"Ooka..."
Hayama looked at the curled-up figure on the floor, the boy with messy brown hair groaning in pain while clutching his back. He hadn't spoken yet when Tobe angrily cut in.
"So you're the one who did this, Ooka!"
Tobe grabbed Ooka by the collar and pulled him up from the floor. "Why did you do this? We actually considered you a friend!"
"Cough cough!"
The tight grip on his collar caused Ooka to cough instinctively.
"…Friend?"
He scoffed, then forcefully pulled away from Tobe's hands. "I can't believe you'd even say something like that."
"What did you say?!"
Tobe's eyebrows shot up, glaring at him fiercely. Ooka met his gaze without flinching, glaring back and sneering, "What friend? From the start, we were just Hayama's 'friends,' right?"
"You've spent so much time with Hayama, do you really think you've become as popular as him?"
"You noisy, annoying guy! And him—so stiff and dull! And me—so short and stupid… Without Hayama, nobody would want to deal with any of us, would they?"
Ooka pointed his finger at Tobe, then at Yamato, and finally at himself.
Tobe and Yamato were stunned by his sudden outburst, unable to say a word.
"Without Hayama, we have no connection at all!"
He screamed hysterically, "So what's wrong with wanting to kick you guys out to stay in a group with Hayama?!"
Hikigaya Hachiman, standing off to the side, muttered under his breath, keeping his eyes down, "In the end, your relationship is just this kind of fake thing."
Even though Hikigaya Hachiman lowered his voice intentionally, Ooka still caught the words.
He turned around sharply, glaring at Hikigaya, his angry gaze meeting those lifeless dead-fish eyes. "What would you know, you guy nobody even knows in class!? I did this because I didn't want to end up like you, ignored and unnoticed by everyone!"
Hikigaya Hachiman turned his gaze away, he was too lazy to argue with Ooka, but inside, he was filled with disdain for him.
So what if he was ignored? So what if no one cared?
That's how he had always lived, and he was doing just fine, wasn't he?
Relying on groups, like those social leeches who live off the atmosphere, was the real weakness in his eyes—those who didn't deserve to walk the path of solitude.
But he couldn't be bothered to argue with the other person. In fact, people like Ooka who chased after a certain atmosphere were the true reflection of most people. They just weren't as extreme as he was.
Wasn't Yuigahama Yui like that too?
It seemed like Ooka had finally vented all his pent-up emotions, as he fell silent, breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling.
"Are you done?"
Yukinoshita Yukino, who had been silent the whole time, crossed her arms and coldly watched the scene of the little group's argument. "If you're done, please leave the Service Club."
"What a pointless drama. Just watching it has hurt my eyes."
She coldly commented.
Ooka's anger, which had almost died down, flared up again like it had been doused with oil.
"What did you say?!"
He took a step toward the girl but then remembered how easily she had thrown him out earlier, so he silently pulled his foot back. "What could someone like you, who's popular, understand…"
"You're right, I don't understand."
Yukinoshita Yukino slightly tilted her head, and a haughty arrogance showed in her demeanor. "I don't understand people like you. I don't understand why the gap between people is so large that some can't even grasp simple truths. I don't even understand how you can be human like me."
"People like you lower the value of being human."
Her harsh words came one after another, making people wonder how such cold, cutting remarks could come from a small mouth.
"You despicable woman...!"
Before Ooka could even try to respond, Yukinoshita Yukino relentlessly continued her attack.
"So, you want to be liked by attaching yourself to Hayama Haruto? You can't team up with him during the workplace visit, so you casually slander others? And now you're trying to justify your pathetic and despicable actions by using Masayoshi's position?"
"Stop making me laugh."
"The reason you need to please Hayama, the reason you rely on the group to survive in school, is simple."
"It's because you're too weak."
"You, who aren't good enough, don't try to improve yourself or become better, but instead, you resort to these dirty tricks and do such things. And now you want to defend yourself?"
Yukinoshita Yukino looked at him, her eyes filled with pity. "What's the matter? No words left? If you want to rebut, feel free."
"I'll make sure you understand how ugly you are."
"Yukinoshita, enough..."
Hayama Haruto, unable to watch any longer, spoke up, trying to stop her.
Yukinoshita Yukino shot him a cold glance and asked, "Do you want to realize your own ugliness as well?"
"No, there's no need..."
Hayama quietly closed his mouth.
Ooka was thoroughly beaten with words. Though he was furious inside, he didn't know how to respond. He just clenched his fists and, feeling humiliated, stormed out of the Service Club.
Hayama Haruto reached out toward the door, as if to say something to keep Ooka from leaving, but in the end, he lowered his hand.
It was better to let Ooka leave and cool down. He himself also needed some time to calm down.
"Anyway, I'll talk to Ooka again tomorrow."
Even though he did something like this, Hayama Hayato still considered him his friend. If he could get him to change and make up with Tobe Yamato, that would be the best outcome.
Even if they can't reconcile, Hayama would still make Tobe and the others keep this matter quiet. He didn't want Ooka to go through a hated school life, possibly even being forced to transfer schools.
"To be honest, I can't even be angry at Ooka anymore."
Tobe said softly, "I just feel sorry for him."
At the same time, he realized one thing: never mess with Yukinoshita Yukino.
...
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