"Then, knowing that she likes you, is it really right for you—as her friend—to maintain your stance of not committing, not answering, and not rejecting?
Is that the responsibility you should bear as her friend?
You sit high atop the mountain peak, looking down with pity as she endlessly pushes the stone that will never reach the summit, just like Sisyphus—waiting for her to grow discouraged and eventually give up. Is that the help you think you're offering her?"
---
34. So, Does the Problem Child Sneak Around and Assassinate People?
Hikaru Ishikawa and Hayato Hayama returned through the back door together.
Ishikawa sat down at his seat, took out his bento from the drawer, and prepared to eat lunch.
Meanwhile, Hayato returned to the seat in front of Yumiko Miura and spoke to her as she nibbled on bread.
"Yumiko, I just talked with Ishikawa in the restroom."
"Eh? Is it still about the tennis club? Didn't you already decide not to get involved?"
"I ran into him outside," Hayato said with a helpless smile. "After talking with him, I slightly changed my mind."
"I want to see how far Ishikawa-kun can go."
Miura looked puzzled.
"How far he can go? What does that mean?"
"I mean the tennis club matter. I want to see how far he can push it."
Hayato paused before asking,
"Yumiko, do you want to come?"
"If Hayato is going, then of course I'll go too."
Miura casually set down her bread.
"I don't really care what happens to the tennis club anyway. Whether they get disbanded or make it to the national tournament doesn't matter to me."
Hayato teased with a smile.
"But you were the Chiba prefectural representative in middle school. You still enjoy playing tennis, don't you?"
"That's exactly why I don't want to do it again," Miura said indifferently.
"I do like tennis, but training that hard again just to defeat tennis monsters from other schools? No thanks."
"Besides, it would interfere with my shopping."
Ebina Hina chimed in with a smile.
"And it would interfere with our dessert time with Yumiko!"
"Desserts again? Won't you get fat?"
"I won't get fat at all!" Miura retorted. "I take good care of my figure!"
"Alright, alright," Hayato laughed, calming her down.
At that moment, Tobe joined the conversation.
"How about karaoke tonight? I heard a new karaoke place just opened. They're running a grand opening discount."
Ebina looked surprised.
"Eh? Where is it?"
"Near Takasu Higashi Station."
Miura's eyes lit up.
"That sounds like a rare opportunity! Hayato, let's go check it out!"
"Not today," Hayato said apologetically.
"Before I came back, I already agreed with Ishikawa to go to the seaside park tennis court for a friendly match."
"I want to see how strong we both are."
"So today won't work."
"Ishikawa—"
Miura frowned and instinctively glanced toward the back of the classroom.
She didn't notice that Ishikawa had already finished opening his bento.
"Then we'll come with you," she said.
"That won't work," Hayato replied with a smile.
"Ishikawa said only Yumiko can come with me."
"He doesn't want anyone else there."
"If too many people go, the tennis club might hear about his tennis ability and react early."
"So fewer people are better."
Tobe looked annoyed.
"Doesn't that mean he doesn't trust us?"
"I'm sorry," Hayato said apologetically. "He's very serious about this matter."
"And since I'm technically his partner right now, please bear with it for a while."
Tobe sighed and rubbed his head.
"Well, if Hayato says so…"
Ebina's eyes sparkled mischievously.
"So this is a private meeting between Teacher Ishikawa and Hayato-kun—"
Miura immediately bonked Ebina lightly on the head.
"That hurts, Yumiko!"
"Because you need to fix the way you talk," Miura snapped.
Then she looked at Hayato.
"If Tobe and Hina can't come, then I can go with you, right? Ishikawa did invite me too."
Hayato smiled.
"Yumiko is fine."
In fact, it had to be Yumiko Miura.
"Eh—" Ebina said in surprise.
Miura looked embarrassed.
"W-What is it?"
"It just feels like Ishikawa-sensei is stealing the two of you away from us," Ebina sighed.
"I hope he treats you well and returns you to us."
"It's not like that! We're just helping him for a while!"
"Yumiko is right," Hayato added with a smile.
"Besides, knowing Ishikawa-kun's personality, even if we wanted to stay with him all day, he'd probably get annoyed."
"Exactly!" Tobe agreed.
"I feel like Ishikawa-sensei has that genius eccentricity."
"Sometimes he feels distant and hard to approach."
"But other times he's easy to talk to."
"Honestly, he's not easy to get along with."
Miura nodded strongly.
"So it's not just me!"
"Sometimes I feel like Ishikawa is very far away."
"But other times he feels really close."
"We can joke around casually, but when he decides to do something, he suddenly feels kind of terrifying."
"Close? How close?" someone asked.
"Sometimes close enough that we can joke around freely—"
Miura suddenly stopped.
Everyone slowly turned their heads.
Behind Ebina's desk—
Ishikawa Hikaru was leaning on the desk with his cheek resting on his hand, blinking innocently.
"Why did you stop?"
"I'm actually very interested in this topic."
"When did you get here!?"
---
35. So, Does the Problem Child Stage a White Album Photo Session?
Facing their shocked expressions, Ishikawa blinked innocently.
"I came over right after finishing my lunch."
"You were all talking so seriously, so I didn't interrupt."
Miura glared.
"You were eavesdropping?"
"No," Ishikawa replied calmly.
"I walked over openly."
"And even if I hadn't, I could hear you from over there anyway."
Then he pulled out his phone.
After tapping a few times, he handed it toward Miura.
"Ebina, could you pass this to Miura?"
Ebina took the phone and handed it over.
"What's this?" Miura asked.
"I scouted several tennis courts near Sobu High yesterday and took photos."
"I recommend the outdoor courts at Seaside Park."
"But your opinion matters most."
"In other words—"
"Wherever you want to go, that's where we'll go."
"Then let's see."
Miura began scrolling through the photos.
"This one looks like a warehouse… kind of small."
"Oh, I played here before when I was a prefectural representative."
"There were tons of crows and the facilities were old."
"Oh—Seaside Park?"
"I've been there. It's pretty nice."
"There's also a water park and amusement area nearby."
She looked toward Hayato.
"After tennis we could walk around there."
"Sure."
"That helps a lot," Ishikawa said with a smile.
He pointed to his phone.
"But I haven't seen Yuigahama with your group lately."
"Did something happen again?"
Miura handed the phone back.
"Yui has some personal matters lately."
"I see."
"Well, friends should try to get along."
"You're annoying," Miura said. "What are you, someone's mom?"
"Anyway, I'm going to find Hikigaya."
"He hasn't greeted me lately."
"See you this afternoon."
After saying that, Ishikawa left through the back door.
He headed straight toward the secluded benches in the school courtyard.
And there he saw—
Hachiman Hikigaya and Ayaka Totsuka chatting happily together.
Ishikawa's pupils trembled in shock.
Instinctively—like a betrayed spouse catching their partner with someone else—he quickly hid nearby.
"…I definitely missed something important."
It was hard to believe.
Even if his judgment of people wasn't perfect, it was usually accurate.
Yet somehow—
Ayaka Totsuka had easily achieved what he could not.
"Who on earth is this Ayaka Totsuka?"
Then another shocking scene occurred.
"H-Hikitani is actually smiling in front of Totsuka?!"
"I was here first!"
"I've never even seen that smile!"
Ishikawa sighed dramatically.
"Well… as long as you two lovebirds are happy…"
He walked toward them.
"Ishikawa-kun! Good afternoon!" Totsuka greeted cheerfully.
"Are you here to see Hachiman?"
"Pfft—"
Ishikawa nearly choked.
"H-Hachiman?!"
"Even I can't call him by his first name!"
"That's enough," Hachiman said coldly.
"You know exactly why."
"Why?" Ishikawa clutched his chest.
"If you don't know, count your sins."
"Let's start with the Yu-Gi-Oh match where you tried to draw two cards."
"From that far back?!"
"Or when you chased me around in Monster Hunter trying to slash me."
"I-I can't even remember that anymore!"
"Fine," Hachiman said.
"Then how about when you tried to use me as a light novel protagonist and ship me with Yukinoshita?"
"C-Can collecting material really be considered evil?"
---
36. So, Will the Problem Child Become Kong Yiji?
Hachiman's expression only grew colder.
"Treating people like lab rats is already evil by normal standards."
"It's normal for writers!" Ishikawa protested.
He began listing excuses about fujoshi fantasies and shipping.
Hachiman looked even more annoyed.
"You won't even admit your mistakes."
"That's exactly why you can't call me by my first name."
"Nooo! Hikitani-sensei!"
Ishikawa suddenly grabbed Hachiman's legs dramatically.
"Hikitani-sensei! Without you as my inspiration, how can I write novels!"
"How will I survive on the hundreds of millions in royalties I'll earn someday?!"
Totsuka looked sympathetic.
"Hachiman… I think Ishikawa-kun has already apologized…"
"He's not the type who actually apologizes," Hachiman sighed.
"Stop fooling around. You're bothering Totsuka."
"Hahaha—sorry!"
Ishikawa stood up and brushed off his clothes.
"We were just joking."
"There was no real conflict."
"The acting was just a bit too realistic."
"Ah… I see…" Totsuka said uncertainly.
"Hachiman warned you before," Hachiman sighed.
"He's a naturally evil light novel author."
"You shouldn't get too close to him."
"Hachiman," Totsuka puffed his cheeks.
"You shouldn't say bad things about someone right in front of them."
"O-Okay…"
Hachiman looked awkward.
"A-Ayasa—"
Ishikawa stepped back in shock.
"In modern Japanese society…"
"Someone this pure actually exists?"