SWNOVELXO Chapter 134
Chapter 134: I Don’t Want You to Think
Hikigaya’s tone was a bit harsh, and Ichinose frowned, looking quite unhappy. At this point, Kanzaki, who had been standing nearby, stepped in to smooth things over.
“So, Hikigaya, did you come here specifically to explain this matter?” Kanzaki asked.
Hikigaya nodded. “You must have heard from Horikita about what happened during the review meeting. If it was just some petty squabbles before, now it has completely evolved into a ‘war’ between Class D and Class C. One side has to fall for it to end. So, Ichinose, you and your class should not be involved anymore. The nature of this situation has completely changed.”
Ichinose fell silent, clearly understanding the point Hikigaya was making. At this moment, Kanzaki also spoke up, saying, “Yes, Ichinose, we’ve already done enough. The situation has escalated beyond what we initially expected, and we also need to consider the feelings of the other students in our class.”
It was obvious that Kanzaki didn’t agree with Ichinose continuing to help Class D, or perhaps he hadn’t agreed from the start. However, out of respect for Ichinose, Kanzaki had refrained from voicing his objections until now.
Using Hikigaya’s words, Kanzaki expressed his own thoughts, hoping to persuade Ichinose.
“Ichinose, you…”
Ichinose seemed to waver upon hearing Kanzaki’s words. However, she still hadn’t been completely convinced. “But… but we already promised Horikita to help…”
“Horikita asked you to help with the surveillance equipment, right?”
Ichinose nodded, and Hikigaya continued, “I understand. Ichinose, I have a middle-ground solution. How about this: you lend the points needed to purchase the surveillance equipment to Class D, and then let them handle this matter themselves. What do you think?”
Given that Class D’s current personal points were insufficient to purchase the surveillance equipment, they had no choice but to ask Class B for help.
Kanzaki, upon hearing this, also agreed, “Ichinose, I think Hikigaya’s solution is good. This way, you can help Class D while not getting too involved.”
Ichinose glanced at Hikigaya and then nodded in agreement.
Afterward, Hikigaya said that he had other matters to attend to and quickly left.
As she watched Hikigaya’s retreating figure, Ichinose suddenly spoke, “Kanzaki-kun, don’t you find something a bit strange?”
“Strange?”
“Uh… how should I put this… I just feel like Hikigaya-kun seems like an outsider. It’s that kind of feeling.”
“But Hikigaya isn’t from Class B.”
“Ah, that’s not what I mean!”
Ichinose quickly corrected herself, saying, “What I mean is, Hikigaya-kun was speaking as though the situation didn’t concern him at all, like an outsider.”
“You mean, his attitude towards Class D seemed like that of an outsider?”
Kanzaki finally understood Ichinose’s meaning.
“Yes, yes, exactly that! It’s really strange. We’re all classmates, after all.”
Ichinose seemed puzzled and confused.
“But I think it’s understandable. If I were assigned to Class D, I’d probably feel the same as Hikigaya.”
Kanzaki felt that Ichinose was being too sensitive.
“Is… is that so?”
Ichinose frowned slightly, but something in her heart told her that what Kanzaki said didn’t quite match her own feelings, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
…
After leaving the cafeteria, Hikigaya sent a message to someone, which was marked as [Read] almost instantly. Less than a second later, a reply came.
【Midsummer Night’s Dream: Bastard, what do you take me for? A tool? Or a servant?!】
Shit, Kushida’s response speed was that fast?
Hikigaya thought for a moment, then opened his personal points page and transferred 50,000 personal points.
【Energy Saver: Transfer complete.】
【Midsummer Night’s Dream: Don’t let this happen again!】
Hikigaya saw the reply and put his phone away, then he was about to head back to his dorm. Just as he was about to enter the dorm building, he bumped into Ayanokouji. Hikigaya glanced at him expressionlessly, and the two entered the elevator one after the other.
The elevator was silent. The two were on the same floor, but neither of them spoke during the ride. It wasn’t until Hikigaya opened his room door that Ayanokouji’s voice suddenly came from behind.
“Hikigaya, Sakura’s intervention was to help Sudo. Horikita also did this to help her classmates, you know.”
Hikigaya turned around and looked deeply at Ayanokouji. The two stared at each other in silence for a long while before Hikigaya slowly spoke.
“So?”
Ayanokouji seemed momentarily stunned but quickly returned to his usual expressionless demeanor. “So, I’m just the messenger. Don’t misunderstand.”
“Oh. Is that all?”
Hikigaya said coldly.
“That’s all.”
As soon as Ayanokouji finished speaking, Hikigaya slammed the door shut with a “bang,” leaving Ayanokouji standing silently in place.
Slowly, Ayanokouji furrowed his brow. For some reason, Hikigaya’s reaction just now reminded him of a phrase he had heard recently on a variety show.
“I don’t want to know what you think, I want to think for myself!!”
Hikigaya, his face dark and grim, returned to his room. He opened his phone’s contact list again, but this time, instead of sending a message, he made a call.
“Hello, good evening, Senior Handa, this is Hikigaya from the first year. Yes, I have something I’d like to ask you about…”
About ten minutes later, Hikigaya hung up the phone, walked to the balcony outside, and stared into the quiet, dark night, lost in thought until a phone call broke his reverie.
“H-Hikigaya-kun, could you come to my room? I… I have something I want to talk to you about.”
Sakura’s voice sounded hesitant and uneasy.
Hikigaya clenched his phone tightly in his hand, trying to make his voice sound less awkward. “I’ll come up now.”
When Hikigaya arrived at Sakura’s room, she was standing with her head down, like a child who had done something wrong. “H-Hikigaya-kun, did I do something wrong today?”
Sakura had vaguely sensed that Hikigaya’s expression had been off outside the meeting room earlier, but at that time, she was too scared and anxious to think much about it.
It wasn’t until she returned to her dorm that she realized something was wrong with Hikigaya. Others might not have noticed, but Sakura was sure that Hikigaya had been extremely angry at that moment!
And the reason was very likely connected to her.
Thinking about this, the girl couldn’t help but feel guilty, and…
Sakura reluctantly placed the camera, which she had tightly hugged and treated as a precious item, onto the table. Her eyes were filled with reluctance, but she resolutely said:
“A-And this camera… I… I want to return it to you. I don’t want to drag Hikigaya-kun into this.”