As I left the dorm and was on my way to school...
"Is there really no way?"
"I want to help too, but... What do you think, Kanzaki-kun?"
"To be honest, it's probably impossible."
Kanzaki and Ichinose were having what seemed like a serious conversation. Meanwhile, Takahashi Shu from Class 1-A stood among the rows of cedar trees on the path, looking troubled as they discussed something.
Judging by the situation, it appeared to be a discussion about exam partners. I could ignore it and walk past, but right now, I needed contact with first-year students.
Perhaps it would be better to force an interaction, even if it felt a bit pushy.
"What's wrong? You all look so troubled."
"! Hikigaya...?"
"Hikigaya-kun?"
When I spoke up, Kanzaki and Ichinose reacted with surprise, while Takahashi looked at me with a question mark on his face.
"...Do you need something? I don't think you have any business talking to us."
"Not particularly. But when I see people talking so seriously on a narrow path like this, it's hard not to wonder."
Naturally, they were wary of me—after all, I was from Ryūen's class.
That was to be expected. I had no prior connection with them, and suddenly approaching them would naturally raise suspicion.
A brief silence followed, but Ichinose, who seemed to have picked up on something, glanced between Takahashi—who was still out of the loop—and me before speaking up.
"Hikigaya-kun, have you already decided on your exam partner?"
"Ichinose. What are you saying? Don't tell me you're—"
"If things stay like this, Takahashi-kun will be in trouble too. I think it'd be best to ask Hikigaya-kun for help. That seems like the most realistic option."
I didn't fully grasp the situation, but Kanzaki took a few seconds to consider Ichinose's words before letting out a small sigh and explaining the circumstances to me.
Apparently, Takahashi had been pleading with Ichinose and the others to pair up with him for the exam. However, all the students in Class C had already formed pairs, leaving Takahashi with no one to team up with—hence their dilemma.
"If possible, we wanted to help Takahashi find a partner too. So, Hikigaya, would you be willing to cooperate? Academically, there shouldn't be any issues. That is, assuming you don't already have a partner in mind."
As Kanzaki said, Takahashi's academic ability was C+—the same as mine.
Honestly, this situation worked in my favor. I'd already had my eye on Takahashi.
Takahashi Shu was a mood-maker in Class A, a member of the soccer club, and a well-liked student who interacted with students from other classes and even other grades.
If I were a White Room student, I wouldn't draw so much attention. Their goal was to expel me—they wouldn't go out of their way to build unnecessary connections.
If I were free to choose my partner, he would definitely be a strong candidate.
"I get the situation. But deciding right now is way too rushed. If possible, I'd like to talk to Takahashi privately first. How about it?"
When I shifted my gaze, Takahashi spoke up without hesitation.
"Totally fine! Honestly, I was starting to give up on finding a partner, so I'd really appreciate your offer, Hikigaya-senpai!"
As expected of a soccer club member—his smile was refreshing.
"Then how about this Sunday? I'll message you the location later, so let's exchange contact info."
"Sure! I don't have club activities that day, so no problem!"
After exchanging contact details with Takahashi, Ichinose let out a relieved sigh.
"Thanks, Hikigaya-kun. Everyone in our class had already paired up, so this is a huge help."
"Don't mention it. If anything, I should be thanking you. It's embarrassing to admit, but I don't have enough connections to secure a partner on my own."
Ichinose smiled faintly. "Well, I'm glad it worked out."
...Come to think of it, whenever I'd run into Ichinose before, I always felt like she was sizing me up. But now, that feeling was gone.
This was an unexpected turn of events, but for me, it was the best possible outcome.
"What should I do...?"
I couldn't say with 100% certainty that Takahashi Shu wasn't the White Room student. That's exactly why I had to keep the possibility of taking drastic measures on the table.
........
Feeling the End of the Week – Friday After School
It was Friday afternoon, and the week was winding down. Today, for the first time in a while, I came to the library with Hiyori.
Due to the upcoming exams, there were hardly any students around, leaving the place practically empty. Which meant there was little chance of anyone seeing us in our current position.
"Hachiman, hold me tighter."
"Like this?"
Hiyori was sitting on my lap, hugging me from the front. At her request, I tightened my grip around her waist.
"Fufu. This feels nice."
Why are girls so soft? And the perfect warmth they give off is just baffling.
"H-Hiyori. We're in the library. Even if there's no one around, if someone sees us—"
"I don't mind. Right now, being close to you is more important."
She responded with a bright smile, then leaned her body against my chest as if melting into me. Honestly, I wouldn't mind staying like this, but what should I do?
Just as I was internally panicking, my phone buzzed with a new message.
Normally, I'd check it immediately, but Hiyori, who had claimed my lap as her territory, showed no signs of letting go—her arms locked tightly around me.
"I need to check my phone."
"No."
I didn't expect to get rejected.
Hiyori wrapped her arms around my neck, making it clear through her actions that she wasn't letting me go.
"I just need to check the message."
"The sender was Sakayanagi-san. I don't want our time together to be interrupted."
Hearing her reasoning, I couldn't help but find it adorable.
Truthfully, I wanted to check it right away. But I couldn't just push Hiyori away when she was clinging to me like this.
"If that's how you feel, I'll check it later."
"Thank you."
Her cheeks flushed with happiness, and she hugged me even tighter. With our bodies pressed so close together, I could feel every curve of hers, and the fact that I was already getting used to it scared me a little.
"Hachiman. Do you have any plans for tomorrow? If not, I'd like to go on a date."
"A date, huh?"
She made the suggestion while stealing shy glances at me.
I'd recently learned something about Hiyori—while she had no problem clinging to me like this, she still got embarrassed when expressing her feelings outright.
"So, what do you think? Just going out like usual would be fun too, but I want to try going on a real date. The kind couples do."
She looked up at me with upturned eyes.
She probably wasn't doing it on purpose, but she really shouldn't hit me with attacks like this so casually.
"Sorry, I've got something important this weekend that I can't cancel."
"Oh. I see. Sorry for getting carried away on my own."
A small sound effect might as well have played as Hiyori visibly deflated. The guilt was overwhelming.
Leaving her like this felt too cruel, so I gently placed a hand on her head and stroked it carefully, making sure not to hurt her.
"To make up for it, how about we go somewhere together next weekend?"
Hiyori's eyes softened, and she nodded eagerly, her expression brightening.
Of course, the fact that she kept clinging to me until the library closed was another story entirely.
.........
Sunday, the Weekend
I headed to the prearranged meeting spot.
"Senpai! Over here!"
As I approached the fountain where we'd agreed to meet, I saw Takahashi already waiting, waving enthusiastically.
"Sorry for being late, Takahashi."
"No worries! I just got here too - perfect timing!"
It seemed he had arrived earlier than planned.
"So, about the partner thing..."
"Don't worry. As long as you're okay with it, I'm ready to confirm the pairing."
"Huh? Really? Then I'll go ahead and-"
He immediately pulled out his phone, about to submit the partner request, but I stopped him with a raised hand.
"Hold on. I do want to pair up with you, but there's something I need to explain first. I need a little time to talk."
"Oh, of course! Sorry, I jumped the gun..."
He bowed his head slightly in apology.
What a decent guy. But there were still too many unanswered questions - I needed to gather information carefully.
"So, what's the issue?"
We sat on a nearby bench, and Takahashi's expression turned serious.
Alright, time to test my acting skills.
"To keep it brief - you know there's a guy named Ryuuen in my class, right?"
"Yeah... I've heard rumors. He's, uh... kind of rough, from what people say."
He was being diplomatic, but it seemed he had at least some idea of Ryuuen's reputation.
"That Ryuuen is our class leader. And he's enforcing certain rules on everyone in our class."
Takahashi's expression stiffened slightly as he started understanding where this was going.
"Here's the main point. Ryuuen set a special rule for this exam."
"And that rule is why we can't confirm our partnership right away?"
"Exactly. The rule is: 'Before finalizing any exam partnerships, you must report to me first.'"
Takahashi's eyes widened slightly.
All lies, of course. But since Takahashi was just a first-year who didn't know much about second-year dynamics, he wouldn't be able to question it.
"That's why we can't confirm our partnership yet. I need to report to Ryuuen first that I'm pairing with you."
"I see... That makes sense."
He looked a bit troubled by the complexity, but ultimately accepted it.
First stage cleared.
"Now that I've explained the situation, let me confirm again - you're still okay with being my partner, right Takahashi?"
"Yes! Of course!"
"Good. Then I'll report to Ryuuen that I've found a partner. Sorry for dragging you into this. Once I get Ryuuen's approval, we can officially register our partnership."
While we'd verbally agreed to partner up, it wouldn't be official until registered in the OAA system.
I'd managed to delay the official pairing with my made-up story. Now the important part was figuring out my next move.
...........
After finishing our discussion about the pairing, I suggested we visit 'Humming', a shop specializing in daily necessities.
The store was filled with various kitchenware, tableware, and cooking utensils - a treasure trove for students who cooked for themselves.
"Whoa... this is amazing. I had no idea there were so many types of kitchen tools these days," Takahashi exclaimed, his eyes shining like a child in a toy store as he examined the cooking utensils.
"Takahashi, I feel bad just dragging you around for my shopping. Why don't you pick out some kitchenware you like? My treat."
"W-what? No way! That's too much! Besides, I don't even cook!"
"Even if you don't cook regularly, it's good to have basic things like knives and pans."
"But letting you pay for them... that's really..."
He had a point - kitchenware wasn't like regular groceries; the prices were considerably higher. His reluctance was understandable.
Seeing this conversation going nowhere, I pulled out my phone and showed Takahashi my point balance. His reaction was priceless.
"2... 2.13 million points?! Senpai, you have this much?!"
"Exactly. So don't hold back - pick whatever you want. Consider it a welcome gift."
Leaving the stunned Takahashi behind, I began browsing the cooking utensils myself.
This was a necessary "move." While I had zero interest in kitchenware, I was anticipating future developments.
In the end, I purchased some specialized tools like peelers and graters, while Takahashi - who clearly had little knowledge about cooking equipment - settled for basic knives and frying pans.
.........
After finishing our discussion about the exam pairing, we went ahead and officially registered as partners a few hours later - I had pretended to get Ryuuen's approval first. Now Takahashi and I were officially partnered for the special exam.
"Thank you so much, Hikigaya-senpai!" Takahashi said enthusiastically.
"Don't mention it. Actually, there's another matter I wanted to discuss with you."
When I brought up this "other matter," Takahashi paused thoughtfully before responding. "If possible, I'd like to hear about it. This could affect our whole class."
"Understood. Let's head to the meeting spot then."
This other matter was something I had mentioned to Takahashi earlier - that Sakayanagi Arisu, the leader of Class 2-A, wanted to discuss forming an alliance for future exams through me as an intermediary.
Normally it would be suspicious for a student from another class to mediate between two A-classes, but Takahashi didn't question it at all. My credibility with him seemed higher than I expected. His trust made everything proceed smoothly.
"We're having this discussion at a karaoke place?" Takahashi asked as we arrived.
"Right. Karaoke rooms don't have surveillance cameras. Perfect for discussing class matters privately."
"I see!"
We entered the private karaoke room where Arisu was waiting elegantly, sipping tea on the sofa. She stood up gracefully when we arrived.
"You must be Takahashi Shu. I'm Sakayanagi Arisu, leader of Class 2-A."
"Y-yes! I'm Takahashi Shu, sort of a representative from Class 1-A!"
Takahashi stood stiffly, his face slightly red - probably nervous around such a beautiful upperclassman.
As we sat down, Takahashi whispered to me, "Senpai... Sakayanagi-senpai is really cute, isn't she?"
"I suppose. She's definitely one of the most attractive in our grade."
"I'd love to get to know her better!"
Arisu began the discussion about exam strategies, but then noticed our shopping bags.
"What did you two purchase?"
"Ah! These are kitchen knives! Hikigaya-senpai gave them to me as a welcome gift!"
"My, how generous of you, Hikigaya-kun."
"Right? He's such a great senpai!"
Arisu's comment helped move things along smoothly.
"Actually Takahashi, I think one of my knives accidentally ended up in your bag. Could you hand it to me?"
"Sure! You mean this fruit knife?"
He rummaged through his bag and pulled out the knife, holding it by the blade with the handle facing sideways.
Seeing his grip on the handle, I suddenly grabbed his wrist to keep the knife in place.
"Uh, Hikigaya-senpai? What's wrong?"
"That's exactly what I'm wondering..."
Keeping firm hold of his hand gripping the knife, I forced it upward sharply -
......
Blood splattered around us as a dull pain shot through my left hand.
"...Huh?"
When I looked up, my eyes met Takahashi's. He was staring blankly at the knife embedded in my hand, unable to process what had just happened.
For a few seconds, he stood frozen—then suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.
"W-what are you doing?! Why would you—?!"
Blood dripped steadily from the knife piercing clean through my palm.
"W-we need to treat this right away! We—we should go to the hospital—!"
"...Takahashi."
I called his name, my voice calm. Just that single word made him flinch violently, as if terrified.
"Who stabbed me with this knife?"
I raised my injured hand toward him, the blade still lodged in my flesh.
"...What?"
"There are no surveillance cameras here. That means I can be either the victim... or the attacker."
"W-what are you... talking about...?"
He didn't understand. Or maybe he didn't want to understand.
I shifted my gaze to Arisu, who—unlike Takahashi—showed no trace of panic.
"Arisu. If I were to claim to be the victim in this situation, what would the consequences be?"
"Well..." She smiled, as if she'd anticipated this question. "Expulsion would be guaranteed, of course. Depending on your testimony, it could even become a police matter. A single knife could change someone's entire life."
"Takahashi, do you understand the situation now?"
"I—I don't! I don't get what you're trying to say at all...!"
"Fine. Then I'll make it simple."
I stood and leaned in close, my eyes locking onto his.
"All you have to do is take the exam. Don't worry about me. Just score your usual marks."
When I gripped his shoulder, his entire body trembled.
"I wonder... whose fault is it that this knife is in my hand? Oh, right—I decide that. There are no witnesses in this room."
"B-but... Sakayanagi-senpai—"
He desperately looked to Arisu, but she just waved cheerfully, her smile unwavering.
"I decide what happens to you. But I won't make it bad for you. That's a promise."
I stared into his eyes from inches away.
His gaze reflected back at me—like he was looking at something monstrous.
"—Just clear the next exam."
I whispered it into his ear.
Takahashi's legs gave out, his face pale with terror as he collapsed to his knees.
I'd planned this from the start.
Even if my partner were to sabotage me, I needed a way to survive.
If an obviously abnormal incident occurred behind the scenes, even Tsukishiro wouldn't be able to force my expulsion immediately. There would have to be an investigation—why Takahashi scored zero, what really happened.
No matter what trap Tsukishiro set, I'd block expulsion with an airtight defense.
That's why I had Arisu cooperate as a witness.
"Let's go, Arisu."
"Yes."
I left the karaoke room, leaving Takahashi behind on the floor.
=================================
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