บท 62: Could the Points Have Already Been Credited?
The unexpected encounter with Shiina Hiyori unsettled Hikigaya more than he expected, stirring doubts about his earlier assumptions. Perhaps he had misjudged her entirely. Shiina might just be a genuinely kind and gentle girl, whose only fault was her warmth towards others.
With this nagging thought, Hikigaya decided to spend the entire day with Shiina in the library, partly as a gesture of apology.
Though neither of them spoke much, the tranquil atmosphere of silently reading together felt surprisingly comforting.
As evening approached, Hikigaya made an excuse to leave early. The last thing he wanted was for Shiina to suggest walking back to the dorms together. That would be far too awkward!
Despite his early departure, Hikigaya found himself in an unusually good mood, feeling a rare sense of peace he hadn't experienced in a while. It was so pleasant that he even indulged in an extra bit of body wash during his nightly shower.
But that sense of ease was short-lived.
The next day marked the beginning of May—a day he had been dreading, the official start of what promised to be a new level of hell.
The alarm rang out early in the morning, pulling Hikigaya from his sleep. The tune of Puella Magi Madoka Magica's theme song filled the room, a fittingly melancholic start to the day. Hikigaya reached out to silence it, a frown settling on his face as reality set in.
"Just as I thought, no points credited."
He had anticipated this, but seeing the confirmation still left him feeling a bit defeated. This school truly lived up to its reputation—where only those with real talent thrived.
With reality staring him in the face, Hikigaya knew that today was going to be a tough one, filled with the usual cutthroat challenges.
With a heavy heart, he gathered his things and headed to class. However, just as he was about to leave the dorm, he ran into Horikita Suzune, who was also on her way out.
Both of them were early risers, and it wasn't unusual for them to arrive at the classroom around the same time. But Hikigaya was usually the one to find Horikita already in class. Today, though, they had crossed paths at the dorm, a rare occurrence that left him wondering if she had overslept or been delayed for some reason.
Given their relationship, which was barely that of acquaintances, greeting her outside the classroom didn't seem necessary. Just as he was about to turn away, he was stopped by Horikita's sharp voice.
"Are you blind or something?"
Startled, Hikigaya froze in place, turning back reluctantly. "What do you want?"
Horikita's gaze was as icy as ever. "Why so jumpy? Guilty conscience?" she asked, stepping closer but still keeping her distance. "If you don't want me to report you, you'd better confess your crimes."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Hikigaya retorted, exasperated. "I haven't done anything. If you're going to accuse me, where's your proof?"
Horikita let out a soft, mocking laugh. "Proof? In mystery novels, that's the classic line of a guilty person—'Where's your proof?'—followed by, 'You should write novels with that imagination of yours.' So, by your own words, you're practically confessing."
"You're insufferable..." Hikigaya muttered, unable to handle Horikita's relentless sarcasm. He quickened his pace, trying to put some distance between them.
But to his dismay, Horikita didn't let him off that easily. She matched his stride, staying close enough that their unlikely pairing began to attract curious glances from other students on the way to class. Hikigaya could feel the weight of their stares and it made him increasingly uncomfortable.
"What do you want?" he finally asked, resigning himself to the fact that she wasn't going away.
"You checked your phone this morning, right? No points were credited."
Of course, that's what she wanted to talk about. Hikigaya had expected as much. Horikita wasn't an idiot—her placement in Class D wasn't due to a lack of intelligence, but rather, like him, she had the issues that held her back.
Trying to lighten the mood, Hikigaya replied, "Maybe the points were credited after all?"
"Do you think this is a joke?" Horikita snapped, clearly irritated. She had been serious, and his nonchalant response only annoyed her more.
Hikigaya didn't bother explaining further, even though he wasn't entirely joking. After all, the points for Class D really had been credited...
The two walked in silence the rest of the way to the classroom, each maintaining their usual aloof demeanor.
When they arrived, the classroom was already filled with students, many of whom had come in early. Their faces were marked by a mix of confusion and worry. It was clear that many of them had spent all their points last month and were anxiously awaiting the new month's credits to bail them out.
But when they woke up that morning and saw that their balance hadn't changed, it threw them into a state of unease, leaving the entire class tense and on edge.
As Horikita Suzune frowned, her sharp intuition quickly picked up on the unusual situation—no one's points had been transferred. Her perceptiveness was remarkable, far surpassing that of her classmates.
However, despite her keen intelligence, she hadn't managed to gather as much information as Hikigaya during this period. Relying solely on her logic, she was unable to decipher the mystery behind the missing points.
On the other side of the room, Hikigaya silently observed the dynamics unfolding among his classmates after taking his seat.
First, there was the popular group. A mix of boys and girls had gathered around the de facto leader of Class D, Hirata Yousuke. They were engaged in a fervent discussion, trying to make sense of why the points hadn't been transferred. All eyes turned to Hirata, hoping he could be their spokesperson and extract the truth from the teachers.
Meanwhile, the trio of dunderheads—Ike Kanji, Yamauchi Haruki, and Sudou Ken—were visibly agitated. Unlike others, they had spent their points recklessly and were now panicking over the lack of incoming points.
Amidst the commotion, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka blended in with the trio, his expression as unreadable as ever. However, the emptiness in his eyes revealed a stark contrast between him and the others, highlighting his detachment from the situation.
Across the room, the girls were equally concerned about the missing points. The leader on their side was undoubtedly Karuizawa Kei. Yet, unlike the anxious expressions of the other girls, Karuizawa's demeanor was far more composed. It seemed she had heeded the advice to return the clothes she had impulsively bought, ensuring she wouldn't be left destitute. This decision left her with enough points to navigate the upcoming crises.
As Hikigaya pondered this, he suddenly noticed Karuizawa stealing a glance in his direction during her conversation.
"!!"
Their eyes met.
Hikigaya quickly averted his gaze, his heart racing. What was that about? Did she catch me staring at her?
He hadn't expected Karuizawa to have developed such sharp counter-surveillance skills, detecting even his discreet glances.
Just as Hikigaya's thoughts spiraled into panic, fearing that Karuizawa might confront him, the bell rang, signaling the start of class.
Moments later, Chabashira-sensei walked into the classroom, carrying a poster tube.
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