Chapter 35: Friendship?
While the two were talking, Kushida Kikyo suddenly called out Horikita Suzune's name with all her energy.
"Hey, Horikita-san, would you like to come along?"
"Need not."
Horikita seemed very resistant to the girl in front of her. She slowly turned her eyes away, as if pretending not to see her.
"Is Horikita-san a landlubber?"
"I can't say I'm good at it, but I can't say I'm bad at it either."
"I was a landlubber in junior high, but later I worked hard and learned to swim."
"Really? Congratulations."
Having said that, Horikita stood up expressionlessly and turned away.
With this look, she clearly didn't want to say another word to Kushida.
"Why is that? Even though the girl in front of me is so hypocritical, I'm resisting her this much…"
Because he didn't know Horikita well, Hikigaya couldn't tell if she acted like this with everyone. If not…
"That can only mean these two must have some kind of grudge."
Hikigaya watched Horikita walk away without saying a word. In a way, he was being used by her.
Even if he wanted to ask those guys to attend the study session himself, given his current situation, there was no guarantee they would agree.
We'll have to find a way…
"I still want to get along better with her."
Kushida Kikyo's words came to Hikigaya's ears like a lifeline.
"Of course, I also want to get along better with you."
Kushida suddenly leaned close to Hikigaya's ear, causing him to blush before he could react.
He quickly turned his head away, forcing himself not to look at the two soft "marshmallows" pressing against him.
"I've figured out a way to improve your relationship with Horikita."
"Really?"
The girl excitedly grabbed Hikigaya's hand, pressing her chest even closer to his arm. The heat and softness surged into his heart like an ambush.
"Something's wrong. Something's very wrong…"
"Let me go first…"
"Oh… sorry, I was just so excited…"
Kushida scratched her head, pretending to be shy. Twisting her body with a flawless smile, she made Hikigaya almost admire her acting.
"I don't know why she's so hostile towards you, but isn't she planning to hold a study session soon? If you invite those low-achieving students, I'm sure she'll change her opinion of you."
Hikigaya's words seemed to inspire her. She clenched her fists, instantly filled with determination.
"Great! As long as we utilize Kushida's powerful charisma, we'll probably exceed our target this time. It won't be easy."
While Hikigaya was still lost in thought, Kushida raised her index finger and gently pressed it against his lips.
"I remember your grades aren't very high either, Hikigaya. Why don't you come to the study session too?"
"…I'll go."
"Yeah!"
The girl's delighted smile carried the words she had long wanted to say.
"Becoming friends with Horikita-san has always been my dream. But now I have another goal—becoming friends with you."
Hikigaya didn't show much expression at this. He simply replied calmly:
"I told you, I don't have any friends, and I won't make any. All I want is to spend these three years in peace."
"Then let me be your first friend!"
'She wasn't listening at all.'
Seeing that he couldn't persuade her, Hikigaya stopped trying. One day, he would still be alone in the corner. He had lived that kind of life too many times.
The class was about to end. Hikigaya stood up, preparing to return to the classroom.
"Then I'll trouble you with that matter."
"Uh-huh!"
After hearing Kushida's cheerful reply, Hikigaya quietly left the pool alone.
As for what happened in the swimming pool afterward, he didn't know.
Being the first to return to the classroom, he had the privilege of resting in peace. During this quiet time, no one would disturb him. Truly great.
Knock, knock, knock…
Heavy footsteps echoed outside the corridor.
"Who's walking so loudly? Doesn't he know he should be quiet in the school building? And isn't that a gorilla?"
Hikigaya sighed, put on his headphones, and turned his head toward the window.
Bang!
"Hey, Hikigaya, let me tell you…"
The loud slam instantly woke him up from where he had been resting on his desk. Looking up, he saw Sudō Ken standing there, grumbling.
"Wait… you almost cracked my skull just now…"
Sudō placed his big hand directly on Hikigaya's head, messing with his hair.
"Stop exaggerating, you bastard."
Hikigaya struggled, pushing away Sudō's hands with all his strength. It took a lot of effort before he finally broke free.
"That's why I hate brute force."
"So, what did you come here to say?"
"I said, Hirata wanted to hold a study session, but I refused."
"Isn't that good?"
"Huh? Hikigaya, I consider you a brother, and I don't think it's bad at all. This isn't a complete waste of my basketball time. I want to be a professional player in the future and appear on the international stage."
"When did I become this guy's brother…"
"But it doesn't matter if you rejected him."
"That's what I told you. You're worthy of being my brother. Wait—what do you mean by 'over there'?"
"You don't want to live in this school forever with the few points you have now, right? So I helped you join Horikita's study group."
"Damn, you're the kind of guy who betrays his brothers. You're saying exactly the same thing as Hirata. You weren't bribed, were you?"
Sudō grabbed Hikigaya's shoulders, shaking him violently.
Hikigaya barely managed a "stop" gesture before Sudō finally let go.
"You're about to shake me to pieces."
"You're the one killing me! I actually have to attend a study session with that heartless machine. If it was a cute girl like Kushida, fine. But Horikita, with her expressionless face, is terrifying just thinking about it."
Hikigaya looked at the red-haired "hedgehog" resisting so fiercely, and didn't know what to say for a moment.
Come to think of it, Horikita Suzune is considered pretty, but what Sudō said was true. If she wore a dead-fish face all day, it really left a bad impression. Just like his own dead-fish eyes.