Chapter 68 Trust Me More
"That..." Ichinose's expression turned slightly complicated after hearing Hikigaya's analysis. "I think Werewolf isn't quite that kind of game."
"Eh? Really?" Hikigaya blinked in surprise. He had always thought of it as a game about spotting those pretending to belong in a group. Brushing aside the digression, he got back to the main point. "What do you think we should do, Ichinose? Should we submit the answer to the school now?"
"Before that..." Ichinose propped her delicate chin on her hand, her thoughtful gaze fixed on Hikigaya. "You don't have any conclusive evidence to prove your theory, do you?"
"That's true," Hikigaya admitted with a nod. "But as long as this test operates under the fundamental rule of 'careful selection,' there can't be definitive evidence, right?"
Even if someone showed him a direct message from the school, Hikigaya was sure he wouldn't believe it outright—and he doubted anyone else would either. Trust doesn't come easily, especially when it involves personal stakes. The nature of the exam inherently made it a gamble. Without clarity on how the school selected the VIPs, every analysis contained an element of risk.
"That's fair," Ichinose acknowledged, nodding in agreement. "But, Hikigaya, it seems like you want to go ahead and submit the answer, don't you?"
"Yes." Hikigaya laid it out plainly. "If I guess wrong, the class loses 50 points. If I guess right, we gain 500,000 personal points and 50 class points. Anyone would feel tempted to take that chance. But ultimately, it's not my decision. It's the class's risk to take." He glanced at Ichinose and added earnestly, "If you agree, I'll send the email to the school. If you don't, I'll drop it."
The decision rested with Ichinose, the class leader supported by everyone in Class B. Hikigaya wasn't about to gamble with the class's future on his own.
"Um..." Ichinose seemed lost in thought for a while, her brows furrowed. Then she looked at him seriously, her voice soft yet pointed. "Hikigaya, I appreciate you bringing this to me, but I don't quite understand something. Could you answer me honestly?"
"Of course," Hikigaya replied, his confusion evident. Was this going to be a tough question?
"If someone came to me for help or advice, I'd feel genuinely happy," Ichinose began, her bright eyes studying him intently. "But Hikigaya, even though you're confident in your analysis and prepared to submit the answer, you still came to me first. Why?"
"Why?" Hikigaya repeated, frowning. "Because if I guess wrong, we lose 50 class points. You're the leader of Class B, so of course I'd consult you first. Isn't that just common sense?" He couldn't understand why she'd even question it. Taking risks for the group without consulting the leader first was reckless. That was basic workplace etiquette, wasn't it?
"Aha..." Ichinose pressed her lips together and smiled faintly, but her eyes still held a trace of melancholy. "Hikigaya, do you know what Kanzaki or the others would do in your position?"
"Obviously, they'd consult you," Hikigaya said, exasperated. Why did it feel like they weren't even having the same conversation?
"They wouldn't." Ichinose shook her head slightly. "If they had doubts or needed help, they would come to me. But if Kanzaki—or anyone else—felt certain, they'd act on their own."
"Wait, hold on," Hikigaya said quickly, raising a hand as if to physically stop her words. "Isn't that wrong? Making decisions without the leader's approval goes against everything you'd expect, doesn't it?"
"There's nothing wrong with it." Ichinose's head shook again, her tone calm but firm. "That's because Kanzaki and the others know I'd support them no matter what. And I trust them completely." She paused, her expression softening as a faint bitterness crossed her features. "But it seems... we haven't earned your trust yet, Hikigaya."
"That's not—"
"No need to explain," she interrupted, smiling faintly. "I'm not angry." Her gaze met his, calm yet piercing. "To you, Hikigaya, it seems like you see Class B as a company and me as your superior, rather than a classmate."
"Well..." Hikigaya faltered, unable to deny it. He did treat the class like a company, and it was hard to argue otherwise. After all, wasn't that how the school system was designed?
"But..." Before he could finish his thoughts, Ichinose reached out and gently took his hand. Her voice softened.
"We're in the same class, Hikigaya. There's no hierarchy here—no superiors, no subordinates. I was chosen as class leader only because everyone trusts me." Her words carried warmth and sincerity as she continued, "We're friends, spending three years together. I don't want to look back on this time and see nothing but cold, transactional relationships." Her grip on his hand tightened slightly as if to prevent him from pulling away. "Hikigaya, I don't know what you've been through. But we—your classmates—want you to see us as friends and partners, not colleagues or bosses. Can you try to do that?"
Feeling the warmth of her touch, Hikigaya's thoughts tangled. He instinctively tried to pull his hand away, but Ichinose's grip only firmed. "Wait, wait, wait!" Hikigaya's mind spiraled. Is this normal? Am I the one being strange here? Her words lingered in his head. Did he really not trust in others? Was he too indifferent, treating his class like a corporate structure?
Finally, he forced himself to focus and asked, "What about the exam?"
Ichinose smiled, releasing his hand. "That's your decision, Hikigaya."
He blinked, confused.
"If you guess wrong," she said, her tone light and confident, "we'll just work together to recover. That's what teammates do, right?"
"That's... easier said than done," Hikigaya muttered, rubbing his temple.
"True," Ichinose admitted with a nod. "The other classes—Ryuuen, Horikita, Katsuragi, and even Sakayanagi, who we haven't met yet—they're tough. But as long as we trust and support each other, I'm sure we can succeed. That's what makes Class B special, isn't it?"
Hikigaya hesitated before giving a reluctant nod. "Alright, I'll do it."
"Good." Ichinose stood up with a smile. "Well, I have some other things to handle with the Rabbit Group, so I'll leave first."
"I'll cover the bill," Hikigaya offered, getting up. But Ichinose snatched the receipt before he could. "It's fine. You look like you need a break. Stay and rest," she teased.
"No, no," Hikigaya protested. "I called you out and took up your personal time. I should pay as an apology."
Ichinose sighed, shaking her head. "We're friends, Hikigaya. Don't think of it as wasting time—it's just us helping each other."
"Even so, it feels wrong to let you pay," he insisted.
Ichinose raised the receipt with a cheerful smile. "Then next time, you can treat me. Deal?" Before Hikigaya could respond, she turned to leave. "It's decided. See you tomorrow!"
Hikigaya watched her retreating figure, his thoughts in disarray. Friends, he thought. The word felt foreign, but he couldn't pinpoint why.
Outside the café, Ichinose's cheerful expression faded as she pulled out her phone. If Hikigaya's theory is correct... there's someone in the Rabbit Group whose behavior doesn't align with their usual demeanor, she mused, frowning. But her thoughts turned to the cooperation between Class B and Class D. Rubbing her temples, she sighed. Even if Hikigaya is part of Class B, targeting Class D might jeopardize our alliance. She walked away, caught in a quiet storm of dilemmas.
If Hikigaya continued on his current path, it was inevitable that he would become alienated from Class B, a marginalized figure left on the sidelines. For Ichinose, the well-being of her class as a whole was important, but she couldn't ignore Hikigaya. Between fostering cooperation between classes and helping a struggling classmate, she leaned toward the latter. She wanted to change his perspective, to help him build friendships with others in the class. But what about herself? After some thought, Ichinose decided to wait and observe. The gap between Class B and Class D was significant enough that excessive caution wasn't warranted. The real threats to Class B came from Class A and Class C.
Nighttime in the Dormitory
As Kanzaki and the others took turns showering, Hikigaya lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling above. No matter how much he mulled over it, Ichinose's reasoning gnawed at him. Something about it felt off. He couldn't articulate why, but it didn't sit right with him. Never mind. He sat up and reached for his phone. Technically, Ichinose had given him the green light to act on his judgment. With her assurance that the class wouldn't suffer any critical risk, he felt free to proceed without hesitation.
Revisiting his reasoning, Hikigaya's confidence in his conclusion didn't waver. Among the candidates, Kushida Kikyo stood out as the most suspicious. His decision was made, and Hikigaya sent her name to the school's designated email address.
Moments Later. As if in direct response, his phone buzzed with two back-to-back emails:
[The Dragon Group's exam is over. Students in the Dragon Group do not have to take the test again. Please move carefully and avoid disturbing other students.]
[The Monkey Group's exam is over. Students in the Monkey Group do not have to take the test again. Please move carefully and avoid disturbing other students.]
Hikigaya blinked at the screen.
"Wait... what?" Watanabe, lounging with his phone in hand, shot upright in alarm. "Two groups ended their exams at the same time? Kanzaki! Hikigaya! Your Dragon Group's test is over too!"
"What did you say?" Kanzaki, still dripping from his shower, rushed out with a towel wrapped around his waist.
"Hey, what's going on?" Shibata asked, his tone serious as he looked between them. "The school's announcement said both the Dragon Group and Monkey Group exams have ended. Do either of you know what's happening?"
"Uh... yeah." Hikigaya raised a hand. "I submitted the answer for the Dragon Group, but I have no idea about the Monkey Group."
"What!?" Kanzaki's voice rose in shock, and both Watanabe and Shibata stared at Hikigaya, wide-eyed.
"Hikigaya..." Watanabe hesitated before asking, "You didn't just... send it off randomly, did you?"
"Of course not," Hikigaya replied, exasperated. "I was 70% confident. Plus, Ichinose gave her approval."
"Oh, well..." Kanzaki sighed, visibly relaxing. "If Ichinose approved, that's different."
Shibata still looked conflicted. "How did you figure it out, though?"
"It's nothing special," Hikigaya said, his tone dismissive. He reiterated the logic he'd shared with Ichinose earlier. What he didn't add, though, was the unique perspective he brought. The ability to silently observe from the sidelines, analyzing things together in ways others overlooked, was something he prided himself on.
"Hmm…" Kanzaki nodded, his expression showing that he found Hikigaya's reasoning solid. "I just wonder how the other classes are faring right now."
As the conversation shifted to speculation about the other classes, Hikigaya stopped contributing. Still, he couldn't shake the thought: with two group exams finishing quickly, the other classes were bound to descend into even greater chaos.