No matter what Tsukishiro's true attitude toward Ayanokoji was, it had nothing to do with Hikigaya.
Besides, it wouldn't be a bad thing if that guy got expelled.
Even if a mosquito told you, "I won't bite you again," it's still more convenient to just squash it rather than believe it.
The same logic applied to Ayanokoji. Even if he had been behaving himself lately, that didn't mean he was trustworthy.
If given the opportunity or the necessity arose, he wouldn't hesitate to sell out a friend or a lover.
That had been Hikigaya's impression of him from the very first meeting.
Of course, this was just Hikigaya's personal feeling—it wasn't impossible that he was being unfair.
But given what Ayanokoji had done to Horikita and Karuizawa, it only reinforced that impression. In a way, he had brought it upon himself.
Honestly, the uninhabited island incident had shaken Hikigaya a little. The guy had deliberately made a classmate catch a serious cold just to win… That level of ruthlessness showed a complete lack of common sense.
If it were someone like Ryuuen, who was obsessed with victory, it would at least be understandable—his motives would be clear.
But Hikigaya had never been able to figure out what Ayanokoji was thinking. The only thing he ever felt from him was a creeping sense of unease.
In any case, if he could get rid of that guy without dirtying his own hands this time, that wouldn't be bad. There was no reason to interfere.
Besides, Tsukishiro had backed himself into a corner.
His original plan was likely based on the assumption that Ayanokoji wouldn't take on the strategist role. That way, the blame wouldn't fall entirely on him, and he could at least report back to his superiors with an excuse.
It was like online gambling, with Tsukishiro as the website admin.
If the customer refused to take the bait, it wasn't his fault.
But now, Ayanokoji had been forced onto the table, his chips already placed.
At this point, if Tsukishiro tried to tell his boss, "Your son is too skilled—no amount of rigging will work," or, "We're a legitimate site; we have to compete fairly with our customers," that wouldn't just be incompetence—it would be outright suicidal.
That was why the guy had come to Hikigaya, circling the topic with a bunch of flowery words.
A study abroad opportunity?
It was nothing more than an attempt to get him to take the fall for Ayanokoji.
Too bad for him—no matter how sweetly he phrased it, Hachiman wasn't about to fall for it!
He was just here for the show, to see how things would play out in the end.
Would Tsukishiro risk offending his current boss and begrudgingly let Ayanokoji stay?
Or would he risk angering his future boss and insist on expelling him?
…Working adults had it rough.
Thinking about it that way, Hikigaya felt a little sorry for the guy.
He just hoped that, when he stepped into society in the future, he wouldn't have to deal with a boss like that… No, who was he kidding? That was impossible.
Middle-aged men with power loved nothing more than seeing their subordinates suffer, pretending to endure while secretly relishing their misery.
Even if they wanted nothing more than to go home after work, they had no choice but to keep drinking with their boss to maintain the group dynamic.
Hikigaya had heard his dad complain about it more than once—if he didn't want to lose his job, he just had to endure it.
Sigh… Maybe he really shouldn't give up on his dream of becoming a stay-at-home husband.
And so, another aimless day passed.
Even though he had agreed to meet Horikita after school, the class still had to discuss the upcoming exam… What a pain. Maybe he should just slip away.
But—
"You stayed, Kouenji?"
"As a member of this class, of course, I must participate."
…Right.
Just like Sudo, Hikigaya was surprised that even the uncontrollable Kouenji had decided to join the discussion.
Now it would be a little awkward for him to leave.
Seriously… Why did Kouenji have to be so cooperative this time?
"Well, I hope you can finish discussing everything in one go. I'm quite busy, after all."
"That's a difficult request," Horikita shot him down from the podium. "This special exam isn't something that can be decided in a single day. Even after choosing an event, we'll need continuous training to secure victory."
Kouenji simply grinned. "In that case, I may only participate in this once."
"Then I'll make sure to work around you so that you'll attend next time as well."
Horikita warned him sternly, but Kouenji only smiled and turned his gaze toward Hikigaya.
…Huh?
"Well, even if you say that. The dead-eyed boy looked like he wanted to leave this whole time. Maybe you should convince him to take things more seriously first?"
"…I don't see any indication that Hikigaya-kun wants to leave," Horikita replied, refusing to acknowledge the obvious.
As for the person in question—
Why the hell is this bastard using me as an excuse again?!
…Forget it.
Hikigaya simply laid his head down on the desk, out of sight, out of mind.
"Hahaha… Now he's pretending to sleep."
Kouenji chuckled meaningfully, watching him with great interest.
Then, as if the situation wasn't lively enough, he suddenly dropped a bombshell.
"Well, that's to be expected. After all. The dead-eyed boy is troubled by matters of the heart… Ah, youth is truly wonderful."
"…Wait, matters of the—"
BANG!
Before Horikita—no, before anyone—could process those words, Hikigaya shot up from his seat like a spring, slamming his hand on the desk.
"…Horikita."
But he didn't even glance at Kouenji, let alone argue with him. Instead, he stared straight at Horikita.
"I have a few thoughts about the exam."
"Ah… A-Alright, go ahead."
Horikita nodded, forcing herself to stay composed as Hikigaya decisively steered the conversation back to business.
He spoke calmly.
"At this stage, I don't think we'll accomplish much. We should take some time to think before discussing further."
"Well… That's true. I wasn't planning to drag this out too long today anyway."
Everyone could sense that something was off with Hikigaya's mood.
Only Horikita had the nerve to continue the conversation.
"So, I'll leave everyone with some homework. By tomorrow after school, think about two things: an event you excel at and an event you absolutely won't lose in. It doesn't matter whether it's an individual or team event."
"In that case, I'll name two right now," Hikigaya said flatly. "Shogi and the national language exam. I can take part in those."
"…Hikigaya-kun, I don't think there's any need to decide so quickly," Horikita cautioned, probably hoping he would stay involved in the discussion.
But Hikigaya shook his head.
"To my knowledge, Class A doesn't have any students in the shogi club. My skill level is roughly on par with the club president."
"That doesn't necessarily mean Class A has no strong shogi players."
"That's true. But I'm simply stating what I'm good at. Whether I compete is up to the strategist."
With that, Hikigaya grabbed his bag and left the classroom without another word.
Everyone was left stunned, their expressions a mix of confusion and amusement.
Kōenji chuckled twice. "Fumoku-boy is as decisive as ever. He instantly completed Horikita-girl's assignment, so I guess that wraps up the discussion."
"But you didn't complete it, did you, Kōenji-kun?" Horikita said impatiently.
"Wasn't it just about considering which events we excel at?"
Resting his chin on his hand, Kōenji maintained his usual grin.
"But that question doesn't apply to me. After all, I am the all-powerful Perfect Human."
"So, what you're saying is that no matter who you face or what event you participate in, you will always win?"
Horikita's question was half a challenge and half an expectation.
In response, Kōenji simply stood up elegantly and answered, "Any event I take part in will result in an assured victory… I see. So, are you proposing an agreement with me based on this?"
"Yes. If you can pull it off, then you're free to come and go as you please in this special exam. You won't need to attend these discussions, and I won't seek your input. But if you fail, it'll prove that you're just a braggart, and your classmates' trust in you will plummet."
Horikita's tactic of retreating to advance wasn't bad.
If this worked, she might be able to utilize Kōenji fully on the day of the exam.
While his academic abilities and physical skills were top-tier, his personality remained an unpredictable variable. Rather than forcing him to stay for the discussion, it was better to let him roam free for now—as long as he took things seriously when it mattered.
That wouldn't be a bad deal for Kōenji either.
"Do you have the same expectations for the dead-eyed boy?"
"Hikigaya-kun never said he'd only attend one discussion."
"Heh, true."
Although Horikita's words carried a bit of sophistry, Kōenji merely smiled and accepted them.
"If the dead-eyed boy can snap out of his lovesickness sooner, that'd be for the best. It'd make things easier for me, too."
"Lovesickness… Kōenji-kun, do you know something?" Horikita narrowed her eyes at him, her gaze probing.
The others also looked at him curiously.
Judging from Hikigaya's reaction earlier, this wasn't entirely baseless.
"Do I even need to explain?" Kōenji spread his hands in feigned helplessness. "A single glance is enough… Oh, my apologies, I forgot—you're all just inexperienced children."
"…Hah?"
A brief silence followed before the room filled with murderous glares—all directed at Kōenji.
Especially from the boys.
Even if I am a virgin, that doesn't mean you can just say it out loud!
Besides, with the ever-present threat of expulsion looming over us, most people were too anxious about their future to even consider dating.
Not just the boys—even the girls hardly had relationships.
The only couple in class, Hirata and Karuizawa, had broken up not long ago.
Which was exactly why Kōenji's comment stung so much…
Not everyone had the luxury of being a carefree rich kid like him!
But Kōenji, unfazed by their reactions, simply continued, "In any case, rather than expecting too much from me, you'd be better off figuring out how to get the dead-eyed boy back in shape. After all, our commander doesn't seem too keen on taking this exam seriously."
"You don't need to worry about that," Horikita said, glancing at Ayanokōji. "He knows exactly what will happen if he slacks off."
"Heh, and that's the problem."
"…What do you mean?"
Unfortunately, Kōenji had no intention of answering Horikita's question.
Like a cryptic sage, he spoke in riddles before turning to leave.
However, just as he reached the doorway, he stopped in his tracks.
"One last thing—don't think you can bind me with mere words. Even if I am a genius who never loses, it's my decision whether or not to use my abilities for you."
In other words, Horikita's provocation did not affect him.
Kōenji's response was essentially a refusal.
Even after experiencing the class vote exam, he remained indifferent to how his classmates perceived him. None of that had anything to do with him.
He would act according to his own will.
Leaving those words behind, Kōenji strode out of the classroom.
Horikita had no good way to deal with him—and with Hikigaya's situation also weighing on her mind, all she could do for now was wait and observe.
"Anyway, everyone, take some time to think it over. Don't worry about whether the school will approve or not—just propose any events you're good at. Once we have a full list, we'll narrow them down."
If an event was too niche, the school would reject it.
For now, gathering information about each classmate's strengths was the priority. They needed to submit ten events in total, leaving little time for careful selection.
"Would stuff like Yu-Gi-Oh! or karaoke be okay?"
"Yes, anything's fine for now."
"What if I'm not good at anything?"
"If you don't have confidence, you don't have to answer. Choosing an event you can't guarantee victory in is too risky."
And with that, the first discussion came to an end.
As soon as Ayanokōji returned to his seat, he approached Horikita.
"Horikita, you should find some time to talk to Hikigaya. You heard what was said earlier—he's a student council member, meaning he's well aware of which students from each class have joined which clubs. With his help, we could get a better grasp of our opponents."
"I already know that," Horikita sighed, rubbing her temples. "But saying it is easy—you saw how he was acting just now… Also, didn't you talk to him yesterday? How did it go?"
"He mercilessly mocked me."
"Heh, that's hardly surprising."
"Also, he said he doesn't want to repay my favor."
"…That's troubling."
Horikita's expression darkened.
After all, Hikigaya was known for repaying his debts—at least, those who knew him were well aware of this trait.
Even the smallest favor would be returned a hundredfold.
That principle applied even to those he disliked. It was essentially a rule he lived by.
Yet now, he was willingly breaking that rule…
Even Ayanokōji likely hadn't anticipated this, especially since there had been no prior warning signs.
Unlike Hirata, who had shut himself off due to a classmate's expulsion, Hikigaya's case was different.
Was it, as Kōenji suggested, a matter of love?
"How much truth do you think there is to Kōenji-kun's claim?" Horikita asked Ayanokōji.
"Probably a lot. He seemed quite certain. And Hikigaya's reaction was suspicious."
"Yeah… But for whom?"
That was the question on everyone's mind.
"Even if it is about love, there has to be someone involved, right? Could it be because of Ichinose?"
"But wasn't he the one rejecting her?"
Ayanokōji wasn't sure about these things, but instinctively, he felt it wasn't Ichinose.
Horikita, however, disagreed.
"Not everyone is as coldhearted as you, Ayanokōji. Hikigaya-kun… He might be feeling guilty about rejecting Ichinose."
"That's a pretty harsh way to put it." Ayanokōji looked at her, unimpressed. "Besides, what about you? With your looks, I'm sure you've been confessed to before. How do you feel about those guys?"
"I don't feel anything. I don't even know their names."
"…And you call me heartless?"
"My situation is different. I've never spoken to any of them before. If they confess to me just because of my looks, that's a shallow reason. No normal person would accept that."
Though Horikita's words were harsh, they weren't entirely wrong.
"Hikigaya-kun and Ichinose… They've always had some level of friendship, haven't they? Naturally, that would lead to a sense of guilt."
"I don't think that's just some ordinary friendship," Ayanokoji deliberately provoked her.
As expected, he was met with a sharp glare.
"If you keep spouting nonsense, then you can handle this on your own. After all, I'm not the one at risk of expulsion."
"Apologies, that was my mistake."
Ayanokoji immediately backed down—being the masterpiece meant knowing when to yield.
Then, lowering his voice, he spoke in a hushed tone. "Horikita, let me give you a heads-up. Your brother might contact you soon."
"My brother?"
Horikita froze for a moment before quickly asking, "Wait, Ayanokoji-kun, why are you dragging my brother into this? No matter how you look at it, this is Hikigaya-kun's personal matter. What you're doing—"
"I have no choice," Ayanokoji interrupted her. "I thought you guys would be able to get through to Hikigaya, but it turns out none of you are of any use… I really thought girls were supposed to be more understanding. Even Kouenji sees things more clearly than you."
"…That's a really irritating thing to say."
"Which is exactly why I need your brother to step in. Besides, Hikigaya doesn't even have the will to stop Nagumo anymore. So, strictly speaking, this isn't entirely unrelated to your brother."
"At the end of the day… why are you so invested in this?"
Horikita's eyes were filled with confusion.
"Are you that afraid of getting expelled? Or do you think that even if you take this seriously, you still won't be able to beat Class A? Is the chance of winning that low?"
"If I'm the one calling the shots, then there's basically no chance of victory."
"…What do you mean?"
"I'll leave that for you to figure out."
Ayanokoji deliberately hinted at the truth but withheld the full picture.
After all, without solid evidence, mere words wouldn't be enough to convince Horikita.
However… if she actually made contact with Hikigaya, he would most likely tell her everything. And when it came to trust, her faith in Hikigaya was nothing to scoff at.
For Ayanokoji, even if they managed to get through this crisis, it didn't mean he was safe in the long run.
Tsukishiro would undoubtedly keep trying to engineer situations to force his expulsion.
If that was the case, he would need the support of others.
Among the first-years, the best candidate was, of course, Hikigaya. That was one of the reasons Ayanokoji had been trying to get closer to him.
But Hikigaya was far too guarded—and he also held an obvious dislike toward Ayanokoji.
However, now that he had unexpectedly withdrawn into himself, in a way, this was the perfect opportunity to break through his defenses.
If Horikita could help Hikigaya work through his internal conflict, there was a high chance that he could be turned into Ayanokoji's exclusive, formidable weapon.
Not only would he be invaluable during exams, but since Ayanokoji's expulsion would also harm the class's interests, Horikita wouldn't just sit back and let it happen.
And if that happened, Hikigaya would have no choice but to step up and fight against Tsukishiro as well.
This was Ayanokoji's plan.
Now, he could only hope that Horikita's brother would do his part.