Reading Group

"It's not necessarily so. Although they're poor academically, what if there are athletic assessments? Sudo might be more useful than you."

Hachiman Hikigaya voiced another perspective, and Horikita stopped walking.

"Why do you think that?"

Hearing her question, Hachiman Hikigaya raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Because this school claims to prioritize ability, I'm guessing the assessments it gives us definitely won't be limited to written exams.

If we want to graduate from Class A, that means we have to become the class with the strongest overall ability. Looking at it that way, academic ability isn't the only condition for reaching Class A."

Horikita fell silent, and Hachiman Hikigaya did not interrupt her thoughts, quietly waiting for her to consider it.

"Even if the truth really is as you say, if Sudo refuses to cooperate, his value isn't that high."

That was true. An uncontrollable person—even if there were athletic assessments, as long as Sudo was unwilling to contribute to the class, his presence could only count as a negative rather than combat strength that helped the class.

"You really do have a sharp way of looking at things, whether it's the strange points situation or the content of the assessments."

Horikita narrowed her eyes and stared at Hachiman Hikigaya. "While tutoring you, I realized something. Although there are many things you seem not to understand, you're not actually as stupid as I imagined.

Could it be that you deliberately failed this exam? Were you hiding your ability?"

Hachiman Hikigaya stiffened, hurriedly forcing a smile onto his face as he waved his hand in denial.

"How could that be? That exam was connected to expulsion. I wouldn't dare hide my ability or anything.

I just like reading detective novels and manga, like Detective Conan. So I often think about things, which is why I came up with that."

Horikita frowned. She could not find the slightest trace of a lie on Hachiman Hikigaya's face, so she could only abandon that bizarre idea.

Someone who scored nine points in English did not look like someone hiding his ability, no matter how she looked at it.

If he wanted to hide it, he would not do something so conspicuous.

With sweat running down their backs, the two returned to their respective Dormitories.

"Whew, I really can't let my guard down!" Hachiman Hikigaya wiped away his sweat.

He wanted to cultivate Horikita's leadership abilities ahead of time, but the more hints he gave her at once, the more things she noticed were wrong.

Some things were not meant to be known at this stage.

The weekend arrived, and just as promised, Horikita tutored Hachiman Hikigaya alone after school every day.

Today, however, that changed.

The exceptionally capable Ayanokoji finally brought over the Idiot Trio, planning to have Horikita tutor them.

"Hachiman Hikigaya is here too."

At the Library, Hachiman Hikigaya was the last to arrive. The group of two girls and four boys looked especially strange, while Kushida was as gentle as ever.

Every member of the Idiot Trio wore an impatient expression. Ike and Yamauchi even chatted with Kushida from time to time.

It was obvious they had no interest whatsoever in a reading group. Their purpose was clear enough.

Sudo did not seem particularly fond of Kushida. Although Kushida appeared when the three of them chatted normally, he was not very interested in her.

He stood with his arms folded, looking too restless to stay quiet.

"Yes. After all, my grades are a complete disaster."

Hachiman Hikigaya smiled somewhat sheepishly, drawing hostile looks from Ike and Yamauchi.

The two of them usually made no effort to hide their affection for Kushida in private, but only from each other.

If their opponent was a handsome guy like Hachiman Hikigaya, they would join forces and kick the formidable enemy out first.

"Stop talking nonsense and get over here. Let's start already. Time waits for no one."

Horikita still wore her icy expression, forming a sharp contrast with the smiling Kushida across from her.

Hachiman Hikigaya did not say anything else. At times like this, it was best not to step on any landmines carelessly, or he would die horribly.

The reading group officially began after he took his seat, though it did not last long.

Just as Hachiman Hikigaya had said, Horikita's arrogant behavior and sharp tongue quickly angered the hot-tempered Sudo.

"If I were a coach, I would never give someone like you a chance to play."

"What did you say?!"

Sudo slammed a hand on the table and grabbed Horikita by the collar with the other, completely disregarding her gender as he glared at her ferociously.

Horikita was not afraid, calmly meeting his gaze.

"An idiot like you should just drop out early and obediently find a job. In any case, I can't see any determination in you to remain at this school."

"You bitch, you really piss me off!"

Sudo clenched his fist and swung his right arm at Horikita.

Kushida and Ayanokoji both anxiously tried to stop him, but they were still one step too late.

Just as his fist was about to hit Horikita's face, a sharp slap rang through the air.

"Okay, okay, that's enough, Sudo. Hitting women isn't very gentlemanly, you know."

A smiling face blocked Horikita from view. Hachiman Hikigaya appeared in front of her, and Sudo's fist struck his palm, unable to move forward another inch.

"Move aside! I'm going to teach that ignorant bitch a lesson!"

Perhaps it was the bond they had formed during the last swimming class that made Sudo unwilling to lay a hand on this man.

"No can do. I'm Horikita's knight in shining armor. I can't just stand by and watch her get hurt."

"Don't decide that on your own, idiot."

A hand chop struck his waist, making Hachiman Hikigaya bare his teeth in pain.

"Hmph! I'm not joining any stupid reading group!"

Seeing Hachiman Hikigaya looking determined not to move even if it killed him, Sudo could only angrily pack up his things and leave the Library.

"Actually, we can pass the midterms without a reading group. I only came because of little Kushida. If Horikita is going to look down on people like this, I don't think I need to continue."

Ike packed up as well, following Sudo out with an irritated look on his face.

A perfectly good reading group ended on an unhappy note.

Seeing that both his friends had left, Yamauchi prepared to leave too.

"Wait, Yamauchi." Hachiman Hikigaya grabbed his shoulder with a pained expression.

"What?"

Yamauchi glared at him in displeasure. Hachiman Hikigaya looked embarrassed. "Could you help me out? I suffered internal injuries."

"What a pain. Get Ayanokoji to help you!"

"I can pay you two thousand points."

"You said it. No taking it back."

As the saying went, money talked. Yamauchi changed his attitude faster than turning a page, afraid Hachiman Hikigaya would change his mind.

Although the points he offered were not much, for Yamauchi, who had no money and survived each day on free food, two thousand points was already a huge sum.

"Are you okay, Hachiman Hikigaya?"

Kushida looked at Hachiman Hikigaya worriedly, genuinely believing he had been seriously injured.