just that, appearing in front of the dorm door of a classmate with whom she had almost zero interaction at this time...
That was somewhat interesting.
Walking up to Kei Karuizawa, Subaru squatted down.
Looking at Kei Karuizawa, who seemed to have waited for him for quite some time and had waited until she was dazed and about to fall asleep, he smiled and said, "It's Karuizawa-san, right?"
____
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