Chapter 60 Kushida Kikyo`s Scheme

The Next Day

August 9th – Café on the cruise ship's deck. Hikigaya leaned against the railing, his gaze fixed on the endless blue sea, his eyes lifeless like a dead fish. Yesterday in my life. It was the first time so many people had wished him a happy birthday, and the feeling was… not bad.

But Hikigaya suspected it was all orchestrated. Himeno, with her meticulous nature, likely pointed out the date of his birthday at just the right moment. The others reluctantly played along. After all, disagreeing would earn them the label of being "indifferent."

While Ichinose and a few others might have been sincere, Hikigaya doubted everyone's intentions. No class is perfect, he thought. This Class B is no exception. It's a façade. The best proof was Himeno herself—always forcing a smile, always trying too hard.

Hikigaya lived by three principles of unpopularity: Don't hope for anything. Don't create emotional expectations. Don't ask for sweet words.

Many in Class B, in his opinion, were merely trying to reflect Ichinose's kindness, forcing themselves into roles they didn't truly embrace. It was awkward, even embarrassing. Hikigaya sighed. Thinking about it wouldn't change a thing. He pulled out his phone and opened LN, skimming through the individual birthday wishes he had received from Ichinose, Himeno, and Shiranami.

The first two messages were unsurprising, but Chihiro—was a bit of a mystery. She had already sent her wishes in the group chat and then added him as a contact to send another personal message. Too innocent for her own good, he thought, shaking his head. Still, Hikigaya felt obligated to repay kindness. As a lone wolf, he despised being in anyone's debt. He made a mental note to return the favor someday.

Meanwhile "Staring..." From behind a wall, Kushida Kikyo observed him intently.

"As expected," she murmured. That loathsome man had shown up, just as she predicted. Her lips curled into a cold smile as she checked her phone, sending a few messages. "Sooner or later, you'll regret it," she muttered, before slipping away into the shadows.

Afternoon – Café Terrace

Hikigaya sat under an umbrella, a library book in one hand and a porcelain cup of coffee in the other. The scene painted him as a pseudo-bourgeois intellectual—like those people who linger in Starbucks pretending to be sophisticated.
He once sneered at such people. But now, he understood.

They weren't pretending. They were just lonely, seeking solace in the background noise of others. That must be it. After all, he was sitting here because he had nowhere else to go.

Suddenly, a loud thud interrupted his thoughts. He glanced up to see a plump, cute-faced girl staring back at him in shock. A phone lay at her feet, evidently the source of the sound.

Kushida Kikyo. Hikigaya's expression darkened. He quickly looked away, feigning ignorance. Why is she here? He recalled deleting her contact information not long ago. Even so, their eyes accidentally met. Twice. Great. Now I can't pretend I didn't see her. Before he could think of an escape, Kushida hesitantly picked up her phone and walked toward him, her demeanor like that of a nervous fawn.

With a quiet plop, she sat down across from him, setting her phone on the table. Her delicate hands rested on her thighs as her large, doe-like eyes avoided his. Finally, with a strained smile, she spoke:

"What a coincidence." Kushida Kikyo's voice broke the silence.

Hikigaya turned his dead-eyed gaze slightly to the side, neither daring nor wanting to respond. His mind spun. What to do here? Ordinary people whose contact information you've deleted usually swear off any further interaction. Even if numbers are exchanged, they rarely reach out. But this… this fake woman had approached him on her own initiative. Why? Isn't she embarrassed?

"…Coincidence," Hikigaya muttered, his tone laced with discomfort.

"Y-Yes," Kushida stammered, her eyes darting away from his. Her voice matched his awkwardness.

The tension hung heavy between them. This is so awkward. So depressing. Can I leave now? Hikigaya sighed inwardly, unsure of how to proceed.

Earlier That Day – Poolside on the Cruise Ship Deck

A group of boys from Class D lounged near the pool, ogling the girls in their swimsuits without a hint of subtlety.

"Yamauchi, check her out. No, no, look at her. She's perfect!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Ike, you have no taste. That one's just slightly bigger. Look at her—those legs are incredible."

"Hah? Who cares about long legs? Big breasts are obviously better!"

"You don't get it. Only someone as experienced as me can appreciate the appeal of long legs."

"What experience? You've never even had a girlfriend."

"Pfft, show what you know! Back in junior high, I was the most popular guy around. I dated so many girls I lost count—probably tens of thousands!" As Haruki Yamauchi bragged shamelessly.

Ayanokouji, sitting quietly nearby, couldn't help but question: Tens of thousands? In one junior high school?

"Who are you trying to fool? You've been full of it since day one," Ike retorted, rolling his eyes. "Sudou, what's your take? Big breasts or long legs?"

Sudou, leaning back lazily, stared at the sky and said calmly, "Horikita's the best."

The group burst into laughter, their argument continuing with renewed energy. Unbeknownst to them, a girl nearby shot them a disgusted glare. Then, a notification sound interrupted their banter. Ike pulled out his phone, and as he read the message, his face lit up.

"Forget you guys—I've got a date with Kikyo-chan!"

"What?!" Yamauchi shouted, his jaw-dropping.

"Impossible! Kikyo-chan would never date someone like you!"

Ike smirked, flipping his hair dramatically. "Believe what you want." He held up his phone triumphantly, showing them the message. "Kikyo-chan invited me for coffee."

"No way… no freaking way!" Yamauchi shook his head violently, refusing to believe it.

Even Sudou, who had been lounging earlier, stood up and grabbed Ike by the collar. "You traitor! Explain yourself!"

"Who knows? Maybe she's drawn to my natural charisma," He teased, relishing their reactions.

"Liar!" Yamauchi snapped. "Kikyo-chan's mine! There's no way she'd like you!"

"Huh? I thought you liked Sakura Airi?" Ike raised an eyebrow.

"Uh…" Yamauchi faltered, scratching his head. "Y-Yeah, I like Sakura Airi. So fine, you can have Kikyo. But you owe me dinner for this!"

"Sure, whatever." Ike shrugged, grinning. Sudou released his grip, but his expression was complicated.

"Let's tag along," Yamauchi suggested. "We want to see how a date goes—purely for educational purposes."

Ike hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Fine, but stay out of sight. Don't ruin this for me."

"Understood!" Sudou and Yamauchi agreed enthusiastically.

While Ayanokouji observed the exchange silently. Does anyone actually believe this? He wondered. It was hard to imagine a girl like Kushida Kikyo genuinely being interested in Ike. She thrived on maintaining her image of perfection and universal trust.

Associating with someone like him could only hurt her carefully curated reputation. Still, Ayanokouji decided to follow them—curiosity had gotten the better of him.

Top Deck Café

Hikigaya stared blankly into his coffee, lost in thought. What do I do? This was beyond embarrassing. Despite being able to face most situations with a calm demeanor, Hikigaya felt a twinge of guilt when dealing with Kushida Kikyo.

Meanwhile, Kushida Kikyo observed the scene in front of her, keeping her expression neutral. It's almost time. Dealing with these kinds of men wasn't easy, but she had her methods. Why Hikigaya had deleted her contact information was a mystery, but ultimately, it didn't matter.

She took a deep breath, mustering courage, and spoke in a soft, slightly embarrassed tone: "Why… why did you delete me?"

Hikigaya's dead eyes flickered to the side. Even his usually sharp tongue was at a loss. How should I respond to this? Careless mistake? No, too obvious a lie. Brutal honesty? Something like, "I don't want to deal with someone as dangerous as you, so please leave me alone!"—too harsh, even presumptuous.

After all, it was mostly his speculation that she was "A fraudulent person." What if he was wrong? Words could be sharp knives. Slandering someone as outwardly sweet as Kushida Kikyo wasn't something he could justify, especially when their relationship was so minimal, to begin with.

Can't we just leave each other alone? Dealing with someone who could smile so effortlessly at everyone felt like trying to wear armor in a heatwave claustrophobic and exhausting. Still, he had to say something.

"That… well…" Hikigaya raised a finger in defense. "It's just that our classes compete, so… you know, we don't have much reason to interact."

"Oh?" Kushida tilted her head slightly, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. "But what about Horikita-san?"

"Eh?" Hikigaya blinked, caught off guard.

"You seem close to Horikita-san," Kushida said with a hesitant smile. "So I was wondering if that's why…" Though her words trailed off, "Is she someone special to you?"

Hikigaya understood. Ah, does she have a sense of competition with Horikita Suzune? So she's pestering him like this. That made things easier.

"I deleted her, too," he replied quickly, sitting up straighter as if confessing a deep secret. "But she doesn't know yet, so… I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell her."

"Oh…" Kushida's delicate frame swayed slightly, her mood visibly lifting at the revelation. She nodded, her tone softer. "I see. That makes sense."

Her initial goal had been to gauge the relationship between Hikigaya and Horikita. She had assumed Horikita might have shared personal information with him. But now it was clear: Hikigaya treated everyone equally. If he didn't want to associate with someone, he deleted them, simple as that.

Still, the fact that he had deleted her was unforgivable. What kind of person deletes her information? Inwardly, Kushida cursed. She had graciously chosen to interact with him, someone she wouldn't normally give the time of day.

"Well," she said softly, smiling. "I won't tell her. Let's keep this a secret between us, okay?"

"Uh…" Hikigaya's mouth twitched. Sharing secrets? Isn't that some advanced-level social interaction? Although her tone was gentle, something felt off. Unlike Ichinose's genuine kindness, Kushida's words seemed calculated.

"I don't think that's necessary," Hikigaya said, his voice steady. "You're free to tell her if you want." If Kushida Kikyo truly had the social finesse she claimed, she would get the message: I simply don't want to associate with you. Given the choice, Hikigaya would much rather deal with someone like Horikita Suzune than Kushida Kikyo.

Kushida's expression froze for a moment. Inwardly, she fumed. Asshole who do you think you are? But outwardly, she kept up her act. With a quick nod, she covered her reddening eyes with her hands and ran off, leaving her phone on the table.

Hikigaya stared at the phone she left behind, feeling a pang of guilt. Did I do something wrong? Then again, Kushida Kikyo was either genuinely upset or a master manipulator—an apex predator of social games. I really don't want to deal with someone like that. But now, he had another problem.

What am I supposed to do with this phone?