COTE : There is Something Wrong With Hikigaya

By noon, the entrance ceremony had finally ended. 

ANHS seemed very different from other schools in some special rules and how it treated students, but some things were exactly the same. 

For example, the opening ceremony was just like any other school's. The leaders on stage repeated the same speech from last year, and the year before, and who knows how long ago—so familiar they could recite it in their sleep. 

After the ceremony, many students chose to return to their dorms. Apparently, each student had a private dorm with fully equipped household appliances—pretty luxurious. 

Others went in groups to a place called Keyaki Mall Shopping Center. Cafés and restaurants were also popular spots for new students. 

It was clear that in just one morning, students from different places had already started forming small cliques. 

Hikigaya went to a convenience store to buy some daily necessities, and, of course, a can of MAX Coffee to recharge his soul. 

"It's not here?" 

They had natto-flavored milk, eel soda, and curry juice—things no one in their right mind would drink—but somehow, no MAX Coffee? 

I was practically raised on MAX Coffee! This is an outrage! 

Just as Hikigaya was about to despair, he noticed a strange sign in the corner. 

"Free supplies?" 

He looked curiously at a shopping cart filled with "free items"—all basic necessities. There was even a rule written on it: *Limit of three items per month.* 

"Is this some kind of financial aid to prevent students from overspending?" 

Hikigaya frowned. With the 100,000 private points given at the start, who would need free supplies? But judging by how some items were missing, there were students actually using them. Upperclassmen, maybe? Weird. 

Would someone really blow through all their private points and be forced to rely on these 'free supplies'? You'd have to be a real failure to end up like that. 

Something about this didn't sit right with Hikigaya. The free supplies and the generous 100,000 points were completely contradictory, yet both existed at the same time. There had to be a reason for this. 

As he was lost in thought, a sudden chill ran down his spine. He instinctively turned his head—only to lock eyes with someone. 

The Ice Queen?! 

"Tch." 

Horikita Suzune frowned slightly, then ignored Hikigaya and turned her attention to the free supplies, her face showing the same confusion as his. 

Oi! You totally just clicked your tongue at me! 

And seriously, was that tiny incident worth holding a grudge over? 

As if she had read his thoughts, the Ice Queen shot another cold glare at him. 

Hikigaya kept a blank expression, then quickly turned and walked away.

"Hmph, just like me, she's all alone too," Hikigaya muttered under his breath. 

During the entrance ceremony in the gymnasium, small groups had already started forming within the class. As expected, Hikigaya ended up as a 'lone warrior.' Of course, he wasn't the only one—there was also a certain black-haired, icy-looking girl in the same situation. 

So that's how it is, huh? Turns out she's just another outcast like me, abandoned by the crowd! 

Even though it was a bit petty and mean-spirited, Hikigaya couldn't help but smirk. A little bit of schadenfreude wouldn't hurt, right? 

Then... he was caught. The girl returned his smirk with an icy glare, staring him down with unwavering intensity until the entrance ceremony was over. 

Where did this grudge-filled woman come from?! 

--- 

Hikigaya had just left the convenience store when he heard an argument break out behind him. It was his classmate, the red-haired delinquent, getting into it with some upperclassmen. 

That guy's name was Sudou Ken, if he remembered correctly. He had already stirred up trouble during the class introductions, clashing with other students and making it clear he was the resident hothead. 

"Hey, first-year, this is our turf!" 

"Hah, what a joke. I got here first. If anyone should scram, it's you guys!" 

Sudou and the upperclassmen were arguing over the best spot near the convenience store to eat. Normally, a first-year would back down in this situation, but they had clearly underestimated just how aggressive this red-haired delinquent was. Instead of showing any respect, he stood his ground and snapped back at them. 

The upperclassmen were taken aback by his boldness before bursting into laughter. 

"Hahaha, did I hear that right? This cocky little first-year just told us to get lost? That's hilarious!" 

Sudou, already short-tempered, was particularly sensitive to being laughed at. With a loud *smack*, he threw his cup of instant noodles to the ground and shot up to his feet, glaring at them like he was ready to throw hands at any second. 

Hikigaya shook his head slightly. This guy's temper was ridiculous. 

Where did this walking time bomb come from? Just a tiny spark and boom, instant explosion. He might as well hurry up and blow up already. 

Hikigaya wasn't planning on getting involved. He was just heading to the school cafeteria, after all. But as he took a few steps forward, one of the upperclassmen said something that made him pause. 

"Wow, no respect for your seniors, huh? Let me guess, a brat like you is definitely from Class D! Hahaha, just look at that smug face of yours—thinking you're all that when you're stuck in the lowest class. Must be rough, huh? Acting tough while living in hell." 

The upperclassmen sneered at Sudou with clear superiority. It was obvious Sudou was already fuming, about to charge at them when someone stopped him. 

Ayanokouji. 

And that icy girl, still watching from the sidelines. 

"So what if I'm in Class D?! Hey, you bastards, don't think you can just walk away!" 

The upperclassmen exchanged glances, then laughed again, completely ignoring Sudou's outburst. Leaving behind a cryptic remark—"You'll see what hell really looks like soon enough"—they smirked and walked away. 

Hikigaya, who had been silently observing, watched them leave and fell into thought. 

"Lowest? What the hell is that supposed to mean?! You think you're some fancy high-class lady? If someone talks to you, at least take it seriously!" 

And now Sudou was arguing again—this time with the icy girl, Horikita. Something she did must have set him off, and now Ayanokouji was stuck playing mediator. 

"You damn woman, even you're ignoring me?! Show some respect, or I'll beat you up!" Sudou's face turned red with anger. He looked like he was genuinely ready to throw a punch. 

Unlike the upperclassmen, who had the advantage of age and unfamiliarity, Horikita was his peer—his classmate. That made it even worse. 

Yet Horikita remained completely indifferent. She hadn't even looked at him properly from the beginning. Compared to the upperclassmen's mockery, her cold dismissal seemed to enrage Sudou even more. 

From Hikigaya's perspective, it was just Sudou barking at Horikita over and over again, losing his mind just because she ignored him. How pathetic. 

Hikigaya had already figured out Sudou's anger. The red-haired guy desperately wanted to prove how strong he was. But in reality... people always try to prove what they lack. A classic case of an insecure teenage boy taking things to the extreme. 

"Tch, just a damn woman acting all high and mighty... pisses me off!" 

Horikita, who had been about to leave, suddenly stopped. With a cold expression, she turned back to Sudou and let out a small scoff. 

"Just a woman? Wow, I can't believe someone in the 21st century still says stuff like that. That's some prehistoric thinking. What are you, a red-faced monkey from ancient times?" 

Then, her gaze slowly shifted downward—toward a particular spot. 

With a smirk, she added, "Or maybe... you're just trying to prove that you're *even* a man at all?" 

Pfft.

Not far away, Hikigaya almost burst out laughing. As expected of the ice-cold girl—her personality was just as strong as her appearance. Her sharp words were no less brutal than those of a certain devilish teacher. One sentence from her, and Sudou was completely wrecked. 

Just look at him—his face had turned as red as a pig's liver. That last remark from Horikita must have cut deep. If Ayanokouji hadn't stopped him, the red-faced monkey from the Stone Age would have already charged in to hit a girl! 

The gap between their levels was obvious. 

Hmph. 

Horikita let out a cold snort and walked away, completely ignoring the furious red-haired boy behind her. 

… 

The cafeteria at ANHS was surprisingly luxurious, but there weren't as many students as Hikigaya had expected. After all, besides the cafeteria, the school grounds also had shopping centers, various restaurants, and even some foreign cuisine spots. 

For the new students who had just received 100,000 points, these places were naturally more exciting. 

With money in their pockets, who would want to eat at the public cafeteria? (Stereotypical thinking.) 

There were also supermarkets and convenience stores. On his way to the cafeteria, Hikigaya saw quite a few upperclassmen eating convenience store bentos. As for him, he was a loyal fan of yakisoba bread—and definitely not because he had no friends to eat lunch with. That would be a ridiculous reason! 

"The cafeteria meals are surprisingly varied." 

Standing in front of the meal ticket vending machine, Hikigaya scanned the options. The prices ranged from the cheapest 250-point curry set to the most expensive 2,000-point meal, with plenty of choices in between. 

But his focus wasn't on the menu. His dead-fish eyes darted around like a radar, searching for something. Then, his gaze landed on an inconspicuous vending machine in the corner. 

"Heh, just as I thought." 

There was no surprise on Hikigaya's face, only a cold smile. 

This machine looked just like the others, but it had only one meal option. 

A green, leafy "Vegetable Set Meal." 

Price: Free. 

After seeing free daily necessities at the convenience store, Hikigaya had wondered if the cafeteria might have similar "free food." And sure enough, he was right. 

After buying the cheapest curry set, Hikigaya found a seat at a subtle distance from the upperclassmen. Close enough to observe them, but not too close to stand out. At the same time, his eyes kept an eye on the vending machine. 

As a self-proclaimed lone wolf among lone wolves, Hikigaya had developed many skills, such as "Human Observation A" and "Presence Concealment B." 

In simple terms, years of solitude had trained him to be highly observant. He was incredibly sensitive to his surroundings and to other people's gazes. At the same time, because he was often ignored, his presence was almost nonexistent. 

In both his previous world and this one, Hikigaya's existence was a contradiction. He was always alone, yet somehow had a unique presence in class. 

He stood out because he didn't interact with anyone, yet he was also easily overlooked by people and the overall atmosphere—ultimately becoming an outsider.