Two Incidents

Hearing Hachiman's answer, Manabe's face turned pale. When she raised her head, tears were already shimmering in her eyes.

"Sorry."

Hachiman said nothing more. He simply waved and left the scene.

If someone pursued a relationship just for the sake of dating without knowing the other person, that would be unfair to the girl.

If it had been Horikita, or perhaps Sato or Wang Meiyu, Hachiman might have agreed without hesitation.

But this was Manabe. He did not even know who she was, so how could he possibly accept her confession?

Hurting women was something I, Hachiman Hikigaya, could not do!

Probably...

Hachiman left, giving Manabe a dignified space.

The envelope slowly drifted from her hand. Manabe wrapped her arms around herself and helplessly crouched on the ground, looking as though she was crying because her confession had been rejected.

Perhaps this was simply part of the growth that came with youth.

When Hachiman returned to the classroom, he found that his lunch box was gone. The moment he sat down, he heard Horikita's mocking voice.

"Someone brings you lunch, then even takes the lunch box back to wash it herself. You really are quite the young master."

"Nothing special. I just benefit from being handsome."

"Tch!"

Time passed as usual. As they said, people could not possess both youth and an awareness of youth.

Even though he had experienced the joys of youth at this school, class time was still as unbearable as ever.

Fortunately, all time eventually came to an end, and today's classes finally finished.

Hachiman stretched, his energy returning to normal.

"Hachiman, Sudo, come with me for a moment."

The two who had been called both froze, struck by an inexplicable sense of dread.

During their school days, what students feared most was probably being called to the teachers' office.

"What is it? I still have club activities to attend."

"Whether you come is up to you, but I will not be responsible for what happens afterward."

"Got it."

Sudo followed her out with an impatient look, and Hachiman left with them.

The three of them arrived at the faculty office. At the door, they spotted a beautiful female teacher.

"Hey, Sae. Bringing students in for some secret training?"

"Don't joke about that!"

"Sure, sure."

The teacher smiled and waved as she passed them.

When she walked past Hachiman, she quietly said something to him.

"Sae can have quite a bad temper sometimes. You boys should be careful."

"Thanks for the warning. I'll keep that in mind."

Chie Hoshinomiya, the homeroom teacher of Class B, was also Sae Chabashira's former classmate.

Hachiman and Sudo entered the office together. Sitting on the soft sofa, Sudo anxiously shook his leg.

"What bad thing did you do? You look guilty as hell."

Hachiman asked with malicious amusement.

Sudo stared at him in disbelief, then slapped Hachiman on the back and snapped, "I didn't do anything! I just want to get to practice already.

They'll be deciding who gets to compete in the national tournament soon. How could I waste my time here?"

Sudo's athletic ability was enviable. He had only enrolled two months ago, yet he was already about to represent the school in a major competition.

If his temperament were a little better and he did not look so intimidating, Sudo would probably be quite popular with girls too.

After all, girls at this age seemed especially fond of athletes.

"A competition? I'm afraid you won't have that opportunity."

Chabashira poured cold water on him as she sat across from them expressionlessly.

"Huh? What kind of joke is that?"

Sudo was somewhat enraged. Even in front of a teacher, he could not restrain his bad temper.

Chabashira was not intimidated by his emotions and calmly stared at them.

"Today, I received two complaint letters from the school. First: Sudo Ken is suspected of intentionally injuring two students from Class C, assaulting both of them on his own."

Without paying attention to Sudo's stunned expression, Chabashira turned toward Hachiman.

"Second: Hachiman Hikigaya is suspected of intentionally assaulting Shiho Manabe, a female student from Class C. He allegedly attempted to force himself on her, failed, and then threatened her into cooperating with him next time."

"Huh?"

Sudo had not even processed the accusation against himself when he heard the second one. He stared blankly at the calm Hachiman beside him.

"You two, do you understand what you have done?"

Chabashira's gaze was terrifyingly sharp, especially when she looked at Hachiman. As a woman herself, she despised Hachiman's alleged actions even more.

"What kind of joke is this? Stop talking nonsense! How could we possibly do something like that?"

Sudo slapped the desk in dissatisfaction, utterly unable to accept a single word Chabashira had said.

"I'm not joking with you. Your actions are enough to get you expelled. The school may even hand Hachiman over to the police."

"What vile behavior."

Chabashira sighed. Two major incidents in one day were truly giving her a headache.

"No way! They must be framing us! How can you just believe them so casually?"

Sudo's temper had been ignited, and there was no stopping it now.

"A frame-up? If that is what you believe, then bring me proof."

"Proof? How could there possibly be any proof?"

Chabashira shook her head and said, "It seems you still have not realized how serious your mistakes are.

The school has not denied you the chance to defend yourselves. You have only one week.

After school next Tuesday, if you still cannot produce evidence, you will face expulsion."

There was no room for doubt in Chabashira's tone. No matter how angry Sudo was, he could not say anything more.

"Damn it!!"

After leaving the office, Sudo kicked the stairway railing in a blazing rage.

"It has to be those bastards framing us. What a bunch of scumbags."

Hachiman calmly watched Sudo throw his tantrum, already having a general grasp of the situation.

The two cases had one thing in common: both alleged victims were from Class C.

Combined with Ryuen's earlier provocation, the mastermind behind this had already revealed himself.

Hachiman simply had not expected Ryuen to carry out this plan so openly.

He had taken the plan that originally targeted only Sudo and added Hachiman to it as well.

What a man who truly did not know the meaning of fear!

Hachiman sighed. He had thought he had encountered a once-in-a-century confession from a girl, only for it to turn out like this.

Was this not just bullying an honest man?

"But Hachiman, you really didn't do that kind of thing, right?"

Seeing that Hachiman had shown no reaction from beginning to end and did not look like someone who had been falsely accused at all, Sudo asked uncertainly.

The corner of Hachiman's mouth twitched, and he kicked Sudo in the ass.

"Of course I didn't, idiot!"