Playing House with the Young Master

Hikigaya wasn't naïve enough to believe that free lunches existed in this world.

Besides, studying abroad wasn't exactly a good thing in his eyes.

After all… he had no intention of ever leaving Komachi or Chiba.

Frankly speaking, coming to Tokyo for school was already pushing his limits—any further, and he might as well be dead!

"I get the feeling that, Acting Director, you're treating me like…" Hikigaya sighed deliberately. "Never mind. Let's set that aside for now. Since this information is only revealed to students nearing graduation, why are you telling me now? I'm still just a first-year, you know."

"This isn't about grade level—anyone who meets the qualifications is eligible. And considering the achievements you've made so far, I don't think it's an issue to make an exception," Tsukishiro replied with a smile.

"… Am I really that exceptional?"

"If we go by this school's standards, you undoubtedly are. You've accumulated nearly forty million personal points in less than a year—many teachers consider you a terrifying student."

"… Terrifying?"

Hikigaya subconsciously touched his face at that remark.

Come to think of it, Ayanokoji had also rambled on about something similar yesterday—how he supposedly instilled fear in others.

… Was he really that scary?

But at the end of the day, these special exams were just games to Hikigaya. Winning was great, but if he lost, the worst that could happen was expulsion.

Honestly, he had long been fed up with his parents saving up tuition fees just to spend it on fancy vacations and extravagant meals.

They could at least wait until he came back and take him along!

At the very least, they should treat him to a feast!

In any case, Hikigaya didn't think he was particularly stronger than others. The difference was simply that he didn't have as many reservations—he dared to take risks when necessary.

Take Nagumo, for example. Despite all the nasty things he had done, barely anyone in the first year openly voiced their dissatisfaction. The most they did was whisper about it in private.

After all, no one wanted to offend the student council president.

Not only could they end up getting expelled, but they might also drag their entire class down with them. So, naturally, everyone tiptoed around him.

But if this were any other school, he would've been cursed out until he jumped off a building.

It just went to show how much the environment could shape a person.

If everyone around them was hardworking, even slackers would start picking up their books.

If everyone strived to reach Class A, even someone like Sudou—who started the school year by picking fights—would gradually turn into a responsible student.

In a way, that was what people called "growth."

Unfortunately, Hikigaya didn't care about his class. He didn't care about himself either. And he certainly hadn't grown.

So even if it meant going up against the student council president or the acting director, he had no qualms about it.

"Well, Hikigaya-kun, this offer isn't a bad deal for you, is it? Whether or not you graduate as part of Class A, you won't have to worry about your future."

Tsukishiro continued painting an alluring picture… or rather, perhaps it wasn't entirely false.

As if seeing through Hikigaya's thoughts, he added, "If you don't believe me, I can bring in your teachers as witnesses. Most of them already acknowledge that you deserve this privilege. After all, with forty million personal points right in front of them, it's hard not to."

"If I already have forty million, do I need to follow your arrangements?" Hikigaya countered flatly.

"Well, you could use those points to transfer yourself into Class A. But wouldn't it be better to save 20 million transfer points? You could use it for your friends or cash it out after graduation. Besides, not every Class A student gets the opportunity for sponsored study abroad."

It seemed, just as Hikigaya had analyzed with Ryuuen before, that being in Class A didn't mean one could do as they pleased.

Some students with poor academic performance likely wouldn't even qualify for prestigious universities, which would tarnish the school's reputation.

"Hikigaya-kun, I've said this before—only truly exceptional students receive this privilege." Tsukishiro pressed on. "You students may care about class rankings, but the school doesn't prioritize them as much. Take the former student council president, Horikita Manabu. Even though he didn't graduate from Class A, do you think that diminished the school's opinion of him?"

"… So, you're saying you want me to be the commander for this exam?" Hikigaya cut straight to the point.

But Tsukishiro remained unshaken, his smile unwavering as he pulled out his pre-prepared script.

"Exactly. You're just one step away from reaching Horikita-kun's level. If you achieve outstanding results in this exam, it won't just be 'most' teachers acknowledging you—it will be all of them."

"Recognition, huh…" Hikigaya muttered with an odd tone. "Then can I take this to mean that you, the acting director, also acknowledge me?"

"Haha, of course. Even though we've had some minor disagreements, I'm an adult—I wouldn't hold grudges against a child."

"… How very generous of you."

Speaking of which, wasn't it Tsukishiro who had frozen his account first and even randomly attacked him later?

How did things end up with Tsukishiro acting like the magnanimous one?

Adults sure were despicable…

As Hikigaya silently ridiculed the man, he scratched his head and said, "If I remember correctly, Acting Director Tsukishiro, you came here just to get rid of Ayanokoji, right? Is it worth wasting your time on someone as insignificant as me?"

"Because I'm the acting director, I care deeply about this school. Whether it's designing special exams or nurturing exceptional students, these are my responsibilities. And if you continue to shine, Hikigaya-kun, it'll also reflect well on me."

Ah, so that's his justification.

Allowing Hikigaya to study abroad was just him doing his job.

And if there were any personal motives, it was simply to add this achievement to his record as acting director.

"Despite how I may seem, I genuinely care about young people like you. After all, you are Japan's future."

"Uh…" That kind of statement might've worked decades ago, but nobody would buy it now.

Feeling both dumbfounded and speechless at Tsukishiro's shamelessness, Hikigaya nodded.

"Alright, I understand your kind intentions, Acting Director."

"Haha, I'm glad you do."

Tsukishiro's face lit up, as if convinced Hikigaya had taken the bait.

"But, you see… if I were to accept the role of commander, wouldn't that cause you some trouble?" Hikigaya hinted.

"I don't quite understand what you mean."

"This exam went just as you planned—Ayanokoji was 'randomly' chosen as the commander. Next, you just need to ensure he's expelled, and your job is done, right? No need to waste any more time at this school."

"I'm sorry, but I still don't understand." Tsukishiro feigned ignorance. "Even if he's up against Class A, that doesn't necessarily mean Ayanokoji-kun will be expelled. Since he chose his opponent, he might even have a decent chance of winning."

"… Is this fun for you?"

"What?"

"I mean, do you have to keep up this act?"

Feeling exhausted, Hikigaya spoke in a bored tone. "Since you like playing dumb, I'll just spell it out. Ayanokoji is the commander, and this exam is conducted entirely within the school's system. That means you only need to manipulate things from behind the scenes, and our class is doomed, isn't it?"

"… Hahaha!" Tsukishiro was stunned for a few seconds before suddenly bursting into laughter.

"Hikigaya-kun, you are a remarkable child."

This isn't just some baseless speculation.

Up until now, Tsukishiro's actions have seemed like blatant provocations toward Ayanokoji. But looking at it from another angle, they could also be warnings—reminding him that someone is out to get him.

Otherwise, why would an assassin deliberately parade around in front of their target?

This isn't the world of Assassin's Creed!

Besides, with Ayanokoji's intellect, he must have noticed this to some extent.

Unfortunately, given his position, he couldn't make rash judgments the way Hikigaya could.

After all, if Ayanokoji guessed wrong, he'd be expelled.

But if Hikigaya guessed wrong… well, Ayanokoji would still be the one getting expelled.

Either way, the "Ultimate Masterpiece" was the one who'd suffer.

"Acting Director Tsukishiro, I have a question. Ayanokoji's father is a big shot, isn't he?"

"That's right. Ayanokoji-sensei was once powerful enough to shake an entire nation—a truly remarkable man."

There wasn't a trace of insincerity in Tsukishiro's tone as he spoke.

It was clear that he genuinely admired this "Ayanokoji-sensei."

"That's why I have no choice but to follow orders and ensure Ayanokoji-kun's expulsion. If I were to go against that man, I wouldn't survive in this world. After all, I'm just another person trying to climb higher."

"A man like that… he's not an idiot, is he?"

"Of course not." Tsukishiro shook his head with a smile. "Hikigaya-kun, what exactly are you trying to say? This kind of question isn't up to your usual standard."

"No, I just find it strange… It's almost as if the acting director sees his own boss as a fool."

Tired of beating around the bush, Hikigaya bluntly stated, "Saying things like 'I won't manipulate the exam to frame a student'... Do you think a man capable of shaking an entire nation got to that position just by being righteous and upstanding?"

"But I'm not Ayanokoji-sensei. I have my way of doing things. Besides, even if I fail, it doesn't matter. I'll just be assigned to another task. For adults, it's no big deal."

Just moments ago, he had said he was afraid of Ayanokoji's father, yet now he claimed he wasn't afraid of failure.

It was hard to tell how much of Tsukishiro's words were lies and how much was the truth, but from the very beginning, Hikigaya had already decided not to take anything he said seriously.

No matter how convincingly he spoke, the objective reality was that Tsukishiro never truly intended to expel Ayanokoji.

The reason he had made things so complicated might be exactly what Hikigaya had suspected earlier—Tsukishiro wanted to avoid offending either side.

Right now, Ayanokoji was just a student, but who knew? One day, his father might suddenly drop dead, and he'd take over.

These things were unpredictable, which was why skilled politicians always tread carefully, avoiding unnecessary conflicts.

Of course, there might be an even deeper reason behind Tsukishiro's actions...

But whatever the case, it wasn't Hikigaya's concern.

All he needed was to grasp the current situation.

"Heh... One after another, they all come to play house with the young master."

"What?"

Tsukishiro feigned ignorance.

Or rather, even if he understood, he had to pretend not to.

"Sigh, forget it."

Hikigaya figured there was no point in dragging this out any further.

The other party wasn't going to tell the truth anyway.

More importantly, he had no interest in dealing with this nonsense right now.

"So, in the end, you just want me to act as the commander, right?"

"It's for the sake of your future," Tsukishiro reiterated.

"I don't need you worrying about my future," Hikigaya replied bluntly. "Enough with the empty talk. I was never interested in studying abroad to begin with. If you want to negotiate, bring something tangible to the table."

"And what would that be?"

"Hmm... how about ten million private points?"

Hikigaya thought for a moment before shamelessly making an outrageous demand.

Though, in his mind, this was perfectly reasonable.

After all, wasn't he just playing house with the young master? Getting a performance fee seemed fair enough.

"Hikigaya-kun, are you thinking straight?"

"If you're not interested, then stop bothering me."

"Heh, don't regret missing this opportunity."

"That should be my line. Next time you come looking for me, the price won't be the same."

"Uh..."

The two locked eyes for a moment before Tsukishiro, seemingly at a loss for words, turned and left.

Not even a simple goodbye... What a rude guy.

Ding—

Just as Hikigaya was silently complaining, his phone suddenly chimed with a new message.

He took it out, glanced at the screen, and let out a deep sigh.

"Sigh... Why did Horikita-senpai have to contact me at a time like this?"

He was asking to meet after school.

…Did he need something?

It wasn't exactly inconvenient, but the problem was that he had no energy for this right now.

If it were anyone else, Hikigaya would've just made up an excuse to refuse.

But since it was Horikita-senpai...

No choice, he had to go.