Was this just a simple glitch? Or perhaps, a summons from another world?
Sadly, the answer was the latter.
Yukinoshita Haruno, a figure who haunted Hikigaya's thoughts like a dragon-level threat, had always secured a spot in the top three of his "Absolutely Unforgivable List." By the way, the top spot belonged to her sister.
Hikigaya's tangled relationship with these sisters had spanned from junior high through graduation, with Haruno being the most relentless, even hounding him during the brief month-long vacation after junior high.
He had naively believed that entering high school would allow him to sever ties with them, or at the very least, grant him a three-year freedom.
But fate had other plans. On the very first day of school, they crossed paths again.
"What on earth is happening?"
No matter how hard Hikigaya tried to puzzle it out, it made no sense. Haruno was supposed to be in college by now.
She shouldn't even be here.
And even if she were, how could she have gotten his number?
Could it be... that as the Demon Queen, she had some supernatural way of knowing? Though the thought seemed absurd, Hikigaya couldn't shake the feeling that it might be true.
After all, he knew better than anyone just how terrifying this Demon Queen was.
"Everyone, may I have your attention, please? Since we're going to be classmates from today on, let's all introduce ourselves. It would be great if we could become friends quickly."
As Hikigaya brooded over his unfortunate predicament, the class had moved on to self-introductions. Leading the charge was a handsome, seemingly promising young man.
"My name is Hirata Yosuke. Back in junior high, everyone called me Yosuke, so feel free to do the same. I'm interested in all kinds of sports, but soccer is my passion. I plan to join the soccer team here as well, so I look forward to your guidance."
His introduction was clear and confident, delivered with a natural ease that was almost flawless. The enthusiastic applause and cheers from the class confirmed this.
But Hikigaya felt a pang of discomfort.
This Hirata Yosuke gave him an intense sense of déjà vu. Handsome, gentle, cheerful, and with clear leadership qualities—he even played soccer.
In junior high, the person Hikigaya loathed the most was a member of the soccer club, a guy named Hayato Hayama, who was affectionately dubbed the "King of Chiba."
Both Yosuke and Hayama exuded that same princely, gentle aura that grated on Hikigaya's nerves.
"Alright, from now on, you're ikemen-bastard No. 2," Hikigaya muttered spitefully to himself, naming Hirata after his old nemesis.
Apart from this personal vendetta, Hirata was also responsible for initiating the dreaded self-introductions, which Hikigaya found painfully tedious. It reminded him of his three failed attempts to introduce himself during junior high. Each year, something had gone awry—an accident, an interruption, or simply slipping away to avoid it.
And now, as the class waited for their turns, Hikigaya had no intention of participating. He had already resolved not to make any friends here, so it didn't matter.
Besides, he had a more pressing engagement with Haruno. It wouldn't do to make her wait, lest he incur her wrath.
Using his well-honed stealth skills from years of solitude, Hikigaya seized the opportunity when everyone's attention was elsewhere. He lowered his body, held his breath, and slipped out through the back door in an instant.
"Perfect," he thought to himself, a small victory. But as he left, he couldn't shake the feeling that someone had been watching him.
No matter, it wasn't like there was any requirement to introduce himself anyway.
Following Haruno's cryptic message, Hikigaya made his way to a remote building on campus, according to the map in his admission guide. The atmosphere here was different—there were fewer surveillance cameras, and some blind spots were left intentionally uncovered.
"Is this... intentional?" Hikigaya wondered. The school seemed to be creating a "gray area," a place where the usual rules didn't apply. It was as if the school was subtly encouraging students to break the rules, as long as they didn't get caught.
No wonder that red-haired delinquent had been admitted.
"The school must want students who are good at causing trouble," Hikigaya mused, feeling his hopes for a peaceful high school life slipping further away.
When he reached the classroom Haruno had indicated, Hikigaya took a deep breath, opened the door, and stepped inside.
"Excuse me."
"Hikigaya-kun, you're finally here! Aren't you happy to see your sister?" Haruno, dressed in a sharp black suit with carefully trimmed short hair, greeted him with a wide smile. Though she was dressed like a teacher, her youthful appearance betrayed her true status as a college student.
"Ms. Haruno, why are you here? Isn't college already in session? And how did you even get in? If this is an illegal intrusion, you should turn yourself in immediately," Hikigaya said, trying to suppress his anxiety.
"Oh, didn't I tell you?" Haruno tilted her head, feigning innocence.
"I've nearly completed all my credits, but without Hikigaya-kun around, I was getting bored. So, I decided to come here as a trainee teacher."
"Don't become a teacher just because you're bored!"
If he had known this would happen, Hikigaya would have fought tooth and nail to avoid this school.
"Hehe, if I had told you beforehand, you definitely wouldn't have come," Haruno teased.
"Don't go reading my mind so casually."
As much as Hikigaya was irritated by Haruno, he couldn't deny that a part of him was relieved to see a familiar face, even if it was hers. However, past experience told him that nothing good ever came from their encounters.
Either she was tormenting him, or she was leading him into a situation where he would be tormented.
To her, most people were mere toys to pass the time. Calling her the Demon Queen wasn't an exaggeration.
"Hikigaya-kun, are you thinking something disrespectful?"
"...No."
—Which is why I keep telling you not to read my mind.
Haruno stared at him suspiciously, her gaze making his heart race, but she eventually let it go.
"Let's get to the main topic," she said, her usual playful tone suddenly turning serious. Hikigaya tensed up, expecting something ominous.
But instead of a serious discussion, Haruno's face broke into a mischievous grin.
"Don't be so tense. I thought it would be fun to play a little game with you before we get down to business."
"...What kind of game?"
"Among this year's freshmen, there's someone very special. A type of person you've never encountered before."
"...I don't like the sound of this," Hikigaya muttered, sensing trouble.
"So, Hikigaya-kun," Haruno continued, ignoring his unease, "why don't you use that sharp insight of yours to find this person?"