SWNOVELXO Chapter 96
Chapter 96: The Moonlight Is Beautiful, Isn’t It?
Late at night, Hachiman walked down the school path, his whole body aching. Every step he took sent waves of pain through his torn muscles.
“Damn that demon queen, Haruno! She really doesn’t treat people like human beings!”
Hachiman cursed under his breath, his resentment toward a certain someone practically manifesting into physical form.
Earlier that afternoon, before he even had a chance to ask any questions, Haruno had dragged him to the gym. She claimed it was to “train his combat skills,” but in reality, Hachiman had simply been used as a punching bag for hours!
“I told you before, I have a black belt in Aikido.”
“I’ll take on ten opponents! Of course, I’m talking about Hachiman!”
Haruno’s devilish whisper still echoed in Hachiman’s ears, sending a shiver down his spine.
“From now on, you have to run two kilometers every morning—no slacking off! And don’t forget to buy me breakfast!”
“You have to report to the gym every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for Aikido training. Also, call me Coach Haruno!”
“A cute high school girl coaching you—this kind of thing only happens in anime and light novels. Of course… it’s not free!”
And so, on top of everything else, Hachiman was the one who had to cover the cost of booking the gym’s private room. But that wasn’t even the worst part!
After training, Haruno had dragged him to a high-end Japanese restaurant, claiming that they needed to “replenish nutrients.”
“Wait, why the hell does a school even have a luxury restaurant like this?!”
Hachiman stared at the menu, his heart sinking at the sky-high prices.
“Surprising, right? I was just as shocked when I first found out!”
Haruno picked up the menu and effortlessly placed her order with the waiter.
Dishes like black cod tofu, pine needle yam, charcoal-grilled Biwa trout, crab roe in vinegar jelly with perilla flowers, and an assortment of seasonal sashimi…
It all sounded so sophisticated!
Each dish was something Hachiman had never heard of before, and he couldn’t help but gulp.
Wait… hold on a second!
By the time he realized what was happening, the waiter had already walked away with their order.
“Miss Haruno, I’d like to know—what happens if I dine and dash?”
Now that he was in a high-end restaurant, Hachiman instinctively adopted formal speech, worried about being seen as some country bumpkin from Chiba.
Seeing his serious expression, Haruno burst into laughter. “Relax, it’s not as expensive as you think.”
A truly top-tier restaurant would cost far more than the personal points Hachiman had—way beyond what an ordinary student could afford.
“This place was actually set up by the school for entertaining visiting officials and dignitaries. But since those kinds of visits only happen occasionally, it’s also open to teachers, the student council, and certain clubs. Plus, the prices here are 60% cheaper than normal high-end restaurants. It’s kind of a hidden perk of the school—very few people actually know about it.”
Hachiman listened in amazement, but when he saw Haruno’s mischievous smile, he immediately realized—he had been tricked!
“Haha, actually, you can put it on a tab here.”
“…”
Seeing Hachiman’s crestfallen expression, Haruno decided to stop teasing him. “I wasn’t exactly lying. The prices really are lower than normal, but even so, it’s still too expensive for most students. That’s why, even though people know about this place, hardly anyone actually eats here.”
Hachiman felt slightly relieved. And then… he deeply regretted it.
After all that exercise, his body was starved. But the delicate portions of this high-end meal weren’t nearly enough to fill him up!
The food was so exquisite that it only made him hungrier!
So, under the astonished gaze of the waitress and Haruno’s uncontrollable laughter, Hachiman ordered a large bowl of ramen and several rice balls.
Hachiman swore that the demon queen had deliberately brought him here after intense exercise just to see him struggle!
“Oh, and here’s another not-so-secret secret for you—the vice president of our student council comes here all the time with different girls.”
Haruno said this meaningfully.
“The vice president? You mean the second-year, Nagumo?”
Hachiman blurted out the name.
“Oh? Looks like you’ve been paying attention to him.”
“It was a fifty-fifty guess. Besides, that other vice president, Kiriyama, doesn’t seem like the type to frequent this kind of place.”
“Tsk, tsk. So what you’re really saying is that Kiriyama seems like the kind of guy who wouldn’t have a girlfriend—just like you, right?”
Yukinoshita Haruno covered her mouth and chuckled.
Hikigaya, hearing this, felt a wave of frustration wash over him. This demon queen really knew how to push his buttons. So what if he didn’t have a girlfriend? He still had his little sister!
“Hmm, eating ramen and rice balls here feels surprisingly nice!”
Haruno took a bite of her rice ball, her expression unexpectedly lighting up with delight.
“I think the rice balls at the student cafeteria, which only cost 100 points, are pretty good too.”
Hikigaya was full of resentment, internally complaining. Of course, a rice ball that costs 1000 points here would taste amazing!
“But in the cafeteria, can Hikigaya-kun really eat with me in peace?”
The restaurant featured a serene, Japanese-style private room, exuding an elegant, classical ambiance. There was no need to worry about prying eyes. The soft tatami mats, the faint floral fragrance wafting through the curtains, and the distant glimpse of a dry landscape garden created an atmosphere that elevated not just taste but also visual and sensory experiences.
It was a world apart from the noisy, mess-hall-style cafeteria. The reason high-ranking individuals favored this type of restaurant, aside from the exquisite cuisine, was its confidentiality—perfect for private discussions or secret meetings.
“So, in a roundabout way, you’re saying that only here us commoners can dine with Lady Haruno?”
Hikigaya sneered.
“So, my dear commoner, are you mad?”
Haruno showed no anger. Instead, she looked utterly amused.
“I’m not mad!”
“Does my ‘first time’ not matter to you, commoner-kun? How sad~ As expected, after getting what they want, men always change~”
The noble young lady dramatically whimpered in a pitiful voice.
“S-Sorry!”
The waitress who had just come in to serve dessert froze for a moment. She quickly placed the dishes down, muttered an apology, and hurriedly left.
“……”
“What I meant was, this is my first time eating with a boy at school.”
Haruno covered her mouth and giggled.
.
.
.
Even now, just thinking about it made Hikigaya’s face go pale. Yukinoshita Haruno was truly demonic!
In the end, tonight’s meal cost a whopping 200,000 points—the most expensive meal Hikigaya had ever eaten in his life. If Komachi found out, she’d definitely call him a spendthrift and pester him to take her along next time.
In the past, Hikigaya could never have imagined himself spending 200,000 points on a meal. But now? He only felt a slight pang of regret. Money really did corrupt people!
That being said, he had to admit—the food was absolutely worth the price. Just thinking about those dishes made his throat involuntarily gulp.
There was some truth to the saying that people needed moments of luxury. Even though this meal had cost Hikigaya dearly, the emotional value it brought was undeniable.
“Ugh! So annoying!”
Suddenly, a sharp voice rang out from somewhere nearby, followed by a loud clang.
It was already past 10 p.m., and the deserted school pathway was bathed in moonlight. The unexpected noise startled Hikigaya.
“**So damn annoying, it’s pissing me off. Damn it, damn it!!! That bitch, why doesn’t she just go die?!!!”
The voice, filled with frustration and rage, was accompanied by what sounded like someone kicking a railing.
A violent, delinquent, blonde gyaru?!
That was the first image that popped into Hikigaya’s head.
“Ugh, not my problem.”
He muttered, but despite his words, his body was already moving toward the source of the voice, peeking curiously.
“As a member of the student council, checking on students out past curfew is perfectly reasonable.”
And then, he spotted an unexpected figure—Class D’s little angel, Kushida Kikyo.
It was hard to believe that the voice, dripping with venom and resentment, had come from this girl, someone countless people viewed as a cheerful, bubbly angel.
Hikigaya’s initial shock faded quickly, replaced by a knowing expression. Ah, so she really was like this. He even felt a little excited—what had pushed Kushida to finally drop her mask?
“She acts all cool and high-and-mighty, and yet some dumbass still goes and kisses her ass. Ugh, how pathetic! That’s right, they’re all the same kind of pathetic bitches. Damn it, it pisses me off!!!”
Although she hadn’t said a name, one figure immediately flashed through Hikigaya’s mind—Horikita Suzune.
“Ugh, so annoying. I really hate her! That damn woman!!! Horikita, I seriously hate her!!!”
Now this is interesting.
Eavesdropping on someone’s secrets was unethical, sure, but the thrill of it was addictive. No wonder so many people kept doing it despite the obvious risks.
Kushida wasn’t just cursing Horikita—she was kicking the railing repeatedly, the loud clangs echoing through the night. Damn, even Bakugo from “My Hero Academia” would be impressed.
Hikigaya’s eyes narrowed slightly. It seemed that, purely by accident, he had caught a glimpse of a certain forbidden zone.
Uh… thanks for the fan service, I guess? Anyway, it was about time to leave.
The next second, Hikigaya’s phone rang—its loud ring ring ring shattering the silence.
He froze, sweat forming on his brow as he met Kushida’s wide, shocked gaze.
Forcing an awkward smile, he blurted out:
“Hai? The moon is… beautiful tonight?”