After school, in the third-floor hallway of the school building, Hikigaya was still thinking about that withdrawal application.
He couldn't say exactly why he hadn't submitted it yet; perhaps Hiratsuka Shizuka's words had scrambled his brain.
"Running away," "heart,"—she talked as if he were so important figure.
Following the address on the club application form, he found the activity room she ntioned. There were no markings on the door plate.
He pushed the door open.
It was a small room. In the back, there were quite a few desks and chairs stacked together, looking as if they hadn't been used in a long ti. In the front, there was only a long table, a few chairs, and a bookshelf against the wall with a scattering of books on it.
The windows were open, and the evening breeze blew in, causing the curtains to sway.
Soone was already inside.
She stood by the window, back turned toward him.
Her long black hair reached her waist, the strands glowing with a dark red hue under the sunset. The red flower petal on her head was particularly conspicuous.
Hearing the door open, she turned around.
Their eyes t—a pair of familiar, blood-red eyes.
Hikigaya froze for a mont; it was the girl who had helped him sweep the floor last Friday.
When she saw him, her expression didn't change; she simply nodded to acknowledge him.
Hikigaya walked over and sat down opposite her.
Silence.
He didn't know what to say, and she didn't intend to start the conversation.
Only the sound of the wind remained.
A few minutes later, the door was pushed open again.
Hiratsuka Shizuka walked in carrying two cans of MAX Coffee. She tossed one to Hikigaya, placed the other by the girl's side, and sat down in the middle.
"It seems you've both arrived. The first eting of the Service Club begins."
First eting? He hadn't even finished filling out his club application form yet.
Hiratsuka Shizuka seed to see through Hikigaya's confusion.
"Just fill that form out later; you're here, aren't you?" She waved her hand dismissively.
She looked at Hikigaya, then at the girl, and as if rembering sothing, she clapped her hands.
"Right, let introduce you two first."
She pointed to Hikigaya.
"This is Hikigaya Hachiman, Year 1, Class F. A super-misanthropic, difficult-to-deal-with egoist monster."
Her way of introducing people was truly... direct.
Hiratsuka Shizuka then pointed to the girl.
"This is Nikaido Hiro, Year 1, Class J. Excellent grades, athletic, a perfect superhuman."
Hey, hey, that favoritism is a bit too obvious!
Nikaido's expression didn't change; she just nodded toward Hikigaya.
"Now, let explain the activities of this club," she leaned back into her chair. "It's very simple: give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifeti. Use your own thods to help others solve problems they cannot solve themselves."
She paused.
"Of course, you don't have to do it. The club room is here anyway—co if you want, or don't."
Hikigaya didn't speak.
What kind of club was this?
Hiratsuka Shizuka took a piece of paper from her pocket and placed it on the table.
"Since you two aren't saying anything, I'll go first. This is the Service Club's first request."
Hikigaya looked down at the paper.
It was a student information sheet. In the na column, it read: Sakuraba Ema.
Nikaido's expression turned cold instantly.
"What does this an?"
"A girl from Year 1, Class F. She's been the subject of so intense rumors lately," Hiratsuka Shizuka said in a flat tone. "Things like 'third party,' 'stealing a boyfriend.' Oh, and by the way, that 'boyfriend' is the Hikigaya-kun sitting right here."
Hikigaya looked away.
"It has nothing to do with ," Nikaido stood up.
"I know it has nothing to do with you, but the matter itself is wrong. Soone is hurting others with lies."
Hiratsuka Shizuka looked at her.
"You constantly have the word 'right' on your lips. You know better than anyone what is correct and what is wrong.
So, is this matter right, or is it wrong?"
Nikaido looked away and did not answer.
"I'm not asking you to do this for anyone's sake," Hiratsuka Shizuka said. "I'm only asking you: given that such a thing has happened, does it need to be corrected?"
Nikaido stood in place, her arms folded, shoulders tensed tight. She kept her head down, and Hikigaya couldn't clearly see her expression.
After a long ti, she slowly sat back down in the chair.
"I will handle it," her voice was low but resolute.
Hiratsuka Shizuka nodded and stood up.
"Fine. Discuss it amongst yourselves and solve it."
She walked to the door and pushed it open.
"Oh, and don't fight."
The door closed.
Only Hikigaya and Nikaido remained in the activity room.
After a long ti, Nikaido spoke first.
"Sakuraba Ema."
Hikigaya looked at her, rembering the "reminder" she had given him while on duty last Friday.
"You really do know her."
"I do. Middle school classmate," Nikaido did not deny it.
She lifted her head, those blood-red eyes fixed on Hikigaya.
"What is your relationship with her?"
"...Classmate. Classmates in the sa class."
The corners of Nikaido's mouth moved as if she wanted to say sothing, but in the end, she didn't speak. She shifted her gaze away.
"Those rumors," Nikaido said. "How much do you know?"
Hikigaya gave a brief summary of everything he had heard and seen over the week—from the girls' whispering to Tobe's reminder, to Miura confronting Emma on the rooftop, and finally, Emma fainting.
After Nikaido heard it all, she was silent for a long ti.
"This kind of thing," she finally spoke, her voice very cold. "Should not happen."
"Then how do you intend to handle it now?"
Nikaido looked at him.
"Find Miura and get things clear."
"Say what?"
"That you and Saeki are not in that kind of relationship. This whole thing is wrong, and what is wrong should be corrected."
Hikigaya thought about it.
"Do you think that will work?"
"I don't know."
"Then why go?"
"Things that ought to be done must be done," Nikaido's tone was very calm. "Whether it works or not is a different matter."
Hikigaya looked at her; there was a sense of certainty in those blood-red eyes.
"I've seen people who spread gossip.
Back in middle school, rumors were spread about many tis," Hikigaya's tone was faint. "At first, it was about being rejected after a confession; then it turned into refusing to leave a girl alone; then it turned into being a stalker. Nobody cared what the facts were."
He sighed.
"If you debunk one today, they'll make up three more tomorrow. Because what they want isn't the truth—it's the conclusion that 'this person is problematic.'"
Nikaido was silent for a few seconds.
"So you think saying anything is useless?"
"Yes."
"Then what is your solution?"
Hikigaya didn't speak.
"So you chose to drop out to escape?"
"Did Hiratsuka-sensei tell you that?"
Nikaido didn't answer, throwing out another question instead.
"Why did she faint?"
Hikigaya froze for a mont.
"The ti on the rooftop," Nikaido added.
Hikigaya chose to remain silent.
"Miura hadn't even said much, and she had already collapsed," Nikaido's tone was questioning.
"So the problem isn't what Miura said; the focus lies in other factors."
"The rooftop..."
Hikigaya looked at her.
Sothing flashed in those blood-red eyes, and then she looked away, toward the window.
Outside, the sun was almost entirely set.
"I will handle this matter," she stood up. "Regardless of whether it's useful or not, what must be done, must be done."
She walked to the door and stopped.
"Hikigaya."
"Yeah?"
"Why does she rely on you so much?"
Hikigaya didn't speak.
He couldn't answer that question.
Or rather, he knew the answer, but it wasn't sothing that could be spoken of lightly.
Nikaido did not wait for his response; she pushed the door open and walked out.
Only Hikigaya was left in the activity room.
He opened the can of MAX Coffee and took a sip.
It was cold.
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