As a sister-con, Hachiman Hikigaya felt no joy at all when faced with the sympathetic look in his little sister's eyes. Instead, he anxiously said, "Don't listen to his nonsense..."
Yumiko Miura and the others felt the same. They might not think much of Hikigaya, but they weren't about to grind him into the mud, were they?
"Great Bodhisattva Hachiman, do you really think I'm talking nonsense?"
"..." Hachiman Hikigaya fell silent for a moment after being interrupted, then said without hesitation, "Doma, I don't know what you're trying to say, but I've never experienced any bullying, and I..."
Before he could finish, Sogo Doma suddenly said, "Curry-Smelling Freak?"
"..." Hachiman Hikigaya choked up again before he finally blurted out, "Why do you know about that..."
"Hikigaya..." As he roared, Sogo Doma said, "Do you know what it means when they say every wrongdoing leaves a trace?"
"I'm asking why you know!" Back when he had spilled curry and been labeled the Curry-Smelling Freak—the curry smell was apparently like an old man's smell—the days had been unbearably humiliating. It was only after middle school that the matter gradually faded away, to the point where he had even dared to confess. Unfortunately, a confession from Hikigaya was practically suicide...
"Is that all you care about?" Sogo Doma asked. "Hikigaya, why aren't you curious about why no one brings up your Curry Freak nickname anymore...?"
"Time..." Hachiman Hikigaya answered without even thinking.
"No!" Sogo Doma said as soon as he spoke. "Time may be the ultimate tool for smoothing over everything, but Hikigaya, the reason no one brings up that awful nickname of yours is simply because everyone grew up..."
"They grew up?"
"Yes, they grew up..." Sogo Doma nodded firmly, then continued, "Hikigaya, do you know? Children make countless mistakes as