Bab 80: The Unavoidable Choice
"I can convince everyone to accept this contract, but I refuse to sacrifice Yamauchi-kun and the others! At least be honest and don't keep us in the dark!"
Hirata's determination was clear, though perhaps misguided in his belief that Class D would accept this without resistance.
Hikigaya responded with calm authority, "The truth is that Class C has discovered new evidence showing that Sudo and his team were the ones who started the conflict. As a result, they will be suspended for a month and face expulsion if they miss the final exams. We have no choice but to agree to the terms offered by Class C."
"No, I won't accept this lie!" Hirata objected vehemently.
Ryuuen let out a mocking laugh.
Hikigaya, though irritated by Ryuuen's amusement, chose to focus on more pressing matters.
"Kushida, what's your opinion on this?"
Hikigaya had no intention of wasting time trying to reason with Hirata. It would be inefficient and likely fruitless.
Hirata was not a bad person, but his indecision and excessive kindness prevented him from accepting the need to deceive the class and place the blame on the three troublemakers.
The only way forward was to apply pressure on Hirata through something he valued.
"Huh? Me?"
Kushida asked, with a feigned look of surprise that masked her awareness of Hikigaya's strategy.
"Yes," Hikigaya said directly.
"Would you rather reveal the truth and let Horikita face the fallout of this contract alone, potentially putting Ichinose at risk, or tell a small lie and shift the blame onto the three troublemakers?"
"But… even if you ask me..."
Kushida's hesitation was a clear sign that Hirata's hopes were waning.
"But we can't put Ichinose-san at risk again," Kushida said with a touch of bitterness.
"She's already contributed two million points to our class, and we can't afford to endanger her further."
Kushida skillfully used Ichinose as a shield, preserving her image as a benevolent classmate.
"No, no! I promise no one in the class will talk!"
Hirata insisted urgently.
Hikigaya looked at him with disdain.
"What can you promise? You can't even control your girlfriend's loose lips. Don't think I'm unaware of the negative things said about me behind my back."
"Uh… you misunderstood..."
Hirata struggled to refute this, knowing it was true. He had tried to persuade Karuizawa, but she struggled to control the gossip within her group to maintain her social standing.
"With two conflicting stories, who do you think people will believe?"
Hikigaya pressed.
"Do you want the class divided and torn apart over this issue?"
"No… that's not it…"
Hirata fell silent, clearly coming to terms with the need to accept the offer.
For Hirata, maintaining class unity was more crucial than anything else. Class D, already fragile, couldn't withstand further division.
Revealing the truth would shift the class's anger onto Horikita while ignoring the real culprits—Sudo and his group. Accepting Hikigaya's version would redirect responsibility from Horikita to Sudo, preserving Horikita's role within the class.
After addressing Hirata, Hikigaya turned to the final problem.
This person was still sulking in isolation.
"Hey, Horikita," Hikigaya said with frustration, "How long are you going to stay down? Learn to bounce back quickly after setbacks. That's what a true leader does."
Ichinose and Ryuuen exchanged puzzled looks, clearly thinking Hikigaya was referring to them, which wasn't entirely incorrect.
"Hikigaya-kun… you certainly have a way with words."
Horikita finally lifted her head, her sharp gaze slowly returning.
Seeing her regain some resolve, Hikigaya felt reassured. Though still visibly upset, her ability to recover from setbacks indicated her growth potential.
Horikita's eyes were reminiscent of the president's—intimidating yet powerful.
"Alright, since you're back in the game, let's move on. The president is waiting."
Hikigaya glanced at Ryuuen.
"Ryuuen, our class will accept the contract to resolve this matter. Please instruct your subordinates to cooperate as needed."
"Of course," Ryuuen agreed, signaling Ishizaki and the others to follow.
"By the way."
Halfway through their journey, Hikigaya asked Ryuuen abruptly, "You've demanded 20,000 points from each member of Class D. What if someone refuses to sign?"
"Then redistribute the burden among those who agree. My only concern is the total points. Your class is a mess, unable to reach an agreement even now," Ryuuen sneered.
Hirata, clearly displeased, had no counterargument. Ryuuen's observations were too accurate to refute.
"Just manage your class and keep them from causing more trouble."
Hikigaya replied curtly, lost in thought.
Convincing the three troublemakers was straightforward with Kushida's assistance. The real challenge lay in getting the entire class to agree to the contract.
Despite Hirata's and Kushida's efforts, there was no guarantee everyone would comply. The 20,000-point monthly fee was a substantial burden, slicing deeply into their resources.
And then there was Koenji. Hikigaya was certain he would never agree to sign.
It was indeed a headache...
In this situation, they needed a common enemy.
"Hirata," Hikigaya said, "At the class meeting on Monday, explain the terms from Class C: either transfer 91 class points or pay 20,000 per month. For the sake of the class, you and Horikita should choose the latter."
Ninety-one class points equated to 9,100 individual points per month. Though still less than the 20,000 monthly fee, the comparison would make the latter option seem less severe.
This should ease the resistance considerably.
"…Understood." Hirata seemed to concede.
Then, Hikigaya proposed something unexpected.
"However, if we still encounter problems, I will publicly declare that I won't sign the contract. You can then denounce me as a traitor."
This task wasn't ideal for Hirata; Horikita would have been a better choice, but her involvement in the incident would likely backfire. Kushida would never agree to something contrary to her image.
In the end, Hirata was the only feasible option.
"Wait, wait a minute!" Hirata protested urgently.
"Hikigaya-kun, what are you suggesting? I can't do that!"
"Why not? As the class leader, it's sometimes necessary to..."
"I'm not talking about me! I'm talking about you!"
Hirata cut in loudly.
"You'd be the villain! Everyone would ostracize you!"
Hikigaya shrugged nonchalantly.
"Ostracize? I have no friends in this class and no interest in making any. Besides, this approach is the most effective and has the highest chance of success."
Ultimately, Hikigaya was indifferent to Class D's internal dynamics. His commitment to Hoshinomiya-sensei's to support Class B meant he had to ensure Class D signed the contract to avoid further involving Ichinose.
It was an unavoidable reality.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone