August 8th – The Next Day
After the exam, Hikigaya spent the entire day resting in his dormitory. The so-called "wonderful cruise" was nothing but an illusion to him. Even during vacation, he had no interest in crowded places.
Most likely, he would end up at a quiet spot—perhaps the rooftop café, where he could enjoy his time alone.
Early Morning
After washing up, Hikigaya prepared to head out.
"Eh? Hikigaya, wait up for a bit," Shibata called out as he was getting dressed.
"Huh? Why?" Hikigaya turned around, confused.
He didn't recall making any plans with these guys.
Shibata also looked puzzled before realization struck him. "Wait, don't tell me… you're not coming to the celebration party?"
"Celebration party?" Hikigaya repeated, frowning. "When was that decided?"
He had no idea what they were talking about.
"He probably didn't check the group chat," Kanzaki commented as he stepped out of the bathroom with an understanding look.
"Yeah, that's possible," Watanabe added. "Come on, Hikigaya. Just wait a little; we'll go together."
"Why are you deciding for me?" Hikigaya muttered, taking out his phone. Sure enough, there was a message from Ichinose that he had missed because he fell asleep the night before.
"No, I have something else to do. I'm not going," he said, raising a hand to refuse.
"You're skipping the celebration party?" Shibata asked, looking even more surprised.
Perhaps in his mind, skipping such an event was unthinkable. It was likely that he had always led a very social life.
"I see," Watanabe sighed. "It's a rare occasion. Can't you push back whatever you have to do?"
"No, you guys have fun."
Ignoring their continued invitations, Hikigaya turned and left.
Besides, he wouldn't know what to do at the party anyway. He'd just sit around eating snacks awkwardly, making the atmosphere even worse.
It would feel wrong to attend when the class used their collective funds for the party, and he hadn't contributed any personal points.
As Hikigaya left, Watanabe sighed. "I hate to say it, but Hikigaya really isn't very sociable."
No one liked dealing with someone who constantly ignored their efforts.
Shibata patted Watanabe's shoulder and smiled. "Don't say that. I think Hikigaya has his reasons. Maybe he holds some grudges? We should try to understand him."
"Well… I guess you have a point." Watanabe nodded.
Kanzaki, too, looked thoughtful. "If he were willing to talk, we could find a way to help."
"True," the others agreed before moving on to another topic. "Alright, let's head to the celebration party."
Cruise Ship – Restaurant No. 1
"Shibata! Kanzaki! Watanabe! You guys are so slow!"
As the three entered the restaurant, Ichinose and the others greeted them with warm smiles.
"Sorry about that," Shibata laughed. "By the way, Hikigaya couldn't make it. He said he had something else to do."
Kanzaki and Watanabe didn't contradict him. Whatever the reason, Hikigaya had chosen not to come.
"I already knew," Ichinose said with a smile, holding up her phone. She had received a message from Hikigaya earlier, albeit a bit late.
She didn't mind, though. The important thing was that he had at least responded.
Then, the celebration officially began.
Ichinose raised her glass with a joyful smile. "Cheers to our victory in the uninhabited island exam!"
"Cheers!"
Everyone in Class B raised their glasses, celebrating their collective success.
However, one person was noticeably absent.
A Joyous Celebration… Until
As laughter and conversation filled the room, someone brought up their class points.
"We're just 208 points away from Class A!"
"That's right! Honami-chan, what do you want to do after graduation?"
"I want to work at HARBS and eventually open my own dessert shop," Ichinose said with a dreamy smile. "I want my family to live a better life."
"That's so cool! Maybe I can work part-time with you?"
"No way, everyone should think carefully about their future."
"But I just want to be with Honami-chan!"
"Me too!"
A group of girls gathered around Ichinose, chatting excitedly about their future.
Meanwhile, the boys were having their own discussions.
Then—
BANG!
The restaurant doors burst open.
Ryuen walked in, accompanied by Kaneda and several of his followers.
Instantly, the room fell silent.
"Ryuen…" Ichinose stepped forward, maintaining her polite smile. "I'm sorry, but we booked this restaurant today. What do you need?"
Shibata and the others instinctively stood behind her.
"Relax," Ryuen said, lifting Kaneda by his collar. "According to Kaneda, he was manipulated into writing down Hikigaya Hachiman's name as the leader."
His sharp gaze locked onto Ichinose. "And when I think about who could pull something like that, you come to mind. Who taught you this trick?"
Kaneda, still dangling in the air, trembled.
Only now did he realize—he had been played by Hikigaya.
They weren't searching for a leader.
They were making sure that Ryuen wrote down Hikigaya's name.
It was all an elaborate trap.
Kaneda had let his emotions cloud his judgment, and now it was too late.
"That just means you underestimated me, Ryuen," Ichinose responded calmly. "I don't like underhanded tricks, but I'll lie if necessary."
"Oh?" Ryuen sneered. "But it looks like your class doesn't know about this either. You didn't tell them, did you, Ichinose?"
His sharp gaze scanned the room.
"Come on! Who is Hikigaya Hachiman?" Ryuen demanded.
Class B remained frozen in shock.
They had believed their victory was a team effort—but now, it seemed someone had been working in the shadows.
"Aren't you coming out?" Ryuen mocked.
He lifted Kaneda slightly higher. "Kaneda, who is this guy who made you hate me so much that you changed my plan?"
"N…not here…" Kaneda choked out.
Ryuen was briefly confused before he let out a cold laugh.
"A celebration party without the biggest hero. Some friends you all are."
His words stung.
Class B had been celebrating while Hikigaya was nowhere to be found.
"Enjoy your party," Ryuen scoffed. "Just remember—you left your greatest hero behind."
With a cruel laugh, he turned and walked out with his followers.
Class B was left in uncomfortable silence.
Had they really abandoned Hikigaya?
"Did Hikigaya… do something behind the scenes?" Chihiro Shirami finally asked.
"I don't know," Ichinose admitted, feeling slightly guilty. "But one thing's for sure—Hikigaya cares about our class. We should get him back."
"I'll go."
Juke raised her hand. "He and I don't talk much, but since we're in the same club, I might have some influence."
"Thanks, Juke. Let us know if you need anything," Ichinose said.
"I'll check the rooftop café," Juke replied before leaving.
Meanwhile – Rooftop Café
Hikigaya sat alone, frowning.
He had felt someone watching him for days.
Ever since he boarded the cruise, the feeling had been constant. But every time he looked around, no one was there.
Was it paranoia?
Or was someone really following him?
Hidden behind a nearby wall, Kushida Kikyo smirked.
She had been watching him.
And soon, Hikigaya Hachiman would pay for daring to ignore her.
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