章 58: Do You Really Think a High Schooler Should Have This Much Money?
Hikigaya briefly parted ways with the few students from Class A. Despite being the only one to notice Sakayanagi's unusual behavior, he knew it was time to end the gathering—after all, it was getting late.
Just as he was about to leave, Kamuro shot him a pointed glare. "You," she snapped, "Stop being so invisible. You keep disappearing on me, and it's starting to make me wonder if something's wrong with me."
"Uh... well..." Hikigaya stammered, unsure of how to respond to her complaint.
He desperately wanted to say, Maybe if you stopped following me, this wouldn't be an issue. But the sheer intensity of Kamuro's presence made it impossible for him to confront her directly. He could only nod silently, swallowing his words.
As he headed back towards the dormitory, Hikigaya's stomach growled, reminding him he hadn't had dinner. Sighing, he veered off course towards the convenience store.
Sakayanagi, you really have some nerve, he thought, recalling her promise to treat him to dinner, which she conveniently forgot. Then again, maybe it was for the best. He couldn't imagine sharing a meal with her without something ridiculous happening.
Approaching the softly lit store, Hikigaya was about to enter when a familiar figure caught his eye—Karuizawa Kei, her signature blonde ponytail unmistakable.
Why do I keep running into her at the convenience store? Hikigaya mused. Is this some kind of galgame event trigger?
He hesitated, suddenly reluctant to go inside. But before he could make up his mind, Karuizawa spotted him. Her initial surprise quickly morphed into irritation as she noticed his retreating step.
The automatic door slid open with a sharp "thwack," and Karuizawa marched up to him, her expression displeased.
"Do you not even bother to say hello when you see someone?"
Are we even on hello terms?
Hikigaya wondered, a little exasperated. Despite their recent lack of interaction and their mutual indifference in the classroom, Karuizawa seemed oddly annoyed with him.
Sensing the confusion in his eyes, Karuizawa hesitated, seemingly unsure how to define their current relationship. The awkward silence that followed only made things more uncomfortable.
Hikigaya, uncertain how to break the tension, instinctively reached out his hand. "Here, let me help you."
"What are you doing?" Karuizawa asked, her voice laced with suspicion.
"You're carrying so much stuff. I'll take some of it."
Hikigaya had noticed the bags she was holding—full of miscellaneous items—and offered to lighten her load. Karuizawa, though surprised, handed all the bags over without hesitation.
Whoa, I only meant to take a few… Hikigaya thought, now holding several bags, which seemed to be filled with expensive clothing. Although not particularly fashion-savvy, Hikigaya recognized some high-end brands, thanks to his sister Komachi's relentless fashion magazine lectures.
He quickly realized these clothes must have cost her tens of thousands of points.
Is she planning to drain all her points by the end of the month? Hikigaya sighed inwardly, bewildered by her lack of caution. He couldn't help but feel a mix of pity and frustration, wondering how someone could be so oblivious.
Sometimes, Hikigaya found himself compelled to help others, even when it had nothing to do with him. Perhaps it was a strange sense of empathy or something else he couldn't quite explain. After all, Karuizawa had made him lunch twice before—something that, for him, was impossible to ignore.
Should I step in and help her out a bit? Hikigaya's thoughts grew more conflicted.
"What's with that blank look?" Karuizawa interrupted, noticing his hesitation. "Did you skip dinner again today?"
"Well… yeah…" Hikigaya admitted, unable to hide the truth.
Karuizawa sighed deeply and reached into her bag, pulling out a bento box. "Here."
"Huh?"
Before he could react, she had already placed the box in his hand. "I've been eating dinner late recently, so I always end up with extra. Don't think too much of it," she explained, her tone nonchalant and free of her usual haughtiness.
She's probably telling the truth, Hikigaya thought. But even so, the fact that Karuizawa gave him her dinner left him feeling awkward and uncertain.
Taking a deep breath, Hikigaya shifted the bags in his hands and said, "Can we talk for a bit? There's something I need to say."
"Uh, what? Can't you say it here?" Karuizawa asked, puzzled.
"We can talk while we walk."
Without really knowing why, Hikigaya felt compelled to do something, anything. And so, the two of them began walking slowly towards the dormitory, Hikigaya carrying bags worth tens of thousands of points.
"You seem to have adapted well to this school," Hikigaya observed as they walked.
"Of course. This school is practically perfect. You don't have to study hard, and they give you 100,000 points every month. It's like paradise."
"Paradise is a place you only go after you're dead," Hikigaya remarked dryly, though Karuizawa didn't seem to catch the underlying meaning.
"Anyway, I'd love to have more points," Karuizawa continued, "Maybe 200,000 or 300,000. After buying makeup and clothes, there's barely anything left."
"Do you really think a high school student should have that much money?"
"Who knows? The school gives it to us, so why not?"
Karuizawa's mind was oblivious to the traps hidden behind the points system. After all, she was a true D-Class student. While D-Class had its share of outliers, not everyone possessed unique talents. Karuizawa was one of the more ordinary members, her striking looks being her only notable trait.
In a school where strength ruled, she was a lamb destined for the slaughter.
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