SWNOVELXO Chapter 104
Chapter 104: Seen Through
“W-What do you mean? I don’t understand.”
Kushida didn’t even realize the tremble in her own voice. She struggled to suppress the unease in her heart, keeping a facade of calm on her face.
Hikigaya stared at her intently, and the atmosphere in the room seemed to freeze. It was only then that Kushida belatedly realized something—this was supposed to be her ambush negotiation, yet from the very beginning, Hikigaya had controlled the entire flow of the conversation.
Just like now, with a single movement, a single glance, he could completely lock down the atmosphere.
But… in class, he never seemed capable of something like this!
Suddenly, Hikigaya smirked. Seeing this should have made Kushida relax, but instead, she felt an overwhelming sense of unease.
“Kushida, since you stepped into this room, how many times have you looked at the clock on the wall?”
Hikigaya pointed to the clock hanging on the wall behind him.
“Were you about to say that, as a girl, it’s natural to feel uneasy being in an unfamiliar guy’s room at night? That your seat just so happens to have a view of the clock, so it’s only normal for you to glance at it?”
His smirk deepened as he looked at Kushida.
“So what if I did?”
Kushida instinctively shifted in her seat. “Hikigaya, what exactly are you trying to say?”
“Seven times.”
Hikigaya’s expression didn’t change. “Since you entered my room, you’ve looked at the time seven times in just twelve minutes.”
Kushida’s face froze. For a brief moment, a flicker of fear flashed in her eyes. Had he… noticed everything? Even the smallest details—every single move she made—had all been under Hikigaya’s watch?!
Hikigaya raised a finger, and Kushida’s eyes were instinctively drawn to it.
Her exposed thigh?
But the next second, Hikigaya’s finger slowly traced upward in the air—from her shin, to her knee, to her thigh, and even further. Kushida’s body stiffened as if struck by electricity. Even though they weren’t actually touching, she could feel his fingers ghosting over her skin…
Finally, Hikigaya’s finger stopped—hovering near her right waist.
“And also… have you noticed? Your right hand keeps involuntarily touching your skirt pocket.”
He gestured toward her pocket with mild amusement.
Wait… why was this bombshell of a girl suddenly blushing? And why were there beads of sweat forming at her temple? His room wasn’t that hot, was it? Hikigaya was slightly confused.
Kushida instinctively clutched her pocket. But the moment she did, she realized that her reaction had been too obvious, trapping her in an awkward dilemma.
“A phone? Or… some other recording device?”
Hikigaya didn’t seem particularly bothered about what she had hidden in her pocket. His tone remained indifferent.
“Kushida… your tells are too obvious.”
“You—!!!”
Hikigaya’s sudden remark made Kushida’s anger spike instantly. Gritting her teeth, she furiously pulled out her phone and slammed it onto the table.
Sure enough… the screen displayed an active recording in progress.
She immediately stopped the recording, then, as if in defiance, deleted it right in front of Hikigaya’s face. She lifted her chin, her expression practically screaming, “There, happy now?”—though the unwillingness in her eyes was impossible to hide.
Hikigaya, however, didn’t even spare her a glance.
“Even if you hadn’t deleted it, it wouldn’t have mattered. Because you know full well—until this moment, there was nothing useful in that recording.”
“When did you realize it?”
Kushida demanded. Right now, that was the only thing she wanted to know. She refused to believe Hikigaya’s observation skills were that terrifying.
In fact, she knew she had never even touched her phone the entire time. Meaning—his accusation had just been a bluff.
But… she had still played along. Because—
“From the moment you mentioned personal points.”
Hikigaya knew exactly what she was after. If he had shown even the slightest greed or hesitation, she would have used it—tightening a noose around his neck.
Even he could think of several ways she could use his personal points to destroy him.
And yet… Kushida had even been willing to use her own body as bait.
“If it were any of those desperate simps in class, they’d have fallen for it instantly.”
Hikigaya let out a cold laugh. “Kushida, you picked the wrong target.”
Kushida bit her lip, filled with frustration.
But the next second, Hikigaya suddenly stood up.
One step.
Another.
He walked toward her—closer and closer.
Before she knew it, he was right in front of her.
Kushida instinctively shrank back, curling up on the bed like a startled kitten—both vulnerable and yet irresistibly tempting.
“Are you looking forward to my next move?”
“Y-You bastard!”
Kushida trembled in humiliation and rage, squeezing her eyes shut—her entire body radiating an air of surrender.
…But no matter how long she waited, nothing happened.
Instead, Hikigaya simply smirked at her.
Then, without another word, he turned and walked toward the door.
Seeing this, rather than feeling relieved, Kushida’s face went pale.
“Kushida, let’s be honest with each other.”
Hikigaya no longer seemed interested in their little mind game.
“Let’s go back to the beginning. Why were you so fixated on the time? And of all the possible seats, why did you choose to sit on my bed?”
“H-Hikigaya, y-you… what are you even saying?! I-I don’t get what you mean!”
Kushida abruptly stood up, as if trying to physically push down the unease rising inside her.
“A-And that was just a coincidence!”
“A coincidence? Not likely.”
Hikigaya sneered coldly.
“Rather than calling it a coincidence, let’s just say this was premeditated. You deliberately sat on my bed, put on the act of being ‘willing to use your body as an exchange,’ and then… the next part would naturally fall into place, right? Then—your carefully arranged ‘backup’ would barge in. And after that, with your tearful and emotional accusation, I’d be labeled as a criminal. The final outcome? Either I’d be expelled, or I’d go straight to jail before being expelled.
“Am I right… Kushida?”
At this moment, Kushida’s face no longer showed any trace of shame, humiliation, or panic—only an icy indifference. She clenched her fists tightly, nails digging into her skin, staring daggers at Hikigaya.
“You don’t look very convinced.”
Compared to Kushida’s cold hostility, Hikigaya remained composed.
“You really are a walking landmine. The moment you barged into my room, I already felt something was off. If this had been some spur-of-the-moment emotional outburst, I wouldn’t have bought it for a second. Someone acting purely on impulse wouldn’t think about negotiating. So that leaves only one possibility—this was a premeditated trap.”
Kushida felt a chill run through her entire body.
“It’s been almost fifteen minutes since you entered. According to your script, the timing should be just about right now.”
Even though she was still fully clothed, standing in front of him, she felt as if she were completely exposed—laid bare for him to see.
She had been seen through. Completely.
And just as Hikigaya finished speaking—
BANG! BANG! BANG!
A series of furious knocks pounded against the door.
“Kikyo! Are you in there?!”
“Dammit, Hikigaya! Open the damn door!!!”
“Hikigaya-kun, it’s Hirata…”