Chapter 304 Kikyo: Who Are You Having a Secret Tryst With?
"Um, Shibata-kun?
Hypothetically... and I'm just saying hypothetically...
If I really were the way you described, shouldn't you be happy?
After all... the enemy making a mistake is equivalent to adding points to your own score... isn't it?"
Hikigaya had a bizarre expression on his face.
"What... are you talking about?!
Hikigaya-kun, how could you think of me like that!
Besides, I have never felt that Hikigaya-kun is my enemy.
Liking the same person... actually makes us fellow travelers in the pursuit of love!!"
Shibata Souta looked so righteous and full of sunshine that it practically made the dark-hearted Hikigaya feel ashamed of his own inferiority.
What a pure, sunny boy; he was a perfect match for the equally kind and gentle Ichinose Honami! He even felt a sudden impulse to step aside and help Shibata and Honami get together... yeah right!
Unfortunately for Shibata.
Hikigaya was never the type of man to be broad-minded or magnanimous.
Even though it was only in a dream, that vivid, blending sensation was truly something to savor. Hikigaya was unwilling to give up even the slightest possibility of turning that into reality. He was a despicable man!
"Shibata, I am not your friend.
And it's impossible for me to be your friend."
Hikigaya stared the other man down with sharp eyes.
"I am very possessive. I will absolutely not allow anyone else to covet what is mine!
If you dare reach out your hand, I'll chop it off!!"
This aggressive, overbearing declaration caused the entire dormitory to tremble for a moment.
With this, Shibata should finally understand, right? Hikigaya's intention was to provoke Shibata Souta, to make the guy reject him and view him as an enemy.
"So... so cool!!"
Shibata Souta's reaction exceeded all expectations.
"Huh?"
Hikigaya was completely dumbfounded.
"Hikigaya-kun, that was seriously too cool!!!"
Shibata Souta's eyes lit up, his face filled with an expression of admiration.
"No wonder Ichinose looks at you differently; you truly have a manly charm!"
"No, bro...?"
"..."
Hikigaya stood there speechless, unable to find a way to retort.
"Ah ha ha ha ha!
This is killing me!
Fish-eyes, oh fish-eyes, I didn't expect you'd find someone you couldn't handle."
Ryuen Kakeru was clutching his stomach laughing on the side, while simultaneously giving a thumbs up. "Shibata, I have to say, you're a genius!"
"Kanzaki, has Shibata in your class always been like this?"
Hashimoto Masayoshi looked utterly exasperated.
"Shibata-kun has always been simple and pure; that is his personal charm," Kanzaki Ryuji said.
"Why do I feel like Shibata looks like a total loser dog?" Ishizaki Daichi couldn't help but comment.
"Interesting~
A man like this—once you steal his beloved, he would probably only support her in silence.
He might even beg you in a low voice to be a little gentler with her."
Koenji Rokusuke had a look of amusement on his face.
"Koenji... Are you... are you a demon?"
Everyone stared at him in horror.
Even more terrifying was that Shibata Souta didn't even argue after hearing that. He simply stood with his back to the crowd, head tilted up 120 degrees, chanting a classical, poetic line with a deep expression:
"Was geht es dich an..."
"???"
Everyone was full of question marks.
"Albert, translate!"
"Sorry, that's German. I don't understand it."
"What? You useless foreigner!"
Albert's face was covered in dark lines.
"Dolphin boy, what is he saying?"
Koenji Rokusuke suddenly shifted the topic to Hikigaya.
"What makes you think I know German?
And can you stop calling me by that weird nickname?"
Hikigaya still wanted to play dumb for a bit.
"You and that Horikita girl are always quoting foreign literature at each other; it's only logical that you understand it, right?"
Koenji looked at him with absolute certainty.
He actually hit the nail on the head...
It was all Horikita Suzune's fault for constantly reading foreign literature. In order to keep up with the literary references she threw out from time to time during conversations, Hikigaya had been forced to read a few books himself.
That line was from the poem "Autumn Roses" by the 19th-century German poetess, Ursula Bethell.
One of the most famous lines, translated, is: "I love you, but it's none of your business."
Simply put—Shibata Souta liking Ichinose has nothing to do with Ichinose herself. As long as it's the person Ichinose likes, he will support them unconditionally.
"Hikigaya-kun, as expected, you can read my heart too!
It seems we really do get along well!"
Shibata Souta patted his shoulder with a friendly look.
"I think you're sick."
"Haha, Hikigaya-kun is so humorous."
"No, I'm being serious."
"Heehee!"
"I—sigh, forget it..."
Hikigaya gave up on communicating.
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At 10:30 PM.
Hikigaya got up right on time to go to the "toilet."
He waited for a good while, past the agreed-upon time. Shiina Hiyori did not show up.
"Did something happen on Hiyori's end?"
Hikigaya's brow furrowed slightly. Hiyori breaking an appointment was major intel in itself!
"Could it be that they started fighting?"
Senior Inogashira was leading the charge against Tachibana Akane, and Hiyori had stepped up to defend her; Hiyori was at a massive numerical disadvantage. Normally, it shouldn't escalate to violence, but however small the probability, it was still possible.
Out of concern for Hiyori, Hikigaya was thinking about whether to sneak into the girls' dormitory to scout for info.
However, right at that moment, a voice full of surprise called out through the darkness.
"Hachiman~ is that you?"
A figure wearing a bathrobe came running over. Perhaps because it was too dark to see the path, the person accidentally tripped over a stone and tumbled forward.
"Hey, are you okay?"
Hikigaya moved quickly to catch her. Looking closely at her face, he saw it was Kushida Kikyo!
"Kikyo, why is it you?
What are you doing here so late?"
Hikigaya asked instinctively, but he regretted it the moment he opened his mouth.
"What do you mean 'why is it me'?
That makes it sound like Hachiman was waiting for some other woman!"
Kushida Kikyo's eyes suddenly became sharp. "Also, coming to the toilet at night—besides using the bathroom, could there be another purpose?
Could it be... that someone is using the toilet as an excuse to sneak out at night for a secret tryst!!!"
By the end, Kushida Kikyo was gritting her teeth, her face switching to her terrifying "night-fury" form!
"Uh... well, how could that be!"
Hikigaya denied it flatly, quickly changing the subject.
"Kikyo-chan~ I'm happy to see you."
"Hmph! Do you think saying that will make me—"
"Kikyo looks really beautiful in a bathrobe."
"R-really?"
Kushida Kikyo's eyebrows relaxed; she seemed to enjoy the compliment.
"Looking into my eyes, I can't even look away."
Hikigaya looked closely.
You really couldn't deny it... that "fullness" was truly eye-catching!