COTE: Hikigaya's Classroom of the Supreme Being

It was probably due to the preparations for the upcoming sports festival, but the Keyaki Mall was unusually quiet, with few students around. Even the usually bustling café was much quieter than usual. Under normal circumstances, Hikigaya would have enjoyed this peaceful environment, but this time, he found himself wishing there were more people around.

If there were, perhaps the person sitting across from him might be a bit more restrained.

"So, Hikigaya-kun, now that I'm here, you can start explaining," said Kushida, her tone polite but her eyes sharp.

"Explain what exactly?" Hikigaya asked, feeling an unprecedented pressure weighing down on him.

He hadn't expected that after sending the message, Kushida would not only come but would arrive almost immediately, barely three minutes after he sent it. Now, he could only hope that Horikita, who had gone to buy drinks, would return soon.

"Of course, explain this message," Kushida said, flashing her phone screen at him with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Do you have any idea how shocked I was when I received it? I almost dropped my phone."

"I... I didn't know..."

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry! I should have explained more clearly!"

Terrifying! This woman is terrifying!

Hikigaya began to regret his decision. If he had known this would happen, he never would have let his curiosity get the better of him and involve himself in this situation.

So, she really does hate Horikita, after all.

It wasn't as if he had tricked Kushida into coming. He had clearly stated in the message that it was Horikita who had invited her to the café, and that he was merely passing on the message.

If she hated Horikita so much, why did she even bother coming?

It would have been easier for everyone if she had just stayed away!

"So, why was it Horikita who asked you to invite me?" Kushida pressed, her voice insistent.

If he had to come up with a reason, it would be because he was curious to see how Horikita would handle trying to improve her relationship with Kushida.

"This is something I should answer," said a familiar voice, interrupting the conversation.

At last, Horikita had returned.

"Sorry for the wait, Kushida-san. I took the liberty of ordering the same drink for you as Hikigaya-kun," she said as she placed the tray on the table, setting down three cups of coffee.

"Oh? So even Horikita-san treats people now?" Kushida remarked, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Since I was the one who initiated this meeting, it's only natural," Horikita replied calmly, sounding uncharacteristically diplomatic.

Based on her usual demeanor, Hikigaya expected her to retort sharply.

Kushida seemed surprised as well, but her irritation quickly resurfaced.

"So, what do you want to say? And why did you go through Hikigaya-kun to invite me? Were you worried I'd refuse if you asked me directly?"

"I asked Hikigaya-kun for help because I wanted to meet the real you," Horikita said earnestly, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I did consider inviting you myself, but even if you agreed, the person I'd meet would be the Kushida-san who always wears a mask. That wouldn't help our current situation at all, so I shamelessly asked Hikigaya-kun to assist me once again."

"...Horikita-san," Kushida's expression grew colder. "You know, your know-it-all attitude is really annoying."

"Ah, but if I didn't act like this, none of us would be able to move forward," Horikita countered.

It was hard to believe these words were coming from Horikita. Just a few months ago, she had insisted that being placed in Class D was a mistake on the school's part.

"Kushida-san, to be honest, I still don't understand why you dislike me, but regardless, I acknowledge that you've been making an effort to get along with me. I, on the other hand, have been avoiding you because I'm not good at dealing with people like you... I sincerely apologize for that."

Hikigaya was shocked to see Horikita apologizing. Kushida was equally taken aback.

To be fair, Hikigaya didn't think Horikita had done anything wrong. At most, she had been unfriendly, but that was only because Kushida had shown hostility first.

Yet, reality often plays out this way.

While it feels good to stand your ground and argue for what's right, doing so doesn't solve problems. It only deepens conflicts.

Many times, people act irrationally simply to save face.

It may seem illogical, but that's one side of human nature.

After all, this world is neither kind nor just...

Reflecting on this, Hikigaya couldn't help but feel a bit melancholic.

The old Horikita would never have done something so unreasonable just to seek Kushida's cooperation... She really has changed.

Indeed, Horikita is just Horikita, not anyone else.

"You..."

Kushida was speechless for a moment before she finally spoke again.

"Horikita-san, I really do hate you," she sighed softly. "But as you said, I can't just stand still forever... So, what do you want from me?"

"For the sake of our class's advancement, your help is indispensable... I'm begging you," Horikita said, bowing her head slightly.

Kushida seemed to find this amusing.

"Haha, what's this? You still think our class has a chance of reaching Class A?"

"No matter how slim the chance, I refuse to give up," Horikita replied without hesitation.

"I don't get why you're so obsessed with Class A," Kushida shook her head. "Even if you don't get the privileges of Class A, with your grades, you shouldn't have any trouble getting into a top university. You might even get into Tokyo University. And why do you need my help anyway? Why didn't you ask Ayanokoji-kun? I'm sure he'd be happy to assist you."

Horikita sighed, looking exasperated. "Please, don't bring him up right now."

"Huh? Did you two have a fight?"

"No... It's just that I've been thinking lately that I can't always rely on Ayanokoji-kun's strength. Besides..."

"Besides? ...Ah!"

Kushida suddenly understood something, her expression shifting to one of realization.

"Don't tell me you're suggesting that Ayanokoji is one of the accomplices who tried to spy on the girls' changing room!"

"Wait! Kushida-san, keep your voice down," Horikita pleaded.

"What's the big deal?" Kushida said nonchalantly. "It's not like it's a secret. Ike's friends are Yamauchi, Ayanokoji, and Sudo. Who else could the accomplices be? The girls in our class have already been gossiping about it."

Although this had nothing to do with Hikigaya, he felt the need to step in and clarify.

"Just so you know, Sudo had nothing to do with it. He wasn't even at the pool that day, and Ayanokoji is innocent as well. He just didn't have the guts to refuse."

"Exactly. Even though Ayanokoji-kun may seem like that type, he's not the kind of person who would stoop to spying. I'm just frustrated that he didn't tell me about it," Horikita said with a sigh of exasperation.

"If he had discussed it with me, Class D wouldn't be in the mess it is today, and Ike wouldn't have been expelled."

"Oh? And what would you have done?" Hikigaya asked, genuinely curious.

"What else? I would have slapped each of them," Horikita said firmly. "With those idiots, some physical punishment is necessary. It's the most effective way to deal with them."

"...Indeed."

Although Hikigaya was a pacifist, he found himself agreeing with Horikita on this matter. Unfortunately, Ayanokoji had taken a roundabout approach and even brought in Karuizawa to help.

"Wait a minute!"

Suddenly, Kushida exclaimed out of nowhere.

"Hikigaya! You just mentioned the pool... Could it be you're talking about that day?!"

"…Ah."

It wasn't until she mentioned it that Hikigaya realized the school had only stated that someone had attempted to secretly photograph the girls' changing room. They hadn't mentioned the specific date or location.

"My apologies. Please pretend you didn't hear that."

"As if that's possible!" Kushida gritted her teeth. "I was already suspicious of Ayanokoji when he surprisingly asked me out. Turns out, he was planning something behind my back... I'll make sure they pay for this!"

"Kushida-san... I didn't expect you to show such an expression," Horikita said, eyes widening.

"Huh? You got a problem with it?"

"No, this suits you better."

It seemed as though the two had developed an intriguing relationship, but there were more pressing matters to address.

"You don't need to worry about that incident," Hikigaya interjected. "The attempt was thwarted by an upperclassman, and the memory card was checked by a female member of the student council."

"Is that so... hmm?" Kushida suddenly frowned and cast a suspicious glance at Hikigaya. "Although I don't think it's likely... Hikigaya-kun, you didn't secretly check the contents yourself, did you?"

"Huh?! Why would I do something like that?"

"Who knows if you did or didn't... If I find out you did, you'll have to take full responsibility!"

"Sure, sure."

Hikigaya remained completely unperturbed; after all, he hadn't done anything.

"Ahem, anyway," Horikita cleared her throat and steered the conversation back on track. "This incident made me realize something significant. Aside from Hirata-kun, no one in our class seemed too bothered by Ike-kun's expulsion."

"That's obvious, isn't it? Who in their right mind would care about someone like that?" Kushida replied, exasperated.

"Yes, it's not just about Ike-kun's expulsion," Horikita continued with a grave tone. "What concerns me more is the lack of reaction to the deduction of 200 class points. This is a serious issue."

Horikita's expression was stern, and her voice carried the weight of the situation.

"I proposed that we give up on winning the last exam. I thought there would be some resistance, but aside from one person who seemed to be deliberately causing trouble, no one cared about our class points."

She was referring to Karuizawa, no doubt. It seemed Horikita had also noticed Karuizawa's ulterior motives.

"But there's nothing we can do about it. Even if we earn class points, we have to hand them over to Ryuuen," Kushida said, throwing her hands up in a gesture of helplessness.

"Exactly. That's the biggest problem in our class right now," Horikita said solemnly. "If we don't find a way to break free from the shackles that bind Class D, our class has no future."

Listening quietly on the side, Hikigaya found himself agreeing with her.

She hit the nail on the head.

In special exams, earning 100 to 200 class points was already considered a good result. But for Class D, they were essentially working for free for Ryuuen. With classmates who didn't even have the motivation to earn pocket money, it was no surprise that Horikita planned to confront Ryuuen next.

...This could be interesting.

Though Hikigaya was curious to see how Horikita would try to persuade Kushida and what reactions their partnership might provoke, he had other matters to attend to.

"Sorry, I need to go," Hikigaya said, downing the last of his coffee.

"I have a meeting with the student council president. You two can continue without me."

"Ah, I'm sorry about today. We're always troubling you."

"Don't worry about it."

As Hikigaya picked up his bag to leave, Kushida grabbed his wrist.

"Hikigaya-kun, don't you have something to say to me?" Kushida asked with a sweet smile.

"…See you tomorrow?"

"While greetings are important, that's not what I meant... You're not off the hook for tricking me into coming here today."

"Sigh... Fine, I'll make it up to you somehow."

In the end, it all fell back on him… Oh well, he thought, considering it tuition for the student council.

After all, Horikita was his superior's sister. Pleasing your boss's family was a crucial lesson for any future corporate worker.

As Hikigaya walked away, Horikita sighed and turned to Kushida.

"Inviting Hikigaya was the right decision... You only drop your mask in front of him. Thanks to him, we made some progress in our discussion. Otherwise, you probably would've just given your usual vague responses."

"Huh? Don't get cocky!" Kushida snapped, irritated. "Just because I softened up a bit doesn't mean I'm joining your little group. I haven't agreed to help you."

"Don't worry. I'm not that naive."

Horikita paused, as if steeling herself for something.

"Now that Hikigaya-kun has left, I can speak freely... Kushida-san, during the summer, I remembered something. We went to the same middle school, didn't we? And I suspect your dislike for me stems from that. I can't think of any other reason."

"...So you figured it out." Kushida's expression darkened.

Horikita shook her head. "I only knew there was a class that skipped school collectively. I don't know the details and wasn't interested in finding out. But judging by your reaction, you were the one who instigated it, weren't you?"

"Yeah, that's right." Kushida admitted easily. "So, are you going to use that to blackmail me into following your orders? Is that it?"

"No, I've never considered that... But even if I said that, you wouldn't believe me, would you?"

"You're absolutely right. I'll never believe you."

Despite Kushida's firm words, Horikita didn't give up. If anything, it seemed to strengthen her resolve.

"If you distrust me that much, how about this? I'll create a situation that could get me expelled, and I'll give you the leverage."

"...What?"

Kushida was taken aback by the unexpected proposal.

"Wait, are you out of your mind?"

"Sorry to disappoint, but I'm perfectly sane right now," Horikita said, her tone steady and serious. "If we keep this up, we'll only end up in a meaningless deadlock. But if we each hold something that could destroy the other, you'll feel more at ease, won't you? Of course, in return, you must assist me."

"Uh..." Kushida stared at Horikita, trying to discern whether she was serious.

"Horikita-san, haven't you considered the possibility that I might betray you?" Kushida asked, seemingly out of concern. "With your limited social connections, even if you exposed my past, not many people would believe you."

"It doesn't matter. If I'm going to rot in Class D for three years, I'd rather take a gamble."

At this point, Horikita smiled faintly.

"And like you said before, there's a good chance I'll get into Tokyo University. Even if I get expelled, there will be plenty of good schools and cram schools eager to recruit me... When you think about it, I really don't have much to fear."

"...You're really irritating."

Kushida waved her hand dismissively, clearly unsettled by how nonchalant Horikita had become.

"Fine, fine! I'll at least listen to what you have to say."

"It's quite simple. Ryuuen-kun seems obsessed with taking me down. I don't know exactly how he plans to do it, but judging from his past methods, it's not hard to guess. I suspect he'll try something underhanded during the sports festival, most likely targeting me with false accusations."

Horikita spoke as though discussing someone else's situation.

"I intend to use that against him. In other words, I'll act as bait."

She lowered her voice as she began explaining her plan to Kushida.

"Horikita-san..."

After hearing her out, Kushida's expression was complicated.

"You really must have lost it after that zero score."

"Unfortunately, I'm more aware of myself now than ever," Horikita said earnestly. "Without your help, Kushida-san, my plan won't succeed. Besides... Don't you want to teach Ryuuen-kun a lesson? He'll come after you eventually."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"If I'm not mistaken, you collaborated with Ryuuen-kun during the preferential exam, right? I'm not blaming you. After all, you didn't cause any real harm to our class. But..."

Horikita paused to gauge Kushida's reaction.

"You saw it at the gym before—Ryuuen-kun has been stirring up our class, testing their reactions. He seems intent on pitting Hikigaya-kun against the class. Right now, it's just petty harassment, but I doubt it'll stop there. He's definitely got something bigger planned, and he's likely waiting for the perfect opportunity to crush Hikigaya-kun."

One thing Horikita deliberately left unsaid was that both the Chicken and Dragon groups had the same outcome.

If Ryuuen could frame Hikigaya as a traitor, the same tactic could be used against Kushida.

Kushida wasn't stupid; she probably understood that.

"...Alright, just this once, I'll help you."

Horikita breathed a sigh of relief.

"But don't misunderstand! I'm not doing this because I believe in you," Kushida added quickly. "I just want to protect myself. That's all."

"I understand."

Horikita smiled.

And so, a partnership, teetering on the edge of distrust, was formed.