"So our class is completely lifeless now."
"Yeah. Anyone would feel down after getting zero points."
"I feel so sorry for the students who actually pay attention in class."
At lunchtime in early May, I chatted about what had happened that morning with Sakayanagi and Shiina, just like usual.
Since both Sakayanagi and Shiina had plenty of personal points, the mood wasn't all that gloomy.
"But are you really going to be okay, Hikigaya? No matter how much you cut back, it must be hard to get by with zero points. If you're having trouble, I can lend you some."
Sakayanagi said.
Come to think of it, she still didn't know I'd been earning points by betting on chess.
"That'd be a bit much to ask. How about a hundred thousand to start..."
"Ah, Hikigaya!"
Just then, one of the older members of the Chess Club suddenly chimed in.
Sakayanagi and Shiina both looked intrigued. Was it really that unusual for me to talk to someone else?
"Come play again once you get your points in May. I'm going to win back what I lost yesterday, with interest."
"...Are you sure? Challenging me right at the start of the month..."
Betting on chess two days in a row was a bit much...
"No worries, no worries. I'm a third-year, so my points will be forfeited if I don't use them anyway, and I don't have any other hobbies. Well, I'll get going. Come by anytime!"
After saying that, the upperclassman went back over to his friends.
Since he was looking forward to it so much, I'd go ahead and earn some points without holding back.
Someone gently poked my shoulder. When I turned around, Sakayanagi was watching me with keen interest.
"Judging by that conversation, you've been earning points by betting on chess, haven't you, Hikigaya?"
Well, anyone who'd heard that conversation should have figured it out.
"Something like that. Yesterday, I went to the Chess Club to try my hand at it, partly to earn some spending money and partly to improve my skills."
"I see. I'm glad to see your skills improving, Hikigaya. By the way, how much did you earn?"
Knowing Sakayanagi wasn't the type to go around telling everyone, I showed her my phone screen.
Even she was surprised by the amount, and her eyes widened in a rare display of emotion.
"That's an astonishing amount. I thought it would be two or three hundred thousand at most."
"I was betting a hundred or two hundred thousand in the second half. So I'm completely fine on points now."
"That's good to hear. It'd be rough staying in Class D without a source of income."
"Yeah. I heard they're holding a meeting after school to discuss ways to earn points."
"Are you going, Hikigaya?"
Shiina asked, but honestly, I had no reason to go.
I never chatted, played on my phone, or dozed off in class, and I had over eight hundred thousand points on hand. If I went to the Chess Club again today, I'd have enough to last me for more than a year.
Still...
"Depends how many people show up."
If a lot of people went, I'd show my face.
Otherwise, people might think I wasn't a team player, and that could cause trouble.
Though I doubted they'd come up with anything useful.
After all, Sudo, Ike, and Yamauchi, the ones responsible for our zero points, didn't seem the least bit remorseful.
Hirata and the other class leaders were considering how to avoid the threat of expulsion, but I couldn't care less.
If Shiina or Sakayanagi were at risk of being expelled, I might help, but one of them was in Class A and the other in Class C. I had little connection with the rest of the class, and I certainly wasn't obligated to help those irritating people.
"You're already famous throughout the year, yet you still hate drawing attention to yourself."
"Don't put it like that, Sakayanagi. Aren't you the one who caused all this?"
It was because she was always teasing me that everyone now thought I was a scumbag two-timing both of them.
Though at this point, I couldn't even be bothered to get angry.
"Speaking of which, is it okay for the three of us to hang out like this?"
After today's points were announced, the classes would surely start clashing over the competition for a place in Class A, and the students would turn against one another.
As for what the two of them thought...
"I'm not particularly attached to maintaining Class A's position. Of course, I'll cooperate with the class when necessary, but I won't take the initiative."
"Katsuragi and his faction are a nuisance, though. Just before coming to the cafeteria, Katsuragi warned me not to associate with you or Shiina."
Both of their reactions were as I'd expected.
Shiina was only interested in books, while Sakayanagi, as a central figure in Class A, was naturally restricted from associating with students from other classes.
"So you refused?"
"Yes. I told him I wasn't 'Sakayanagi Arisu of Class A,' but 'Sakayanagi Arisu, friend of Hikigaya Hachiman and Shiina Hiyori.'"
That was unexpected.
I hadn't thought Sakayanagi would say something like that.
"What about you, Hikigaya? Is it okay for you?"
"For now, no one's said anything because of the zero-point incident. Once things settle down, they might come after me."
The most annoying possibility was that they'd ask me to act as a spy.
That was especially plausible given that Shiina was in Class C.
But even if they asked, I wouldn't agree.
Besides, Shiina had no interest in class conflicts, and there was no way they could get information out of Sakayanagi.
"Anyway, I won't act on behalf of the class, and I won't change how things are now."
I'd never broken any school rules. I just wanted to keep things as they were.
I wasn't interested in a place in Class A to begin with, and even if I were to move up, I'd prefer to do so as an individual rather than as part of a class.
"That's just what I'd expect Hikigaya to say. By the way, now that we've just received our points, how about the three of us go to a café after school?"
After a month of painful lessons, I'd learned that there was no point in refusing Sakayanagi's invitation.
I nodded, and Shiina agreed too.
In the end, they added a shopping trip to the plans. If our classmates found out, they'd probably blow a fuse.
Though that would have been entirely misplaced resentment.
After school...
"That concludes our class meeting."
Chabashira-sensei said it flatly, ignoring the heavy, wake-like atmosphere in the classroom, then left without another word.
At the same time, more than ten students, led by Horikita, Sudo, and Koenji, began getting up and leaving.
With so many people heading out ahead of me, there was no reason for me to stay behind. I could go meet up with Sakayanagi and the others without a care.
I picked up my bag and was about to follow them when Hirata, the class leader, called out to me.
"Hikigaya, you never take part in discussions about increasing our class points. You're one of the top five students academically, and we need your help."
It was true that I ranked among the top five in class.
I didn't know how things were in the other classes, but I was considered one of the better students in ours.
However—
"Sorry, I already have plans."
You wanted me to put in time and effort for those people? Give me a break.
Instead of asking me, they'd be better off asking Horikita or Koenji, who had more potential.
Though they probably wouldn't agree, either.
"Tch. Isn't it just a date with Shiina and Sakayanagi?"
Yamauchi, who was leaning against the window and asking Ayanokoji's group to play a game with him, clicked his tongue and interjected.
I casually closed the classroom door. "It's not a date. The three of us are just going to a café and doing some shopping."
From behind the door, I immediately heard someone shout, "That's a date, though!" But I firmly denied it. After all, those two shouldn't have romantic feelings for me.
In the hallway, Shiina from Class C happened to be walking toward me.
"Hey, Shiina. Thanks for your hard work."
"You too, Hikigaya. Let's go pick up Sakayanagi."
"Sounds good."
As we headed toward the Class A classroom a little farther away—
"Student summons. Kiyotaka Ayanokoji and Hikigaya Hachiman of Class 1-D, please report to the faculty room immediately. Chabashira-sensei wishes to see you."
The announcement suddenly rang out. Shiina gave me a puzzled look. "You've been summoned? Did you do something?"
I had no idea, either.
Had I been inattentive in class?
I always listened carefully. If they were going to punish me, they'd have to punish the whole class.
Was it about dating?
That couldn't be it. If they wanted to investigate that, they would've done it already. And there was no reason for Ayanokoji to get dragged into it.
The most suspicious possibility was the betting game at the Chess Club...but the supervising teacher had been there and hadn't stopped us, so it probably wasn't that.
Besides, I couldn't figure out why they'd summon both me and Ayanokoji, whose low profile was the envy of everyone.
"...Anyway, I'll go see what it's about. Please let Sakayanagi know."
"Okay. See you later."
After saying goodbye to Shiina, I hurried toward the faculty room.
It was annoying to get summoned just when I was about to go eat dessert at a café.
What's more, the faculty room always reminded me of the dark history of getting beaten black and blue by that violent teacher who was obsessed with Alter Ego Warrior. Come to think of it, an actor I'd seen in an adult movie looked exactly like that violent teacher. Could it actually have been him?
He looked so irritating that I hadn't bought it.
As I was lost in thought, I reached a T-junction—
Bam!
"Whoa!"
"Ah!"
I crashed hard into a girl who came rushing around the corner.
Before you continue