After enduring a breakfast that raised not only blood sugar but also blood pressure,
Hikigaya found himself needing a break. He wandered to the ship's deck alone, hoping the sea breeze would help clear his mind.
The initial excitement from the trip had likely worn off by now, and the others should be calming down—if not out of boredom, then certainly from hunger.
As expected, the deck was nearly empty. Finally, some peace.
"Ah… seagulls."
Leaning against the railing, Hikigaya gazed out at the vast, sapphire-blue ocean, feeling a strange sense of serenity. If only he could transform into a bird and soar through the skies, free of worry—no, that was nonsense.
"Hikigaya-kun, so you're here."
"…Kushida."
His brief moment of tranquility shattered as Kushida, the angel of Class D, appeared, looking for him. Whatever she wanted, it was unlikely to be good.
"Why do you always frown when you see me?" she asked, her pout framed by the clear blue sky and endless ocean, making her appear even cuter than usual.
Even Hikigaya felt a slight tug at his heart.
But that was until he remembered her true nature, and the feeling quickly vanished.
"There's no place here for your complaints," he grumbled.
"Complaints? I wasn't going to—" she began, raising her voice before quickly catching herself, lowering it again.
"I just wanted to talk with you, that's all… By the way, Ike and the others passed the final exams."
"…And?"
Hikigaya wasn't expecting that. The randomness of her comment left him momentarily confused.
Kushida's expression hardened, and she shot him an annoyed glare.
"Yeah, everyone in the class hates those three idiots now. Your plan worked, Hikigaya-kun. So, are you done using me?"
"Huh? What are you even talking about?"
Her frustration was evident, but the problem was that Hikigaya genuinely didn't understand. At least, not completely.
Yes, Hikigaya had never liked Ike, Yamauchi, or Sudou much. By using the contract with Class C, he had indeed helped push their reputations to rock bottom. But what did that have to do with them passing the exam?
"I'm talking about Horikita," Kushida whispered, her voice now tinged with bitterness.
"Those idiots only passed because she tutored them… That woman is so infuriating!"
Ah, so that's what this was about.
Hikigaya already knew that Horikita had become even more withdrawn after Ryuuen's confrontation, burying herself in her studies. Yet, as the final exams approached, she had taken the time to tutor those three.
Despite their unpopularity, no one in Class D wanted to see them fail and be expelled. Horikita had earned a degree of praise for stepping in to help, which must have fueled Kushida's jealousy.
After all, Horikita could do things that Kushida simply couldn't.
In Hikigaya's mind, Horikita was a hardworking genius, someone who kept her grades at the top by dedicating most of her time to studying. Kushida, with her broad social connections, couldn't do the same. And if Horikita was willing to put in the effort, her teaching would naturally be more effective, even for idiots like Ike and the others.
For someone who saw Horikita as an enemy, this had to be unbearable for Kushida.
"Well, didn't I tell you everything about the island exam?" Hikigaya said with a sigh.
"You're going to outshine Horikita there for sure."
"…Yes, I didn't believe it at first, but after seeing the itinerary for this trip, I couldn't help but trust you," she replied, flashing a bright smile.
"It's great to be teamed up with you, Hikigaya-kun. Sometimes I think that if you tried, it wouldn't be hard to reach class A."
"No thanks, count me out."
Hikigaya had no intention of doing anything for Class D. The only reason he had shared information with Kushida was so she could brush up on her outdoor survival skills before the island exam.
He fully expected Class D to fall apart once they reached the island, as they had no sense of teamwork. But when that chaos erupted, Kushida could step in, demonstrating her abilities and boosting her standing in the class—perhaps even overshadowing Horikita.
He could only hope everything would go smoothly.
"Still, the school is pretty harsh, don't you think?"
Kushida's tone turned slightly annoyed.
"They're tricking us into going to some remote island when everyone was looking forward to swimming on a private beach. Everyone's going to be so disappointed."
"If you want to swim, there's a pool on the ship," Hikigaya replied indifferently.
"True! I'm going with Mei-chan later to the pool. Would you like to join us, Hikigaya-kun?" she asked with a playful smile.
"You trying to get me mobbed by every guy in the year?"
Hikigaya thought this girl was truly devious. She knew full well he couldn't accept such an invitation, yet she still asked just to mess with him.
Even Wang Mei, though cute, couldn't hold a candle to Kushida's looks and especially figure. Just being seen talking to her was enough to draw jealous stares from other guys. He could already feel their glares piercing him.
"Hehe, I guess so. Well, I'll see you later then."
With a mischievous grin, Kushida left, her footsteps light as she vanished into the distance.
Hikigaya sighed, thinking she had only come to vent her frustrations.
Just as he was about to enjoy the silence again, another group approached.
"Hikigaya-kun! Why are you all by yourself out here?"
"…I'm always by myself."
Seriously? He had barely survived the pseudo-angel from Class D, and now the real angel from Class B had shown up?
Why did these boss battles come one after the other?
Hikigaya couldn't help but wonder if these people were somehow immune to the "I don't want to talk to anyone" aura he was giving off.
Sadly, it seemed like Ichinose hadn't noticed, as she bounced her way toward him, all smiles.
[T/N: *Insert* Bouncing Globes.]
Please don't run like that, he thought.
Turning his head slightly, Hikigaya recalled something Yuigahama had told him—girls were very sensitive to where guys were looking, and he should be more careful.
To make matters worse, unlike Kushida, Ichinose didn't come alone. She had brought along several friends, including Shiranami Chihiro. After their last misunderstanding, Ichinose had assured him that everything between them was cleared up. For the most part, things had been fine since then.
Still, every time Hikigaya saw Shiranami, the tension in the air made him uneasy.
While the hostility had disappeared, Shiranami still stared at him with a guarded expression, as if she hadn't completely forgiven him.
Had they really resolved that misunderstanding?