"Y-YOU'RE THE WORST! SERIOUSLY, WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU HIKITANI?!"
Both Ike and Yamauchi were yelling now, their voices cracking as panic overtook anger.
Then came a pause. A weird, heavy silence.
Most of the boys around the pool winced, second-hand embarrassment hitting them like a wave. A few stared down at the water, trying to act like they hadn't heard anything.
But some couldn't help it. A couple of them let out quiet wheezes. Others tried to cover their mouths, shaking with silent laughter. The kind of laugh you get when something's way too awkward, but also kind of funny.
Still, no one said anything. Even the ones laughing didn't want to get involved.
Hikigaya said nothing either, letting the weight of his words hang in the air.
Kushida's frown gave away her surprise, but she quickly smoothed it over, forcing a bright smile back onto her face. Still, her thoughts were far from pleasant.
'W-What…? Did… he seriously just say that? In front of everyone? Out loud?! You disgusting piece of trash. What gives you the right to say something like that?! In front of everyone! In front of me?! Are you insane?!'
And after a brief moment she spoke.
"A-Ahaha… H-Hikigaya-kun sure says some weird stuff, doesn't he? He's just… joking, r-right?"
"Y-Yeah Kushida-chan!" Yamauchi chimed in, flailing his arms as if trying to physically push the accusation away. "Th-That was all him! I-I mean, sure, we were just joking around, but we didn't— I mean, not like—! Come on, man!"
Ike shrieked, red-faced, his words coming out in a stammering mess. "W-We never said anything like that Kushida-chan! L-Like hell I'd talk about... about... s-structural integrity! What does that even mean?!"
In that moment, a thought clicked in Hikigaya's mind. 'Since it's already come to this… I might as well turn it in my favor. This could work. Not only that, but…'
"Oh? Are you sure about that?" he asked, eyes half-lidded with mock curiosity. "I mean, were you guys not the ones saying about her bodies—beep beep beep beep."
"Oi, stop talking dammit!" A loud aggressive voice
Sudou stomped toward him, "What the hell's your problem, gloomy loser?! You think this is funny or something? Always running your mouth like you're above everyone else!"
Hikigaya turned slightly bit surprised but didn't answer. He just stood there, hands in pockets, eyes half-lidded. 'Well, about time this guy blew up. Guess that works out for me.'
That silence only made it worse.
"Again, with this damn attitude?" Sudou growled, stepping closer. "Always trying to act cool, pretending like you don't care. Well guess what—everyone's sick of it. I'm sick of it!"
"S-Sudou-kun, calm down," Kushida tried, her voice high and tense.
But absolutely no answer came from Hikigaya.
Then—
"YOU SON OF A—!"
Sudou lunged at him, but Hirata quickly intervened, wrapping his arms around Sudou from behind and holding him back with all his strength.
"Stop it, Sudou! please Calm down!" Hirata yelled.
"Let me go! I'll teach this gloomy loser a lesson!" Sudou roared, thrashing wildly. "Who do you think you are, huh?! I'll wipe that smug look off your face!"
Hikigaya didn't flinch. He didn't even step back. He just stood there silently.
At the same time, during Sudou's outburst, Yamauchi and Ike desperately tried to smooth things over.
"D-Don't listen to him, Kushida-chan!" Yamauchi jumped in desperately. "He always talks nonsense in class too! Like, all creepy and stuff! He's totally just messing around, haha…"
"Yeah, seriously! Everyone's seen the kind of messed-up questions he asks. The guy's a total freak. Honestly, maybe he's the one who actually thinks that way," Ike added quickly.
Kushida hesitated but after scanning the group, after seeing so many pairs of eyes on her, expecting her to smooth it all over… she caved.
'Why is this gloomy eyes not saying anything…?'
"A-Ahaha… R-Right. It's all just a misunderstanding, I guess? Boys can be really weird sometimes... Let's not make a big deal out of it…"
Hirata also spoke while firmly holding Sudou back, his voice calm but urgent.
"Yes, everyone, please settle down. This is clearly a misunderstanding. I'm sure no one meant any real harm here. We're classmates, not enemies and fighting won't fix anything. At worst, this was just a bad joke that got out of hand."
By now, several girls had gathered too, drawn by the commotion, and were openly showing their support for Kushida and Hirata.
He glanced at both Sudou and Hikigaya before turning to the others.
"Look… we're all under pressure, and sometimes things come out wrong. But if we can just acknowledge that and apologize to each other, we can move past this."
"Y-Yeah!" Yamauchi quickly added, nodding frantically. "It's all misunderstanding really."
Ike followed suit, laughing awkwardly. "Totally! It's just jokes, man. Like… nothing serious. Everyone's just too tense, right?"
"Let's just ignore that guy he is taking things too far."
"Yeah, I mean, who even says that to someone's face? What a total creep."
Others in the crowd began mumbling agreement, clearly more eager to avoid the conflict than understand it.
Hirata, noticing the mood starting to calm down, let go of Sudou. Sudou just clicked his tongue and looked away, still clearly angry. The rest of the students there slowly settled, and many eyes turned to Hikigaya waiting for him to say sorry and go along with things.
'It's not over yet,' he thought. 'If I want to keep them divided, I'll have to stir things up even more. Hirata's working so hard to fix this… and I might end up ruining it. The worst part? I'm not even sure I feel bad about that.'
'…Sorry, Hirata.'
After that he quietly sighed… then gave a faint, condescending smile as if amused by the whole scene and finally he spoke.
"…Jokes?" he repeated, almost curiously. "Misunderstanding, huh?"
His voice wasn't loud. It didn't need to be.
"No, you're wrong Hirata. There's nothing about this situation that's a joke. And while I admit there might be some misunderstandings… I think it's better if I made things a little clearer for everyone here."
Kushida, who was about to leave, couldn't help but feel frustration rising in her chest. Like everyone else, she thought this was over he would just say his apology, and she would nicely accept it.
'Why is he dragging this out?' she thought, irritated. 'Everyone was ready to move on. Is he really that oblivious… or does he just not care what people think? He's seriously asking to get himself bullied.'
Even after hearing Hikigaya, Hirata's polite smile didn't drop, but something in his eyes changed — confusion? Concern?
"…Hikigaya," he said cautiously, "maybe we can just—"
Hikigaya raised his hand slowly, pointed toward the second-floor observation deck, and shouted in a loud voice.
"Oyy, Four-Eyes. Yeah, you there Professor Sotomura."
Standing near the back of the observation deck, nervously tapping on a tablet with an oversized pair of glasses slipping down his nose, was a boy named Sotomura. The so-called "professor." The one who had apparently taken it upon himself to 'oversee' the pool session from above.
"Don't believe me?" Hikigaya said dryly. "Go ahead ask him. He's been observing everything. And I do mean everything. Pretty sure his entire soul is stored in that Tablet."
All heads turned toward the deck. Sotomura stood frozen like a deer caught in the blinding spotlight of judgment. His tablet trembled in his hands.
"W-WHAT?! N-NO! I—It's not like that! I was just—collecting data for… for science!"
"S-Someone stop him from talking!" Yamauchi shrieked, as if Sotomura's confession might physically murder what little was left of their dignity.
"No seriously," Hikigaya continued. "If you don't believe me, just check his notes. He had everyone listed. I'm sure structural integrity is in there somewhere."
He gave a lazy nod toward Ike and Yamauchi.
"And under the brilliant guidance of these two," he continued, "Sotomura was commissioned to create something called 'The Girl's Breast Ranking'."
"A full-blown database," Hikigaya explained. "They planned to collect and catalogue photos of the girls during swimming class. Naturally, there were bets involved. They were going to gamble their points on which cup size would reign supreme."
Then, just to twist the knife and maybe add a little theatrical flair. Hikigaya paused, letting the silence stretch long enough for maximum discomfort.
"All in the name of, and I quote, preserving their sacred dignity… as 'Breast Lovers.'"
He leaned back slightly, expression unreadable. 'Yeah, that should be enough.'
Both Ike and Yamauchi's faces twisted between disbelief and panic as the reality settled in—they had been betrayed.
And not just by anyone.
By him.
By that guy. The gloomy loner who always keep it to himself. The one who sat in the back never talking to anyone unless asking questions from teachers in class. The guy whose name half the class barely remembered.
They never thought someone like him would do something like this.
Just as they opened their mouths, trying to let out an excuse—
But it was too late.
A wave of outrage crashed over them as the girls turned, eyes sharp with disgust, shooting looks like they were staring at something filthy crawling out of the drain.
"Are you serious?!"
"You, sick freaks!"
"So, Gross…"
"You seriously thought this was, okay?!"
"W-Wait! It's not just us!" Ike shouted, voice cracking under pressure. "Other guys were in on it too, right? We weren't the only ones!"
"Yeah!" Yamauchi yelled, pointing wildly. "They laughed too! Some of them even gave us suggestions! We're not the only ones!"
They decided to came out in open. Since nobody was believing them, they decided to drag others down with them too.
Hirata looked panicked as situation turned worse quickly stepped forward, hands raised in a calming gesture, "Everyone, just—just stop for a second! Yelling at each other won't fix anything!"
But his words were drowned in the chaos.
"Hah?!" one of the other boys snapped. "Don't drag us into your pervy circus!"
"We never told you to actually do it!"
"Y-Yeah, maybe we joked a bit, but that's not the same! That's on you!"
The same boys who once laughed along, who patted their backs and whispered 'nice one' under their breath, now looked at them like strangers.
Sudou exploded the moment he heard their cowardly denial.
"The hell did you just say?!" he barked, stepping forward. "You spineless rats were all in on it too! Don't act clean now!"
A few of the boys winced.
"You laughed, you voted, you made rankings! Don't pretend like you didn't place your damn bets!"
"We didn't ask you to take pictures!" one boy shot back.
"Oh, so that makes you innocent?" Sudo snapped. "You were drooling over the results like everyone else!"
The argument between the boys after that kept getting worse after that. Some were yelling, some were denying everything, others just stayed quiet, scared of being dragged in. Many were blaming Hikigaya for this all.
Sudou was furious. He kept shouting, stepping closer, jabbing fingers at anyone who tried to act innocent.
The tension was high. One wrong word and it would've turned into a fight.
Around them, the girls stood in a tight, angry circle. Some had their arms folded. Others whispered furiously among themselves.
A few glared openly at the boys, many of those cold and hostile gazes landed squarely on Hikigaya.
Shinohara muttered under her breath, loud enough to be heard, "What a creep... did you hear the disgusting things he said?"
Another girl scoffed, eyes narrowing. "He's just like them. No worse. At least they looked embarrassed."
He didn't flinch. Nor did he defend himself like others.
He stood there, quietly watching the mess he had triggered. Then his eyes drifted toward Ike, Yamauchi, and Sudou.
'Looks like I got what I wanted from this. Things might get a bit messy from here… but nothing I can't handle. I've got the full attention of these three idiots. Just the way I was hoping for.'
Hirata was doing his best to calm things down, stepping between students and urging them to listen. Kushida, despite the fact that it all started because of a comment about her, was also quick to step in—softly speaking and trying to settle everyone down.
After all, this kind of scene felt all too familiar to her.
She glanced toward Hikigaya and felt a chill crawl down her spine. She had once done the same thing turned people against each other but on a much larger scale. And the consequences of that… she still hadn't forgotten them.
'This guy made everyone hostile. He's definitely going to become a total outcast. No hope for him now. What a moron.'
Amidst the tension, the swimming teacher finally arrived and called out to them.
"All right, everyone, gather around class is about to begin!"
A macho-looking middle-aged man, the kind of guy who apparently devoted himself to sports, gathered everyone together and started the class. He looked like a PE teacher, but also seemed like the kind of guy who was attractive to men and women alike.
With the teacher's arrival shifting everyone's focus, the atmosphere gradually began to settle. Most were eager to move past the awkwardness and tension that had just unfolded.
"Everyone's here? Great. It doesn't matter how many of you there are if you follow my lead, every single one of you will be swimming confidently by summer."
One student raised his hand and complained. "Well, we don't really need to force ourselves to swim, do we? It's not like we're going to the beach or anything."
Teacher replied, "No way. I don't mind at all if you're bad at swimming now, but I' Il make sure you guys are winners in the end. Besides, being able to swim will definitely come in handy later in life. Definitely."
Hikigaya couldn't help but have a thought of his own after hearing that.
I mean, sure, swimming can be useful… but like that guy said, it's not like we're heading out to sea anytime soon. Still, I guess he's just trying to stay positive and get everyone motivated. Good to see a teacher who actually takes their job seriously.'
"After the warm-up exercises, we'll move on to swimming practice, followed by a competition. The winner will receive 5,000 points, while the bottom three will have to attend extra classes."
The skilled swimmers cheered with joy, while the less confident students groaned.
Hikigaya thought, 'Now that's one way to get everyone motivated. Even I'm a little tempted to try harder just for the money. Though… if the prize were a bit higher, maybe I'd actually consider giving it my all. Doesn't seem worth the effort for that amount, though.'
Soon after, everyone wrapped up their warm-up exercises. The idiot trio, who would normally be shouting and fooling around, were uncharacteristically quiet—only talking among themselves.
That tension wasn't limited to them either; most of the boys either stuck close to their usual friends or kept to themselves, the earlier atmosphere still hanging awkwardly in the air.
'Man, even the idiot trio's gone quiet… Guess tension really does work better than a teacher's scolding.' He thought.
It was a natural response. In moments of uncertainty or social discomfort, people instinctively reduced their visibility either by lowering their voice or clinging to familiar groups. It wasn't a conscious strategy but rather a reflexive retreat into safety, shaped by the unspoken pressure to avoid becoming a target or a spectacle.
When the mood in a place changed, people didn't need to be told what to do. They just followed along without even realizing it.
Hikigaya's quiet brooding was interrupted by a familiar voice beside him.
"Fufu… You really do enjoy stirring the pot, don't you, Ghost-boy?"
It was Koenji. He stood tall and unbothered, arms crossed over his chest, that usual smug expression on his face. True to form, he was the only one proudly wearing an almost comically tight speedo completely indifferent to the sideways glances it drew from nearby students.
He kept his gaze forward as he replied.
"I'm not sure what you're talking about Koenji. And I'd really rather not be associated with whatever metaphor you keep calling me."
Then, reluctantly, he glanced to the side.
…Damn. This guy was seriously ripped.
Not that he wanted to notice but it was kind of hard not to. He looked like he came straight out of some body-building magazine.
'This isn't just from casual body-building,' Hikigaya noted silently. 'That kind of physique takes real discipline. And judging by his control and presence… he probably has some serious combat experience too. Definitely one of the most physically capable people I've seen up close.'
Unfortunately, Koenji didn't miss the look.
"Oh? You seem entranced by my beauty," he said, brushing his blond hair back with theatrical flair. "It is only natural, after all."
Hikigaya's expression didn't change, but he slowly turned his head away, deadpan.
"Yeah, that's definitely it," he muttered. "You caught me. I was just thinking how unfair genetics are."
Koenji let out a self-satisfied chuckle, as if Hikigaya's sarcasm had been meant as praise. "I accept your silent admiration, Ghost-boy. Don't worry, I am quite used to being the object of envy."
Koenji studied him for a moment longer, that ever-present smirk playing on his lips.
"Still, I must admit," he said with a lazy sweep of his hand, "Your physique is… surprisingly very refined. Not quite beautiful like mine, of course, but there's something very formidable about it. You must have—"
Before he could go further, Hikigaya cut him off.
"…Okay. That's enough whispering about my body," Hikigaya muttered, glancing away with a weary sigh.
Koenji amused continued. "Fufu… don't be shy, Ghost-boy. I recognize those traits because I, too, am a man of unparalleled discipline. You simply lack the divine confidence to display it."
Hikigaya gave him a flat look. "I'm starting to think that divine confidence of yours is just a fancy term for being allergic to shame, Koenji."
Koenji laughed again, "Then call it what you will. But aren't you the same in your own way? Just to put down a few clowns in their place… you decided to shamelessly burn down the entire circus just now."
Hikigaya at this stage saw no point in denying what Koenji just said.
"Didn't think you'd be the type to pay attention to something that trivial, Koenji."
"I wasn't trying to," Koenji replied, eyes scanning the pool. "But it's hard not to notice when the current shifts."
He said it as if commenting on the weather.
"You sure say a lot without ever saying much," Hikigaya muttered, half to himself.
He couldn't help but recall all the vague remarks Koenji had made in the past. On the surface, they always seemed meaningless, but somehow, they never were.
Koenji didn't deny it. "Perhaps. But sometimes the silence between people reveals more than their noise."
Hikigaya didn't reply he understood what Koenji was saying here. Afterall some things really did speak louder in silence than in words.
There was no follow-up. Just a vague sentence tossed out into the air, like Koenji was entertaining himself.
Then, without another word, perhaps sensing his words had been received, Koenji turned and began walking away, as if the entire exchange had been nothing more than a passing breeze to him.
Hikigaya watched him go for a moment and thought,
"Man… he really is one mysterious, chill guy. Huh."