23 - Hikigaya Takes the Initiative
"Hikigaya-kun? Hikigaya?!"
"I'm here."
Yumeko's call pulled Hikigaya Hachiman out of his past memories and back to the present.
The weak Hikigaya Hachiman was no longer there. The man before them had learned to fly.
"Your expression just now was terrifying. Do you have some sort of grudge with Juraku-senpai?" Yumeko asked seriously, her tone unusually solemn.
Sumeragi Itsuki, who was nearby, remained silent, watching. She had no doubt that if Hikigaya acknowledged it, Yumeko would immediately challenge Juraku-senpai to a gambling match without hesitation.
"No..." Hikigaya Hachiman replied after a rare pause, his expression slightly weary. "She... is someone who helped me."
"Helped you?!"
Yumeko instinctively covered her mouth, her surprise evident. Clearly, she hadn't expected the mysterious and powerful Hikigaya Hachiman to have such a vulnerable side.
"Thank you for the information," Hikigaya said seriously to Izumi. "I owe you a favor. If you ever need something, I'll help you without hesitation."
"Ah, well... it's nothing." Izumi seemed flustered, surprised. It seemed this man, Hikigaya Hachiman, wasn't as hard to communicate with as she had imagined.
At least, he was polite.
.
.
.
"Are you going to help Saotome-san, Hikigaya-kun?"
"Even if it's not to help her, I still need to meet my benefactor." Hikigaya's tone was light as he casually said, "I haven't seen her in about six years."
"Six years? So Hikigaya-kun and Juraku-senpai were classmates in elementary school? Do you want me to go with you?"
"No, it's fine. Since Juraku-senpai's target is me, I'll go meet her alone."
Stopping in front of the classroom door, Hikigaya Hachiman paused for a moment before deciding to give a warning. "Even though she's my benefactor, I haven't seen Juraku-senpai in six years. I can't be sure whether she represents herself or the student council now. The reasons for the separation between us are still unclear."
"There's a chance other student council members might challenge you to a gambling match as well. Though I know telling you not to participate might be useless, I'll remind you to be careful."
"Are you concerned about me, Hikigaya-kun?" Yumeko smiled brightly, hands behind her back, seemingly unaware of the seriousness in Hikigaya's words.
Seeing this, Hikigaya chuckled and shook his head.
For someone like her, the more dangerous the gamble, the more excited she'd be.
For Hikigaya Hachiman, the dopamine level produced by gambling was around "1" or maybe not even that high. For a normal person, it would be around "5," but for Yumeko, it could easily reach "10" or even "20."
Danger just became raw material for her dopamine.
.
.
.
Saotome sat in her seat, enjoying a brief moment of peace where no one came to bother her, the so-called "stray cat" of the class.
After seeing the student council's life plan, she understood that it was a trap. A trap designed to lure Hikigaya Hachiman into the student council's snare, and her existence was merely a part of that trap.
Being treated as a pawn on a chessboard brought her a sense of unprecedented calm.
What did it feel like to bet one's life on the line? Before this, Saotome Mary would have scoffed at such a thought. Only the dumbest idiots would bet their entire life on a gamble.
But now, she had done it.
Why? Was it the urge for a gamble?
Saotome thought for a long time before rejecting that guess. The reason she had staked her life wasn't as simple as the desire for a gamble.
So, what was it?
"Resolve." She parted her pink lips, slowly uttering the word.
"The humiliation of being treated as a straycat, the humiliation of having my life bound by a mere 10 million yen, the humiliation of being used as bait to lure Hikigaya Hachiman into a trap... All of it has turned into my resolve."
"The success or failure of this gamble, a life plan that objectifies people... I will never accept it. I will prove to them that humans are humans—not mangy cats, not pawns!"
"This is my resolve as a human being!"
Unconsciously, Saotome glanced at the clock in the classroom. The hour hand was slowly pointing to the "4" position, an ominous sign.
She had made an appointment with the student council: 4 PM, to go to the least populated casino on campus, the second library, to participate in a gambling match.
She didn't mention Hikigaya, but every word seemed to revolve around him. Saotome had already guessed that if Hikigaya didn't come with her, she would likely face the full brunt of the challenge meant for him.
Would he go with her?
No, it didn't matter anymore. Now that she had made up her mind, no matter what methods the other side used, she would win this gamble and prove her beliefs.
Creak—
The harsh sound of the door opening reached Saotome Mary's ears. She instinctively raised her head, and the person walking toward her was none other than the core of this whole ordeal, Hikigaya Hachiman.
A light breeze blew through the window, lifting Hikigaya's messy bangs, revealing his eyes hidden beneath.
Sharp, focused, determined, and filled with an invincible light of conviction...
For a moment, Saotome was left stunned.
Was this the Hikigaya Hachiman she had lost to? The one with those dull, lifeless eyes...
"Saotome Mary."
"I'm here." Saotome Mary quickly snapped to attention, a vague realization creeping into her mind. She had come up with the excuse that she was afraid the member of the student council would cheat at gambling, a humiliating reason to bring him along, but deep down, she had subconsciously believed that if it were Hikigaya Hachiman, maybe, just maybe, he could overturn the student council's gambling table.
Let the student council lose! Let them, high and mighty as they are, experience the pain of falling into the abyss! Saotome Mary silently roared in her heart. Unknowingly, the lingering resentment she had felt for falling into the abyss because of Hikigaya had been swept away by this inner outcry.
"You're spacing out." Hikigaya Hachiman glared at Saotome.
"I'm not."
"Then let's go."
"Eh?"
His blunt words caught Saotome off guard, and for a moment, her expression turned slightly dazed, her golden twin-tails swaying with each movement, looking rather cute.
"Once this is done, not a single condition you promised can be forgotten. I can pull you out of hell, but I can also send you back to it."
Hikigaya's words were still as sharp as ever, leaving no room for any fantasies.
"Who would go back on their word? Let's go!" Saotome snapped, slamming her hand down on the desk. She stormed out of the classroom, leading Hikigaya Hachiman by the front.
The classmates in the room exchanged confused glances at the sight.
A few girls who frequently enjoyed bullying Saotome slowly walked over to Yumeko.
"Yumeko-san, that mangy cat seems to be having a tryst with your boyfriend. Aren't you going to do anything about it?"
"That's so rude~!"
Yumeko, blushing, covered her face. Her mannerisms were a far cry from the wild gambling queen she was known to be at the gambling table.
"Everyone, look! It's the student council's Nishinotouin-senpai."
Someone suddenly shouted, and Yumeko turned toward the sound. A woman dressed in a kimono was slowly walking toward her.