Chapter 34: The Satisfying Thrill of Momentary Rebellion
Hachiman Hikigaya had a suspicion: Haruka Hasebe might have seen him standing up for Airi Sakura.
As he walked toward the locker room, Hikigaya's thoughts churned over this, considering all the potential ramifications. After mulling it over, he concluded that Hasebe probably wouldn't spread the news around. After all, it was a trivial matter, hardly worth mentioning. Even if Airi herself found out, she'd likely just smile slightly, not giving it much thought.
Hikigaya had only acted on impulse—he wasn't usually one to attract attention. But sometimes, he couldn't stand idly by when he saw injustice. He was the kind of person who couldn't tolerate the proverbial speck of dust in his eye.
Gentle, righteous people rarely thrive in this world, for it is neither gentle nor just. Hikigaya didn't want those struggling to survive in a world they weren't suited for to face unnecessary hardships. Perhaps that was his own form of kindness.
...
Soon, the boys, having changed into their swimwear, headed in groups to the indoor pool. Hikigaya, however, kept to himself, both by choice and because he'd recently exposed Haruki Yamauchi's lies. The other boys had reacted coldly, distancing themselves from him. Exposing someone's dishonesty was one thing, but doing it publicly was another. Most people preferred not to associate with someone who was so blunt.
This suited Hikigaya just fine; he relished his solitude. Being a lone wolf was his preferred state of being.
But his solitude was abruptly interrupted.
"It seems you've managed to make yourself even more unpopular," Suzune Horikita's sharp voice rang out suddenly.
"W-what? You saw that?" Hikigaya turned around, startled.
Before him stood a slender girl with jet-black hair, dressed in a school swimsuit. Though not voluptuous, her figure held its own unique allure. Around them, most of the boys and girls had already gathered by the pool, chatting or playing around. The scene resembled a group of elementary school kids on a trip to the pool rather than a class.
"I didn't see anything, and I'm not spying on you," Horikita's cold retort shot back, as if anticipating Hikigaya's concern. Her frosty tone made him feel as though he might catch a chill just by standing near her.
"Then how did you know…" Hikigaya asked, perplexed.
Horikita gave a faint smile, her expression one of almost pity as she spoke with calm detachment. "Isn't it obvious that someone like you would be disliked? I just made a reasonable deduction based on the current situation."
"Ugh…" Hikigaya couldn't argue back. He was left to quietly endure her criticism.
"What are you two up to? You seem to be having fun," a voice suddenly interrupted their conversation. It was Kikyo Kushida, who popped her head between them as if to physically separate the two. Her body, accentuated by her school swimsuit, caught the eyes of nearly every boy around the pool.
For a moment, all the boys' gazes were fixed on her, as if she were the only spotlight on stage, commanding their attention with every movement.
But just as quickly, they averted their eyes. After all, a physiological reaction at this moment could lead to instant social—and physical—death.
"Kushida…" Horikita looked at the girl with a complicated expression, clearly disapproving of her overt intrusion.
Ignoring Horikita, Kushida turned her attention to Hikigaya with a bright smile.
"Hikigaya-kun, it's such a nice day today, isn't it?"
"Uh… yeah, it is." Hikigaya nodded stiffly, his response awkward. The blatant change in topic was as transparent as it was deliberate, and the proximity of Kushida made him acutely aware of the daggers in every boy's gaze.
Thankfully, Kushida sensed the tension and gracefully stepped back, retreating a couple of paces with a smile before walking away.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself," Horikita remarked dryly, her eyes narrowing slightly as she watched Kushida's retreating figure.
Horikita's voice suddenly grew colder than before.
"N-no, not at all."
Was it that obvious?
Hikigaya hadn't expected his joy to be so easily noticed. After all, having a beautiful, young girl so close to him was something no boy could easily ignore.
He was no exception—this fleeting moment of attention was enough to make him feel a bit self-satisfied.
"Alright, everyone, gather around!" The gym teacher finally arrived, his voice cutting through the chatter. "I'm going to get straight to the point. After the warm-up exercises, I want you all to swim. I need to see what your skill levels are."
"Um, sir, I'm not very good at swimming…" one of the boys hesitantly raised his hand, clearly embarrassed.
"If I'm teaching you, I guarantee you'll learn to swim before summer. Don't worry about it."
"No need to force me to learn, really. I don't plan on going to the beach anyway…"
"That won't do. It doesn't matter how bad you are now; I'll make sure you overcome it. Trust me, knowing how to swim will definitely come in handy later on. Absolutely!"
The gym teacher's words seemed ordinary enough, yet there was a strange certainty in his tone that made Hikigaya feel uneasy.
Is swimming really that essential a skill?
Are we going to be stranded on some deserted island for survival training later?
What kind of Spartan-style education is this school running, anyway?
As Hikigaya's mind instinctively began to spiral into pessimistic imaginings of the future, the teacher had already organized the students for swimming practice.
Sensing a good atmosphere, the gym teacher suddenly suggested, "How about we have a swimming race between the boys and girls? I'll give the winner a special reward of five thousand points! On the other hand, the slowest person will have to take extra lessons, so be prepared!"
"What?"
Immediately, those confident in their swimming skills cheered, while those lacking confidence groaned in despair.
Hikigaya was among the groaning crowd.
Despite his nickname—Hikikin, which sounded like "penguin"—he wasn't particularly good in the water.
Whenever he went to the pool for fun, he'd wear both a life jacket and a swim ring, preferring to lounge in the shallow end where children played.
His younger sister, Komachi, would even be too embarrassed to play with him.
But at that moment, Hikigaya was less concerned about the swimming race and more intrigued by the fact that the teacher could offer points as a reward.
If such a rule existed, did that mean every teacher had the authority to do so?
This school really was all about merit…
As Hikigaya's curiosity about the school deepened, he sighed and quickly approached the teacher to announce his intention to forfeit the race.
Living is about learning when to give up; that way, you won't end up banging your head against a brick wall, leaving yourself battered and bruised.
Quitting while you're ahead is bliss; quitting all the time is pure bliss.
This was the guiding principle Hikigaya had always lived by.
"It seems like I'll need to find someone to give you some remedial lessons later, Hikigaya," the gym teacher remarked casually. He didn't force the issue and readily agreed to Hikigaya's request.
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