But Hachiman did not want to hurt her.
So if it was only his own wish that he had imposed on Horikita—that she should get along with Kushida and become friends with her—then he was willing to take it back.
"..." Suzune.
Hearing Hachiman Hikigaya's words, she seemed to fall silent for a moment.
Just as Hachiman thought she might make a decision, Horikita spoke. "At first, I became friends with Kushida because our interests were connected."
"But I don't have many friends to begin with."
"And at this school, there are fewer than five people I could call friends."
"Kushida is a type of person I had never encountered before. Although she revealed her true face to you and me, aside from us, it would be difficult for her to find anyone else who could accept her."
In other words, Horikita had actually taken pity on Kushida.
Kushida, it was fortunate that she was not here. Otherwise, hearing that even Horikita pitied her would only put even more pressure on her.
But.
Didn't that mean that although Horikita looked cold and aloof, she actually had a considerate side as well?
That gave Hachiman an idea.
That was, perhaps he had had another choice at the beginning. Perhaps when he and Horikita had first decided to become each other's shields, he could have simply asked Horikita to marry him.
Then he would not now have to choose between Kushida, Ichinose, Ichika Amasawa, and Classmate Sakayanagi.
And even if he made a choice, it would still hurt the other three.
"..."
So perhaps if he had chosen Horikita from the beginning, none of this would have happened afterward.
"..." Hachiman.
So what was he thinking about now?
Horikita's family had a shop for her to inherit. If he married Horikita, he