Yukimura's scream sent a shockwave through the group of boys. The disbelief was palpable as they scrambled to grab the booklet, each flipping through the pages frantically until the truth was undeniable. A heavy silence settled over Class D, a dark cloud looming over their heads.
Hikigaya, satisfied with his contribution, quietly retreated from the fray. He picked up a lunch box and made his way to a large rock nearby, where he sat down, away from the brewing storm. He had sounded the call for a counterattack, but as far as he was concerned, the rest was no longer his business.
"Come on, everyone," he thought to himself, mentally cheering them on.
"You've got to be kidding me!"
As if in direct response to Hikigaya's thoughts, Yukimura took the lead in confronting the girls.
"A temporary toilet, sure, but what about pillows and electric fans? Why did you girls use our points without permission? And on such unnecessary things!" Yukimura's voice was laced with frustration.
"I have no idea what you're talking about!" Shinohara shot back, defiant as ever. "Besides, do you have any proof that it was the girls who bought those things? For all we know, it could've been you boys!"
"Who else could it be?"
Yukimura was livid, stomping his feet in anger. Suddenly, as if something clicked, he charged towards the girls' tent.
"Wait! Stay away from there!"
Shinohara and a few other girls immediately moved to block him, but the boys reacted swiftly, intercepting them.
"Look, everyone! This is what I found in their tent!"
Yukimura's voice rang out, and the boys turned their attention to him. He held up a few inflatable pillows and two cordless desktop fans, all of which he had pulled out from the tent. He proceeded to open another tent, revealing similar items.
Yukimura hurled the objects in front of Shinohara and demanded, "See this? How do you deny it now?"
"We've been enduring so much, and they've been living in comfort!" one boy muttered angrily.
"Exactly! We agreed that at least half of the votes had to be in favor!" another chimed in.
"This is just wrong," someone added. Even the typically mild-tempered boys couldn't suppress their anger. The girls' actions had crossed a line, and it was hard to overlook their blatant disregard for fairness.
However, the boys underestimated just how shameless some of the girls could be.
"W-what? We're girls. We can't handle the heat as well as you boys! We've been suffering too!" one girl argued, her tone indignant.
"Yeah! And don't act like the boys are all innocent here! Remember how Karuizawa-san's underwear was stolen?" another girl accused, turning the tables.
The girls, though their arguments were baseless, began to push back, their voices rising in unison. Shinohara seized the moment, grabbing a branch and drawing a line in the dirt.
"That's right! The thief must be one of the boys. We can't live with such a person among us! From now on, you're not allowed to cross this line!"
She looked to Karuizawa for support.
"That's right, Karuizawa-san, you're the victim here!"
"...Yeah, I can't trust the boys at all," Karuizawa finally spoke up, feeling the pressure to maintain her status among the girls. "I can't stay in the same space with them."
"You're insane! Who's talking about that right now?" Yukimura exploded, his frustration boiling over, veins bulging on his forehead. "I'm asking why you used the points without permission! Why did you go back on your word?"
"That's a separate issue entirely! Regardless, we believe the troublemaker is a boy, so starting today, we'll be living separately!" Shinohara declared, cutting through the argument.
She never addressed her wrongdoing directly, instead choosing to highlight a trivial matter about her underwear, as though to claim the moral high ground.
It was a surprisingly effective tactic. Even Yukimura, who was typically meticulous in debates, found himself stymied by her argument—or perhaps he simply didn't know how to counter it.
Watching this from a short distance, Hikigaya poked at his rice with a spoon, finding the spectacle oddly entertaining. The previously bland lunch now seemed to have a touch more flavor due to the commotion.
What was peculiar, though, was Hirata's reaction. He was supposed to be the peacemaker, yet he stood there, silent and detached, as though he were an outsider.
Could it be that Hirata was genuinely frustrated?
Just then, Horikita Suzune approached him, her eyes narrowing. "So, you're turning your classmates into entertainment, are you, Hikigaya-kun?"
"…Please don't make me sound like a pervert."
Horikita, who had stayed out of the quarrel, now stood before him. Given Horikita's personality, it was clear she wouldn't engage in such pointless disputes, nor did she have any friends needing her defense.
"Isn't it true?" Horikita continued, crossing her arms and scowling. "You stoked the flames of this argument and then sat back to enjoy the show. It says something about your character."
"Oh? You noticed that too?"
Hikigaya didn't bother denying it. His actions had been too conspicuous for even Horikita, with her sharp observation, to miss.
But Hikigaya wasn't concerned. From the perspectives of Hirata, Horikita, and even Ayanokouji, it would appear he was merely defending himself against Shinohara's unreasonable behavior. Even if they recognized his intentionality, it didn't matter much—after all, Shinohara's actions were indefensible.
"You're not acting like yourself," Horikita observed. "You usually don't care about these petty conflicts. Is this really about Matsushita-san?"
"Not at all. You're overthinking it," Hikigaya replied tersely.
"I don't see why you're denying it. You've helped Matsushita-san before."
"...You're irritating."
Horikita's smug expression irked Hikigaya further. He found her far less pleasant than the class president.
"What did you want from me?" he asked. "If you're here to chat, find Ayanokouji. He's got nothing going on."
"Don't you think if you're the one who started the fire, you should be responsible for putting it out?"
"Not at all."
Hikigaya found Horikita's suggestion baffling. He wasn't about to take on a role he wasn't interested in, unlike Ayanokouji.
"Are you sure?" Horikita persisted, pointing at Hirata. "Look at him. He's not himself."
"…He brought it on himself," Hikigaya said after a pause.
"True," Horikita agreed. "But after Karuizawa and the others applied for supplies, Hirata should have been informed. It was crucial information he chose to withhold. Logically, he should have shared it."
"Hmph, you're still the same, and that's why I said there is a huge gap between you and your brother," Hikigaya said, rolling his eyes. "Blaming the rules instead of addressing your shortcomings. The theme here is 'freedom.' If you can't control Shinohara and the others, it's on you, not the rules."
"…Hmm."
The mention of her brother made Horikita's expression darken momentarily, but she quickly masked her irritation. It seemed she had learned something from the encounter with Ryuen.
"In any case, Hirata's situation is precarious. I wanted to make you aware," she said.
"That's convenient, but you don't genuinely care about Hirata," Hikigaya retorted, seeing through Horikita's intent. She wanted him to do the heavy lifting.
Yet, he had to admit, Hirata was indeed a concern. If Hirata had indeed hidden information with malicious intent, he deserved the consequences. But if he was genuinely struggling, the situation was more complex.
Sighing internally, Hikigaya turned to Horikita.
"By the way, why do I get the feeling you haven't done anything significant on this exam?"
"I—I just haven't found my opportunity!"
Horikita's pride was wounded by Hikigaya's bluntness, and she struggled to refute his claim. After all, Hikigaya had found the Class A leader on the very first day, so his contributions were evident.
"Don't be naive; the solution is right in front of you."
Hikigaya was inwardly amused as Horikita took the bait. He maintained a composed exterior.
"…Unfortunately, it's not my area of expertise," Horikita admitted begrudgingly. "Besides, if I can't resolve the issue with Hirata, why would anyone listen to me?"
"No, you might be more effective than Hirata," Hikigaya countered.
In his view, only two people could manage this debacle: Horikita or Kushida. Both had the potential to mediate—one had connections with all groups, while the other had none, making them seemingly impartial.
Kushida, however, would avoid getting involved to steer clear of any blame.
So, Horikita, who was concerned about class unity and promotion, would take on the task. It was a pity the rift between boys and girls had grown so deep. Even if it could be mended, achieving class unity and defeating other classes seemed like an impossible dream.
Hikigaya's main goal was stabilizing Hirata. The thought of Hirata potentially harming himself was something Hikigaya could not ignore.
Even if the risk was minimal, he wasn't prepared to take that chance.
Who says he doesn't value his peace of mind?