133 - Hikigaya's Deal with Ririka

133 - Hikigaya's Deal with Ririka

"Hey, hey, Hachiman, I heard you're being kept by the vice president!" Yumeko said, playfully linking her arm with Hikigaya's as they walked toward the Disciplinary Committee.

"I've never had any interaction with the vice president."

As soon as Hikigaya finished speaking, the vice president, wearing a silver mask shaped like a smiling face, walked around the corner and blocked his way.

"Hikigaya Hachiman." The mask had the function of distorting sound, so the vice president's voice, processed through it, sounded cold and mechanical. "Please come with me, I have something to discuss with you."

"…"

Hikigaya and Yumeko exchanged glances. After receiving Yumeko's approval, Hikigaya put his hands in his pockets and followed the vice president down the deserted hallway.

'This vice president's body... is really similar to Kirari's.'

Just through a casual observation, Hikigaya noticed that the vice president's figure was almost identical to Momobami Kirari's. The curves were in all the right places, and even the texture and color of her hair looked the same.

"So, vice president, what's this about?"

Momobami Ririka turned to face Hikigaya Hachiman. "You've heard about the rumors, right?"

"Yeah."

"This is Mibuomi Aoi's scheme," she said, her cold, mechanical voice devoid of emotion. "The president doesn't care about this kind of thing, but I can't let her be dragged into this conspiracy."

Ririka had also seen through Mibuomi Aoi's actions.

The rumor about her and Hikigaya was just a cover. The real target was her younger sister, Momobami Kirari. However, the current intelligence was still insufficient, and Ririka didn't understand what moves the other side would make.

Hikigaya nodded slightly. "So?"

"I want you to warn the president and make her take this seriously. If necessary, I want you to protect her."

"Such a request... is quite bold, vice president.

Why would you think that? That she wouldn't listen to you, as her sister, but would listen to me?"

"…"

Ririka fell silent, clearly not expecting that her true identity had already been seen through by Hikigaya.

After a long pause, she spoke again. "Because she's interested in you. I've never seen her care about anyone like this."

Ririka's position as the "shadow president" was well-earned.

The sisters had been inseparable since childhood. Even when the Momobami family was embroiled in fierce power struggles, Ririka had never seen her younger sister show such an obsessive interest in someone.

It was like a normal little girl who, after seeing a beloved toy, would become obsessed with it and beg her family to buy it.

Only, the little girl wouldn't cry or throw a tantrum if she didn't get it.

Kirari, on the other hand—she would take it by force.

Once Kirari set her eyes on something, there was nothing she couldn't get.

Hikigaya would inevitably become her plaything, and Ririka was absolutely certain of this.

She also believed that no matter what kind of conspiracy was thrown her sister's way, Kirari would win. But even if she won, the fact that she would get hurt was real.

There were things of varying importance and urgency, and her sister's safety was the top priority. For this reason, Ririka wasn't afraid to come to Hikigaya now, to protect her sister's future plaything.

'...'

"And what's in it for me? Though I was already planning to deal with Mibuomi Aoi, protecting the president would require a different price."

'Seems like Momobami Ririka isn't much of a gambler.' Hikigaya quickly assessed. Although he hadn't had much interaction with Kirari, he already had a solid understanding of who she was.

Could such a woman really get hurt?

Kirari was invincible.

If there was a possibility of her getting hurt, it would be if the opponent completely lost their mind, like how Kiwatari Jun did. You could try to hurt Kirari, but the cost would be catastrophic.

Ririka's concern seemed entirely unnecessary to Hikigaya.

'So this is… sisterly love? Care that leads to confusion?'

However, Hikigaya didn't intend to correct Ririka. Instead, he planned to take advantage of the situation.

"I can give you some information. Information about you."

"What?"

Hikigaya became interested. Information about himself? Did Kirari perhaps prepare some way to deal with him?

"Your relationship with Juraku Sachiko—my sister already knows about it."

Hikigaya's pupils constricted, and his heartbeat seemed to slow for a moment.

It felt like the moment in an important exam when the proctor catches you cheating.

Kirari, in his mind, was someone who valued fairness in gambling. If she found out about his private betting agreement with Juraku Sachiko [where, regardless of the outcome, he would report to the president that he had won, but the private consequence was becoming Juraku's dog]...

The consequences were something Hikigaya couldn't predict.

This time, it was he who broke the rules, not the one who set them catching him.

'How was it exposed? Could it have been underground interrogation, all the eavesdropping devices?'

'It shouldn't be... If that were the case...' Cold sweat trickled down Hikigaya's forehead as countless possibilities raced through his mind.

But soon, Hikigaya regained his composure. Since the vice president had come to him for help in protecting Kirari, it meant she wasn't planning on taking action against him.

Kirari was still enjoying the unequal risks of gambling.

Hikigaya asked stiffly, "So, how did the president take it?"

"She's happy, very happy."

"However, she's decided to join Juraku Sachiko in the bet against you, and she's probably already waiting for you at the Disciplinary Committee."

Huh?!

Hikigaya's body froze instantly. Kirari would be joining Jyuraku in the [staring gambling]?

Weird, awkward, heart-pounding?

A strange, intense emotion began to rise in Hikigaya's chest.

He could handle one person, but two senior sisters, each with different beauty... Hikigaya Hachiman had never been trained for something like this!

It was like a student who was used to rote memorization for exams suddenly encountering a question they hadn't practiced... the result was predictable.

But usually, at the end, the teacher would point out that this kind of question had been covered before.

'Just stay calm. It's just one more person.' Hikigaya Hachiman thought to himself, letting out a deep exhale to calm the fire burning inside him.

This information was very important to him. If it weren't for Ririka's secret warning, when the doors of the committee opened, Hikigaya would have been unable to withstand such a shock.

But now, with his mental defenses in place, he was prepared.

"Thank you, vice president. This information is very important to me."

"Deal made. I will warn President Momobami and protect her."

"Mm."

Hikigaya turned around and was about to leave when Ririka's voice called out behind him:

"May I ask, what is the bet you're making with President Juraku?"

"…"

"It's a secret."