"I've said my piece, Great Bodhisattva Hachiman. Now it's your turn to tell us about this friend of yours..." Looking at Hikigaya's dark expression, Sogo Doma guessed that perhaps his face had darkened because his speech had been interrupted. So, out of the goodness of his heart, he gave him a chance to speak.
Unfortunately, Hachiman Hikigaya did not seem to appreciate Sogo Doma's good intentions. Even though he had handed him the microphone, Hikigaya chose silence. "..."
Damn it, the flimsy cover of "I have a friend" had already been ripped away. How was he supposed to say it now?
"Shizuka..." However, his silence did not mean no one else would speak. For instance, Ms. Takahashi could not help murmuring, "This student..."
"Just ignore him!"
"Huh?"
"Ms. Hiratsuka, you..." Sogo Doma felt insulted that she had actually told someone to ignore him.
Unfortunately, Shizuka Hiratsuka truly had no intention of paying him any attention, as she spoke at the same time he did. "And you too, Hikigaya. Although I'm no longer your homeroom teacher, I still..."
"Yes..." Having often been lectured by teachers, Hachiman Hikigaya merely responded absentmindedly.
"..." That attitude immediately left Shizuka Hiratsuka at a loss for words. "Forget it..."
It could not be helped. Just as she had said, she was no longer his homeroom teacher. Given her influence, she could still force him to listen even without that role, but without the title of homeroom teacher, lecturing him would feel somewhat unjustified.
"Phew..." Hachiman Hikigaya breathed a sigh of relief.
"Shizuka, you..." However, Ms. Takahashi at her side could no longer hold back. After hearing Sogo Doma's analysis, she had more or less guessed that Hachiman Hikigaya had likely experienced exclusion and isolation himself. And based on what she knew of Shizuka Hiratsuka, there was