Fifteen minutes later, Ike and Yamauchi shuffled into the staff room, their heads bowed low. They avoided meeting anyone's eyes, especially Chabashira-sensei and the air around them seemed thick with dread.
Hikigaya stood beside Chabashira's desk, his posture relaxed, his expression calm and neutral. Even so, Ike and Yamauchi felt uneasy under his steady gaze. Whenever they glanced up, it seemed as though he could sense their hesitation and discomfort.
"You're here," Chabashira-sensei said evenly, her eyes fixed on the two boys. "Ike, Yamauchi, you want to file a complaint against Hikigaya, claiming he bullied and assaulted you. This time I want to hear the details."
Yamauchi fidgeted, "Sensei, about that... we were just... we were really worked up yesterday, you know?"
"Yeah," Ike quickly added, "It wasn't exactly what we said in the complaint. We might have... exaggerated a bit."
Chabashira's brow furrowed. "Exaggerated? You claimed assault and continued torment. That's a serious accusation."
[Yo]
Both boys' eyes flicked nervously toward Hikigaya, and their stomachs churned. His gaze remained locked on them, calm yet utterly unyielding, a silent, chilling reminder of the messages that had been looping in their minds ever since they'd opened them moments ago.
[Come to the teachers' staff room right now. Sensei wants to see you guys too. Before you arrive, you should definitely look into this.]
More than the message itself, it was what came after that made their stomachs twist.
[Video: 6:34 Min] Playback Started
"R-right, it wasn't like that exactly! We just… misunderstood the situation, that's all! You know how rumors spread and people overreact sometimes, right, sensei?"
"Nowhere to hide now, fish eyes!"
A frantic plea echoed faintly somewhere in his head.
"A-Ah! S-Stay away! I… I didn't mean anything! P-please!"
"Yeah, totally," Ike nodded repeatedly, his hands trembling slightly at his sides. "We got into a bit of a scuffle, but it wasn't really bullying or anything. Just… guys being guys, I guess."
He swallowed hard, his voice thinning.
"SOMEONE! PLEASE HELP!
A boy was getting kicked in the ribs, hard, sending him rolling.
The dull thud repeated in Ike's ears again and his throat went dry.
Chabashira leaned back in her chair, her sharp gaze flicking briefly toward Hikigaya before settling back on the two boys. "So, what you're saying is that your earlier statements were false?"
Ike and Yamauchi both froze for a moment.
"DARE TO MESS WITH US YOU DIE! SCUM!" The sound of laboured breathing followed. "No… it— it hurts… ahh… huff."
"N-no! I mean, not false exactly, just… misunderstood!" Yamauchi stammered. "We didn't mean to make it sound that serious."
"I-I'm… I'm begging! P-please, don't! I'll do anything! I-I'm… I'm sorry!"
The three boys kicked and beat the boy down as he tried to protect himself with his arms helplessly.
"Then how serious was it?" she pressed, her tone deceptively calm. "Because your report was detailed. You described continued harassment and physical violence. Are you saying that was an exaggeration too?"
"Yeah, that's right. Beg! Beg like the worm you are!"
"I—it was. We got carried away. We're really sorry about that." Ike's words faltered, a cold sweat running down his back as the memory of it gnawed at him.
"Take this! FREAK! CRY, HIKITANI! Kushida—!"
"GLOOMY LOSER! what… you get—!"
"Take…CRY…FREAK! HIKITANI!"
"Y-Yeah, sensei… like he said," Yamauchi blurted, nodding quickly in agreement.
Chabashira's eyes narrowed. "You realize making false accusations is a severe matter as well, don't you?"
"Hhh… hhh… Aahh…" The boy groaned as his face pressed to the ground. His movements slowed, then abruptly stilled, signalling he had lost consciousness as they continued their relentless assault.
The boys went silent heads hanging even lower. The weight of Hikigaya's gaze pressed down on them like a reminding them of the messages, the video, and the inevitability of what awaited.
[Video: 6:34 Min] Playback Ended
Hikigaya, who had been silently observing their unease, finally decided to speak, instantly seizing control of the narrative.
"Well, sensei," he said evenly, "It's just what they said, we did have a little bit of a scuffle. But it wasn't one-sided, and it certainly wasn't bullying. Isn't that right, Ike-san? Yamauchi-san?"
The direct address, coupled with the emphasized words, was a precise reminder of the video's devastating content.
"Y-yes, Sensei!" Yamauchi stammered, his head snapping up. "It was… just a misunderstanding! We were having an argument that got out of hand."
"Completely," Ike agreed, nodding nervously.
Chabashira stared at the three of them, clearly astonished by the sudden, massive shift in the narrative. Only this morning, they had arrived with two other classmates, ranting loudly about bullying and physical torment.
Now for some reason they are suddenly denying all of it. Their nervousness and unease were completely visible. It was there before too but they didn't look this desperate before.
Chabashira decided to press a bit further, curiosity overriding her desire to simply dismiss the case. Her gaze flicked briefly to the purplish bruise along Hikigaya's cheekbone, then to Yamauchi's slightly swollen jaw.
"…Then how do you explain those injuries?" she asked, "If it wasn't bullying or an attack, what could've possibly caused all of you to end up like that?"
"We… well, uh…" Ike hesitated.
"It wasn't anything serious," he said, calmly. "We were just arguing someone shoved me, I shoved back, and one thing led to another. We were near the stairs and we all ended up falling."
"Since I was the one responsible for our fall, I think they got a bit too agitated and exaggerated the whole thing as assault in their anger. I understand why they were upset. Isn't that right, Ike-san? Yamauchi-san?"
"Y-yes! he is right I was just really mad about the fall, Sensei! We all just slipped, and it got blown way out of proportion!" Yamauchi exclaimed.
Ike nodded vigorously. "It was our fault for overreacting and exaggerating, Sensei."
Chabashira sighed, letting the silence stretch for a few seconds. She didn't look entirely convinced, but since everyone involved seemed intent on dropping the matter, pressing further felt unnecessary. After all, it wasn't unusual for boys to get carried away over something trivial.
"Fine. I'll accept your explanation. It clears things up… for now."
Ike and Yamauchi exhaled in quiet relief.
"But let me be perfectly clear," she continued, her voice sharpening. "Don't stir up trouble like this again. Especially if there's no real issue to begin with. False accusations waste time and damage reputations. Keep that in mind."
"Yes, Sensei," they both muttered.
"And it was good that you came to me first," Chabashira added, tapping a finger on the desk. "If you had gone ahead and filed this complaint directly with the school administration, things could've gone very differently. False reports aren't taken lightly here. You could've faced disciplinary action yourselves for wasting the school's time."
The boys nodded, murmuring their agreement.
"So, given what you've said… are you still planning to file the complaint against Hikigaya?"
The question hung in the air like an unspoken demand.
Ike and Yamauchi stiffened, their gazes flicking toward Hikigaya almost involuntarily.
Frustration burned in their chests a flicker of defiance at being cornered, but they felt themselves shrinking under Hikigaya's fishy dead gaze. The weight of his stare dragged up the last message they received, words like a guillotine in their minds.
[You ignored my parting advice and took this to the teachers. Go ahead. After seeing this (Video: 6:34 Min), everyone will know who the real cruel and vicious bully is.
The consequences you face will be worse than anything you suffered in that alley I can definitely assure you that. The more I'm annoyed by this entire thing, the worse I will make your situation.]
The message was clear: withdrawal was the price of temporary safety; escalation meant ruin.
Yamauchi leaned slightly toward Ike, his voice barely above a whispered to Ike. "Let's just do it… it's not worth it."
"…N-no, Sensei," Ike finally managed, forcing a shaky grin. "We're not filing anything."
Yamauchi gave a quick nod in agreement.
Hikigaya offered a slight bow. "Thanks for your time, Sensei. I appreciate you letting me explain, and sorry for taking up part of your lunch break. I didn't think a small dispute would turn into something this serious."
"School takes matters like these very seriously, Hikigaya," she replied.
"I understand. That makes me curious, though. What kind of punishment would an incident like this usually incur, had it been proven to be serious say, true bullying and assault?"
"If a case of severe bullying and assault is proven, the standard punishment is suspension." she said plainly. "If the severity warrants it, the school won't hesitate to expel those responsible. Furthermore, the final judgment is handled by the Student Council,"
"Expulsion, huh?" Hikigaya muttered, "I see… so the Student Council handles these matters directly. That's good to know."
He smiled faintly as he looked at the two of them directly. "Thank you for clearing that up, Sensei. Since the matter is settled, we should probably let you get back to work. Come on, guys."
As Hikigaya turned toward the door, the tension in the room seemed to thin just slightly.
The moment the door clicked open, both boys shuffled after him, desperate to get away from the suffocating atmosphere of the staff room. They didn't even bother to look back or say anything to the teacher eager to make a quiet escape back toward their classroom.
"Man, that was something else…"
"Yeah," Ike muttered, relief leaking into his tone. "Let's just go back to class before anyone starts asking questions."
But just as they stepped into the hallway, a low voice stopped them in their tracks.
"Ike. Yamauchi."
They turned slowly, confusion and suspicion written across their faces. A few steps behind them, Hikigaya stood with his hands in his pockets.
"Where are you two going, now?" he asked.
"Huh? Uh… we're heading back to class," Ike answered trying to sound casual. "It's almost time for the next period, you know?"
Hikigaya tilted his head slightly. "Is that so?"
For a moment, he said nothing, and the boys shifted uncomfortably unsure how to respond.
Finally, Hikigaya spoke again, "Class? That's not a great idea."
Ike blinked. "Huh?"
"If I were you," Hikigaya continued, "I'd head straight to the dorms and start packing. It'll make things easier later."
"Packing?" Yamauchi echoed, his voice cracking.
"You're not getting it, are you?" Hikigaya said, almost amused. "Didn't you hear what Chabashira-sensei just said? About what happens when bullying and assault are proven hmm…?"
The color drained from their faces.
"You… you don't mean—" Ike stammered.
Hikigaya turned halfway, "Be prepared. The Student Council might be sending you an invitation soon. One-way ticket out of this school."
A cruel and vicious smirk appeared on his face. "Later boys. I have business with the Student Council."
'Is he… is he serious? He can't actually get us expelled, right? No, no way… that can't happen…'
He resumed walking, not sparing them another glance.
"W-wait!" Yamauchi called, rushing after him.
'Dammit… dammit, we should've just listened to him. It wouldn't have come to this. I don't want to get expelled… Why? Why did it have to turn out like this?' Ike thought panickly.
"Hold on, Hikita—no Hikigaya!" he shouted, his voice cracking as he stumbled forward.
The two scrambled after him, their footsteps echoing behind him as he kept walking unfazed.