"Getting through three years peacefully?"
Hikigaya was momentarily taken aback by Ayanokouji's answer, which was somewhat similar to his own, but then he smirked. "Things don't always go as planned. You should know by now—many times, things won't develop the way you expect. Eventually, they'll start drifting further and further from your original plan."
Hikigaya knew this feeling all too well. At the beginning of the school year, he had the same mindset as Ayanokouji. If this were an ordinary school, it wouldn't have been a problem.
But in this school, the word "peaceful" simply doesn't exist.
"The environment changes people, and people have to adapt to their environment. Even if you don't want to, the atmosphere around you will eventually force you to 'compromise' until you slowly drift away from your original path."
Hikigaya spoke calmly.
Trying to resist an entire environment and force it to adapt to you—Hikigaya understood better than anyone how difficult that was. He had once been that kind of stubborn fighter.
Only later did he realize how ridiculous that idea was. It was like a little kid shouting about changing the world—without enough power, it was nothing but a fantasy.
Ayanokouji was momentarily stunned. Without thinking, he recalled everything he had gone through since entering this school—especially the threats Chabashira-sensei had made. Surprisingly, he found himself agreeing with Hikigaya's words.
"That does seem to be the case."
"But Ayanokouji, I won't oppose your actions to move up to Class A. However, there are certain lines that shouldn't be crossed. You should know what I mean."
Hikigaya stared coldly at Ayanokouji.
"You mean the Sudou incident? I was just trying to help a classmate—"
"Enough!"
Hikigaya cut Ayanokouji off and said coldly, "Whether you're helping a classmate or doing it for your own reasons, you know the truth better than anyone."
"Is helping a classmate a mistake?"
Ayanokouji replied expressionlessly, "If we don't help Sudou, he'll lose his place on the basketball team because of this. He'll be crushed by the consequences. If he realizes his mistake, he can change. Isn't that the whole point of learning?"
Someone else might have been convinced by Ayanokouji's words, but Hikigaya just shook his head and let out a cold laugh. "Ayanokouji, do you really not understand, or are you just pretending? According to your logic, as long as someone realizes their mistake, they should be forgiven, as if nothing ever happened, as if they can escape punishment without paying any price. If that were true, wouldn't this world be a place where mistakes have no consequences?"
"So if I bullied someone, all I'd have to do is say sorry, and I'd be forgiven? Just like those big shots on the news—whenever they mess up, they put on a show about how 'deeply they regret their actions' and bow in apology. Does that mean they should be forgiven too?"
"Don't be ridiculous. If people can make mistakes without consequences, they'll never truly understand what they did wrong."
"You're being too extreme."
"And you're still trying to twist the argument with wordplay?"
Hikigaya looked at Ayanokouji coldly. "During the midterms, Sudou failed because of his own past choices. He should have been expelled, but in the end, he was saved by buying points. That outcome satisfied everyone, but was it really the best outcome for Sudou himself?"
"I don't know. Neither do you. No one knows the future. In the end, we all just assume we're making the right choice. We saved Sudou because we believed keeping him was more beneficial than letting him go."
"But the moment Sudou loses his value, or if keeping him around becomes a burden, you'll throw him away without hesitation—using the exact same excuses you used to keep him."
"The only thing that matters is whether someone has value. And you call that 'helping a classmate'?"
Ayanokouji remained silent.
"Ayanokouji, I don't care if you treat Sudou, Horikita, me, or anyone else like tools to be weighed for their worth. This school—this society—was built on self-interest, where morality bends to benefit. But don't wrap your actions in noble excuses. Don't dress yourself in a 'righteous' disguise. That's what politicians do."
As their conversation went on, Hikigaya became more aware of how different Ayanokouji was. His mindset was surprisingly similar to Koenji's—both saw self-interest as the highest priority, both were natural-born predators.
But unlike Koenji, Ayanokouji was a predator that hid in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Helping Sudou, helping Horikita, aiming for Class A...
All just excuses on the surface. No one could see the fangs he hid underneath.
Ayanokouji's gaze grew sharper. He had been keeping an eye on Hikigaya since the midterms. While everyone else in Class D was struggling, Hikigaya had easily pulled out 300,000 private points—that alone made him stand out. He had also played a key role in the Sudou incident, and more recently, the deserted island exam...
Ayanokouji had already recognized Hikigaya as someone with exceptional ability, far beyond the average high school student. If he were in the White Room, he would be among the best.
But... now, Ayanokouji realized his assessment of Hikigaya had been off.
Hikigaya was highly capable, but that wasn't his greatest strength. What made him truly dangerous was his mind—his unwavering, unshakable will.
Facing Hikigaya, Ayanokouji suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu, like he was facing that man. But Hikigaya lacked that man's cruelty and ruthlessness.
Rather than physical strength, Hikigaya's true power lay in his mind.
At that moment, Ayanokouji saw Hikigaya as a real threat. His usually calm heart wavered just a little—an unfamiliar feeling of caution... and hostility.
Even Ayanokouji himself was surprised by his own reaction.
Was it because of Hikigaya?
His heartbeat sped up—fast, too fast. But Ayanokouji didn't yet realize this feeling was called excitement.
Hikigaya narrowed his eyes. Just now, he had sensed a hint of hostility. It was fleeting, but he was sure—it came from Ayanokouji.
"It's getting late. I'm going to rest."
After saying that, Ayanokouji took one last deep look at Hikigaya before turning to leave. Hikigaya didn't stop him. He just stood there silently, watching Ayanokouji's retreating figure, his gaze growing even deeper.
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