Hachiman's POV
Good grief… finally, I'm free.
I honestly don't get it. Why me? There have to be plenty of other capable trainers in this school. But no—CB is dead-set on the idea that "It has to be Hachiman," and even Rudolf is making comments about how I'm the only one she'd ever choose. For a Student Council President, she's remarkably blunt when we're alone.
But after today's stunt, tomorrow is going to be even more of a headache. By bringing Rudolf and Rob Roy into the mix, I've basically invited every other girl in the school to come knocking on my door to "join in." I'll have to refine the training menu tonight to accommodate more people—assuming anyone actually shows up.
"Ah, Hikigaya-kun!"
"Hey, good work today," one of my classmates added.
I looked up to see Aoi and one of the guys from my year. "...Hey. You guys heading back too?"
"Yeah," the guy said with a smirk. "We saw the whole thing, Hikigaya. I can't believe you actually got Symboli Rudolf and Zenno Rob Roy to train together. That's some high-level maneuvering."
"I just had a specific drill I wanted to test," I replied flatly. "I needed specific types of runners, so I asked them. That's all."
Aoi shook her head, her expression a mix of awe and disbelief. "In our year, you're probably the only person who could even dream of 'just asking' Symboli Rudolf to help out. Most of us wouldn't even know where to start."
"Really? I feel like if you just asked her normally, she'd consider it. Probably."
"No way! The thought wouldn't even cross our minds!"
Is she really that intimidating to everyone else? I thought. Personally, I found Rudolf's perspective as a runner invaluable. Even as a trainer, I learned more from her feedback in one hour than I did from some of the textbooks.
"You noticed them, right?" the guy asked, his voice dropping slightly. "The trainers watching you from the sidelines. They didn't look happy."
"I noticed," I said, the phantom sensation of their glares still prickling my neck. "Hard not to."
"Those were the ones trying to scout Mr. CB, right? What happened with that?"
"You already know the answer. Why ask? They're probably just bitter because a rookie who doesn't even have his second trainee license yet is 'managing' CB's training. Today, seeing Rudolf there too was probably the final nail in the coffin for their pride."
"But surely they'll stop now?" Aoi said hopefully. "I mean, staring you down doesn't actually achieve anything. It's just a waste of time."
"I'd like to believe that," I muttered.
If life were that simple, I wouldn't be me. Sigh. I really don't want to go back to the dorms right now.
— Trainer Dormitories —
"Well, see you guys later," I said as we reached the entrance.
"Yeah, see you at dinner!" Aoi waved.
"Later," the other guy echoed.
Alright… time to crawl into my room and disappear for a few hours.
"Oh, Hachiman! Good work today," a voice called out. It was Okino-san.
"Hey, Okino-san. Good work."
"That was quite the star-studded lineup on the track today, wasn't it?"
I sighed, leaning against the wall. "Why does everyone make such a big deal out of Rudolf joining in for one session?"
"You know why," Okino chuckled. "Symboli Rudolf practically designs her own training. She almost never joins someone else's session unless she's officially assigned to them. The fact that she's working with you… well, it means she's interested. Professionally, at the very least."
"I don't need 'interest' right now," I replied. "I have one goal: getting Rice through the Classics."
I started to head toward my room when a group of men blocked the hallway.
"Hey, Hikigaya."
I stopped. "...Yes? Can I help you with something?"
It was a group of senior trainers. The one in the lead—let's call him Senior A—looked like he'd been sucking on a lemon for three days.
"That training session today," he started, his voice tight. "What was that supposed to be?"
"...Meaning?"
"Mr. CB and Symboli Rudolf. Why were they there?"
"I needed athletes who could provide both subjective and objective feedback for a new drill," I said, keeping my voice level. "They were the best fit for the data I needed."
"And you're telling us there weren't any other girls who could have done that?" Senior B chimed in.
"I didn't know any others who were as qualified," I said. (Sorry, Biwa Hayahide, I'm leaving you out of this for your own sake.)
Okino-san stepped forward, his eyes sharp. "Listen, if you guys have something to say, just spit it out. You're pissed because CB and Rudolf are hanging around Hikigaya instead of you, right?"
There was a tense silence before Senior A snapped.
"Yeah, exactly! Why the hell are they wasting time with his training when they won't even give us the time of day?!"
"I'm not sure how to answer that," I said. "That's their choice, not mine."
"Oh, cut the crap!" a younger trainer, one of the third-years, spat. "We all know why. You've got them all calling you 'Big Brother,' don't you? You're just using that pathetic 'kindly older sibling' act to manipulate them!"
My eyes narrowed. "Why would I ever bother doing something that tedious? And for the record, I find the 'Brother' thing as annoying as you do. I'd stop it if I could."
"Likely story," Senior B sneered. "You're just using these girls for your own convenience, aren't you? Exploiting their trust to make yourself look like a genius."
I felt a coldness settle in my chest. Manipulating them? Exploiting them?
"...Hey," I said, my voice dropping an octave.
Senior B flinched, his bravado wavering for a split second. "W-what?!"
"If you say one more word of that delusional garbage, I won't let it slide," I said, my gaze locking onto his. "Who am I supposed to be 'utilizing'? Think before you speak. The reason Rudolf and CB won't look at you isn't because of me—it's because you're the kind of people who see athletes as tools for your own status."
"Who do you think you're talking to?!" the third-year shouted. "He's your senior!"
"He's the one who started this," I countered. "Am I supposed to just stand here and let you insult my character until you're satisfied? I don't have that kind of time. If I have a spare minute, I'm going to spend it on a training menu, not on you."
"So you're saying what we do is a waste of time?!" Senior A barked.
"I'm saying that standing around in the bushes to glare at me is definitely a waste of time. For everyone involved."
"You little…!"
"Are we done?" I asked, stepping past them. "I'd like to go relax now."
I could feel the heat of their rage behind me, but I didn't care. I just wanted them out of my sight. I was exhausted, and dealing with people who saw the world through a lens of petty jealousy was draining my last reserves of patience.
But then, the final blow came.
"Hmph… I don't know who taught you the ropes," Senior B muttered, loud enough for the whole hallway to hear. "But whoever gave you your knowledge must have taught you that the best way to get ahead is to seduce the girls. What a total hack of a mentor. You're just a reflection of your scumbag teacher."
I stopped dead in my tracks.
Okino-san went pale.
The silence that followed was heavy, suffocating. I didn't turn around immediately. I just stood there, the words echoing in my head.
They insulted the person who taught me everything.
They called Taliato a scumbag.
Slowly, I turned back toward them. My expression was perfectly blank, but the air in the hallway seemed to drop twenty degrees.
"...What did you just say?"
Senior B has officially crossed the point of no return. Hachiman's respect for his mentor is absolute, and these "trainers" have no idea what they've just unleashed.
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