Chapter 229: Visiting Shiina Hiyori's Sickbed
Is the long-awaited "Hachi-Airi" CP finally going to become reality today?
Hasabe Haruka was full of anticipation. Sakura Airi stood by, staring intently, but she felt as if something wasn't quite right.
"Since it's come to this, I'll speak plainly.
Let me clarify beforehand: this might just be wishful thinking on my part, so you aren't allowed to laugh..."
Hikigaya's gaze drifted; his mood was incredibly complex.
'Life's Three Great Delusions...
Let me indulge in the fantasy one last time!'
"D-do you... happen to like me?"
'Wow! He actually said it out loud! Hachi, you're the man!'
"Haruka?"
Hikigaya's cheeks flushed, and he scratched his head in embarrassment.
In his view, Hasabe Haruka was top-tier in terms of both looks and figure; she certainly wouldn't lack male pursuers. Yet, Haruka had always kept others at a distance, being uniquely close only to him.
All the evidence above suggested that Haruka liked him... probably?
"Yes! That's it... eh, huh?!"
Hasabe Haruka blinked, a look of utter confusion appearing on her face.
"Wait? Did I not hear that clearly just now?"
"Hachiman-kun said... asking if Haruka likes him."
Sakura Airi's face was stiff, and the light faded from her pupils.
"Oh?
Like... Wait a minute?!
Let me catch my breath first."
Hasabe Haruka made a "pause" gesture with one hand while pinching the bridge of her nose with the other.
"The plot of this romance story seems to have taken a slight detour.
In my script, the protagonists should have been Hachi and Airi..."
'What on earth is this girl talking about?'
Hikigaya looked completely bewildered.
"Cough cough~
Um, did I misunderstand again?"
Hikigaya suddenly felt incredibly awkward. However, perhaps because he had been embarrassed so many times lately, it didn't feel quite as humiliating as usual.
"Ah, this... right!
Honestly, Hachi, I was clearly talking about you and Airi!
How can you be so greedy as to set your sights on me too?"
Hasabe Haruka tried to use a lighthearted tone to cover up the panic in her heart.
But this time, Sakura Airi, who was usually the scatterbrained one, accurately locked onto the key point.
"Haruka, you haven't directly responded to Hachiman-kun's question yet."
Sakura Airi opened her eyes wide, staring straight at the other girl.
"Hey... Haruka, do you really like Hachiman-kun?"
"Me?
I of course am..."
Hasabe Haruka instinctively wanted to deny it, but for some reason, the words stayed stuck in her throat and wouldn't come out.
"I understand."
Sakura Airi nodded as if she understood something, yet didn't quite.
'No, what do you understand? I don't understand!'
Hikigaya looked on with a face full of shock.
"Airi, listen to me!
It's not what you think..."
Hasabe Haruka desperately wanted to explain.
"Sorry! I don't want to hear it right now...
Please leave me alone for a while!"
Leaving those words behind, Sakura Airi turned around and fled.
"Ai..."
Hasabe Haruka reached out toward Airi's departing back. The atmosphere between the remaining two became awkward once again.
Hikigaya raised a hand to rest on his chin; he wasn't exactly an idiot when it came to emotions.
Based on the various reactions from Airi and Haruka, and after thinking it over seriously, he arrived at a shocking conclusion!
"I have a bold idea..."
Hikigaya was just about to speak.
"Shut up!!
Impossible!!
Absolutely impossible!!!"
Hasabe Haruka forcibly interrupted Hikigaya's words. Filled with panic, shame, and helplessness, she quickly fled the scene.
"I haven't even said it yet..."
Hikigaya covered his face and sighed.
In that brief moment, a bold idea had sprouted in his mind: that both Airi and Haruka liked him at the same time. If he said such a thing out loud, he would definitely be blasted as "cringe," "overconfident," and "shameless."
"Wake up, Hikigaya Hachiman!
It's one thing to dream at night, but why are you still trying to dream during the day?"
Hikigaya mocked himself. After his terrible performance today, he must have made both Airi and Haruka angry, right?
Since that was the case, it was better not to contact them for a while, to avoid a situation where they couldn't even remain friends.
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Dinner Time
Hikigaya went to a high-end restaurant, packed some light Japanese food (washoku), and headed to the girls' dormitory. Following the room number Ryuen Kakeru had provided, he found Shiina Hiyori's room.
In his heart, he couldn't help but criticize Ryuen for being heartless. As a classmate, he actually didn't take care of a sick Hiyori. He had to make an outsider from another class step up.
Knock, knock, knock~
Hikigaya tapped lightly on the door. A raspy voice came from inside.
"Who is it?"
That weakness was enough to make one's heart ache!
"It's me, Hikigaya Hachiman."
Hikigaya gave his name.
"Ha-Hachiman-kun?!
Why are you here!"
Shiina Hiyori seemed very surprised and delighted. After instinctively opening the door, she immediately pressed her hand against it: "Please wait a moment... my room hasn't been tidied up yet..."
Patter, patter, patter... Oops!
Accompanied by the sound of frantic footsteps, there was a loud thud of someone falling.
Hearing this, Hikigaya hurriedly pushed the door open and entered. He saw Shiina Hiyori in her loungewear, her body sprawled on the floor, looking very disheveled.
"Hiyori, are you okay?"
Hikigaya immediately stepped forward to help her up. At the same time, from the corner of his eye, he noticed bras, panties, and stockings scattered all over the room...
"Mghh~"
Shiina Hiyori reached out, trying to cover his eyes.
"Please don't look at the slovenly me..."
This girl was usually dignified and elegant; seeing her this messy was truly a rare sight!
"It's okay, Hiyori.
It's only because you're sick that you didn't have time to tidy the room.
I get it!"
Hikigaya expressed total understanding.
"Really...?
Hachiman-kun won't laugh at me?"
Shiina Hiyori cautiously moved her hand away and looked at him expectantly.
"Bullying a patient would be way too classless."
Hikigaya curled his lip into a smirk and joked: "If I'm going to laugh at you, I'll wait until Hiyori is recovered before I do."
"Ah~ then I'd rather never recover for the rest of my life."
Shiina Hiyori responded with a pout.
"Don't talk nonsense!"
Hikigaya feigned anger and lightly flicked her forehead with his finger, then lifted the food container in his hand: "Hiyori, you probably haven't had dinner yet, right?
Speaking of which, it's one thing for the rest of Class B, but how is it that even that idiot Ibuki didn't know to bring you food?"
Hikigaya said, somewhat annoyed.
"It's not Ibuki-san's fault.
I'm the one who didn't let her come."
Shiina Hiyori explained patiently: "Ibuki is the main athletic pillar among the girls in our class; she has to take on training for multiple events after school. She's already tired enough every day, so I didn't want to trouble her."
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
Hikigaya pressed.
"I was afraid of disturbing you..."
Shiina Hiyori bit her lip, looking at him with a faint, longing gaze: "I heard that Hachiman-kun trains with two girls every day; you must be very busy, right?"
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