Street.
Inside the mall.
It was filled with the atmosphere of Christmas.
A few couples were being all lovey-dovey in the hallways, but they couldn't compare to a large group like Ichinose's.
At that moment.
"Ah, it's Honami-chan and the others."
"Mako-chan, are you all here to go shopping too?"
They happened to run into Amikura Mako, Kobashi Yume, Shiranami Chihiro, Tsube Hitomi, Ando Sayo, and others, who seemed to have agreed to go shopping together.
Next.
Everyone began a shopping spree in the mall.
But in reality, those spending lavishly were only Karuizawa, Hasebe Haruka, and the others, while Ichinose and the others were more focused on just browsing.
Only when they encountered something they particularly liked would Ichinose, Kobashi Yume, and the others make a purchase; the difference in financial views between the two sides was obvious.
"Um..."
Karuizawa and Hasebe Haruka fell back a few steps and whispered:
"Hey, Hikki, even though there's a big sale, why aren't they buying? Is it because I'm spending money too recklessly?"
One is influenced by their company.
In Class D, no one would say such things to her.
After all, everyone's living habits weren't much different.
Except for a few.
Quite a few people were robbing Peter to pay Paul; not borrowing from others was already commendable.
But here!
Karuizawa was the minority.
Seeing people around just browsing and not buying, while she alone was spending lavishly, she felt somewhat uneasy.
Even Kamuro Masumi and Himeno Yuki, who she played well with, also knew how to exercise restraint.
"Hmm..."
Looking at Karuizawa by his side, Hikigaya was somewhat hesitant.
His opinion was very important to Karuizawa.
If they didn't make it to Class A and he later broke up with Karuizawa, Karuizawa might have problems if she continued like this.
Shifting Karuizawa's view on spending should be better for her.
However.
On the other hand.
Good.
Unless Karuizawa brought it up, he couldn't possibly break up with her, and he felt that as long as Karuizawa was happy, nothing was wrong.
"There's no need to be like them, as long as you're happy."
Hikigaya added: "However, it's better to be a bit careful with money that isn't earned by your own ability."
"Eh!?"
Karuizawa pouted, clearly still a bit unhappy.
"Does Hikigaya also think this is bad?"
"I suppose so. After all, for ordinary people, it will be hard to have the chance to obtain large amounts of money so easily in the future."
"But didn't the school say that being able to obtain so many private points means we have corresponding value?"
"That's considering the students' future potential."
Saying it this way, Karuizawa would likely still find it hard to accept, so Hikigaya added:
"If you accept the school's concept, wouldn't that mean you're the same type as Yamauchi and Ike? Do you think you are?"
"Definitely not... my grades are much better than theirs."
Karuizawa pouted.
After reflecting for a moment, she caught up with the people in front again.
Only her purchase frequency dropped significantly, as she followed Ichinose and the others just to browse.
Hikigaya wasn't against spending.
He just felt it was more important to spend reasonably within one's own capability.
Karuizawa...
Likely most people in this school were just overdrawing their future.
However.
A person's growth is indeed related to their environment. Perhaps sensing a crisis and knowing she couldn't go on like this, Karuizawa's living habits had obviously changed a lot.
Under the Christmas tree at Keyaki Mall.
After finishing lunch.
Everyone was taking commemorative photos.
Hikigaya took a separate photo with each person, followed by photos of Ichinose with them, and finally photos between friends.
From this, one could see the gap in popularity.
In such an environment.
Even Sakayanagi Arisu had some thoughts more or less; although she didn't care, being popular was indeed an enviable thing.
"mua..."
At that moment.
Kushida Kikyo wrapped her arms around Hikigaya's neck and kissed him on the cheek, just as Sakura Airi's shutter clicked.
"Ah..."
Karuizawa was instantly furious:
"Kushida, you despicable person, always with these little tricks, shameless!"
"I'm the last one anyway, so what does it matter..."
Kushida Kikyo nonchalantly licked her lips.
"Dammit, then I want to take another one!"
Karuizawa immediately shielded Hikigaya behind her, glaring at Kushida Kikyo.
"Hmm..."
Hikigaya was a bit helpless and scanned the circle before saying:
"Just one more. If we're going to take more, let's do it later."
"It's just taking a photo, it won't take much time."
Amikura Mako quickly said: "Don't mind us."
"Yeah."
Looking at Karuizawa, Kamuro Masumi, and the others beside Hikigaya, Kobashi Yume said with some surprise:
"But speaking of which, your relationship is really good... it's a bit surprising."
"Where is it good? Who has a good relationship with this person..."
Karuizawa immediately glared at Kushida Kikyo with some displeasure.
"No, no..."
Kobashi Yume waved her hands repeatedly and said: "It's just that I thought you would often fight or argue."
"I thought so too."
Shiranami Chihiro and the others nodded with various expressions.
They originally thought that with so many people being with Hikigaya, there would surely be some conflicts, but it seemed it wouldn't be like that.
Hikigaya and the others looked at each other, and smiles couldn't help but appear on their lips.
Perhaps because they were all gentle and kind-hearted people.
The original small knots in their hearts, worn down over time, became nothing much. More importantly, Hikigaya had the ability to satisfy them all.
After finishing a photo with Karuizawa, Ichinose found an adult on the street to help, and everyone gathered together, squatting under the Christmas tree for a group photo.
"Click."
As the shutter sounded.
Sakura Airi took back the camera, and everyone couldn't help but gather around her.
"Let me see, let me see."
In the picture.
Hikigaya was half-squatting on the ground, with Ichinose and Sakayanagi Arisu respectively half-squatting on his left and right, while the others were clustered around them.
"Nice photo..."
"Hehe..."
Kamuro Masumi suddenly hugged Hikigaya's shoulder from behind, her slender fingers sliding over his thigh, and whispered into his ear.
"It is indeed a nice photo, it almost looks like Hikki's harem group photo. How about it, are you excited?"
"Hey, don't make that kind of joke."
Hikigaya looked at Kobashi Yume and the others with some embarrassment.
He quickly took out the gifts he had just bought from the shopping bag, handed them to Kobashi Yume and the others, and changed the subject:
"Just right, these are Christmas gifts, please accept them."
"Eh, there are even Christmas gifts?"
"There's even a share for me?"
"Isn't that natural?"
"No... it's just with this many people, I thought there wouldn't be any..."
"Well... but I've encountered a bit of a financial crisis lately, so they're just some not-so-great gifts."
Handing the gift boxes to everyone, Hikigaya's face was full of apology.
After all, he had bought them secretly in the mall just now, and the quantity was just right.
However.
As the leader of Class B.
Naturally, he had also handed over all his private points, and now he couldn't use them as he pleased.
They were just ordinary bracelets.
Fortunately.
Everyone didn't seem to have any dissatisfaction.