"Why is he here?"
"Did he even graduate?"
"What an eyesore."
Ishigami Yuu knew he wasn't welcome. Yet, he came to school nevertheless. It was the first day of his enrollment at Shuchiin and whispers already echoed in every corner of the classroom. It made sense. He shouldn't be here purely on academic qualification alone, especially him being absent from the school for almost the entire semester.
Sure he turned in all of his assignments and even took remedial exams, even then...
Don't show your weakness.
Momo's words yesterday still rang in his head, and part of the reason why he was a bit restless last night. He still got some sleep thankfully, but even so, he woke up a bit tired.
He combed his hair aside again, it was growing a little too long for it to be easily fixed without gel, and Ishigami didn't have the best hair care products in the world either.
I should have brought some conditioner, it's long enough that making it shiny shouldn't have been a problem.
Just knowing that a lot of people had faith in him could make so much difference, huh?
Ishigami gave up befriending anyone in his class, they were a lost cause. He couldn't blame them. No, but he couldn't muster any effort to dissuade them. He didn't have the power, no one did. Or maybe he did, but he was unwilling to do it.
This is fine. Senpai is waiting for me.
Homeroom was as uneventful as expected, and Ishigami ended up coasting through lectures with great difficulty. The long absence from school was already showing its mark.
He was fucked.
Ahh, I'm so fucked up.
Ishigami already gave up on trying to improve academically, too. He wondered how bad his parents' reaction would be if they knew he failed in Shuchiin High too.
I just want to survive this school, is that too much to ask?
Ishigami often asked himself that. But, subconsciously, spending so long outside school had shaped his mentality for the worse. Ishigami can only beg for the school lunch break to come soon. This kind of mentality wasn't uncommon at all for some people who only recently recovered from social seclusion or isolation.
And so the bell rang, signaling the time for lunch. Ishigami ignored the derision and contempt shown by his classmates and immediately scrambled for the door after he mentally readied himself for a few minutes.
"After what happened, you still have the face to come?"
"Go to hell, Ishigami. You're taking someone else's spot."
Ishigami didn't know who said it, his hair blocked much of his vision, making it harder for him to look at people's faces. But he didn't care, all he wanted was to quickly leave so he could stop hearing their voices at all. But before he can reach the door, someone opened it from the outside.
"Are Ishigami Yuu and Iino Miko here?" A familiar voice asked.
Hikigaya-senpai?
Indeed, Hachiman stood in the doorway. Like yesterday, his hair was combed up, and he wore the standard Gakuran unbuttoned, but also wearing a tie over his collared shirt.
The dress code in Shuchiin was strict, but at the same time easy to abuse. As long as you wore the standardized clothing you could wear anything else with it, with any style you wanted. This ended up with many trendy girls using various combinations of clothing and items with their uniforms to show off their unique style.
The alteration Hachiman had made was practically non-existent, but that tie was catching everyone's attention something fierce. Among the more famous high-positioned students, only the Captain of the Kendo Club wore one.
Wearing a full tie like that meant serious business. Ishigami Yuu understood as much.
...Even today Hachiman looked like a Yakuza. Then again, Ishigami remembered that Hachiman said he'd wear that style just so he could anger Kaguya.
"Ex-excuse me, Senpai, who are you?" One of the girls who had been hounding Ishigami asked in fear.
"I'm Public Relations Officer Hikigaya Hachiman, I've come here on behalf of the Student Council as an official request." Hachiman looked at them, then at Ishigami. "Ishigami, wait outside."
"Y-yes." Ishigami nodded as he picked up his bento with him.
"Is Iino Miko here?"
"That's me."
A tiny girl, maybe around 140 cm or so, stepped forward. She had long, volumetric reddish hair that she tied into two cute braids near the ends. She had quite a fierce gaze, Hachiman noted.
Hachiman's face softened a bit, "The Student Council is very interested in you. So, if you don't mind, the President wanted to have a small talk during the lunch break."
"Re-really?" Iino didn't seem like she was ready for that, and she looked very suspicious. "What business do they have with me?"
"They need someone diligent, honest, and disciplined. In other words, we need you." Hachiman said shortly, "The details will be talked about later, but it's best to say we're having a recruitment spree today before the clubs nab all the good people."
"Eh, uh, really?!"
"Yes."
"With Ishigami too?" Miko asked.
"Ishigami was the one who recommend you to us." Hachiman grinned mischievously.
The girl looked absolutely shocked, but she wasn't the only one. Virtually every student in the class looked absolutely shocked.
Ishigami did?!
"Umm, err, alright." Miko hurriedly picked up her own bento as well, "Please excuse me," She said as he passed Hachiman on her way out.
"Wait, Senpai." One of the girls said, "We can understand Iino being picked, but why Ishigami?"
"Yeah, that guy is bad news." The others finally spoke up, "Everyone's heard about it already."
Hachiman leaned against the doorframe, "And? Who's 'everyone' and what have they been hearing about?"
"Everyone knows that Ishigami beat someone up because he's jealous of him!"
"He was even suspended from school because he refused to apologize."
Hachiman scoffed.
"Have you ever asked Ishigami his side of the story?" He asked frankly, "Have you asked him why he beat the shit out of Ogino in broad daylight?"
"Why should we-"
"Figures." Hachiman sighed, "We in the Student Council don't pick people randomly off the street. Of course, we do our own investigations. We're well aware of Ishigami's background, including his half-year absence from Middle School."
"Shuchiin High students are the best and brightest of Japan, but if you just listen and regurgitate rumors you've heard in passing, what difference is there between your head and a voice recorder?"
Hachiman's words stung them something fierce, and it made them really furious. However, Hachiman ignored them and left.
"Who was that jerk?"
"I've heard about him actually. He's a very powerful student named Hikigaya Hachiman, and the best friend of the current President, Shirogane Miyuki." One of them whispered, "Even though he was an external student, every VIP in Shuchiin listens to him. Enough that he's called the Shadow President of Shuchiin High."
Facing such a powerful person on day one, who wouldn't be scared? In the end, they didn't dare to talk back and tried desperately to forget him.
Or not. Instead, those curious girls went to tail Hachiman who was escorting Ishigami and Miko to the Student Council office.
Another day, another semester where Hachiman's influence over the school increased yet again, purely driven by rumor and hearsay. The irony meter was already long gone by this point, considering his own hatred of rumors, and his bad experience in the past.
But even so, Hikigaya Hachiman persevered.
...
Meanwhile, elsewhere at school...
"What? You want to join the Student Council?!" Kaguya exclaimed in response to her valet, Hayasaka, who had just come to her and proposed this. It came out completely out of the blue, there was no discussion nor proposal from Hayasaka's part.
"Yes, if I'm in the student council, I can stop him from interfering with your plans. It would also be easier to coordinate with you, Kaguya-sama." Hayasaka told her with a cold face.
"Theoretically speaking, that may be true, but you joining the student council now would be suspicious, right?"
"I have a valid reason-no, I have a very believable excuse to join, however."
"Huh?" Kaguya was really, really confused.
"You should really go back to the President just in case he's worried. Here." Hayasaka said as she dumped an extra-large bento box, freshly delivered by a drone, into Kaguya's hands.
"Wait, Hayasa-"
Before Kaguya realized it, Hayasaka had more or less disappeared like a ninja.
"What?"
Kaguya gave up thinking and simply headed back to the council's office ahead of them. Hayasaka probably had a very good reason why she was so confident about it.
"Kaguya-san, what took you so long?" Chika asked when she walked into the office.
"I've been waiting for bento delivery," Kaguya said with an honest smile, especially since it technically wasn't a lie. Hayasaka taking her sweet time with their discussion having been the main cause of why.
"I see, I didn't bring a bento today," Chika said, drooling.
This brainless, greedy animal really has no sense of shame. Kaguya remarked mentally. She's probably going to leech on President and Hikigaya-san again too.
"Hmm? Isn't that Hayasaka-san?" Chika noticed while looking past Kaguya, out of the windows. "Why is she walking with Hikki-san?"
"Beats me." Kaguya shrugged.
As far as Chika was concerned there was no close relationship, any relationship even, between Shinomiya Kaguya and Hayasaka Ai, even though they were in the same class (Class 2-A). They came from completely different circles in the first place, though Chika talked with Hayasaka sometimes.
Hayasaka always been a cheerful, friendly and outgoing gal, so even though they were basically strangers, Chika get along with her.
...
"Hikigaya-san, are these the Freshmen?" Hayasaka asked him when she managed to catch up.
"Ah, yeah." Hachiman was legitimately surprised when Hayasaka approached him in public like this, in her Gal persona to boot. This girl really knew no fear at all.
He wondered if Kaguya had a scheme prepared and had sent Hayasaka to bother him. But today they'd be busy with recruitment, wouldn't they? Hachiman was confused.
"Hello, my name is Hayasaka Ai, I'm from Class 2-A. Who are you?" Hayasaka cheerfully greeted them.
Ishigami was really intimidated by her and weakly said, "I-Ishigami Yuu from class 1-B."
Needless to say, someone who just recovered from social isolation feared the very social ones!
"Iino Miko from class 1-B." Miko, on the other hand, looked rather suspicious. "Senpai, isn't that skirt too short?"
"Is it really?" Hayasaka pulled the side of her skirt cutely, "I think this is perfectly within regulations."
"Down to the millimeter." Hachiman couldn't help but snark in response, "Standard skirt uniforms generally make an allowance with extra length to account for bending and folding, but the more rebellious students in Shuchiin will cut, sew, or pull their skirts up to that line."
So, unless Hayasaka stood straight, prim, and proper, her skirt would always look shorter than allowed, but at the same time, it would pass any periodic inspection.
"Bingo, as expected, Hikigaya-san is really sharp." Hayasaka winked, "You even notice such small details with only a glance."
"You can't be a student council member without knowing the students, right?" Hachiman said with a straight face.
"That sounds like an awfully convenient loophole that needs to get fixed." Miko remarked with contempt, "How indecent."
"Skirt length measurement methods are universal though." Ishigami pointed out.
"Then we should just raise the minimal skirt length, it's not that hard!" Iino said, "The girls who already play it safe will pass the inspection just fine either way."
"How would you tell?" Hachiman asked.
"We could do a survey on skirt length and then use the median or mode of that length as the new standard." Iino mused aloud, "Then people with minimum length skirts would be forced to have them longer."
"Sounds like someone had a valid proposal. Maybe if you voice it as a student council member it'll be heard." Hachiman grinned.
"Ah!" Iino finally realized she had fallen for obvious bait.
This guy, he already had Iino by the ropes, how terrifying. But at the same time, that's not really hard to do if you can muster the will and courage, since Iino can be a little gullible. Ishigami mentally noted.
"So these are the new recruits?"
"Well Ishigami's already accepted our invitation. As for Iino..."
"I see, I wonder if there's any room left for me~?" Hayasaka said as she seductively hooked her arm around his.
Iino couldn't stand the sight and used a chopping motion to divide them as she screamed. "Shuchiin students being so intimate in broad daylight is indecent!"
"Ahh, there she goes again... that moralfag." Ishigami looked aside and scoffed, "Look, Hikigaya-senpai is mad now."
"Iino..."
Iino was scared shitless when Hachiman suddenly approached her and raised his hand, Iino clenched her eyes to brace herself. Only for Hachiman to pat her head affectionately. "Good girl, thank you for helping."
This made Iino blush as red as a ripe tomato.
"Hikigaya-san you-" Hayasaka realized what had happened a little too late, but Hachiman quickly hid behind Miko mischievously.
"Iino already said it right? Begone, thot!" Hachiman said insultingly. This didn't deter Hayasaka at all, of course.
"Hayasaka-san, what are you doing?!" Chika suddenly yelled, running down the hallway to join the group, "Explain this to me, Hikki-san!"
"Oh God, there's another one." Hachiman deadpanned while making the sign of the cross, "Go away."
Chika popped a vein in response, "What's that supposed to mean?! You're not even a Christian!"
Iino blushed and panicked, but she didn't expect that Hikigaya Hachiman might be a very serious, principled man despite his delinquent appearance and loose attitude. Any other man would kill for his position now, but he held them back with all his might?! These two extremely beautiful, sensual girls?! Heck, one of them was the famous Fujiwara Chika to boot!
"Now that's an alpha," Ishigami commented drily.
Sometimes he wondered what kind of situation a real-life harem would look like, but judging from what he saw of Hachiman, it looked like absolute hell. Definitely not a situation Ishigami wanted to be in.
"Just what in the world are you guys doing? We're going to miss the lunch break entirely in this case." Miyuki called out to them from the Student Council office's door, "Come."
やはり, 彼らが望む告白は間違っている.
As expected, the Confession they want is wrong
Original Story by: Watari Wataru and Akasaka Aka
Written by: ZeroXSEED, Co-Writer/Editor: GoukaRyuu
Chapter 18 - Ishigami want to set straight...
The interior of the student council office was spacious and wealthy as always. Even Miko and Ishigami looked amazed.
"It totally is different than the council room of the Shuchiin Middle," Miko remarked.
"Please sit, all of you." Miyuki welcomed them as he sat at his desk, with Kaguya standing beside him. Hayasaka was chased out by Hachiman hurriedly, because she wasn't invited of course!
"First of all, let me formally introduce myself as Shirogane Miyuki, the 47th President of Shuchiin Academy High School."
"Shinomiya Kaguya, Vice President."
"Fujiwara Chika, Secretary."
"Ishigami Yuu, Treasurer."
"Hikigaya Hachiman, formerly General Affairs, now Public Relations."
"Welcome to the Student Council, Iino Miko-san." Kaguya smiled.
Miko flailed around in confusion, "Eh, uh, wait, Ishigami's already been appointed?"
"We've been eyeing him since right after his enrollment here was decided." Miyuki explained, "And when we asked if he knew any potentially good candidates your name came up."
Miko glared in disbelief at Ishigami, who just looked away in embarrassment and fear.
"Was endorsement of someone like him good enough to pick me over the others?" Miko asked, still not believing what she had heard. It was Ishigami, for crying out loud.
Ishigami was, of course, hurt by that statement. But it was nothing new, so he shrugged away the pain and stayed quiet.
"Of course we didn't take his word at face value. We did conduct our own research about your behavior and reputation in middle school and found that everything was satisfactory." Miyuki assured her, "Shuchiin Middle's teachers' opinions about you were overwhelmingly positive, that practically nailed everything."
"I... I see." Miko sighed, "Is the Student council in dire need of more people?"
"Well, the important position would be the auditing officer. We believe you're suited the most for this position." Chika told her, "Unless you have other things you wanted to do?"
"Well, yeah." Miko said, "Originally I intended to join the Disciplinary Committee."
"Hmm, that suits your personality alright."
In contrast, Ishigami looked absolutely horrified. Iino with authority on the disciplinary committee, he'd be fucked sideways for sure. But if she joined the student council she'd nag on him endlessly. It was a catch-22 situation!
"Umm, is there any other position currently open?"
"The General Affairs Manager position is pretty open at the moment."
"What's the requirement?"
"Paperwork." Hachiman said before anyone else could embellish it, "Whomever takes the position has to be skilled at handling paperwork. Also a few handyman skills will be nice."
"Do you have anyone specific in mind?"
"At the moment, no, I'll just continue my previous duties until we find a suitable candidate." Hachiman said nonchalantly, "The sooner the better, but we're not actually in a hurry."
"Ah." Iino said, "W-well, if it's possible, please give me time to consider this offer."
"That's fine, I'm sorry we're taking up your precious time. But is it fine if we at least have lunch together?" Chika asked her pleadingly, "Please?"
"Umm, yes! It'd be an honor!"
Iino couldn't be happier. She had really, really admired Chika for a long time. Spending her first lunch break with her? That would be a godsend. For someone so tiny, Iino Miko seemed to have unusually large bento box.
"Woah, Iino-san, are you sure you're going to eat all that?" Chika asked.
"Umm, this has been my usual portion since middle school," Miko said, embarrassed. "Is that bad?"
"Mmm, it's true that you still have a lot of growing up to do, but still, too much eating and you'll end up overweight," Chika warned.
"Ehh, but..."
"I mean some other girls already call you piggy behind your back for it." Ishigami bluntly said, which almost made Miyuki cough blood from shock.
It seemed that the information that it wasn't just Ishigami who got bullied all the time wasn't wrong. Iino also got bullied, albeit less openly. Miko looked like she was about to cry too!
"Where's your brain to mouth filter?" Hachiman asked the treasurer.
"How cruel!" And now Ishigami wanted to cry himself!
"And stop with bullshit diversions, Fujiwara. Where's your bento?"
Chika began to flopsweat.
"Where is, your, bento." Hachiman repeated, now looming over her with a threatening glare.
"I forgot it at home." Chika averted her eyes aside and mumbled.
"Please be careful with her, she's a master of mental conditioning." Hachiman said, "Don't listen to her lies."
"Hikki-san you idiot!" Chika pulled a paper fan out of nowhere and began smacking him rapidly.
"Senpai, you also need a brain to mouth filter it seems." Ishigami deadpanned.
Miyuki mentally noted to himself that the Hachiman of the past and Ishigami resembled each other way too much. They'll definitely get along in the future.
"Also, what about the bimbos out there?" Hachiman walked over and opened the office door, only to reveal Hayasaka and a few other girls from the first year eavesdropping. "This area isn't prohibited to the public, but if you don't have a good reason to be here please leave."
"But I have a very good reason!" Hayasaka pouted, it was clear that she was absolutely furious being left out. Her anger even bled through her cheerful and friendly persona.
Hachiman wasn't being suspicious specifically, but he did see that Kaguya looked a bit distressed. It was very likely that Hayasaka had gone off script and was doing her own thing today, rather than acting on orders. Kaguya had always been a complicated and deceptive woman, but she was also an unusually bad at improvising. Or maybe Hachiman had grown far too perceptive to fall for her lies?
The first-year girls hurriedly excused themselves, leaving Hayasaka behind.
"President, Hayasaka here says she wants to talk seriously."
"Sure, let her join then."
In the end, the seating area of the student council office became extremely crowded despite the two large sofas available for the members and guests.
"So, Hayasaka-san, what did you need from us here?"
"Ah, I wanted to give this to Hikigaya-san." Hayasaka unfolded her bento wrap to reveal there were two boxes inside, "I wonder if they taste alright."
Literally, every single person in the room froze at that moment.
Bento!
An essential food-supply for students and workers who wanted the taste of a homemade meal but didn't have the time or energy to cook during their break times. Someone carrying a bento to school wasn't just normal, it was common sense.
Even so!
Someone carrying two bento boxes was slightly unusual. But, even more so, this was specifically preparing a seperate bento box for someone of the opposite sex!
Originally, Shirogane Miyuki, specifically, didn't know this connotation, and for some time actually brought an extra box just for Chika. However, Hachiman warned him that Kaguya would end up immensely jealous as a result, and Miyuki stopped soon afterwards.
He would only make a bento for Chika if he also made another for Kaguya too, to claim innocence.
The act of making a bento for the opposite sex, someone that wasn't a member of the family or a very close platonic friend, was obviously an expression of love!
Hachiman didn't even blink in response.
"Umm, Hayasaka-san... what's the occasion?" Chika was absolutely, positively shocked about this development.
"Oh, no, it was because I'm indebted to him from last semester." Hayasaka replied, "We really haven't had the chance to meet each other even once during vacation either. So..."
Pure and utter bullshit! Hachiman screamed internally. We just met each other two days ago, you bitch!
But he couldn't really tell people about it, he wasn't that spiteful afterall. Hayasaka certainly was pushing the limits of his patience though.
"Ah, is that so? Then we're lucky since Fujiwara-san didn't bring a bento with her." He laughed.
Everyone looked at Hachiman with disgust, even as Hayasaka acted like she was devastated. Not even Chika approved of that. Hachiman had gone over the line with that implication. That he will give a bento made by a girl specifically for him, to another girl.
It was like they were looking at walking garbage.
"...She can eat mine while I eat Hayasaka's." Hachiman quickly made a saving throw!
Ishigami wanted to say that that was lewd, but coughed and stopped himself. He was lucky, to be honest.
Chika became starry-eyed, "Is... is that really okay?!"
"Yeah, whatever," Hachiman said, giving up on even trying to bend the narrative in his favor anymore. "It's just fried potatoes and macaroni."
He then turned to the first-years.
"As you can see, Iino, Fujiwara is this kind of person." Hachiman finalized, which made Chika smack him with paper fan again. "Ungrateful bitch!"
Hachiman smacked her back with a slipper as retaliation. Miko stood up trying to separate them but too afraid of getting hit herself.
Today's lunch ended up a lot more hectic than usual!
...
"Well, then I'm going ahead." Hachiman winked shortly before he somersaulted out of the window, making both Miko and Ishigami scream.
"IS HE ALRIGHT?" Miko ran over and looked out the window only to find Hachiman was completely fine.
"We're already in our second year and yet he keeps doing that." Kaguya shook her head exasperatedly.
"But... isn't Hikigaya-senpai kind of cool?" Ishigami asked.
"Hikki-san? Cool? No way Ishigami-kun!" Chika laughed incessantly in response to that statement.
"Well, there's always been something off about him. Almost like he's always looked rather detached with everything but... no matter who he's talking with, or where he is, Hikigaya-senpai's never forced himself to change or adjust to others."
Indeed, Hikigaya Hachiman had no need for a persona. That was because Hikigaya Hachiman was the accumulation of his own self-expression.
"Well, Hachiman said this to me this once." Miyuki smiled, "He wished he had your courage."
Ah.
"Huh?" Miko tilted her head.
"You managed to accomplish what he never could, and you stuck to your principles to the end." Miyuki patted Ishigami's shoulder, "You two see in each other, what you want to aspire to be."
Ishigami grit his teeth, and then yelled as he jumped out of the window himself. "EAT SHIT OGINO!"
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING ISHIGAMI!" Miko shouted after him. She then immediately rushed out through the door, like the decent person she had always been, to chase after him.
That's right, Ishigami. Unchain yourself and spread your wings. It doesn't matter how people treat you. All that matters is that there are people who believe in you.
"Ishigami was pretty athletic before, wasn't he?" Kaguya asked, "I wonder how much his body has degraded."
"That actually looks fun," Miyuki mumbled, "Maybe I should learn parkour too."
"Please, president, not you too," Kaguya said, half pleading and half threatening. Her heart might not be able to survive if Miyuki started jumping around and out windows as well. Especially considering how clumsy he could be, inspite of his athleticism.
"I was joking. Well then, Hayasaka, did you need anything else?"
"Do you happen to have a vacant position in the student council? I'd like to join if that's not too problematic."
"Why is that?"
"I'm interested in Hikigaya-san, you see?" Hayasaka said, playfully coiling her hair on her finger as she spoke.
Kaguya almost bit her own bottom lip to avoid screaming. Almost.
What was with that thinly veiled lie?! No, wait, what if she isn't lying?!
"So you absolutely have no interest in the council itself?"
"Not at all."
That, Kaguya knew, was a completely honest answer.
"Listen, I don't know what happened between you and Hachiman, but joining just because you're a little interested in someone is..."
Miyuki almost choked on his own words and froze. After all, was there any actual reason why he became the president of the student council if not to make Kaguya notice him? It would be incredibly hypocritical for him to stop Hayasaka from doing just that. Perhaps it wasn't the same, because Miyuki was really sure he hadn't fallen in love with Kaguya or anything. But still!
Kaguya was, unknowingly, caught in the same conundrum. As a matter of fact, she was swayed by Miyuki's effort to make her notice him and even ended up as his vice president like this. It was no coincidence.
Was it romantic? Of course not! As if!
"...It's perfectly fine." Both Miyuki and Kaguya said, their souls practically leaking out of their mouths as they spoke.
"Really?"
"But the student council work is no joke." Miyuki quickly returned back to his serious mode, "So forgive me if I'm a little harsh when it comes to weighing judgment."
"That's fine. When can I start?"
"After a few days, help us organize the rush of documents that will be coming with the start of the school year." Miyuki smiled, "Isn't that fine, Shinomiya?"
"Alright then." Kaguya looked at Hayasaka with visible panic, but stayed quiet.
Hayasaka would have to apologize to Kaguya later, but she knew she would be forgiven. After all, Kaguya had seen today, with her own eyes, how Hayasaka had the power to drive Hachiman into a corner.
It was all for the sake of the plan.
...
Down below the window a conversation was continuing.
"What kind of courage?" Hachiman asked Ishigami back, "Well, you punched Ogino, didn't you? I wish I had done the same in middle school."
"What?"
"I too, was estranged and got bullied for a full semester by the people in my class. Compared to you, I was a cowardly, little shit. And a crybaby." Hachiman replied.
"I don't think it would have improved your situation at all," Ishigami commented. If anything, it probably would have made things worse.
Hachiman countered, "I studied hard to run away from that reality. I studied so hard that my mind started to fade away and only returned when the news came and somehow I was accepted into this school."
If Ishigami was one of his bullies, he'd be losing face so hard. Still, Hachiman ended up in a better place, because he didn't give in to his anger. Yet, because Hachiman wasn't able to defend himself and his ideals, he regretted it even today.
"I don't really care anymore, Senpai." Ishigami said, "It doesn't really matter anymore."
"I know there's someone you want to protect no matter the cost, but there are ways to speak the truth without blaming anyone else." Hachiman told him, "More than to people who look down on you, being honest to yourself is much harder."
Shouldering that burden while unveiling the facts, is that even possible?
"Ishigami!" Iino jumped and pulled on his ear, making him flinch. "Are you crazy?! That was dangerous!"
"Ow! It was just the second story!" Ishigami cried.
"It's still very unsafe for you to do that!" Miko glared at him, then Hachiman. "Senpai also should be a better example!"
"There's no school rule forbidding students from using windows, though." Hachiman stuck out his tongue.
This person is really...
"Ah, there you are," Momo called out to him. "The bell's almost going to ring, let's go."
"Then I'll go ahead and go back to my class," Hachiman said to the two freshmen. Suddenly Momo jumped her way up to the second floor of the main building while Hachiman quietly disappeared with the crowd of other students who were entering the buildings normally.
Miko wondered when Shuchiin had become a campus full of superhuman delinquents? Or maybe she'd been wilfully blind about it this whole time?
"I wonder if going to the Disciplinary Committee is better, after all." She said with a furious face.
"Are you that obsessed with the outcome?" Ishigami asked her, "Isn't it the principle that matters the most?"
"Grrr." Miko wanted to argue but she couldn't.
"Think about what you want to do the most at the moment. There's no use in thinking about an uncertain future." Ishigami sighed.
"It's because the future is uncertain that you need to plan for it." Miko pouted, "Being a Disciplinary Committee member means I can take action immediately, but if I become part of the student council I can get to the root of the problems and slowly work my way up."
It wasn't as if Iino Miko had never tried to get into an elected position before. On the contrary, she always tried to, every year without fail. But her extreme ideological purity and harsh attitude made her an extremely unpopular fringe candidate.
"...I think your insistence on taking action right away is the reason why you never succeed in the long term." Ishigami scoffed.
"Is that why you mentioned my name when they asked?"
"No." Ishigami said flatly, "They simply asked if I knew anyone honest to a fault, stubbornly principled, and could be relied on to stick around for a long time. Your name came up, and they did their own thing without telling me."
Miko blushed hard in response. It was rather blunt of him, but wasn't what Ishigami had said something that could be considered praise? The student council wouldn't have even considered her without Ishigami mentioning her name in that case.
"I... I see."Miko nodded, unusually meek. "I... the student council still have room for another member right? I'll have to ask a certain someone..."
"Better make it quick, cause I have a really bad feeling about this," Ishigami mumbled.
"Huh?"
"Hey, Ishigami." The girls' group who had gone to stalk and eavesdrop on them earlier called out to him, "Can we talk for a minute?"
"...It's about time for lunch break to end." Ishigami indirectly refused.
It wasn't that he was afraid. Actually, he was really afraid of them. It was just that Ishigami had decided he wouldn't humor their bullshit anymore.
"It won't be long. I promise." One of them, the girl with drill-like hair responded. Her voice was unusually soft and curious.
"...Go ahead of me, Iino."
"But-"
"It's fine."
They walked into the slightly secluded parts of the school, behind the main buildings.
"What was with the sudden call from the council?"
"They appointed me as Treasurer, and they wanted Iino to join as Auditing Officer." Ishigami said, "Because the previous members retired for one reason or another."
"They really did it, huh?" One of the girls looked disappointed.
To be honest, even discounting the incident he caused, Ishigami should easily be disqualified as a member of the prestigious, super-elite council. On paper, at least, he could agree.
"Another question then." The girl continued, "What's the real truth behind the incident during middle school?"
Ahhh, what a bunch of nosy bitches.
But...
Was there any way to tell them the truth without hurting 'her'? There must be. Ishigami had been wilfully blind with his twisted hero complex all along.
"Ogino said something that really pissed me off, and I punched his light's out. Nothing more, nothing less than that." Ishigami said.
"What, really? What about Ootomo?"
"I thought it was jealousy?"
"I have no romantic feelings for Ootomo. Never have. Ogino was either stupid or misunderstood, and I don't care. Nor would I apologize to that shithead." Ishigami clenched his teeth and turned his back, "Is that all?"
It was true that it all started when Ishigami tried to protect Ootomo Kyoko, regardless, the accusation Ogino made that Ishigami had feelings for her and was jealous of her, was completely false.
Indeed, the absolute truth that Hachiman spoke of was that Ishigami never factored Ootomo into his decision or outburst of anger.
It was, and had always been, a mistake of Ishigami's own making. Ishigami silently confirming Ogino's lies would be unjust treatment on her part. And that was not okay.
If Ishigami was to be blamed for something, then at least let him carry the weight of the sins he truly had committed.
"I see."
Ishigami left, desperately trying to hide his tears.
He doubted that anything would change. The class would still shun him and bully him for being an unrepentant, violent kid. His reasons, excuses even, never mattered to them.
Actions spoke louder than words, after all.
But to him, it was a breath of fresh air to scream the truth out.
And despite the massive pressure he had experienced seconds ago, all he could feel now was a sense of relief.
The Result of Today's battle: Ishigami's bittersweet victory