章 24: Someone in Our Class Might Be Joining the Student Council
Horikita Suzune had approached Hikigaya to ask about the club recruitment process.
As he listened to her question, Hikigaya glanced over at her. She was pretending to be indifferent, looking out the window at the scenery with a forced casualness.
Of course, she cares about this, he thought.
Hikigaya pulled out Murder on the Orient Express from his bag, a book he had brought from home. He pretended to read it, replying nonchalantly, "Yeah, I signed up."
"...Really?" Horikita muttered.
"Yup. But there's no karate club, so you can forget about that."
"..."
Horikita's face twisted in frustration. It was clear that this wasn't the response she had wanted. However, she was too embarrassed to bring up the topic of the student council directly, leaving her standing awkwardly, unsure of what to do.
Hikigaya, on the other hand, had no intention of helping her out. This was one of those rare moments when he held the upper hand, enjoying Horikita's flustered reaction. It was... oddly amusing.
He chuckled inwardly. Watching people lose their composure really is the best entertainment...
He felt as if he understood the satisfaction of a certain cynical priest character he'd read about once.
Neither of them spoke again, and silence settled over the classroom, so quiet that the ticking of the clock could almost be heard. After a while, students began to trickle back into the room, filling the space with chatter and breaking the tension.
"What did you see at the club recruitment?" Horikita finally broke the silence, her patience worn thin.
Her brow furrowed as she forced herself to ask.
"Not much. I listened to the student council president's speech and signed up for an interview," Hikigaya answered casually, though every word was meant to provoke her.
And it worked. Horikita's expression visibly darkened, as if the very thing she least wanted to hear had come true.
Still, her curiosity seemed to outweigh her frustration. The icy mask she usually wore began to melt, revealing a hint of eagerness.
"You're really going to try for the student council?"
"Why not give it a shot? I might get in."
"There's only one spot open this year, and at least thirty people from our grade have already applied. You don't stand a chance."
"Wow, you sure know a lot about this, don't you?"
Hikigaya was genuinely surprised. He hadn't expected Horikita to know such detailed information about the student council's recruitment process. It was almost... obsessive.
She's not some sort of brother complex case, is she? Hikigaya thought, feeling a strange mixture of amusement and confusion.
Realizing she had said too much, Horikita quickly tried to backtrack. "Don't read too much into it. I just overheard someone my age mentioning it, that's all."
"Someone your age? Didn't you say you avoid all social interaction? Do you actually talk to people besides me?"
"Are you that desperate to pry into a girl's private life?"
"..."
Horikita's icy tone made Hikigaya shrink back, deciding it was better not to say another word. Still, he had learned something important. Horikita had a special interest in the student council, likely connected to her brother, Horikita Manabu.
Wow, the relationship between these siblings sure is complicated.
Hikigaya thought about his sister, Komachi, and realized that if their roles were reversed, he'd probably keep his connection to her hidden too. Not to protect himself, but to shield his sister from the baggage that came with his reputation.
But in Horikita's case, her brother was the student council president—a prominent figure. Surely there was no need for her to keep their relationship a secret.
As Hikigaya mused over this, he noticed that Horikita had gone silent, retreating into her usual aloofness. She must have sensed that he had figured something out and didn't want to discuss it further.
Hikigaya didn't mind. He shifted his attention back to his book.
Before coming to this school, he hadn't expected to be stuck here for three whole years without being allowed to leave.
As a result, he hadn't brought many books with him, just a few that had piqued his interest. But with his supply running low, he realized he'd need to locate the school library soon. Buying books from a bookstore wasn't an option for someone with limited points like him.
Unless, of course, a rich benefactor wanted to support him. In that case, please contact me immediately!
Time passed as Hikigaya became engrossed in his reading. More students trickled into the classroom, and soon the room was buzzing with chatter.
What caught Hikigaya's attention was the arrival of Yamauchi Haruki and Sakura Airi. The two of them entered the room together, though it was obvious that Yamauchi was the one trying to cozy up to Sakura. He was attempting to get close to the girl everyone saw as quiet and introverted, hoping to be the first to claim her affection.
However, Sakura showed no interest in Yamauchi. Her cold demeanor made it clear she wasn't planning to open up to him anytime soon, leaving Yamauchi visibly disappointed and close to giving up.
Pretty much how I expected, Hikigaya thought to himself.
Then two more people entered the room, drawing even more attention than Yamauchi and Sakura.
They were Karuizawa Kei and Hirata Yousuke.
The moment they stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted. While most people probably wouldn't notice, anyone paying close attention could sense the peculiar distance between them.
Are they dating?
Hikigaya couldn't help but question it, especially after what he had witnessed in the hallway the day before. Despite the apparent connection between Karuizawa and Hirata, something about their relationship felt off, like instant noodles that look good on the package but are disappointing in reality.
But none of that concerned Hikigaya. His only interest in Karuizawa at the moment was her bento box. He needed to return it to her at some point.
As Hikigaya pondered this, the classroom grew more crowded, with students chattering about various topics, sharing their hopes for the future. Hikigaya, however, sat alone, lost in his book, indifferent to the conversations around him.
Just then, someone brought up an intriguing topic.
"Did you hear? Someone from our class is trying to join the student council!"
Hikigaya's ears perked up, and a wave of tension washed over him. His body instinctively stiffened.
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