The Opening of the Sports Festival

"Hey, hey, is this how you treat someone who's injured?" Hikigaya quipped, his voice light, clearly more amused than intimidated.

Even if Ryuen attacked him here, it would be Ryuen who would end up in a worse situation.

"Hmph, you rotten-eyed bastard, maybe you're eager to lose your other arm too," Ryuen sneered, his gaze cold and mocking.

"Wait a second! Can someone tell me what's going on here?" Ibuki, who was still completely in the dark, demanded. But it wasn't her fault—anyone who wasn't familiar with Hikigaya and the mysterious "X" would be confused.

"Actually, it's nothing major," Hikigaya shrugged, a slight smile on his face. "It's just that your leader here, Ryuen-san, seems to care more about his classmates than he lets on. It's funny—he acts all tough, but he does worry about his people."

"Tch… I just don't want to play along with whatever nonsense you're trying to pull," Ryuen scoffed, releasing his grip and sitting back down with a defiant expression. His words remained as hardened as ever.

Hikigaya couldn't help but smirk. Classic Ryuen—tough on the outside but, in his own way, protective of his own. This attitude was almost… tsundere.

Ryuen's eyes bore into Hikigaya's. "I've told my classmates that if they follow my lead, I'll make sure we all reach Class A. So you better keep your twisted little schemes to yourself, rotten eyes. X is my problem to deal with. If you're useless, then stay out of my way."

"Oh? Don't tell me you see yourself as some hero from a shounen manga," Hikigaya shot back, his tone feigning disbelief.

"Enough with your crap. I stick to my principles."

Hikigaya wasn't entirely surprised to hear Ryuen say something that sounded almost like a declaration to never abandon his comrades. It wasn't really out of character—not for someone like Ryuen. He'd always had that sort of commitment to his people, even if he was more of a gang leader than a knight in shining armor.

As long as his "underlings" followed his orders, he'd deal with their mistakes himself, never allowing outsiders to meddle.

"Hey, are you two even speaking the same language as the rest of us? Somebody clue me in!" Ibuki's frustration grew with each passing moment as she tried to make sense of the situation.

Ah, what a hassle. The girl was clueless.

"Think a little about all the things this rotten-eyed guy has done up until now, and you'll understand," Ryuen said, sounding slightly exasperated but explaining all the same. "Even if we don't know why he's suddenly got a grudge against X, he's found some kind of evidence that could get X expelled. But he needs our help to secure solid proof."

"Then why didn't you at least hear him out?" Ibuki persisted. "With the reward Hikigaya offered, it'd be worth considering."

Ryuen laughed, his eyes narrowing as he stared down Hikigaya. "That's the real question here, isn't it?"

While he spoke, Ryuen's expression grew even sharper. "It's not about the details. The important thing is why this rotten-eyed guy didn't just go directly to the source—the person who could give him the evidence he needs—but instead came to me with such an attractive offer."

"Huh? Are you saying…"

"That's right. He anticipated that the person involved wouldn't agree, which is why he needed someone with absolute control over the class—like me—to assist him. As for why that person wouldn't agree…" Ryuen's face twisted into a smug smile, reveling in his foresight.

"It's because the evidence doesn't just implicate X for expulsion. It drags the person providing it down with him. So no matter what is offered, there's no way to privately coerce anyone here. Only external force could work—am I right, rotten eyes?" he finished with a taunting grin.

"Yes, that's correct."

So, Ryuen had seen through everything, hadn't he? If his hands weren't tied at the moment, Hikigaya might've clapped for him. The most impressive part was how keenly Ryuen understood his circumstances.

He knew that loyalty within his class was scarce; it was unlikely that Hikigaya couldn't buy someone out under normal circumstances. This self-awareness allowed him to deduce the truth behind the situation.

"Ryuen, don't you see this as a fair trade?" Hikigaya asked calmly. "All you'd have to do is sacrifice one expendable student, and you could remove the noose from around your class's neck. Depending on how things go, I could even help wipe out that additional debt of three hundred thousand yen… Or maybe you're reluctant to let go of X, that rare opponent who amuses you?"

"Hmph, I told you already. I won't let you have your way." Ryuen sneered and then glanced at Ibuki. "Hey, what do you think about this?"

Ibuki hesitated, her brows knitting as she considered. Finally, she asked, "Why would the person providing the evidence also get expelled?"

"Obviously because they broke school rules too," Ryuen answered, contempt thick in his voice. "Hikigaya is an obedient fool; his reasoning for getting X expelled must be equally simplistic."

"Who are you calling a fool…" Hikigaya thought though he wasn't about to say it out loud. To him, those who thought they could bend rules at will be the real fools. When things backfired, they wouldn't even know what hit them. Yes, that had to be his greatest achievement—using Karuizawa as a convenient tool, he'd set up a trap for himself, and now he was about to be ensnared by his handiwork.

The only unfortunate part was that Ryuen remained as uncooperative as ever. It was going to take some extra effort to bring him around.

"In any case," Ryuen went on, "this is non-negotiable. X is my prey. You can watch from the sidelines."

"Sure, sure. I'll sit back and enjoy the show," Hikigaya said with feigned indifference, though he didn't take Ryuen's bravado seriously. Right now, Class B is in its prime. No amount of persuasion would break through their current mindset.

It was like a country amid an economic boom; the people overlooked everything else, united by prosperity. But when the economy faltered, every tiny issue would become a massive problem.

The same applied to Class B. Just looking at Ibuki was enough to confirm that. Although she despised Ryuen, Hikigaya's offer tempted her. However, she judged that obeying Ryuen was her best option at this point. The others felt the same way because Ryuen had led them to victory.

But if Class B were to suffer a series of defeats, his grip over them would undoubtedly weaken. Then, if Hikigaya extended the same offer again, while Ryuen would likely refuse out of sheer pride, Ibuki and others might reconsider for the class's sake.

After all, all Hikigaya needed was Manabe's phone; he didn't necessarily need Ryuen's cooperation.

Yes, it was time to make these people face reality. Victory in the Preferential Treatment Exam wasn't guaranteed.

"Hikigaya? Ryuen? Ibuki?" A familiar voice broke Hikigaya's train of thought. He turned to see Shiina approaching, her expression filled with surprise at the unexpected gathering.

"Hey…" He raised a hand to greet her, but Shiina walked over, visibly annoyed.

"What are you doing out here, Hikigaya-kun? You're hurt, and yet you're running around like this!"

"Oh, come on, it's not that bad," he muttered. He wasn't made of glass, after all.

"And why are you sneaking around with Ryuen and Ibuki?" she huffed, puffing her cheeks in frustration. "Hanging out with them behind my back… That's just too much."

"Who said I wanted to get chummy with them?" Hikigaya replied, rolling his eyes. Shiina's overactive imagination was still as vivid as ever. How could she even think of such a thing?

"Now, Hiyori, don't get so worked up," Ryuen interjected with an oddly giddy grin. "He was just trying to surprise you."

"Surprise me?"

Ryuen chuckled mysteriously. "He said he wanted to cheer you on during the sports festival."

"Huh?"

Hikigaya blinked in shock. He didn't remember saying that.

"Yes," Ibuki chimed in, smirking. "He thought it might be a bit awkward, so he asked us if it'd be appropriate. I told him not to overthink it."

These guys were just making things up!

Shiina, however, broke into a wide smile. "Really?! Hikigaya-kun, you'll come?"

"Uh, yeah… sure." Backed into a corner, Hikigaya had no choice but to agree. He'd originally planned to lounge in his dorm, imagining everyone else running around like idiots on the field. But Ryuen and Ibuki had just shattered that daydream.

And there was another problem—Hikigaya was on the Red Team while Shiina was on the White Team. Though he wasn't competing due to his injury, cheering for a member of the rival team would be a bit… awkward. Better not dwell on that.

"Yay! I was so worried since I'm terrible at sports," Shiina said with a beaming smile. "But with you cheering me on, I know I'll do well!"

"...Yeah, I'm sure you will," he replied. Sadly, no amount of willpower could make up for a lack of training. Improvement only came from consistent practice, much like studying.

But he didn't feel like raining on her parade, not right now. Besides, those two troublemakers over there—could they at least try to act innocent?

By October, the Sports Festival was finally underway.

For some, it was going to be a very long day. All students were in sports attire, entering the field one class at a time, each displaying a sense of seriousness despite the simplicity of the task.

Even Class 1-D showed that their recent training hadn't been in vain. It wasn't so much about winning for the class; the real motivation was earning pocket money or racking up survival points. Practical, maybe, but as Horikita would say, it hit the nail on the head.

The opening ceremony began, with Fujimaki from Class 3-A making the initial announcement, surprising Hikigaya. He hadn't expected anyone but the council president, Horikita, to handle the honors.

Around the track, a few spectators stood watching. These were adults who worked at the school; even for the Sports Festival, Koudo Ikusei didn't open its doors to outsiders. Staff members were allowed, however, and occasionally waved to students with friendly smiles.

Hikigaya was trying to keep a low profile in the stands, not wanting to draw attention to himself. Yet, to his dismay, someone unexpected sought him out.

"Hikigaya-kun, why are you hiding back here? You'll get a better view up front," a familiar voice teased.

"...Sakayanagi? What are you doing here?"

Hikigaya eyed the sly white-haired girl with disbelief. She wasn't injured, so why was she here slacking off?

As for the setup, it was remarkably formal. Cameras had been installed at the track's finish line to record close races, ensuring fair judging. The school's staff watched solemnly, monitoring the students' well-being. There were even medics stationed in a temporary tent equipped with air conditioning and water coolers—a thoughtful precaution against the lingering heat of early October.

"I'm here for the same reason you are," she replied, smiling. "Like you, I can't participate in all the events, so let's make the most of it as comrades at the bottom of the ranks."

"You could always help as an advisor for your class," he shot back, wanting nothing less than to get cozy with her.

The track was divided by a barrier between the Red and White teams, each with their own tents to prevent any intermingling outside the competition. Yet here they both were, the exception to the rule—one injured, the other unwilling.

"Oh, but there's little I can do here." She shrugged. "The school has designed this festival purely as a test of athletic ability. Sneaky tactics won't yield much, and they might even backfire."

In other words, it was a straightforward competition—what you see is what you get.

"You understand, don't you, Hikigaya-kun? This festival is structured to prevent infighting. Even if I wanted to meddle, it wouldn't change much. Our class simply has to band together and do our best."

Each grade was divided into two teams, Red and White, ensuring that rivalries were diluted and cooperative spirit took center stage.