บท 86: Why Are These Women Staring at Me? Please Treat Me Like Air!
What on earth is happening?
Hikigaya never imagined that his carefully crafted plan to remain inconspicuous and avoid any unnecessary attention would be derailed—by Hasebe Haruka, of all people. He had no idea what Hasebe had said to Sakura Airi, but the confused, conflicted expression in Sakura's eyes told him everything he needed to know.
The situation was spiraling beyond his control.
Panicked, Hikigaya quickly abandoned the cafeteria, seeking refuge in the classroom of Class 1-D. He wasn't about to stick around and risk getting tangled up in whatever chaos was brewing.
The atmosphere in the classroom was far different from usual. Students who once slacked off were now buried in textbooks, and even those notorious for their poor academic performance were poring over modern Japanese literature, desperately trying to establish some kind of rapport with the material.
It was clear—Chabashira Sae's ominous warning the day before had struck a nerve. No one dared to take their studies lightly anymore.
Yet, despite this newfound seriousness, there were always outliers. The class's infamous trio—Ike, Yamauchi, and Sudo—seemed completely unfazed. They were joking, laughing, and generally causing a ruckus, just as they always had.
It was almost admirable, in a twisted way, how they could carry on as if their impending academic doom didn't bother them at all.
Watching them, Hikigaya couldn't help but conclude that these guys had simply given up. Either they didn't believe cramming would help them pass, or they were so used to their failure that they'd stopped caring altogether. It was probably both.
He had to admit, that their ability to ignore reality was something he almost envied. If it weren't for his personal goal—earning enough points to eventually go home and see his sister, Komachi—Hikigaya would've long stopped caring about the fate of Class D himself.
After all, if even the bottom-of-the-barrel students could scrape by, what kind of message would that send to the hardworking students in other classes?
Despite his usual cynicism, Hikigaya did want to believe in some semblance of fairness in the world. And it was that hope, however faint, that had led him to Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School in the first place.
He had wanted to see if such fairness existed here.
Turns out, this school was anything but fair. It felt more like a living hell.
Lost in thought, Hikigaya made his way to his seat, but something caught his attention. Horikita Suzune, seated behind him, stood up and approached Ike, Yamauchi, and Sudo. The trio, who had been blissfully ignoring their impending exams, stiffened at her approach, immediately going on the defensive.
As always, Horikita wasn't deterred by their hostility. She confronted them, her icy tone sharp enough to cut through the chaotic atmosphere of the classroom.
Then, suddenly, "Bang!"
Sudo slammed his hand against the desk, the loud sound silencing the room. All eyes turned to the scene.
Horikita, unaffected, simply turned and returned to her seat.
Hikigaya didn't need to hear what was said to know how frustrated she was. The cold, stoic way she handled the situation made it obvious.
Horikita was different from most girls. When other girls got mad, they'd pout, flush with anger, or playfully hit someone to show their dissatisfaction. But Horikita? She'd probably resort to something far more violent—like tearing someone apart with her metaphorical claws.
Just thinking about it made Hikigaya shudder. He prayed she would continue to ignore him, as she had since their falling out. It was much safer that way.
For now, Horikita seemed content to pretend Hikigaya didn't exist, coming and going with a blank expression. This indifference gave Hikigaya a sense of relief—he was glad they had distanced themselves before he ended up as her emotional punching bag.
During a break, Kushida Kikyo approached him with a faint smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes. She had likely noticed the tension between Horikita and Sudo, and it seemed she was silently approving of Hikigaya's hands-off approach to the situation.
Hikigaya, in turn, didn't react much. This was how he had predicted things would play out, after all.
Horikita was the type to cut herself off from others, no matter how capable she was. Hikigaya had once thought he might help her navigate her social troubles, offering advice where needed.
But she had flatly rejected his help, leaving him no choice but to handle matters quietly, from the shadows.
...
When the final school bell rang, the class collectively slumped in exhaustion, a testament to how seriously they had all taken their lessons that day. Well, almost everyone.
Sudo shot out of the classroom the moment the class ended, likely rushing to his basketball practice. It was baffling to Hikigaya—Sudo was on the brink of expulsion, yet he still prioritized his club activities.
This kind of reckless passion was the stuff of sports anime, not real life. And yet, here it was, playing out before his eyes.
Hikigaya couldn't bring himself to comment on it, but he could feel Horikita's growing frustration from the seat behind him. It seemed her anger had reached a boiling point.
Sighing, Hikigaya began packing his bag. As usual, he planned to head to the student council to finish up some work. But just as he was about to leave, he felt two sharp, unblinking gazes on him.
"???"
He stiffened, instantly aware of who they belonged to—Karuizawa Kei and Sakura Airi.
What... is this? Why are they staring at me?
Hikigaya quickly averted his eyes, pretending not to notice.
Please, just treat me like air!
Inwardly, he was completely baffled. What in the world had he done to earn these intense, almost expectant gazes?
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