"That doesn't mean I agree with your point of view..."
"Uh...!" Sogo Doma shrugged noncommittally. After all, he had never expected to persuade an adult whose worldview had already taken shape with just a few words. In the end, his original goal had merely been to keep himself out of the mess. "But you don't have the right to stop me from speaking or interfere with other people's decisions, either, Sensei."
"..." Shizuka Hiratsuka suddenly felt there was a reason she hated politicians.
"Of course, Sensei Hiratsuka can also use her status as a teacher to interfere with her students..."
"Wait a minute!" Before Sogo Doma could finish, the hot-blooded female teacher could no longer hold back. "I only wanted you to change—"
"Which is why I said you're the arrogant one, Sensei, isn't it?" Before she could finish, Sogo Doma once again emphasized the point in the form of a question.
"???"
"May I ask, Sensei, did you start paying attention to Hikigaya because he had no friends? Or did you start paying attention to him because the Yukinoshita Family's car hit him and caused him to have no friends?" Shizuka Hiratsuka: "..." Hadn't she already answered that question?
"If you began paying attention to Hikigaya because of the latter..." Sogo Doma was obviously not bringing up old matters. "Then wouldn't giving him an opportunity to enter a circle be the way to make him change?"
"..." Shizuka Hiratsuka still could not refute that.
"And judging from Hayato and the others' reactions, it shouldn't have been difficult for you to see, Sensei. I already created that opportunity for Hikigaya, but unfortunately, he didn't want to be shaped into Hayato's mold." As Sogo Doma spoke, he wore a smile of apparent understanding.
"So..." Shizuka Hiratsuka seemed to realize something. "Is