Chapter 367 Kushida: I'm Leagues Ahead!
"Eh? Are they really not here?"
Amasawa Ichika blinked her eyes, her face still wearing a look of disbelief.
"Of course not!" Hikigaya spoke with an air of righteousness: "By the way, how can you doubt me, the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee?"
"But... isn't the one who disrupts the school's discipline the most none other than the Disciplinary Committee Chairman himself?"
Amasawa Ichika stared at him meaningfully: "Speaking of which, Hikigaya-senpai, you really have no self-awareness regarding your own reputation, do you?"
"..."
"[The Lewd Great Demon King], [The Great Tyrannosaurus Rex], [The Eight-Times-a-Night Hachiman-sama]."
Amasawa Ichika listed them off with a serious face, reciting the intel she had gathered from various channels.
"These, these are all baseless rumors..." Hikigaya's face darkened, the corners of his mouth twitching violently.
Even though he knew his reputation was bad, he hadn't expected it to be this rotten.
"Well~ let's just treat them as rumors for now..."
Amasawa's eyes flickered with playfulness, then her tone shifted: "Since Hikigaya-senpai is such an upright person, how about letting me in?
Please don't shut me out. After all, the exam is tomorrow.
In the event that I become overly heartbroken and unable to take the exam, Karuizawa-senpai will be in a very bad spot."
The hidden blade was revealed.
Amasawa Ichika was Karuizawa Kei's exam partner. If she skipped the exam, there was a high probability that Karuizawa Kei would fail and ultimately face expulsion.
"I hate it when people threaten me." Hikigaya's voice was cold, but he moved his foot aside and let the door open.
"Sorry~ Hikigaya-senpai." Amasawa Ichika apologized sincerely, then gave a playful wink: "For the sake of your cute kouhai's looks, how about forgiving me just this once?"
After Amasawa entered, her eyes scanned the surroundings as if she were inspecting something. Meanwhile, Kushida Kikyo was already hiding inside the bedroom wardrobe. The
shoes at the entrance and the tea and snacks on the table had all been put away; there shouldn't be any flaws visible.
"Regarding that matter... doesn't Hikigaya-senpai have anything he wants to ask me?" Amasawa Ichika looked calm, but there was a hint of guilt in her eyes.
"What are you referring to?" Hikigaya remained expressionless.
"How mean~ clearly Hikigaya-senpai has already seen through me..." Amasawa's expression became awkward. Hikigaya didn't reply, just quietly watched her.
"Leniency for those who confess, severity for those who resist... is that it?"
Amasawa instantly grasped his attitude and let out a helpless, long sigh: "Fine! I admit it. That day, I wanted to trick Hikigaya-senpai into buying that unique, high-priced fruit knife. Then, using dinner as an excuse, I'd enter your room, find a way to steal the knife, and finally lend it to Housen-kun to use for extortion...
If the plan went smoothly, Ayanokouji-senpai would be expelled, and Hikigaya-senpai, who provided the murder weapon, would also be held liable and face severe punishment." Amasawa Ichika confessed the details of the plan in full.
After listening, a look of realization dawned on Hikigaya.
The plan wasn't particularly brilliant. The key was having President Nagumo of the Student Council as the referee and the Acting Director as the pusher behind the scenes. Whether Ayanokouji Kiyotaka would really be expelled was hard to say. But Hikigaya could bet that if given the chance, both the Student Council and the Acting Chairman would do everything in their power to get rid of him!
"And then? Why did Amasawa-kouhai suddenly change her mind?" Hikigaya asked curiously.
"Because the Tom Yum Goong Hikigaya-senpai made was delicious."
"Just because of that?"
"Just because of that." Amasawa Ichika nodded with a smile and added: "It made me feel the 'taste of home' for the first time."
Hikigaya fell silent.
If anyone else said that, it might be taken as a joke. But for Amasawa Ichika, who had lived in the enclosed White Room since childhood, the "taste of home" was truly an experience she'd never had before.
"Besides, Hikigaya-senpai's facial features are very much to my liking, especially these eyes... they're super special!!" Amasawa Ichika toyed with a strand of her hair, her burning eyes boldly staring straight at him: "As a partner for a 'romance experience,' you're simply my best choice!"
"Amasawa-kouhai, are you mistaken about something?" Hikigaya looked at her with a strange expression: "Just as the information you gathered says, I am a man of ill repute.
Are you sure you want to use me as your romance experience partner?"
Amasawa Ichika nodded: "Mm~ that's perfect! Since Hikigaya-senpai was able to take down multiple senpais, you must have strengths that ordinary people can't hope to match.
Both mentally and physically."
Was that last part sexual harassment?
"Hey~ as long as you agree, I can even let you see my panties~~" Amasawa Ichika sat on the edge of the bed, her thighs slightly parted just enough to create a tease—a "see yet can't see" angle.
Before Hikigaya could respond to the provocative kouhai's temptation, Kushida Kikyo, who was hiding in the wardrobe, couldn't help but jump out.
"Stop right there! You dissolute kouhai!!" Amasawa Ichika didn't seem surprised by Kushida's sudden appearance, indicating she had actually sensed her presence long ago.
"Oh my~ Hikigaya-senpai, didn't you say there was no one hiding in the room?"
"I said they weren't here."
"I see... so someone other than them?" Amasawa's gaze turned subtle: "It seems Hikigaya-senpai has even more 'close' senpais than I imagined."
Amasawa's gaze landed on Kushida Kikyo. After scrutinizing her for a moment, she seemed to recall something.
"You are... the second-year Class D Kushida Kikyo-senpai?!"
"...!!" Kushida's heart tightened.
"Of course I know you. Kushida-senpai is quite the celebrity.
After all, you caused that massive incident back in middle school!"
Amasawa narrowed her eyes, staring at her with great interest.
"Wh-what incident..." Kushida's whole body trembled, and her face uncontrollably turned pale.
"Does Kushida-senpai really want me to—say it out loud?"
As Amasawa said this, she secretly observed Hikigaya's expression out of the corner of her eye.
"..." Kushida instinctively backed away, her heart filled with dread and unease.
She was certain she had never met this kouhai in middle school. So how did the other girl know about her past?
Amasawa Ichika turned her gaze back to Hikigaya's face, a flash of surprise crossing her eyes:
"Isn't Hikigaya-senpai curious?"
Hikigaya asked back: "Curious about what?"
Amasawa said: "The true face of the seemingly gentle and kind 'little angel' Kushida-senpai."
"That sort of thing, I knew from the first moment I saw her." Hikigaya spoke nonchalantly.
From the bus on the first day of school, he had seen that Kushida Kikyo was a girl who was different on the inside than she appeared on the outside.
"Uh..." Amasawa blinked, seemingly stumped: "Then why do you still... with Kushida-senpai..."
Ordinarily, if someone knew about Kushida's explosive dark history, they would avoid her like the plague.
If their own secrets were exposed by her one day, wouldn't it be social suicide?
"Is there any need to care about such an insignificant trifle?" Hikigaya maintained his indifferent attitude: "Anyway, the infamy I carry is already enough. How much worse can it get?"
Amasawa Ichika was momentarily speechless.
"Hachiman-kun... as expected, only you are truly good to me~~" Kushida's heart warmed, and her eyes were filled with affection as she looked at Hikigaya.
"..." Amasawa Ichika showed a thoughtful expression: "Is that the reason Hikigaya-senpai was able to win over Kushida-senpai?
Eek! Speaking of which, did my uninvited visit tonight interrupt you two from doing something 'good'?"
"If you know that, then get lost already!" Kushida drove her away crossly.
Since the other girl knew her secret, there was no need to pretend to be a saint.
"Pupu~ Kushida-senpai is really impatient."
Amasawa Ichika giggled behind her hand, then she looked at Hikigaya seriously: "I came here today because I wanted to apologize to Hikigaya-senpai.
However, I consider this as pulling back from the brink, and I haven't caused any actual harm to Hikigaya-senpai.
Can you forgive me?"
Hikigaya waved his hand dismissively: "Desisting from a crime; you're clever."
"Hee-hee~ then as an apology gift, please accept this!"
Amasawa Ichika produced a bag from behind her. It was stuffed full with over a dozen small boxes. But with just one glance inside, Hikigaya's forehead was covered in black lines.
These were the things Koenji Rokusuke had helped deliver to him once before.
"What is this?" Kushida was initially blank, but once she saw the packaging on the boxes clearly, her cheeks instantly turned bright red.
"You, you, you, you, you...!"
"Oh my~ Kushida-senpai's reaction is so cute~~" The corners of Amasawa's mouth curled up, and she felt physically and mentally refreshed.
As expected, the outside world is truly interesting!
"Well then, please enjoy yourselves, you two.
Bye-bye~" Amasawa Ichika left the items behind and exited the room.
Only Hikigaya and Kushida were left alone in the room, and the ambiguous atmosphere returned.
"Um... Hachiman, can we continue... what we didn't finish just now?"
Kushida spoke hesitantly: "Just in time, we have the 'tools' now too."
"I don't have a problem with it, but has Kikyo made up her mind?"
In this regard, Hikigaya could be called an old hand, so there was no need to be timid.
On the contrary, while Kushida seemed very proactive and bold, when it actually came down to real action, she would become shrinking and hesitant.
"Yes..." Kushida's voice was as low as a mosquito's buzz. Upon receiving her affirmation, Hikigaya reached out and cupped her face.
"Wa-wait a second... mmm!" Kushida's eyes widened, and her gaze gradually became blurred. After ten minutes of contact, they separated.
"Let's stop here for today." Hikigaya planned to just have a taste, because he discovered that Kushida Kikyo was more reserved than he had anticipated.
"Sorry... Hachiman-kun, it's my fault... Do you think I'm being pretentious?" Kushida hugged her knees, curling her body into a ball.
Psychologically, this was a self-protective gesture.
"No, there's nothing wrong with a girl being reserved. In fact, it should be called a virtue." Hikigaya took a deep breath, relying on his powerful willpower to barely suppress his physiological reaction.
"This... is my psychological trauma..." Kushida gave a bitter smile and began to recount her past: "It was during a P.E. class in my first year of middle school. I went to the equipment room to get something and accidentally walked in on a girl in my class with... an old security guard... It was truly disgusting!!!"
Hikigaya's brows furrowed: "Just imagining that scene makes me feel dirty."
"I originally thought that girl was being coerced or something, haha! Turns out it was exactly the opposite... The person being threatened was actually that old man!"
Kushida's face was distorted, as if her values had suffered a massive shock.
What kind of "upside-down" plot was this? Hikigaya felt dumbfounded.
Having witnessed all that, it was no wonder a severe shadow was left on Kushida's young heart.
"I understand, Kikyo." Hikigaya gently stroked her head: "It's not your fault; it's the world's problem."
"Hachiman-kun~ thank you for being willing to understand me..." Kushida was moved beyond words. She knew very well where her charm as a girl lay. Bluntly speaking, any normal man would covet her body! For Hikigaya to have shown restraint until now was truly rare. This proved that the man before her wasn't just after her body. He stood in stark contrast to other shallow men!
"Take it slow, Kikyo. One day, I will help you untie this knot in your heart."
Psychological issues required time to heal. "But, won't Hachiman-kun be very uncomfortable..."
Kushida's gaze shifted downward meaningfully.
"A little... but as long as I take a cold shower for some physical cooling, there's always a way to solve it." Hikigaya had plenty of experience dealing with this.
"Pupu~ I feel like Hachiman-kun is a bit pitiful..." Kushida teased with a smile: "To think the dignified Great Demon King has to be self-sufficient—people would be shocked if word got out!"
"Who cares." Hikigaya didn't care about what others said, then added: "It's getting late, Kikyo, why don't you go back and rest?"
"No rush, I still want to chat with Hachiman-kun for a bit longer~" Kushida continued to cling to him.
However, as they chatted, the topic gradually became a bit strange.
"Lately, that Horikita woman is busy tutoring the idiots in the class, so she doesn't have time to bother Hachiman-kun." Kushida looked triumphant, wearing a winner's smile: "In that case, this time, I'm leagues ahead~"
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