Chapter 12: Iroha, the Little Devil
"God! This is terrifying."
Shirogane Miyuki felt like he was suffocating in the Student Council room. Especially when Fujiwara Chika mentioned Hachiman having a good relationship with a first-year kouhai, a terrifying, icy killing intent swept through the entire Student Council room.
He wanted to eat, but the atmosphere indoors was so tense that Shirogane Miyuki couldn't even manage to eat. It was like a dreadful shura field.
"Secretary Fujiwara, please do not slander me."
Hikigaya Hachiman said righteously.
"Isshiki Iroha is merely a kouhai. I have no other relationship with her besides that."
A kouhai who always likes to act cute in front of him but is actually full of schemes.
In this life, Iroha didn't give Hikigaya Hachiman a "nice guy" card. He thought it was because he was more outstanding than Hayama, and this wasn't just in the singular aspect of handsomeness.
"Oh, come on! The kouhai calls you 'Senpai', 'Senpai' all the time."
Fujiwara Chika stood with her hands on her hips, clearly disagreeing that Hachiman had "no relationship" with her.
"She calls you so affectionately."
"Isshiki merely respects me."
"I even saw her bring you a bento box last time."
"What does that prove?"
Hikigaya Hachiman: "…"
Shirogane Miyuki felt like crying without tears; Secretary Fujiwara truly had no sense of crisis at all.
'Stop talking, Secretary Fujiwara.'
Someone in the Student Council felt like they were going to die today.
"Enough."
Shinomiya Kaguya stopped the conversation between the two.
"None of that is important.
Decide who will go to the first year to inquire about Ishigami Yu's situation."
Hikigaya Hachiman replied, "I can go. I don't care."
Hikigaya Hachiman indicated that she was just one Iroha, after all.
"Then Hachiman should go."
The wily Fujiwara Chika directly pushed the responsibility onto Hikigaya Hachiman.
"Fine."
Hikigaya Hachiman agreed. It was just a matter of finding someone to ask questions.
"No time to lose. I'll go now, or lunch break will be over soon."
Lunch break is actually the most convenient time to find people. The break is short, so students generally don't scatter around like they do after school, making them hard to find.
"I'll go too."
Surprisingly, it was Shinomiya Kaguya. She also wanted to go along.
"Isn't two people too much of a spectacle?"
Hikigaya Hachiman felt that two of them going would look like they were going to pass judgment.
"It's fine. I also want to take a look at this kouhai."
"Then let's go together."
A drop of sweat dripped down Shirogane Miyuki's forehead. He suddenly felt that his friend was truly having a difficult time.
Back when the three of them were in the Student Council in their first year.
He already felt that Shinomiya Kaguya, this giant block of ice, with her expressionless gaze, was like being stared down by a killer. Only Hachiman could treat her as a normal colleague.
"Since Kaguya-chan is going, I'll go too."
Fujiwara Chika, completely lacking in social awareness, immediately said at this moment, "Isshiki should be in Class 1-C."
Hikigaya Hachiman: "Secretary Fujiwara, which class is your friend in?"
"It's fine, it's fine, we still have time. Let's go find Isshiki first."
Fujiwara Chika said it was no big deal. She giggled and hugged Shinomiya Kaguya's arm.
"How did Kaguya-chan know about Ishigami Yu?"
"I'm curious."
Shinomiya Kaguya said coldly.
"After all, he is quite famous in a certain way. He refused to write a letter of remorse and has been suspended until now, almost to the point of expulsion, yet he still won't agree."
So Shinomiya Kaguya became curious. She had originally planned to tell the entire Student Council about Ishigami Yu, but the Principal seemed to have preempted her by directly turning it into a request for the Student Council.
"Since Kaguya-chan believes there's more to it, then that Ishigami child must have been wronged."
The combination of Hikigaya Hachiman, Shinomiya Kaguya, and Fujiwara Chika—a group of handsome boys and beautiful girls—immediately attracted the attention of the first-year new students.
"That's Hachiman-senpai. He's so handsome."
'Why are they coming to our first-year area?'
Hikigaya Hachiman called over a classmate of Isshiki Iroha and asked him to help call Isshiki Iroha out.
Isshiki Iroha, who was talking with her friends, smiled and clapped her hands together in a gesture of apology to her friends when she heard that Hachiman-senpai was looking for her.
"Sorry, sorry."
"Please excuse me for a moment."
Shinomiya Kaguya quickly spotted the kouhai. She was indeed graceful and attractive.
Her ash-blonde hair, cut to a medium length, looked professional, and paired with the girl's cute face, it also revealed a mischievous aura.
Isshiki Iroha quickly ran up to Hikigaya Hachiman, like a lively, cheerful deer. She nudged Hikigaya Hachiman with her elbow.
Isshiki Iroha giggled, "Senpai, I haven't seen you in a few days. Did you miss me?"
Hikigaya Hachiman responded very perfunctorily.
"No."
"Aw, come on! Can't you even tell a white lie to humor me?"
Isshiki Iroha: "Why did you come to find me yourself today?"
"You are Isshiki-san, right?"
Shinomiya Kaguya, who was standing behind Hikigaya Hachiman, stepped forward.
"Although Shuchiin doesn't strictly prohibit it, I believe it's better for boys and girls to maintain a certain distance.
What do you think?"
Isshiki Iroha then realized that Senpai hadn't come alone; he was accompanied by two senior girls.
Especially the one who just spoke, the school's famous Young Lady Kaguya.
Her slight, forced smile made Isshiki Iroha's scalp tingle.
Isshiki Iroha's smile froze immediately.
"Oh, so Senpai didn't come alone."
"Enough, Shinomiya.
We're not here to enforce school rules."
Hikigaya Hachiman felt that if Shinomiya Kaguya continued to speak, the nature of their visit would change.
Shinomiya Kaguya merely snorted and said nothing more.
"We are mainly here at the Principal's request to inquire about Ishigami Yu from your Middle School days."
"Ishigami Yu."
Isshiki Iroha repeated the name.
"Senpai, I don't seem to know too much. Only a partial amount, so I might not be able to give you much help."
"It's fine. Just tell us everything you know."
Hikigaya Hachiman gathered from Isshiki Iroha that this seemed to be a case of a dispute over love.
The main characters seemed to be Kyoko Otomo, Ogino Ko, and Ishigami Yu—a love triangle between the three of them.
In that case, the problem was easily solved. Ogino Ko was still studying at Shuchiin, currently a student in Class 1-D.
All problems could be resolved simply by interviewing him.
"Senpai, I helped you so much. Let's go out next time."
Isshiki Iroha stood on her tiptoes. She tugged on Senpai's collar, wanting him to come closer, and whispered in a voice only Hikigaya Hachiman could hear.
It had a slight tone of spoiled demanding.
"Just the two of us, okay?"
Hikigaya Hachiman replied, "Next time."
"When is 'next time'?"
"'Next time' is 'next time.'"
Isshiki Iroha made a face at Hikigaya Hachiman.
"Senpai is so mean."
Ogino Ko's reputation didn't seem too good. Rumor had it that he was involved with a girl outside of school and had asked her to get an abortion.
Isshiki Iroha also mentioned that Ogino Ko seemed to have had intentions toward her as well.
But just as Hikigaya Hachiman and Shinomiya Kaguya decided to take mandatory measures against Ogino Ko, he disappeared from school.
It was as if he had fled out of guilt.
He left in a hurry.
When Hikigaya Hachiman was checking Ogino Ko's belongings, he detected the presence of a Curse.