Almost immediately after receiving the email suspected to be from the School, Teacher Chabashira's call came in.
However, since Kushida was still there, Hikigaya did not answer immediately.
Instead, he hung up and sent her a message saying he was not available to talk at the moment and would contact her later.
After doing all this, Hikigaya turned to look at Kushida.
Kushida blinked gently, maintaining her cute appearance.
Although she looked at him curiously, she kept her distance from him.
Rather.
She had made an effort to avoid him when Hikigaya was looking at his phone.
She was very good at grasping the right amount of distance in social interactions.
"Where do you want to go next?"
Hikigaya put away his phone and said.
"Eh? Has Hikigaya finished exploring the School?"
But Kushida was a little surprised.
"Next, I plan to go to the Shopping Area to buy daily necessities, and it's also mealtime now," Hikigaya said.
It was 12:30, indeed time for lunch.
"Also, I just discovered the School's exclusive app on my phone, the School Forum. It seems that as long as we enter our student ID number for real-name verification, we can post,"
"There are ordinary students, Student Council members, and even some faculty and staff and store clerks from the Shopping Area inside," Hikigaya said.
"Oh, oh." Kushida nodded.
She quickly picked up her phone.
Then she opened the forum app.
She had been busy contacting others and saving their friend information before, so she hadn't had time to explore the contents of her phone.
Hikigaya watched Kushida's actions without expression.
In fact, during the recent Floor investigation of the three grades, Hikigaya had obtained more important information and had related ideas, but before confirming them, he did not believe it was something that needed to be announced or would be effective if announced.
So he only brought up the ordinary forum information.
Actually, for someone like Kushida, who is good at socializing, she would probably quickly understand the purpose of this forum.
So his bringing it up now was just a common courtesy, as a reward for her accompanying him to check for information.
"…" Hikigaya.
Suddenly he felt as if he was wavering a bit.
"So, Hikigaya, are you planning to eat first?"
Kushida said after checking her phone.
"More or less," Hikigaya said.
"According to the GPS on my phone, it takes almost 10 minutes to get to the Shopping Area, but only 5 minutes to the cafeteria."
In other words, Hikigaya is the type who prioritizes proximity?
"Is that so? Then, would you like to have a meal together?" Kushida extended an invitation.
"…" Hikigaya.
???
All the way with Kushida, Hikigaya had been telling himself to stay clear-headed and not be influenced by her.
To not waver.
Kushida wanted to be friends with everyone, so perhaps even a demanding, stubborn person like him was within her scope of interest.
So don't waver, don't waver.
As a result…
Kushida…you really seem to be trying to win him over now.
Are you that persistent, Kushida?
...
School Cafeteria.
It was their first time here, and they found it very large, with many serving counters.
Only.
"Hikigaya, I found it! Some of the counters' food doesn't require points," Kushida said.
"It seems you can just line up and get it, and you don't even need to swipe your student ID."
"Hehe, the School is really good to the students."
"You can still get relief if you run out of points."
I see.
Hikigaya had also noticed this.
Rather, he had deliberately looked for it.
And.
Hikigaya was focused on counter number 5.
And the staff at that counter put out a [Sold Out] sign.
This meant that the free meal set there was gone.
And this counter was one that he had found mentioned by an upperclassman on the School forum when he was checking it in his dorm, saying it offered a free, not-too-bad wild vegetable meal set.
And now it was actually sold out.
In other words…there are many people in this School who need to live on free meals.
And the number of D Class upperclassmen is the largest.
So, it's really like that, isn't it…The living expenses the School allocates to students have conditions and restrictions, and then… as Class D students, they will be very miserable.
...
The School's meal was delicious, but Hikigaya felt he couldn't taste it.
And he knew the reason, it was probably because he was eating with a girl, and a quite cute one at that.
However, after the meal, Kushida did not continue to act with him.
Because she was also a busy person similar to Hirata, but she wasn't helping out. Instead, some girls invited her to go shopping and buy supplies.
So the two parted ways near the fountain outside the Shopping Street.
And Kushida wanted him to go in first; she would wait a bit before entering the Shopping Area.
This is very realistic, Kushida.
Are you worried about being seen with him?
However, Hikigaya followed the map on his phone's GPS to the Shopping Street.
As Teacher Chabashira said, the School required all students to live in dorms, but it also provided corresponding facilities to ensure students would not be bored during their three years of residency here.
From ordinary electronics stores, family restaurants, teppanyaki, Hibachi, to various shopping stores for goods, everything was available.
And apart from one type of store, most of the dining, drinking, and entertainment facilities were in the Keyaki Mall in the middle of the Shopping Street.
This place was very popular with students.
Hikigaya walked into Keyaki Mall, didn't buy anything, just sat on a sofa provided for resting, and observed the students coming and going, shopping and strolling.
Sometimes he would encounter students wearing uniforms, but many were wearing their own casual clothes.
Logically, these should be upperclassmen, as they don't need to wear School uniforms on holidays.
However.
He also noticed that among these upperclassmen, some were very generous with their money, buying quite expensive items.
For example, gold pendants and bracelets.
Some upperclassmen couldn't afford a meal, while some upperclasswomen spent money like water.
A very interesting scene.
But for Hikigaya, who came from Class D, it was a little regrettable.
Because the more he observed, the more terrifyingly he realized how terrible it was to be assigned to Class D.
Thinking this, Hikigaya noticed that a dozen students came up from the escalator on the Floor.
All wearing student uniforms.
Counting them.
There were sixteen students.
The Team Leader seemed to be a short-haired girl with silver hair.
Her body might not be very good.
Her left hand was resting on a black cane.
But her appearance was very cute.
Her pupils were clear and lively, and her skin was fair and delicate.
Actually, it was just the moment he saw her: white tights, silver hair, a petite figure.
No, no, no, combined with her characteristic difficulty in movement.
A single phrase immediately came to Hachiman's mind.
Frail loli.
She looked quite delicate, yet her demeanor was remarkably elegant.
And this group of students had a peculiar aura.
It seemed like a crowd was surrounding that frail, silver-haired girl.
"Thanks to Sakayanagi, we were able to obtain those points, and then acquire this information that is crucial to us."
"Oh, it was just good luck on my part."
The student referred to as Sakayanagi seemed very humble.
"However, we were stopped by the Student Council, which is a bit of a pity, otherwise our Class could have gained even more advantages," Another student added.
"It is indeed a bit regrettable, but it's not good to completely offend the upperclassmen."
And so, another round of flattery ensued.
The elevator arrived quickly.
And Hachiman noticed that the frail, silver-haired girl holding the cane glanced his way.
But she quickly averted her gaze.
"…" Hachiman.
He probably stared at her for too long and was mistaken for a loli-con.
Hachiman then looked away, preparing to reply to teacher Chabashira.
Hachiman was about to send an email to Chabashira.
Informing her that he was now free.
However.
"Beep!"
As soon as he sent the message, she quickly replied.
Specifically, the email Hachiman sent showed as read within 2 seconds.
But Chabashira's reply seemed a bit impersonal.
[I have some things to deal with at the moment, so I don't have time. At 8 PM, meet me at the resting benches near the Artificial Lake at the student dorms.]
It seemed she was putting him off.
She was very busy, so much so that she didn't have time to bother with him.
However, if you observe carefully, you'll find something terrifying.
Because if she were truly very busy, she wouldn't have immediately read his message and replied as soon as he sent it.
One must know that even in work matters, there are priorities, so Chabashira's current behavior conveyed a sense of urgency.
This is quite terrifying.
Hachiman felt his sixth sense was reliable.
When he noticed Teacher Chabashira's indifferent expression in Class become lively, he felt he was being targeted.
And now it could be confirmed that he was indeed being targeted.
Only through most of the day's observation did he realize the dire situation Class D was in.
Judging from the circumstances of Class D's upperclassmen, poverty and the need for relief funds due to lack of living expenses might be the norm.
Thus.
Assisting Chabashira in investigating classmates to create profiles, with each profile worth 200,000 point, suddenly became a very high-value proposition.
And speaking of huge point.
Hachiman opened the school forum and found that the post about Sakayanagi Arisu, the arrogant First Year, and her Chess challenge was gone.
Class D's upperclassmen could only eat relief food, while some upperclassmen could wear gold and silver.
A world of difference.
So, perhaps Sakayanagi Arisu from Class A might have truly accumulated a huge amount of point.
And thinking this.
"You guys will soon see hell!"
"Idiot!"
A commotion came from the Floor below.
Hachiman, by the window on the second Floor, could perfectly see the scene on the Floor below.
It was a tall, red-headed guy being ridiculed by two older male students.
And Hachiman remembered this tall guy.
He was a classmate.
When Hirata and Kushida were introducing themselves, this guy suddenly kicked a desk, yelling, 'Are you still kids? You're doing introductions!'
But when it was his turn, did he introduce himself?
He did.
He looked strong, but seemed to be all bark and no bite.
And Hachiman remembered his name was Sudo Ken, his specialty was Basketball, and he seemed to want to join the high school's Basketball club.
"Don't run if you're so brave!"
Sudo shouted loudly.
But the upperclassmen had already left.
And he still seemed to be in a bad mood, so he kicked over a plastic trash can nearby.
Then he left unhappily.
"…"
Hachiman then continued to contact Chabashira.
"Is there any particular reason for the resting benches near the Artificial Lake at the student dorms?"
[There are no cameras there. It's one of the few places in the school where you can have a private meeting.] By Chabashira.
Oh.
Cameras.
But this is a shopping mall.
And there were naturally cameras directly facing where Sudo was just now.
So, Hachiman went downstairs and picked up the trash can Sudo had kicked over.
…
Since the agreed time was 8 PM, Hachiman chose to do some shopping first.
He had no experience living away from home.
If he had to say, it was during elementary school when he went to Chiba Village for nature classes.
But now he needed to stay in one place for a long time, for three years.
The dorms had all the hardware facilities, so the only things he needed to buy were some basic daily necessities.
Things like toiletries, toilet paper, pajamas, slippers, shower gel, shampoo, etc.
The categories were numerous, not expensive but troublesome.
There was only one shopping center in the Shopping Area, but there were many discount supermarkets and convenience stores.
Hachiman went to one of them.
Because this supermarket offered points.
After shopping, you got a point card, and once you accumulated a certain amount, you could redeem items.
It was truly full of everyday life.
Except for the fact that he was paying with private point instead of cash.
…
"And so, it's time to go."
Leaning back in his chair, Hachiman looked at the alarm clock beside him.
The time was 7:15 PM.
There were still a full 45 minutes until Chabashira's agreed time of 8 PM.
And the distance wasn't far.
It was around the student dorms, near the resting benches by the Artificial Lake.
The dorms only faced the lake on one side.
When Hachiman returned to the dorm with his large bags, he specifically went there to take a look.
It was less than a 10-minute walk from the dorm.
Very close.
And it was very spacious.
Although it was near the Artificial Lake, it was fenced off with railings, making it very safe, and one could enjoy the natural scenery.
It was just that the wind there was quite strong.
So most people wouldn't choose to go there, but that also made it a suitable place for talking.
Only.
Hachiman opened his phone.
GPS.
As long as they were friends, they could directly locate each other via GPS.
And now, Hachiman found that Chabashira-Sensei's location wasn't far.
It was in the northwest direction.
And that direction was Hachiman's destination.
Which means.
"…"
There were still 45 minutes until the agreed time, but…Chabashira, you're already there.
Although he knew this teacher was in a hurry, Hachiman didn't intend to make her wait indefinitely.
He started going downstairs and then jogged over.
And in 6 minutes, he arrived at his destination.
He could see a woman in a professional OL outfit leaning against the railing, her left hand raised as if holding a lady's cigarette.
She was wearing high heels.
She had long black hair, but she had tied it into a single ponytail with a blue hair tie, making her look extremely capable.
Perhaps she heard his footsteps, Chabashira Sae turned around, seemingly smiling slightly.
This smile made one think of a cunning fox, a bit suggestive.
Of course, this wasn't something a student should be thinking.
"Sensei, you're a bit early," Hachiman said seriously.
"Aren't you early too?" Chabashira Sae retorted.
"...Heh heh—"
Both of them seemed to have laughed.
But it was an awkward laugh.
Both understood that the previous exchange was a confrontation, and a very tense one at that.
Hachiman deliberately brought up her early arrival to show her eagerness, and Chabashira directly responded, indicating that he was early because he was eager to get the task she issued.
In other words, it was best not to expose each other's weaknesses.
"A day has passed." Chabashira didn't continue to beat around the bush.
She said directly, "You should have some answers."
"…" Hachiman.
"Yes, this School is indeed very different, and it seems to use Class competition to motivate students."
"Oh?" Chabashira gently took down her cigarette.
"How so?"
"Today, Kushida and I went to the teaching buildings of three Grades."
"Then we found that the configurations were the same: a bulletin board and a small blackboard. And besides our First Year's small blackboard being blank with no writing on it."
"The small blackboards of Grade 2 and Grade 3 both had numbers."
"The pattern was the same, all divided into A, B, C, and D, followed by a string of numbers," Hachiman said.
"Hmm." Chabashira nodded calmly.
"So?"
"I speculate that this is some kind of evaluation standard," Hachiman said.
"It's an evaluation obtained from the School, with the Class As the unit."
"I observed that the seniors and juniors in Class 2-D, Third-year C Class, and Third-year D Class were living a life of relief."
"So this matches up."
"Their evaluations were very weak, like Third-year D Class only had 20 points."
"And the living expenses they could get from the School with these evaluations must be very low," Hachiman said.
"It's definitely not enough."
Oh.
Chabashira nodded gently.
I see.
So…D Class really found a treasure this time.
"Good insight."
Chabashira pressed her cigarette against the railing and said, "Then I found the right person to entrust you with the task of investigating the classmates in the Class and creating their profiles."
"200,000 remuneration per student."
"And you said you went to explore the teaching building with Kushida, right?"
"Then you can choose her to make the profiles first," Chabashira said.
"What is your evaluation of her?"
"About that…" Hachiman said.
But he didn't raise his head.
"Is there something you can't say?" Chabashira said.
"No." Hachiman shook his head.
"It's not good for me to evaluate her."
Oh?
Chabashira Sae blinked.
"Chabashira Sensei, can you tell me first, is Kushida excellent in ordinary aspects like academics and sports?" Hachiman said.
"What do you mean?" Chabashira frowned.
"If Kushida is good in all these aspects, and she also helped Hirata establish a Class group, and obtained contact information for most of the classmates in a very short time."
"She also actively participates in interactions among classmates," Hachiman said.
"These are all excellent performances."
"But the more excellent she performs...then I think she…"
"Perhaps there's a big problem."
"This problem is so big that once her problem is exposed, all her excellent performances will vanish."