Kushida: "What Do You Want?" Hachiman: "I Want You!" (Part 2)

As the class's little angel, and with her adorable looks, even Hachiman's heart skipped a beat several times.

But this time...

But they are different.

She took his hand.

But not something like holding hands to transfer heat.

Instead... she grabbed his hand and suddenly pressed it against her own ominous sign.

This instantaneous action, or rather, the tactile sensation, seemed to freeze Hachiman's thoughts.

But.

"Your fingerprints have already been left here."

The now-darkened Kushida seemed to have become extremely clear-headed and calm, his expression icy yet possessing an undeniable persuasive power, as he coldly stated,

"Normally, it would be impossible to leave a fingerprint of the opposite sex in such a location."

"Unless they are a couple."

"Instead of being a couple..." she paused.

"I could easily spread rumors that you wanted to rape me, and Horikita was your accomplice."

"In other words, even if you release the recording, I am still innocent," Kushida said coldly.

Um.

Hachiman retracted his assessment of Kushida because she had come up with a countermeasure in such a short time.

Indeed, Kushida believed that he had recorded the conversation, and that the recording would cause serious problems if it were leaked.

Her public image will collapse.

But.

If Kushida had spread the rumor that Hachiman had done something bad to her beforehand...

Then other people will have preconceived notions and think that these things are true.

Even if Hachiman spread the story of Kushida banging on the railing, it would still be connected to something by those with ulterior motives.

Of course, the order is reversed.

Because Hachiman wanted to rape her, and Suzune Horikita was an accomplice, Kushida's personality changed drastically, kicking the railing and cursing them.

So, can such a thing be trusted?

Yes.

Because.

After all, people are more willing to believe cute girls than boys.

They don't believe in principles, but rather in the side that seems weak and in need of protection.

"That's a good countermeasure idea," Hachiman said.

His left hand had already been put down by Kushida.

However, he did not lower his left hand completely, but instead clenched it slightly.

It's not about reminiscing about anything, but rather... this hand... I truly had an incredible experience today.

For the first time in my life, like a teenage boy... I was touched by a member of the opposite sex.

Rather, it's more accurate to say...

This was the first time I had ever touched a girl's body, and... it was the other person who initiated it.

"If I were thinking right now, 'Lucky, I touched a monster,' what would you think?" Hachiman asked, forcing himself to calm down.

"..." Kushida. "..."

Of course, that would be disgusting, and you'd even think she was incredibly stupid.

Offering something for free voluntarily.

"By doing it this way, it seems you've protected yourself," Hachiman said. "But Kushida, if this is the only solution you can think of, then I'm sorry."

"It's useless."

"Because you just held my hand... um... go... hold it down..." Hachiman said.

However, I'm a little embarrassed to say the phrase "pressing my chest".

"It was just a touch to the chest, wasn't it?" Kushida said calmly. "You can't even bring yourself to say it was just a girl's chest? What a gloomy single dog."

Is that so?

Then you are shameless.

But Hachiman felt that she seemed to have come to her senses and felt a little ashamed.

The reason was that her cheeks had become slightly rosy.

Ultimately, her actions just now were merely a solution she could think of in the heat of the moment. Now she regrets it, realizing how terrible her decision to leave was.

"The plan you're holding to your chest, you want to get my fingerprints."

"Then, whether it's framing or accusing someone, fingerprints can serve as evidence, increasing the credibility of your lies."

"A good idea." Hachiman then withdrew his right hand. "But it didn't work."

"Because it's very difficult for clothes to retain human fingerprints," Hachiman said. "At the same time, the conditions for preserving fingerprints on clothes are too demanding, so it's very difficult to form an indictment against me based on just a fleeting moment."

"Normally, you need to press it at least once more to prolong the time your fingerprint stays in place," Hachiman said.

"Eh!" But Kushida stared at him with a wary and suspicious look.

It was as if he wanted to continue what he had just done, that is to say... he wanted to take advantage of her for nothing.

"You've misunderstood." Hachiman, being a human observer, understood immediately from Kushida's reaction.

The other party may have once again perceived him as someone who went too far.

She was the one who had just come up with some outrageous plot, and the one who actively tried to steal his fingerprints was clearly herself.

She's the one who's really going too far.

"I was just analyzing whether your actions were effective."

"And the conclusion was that it was useless," Hachiman said.

"..." Kushida.

So, she was actually... completely clueless, grabbing the boy's hand and touching herself?

This left even Kushida was in a dark state, somewhat dazed.

Because it's too stupid.

That's such a waste.

Hachiman then continued.

"And now, I have a recording of you insulting Suzune Horikita. If this is exposed, it will drastically change your image," Hachiman said.

"..." Kushida.

Kushida then became even fiercer.

Extremely fierce.

However, her fierceness was not lethal to Hachiman.

Because she felt he was in such danger, the only solution she could come up with was... to destroy herself, a case of killing eight hundred enemies while losing a thousand of her own.

According to his analysis, he had killed less than 1 enemy while losing 10,000 of his own.

Kushida's actions just now were indeed like those of a prostitute, willingly letting others touch her.

"My goal is to get promoted to Class A," Hachiman said. "And Kushida, your existence is still valuable."

"So I don't want you to be on the opposite side of me."

"..." Kushida. "So, you want me to continue working for you?"

"Don't put it so harshly."

"I just hope that you can assist me in normal times, and that you can follow my instructions when necessary," Hachiman said.

"..."

This is way worse than what she just said, "I'll do things for you." What does it mean to follow your orders?

"What if I refuse?" Kushida asked. "Are you going to release this recording?"

"Probably not," Hachiman said.

"Oh." Kushida looked distrustful.

But that's the truth.

Because Hachiman didn't actually record anything; he was just fooling Kushida, and Kushida believed him.

So he actually wanted to be exposed, but there was no information to expose him.

But Kushida doesn't know that.

So he said, "Everyone has a different side to them, and their usual behavior might just be to gain attention, praise, or even just to appear as the most suitable side for survival."

"And then hide your true self," Hachiman said. "So, Kushida, what you just did wasn't actually that strange."

"..." Kushida.

But you're really strange!

Because if ordinary students saw her in such an unseemly state, they would definitely be devastated.

They even felt that she was lying all the time.

Therefore, they are all negative things.

But what's wrong with Hachiman Hikigaya?

Don't you think she's scary?

Seeing that she wasn't angelic at all, how could you remain unmoved?

Or is it that your anger stems from the fact that she just scolded you?

"..." Kushida once again found Hachiman Hikigaya.

Yes.

"I want to become friends with my classmates and spend meaningful time together."

This self-introduction during her enrollment actually reflected her inner thoughts.

She wants to make friends, gain everyone's affection, and then connect with others on a deeper level—these are the things she wants to do.

If we're going to do it, then we should aim at all people.

Among them, she blacklisted the Kōenji whom she had met on the bus to school, and then she saw the Hachiman. She thought that this kind of classmate seemed introverted and not very noticeable, so she should be easy to win over.

However, Hachiman was different.

He was different from ordinary students.

The way of thinking needs to be more profound, but it is also somewhat naive.

Because she wants to have true friends, and if such true friends really exist, then she wants them too.

Therefore, she listed Hachiman as one of the more difficult targets that needed to be conquered.

Now it's become even more difficult to handle.

Because this might be the first person she's met who doesn't think she's weird after she reveals her true colors.

Her embarrassing past in junior high school...

In other words, her two-faced behavior has been exposed, and then the whole class is criticizing her.

Everyone thought she was abnormal.