At the high school with its 480 students, the number of staff in the various facilities exceeded expectations. Consequently, even somewhat well-known chain stores were present on campus.
Among these was Tenkaippin, a famous ramen shop with branches across the country.
Unfortunately, Chiba didn't have one, so Hikigaya had only visited the original Kyoto location once, during a middle school field trip with Hiratsuka-sensei and...
"Hey, what's wrong?"
Just as Hikigaya was about to drift into his memories, Kamuro's voice snapped him back to reality.
"Don't you like that place? If you want, you can choose where to go. I'm fine with any ramen spot."
"...No, that place is quite good."
Hikigaya shook his head and observed Kamuro with curiosity, stroking his chin.
"I'm just surprised that you care about this kind of thing."
"Huh? Isn't it normal to be concerned about these things?" Kamuro retorted, sounding slightly irritable.
It was true that most high school girls would be conscious of their surroundings and typically wouldn't venture into a ramen shop or buy roasted sweet potatoes alone.
However, hearing this from Kamuro, known for her reputation as a thief, made it seem somewhat odd.
"It's fine. If you're still single at thirty, you won't care about such things…"
Hikigaya's comment was abruptly cut off by a sudden chill, causing him to shiver. He hesitated, not daring to continue. If the pressure had come from Kamuro, it might have made sense, but the reality was different.
So, who could it be...
Or maybe it was just his imagination?
"Anyway, let's get going before we have to wait in line."
"Uh…" Kamuro, however, remained still, scrutinizing him with a frown.
"Hey, don't you think you should change your clothes?"
"Why?"
"Don't you feel hot?" Kamuro averted her gaze for some reason. "Not that I mean anything by it, but wearing your school uniform outside might make you overheat."
"I'm fine. At least I took off my jacket."
As Hikigaya said this, he reflected on his situation.
"Though it was hot at first, it's like working; you get used to it over time... Ah, I guess my family does have the blood of corporate slaves."
"Stop with the nonsense… Whatever, suit yourself."
Kamuro seemed somewhat regretful, leaving Hikigaya puzzled.
But that's just how she was sometimes; it wasn't a big deal.
The two left the dormitory area and headed to the Keyaki Shopping Center.
With summer vacation in full swing, the streets were packed with student groups, many of them couples... How irritating.
Incidentally, although it's a societal stereotype, a man and a woman going out together on a day off are often assumed to be dating.
Fortunately, Hikigaya was in his school uniform, so there was no worry about unnecessary misunderstandings.
Upon entering Tenkaippin, they found the place quite crowded.
The counter seats were nearly all occupied, and there weren't even two seats together.
However, eating ramen meant sitting at the counter, and listening to the sounds of slurping—it made the experience more enjoyable.
That's common sense in Japan!
"Kamuro, just sit here. I'll go to the other side… Just kidding, so don't give me that look."
Unfortunately, Kamuro's intense glare was so formidable that Hikigaya recoiled. It had seemed like a good idea...
But Hikigaya had no choice but to follow Kamuro to a separate table and pick up the menu.
Though he didn't need to look, since they were at Tenkaippin, he naturally intended to order their famous ramen.
"...Hey, do you have any recommendations?"
After flipping through the menu, Kamuro frowned slightly, appearing uncertain, and asked for expert advice.
"What type are you looking for? Light or rich?" Hikigaya inquired.
"Uh…"
Kamuro glanced around the tables, then leaned closer to Hikigaya with a slightly perplexed expression.
"Hey, what's that? Does it have cheese in it?"
"That's the super-rich ramen broth. The flavor is fantastic."
"The broth…"
Hikigaya understood Kamuro's hesitation. A broth so thick it could coat the noodles was indeed not something most girls would easily accept.
But that's exactly what made it delicious!
"You're not thinking of ordering that, are you?"
Kamuro's expression suggested she found the idea absurd, lacking in manners.
"You don't understand. That's the true delicacy." Hikigaya said with a hint of pride. "But for someone like you, a light ramen would be better; it's good too."
"Huh? What do you mean, 'someone like you'?"
"Not... I mean, don't girls usually worry about calories and such?"
It seemed he had accidentally touched a nerve. Hikigaya had to find a way to make amends.
"Of course, Kamuro, you're the exception. You have a great figure, so you don't need to worry about gaining weight."
"...Idiot."
Kamuro turned her head dismissively. Perhaps it was due to the shop's insufficient air conditioning, but her ears were slightly red.
He had intended to compliment her, yet she ended up insulted...
Oh well, maybe she's just being tsundere!
In the end, they both ordered the super-rich ramen set with gyoza. Although they had considered adding a bowl of rice, they decided against it to avoid overeating.
While waiting for their food to arrive, Hikigaya recalled there was something he could ask Kamuro about.
"By the way, do you happen to have Katsuragi's phone number?"
"Hm? Katsuragi?" Kamuro asked, her chin propped up by one hand, a look of disbelief crossing her face. "Why the sudden interest? Are you trying to reach him for something?"
"Well... it's not that important," Hikigaya replied, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. He hesitated to divulge too much, not wanting to intrude into someone else's private matters.
Of course, if it were about him, he wouldn't mind it being known. He wished the world could recognize how adorable his little sister Komachi was.
"I wanted to get Katsuragi a birthday present," Hikigaya admitted.
Kamuro nearly choked on her drink. "Cough! Cough!"
"Are you okay?" she asked, clearly taken aback. The concern in her voice hinted at a more profound question, one that seemed to ask if Hikigaya had lost his mind.
"I'm fine," Hikigaya assured. "It's just a small token of gratitude for helping my team achieve the top result in the Special Treatment Exam. It's just a thank-you gift."
Strictly speaking, Hikigaya wasn't lying. He said it was a birthday gift but never mentioned whose birthday it was.
"Oh, in that case, I can ask around," Kamuro said, pulling out her phone. "A few of Katsuragi's supporters were on my team during the last exam... although, it seems like there aren't many of them left now."
It appeared Katsuragi had indeed withdrawn from the leadership contest, just as he had announced.
"Please wait a moment. They haven't responded yet."
"Sure."
There was no need to rush, but Kamuro seemed to have something else on her mind.
"Hikigaya... could we discuss the Special Treatment Exam if you have some time?"
"Sure," Hikigaya agreed readily.
Kamuro quickly added, "Just to clarify, this isn't something Sakayanagi asked me to investigate. I'm simply curious on my own."
"Haha, I believe you," Hikigaya replied with a smile. "Even if it were Sakayanagi's orders, feel free to ask anything. I'll tell you whatever I know."
"...You seem to have become quite composed," Kamuro remarked.
"Do I?" Hikigaya said, slightly taken aback. His mindset had indeed shifted somewhat. He had decided to take Sakayanagi, this potentially destabilizing element, more seriously.
"Then, I'd like to ask about Kushida from your class," Kamuro said, getting straight to the point. "As you know, our class faced a total defeat in the exam. On the surface, it looks like Class B gained the most, but the true reason isn't solely related to Ryuen."
Hikigaya nodded. "That's correct. Kushida and Ryuen set a trap for your class."
"You knew, huh..." Kamuro seemed unsurprised, though there was a hint of misunderstanding in her eyes.
"Let's be clear—I only saw through their scheme, I wasn't involved. I was merely a convenient pawn."
At that time, Kushida had staged a little espionage act to gather information on Hikigaya, but it was only incidental. Even if Hikigaya had been someone else, the scheme would have worked with minor adjustments.
In reality, the trap seemed aimed at Katsuragi, but it was designed with Hashimoto in mind. Kushida had used the information network of the girls to know that Hashimoto was always trying to gather gossip, so he intentionally leaked his evening plans to the class, fully anticipating Hashimoto's moves.
There's a saying, "Don't eat the grass near your burrow." Hashimoto, who fancied himself a charming playboy, was thoroughly outmaneuvered by the more scheming girls.
"Even you were made into a pawn," Kamuro marveled. "What's with your Class D? It seems like there are other troublesome individuals besides you."
"I'm not so bad," Hikigaya said, as the food was brought to their table.
The two of them paused their conversation, picking up their chopsticks and joining hands briefly in a customary gesture.
"I'm digging in."
The familiar taste of the rich ramen brought a sense of nostalgia for Hikigaya. Kamuro, on the other hand, hesitated for a moment before undoing her small side ponytail and gathering her long hair into a high ponytail, a gesture that reminded Hikigaya of his ramen-loving classmate Koizumi.
"Stop staring," Kamuro said, her tone slightly embarrassed.
"Sorry," Hikigaya replied, suddenly feeling awkward despite the situation having no real embarrassment at first.
They both quietly immersed themselves in their bowls of thick, flavorful ramen. Hikigaya had been worried Kamuro might not like the dish, but her enjoyment proved otherwise.
"This tastes even better than I imagined," Kamuro remarked, finishing her soup in one go. She looked ready to chat with Hikigaya but noticed he was intently watching the counter.
"What's wrong? What are you looking at?" she asked.
"Just... silently cursing that pair of rule-breaking lovebirds," Hikigaya muttered through gritted teeth. "Look at them, having a date in a ramen shop. And they're being all lovey-dovey at the counter... What a joke! This is against the rules! Don't they know how much it disrupts other customers? If they want to be romantic, they should go to Starbucks!"
Kamuro looked at him in bewilderment. Sometimes, it was hard to tell whether Hikigaya was brilliant or just foolish.
After a moment's pause, Kamuro suddenly lowered her head and called out to him, "Hey, Hikigaya."
"What?"
"If, according to your view, how would you describe our relationship from the perspective of other customers?"
"Our relationship?" Hikigaya froze, a strange feeling rising within him.
Though it might be one-sided, he certainly felt something he had never felt before in his interactions with Kamuro.
Was it... brotherly affection? Pain?
"Ouch! Why did you kick me?"
"Nothing just felt suddenly annoyed."
Annoyed? Was that a valid reason to hurt someone?
Hikigaya was taken aback. It seemed that being unreasonable was a privilege of girls; it looked like he and Kamuro were never going to be just buddies.
What a pity!
After finishing their ramen, they strolled around the shopping center to digest before parting ways and returning to their respective dorms. Hikigaya managed to get Katsuragi's contact information, a testament to Kamuro's impressive social skills—perhaps even surpassing some others.
Back in his room, Hikigaya promptly reached out to Katsuragi, revealing his identity and inviting him over.
Soon, the doorbell rang.
"Sorry for the intrusion."
"Come in," Hikigaya said, opening the door and ushering Katsuragi inside. He then poured a cup of tea.
"Your room is quite tidy, not what I expected from your appearance," Katsuragi commented.
"What impression did you have of me? Dead-eyed or gloomy?" Hikigaya asked with a hint of sarcasm.
"No, I just didn't expect you to have an interest in collecting small trinkets," Katsuragi said, pointing to the plush toy on the bedside. Hikigaya hoped Katsuragi would overlook it.
"I clean up every week," Hikigaya said, brushing off the comment, and gestured for Katsuragi to sit. He handed him the tea.
"You came to talk about the gift, right?" Katsuragi asked, his voice tinged with anxiety. "Did something go wrong? Was there an issue? Whatever it is, please tell me. I promise not to make a fuss."
"Don't worry, it's a good thing," Hikigaya reassured him.
With that, he pulled out a paper bag from his backpack and set it before Katsuragi.
"Anyway, happy early birthday."
"Hm? What's this about?" Katsuragi asked, puzzled.
"Open it and see for yourself."
Curiosity piqued, Katsuragi opened the bag and his eyes widened in surprise.
"This is from your sister..."
"It's cookies made by Amane!" Hikigaya started to explain, but Katsuragi's surprised exclamation interrupted him.
Wow, Katsuragi could even recognize the smell. It seemed his obsession with his sister wasn't trivial.
So his sister's name is Amane—what a lovely name.
Hikigaya watched as Katsuragi, overjoyed and nearly incoherent, opened the gift. If others, especially from Class C, saw this, it would surely be quite a shock.
Katsuragi soon regained his composure.
"If I'm not mistaken, you arranged this, didn't you?" Katsuragi asked, still puzzled. "But why go out of your way to help me? There's no reason for it."
"It was just a convenience," Hikigaya said, waving dismissively. "Alright, you've got the gift. You can leave now."
"Sigh... you are an odd guy."
However, Katsuragi didn't leave immediately. Instead, he smiled and offered the paper bag back to Hikigaya.
"If you don't mind, would you like to try some?"
"...Sure, just a bit."
Hikigaya hesitated but eventually took a piece. He was curious about how other people's sisters baked.
Of course, nothing could surpass Komachi's baking!
Crunch—
With a crisp sound, Hikigaya finished the cookie and quietly nodded. It tasted quite good, though it was still no match for Komachi's cookies.
Katsuragi, still in good spirits, turned to leave, leaving Hikigaya with a lingering thought: Could Katsuragi's sister be the best cook in the world? Or perhaps, he just thought so.
"Quite salty!"
Katsuragi chuckled, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Yes, indeed. Since Amane knows I have a preference for savory over sweet, she often bakes these salty crackers for me. I end up eating quite a lot of them every time."
"I see... Remember to drink plenty of water," came the advice.
Even something as simple as this could bring him such joy. It was clear that Katsuragi's devotion to his sister was a matter of fact.
How easily even his taste buds could be deceived...
Indeed, the depths of sibling affection could be rather formidable.