"Hikigaya, why are your dark circles so heavy? What kind of trouble were you up to last night?"
Looking at Hachiman Hikigaya, who had been yawning through the entire class with dark circles as deep as a panda's, Ren couldn't help but ask.
"Don't even mention it."
"Just look for yourself and you'll understand."
Languidly letting out another yawn, Hikigaya handed the stack of novel manuscripts that Yoshiteru Zaimokuza had distributed to him yesterday afternoon over to Ren.
He was hoping Ren would join him in suffering through this cruel torture.
One had to admit, Shizuka Hiratsuka's lighter wasn't that easy to keep.
The matter with Saika Totsuka's Tennis Club wasn't even settled yet, and then she had dumped a commission regarding Saki Kawasaki on him. Then, last night, she recommended Yoshiteru Zaimokuza.
After learning that Zaimokuza's request was simply for the Service Club members to read the novel he had written, Hikigaya, Yukino Yukinoshita, and Yui Yuigahama put their heads together. They decided to split the novel into three parts, take one each to read, and discuss it together in the club after school today.
It's just a novel, it should be simple, Hikigaya had naively thought when he first got his hands on the manuscript.
But after going home and reading the content, he changed his mind. There wasn't a single shred of reading pleasure—it was pure agony. Yet, for the sake of the commission, Hikigaya had forced himself to finish every single page in his hands.
"Not reading it."
Ren pushed the manuscript back to Hikigaya without a second thought. Curiosity killed the cat; seeing how miserable Hikigaya looked and still sticking his nose in would be asking for trouble.
"Tsk."
Seeing his trick seen through by Ren, Hikigaya took back the manuscript and let out a light click of his tongue.
"Yahallo! Hikki, Ren-kun~!"
Upon entering the classroom, Yui Yuigahama greeted the two of them with her usual high energy.
"Yahallo, Yui," Ren replied naturally.
Hikigaya didn't respond. Instead, he stared at the energetic Yui with a face full of suspicion.
Logically, Yui also had a portion of Zaimokuza's manuscript, but looking at her now, she was in surprisingly good spirits. Something was very wrong. His own portion was a chaotic mess; there was no reason why Yui's part would be a masterpiece.
"Yuigahama, did you actually read Zaimokuza's manuscript last night?" Hikigaya waved the papers in his hand at her.
"Eek!"
Because of the heavy dark circles, Hikigaya's dead-fish eyes looked even gloomier than usual, giving Yui a fright. She habitually ducked behind Yumiko Miura.
"Hikigaya-kun!"
Yumiko Miura, who was chatting in her small circle, shielded Yui behind her and glared fiercely at Hikigaya.
Even though Hikigaya was no longer the class "invisible man" thanks to Ren's help, to the girls' clique, he was still the same gloomy loner as before. Watching Yumiko flicker her tongue at him like a viper, Hikigaya's flagging spirit suddenly jolted awake.
"Hehe... Sorry, Hikki."
Noticing Hikigaya's slightly off-color expression, Yui stepped out from behind Yumiko and scratched her cheek sheepishly. It had just been a subconscious reaction; she hadn't thought much of it. Seeing Yumiko's attitude toward Hikigaya, Yui stepped in quickly to ease the tension.
The people in class weren't as averse to talking to Hikigaya now, so Yui could naturally strike up a conversation with him.
"Hmph."
Seeing Yui come out to play peacemaker, Yumiko turned her head and let out a tsundere snort. At the same time, she lightly poked Yui's head with her finger. "Yui, you're just too kind."
"Not really, Yumiko. Hikki is actually quite nice..."
Yui bobbed her head along with Yumiko's finger and gave a silly laugh before jogging over to Hikigaya's seat. Watching where Yui went, Yumiko let out a soft sigh in her heart. Yui and Hina Ebina really worried her sometimes, but everyone had their own choices, and she wouldn't force them to change their minds.
"Yumiko really is like a little hedgehog, isn't she?"
Ren arrived at Yumiko Miura's side, speaking softly as he watched the scene of Hikigaya using the manuscript to "interrogate" Yui.
After patting Hikigaya on the shoulder to comfort him, Ren had noticed Yui heading that way and decided to give them some space. Unlike Hikigaya's view, Ren felt that Yumiko, despite her gyaru look, had a personality that was a bit... like a busybody mom?
"A little hedgehog? Why does Ren-kun think that?"
Yumiko didn't mind Ren being so close to her. Instead, she was quite interested to hear why he thought she was like a hedgehog.
In school, while Yumiko wasn't as famous as the two "High Mountain Flowers," she still had the nickname "Queen," which suited the personality she projected. She was quite rebellious and acted harshly toward outsiders who tried to enter her social circle, making them fear her.
And yet, this same Yumiko was being called a "little hedgehog" by Ren.
"A hedgehog is prickly to people they don't know, but once they're comfortable, they show their soft little belly."
"I feel like Yumiko is just like that. You're very fierce to Hikigaya, a classmate you aren't close to, yet you care so much about Little Yui."
"What's that word... it's like..."
"A busybody mom?"
Ren met Yumiko's gaze, using a perfectly fitting term.
"A... busybody mom?"
Yumiko's eyes widened as she looked at Ren in disbelief. She hadn't expected him to give her such an evaluation.
"Don't you agree, Yumiko?"
"Ren-kun, it's very rude to say that to a gyaru," Yumiko replied, avoiding the question as she twirled a strand of her blonde hair.
"Is that so? But you really do seem like a hedgehog."
On the other side, Yui, who had confessed to Hikigaya that she hadn't really looked at the manuscript last night, was trying to play it off by bonking her head and sticking her tongue out.
"Yuigahama, we have to give Zaimokuza our feedback at the Service Club after school..."
"This is a commission we accepted..."
Hikigaya rubbed his throbbing temples. He truly hadn't expected Yui to treat her portion of the manuscript so casually.
Furthermore...
Not far away, Saika Totsuka, clutching a tennis racket, was also walking toward Hikigaya.