Hikigaya was not convinced.
Why was Sakayanagi so certain that he knew Ayanokouji was special? That introverted guy acted like a lazy slacker all day, hanging out with three dimwits.
Who in their right mind would consider him special?
Apart from Chabashira-sensei and Horikita, everyone else in class saw Ayanokouji as nothing more than a tagalong with the three idiots and a follower of Horikita.
It was a tragic case…
Regardless, Hikigaya didn't want to hang out with those three idiots!
"Haha, I knew I was right," Sakayanagi continued, her triumphant smile growing even wider.
"Others might not see it, but with your sharp insight, Hikigaya-kun, and since we're in the same class, I knew you'd pick up on Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's uniqueness."
"Did you guess that?!"
Hikigaya was shocked.
"Yes, it's a sign of how much I trust you," Sakayanagi said with a smile.
No, no, no—if possible, please give that trust to someone else.
It wasn't even lunchtime yet, and Hikigaya already felt the stress piling up. He sighed and extended his hand.
"Alright, alright, I've asked enough questions. Time to wrap this up, right? Hand it over."
"Uh…" Sakayanagi blinked, then burst out laughing.
"Really? You complain, but deep down, you're looking forward to going to school with me, aren't you? Here, please."
She took hold of Hikigaya's hand.
Hikigaya froze at the soft sensation in his hand before quickly yanking it away in panic.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?"
"Huh? Didn't you say you wanted to hold hands?"
"Who said anything about holding hands?! I was asking you to pass me your stuff and your bag!"
This girl was a troublemaker!
Holding a girl's hand—Hikigaya would never do something so forward. That kind of move was reserved for someone like Hayama or his clone.
"Oh, I see. My apologies for the misunderstanding."
Seeing Sakayanagi smiling like a mischievous little fox made Hikigaya's teeth itch in frustration, but he couldn't do anything about it.
"It's just a little luggage, don't worry about it."
"That's good. Give it to me if you get tired."
"Haha, you are kind."
"No, I just want to avoid the hassle of carrying you to the infirmary if you faint."
Despite the potential danger of walking to school with Sakayanagi, Hikigaya found some solace in the fact that he could claim they just happened to run into each other.
But holding hands? That would have been a disaster.
"Still playing hard to get, huh?" Sakayanagi teased.
"Just leave me alone…"
Hikigaya averted his gaze, feeling embarrassed by Sakayanagi's warm smile.
Seriously, stop it! It's so awkward!
The two of them continued their walk, matching each other's pace.
"Sorry to trouble you," she said.
"It's fine. I don't walk fast anyway."
"I see... By the way, Hikigaya-kun," Sakayanagi said suddenly, "aren't you curious about Ayanokouji-kun? I thought you'd ask, or are you waiting for me to bring it up?"
"You're overthinking it. I'm not interested at all. Besides, I get a bad vibe from that guy. I'd rather stay away from him," Hikigaya replied bluntly.
"Ah, Hikigaya-kun is so sensitive to danger."
It seemed that Sakayanagi knew quite a bit. Her reactions were different from Chabashira-sensei's.
Hikigaya believed that the homeroom teacher didn't know much about Ayanokouji either—at most, she recognized that he was a student with hidden potential.
If Ayanokouji had indeed grown up in a secretive institution and was given the rigorous background checks for admission to this school, it was a mystery how he got in smoothly.
There was, of course, the possibility that his records had been falsified.
But Ayanokouji's subsequent low profile made it hard to believe he could have tricked the government-led review on his own. The most likely explanation was that he had help from the highest authority at the school—the chairman of the board.
This would explain the difference between Sakayanagi Arisu and Chabashira-sensei. The former likely knew the full story, while the latter only noticed that Ayanokouji was favored by the chairman.
However, Sakayanagi seemed more dangerous in comparison.
She had a predatory glint in her eye as she smiled slightly.
"Hikigaya-kun, I really want to have a real fight with Ayanokouji-kun. Will you help me fulfill this wish?"
"…When you say help, do you mean helping you defeat Ayanokouji, or helping Ayanokouji defeat you?"
"Oh? You think I might lose?"
"That depends on the context."
If it were a simple class confrontation, Ayanokouji might not stand a chance at the moment. No matter how strong he was individually, the soldiers under him—Class D—were too weak.
It was unclear if anyone would listen to his orders, let alone how effectively they would execute them.
But Sakayanagi wasn't guaranteed to win either.
Especially in situations where she couldn't command personally, like during the sports festival, it was still questionable how much strength Class A could muster.
Moreover, Ayanokouji's physical abilities were exceptional. If they could enlist Koenji, who was also beyond the norm, Class D could potentially crush Class A.
However, these were just Hikigaya's thoughts.
After all, Ayanokouji was a lazy guy who didn't reveal his true strength. He seemed obsessed with playing the role of an ordinary high school boy.
Though Hikigaya doubted he was enjoying it…
"Indeed."
Sakayanagi nodded softly.
"From what I see in Class D, Ayanokouji-kun has no intention of making a move. If that's the case, even if I win, it won't feel satisfying… I wonder when I'll have another chance."
She sighed, a note of regret in her voice.
How competitive could this girl be?
Hikigaya didn't think it was wise to confront Ayanokouji at all. Even when Haruno asked him to, his strategy was to ignore Ayanokouji completely.
When faced with danger, it's best to avoid it.
Especially the unpredictable kind.
In fact, the last time Horikita called him over, Hikigaya was startled to find Ayanokouji there. He did his best to act indifferent, not wanting to draw attention.
According to Hikigaya's estimation, as an "ordinary high school student," Ayanokouji helping weaker students study wasn't out of the ordinary—it could easily be attributed to Horikita's influence.
However, offering to buy points went beyond what was normal.
He's really a reserved person, isn't he?
…No, calling him reserved is too much of a compliment.
In any case, Hikigaya was increasingly reluctant to get involved with Ayanokouji. That guy clearly didn't care about the people around him, yet he secretly helped Sudo. It was so strange that it defied Hikigaya's "people-watching" skills.
What exactly did that secret organization teach him?