COTE : There is Something Wrong With Hikigaya

"So you still managed to figure it out in the end." 

Hiratsuka Shizuka had a complicated expression. Her student might have serious issues with socializing, but when it came to certain things—his intuition and thinking were on a completely different level. 

"To be honest, your guess is pretty close. ANHS has a rather unique admission system. Some students apply and take an entrance exam, while others are admitted through recommendations from their middle schools. The exam is only meant for the first group. As for the second group, they also have an exam, but it's nothing more than a formality." Hiratsuka explained. 

This wasn't exactly breaking any school rules—it was an unspoken rule that wasn't widely known, but those in the know were well aware of it. That's why she had no hesitation in telling him. 

"So you're saying my admission was actually through a recommendation from Sobu Middle School? I thought it was because of you, sensei..." 

Hikigaya fell into deep thought. Something felt off. Then, suddenly, a question he had subconsciously ignored all this time resurfaced. 

His test scores were more than enough to get into Sobu High. So why had Hiratsuka-sensei insisted on sending him to a school in Tokyo? 

Was it just to get him away from Chiba? Or was there another reason? 

And why was his admission through a recommendation from Sobu Middle instead of directly through Hiratsuka-sensei? 

That didn't make any sense. Why did those two things contradict each other? 

Wait a minute. 

Hikigaya suddenly looked up at sensei. She was just sitting there, quietly watching him. 

In that moment… Hikigaya froze. 

Why was she here? 

Why had she arranged for him to study in Tokyo? 

Why had his mom been so adamant about it? 

And then... 

One by one, all the questions in his head connected into a single answer. 

"I see… So those guys were really that afraid of me?" Hikigaya lowered his head. 

"Well, I guess it makes sense. No school would want to keep a ticking time bomb nearby."

"Sigh, looks like you finally figured it out." Hiratsuka Shizuka let out a deep sigh. 

Her words confirmed Hikigaya's suspicions. 

But surprisingly, the boy with dead fish eyes had no visible expression on his face—no anger, no resentment, just a calmness so unsettling that it could scare someone. 

"How stupid... I kept dreaming about getting into Soubu High, but no matter how hard I worked or how good my grades were, it was never going to happen. What a joke." 

Hikigaya had thought he could stand on his own, but in the end, he was still being protected. 

The only reason he was able to attend this school was because Shizuka-sensei had "protected" him. 

That incident seemed to have been resolved—everyone involved had been punished, and everything appeared to have ended cleanly. But in reality, the consequences went far beyond what Hikigaya had imagined. It wasn't something someone his age, status, or position could fully grasp or handle alone. 

Once again, Hikigaya was forced to recognize how "weak" he was. In places he couldn't see, battles were being fought—ones he couldn't reach, couldn't even imagine. Probably ones he would never be able to touch in his lifetime. 

The peaceful days he had now were only possible because someone else was carrying the burden for him. 

"Hikigaya..." 

Hiratsuka Shizuka felt a wave of guilt. She wanted to say something more, but before she could, Hikigaya gently shook his head. Then, he took a step forward and bowed deeply to his teacher. 

"Shizuka-sensei, thank you." 

He had wanted to say "I'm sorry," but in the end, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He didn't want to. Apologizing would just be a way to make himself feel better—an act of escape. 

The most useless thing in the world is a "sorry" after the fact. 

"Sigh, you're still just a kid, but sometimes, you're more rational and mature than most adults. You're making me feel pretty useless as a teacher, you know?" Hiratsuka Shizuka instinctively reached for the pack of cigarettes in her pocket, but then clenched it tightly in frustration. 

"And you don't need to thank me. I barely did anything. This was just the result of both sides reaching a compromise. 

Honestly, with your academic performance, getting into Soubu High shouldn't have been a problem. They wouldn't dare reject you without a valid reason—it would have caused a backlash and some instability, maybe even given the wrong people an excuse to stir up trouble. 

They were also worried about whether you might do something extreme again. 

So in the end, they settled on recommending you to ANHS High under Soubu's name. That way, their concerns were addressed, and it helped ease the situation for you. After all, this school is highly sought after by many students. 

For you, leaving Chiba for now also avoids a lot of... unnecessary trouble. It gives you a safe place to spend these next three years." 

Hiratsuka Shizuka forced a slight smile. "Given the circumstances, this was the best possible outcome for both sides. A win-win situation. So you don't need to carry too much negativity over it." 

Hikigaya stayed silent. 

A win-win situation... really? 

Sure, Soubu got rid of a ticking time bomb, and he got a spot at ANHS High. From that perspective, it was a win-win. 

But Hikigaya knew this was just his teacher's "version" of the story. 

In reality, it was still just giving in. It was still a compromise. And the fact that she was here was the clearest proof of that. 

This was an invisible war—one he was completely powerless in. Worse than that, he was a burden. He had dragged down Shizuka-sensei with him. 

He had no right to blame her for "lowering her head" to protect him. If anything, he would rather drop out of school than see her get hurt because of him. 

For the first time in his life, Hikigaya truly hated something—his own weakness. 

The pathetic version of himself that couldn't protect anyone. 

Hiratsuka Shizuka had never seen this expression on him before. 

Hikigaya was always so tough, always indifferent to what others thought of him, always hiding behind his armor. He would never show this kind of "vulnerability" in front of others. 

Seeing that pain on his face, Hiratsuka Shizuka felt a pang of guilt. It was like something had stabbed her heart. 

Without thinking, she stepped forward and pulled him into a hug, gently stroking his head as she whispered, "Hey, Hikigaya, don't think you're so important. I would've done the same for anyone. 

Because... protecting students is a teacher's job, you idiot!" 

Hikigaya often complained that she was a violent, unlucky-in-love woman, but her body was still undeniably soft. 

Her faint scent mixed with a subtle, sharp trace of cigarette smoke—the unique smell of Shizuka-sensei. 

The boy's face turned red. He quietly pulled away without making a fuss. 

"Anyway, this is all settled now. You don't need to worry about any trouble at this school. Those guys wouldn't dare interfere here." Hiratsuka Shizuka, realizing she might have overstepped just now, looked slightly flustered. 

"I also asked a doctor. Changing to a new environment might help with your condition." 

Hikigaya's face immediately darkened. Why did she have to bring that up? 

"Oh, right. Sensei, since those people had such a big problem with me, now that I've graduated from Soubu Middle, does that mean..." Hikigaya suddenly thought of something serious and quickly asked. 

Hiratsuka Shizuka waved him off before he could finish. "I knew you were going to ask that. 

You—the 'main troublemaker'—are gone now. What do you think they're gonna do? And your tomboy kouhai is doing just fine. She was a victim, after all. 

Those higher-ups still want to keep their jobs, so they're going to treat her even better than before. It's actually kind of funny. 

They ignore things when a problem could still be prevented, but the moment something goes wrong, they scramble to fix it. 

Honestly, those people have had it too easy for too long. 

Ugh, just talking about it pisses me off!"

Hikigaya let out a sigh of relief, but in the next second, Hiratsuka Shizuka grabbed his cheek and scolded him fiercely. 

"You troublemaker! Always causing me problems! You look weak and antisocial, but you have more guts and a worse temper than anyone else. Just how much gunpowder did you eat to do something this explosive?!" 

"If you had just discussed it with me earlier... we wouldn't be in this mess! Seriously, do you know how much hair I've lost, how much skincare and beauty treatments I've wasted because of you?! Even my matchmaking dates got ruined! And now I have to listen to my dad nag at home too..." 

"..." 

You violent matchmaking woman! 

Muscle-brained teacher! 

It hurts! 

Help! 

---