Chapter 178 First Meeting with Sakayanagi's Father—The Chairman!
"Pfft~Sorry, I really couldn't hold it in..." Katsuragi Kohei couldn't help but laugh.
Sakayanagi Arisu, who always presented the image of an "elegant princess" in class, was currently being toyed with by Hikigaya as if she were in the palm of his hand. It was truly a ridiculous sight!
"Hikigaya!" Sakayanagi Arisu's face darkened, and her voice rose several octaves.
"Are you angry already?" Hikigaya's eyes widened. Truth be told, the "hand-feel" of Sakayanagi's head was actually quite good! It was very suitable for patting! Hikigaya couldn't help but reach out again.
"Dame! (No!)" Sakayanagi Arisu instinctively ducked her head and shielded it with both her small hands, attempting to block Hikigaya's "evil claws."
"!!!" Hikigaya's reaching motion froze, and his eyes glazed over.
'Hey, hey, hey! Isn't this expression a bit too foul?' The sheer level of cuteness could actually rival Komachi!
Seemingly noticing Hikigaya's weird gaze, Sakayanagi Arisu realized her own actions were clumsy and silly.
A layer of crimson quickly climbed up her fair cheeks, and even her breathing became rapid.
"Hikigaya, you...!" Sakayanagi Arisu was momentarily overwhelmed by emotion. She suddenly felt a bout of dizziness and her body began to fall backward.
"Hey, Sakayanagi!
Are you okay?" Hikigaya was quick-witted and agile, catching her just in time.
"Hikigaya, I'm going to kill you!" With a flushed face, Sakayanagi Arisu managed to squeeze out that final sentence before her eyes rolled back and she lost consciousness.
"Oh no! Sakayanagi's heart is weak to begin with; she can't handle stimulation!" Katsuragi Kohei turned pale with shock.
"Are you serious? I just patted her head, and that counts as stimulation?" Hikigaya instinctively leaned down, pressing his ear against Sakayanagi's chest.
Then he grabbed her slender, white wrist to skillfully check her pulse.
This left Katsuragi Kohei standing nearby looking a bit dumbfounded, wondering how this guy handled the situation so proficiently.
"Phew~ It's nothing serious. It's likely just a sudden rush of blood to the head.
But just to be safe, let's get her to the infirmary." Hikigaya scooped her up, carrying Sakayanagi Arisu in a princess carry.
Along the way, pair after pair of inconceivable gazes focused on him. Hikigaya had a helpless expression, forcing himself to keep a straight face and pretend he didn't see them.
.
.
.
The Infirmary.
"Wow~ Hikigaya-kun finally learned how to use a princess carry. How romantic~~" Hoshinomiya-sensei stepped forward mockingly.
"Let me see who you're carrying this time."
However, when she saw clearly that the one in Hikigaya's arms was Sakayanagi Arisu, her expression changed drastically and instantly became serious. After a careful examination and confirming that Sakayanagi Arisu's body was fine, Hoshinomiya-sensei dialed a number.
The person on the other end seemed to be the school's Chairman!
Five minutes later. A middle-aged man with silver hair wearing a suit arrived in a hurry.
'Is this Sakayanagi's father?'
Hikigaya's eyes flickered, but he wasn't too surprised. He had long guessed that Sakayanagi Arisu had connections at the school, but he hadn't expected them to be this deep—it was actually the Chairman!
"Are you Hikigaya Hachiman?
First time meeting you. I am Arisu's father." After confirming his daughter's physical condition was stable, the Chairman turned to greet Hikigaya.
"Uh, yes... about that, I'm sorry." Hikigaya scratched his head awkwardly.
"Hikigaya-kun doesn't need to worry; it wasn't your fault.
Arisu has had a weak body since she was a child."
The Chairman's voice was gentle. It was clear he was a man of high refinement.
"Hoshinomiya-sensei, I would like to speak with Hikigaya-kun alone."
"Yes, Chairman."
Facing the highest-ranking leader, Hoshinomiya Chie didn't dare utter a single flirtatious word. She bowed respectfully and left the infirmary obediently.
"Um, I wonder what the Chairman has to say to me?" Hikigaya's expression was a bit tense.
"No need to be nervous. Right now, I am speaking to you simply as Arisu's father, not as the Chairman," the Chairman soothed.
'Doesn't that make it more nerve-wracking?!'
Hikigaya wasn't afraid of so-called school leadership in his heart. But the identity of "Sakayanagi's Father" caused a mysterious sense of guilt to arise in him!
"Arisu has been spoiled by me since she was young; her personality is a bit mischievous." The Chairman began talking about his daughter on his own.
Hikigaya's mouth twitched.
'A bit mischievous?'
This "Loli Brat" just tried to trick a classmate into kneeling! She even talks about forcing her opponents into expulsion!! She is clearly a bona-fide little devil!
Perhaps reading Hikigaya's "indescribable" expression, the Chairman couldn't help but give a bitter smile. "It must be hard for you to be friends with Arisu, Hikigaya-kun."
"Uh, it's not much...
I don't really have many friends anyway." Hikigaya could clearly feel the affection the man had for his daughter as a father.
"Hikigaya-kun truly is gentle." The Chairman smiled slightly.
This smile was very similar to Sakayanagi Arisu's. They both had gazes that seemed to see right into another person's heart.
Hikigaya felt that his proudest disguises were completely transparent before this man!
"Arisu completed her primary and middle school education at home.
She has had very few interactions with peers since she was small.
Compared to her physical problems, I am more worried about her psychological growth."
As the Chairman spoke, he sized Hikigaya up with interest, then nodded to himself.
"Now it seems my worries were unnecessary."
'Wait? Father-sama? You should be a bit more worried!'
"Chairman, with all due respect.
My personal character is quite different from that of a normal high school student."
Hikigaya knew his personality was twisted and lacked universality.
"That's exactly it.
Arisu's personality is also different from her peers."
The Chairman nodded as if it were common sense.
"The fact that you two can become friends shows you have a lot in common."
"..." Hikigaya was momentarily unable to refute.
'Having things in common with a little devil—doesn't that mean I'm a devil too?'
"Please look after Arisu in the future, Hikigaya-kun." The Chairman looked at him with a solemn gaze.
"Uh, the Chairman overstates it.
Maybe one day your daughter will get fed up with my twisted personality!"
Hikigaya scratched his cheek in embarrassment.
"Hehe~ Although it sounds a bit strange to say, Arisu's personality is even more twisted~
Of course, that is also a cute side of her~~" The Chairman looked full of pride.
'Wait, is that something to be proud of?'
At this moment, Hikigaya finally understood: the man in front of him was a complete "daughter-slave"!
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