Chapter 017: I Can’t Pretend Anymore, Ichinose’s Gentleness

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Kanzaki's proposal was absurd. It was like asking hardworking professionals to hand over their salaries to a colleague for safekeeping. How could anyone think this was a good idea?

Hikigaya let out a dry cough, struggling to process what he had just heard.

"Whose idea was this?" he asked, his tone laced with suspicion.

The ultimate beneficiary of this plan was Ichinose. Could it really be her idea? Was she actually a scheming person hiding behind a friendly facade?

"It was my idea," Kanzaki replied calmly. "I know I don't have the same charisma as Ichinose, and if anyone in Class B could make people willingly hand over their personal points, it would be her."

Hikigaya narrowed his eyes. Kanzaki didn't seem like the type to blindly follow someone. That meant Ichinose wasn't secretly manipulative, which was... reassuring?

Still, Kanzaki's logic was terrifying. A plan like this was almost devilish in nature. Maybe he should start calling him Devil Kanzaki.

Hikigaya turned to Ichinose, who sat quietly beside him. Her opinion mattered the most in all of this.

"What do you think, Ichinose?"

She nodded with a smile. "I think the same way. Since dropouts seem to be a frequent occurrence in this school, we need to have preventive measures. The more personal points we have, the safer we are. I don't want anyone to leave our class. Hikigaya-san, what do you think?"

Hikigaya felt his mouth twitch slightly.

The difference between Kanzaki and Ichinose was clear. Kanzaki saw personal points as a weapon, while Ichinose saw them as a shield.

But either way, this was far too naïve.

Who in their right mind would entrust their money to someone else?

"This affects the whole class," Hikigaya said, keeping his voice firm yet neutral. "Personal points aren't a trivial matter. It's best to consider everyone's opinions before making a decision."

Despite his dislike for social niceties, he had to admit that vague, diplomatic responses were useful when trying to say no.

"That makes sense," Kanzaki agreed.

"As expected, voluntary participation is best," Ichinose nodded, smiling warmly. "I'm glad we discussed this with you, Hikigaya-san."

"Yeah... glad to be of help."

Hikigaya could tell neither of them was too attached to the idea. They probably knew how unrealistic it was. No student would willingly give up their financial independence like that.

Maybe this whole conversation was just an excuse to get closer to him.

Realizing this, Hikigaya clenched the paper cup in his hand.

"I'm going to the restroom," he muttered, standing up abruptly.

Weaving his way through the tables, he made his way to the bathroom.

Inside, he leaned against the sink and stared at his own reflection. His dead-fish eyes looked even duller under the fluorescent lights.

He hated this.

He hated how much he wanted to believe in Ichinose's kindness.

For the first time in a long while, he found himself in an environment where people were warm, where people remembered his name, where people didn't mock his cynical remarks.

It was a life he had never experienced before.

And that scared him.

He knew the moment he revealed his secret—the 20 million private points he possessed—it would shatter everything.

Ichinose and the others would see his selfishness.

They would see how he had been exploiting their kindness, pretending to be part of their world while knowing full well that he was an outsider.

It was disgusting.

Clenching his fists, he took a deep breath and forced himself to step out of the bathroom, returning to the table as if nothing had happened.

But before he could sit down, he overheard their conversation.

"Sure enough, it's not working," Ichinose murmured, resting her chin on her palm as she gazed out the window. "How can we get Hikigaya-san to join our class?"

Kanzaki sighed. "Honestly, I think this is more his problem than ours. We don't have to worry so much."

He was referring to Hikigaya's abrupt departure earlier. While Kanzaki didn't know the reason behind it, his actions could easily damage Ichinose's reputation.

Had Ichinose been less socially skilled, she might have been ridiculed by Karuizawa and the others for trying too hard.

In Kanzaki's view, Hikigaya was simply bad at socializing.

"Kanzaki-san," Ichinose said, a bit more seriously. "Hikigaya-san just isn't good at communicating. It must be because of his past experiences. As his classmates, shouldn't we be more understanding?"

Kanzaki sighed again. "Well, yeah… I suppose you're right. He does seem uncomfortable in large groups. Maybe we should take a different approach."

Ichinose nodded, determination shining in her eyes. "Leave it to me."

From his hiding spot, Hikigaya leaned against the wall, looking up at the ceiling.

He had always known.

Class B's unnatural friendliness, Ichinose and Kanzaki constantly trying to include him—this was all orchestrated. Ichinose must have spoken to everyone beforehand.

She truly was a kind person.

Too kind.

That warmth made it even harder for him to act rationally.

For the first time, he understood what it felt like to not want to lose something.

But the more he clung to this warmth, the more despicable he felt.

Shaking off those thoughts, he returned to the table.

"Are we done here?" he asked.

"Yeah," Kanzaki replied, picking up his tray. "I have something to do, so you two should head back first."

"Alright. See you tomorrow, Kanzaki-san!" Ichinose said cheerfully.

Hikigaya grabbed his bag and left the café with Ichinose.

As they walked, Ichinose turned to him with a bright smile.

"Hikigaya-san, what are you going to do about clothes?"

"What?"

"Aren't you going to buy some casual clothes?" she asked. "You'll need them for weekends and vacations, right?"

"…That's true."

Hikigaya never really thought about it. Back home, his mother usually bought clothes for him, though her taste was questionable. He never paid much attention to what he wore.

"Want to go shopping together this weekend at Keyaki Mall?" Ichinose suggested.

"What about the others?"

"If you don't mind, we can all go together. What do you think?"

Hikigaya hesitated.

Ichinose then clapped her hands. "Oh, right! I need to stop by the supermarket too. By the way, Hikigaya-san, you always eat the same mountain vegetable set for lunch. What do you eat for dinner?"

"Whatever…"

She was clearly trying to keep the conversation going, but it only made him more uncomfortable.

As they neared the dormitory, the crowd thinned out.

Hikigaya stopped walking.

"Ichinose…" he finally spoke.

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