Chapter 027: Kushida, You Also Don't Want the Fact That You're a Massive Class D Point-Deductor to Be Exposed, Right!
Exiting the shop, Hikigaya and Kushida continued walking as if they were just casually window shopping. However, Kushida quickly broke the silence.
"I feel like my heart is beating so fast." Her voice carried a hint of nervousness. Although she hadn't done the deed herself, being the lookout still made her pulse race. Only now did she truly realize she had participated in something so thrilling.
"Yeah, thanks a lot for that." Hikigaya opened his newly purchased camera and inserted the stolen SD card.
The images immediately appeared: the lens was pointed directly at the checkout counter, and the angle was clearly aimed at the female customers' chests.
"Looks like my theory was correct," he confirmed.
"Ugh, I can't believe a pervert like that was hiding near the school. We absolutely can't let him get away with it!" Kushida immediately shared his indignation.
After all, she was a cute girl too; if this bad person wasn't rooted out, wouldn't she be at risk of being surreptitiously filmed when shopping at the electronics store? The thought made her feel extremely unpleasant. Therefore, such a villain must be caught!
However.
At that very moment.
'The deed is done; now I can let Kushida head back. She seems to love making friends, so this event can serve as our shared secret. Since I let her act with me and relied on her to keep watch, she probably feels like she's being depended on.
So, I probably don't even need to give her a reward.'
Kushida suddenly realized she had heard Hikigaya's voice again.
??
Wait!
She instinctively looked at Hikigaya, finding his lips tightly shut; he hadn't opened his mouth.
Could it be... his inner thoughts? Inner thoughts again? Kushida was stunned.
Previously, she thought she could hear his heart's voice, but when it stopped appearing, she assumed it was a hallucination from stress. But now... she felt as if she had become special once more.
But.
Hikigaya-kun, did you call her out just so she would work for free?
Thinking of this, Kushida quickly put on a curious expression and asked, "Um, Hikigaya-kun, what's the plan next?"
"Heading to the Student Council," Hikigaya replied.
"Since there's trash like this among the school staff, for everyone's safety, we have to report him and get him kicked out."
'Oh, so it's to protect the cute girls, for the sake of justice... in that case, working for free seems acceptable' Kushida mused to herself.
"Do you want to come with me, Kushida-san?" Hikigaya asked.
Going to the Student Council to report him together?
Kushida immediately focused her mind to listen.
Sure enough.
The moment Hikigaya finished speaking, she quickly heard his inner voice again.
'If the report is successful, a portion of the credit will be given to Kushida. However, Class D is ending this month with 0 points anyway; even if I give them bonus points, it'll just be zeroed out. It's not like I'm helping the enemy.
Besides, she most likely won't accept it. After all, in her eyes, being a lookout for a theft would damage her image. Even if it was for a good cause, she might still be labeled a 'thief.
So these are just pretty words. You've learned how to say pretty things to girls, Hachiman.'
Hearing this, Kushida actually nodded instinctively.
Because she found that he was right.
She was happy to expel the villain, but the source of the evidence was indeed unsavory. She wanted to do the right thing and be praised by everyone, but she didn't want to be labeled a "thief" because of it.
'But you're really just saying pretty words, Hikigaya-kun! Your true thoughts have exposed you.'
Kushida's inner self wanted to show an expression of having seen through him completely.
But.
She was quickly distracted by other information.
Wait, what was that about "bonus points," and "Class D having 0 points even after a bonus"?
Class D... 0 points?
That's impossible, right? Losing all 1,000 points in the very first month? That's too exaggerated! Absolutely impossible!
"Um, Hikigaya-kun... about the content of this month's special exam... can you really not say anything?"
Perhaps she felt a sense of crisis. If Class D really got 0 points next month, as a member, wouldn't she also be without living expenses?
She knew that in order to fit in with the girls in class, she frequently went shopping with them; her points were mostly spent, and she had just paid 10,000 for Horikita's intel. So, if there were no points next month, she would be in a bad spot.
Under this crisis, Kushida immediately activated her abilities.
Affinity MAX!
Damsel-in-distress MAX!
She suddenly reached out both hands and gently grasped Hikigaya's left hand. A soft sensation and warmth were transmitted.
"Is it really..." She looked at him with those moist eyes, which seemed to be covered in a layer of mist, gazing at him pitifully, "Is it really impossible to say... anything?"
However, even if you hold his hand like that, it's useless.
After all, Hikigaya-kun's willpower is quite firm. And to him right now, Kushida-san's charm is probably only a tiny bit stronger than Yuigahama's—not enough to make him betray the 300,000-point value of the exam content.
'It's just a conduct assessment. From the first day of enrollment, the school's cameras have been strictly evaluating everyone: no being late, no leaving early, no playing on phones, no reading novels, no sleeping in class...
And you, Kushida, under the class cameras, have probably checked your phone no less than 100 times, deducting quite a few points for the class. What's more, you've kicked the trash can many times...
So me not telling you the exam content is for your own good. After all, you wouldn't want Class D to know that you're one of the major point-deductors, right?'
Kushida: "..."
When she first started hearing Hikigaya's inner voice, Kushida had inwardly curled her lips in a smug smile.
'See? No matter what you say, Hikigaya-kun is just an ordinary boy who can't resist the offensive of a cute girl holding his hand. He refuses with his mouth, but doesn't his heart spill everything?'
But.
As she continued to listen, Kushida felt her scalp go numb.
Because...
The first month's special exam was a conduct assessment? Testing classroom discipline? Testing not playing on phones? Even testing kicking trash cans?!
She knew very well herself that she had played on her phone at least 100 times during class, but that was to reply to messages from her classmates.
And she had kicked the trash can no less than 19 times—all because she was infuriated by those low-quality guys like Yamauchi, Ike Kanji, Sudo, and Ayanokouji.
It turned out these were all items that led to class deductions?!
If Class D found out the exam content now and searched for the specific deduction rules, wouldn't she be exposed as a massive point-deductor?
This was too terrible!
It would be better to pretend to know nothing? That way, others would continue to lose points, and when the school tallied them up, she wouldn't look particularly conspicuous.
Kushida's heart wavered instantly.
"Kushida?" Hikigaya noticed her expression had gone blank.
"Ah, it's nothing." Kushida quickly let go of his hand and adopted a perfectly sincere expression.
"Please forget what just happened, it was my fault. The exam content is worth hundreds of thousands of points; it was indeed too much of me to want to know it like that."
"I see..." Seeing her like this, Hikigaya had other thoughts.
'Class D's self-discipline is what it is; even if they knew the questions in advance, they couldn't keep their points. Besides, their points are probably almost gone by now anyway.
So, maybe I can reveal a little info to Kushida to get closer to her.
After all, in class competition, a smart class will plant spies in other classes. Kushida has a good position in Class D and the potential to betray them; if I can pull her over…'
Kushida: "?"
No way! You're going to tell her the exam content? Don't! Telling her now won't gain you favor; it'll only lead her to ruin!
And you even want her to be a spy for Class D—that kind of thing is absolutely out of the question right now.
Kushida made a split-second decision.
"Anyway, since the evidence is in hand, Hikigaya-kun should hurry to the Student Council and report him!"
She immediately displayed an angelic smile, clenched her fists, and acted full of expectation. "If the school wants to give praise, please praise Hikigaya-kun. I only hope the bad person is punished."
But her tone sounded more like she was in a hurry to send him away.
Is that so.
Hikigaya looked at her instant transformation into a "do-gooder who doesn't seek fame" little angel and shook his head slightly.
It seemed that even if he offered her the credit, she couldn't take it.
He nodded, brought Kushida back to the cafe, "exchanged" her for Ichinose, and then headed to the Student Council with Ichinose.