Chapter 087: No, You're Actually Quite Picky! / Kushida's Type
Hachiman wasn't the type to procrastinate, so he tested his theory immediately upon thinking of it.
He quickly pulled his phone from his pocket, his fingertips sliding across the screen to find Sakayanagi Arisu's number. Without a shred of hesitation, he pressed the dial button.
One second—no, only two seconds passed before an unfamiliar ringtone drifted clearly from Kamuro Masumi's pocket. The gentle melody sounded exceptionally crisp in the quiet corridor.
The ringtone chimed three times before Kamuro finally reacted. There was no way to hide it, so she pulled the phone out. The moment she looked at the screen, she saw the five characters "Hikigaya Hachiman" jumping across it.
Kamuro's reaction confirmed Hachiman's suspicion: Sakayanagi had indeed entrusted her phone to Kamuro.
However, he also began to question his own reality. Had he... already read Sakayanagi so thoroughly? To the point where he could even guess she'd leave her phone behind as a contingency plan?
As for Kamuro, she pressed the reject button and shoved the phone back into her pocket, feeling a bit numb.
Because when Sakayanagi entrusted the phone to her, she had said this was the second move in her strategy. The first move was for Kamuro to quietly shadow Hachiman and listen to his inner thoughts. After all, Hachiman was accustomed to calculating everything in his head; he wouldn't say much, but his inner voice couldn't hide his truest intentions.
She never expected Hikigaya to see through Sakayanagi's second move instantly. If a need arose for an exam involving phones, Sakayanagi had authorized Kamuro to take the exam in her stead.
Of course, Kamuro was currently experiencing a third shock.
When Sakayanagi had fallen asleep on the 1st and missed Hikigaya's message, she had thrown a temper tantrum the next day. And now, Hikigaya had called, and the unfamiliar ringtone had stunned Kamuro—because Sakayanagi had actually set a special ringtone specifically for Hikigaya to distinguish him.
That was what had truly frozen her just now.
"..." Silence enveloped the two once again.
However, Kamuro broke the deadlock first, seemingly wanting to gloss over what just happened by initiating some awkward small talk.
"Hikigaya, back in the restaurant with Ryuen, your move to deliberately test Class D's Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was a bit too blatant."
Well, as Sakayanagi's "lapdog," she naturally knew Sakayanagi was also investigating Ayanokouji of Class D. So, she very tactfully continued to try and harvest intelligence.
'This Kamuro seems to be a good dog for Sakayanagi as well' Hachiman thought.
He raised his eyes, his expression calm and devoid of surprise. However, regarding selling out intel on Ayanokouji, he didn't feel a hint of inner guilt.
First of all, he was the class representative of Class B, and Ayanokouji was from Class D. They were competitors by nature. Selling his intel might indirectly disrupt Ayanokouji's rhythm, which had no downside for himself or Class B.
"I don't know the specific details," he said out loud.
But his inner monologue was already very practiced:
'Kamuro is quite smart, knowing to fish for intel on Ayanokouji. For Class A, Ayanokouji is indeed a dangerous person, perhaps the source of the biggest failure in this Class A exam.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is an all-rounder. Whether it's intellect, physical ability, or adaptability, he is beyond reproach. His comprehensive strength might even rival Koenji Rokusuke of Class D.'
'Koenji?'
Sure enough, as soon as that thought finished, Kamuro's expression changed instantly. Class A was split into two factions, and their opponents were Classes B, C, and D. While many looked down on Class D, they still kept an eye on prominent individuals, like Koenji Rokusuke—the super genius and all-around monster.
The lucky part was that Koenji was extremely free-spirited and didn't give a damn about Class D. But if Ayanokouji had that kind of power, didn't that mean Class D actually had two monsters?
Of course, this was just preliminary information.
'Ayanokouji has a requirement to move up to Class A. His circumstances are special, similar to Koenji; both need to graduate as members of Class A. Koenji can use a money offensive, using his own cash to buy points from senpais to eventually gather 20 million points to transfer, so Koenji doesn't need to carry Class D.
But Ayanokouji is different. He needs to lead Class D to show his value. So why didn't he choose to lead the class from the start? Why only step in when Hirata was about to be expelled? I speculate that it's because Class D has too many students who drag them down, and they are like a pile of loose sand. That's why they got 0 points in the first month. This way, because Class D is short on money, they will take special exams seriously to get points,
allowing him to guide them. Therefore, a 0-point start for Class D was the correct opening for him.
And the evaluation points for this month's special exam are as high as 600+, so Ayanokouji will definitely make a move.'
"Kamuro."
Kamuro didn't know that Hikigaya-kun had "turned bad" and was desperately force-feeding her exactly what he wanted her to know. But she realized that if this was the case... then wasn't Class D still a threat?
Originally, she thought Hikigaya just had a good relationship with the girls in Class D, like how he was just about to go eat or even go on a date with them. But looking at it now... Class D might actually pose a threat to Class A.
Although Kamuro was part of the Sakayanagi faction, she was also a student who firmly wanted to graduate from Class A, so she immediately couldn't sit still. She suddenly felt that being able to hear Hikigaya's inner thoughts was a blessing. If things were as he thought, it was no wonder Hikigaya and Ryuen went to test Ayanokouji.
Thus, Kamuro quickly made an excuse and departed in a hurry, preparing to report the intel on Ayanokouji to Katsuragi.
This news soon spread quietly among the core members of each first-year class on the ship. The "Class D Threat Theory" swept through Class A in an instant.
On the other side, the students of Class D began to notice two strange phenomena. First, their classmate Horikita Suzune had become exceptionally low-profile since boarding the ship, hardly showing her face.
On the rare occasions she did appear, she was in a rush, busy with who-knows-what, and even her interactions with classmates had decreased.
Second, students from other classes—not just Class C anymore, but even Class A—were staring at them whenever they appeared, making them feel extremely uncomfortable.
"What has Horikita-san been busy with lately? Why can't we ever find her?"
"Yeah, and have you noticed? The way the Class A people looked at us just now was so weird, like we're some kind of monstrous beasts."
The Class D students gathered and whispered, faces full of confusion, but no one could say for sure what was going on.
In the lounge area of the cruise ship, several beautiful figures sat together. It was Karuizawa Kei and her "gyaru" team: Shinohara Satsuki, Sato Maya, and Matsushita Chiaki.
The four had just finished dinner and were resting on the sofa when Karuizawa's phone suddenly vibrated. She picked it up, her face showing a hint of surprise and joy.
"Karuizawa, what is it?" Shinohara Satsuki was the first to notice her expression and leaned in curiously, her tone teasing.
"Did you get some good news?"
Karuizawa nodded and turned the screen toward the three, a smile on her face.
"Yeah, good news. I got the position of Student Council General Affairs. From now on, I'm part of the Student Council."
Actually, she hadn't just received the news; she'd gotten it that morning. However, she first confirmed it with Horikita Suzune, who said she'd check with Hikigaya. That was why Karuizawa hadn't contacted Hikigaya yet. But now was the moment she could go public.
"Really? Karuizawa! That's great!" Shinohara Satsuki said excitedly, reaching out to pat Karuizawa's shoulder.
"That's amazing! Student Council positions are so hard to get, and you actually got one! I'm so happy for you!"
Sato Maya also nodded in agreement.
"This school is very different. If you can get a position in the Student Council, even if it's just general affairs, it's very useful."
Only Matsushita Chiaki had a look of doubt.
She frowned and asked, "Karuizawa, I'm a bit curious. The Student Council seems so strict, and the selection should be very harsh. How did you get this general affairs position? Previously, Class B and Class A got secretary positions, but that was because their classes performed excellently and they gained the President's recognition. Karuizawa, do you know the Student Council President?"
Hearing this question, the smile on Karuizawa's face faltered for a second before returning to calm. She had already prepared her excuse and said naturally, "Kushida Kikyo-san helped me. The Student Council general affairs position can actually be bought with points. I spent 500,000 points to get this position."
"500,000?!" Shinohara, Sato, and Matsushita all cried out in unison, faces full of shock and eyes filled with disbelief. After all, they knew exactly what Class D's situation was and what Karuizawa's finances were like.
Did Karuizawa have some other source of income?
"500,000 points? That's way too much! Even over the next three years, I don't think we could ever match that!" Sato Maya felt it was a bit reckless.
Shinohara Satsuki nodded, though she remembered something.
"Yeah, 500,000 points is no small sum. But is there a stipend for joining the Student Council?"
"Mhm, there is." Karuizawa nodded and said slowly, "The general affairs position has a monthly stipend of 20,000 points. It's not much, but if you save up slowly over three years, you can make back those 500,000 points. Besides, being a member of the Student Council gives me access to more intel, which is good for Class D."
The three nodded one after another, their shock gradually fading and being replaced by envy. According to those calculations, Karuizawa's position wasn't just break-even; it was actually useful.
Just then, Matsushita Chiaki spoke up, her tone curious as she changed how she addressed Karuizawa.
"By the way, Kei, when did your relationship with Kushida-san become so good? For her to take the initiative to help you and tell you that you can buy a Student Council position with points."
In her view, while Karuizawa and Kushida Kikyou were both in Class D, they didn't usually interact much and weren't particularly close friends. And Kushida was clearly closest to Wang Mei-Yu. So, why would she help Karuizawa with this?
However, this excuse worked fine for Karuizawa, who was playing a gyaru and hadn't been exposed yet.
"How should I put it... it's because of what happened on the 1st," Karuizawa said. "Remember when Yamauchi and Sudo were about to be expelled, and then Hirata was making a scene about withdrawing?"
They certainly remembered.
First, there were people nearly expelled on an open-book exam, and then Hirata had a breakdown. It had startled them all. Although Hirata later borrowed points and neither Yamauchi nor Sudo was expelled, and Hirata went back to his original gentle self who acted for everyone's sake, things had happened.
They couldn't trust Hirata the way they used to.
"At the time, Ayanokouji suggested that points could buy many things, so I wondered if points could also buy a Student Council position," Karuizawa explained. "If the purchase price isn't too high, and the stipend over three years is more, isn't it a profitable plan? So, I commissioned Kushida-san to help. She has a wide social circle and knows the senpais, so that's how I applied. As you know, our Class D's current situation is very bad... so I thought I'd try to find a source of income. And it worked."
All of these were lies, of course. She couldn't tell the three the truth. This general affairs position was actually obtained for her by Horikita Suzune because the Student Council President was Horikita's brother.
She had initially thought Horikita had gotten her a Public Morals Committee position, which would have suited her fine since she wouldn't have to go to the Student Council office. But it turned out to be a General Affairs position worth 500,000. So she just adjusted the story and used this excuse to fob them off.
"That's so nice. If possible, I wish Kushida-san could help me apply... life in Class D is too miserable," Sato Maya said with some envy.
"About that—" Karuizawa felt it wouldn't work. This position was used to establish her identity as the leader of the gyaru team. If they all had one, what kind of leader would she be?
Just as Karuizawa was about to find an excuse to deflect, a gentle and cute voice suddenly came from the side.
"Because my relationship with Karuizawa was already very good! I'm happy to be able to help her." Everyone turned to see Kushida Kikyo standing not far away, a gentle, angel-like smile on her face as she walked slowly toward them.
"Karuizawa and I went to the same middle school. Although we were in adjacent classes, I didn't expect to meet her here," Kushida said quickly without blinking, her hands clasped together as if she were reminiscing about the past.
Clearly, while Karuizawa was lying, Kushida was also lying through her teeth.
She clearly went to the same middle school as Horikita Suzune, but now she claimed it was with Karuizawa. This was her way of sealing away her past from middle school that she couldn't tell anyone.
"You guys had that kind of connection—?" This was the first time everyone had heard this.
Kushida calmly walked over to the sofa and sat down, nodding to back up Karuizawa's lie. "But you can only say Karuizawa's luck is very good. The President said this first instance would be permitted, but following the trend afterward won't work. Besides, Karuizawa will have to work honestly at the Student Council from now on."
"That can't be helped," Matsushita Chiaki said, finally understanding. The rules of this school and the Student Council President were very special; it seemed as long as it was permitted, one could get some preferential treatment.
"But it feels just like in the first month when Class B's Hikigaya-kun went to report someone violating rules in the shopping district, and Class B got 100 evaluation points as a reward. That's 400,000 points they get from the school every month, which is over ten million points over three years," Matsushita analyzed.
'Hikigaya?'
Suddenly hearing this name, Kushida's expression immediately became a bit forced. Yes, the smile on Kushida Kikyou's face turned strained.
Even though everyone was on the ship vacationing and playing in a relaxed atmosphere, her mood wasn't happy at all.
She was filled with deep regret. She couldn't stop thinking about how, before leaving school, Hikigaya Hachiman had invited her to date, and she had rejected him without hesitation.
Though she soon found out that if she had agreed, she would have received 20 million points.
20 million! That's 20 million points! It would be enough for her to spend three years in this school without a care in the world, and it could be converted to cash. Even after graduating, she'd have a beautiful future.
Thinking of this made Kushida feel like a knife was twisting in her heart.
She wished she could turn back time to the moment she rejected Hachiman and say yes without hesitation.
Of course, this was just a thought. Kushida had her own principles.
Some things you can think about, but she had her own integrity.
However, after a moment of silence, Kushida had an idea. She proactively said, "Speaking of which, what do you guys think of Class B's Hikigaya Hachiman-kun?"
A new thought had just sprouted in her mind: since she had missed out on the 20 million points, why not help Hikigaya find a girl willing to date him?
Maybe she could even earn some points as a referral fee to make up for her loss.
Hearing this, the three looked at each other.
Sato Maya was the first to speak. "Hikigaya-kun... he looks okay, but those dead-fish eyes look so lifeless and a bit gloomy. And though he looks very smart, he's too smart; it makes me feel a bit uncomfortable. I still prefer boys who are good at sports."
'Oh. Is that so? Then you really don't know how to appreciate good food.'
Matsushita Chiaki frowned, thought about it carefully, and said slowly, "For me, I actually think Hikigaya-kun is quite good. Although his physical ability doesn't look like much and he's not good at sports, he's very smart and meticulous. He does things in an orderly way. Plus, he looks like he'll be a quite excellent corporate slave; after graduation, his salary and position probably won't be bad. He's a very reliable person."
Kushida was a bit surprised, but she immediately pressed on.
"Then, if you were to date Hikigaya-kun, Matsushita-san, would you mind?"
"Eh?" Matsushita Chiaki froze instantly, her eyes widening in surprise. Clearly, she hadn't expected Kushida to ask such a question. A faint blush immediately rose to her cheeks.
"Kushida-san, why... why would you ask that all of a sudden? I-I haven't thought about that question..."
Looking at Matsushita Chiaki's embarrassed appearance, Kushida didn't even bother to complain in her head that this girl was basically confirmed to be a "fake gyaru."
A real gyaru would be much bolder.
But this wasn't about testing how many real gyarus were in Karuizawa's group.
Kushida was busy lining up a plan in her head.
As long as Matsushita agreed to date Hikigaya, she would go talk to him. If Hikigaya were willing to pay 20 million points, she'd tell Matsushita it was 15 million and quietly pocket 5 million as a referral fee.
That way, she could make up for her original loss. Why wouldn't she do it?
Beside them, Karuizawa Kei watched Kushida's actions with some confusion, but she quickly caught on. Had Kushida-san gone to see Hikigaya-kun again and heard some intel from his inner voice? But it looked like it was intel about Hikigaya-kun himself.
In other words, did he... actually want to find a girlfriend lately? Even though he has the highly popular Ichinose Honami in his class? Is he a "rabbit that doesn't eat the grass near the burrow"?
Of course, it was just a guess, but as a "good dog," Karuizawa thought deeper.
She felt that while Hachiman was decisive in character, he didn't seem to like socializing much and spent a lot of time alone. He didn't like dealing with people, let alone something like dating.
If Kushida took the initiative like this, she was afraid it would make Hikigaya unhappy.
'I better report this quickly later' Karuizawa thought.
Especially since Horikita had already told her that the change in the Student Council position—from Public Morals to General Affairs—was something Hikigaya-kun had requested from President Horikita.
Therefore, she had to be loyal to him no matter what.
While Kushida was enthusiastically questioning Matsushita Chiaki, Karuizawa couldn't ask directly or contradict her on the spot.
She could only subtly shift the topic onto Kushida, improvising: "Kushida-san, speaking of which, what kind of type do you like? We've never asked you. You never talk about this topic with us usually."
Hearing this, Kushida's face darkened slightly for a moment, and a flash of displeasure crossed her eyes.
She hated people asking about her preferred type; it was one of her triggers.
One could only say Karuizawa had some offensive power of her own.
But on second thought, Karuizawa was the type that relied on Hikigaya.
She had proactively asked about Hikigaya just now, and since Karuizawa didn't know the truth, she probably asked this on purpose. And perhaps after the incident where she rejected Hikigaya, she wasn't as resistant to the topic anymore.
So, she actually thought about it.
Kushida was silent for a moment, then spoke slowly. "Me? I probably like someone with some depth, strong thinking ability... not the simple type with no opinions of their own. And someone who will likely be quite excellent in the future. Someone too ordinary... I think being with them would make life very tiring in the future. I don't want to live that kind of life.
So, to summarize, probably a more mature type who can look after my emotions," Kushida said.
You could say that while she was good at lying to fit in, this was actually the truth.
However...
"But if that's the case, isn't that exactly like Class B's Hikigaya-kun?" Shinohara Satsuki spoke up subconsciously, her tone serious.
"Hikigaya-kun is very smart, has strong thinking ability, and doesn't seem simple at all. Plus, he's a class representative; he'll definitely be excellent in the future."
"..." Kushida was instantly speechless. The expression on her face became exceptionally complex—there was embarrassment, a hint of surprise, and very quickly, a bit of annoyance.
'So I said, stop talking about it! Stop linking me and Hikigaya together!'
Whenever she thought of Hikigaya, she thought of those 20 million points, and the regret in her heart grew stronger.
"Well—" Perhaps because of Shinohara's words, the atmosphere on the scene suddenly became awkward.
Kushida's expression just now was also very strange. So, everyone found it hard to continue the topic.
Karuizawa quickly composed a message, telling Hikigaya Hachiman everything that had happened here. After all, she couldn't let Kushida continue to ruin Hikigaya-kun's reputation without knowing the specific situation.
Karuizawa hadn't even received a reply yet when Kushida Kikyou, on the other side, received a message.
It was from Hikigaya.
[Matsushita Chiaki won't work. She's just like me—she likely hopes to be supported by her other half in the future. That makes her a competitor!]
Kushida read it twice before confirming the message.
'No way.
You're actually quite picky.'
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