"How... how could it be like this..."
Chabashira Sae's eyes lost their focus. Hikigaya's words had exposed the cruel truth hidden beneath the S-System!
The truth was that students originally from Class D and Class C, no matter how hard they worked, could never graduate as Class A in the end.
This had nothing to do with the rules; it was interference from the school's high-level administration.
For example, if Class D used a series of tactics to rise to Class B and were only a small distance away from Class A, at that mont, the school would only need to arrange a simple, straightforward academic exam.
The rules would mirror the national college entrance exams, eliminating all so-called "intellectual battle" tactics.
Class B would undoubtedly lose.
"From the beginning, the only ones competing to graduate from Class A were the original Class A and Class B.
For the defective products of Class C and Class D, it was impossible from the start."
Hikigaya had understood this a long ti ago.
"Impossible from the start, huh...
Yeah, such a simple truth—why was I the only one who couldn't see through it?"
Chabashira Sae's face turned deathly pale, as if her long-held beliefs had been destroyed, suddenly losing the aning of life.
"This is what they call being blinded by one's own involvent.
Chabashira-sensei, you've been stuck in your obsession with Class A from back then, which is why you couldn't see the truth clearly.
I was able to see through it only because I am a bystander."
Hikigaya offered a tactful consolation. However, Chabashira Sae's spirit had taken a heavy blow, and she sat there staring blankly with hollow eyes.
"Chabashira-sensei?
Chabashira-sensei?"
Hikigaya called out twice, but the other party showed no reaction.
'This is bad...'
If she couldn't snap out of it and did sothing reckless like jumping into the sea, what then? It's common knowledge that Japan's suicide rate is among the highest in the world! He had to find a way to pull her attention back first.
"Chabashira-sensei, if you don't snap out of it, I'm going to play a prank on you, okay?"
Hikigaya reached under the table, grabbed her foot, and used his finger to tickle the center of her sole. No reaction. He tickled again. Still no reaction.
However, Hikigaya noticed carefully that her brow twitched slightly. That was it! No carbon-based life form could be immune to neural reflexes.
'Then I'll increase the force...!'
Hikigaya used all five fingers to frantically scratch and tickle her sole.
"Baka!
You absolute moron!!
You're going to rub the skin off my foot!!!"
Chabashira Sae snapped back to reality completely. Her previously pale face was now flushed with a layer of crimson, her brow filled with sha and anger.
"Physical exorcism successful."
Hikigaya was kicked a few tis by her. But this weak kicking force was less of an attack and more like rubbing; for people with certain special fetishes, it wouldn't even be an exaggeration to call it a "reward."
"Honestly...
Can't you see I was in the middle of a deep, somber mourning for my lost youth?
Don't you know how to read the atmosphere?"
Chabashira Sae was suddenly fuming with rage. The rising and falling "mountains" on her chest looked as if they were about to burst through her clothes!
"Eh? So you were mourning?
I thought you were going to do sothing reckless."
Hikigaya realized he had misinterpreted her and felt incredibly embarrassed.
"Bullshit! Do you think this is a K-Drama?
Where did this lodramatic plot co from!!"
Chabashira Sae's defenses were sowhat broken, and she began to speak without filtering her words.
"Yes, yes, yes, it's my fault.
Sorry, Chabashira-sensei."
Hikigaya apologized repeatedly.
"Tch~ fine, forget it...
You brat ant well, but did a bad thing."
Chabashira Sae couldn't help but sigh.
"Since Chabashira-sensei is fine, may I take my leave now?"
Hikigaya glanced at the ti; without realizing it, it was already 11:55 PM!
"Wait! Stay a little longer."
Chabashira Sae instinctively raised her leg, but thinking about being tickled, she imdiately put it back. This ti, she grabbed Hikigaya's arm with her hand and pulled him back into his seat.
"What are we waiting for... it's almost midnight."
Hikigaya was speechless.
"It'll be quick."
Chabashira Sae didn't let go; instead, she moved her hand down his arm and grasped his palm.
"???"
Hikigaya looked dazed. The two of them sat there quietly holding hands until 00:00 arrived.
"Happy Birthday, Hikigaya-kun."
The sudden blessing caused Hikigaya's eyes to widen. August 8th was indeed his birthday.
"If you hadn't ntioned it, I would have forgotten it myself..."
Hikigaya looked stunned. To him, past birthdays were always spent with his little sister. A birthday without his sister was equivalent to nothing.
Therefore, he hadn't kept it in mind.
He never imagined that after coming to this school, the first person to spend his birthday with him would actually be his teacher! Hikigaya felt a slight stir in his heart.
"Thank you, Chabashira-sensei."
"Just a 'thank you'?"
"Otherwise? Didn't Sensei also just give a verbal blessing? You didn't prepare a birthday present for anyway. Hmph!"
Hikigaya didn't actually want a gift; he was just using offense as a defense to prevent Chabashira Sae from using this as an excuse to make him do sothing troubleso.
"What if I said I did prepare a gift?"
Chabashira Sae narrowed her eyes, a smile curling the corners of her lips.
"Oh, let guess. Is it a free cake or snack from the ship's supply?"
Hikigaya didn't care. As long as he kept his expectations low enough, he wouldn't be disappointed!
"Originally, this was the final step of the 'lure and trap' plan...
I didn't expect that before I could use my trump card, you would break through my defenses first."
Chabashira Sae pulled out her phone with a wry smile, pressed the dial button, and handed it to him.
"What trump card?
At this point, even if you invited Aragaki Yui, I still wouldn't..." (Aragaki Yui = famous idol)
Hikigaya casually took the phone: "Moshi moshi?"
"Onii-chan, Happy Birthday~~"
'Is my brain hallucinating? Where did this world's-sweetest-voice co from?'
Hikigaya quickly covered his mouth, afraid he wouldn't be able to stop himself from shouting out.
"Ara? Is Onii-chan so excited he can't speak?
It's your favorite little sister, Hikigaya Komachi~ yo~~"
'Stay firm! Must stay firm! If I cry out loud, Komachi will definitely tease for the rest of my life!'
Hikigaya tilted his head back sixty degrees, trying hard to restrain the tears in his eyes.
"Yeah... Komachi, I can hear you..."
"Aieee~ Onii-chan actually managed to hold back from crying. Komachi's calculation failed."
"Why would I cry? It's just hearing my sister's voice, what's there to be excited about?"
"Pfft~"
Looking at Hikigaya, whose eyes were filled with tears while he pinched his nose to talk, Chabashira Sae couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Honestly, Onii-chan is still as stubborn as ever!
However, Komachi has also invited so 'divine assistance'!"
'Who? Besides my sister, who else could disturb the heart of the Great Hachiman?'
"Totsuka-niisan, you say a few words too."
"!!!!!!"
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