SWNOVELXO Chapter 108
Chapter 108: Hikigaya’s Flaws
The biggest gap between Hikigaya and Hiyori now is still the issue between their classes.
Although the difference in points between Class C and Class D is still quite large, they are still competitors at the grade level. Moreover, due to the midterm exam incident, the conflict between Hikigaya and Class C is almost impossible to resolve.
This is also a barrier between Hikigaya and Hiyori that is difficult to overcome.
Even if Hiyori doesn’t mind, Hikigaya cannot truly pretend not to notice.
So, taking this opportunity, Hikigaya thought for a long time and decided to bring up the matter of the midterm exam, especially the issue regarding that contract. Hikigaya originally thought that Hiyori would be very angry. After all, he had lost half of his personal points for no reason, and anyone would feel dissatisfied and angry about that.
“No, on the contrary, because of this, I actually want to thank you, Hikigaya-kun.”
After a moment of silence, Hiyori said sincerely.
“I know this will make the classmates in my class dissatisfied, but these are my true thoughts.”
Hiyori couldn’t help but sigh, “The real issue with this situation isn’t with you, Hikigaya-kun, but with Ryuen-kun and the other students in Class C. Just like my initial view, if everyone can rely on such shortcuts to get through this crisis, what about next time? How will they handle the final exams?
The test papers were just an inducement. Just like your Class D, I know you also got the same test papers, but Class D’s actions were completely different from Ryuen-kun’s approach. So, even without the test papers, I believe the students in Class D would still have passed the exam smoothly.
The same logic applies to Class C. If Ryuen-kun and the other students can’t recognize and face their own problems, I think they will just suffer even more in the future exams.
So, honestly, I think this painful lesson is actually a good thing.”
Hiyori’s words might be very hard to understand for the students in Class C, and some might even consider it “rebellious,” but Hikigaya understood that the girl in front of him saw farther than anyone else and was more likely to see through the essence of things.
In fact, in this midterm exam, what defeated Ryuen was not Hikigaya, but Ryuen himself. His excessive arrogance and overconfidence made him think he had everything figured out, but even the best plans have their flaws. How could he, a regular high school student, be infallible?
He could have passed the exam the “proper” way, but instead, he thought he was clever and took a shortcut. Even if Hikigaya hadn’t pushed things along, Ryuen would have suffered a huge loss next time!
Hikigaya couldn’t help but admire Hiyori’s perspective and vision. In a high school setting, she felt completely out of place, or rather, in the special environment of Class C, Hiyori’s talent was bound to be buried.
“I… I thought you would be angry, Hiyori, so I kept…”
Hikigaya couldn’t help but show a look of guilt. Once again, he had misunderstood the other person. As expected, his dark thoughts…
“I’ve always known that you’re a kind person, Hikigaya-kun.”
Hiyori looked at Hikigaya and said from the bottom of her heart, “So please don’t blame yourself.”
The girl in front of him seemed so dazzling. Could he really have such a friend?
He wasn’t sure, but now, the only thought in his mind was that he wanted to try taking a step forward.
.
.
.
“I say, Shizune, it feels like we haven’t had a meal together in a while~”
“We just ate together last week, and I was the one who paid!”
Inside a ramen shop, Haruno and Shizune each ordered a bowl of ramen. Haruno couldn’t help but sigh, “Shizune, why do you like ramen so much? It’s so out of place for a high school girl to eat ramen, it’s more like for older…”
Before Haruno could finish, she got a chop on her head from the teacher sitting across from her.
Haruno covered her head and stuck out her tongue in dissatisfaction.
“So, dear Shizune, is there something special you need to tell me?”
Haruno and Shizune had a very familiar relationship, even beyond the typical teacher-student connection. In Shizune’s eyes, their interactions were more like those between peers. Of course, Haruno always disagreed with that, thinking of herself as a blossoming young girl!
“Could it be about someone?”
Haruno smiled as if she had figured it out, then saw Shizune nodding, before Shizune couldn’t help but complain, “What’s this? I met Shizune first, but you’re so biased toward Hikigaya. It’s not fair~”
“Can’t you give me a break? His situation has already given me a headache.”
“Oh?”
Haruno couldn’t help but show a hint of interest.
Shizune looked at Haruno deeply, her tone unexpectedly serious: “Haruno, I know you’re very interested in Hikigaya, but I hope you don’t interfere with him too much.”
The day before yesterday, she had met with Hikigaya privately. Everything seemed normal, as usual, but Shizune had still keenly sensed that Hikigaya seemed to have changed in some subtle way, an odd feeling that even she couldn’t quite put into words.
Haruno seemed unaware of Shizune’s warning, smiling cheerfully: “Eh? What do you mean, Shizune? I don’t understand~”
“Haruno!”
Shizune’s expression grew colder, and Haruno immediately stopped smiling, staring directly, unafraid, into Shizune’s eyes.
“I know you’ve probably noticed too, that kid has some psychological issues.”
“I think it’s more than just ‘a little’.” Haruno narrowed her eyes.
Hiyori sighed, feeling a headache coming on. As expected, the thing she feared the most and least wanted to see had happened. She had no choice but to say, “Since you’ve noticed, you should understand my concern. Hikigaya-kun is suffering from a rare mental illness, or more specifically, a psychological disorder.”
Haruno showed a curious expression upon hearing this.
“Hikigaya looks completely normal on the outside, and in some ways, he even has talents that far exceed that of a normal person. But his mental health, or rather, his emotional health, has flaws.”
Shizune sighed helplessly.
“The flaw is…”
“That kid has self-destructive tendencies.”
Haruno was stunned. She had vaguely sensed that something was off with Hikigaya’s psychology, especially during the last incident at the café with Ryuen. The feeling became more evident. He was very indifferent to external emotions, seeming normal on the surface, with corresponding emotional reactions. But deep inside, there was an unspoken, genuine loneliness.
It was as though… he had been abandoned by the entire world, like a drifting weed with no roots, ready to be blown away at any moment. She had initially thought it was just her imagination…
Now, after hearing Shizune’s words, Haruno finally understood what was going on. Her curious expression gradually turned serious, and she fell into silence.
After a long while, Haruno furrowed her brows and looked at Shizune, even more confused: “Shizune, you should be well aware of how cruel this school is, so… why did you still send him here?”
“Because for that child, this is the safest place.”
Haruno couldn’t help but narrow her eyes. She had noticed a key point: “So this is related to the incident at Sobu Junior High?”
“I’m very interested in that incident.”
Haruno instinctively licked her lips: “Aside from the vice-principal, I heard that quite a few people above also got caught up in it?”
“You, child, why are you so concerned about these things? You’re only just a high school student.”
Shizune covered her forehead. Hikigaya was like this, and Haruno was no different—both were troublesome students!
“Hehe~ What can I do? After all, I’m the eldest daughter of the Yukinoshita family! Anyway, these things will come to me eventually, so age really makes no difference.”
Haruno’s face was full of a smile, but her tone was unexpectedly cold.