Chapter 88

I'm so sorry to have made your conversation fall flat.

Hachiman thought to himself.

"Wow, Hachiman Hikigaya is over there—and he's with Sakura."

But Karuizawa quickly added.

At that moment, the girls looked over and discovered that Hachiman and Sakura were standing at the store entrance.

So, perhaps feeling awkward, the girls' conversation abruptly ended.

"..." Hachiman.

Since Karuizawa and the others didn't greet him first, he naturally didn't need to go over.

But he was somewhat concerned.

That's why Kei Karuizawa noticed him and Sakura here.

Or perhaps, it wasn't just this place that Hachiman noticed; he noticed that she seemed to be looking towards the door several times.

What exactly is she concerned about?

Based on her initial conversation with that girl from another class, could it be that she's worried the other girl might bring people to retaliate? Is she... really that timid?

"I'd like to go to that clothing store I visited before; their knitwear is really nice..."

The more astute Sato has already begun trying to change the subject, deciding to act as if nothing had happened.

Satsuki Shinohara quickly echoed her sentiments.

So the group walked out of the store, not intending to buy anything, and continued walking into the Shopping Street.

"I'm sorry, they saw me with you." A timid and somewhat disappointed voice, like that of a squirrel Sakura, came from beside Hachiman.

"Sakura is the one who should feel uncomfortable if people see us together on the street?" Hachiman said.

"Huh? No, that can't be, because Hachiman is a good person."

Is that so?

So, I'm happy to receive a "friend zone" card today.

"Then I feel the same way. I thought that walking with Sakura would embarrass you," Hachiman said.

"No, no," Sakura quickly shook her head.

However, the problems that have been exposed are quite significant.

Because Sakura inferior.

In other words, she hasn't actually integrated into the girls' circle yet.

At the same time, he was probably just a nobody in the class.

"Speaking of which, are Sakura and Hasebe on good terms?" Hachiman then asked.

"Hasebe ..." Sakura said. "I'm a little overwhelmed."

In other words, it was Hasebe struck up a conversation with Sakura.

But Sakura probably felt a lot of pressure because she was introverted.

"I think it's a good thing to be a little more accepting and make a friend," Hachiman said.

"Acceptance...?"

"Having someone who's like a friend, and then spending high school life together, is actually pretty good," Hachiman said.

"Oh, I see..." Sakura seemed to be starting to think.

Only.

Hachiman, however, felt...

It would be nice if he could become Sakura's friend.

Afterwards, Sakura wanted to go back to her dorm first, Hachiman parted ways with her because he needed to go to the supermarket to replenish some supplies.

It should be said that it was all thanks to Classmate Sakayanagi, because she often treated him to meals, so he had more points left over, which allowed him to splurge a little more when shopping.

Certainly.

He carefully kept the points card he received from Chabashira-sensei, as it was his future retirement fund and the start-up capital to support his younger sister.

However, on the way out of the supermarket, I unexpectedly ran into someone.

That's Karuizawa.

Her friends were probably nowhere to be found, and she was alone again, waiting at the crossroads.

Then she looked at her phone alone.

"..." However, the two didn't really talk, so Hachiman prepared to walk past her.

Only.

Just then, a group of girls walked over. One of them was crying, while the others were comforting her.

"Rika, don't cry! We must settle the score with that guy!"

"She clearly cut in line!"

"Can you find out her identity? Some people say she's from Class C, and her name is something like Karuizawa."

Karuizawa? Rika?

Isn't this the girl who had a conflict with Karuizawa at the bubble tea shop an hour ago?

And her classmates.

There are four people in total.

They seem to still be holding a grudge about what happened before, which means that, as expected of the students of the Ryuen's class, they are already preparing to settle scores with Karuizawa.

They walked towards us.

Many people think that girls fighting is more interesting to watch.

This matter actually has little to do with Hachiman.

Only.

Um?

Hachiman then considered leaving.

But Karuizawa-san, whom he had barely spoken to and who was not even a casual acquaintance.

She changed her expression from looking at her phone.

Instead, she... grabbed his arm in an instant.

"Hachiman!"

And she even called him by his name directly. So intimate.

"..."

?

At that moment, a voice that only his sister or family members would call him by his name actually appeared.

This moment left Hachiman Hikigaya completely stunned.

Because this is such a terrible development.

Moreover, she seemed to be wearing very expensive perfume, probably because she smelled it from Sakayanagi.

It smells like jasmine.

It smells wonderful.

Of course, we shouldn't be thinking about how it feels to be hugged by a girl right now, but Kushida has also let Hachiman experience being touched by a girl.

Then compare it with the present.

So, Kushida, you're completely useless.

Hachiman felt that his thoughts were wandering.

But I have to force myself to calm down.

Because.

Karuizawa and he don't get along, so why are they acting so intimate?

"Rika... wait... isn't that Karuizawa?!"

The four girls walking towards them, including Rika, the girl who had argued with Karuizawa tea shop, all looked over at that moment.

"Hey... Hachiman."

At this moment, Kei Karuizawa spoke up again. "Say something."

She continued to hold Hachiman's arm while asking him to make a decision in a tone as if she were greeting her boyfriend.

"..."

Make a statement.

Hachiman stared at the girls in Ryuen's class.

I think I understand now.

Hey, Karuizawa, did you realize that there were four of them and you were alone, so you pulled him along to bully others?

Hachiman's dead fish eyes do indeed look... If you didn't know him, you would mistake him for a delinquent.

So, is it delinquent boys targeting delinquent girls?

That certainly has a lot of presence.

But this means that Karuizawa is seeking his help.

Kei Karuizawa has a golden ponytail, thin lips with a pinkish tinge, a slender waist, and a cheerful personality. Although she has a bad temper, her current tone and close proximity are not unpleasant; on the contrary, they evoke a man's protective instincts.

The girl from another class across the street had already walked up to them.

"Want to rely on a man...? The girls in Class C are such bitches..."

"How dare you bully Rika! Enough said, apologize to her! I'm Manabe from Class 1-D, and if you don't apologize, we'll make you pay!"

"But as expected of Ryuen's class," the red-haired girl named Manabe retorted.

Rika, on the other hand, seemed to be the more timid one. She quietly tried to dissuade Manabe, saying, "Let it go, Manabe."

"No, you have to apologize!" However, Manabe a step forward, and besides Rika, the other two girls stepped forward to bolster her confidence. "Don't say we bullied you, just apologize and we'll let it go."

Since things have come to this point, Karuizawa's only option is to apologize, but that would likely make her unable to hold her head high in front of them in the future.

"I'm telling you, Karuizawa is right. I saw the queuing incident too. Karuizawa went out briefly after queuing and then came back in. It doesn't count as cutting in line," Hachiman then interjected to mediate.

That's just verbal help.

But it seemed that this verbal help greatly reassured Karuizawa. "That's exactly how it is. She ran away crying all by herself. I didn't bully her. My friends can all testify to that! Right, Hachiman!"

She held Hachiman's hand even tighter, but her words carried a much stronger force than before.

It was as if Kei Karuizawa had returned to her original demeanor in class, where she casually rebuked Ike or Yamauchi and made no attempt to hide her disgust.

This is the aura of the leader of the hot girl group in Class C.

"We're not here, so you can say whatever you want! Kei Karuizawa from First Year Class C, we'll remember you. Rika, let's go! Stay away from people like this, they'll taint you."

Manabe's girlfriend seemed furious, but she also seemed somewhat wary of Hachiman, the dead-eyed boy.

In a fight, girls generally can't beat boys.

So, despite her displeasure, Shiho Manabe still led her companions to avoid Hachiman, but kept turning back as they passed each other.

Based on my experience with Hachiman cameras, this girl is the type to hold grudges.

"Spend more time with Shinohara and Sato from now on. If you're alone, you might get entangled with them again."

Hachiman kindly offered his reminder.