章 49: I Hate Gentle Girls the Most
The entire afternoon was spent by Hikigaya in the library.
He and Shiina Hiyori did not exchange a single word throughout the time. Each was absorbed in their books, appearing as if they were two strangers with no connection to each other.
In the silent space, the only sound that occasionally broke the quiet was the rustling of book pages.
For Hikigaya, this situation was not uncomfortable. He enjoyed being alone in the tranquil space, engrossed in reading, with nothing else to think about.
So, even though Shiina Hiyori had 'insisted' that he stay at first, once he was in the library, he truly immersed himself in the atmosphere of reading.
Tick... tick...
The clock in the center of the library ticked away, and Hikigaya, feeling weary, lifted his head and rubbed his neck to relax.
At that moment, he noticed that Shiina Hiyori had been watching him intently for an unknown period.
"Wh-what's up?"
Hikigaya felt a peculiar sensation as if he were a pitiful, helpless little rabbit surrounded by monsters capable of devouring him whole.
"Would you like to have dinner with me?" Shiina Hiyori's small face was filled with anticipation as she carefully pulled out a lunchbox from her bag. "I brought two sets of chopsticks this time."
"Hm..."
Hikigaya paused for a moment after hearing Shiina's words.
The mere hesitation caused Shiina's expression to instantly darken, her eyes losing their sparkle.
Ah, don't be so serious... We've only met twice.
As Hikigaya sensed the deeper issues with Shiina, he confirmed that the girl before him was indeed one of the monsters this school seemed to produce.
"Do you not like the food I made, Hikigaya-kun?" Shiina asked hesitantly, gathering all her courage to speak.
"No, it's just a bit embarrassing," Hikigaya scratched his head. "After all, we've only met a couple of times. I shouldn't trouble you every time."
If others found out, they'd think I'm just here to get free meals.
Moreover, Shiina's behavior seemed very strange to him. Despite their limited interactions, her enthusiasm was almost unfathomable.
If I were a handsome guy, it might make sense...
But Hikigaya had a clear self-awareness about his appearance, and it didn't make sense that he would attract such attention.
Because of this, he instinctively resisted the whole situation.
"Is that so...?"
Shiina's expression shifted slightly, as if she realized her enthusiasm was perhaps too much, yet she seemed unsure how to gauge the right distance.
The perception each had of the other was completely different—Shiina's view of Hikigaya and Hikigaya's view of Shiina didn't align at all.
"Well, then... can I have a bite?"
Seeing Shiina's downcast, somewhat disappointed expression, Hikigaya couldn't help but sigh.
"Really?"
Immediately, Shiina's face, which had been as somber as a dried fish, brightened with joy.
They sat down, using stacked books as a makeshift table. Shiina carefully handed over the chopsticks and placed the bento box on the books.
"If the librarian saw us, they'd probably kick us out immediately..." Hikigaya sighed after taking a bite of the bento.
"No, they might just deduct some class points," Shiina replied with a smile.
"Class points?" Hikigaya looked puzzled, having never heard of such a concept before.
"Didn't your homeroom teacher tell you?" Shiina asked with a hint of surprise. "Our homeroom teacher warned us on the first day not to break the school rules or violate school policies, or we'd lose class points, which would affect next month's distribution."
"There's such a thing?"
Hikigaya had never heard of this from Teacher Chabashira in Class D. Although he had speculated, he hadn't been certain of the specifics.
Thus, he only now realized what the upcoming chaos on the first of next month might entail.
Given the various points deducted from Class D this month, next month's points might very well be zero!
Having learned such crucial information from Shiina, Hikigaya felt a bit awkward, especially since he had not only eaten her food but had also gathered information unilaterally.
It felt as though he had become a spy in a movie, extracting information with charm...
Uh, but I don't have any charm.
"Shiina-san, do you like reading?"
"I do," Shiina said, setting down her chopsticks with a smile. "Books are my favorite things in the world... Hikigaya-kun, you like reading too, don't you?"
"Well, sort of," Hikigaya replied.
Given his reclusive life, animation films and books were his main pastimes, and he could certainly be considered someone who likes to read.
"Mm, I like it too," Shiina nodded shyly.
Why repeat it twice?
Do you really like books that much?
Hikigaya was slightly taken aback by Shiina's words, not quite understanding her point.
As they continued to eat the bento, the sky gradually darkened, and Hikigaya realized it was time for him to leave.
"I'm heading out. Are you leaving too?"
"I plan to stay a bit longer," Shiina said quietly, lifting her gaze to look at Hikigaya. "Hikigaya-kun, could we read together next time?"
"Well, if I have time…"
Hikigaya did not give a direct answer.
How should he put it? Although Shiina was a cute girl and he didn't dislike the library atmosphere, her attitude made him feel something was off.
Whether it was her excessive enthusiasm upon their first meeting or her overly attentive demeanor, it all felt unsettling.
Hikigaya was someone with a clear self-awareness; he didn't believe he possessed any special allure that would attract attention.
On the contrary, he often felt like the least noticeable person around.
So, Shiina's behavior struck him as very abnormal, and he felt a deep urge to uncover the source of this oddness.
After all, he couldn't accept such unearned kindness; he couldn't imagine such luck falling into his lap without reason.
If the truth is harsh, then lies are undoubtedly gentle.
So, gentleness is a lie.
Hikigaya once believed in the kindness of the world and the unprompted goodwill of others, but over the years, he had learned not to be deceived again.
Shiina might have some special motive, or perhaps her unique experiences had shaped her peculiar character.
In any case, Hikigaya didn't believe her friendliness was purely spontaneous.
Or rather, he hoped there was some reason behind Shiina's kindness towards him.
From the beginning, he had always disliked overly friendly girls because those who were kind to him often showed the same kindness to others.
I really hate gentle girls...
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