Chapter 71 Two Brothers

"Um…" Hikigaya hesitated, glancing at Ibuki Mio, who was leaning against the armrest with her legs crossed. Her posture completely blocked the narrow aisle.

If he tried to squeeze past, there was a good chance he'd bump into her. And if that happened... what if she hit him?

"Sorry, my seat's inside," he muttered weakly, his voice barely audible.

Why didn't he choose the lower-left corner? What were the odds of running into someone like her today? He silently cursed his bad luck.

Ibuki glanced at him, her sharp gaze making him feel like a small animal caught in a predator's sight. For a moment, he froze nervously under her scrutiny. Then, with an exasperated sigh, Ibuki shifted her body slightly, presumably to let him pass. The problem? The space she gave him was barely wider than before.

Reluctantly, Hikigaya pressed himself against the backs of the seats in front and inched his way past her, trying not to make any contact. After what felt like an eternity, he finally slipped into his seat and sank down, his nerves on edge. It was just a few steps, but he felt like he'd narrowly escaped danger.

Maybe Ibuki Mio wasn't as bad as she looked, though. Her sharp exterior could be misleading. As the lights dimmed and the screen lit up, the movie began. Hikigaya leaned toward the opposite armrest, instinctively putting as much distance as possible between himself and Ibuki. After all, the two of them had barely spoken before. He only knew her name from conversations involving Ryuuen, Horikita, and the rest.

The movie played on, and the two watched in silence.

When the credits rolled, Hikigaya noticed that Ibuki showed no signs of leaving. She seemed intent on staying for the next showing. Deciding not to disturb her, he stood and prepared to leave through the other side of the row.

"Stop."

He froze mid-step, sighing internally. Why did everyone think it was okay to give him orders like that? Did he have "easy to bully" written on his face?

"Sit down."

He frowned. "What am I, a dog?"

Ibuki didn't flinch at his tone. Instead, she smirked and said, "I heard you tricked Kaneda pretty badly." Still seated, she leaned back lazily. "That guy keeps saying he's going to make you pay for it."

"Seriously?" Hikigaya groaned, rubbing his temple. "That misunderstanding was on him, not me. It's not my fault he overthought things."

Ibuki chuckled, her smile tinged with disdain. "Yeah, that sounds about right. Kaneda's full of himself and always looking for someone else to blame. Disgusting, isn't it?"

Hikigaya blinked. Wasn't she in Class C with Kaneda? Her tone didn't exactly scream team loyalty. But whatever. It wasn't his problem.

"Anyway, if that's all, I'll be going—"

"Stop."

He glared at her this time, exasperated. "What now?"

Ibuki paused, her expression turning serious. "Aren't you afraid of Ryuuen?"

"Why would I be?" Hikigaya asked, genuinely puzzled. Compared to people like Ibuki or Horikita, Ryuuen seemed almost tame. At least he didn't have the icy tone that could freeze someone solid.

Ibuki sighed heavily, clicking her tongue. "Don't let his generosity fool you. That guy's dangerous. He'll use violence if it suits him, with no hesitation. Take my advice—keep your distance from Ryuuen. Don't let yourself get blinded by his money or charm." Her words hung in the air, laced with a hint of frustration.

Hikigaya studied her for a moment, trying to decide whether she was warning him out of genuine concern or if there was some ulterior motive. Either way, he gave a small shrug.

"Noted," he said flatly, turning to leave. As he walked away, he couldn't help but think that Ibuki Mio, for all her fierceness, might have more layers to her than he'd initially thought. Hikigaya froze for a moment, staring at Ibuki Mio in disbelief. "Are you... worried about me?"

"Huh? No, you idiot!" Ibuki snapped, slamming her fist against the armrest. The sudden noise drew a few glances, and she quickly lowered her voice.

"In any case, if you still want to enjoy a peaceful campus life, it's best not to get involved with Ryuuen. Got it?"

So she was worried. Hikigaya suppressed a chuckle. You really couldn't judge a book by its cover. Who would've thought Ibuki Mio had such a gentle side? "Got it," he replied, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Violence can be intimidating, sure. But that's only because the victim doesn't speak up."

He leaned back slightly. "Unfortunately for Ryuuen, I'm the kind of guy who plays along when the rules work for me—and fights back when they don't."

"Ha?" Ibuki raised an eyebrow, her face twisting into a look of pure disgust. "So you're just a selfish opportunist who doesn't want to pay the price? Ugh, you're even worse than I thought. And why are you smiling like that? It's gross!"

"...Well," Hikigaya muttered, feeling momentarily defeated. This girl really knew how to cut deep. "Whatever. I'll take my leave if there's nothing else." He shrugged and stood up. "And honestly, if all Ryuuen has is violence and some cheap tricks, there's nothing about him that scares me."

With that, he turned and walked away. Ibuki didn't respond, merely watching him leave. Still, Hikigaya couldn't help but smirk to himself. When it came to despicable tactics, he was confident he could hold his own. As for violence? Well, he was a firm believer in running to the nearest teacher when things got out of hand.

After leaving the cinema, Hikigaya grabbed a quick curry lunch and headed to the convenience store. While there were vending machines near his dorm, they didn't have everything he wanted. Besides, in his hometown of Chiba, farmers bought MAX curry in bulk, wheeling it away by the box. Inspired by them, he decided to stock up his dorm room for the rest of the summer.

The store wasn't too crowded, though he spotted a few familiar faces—Ayanokouji and the three idiots from Class D, along with Kushida and a group of girls. The moment he saw Kushida, Hikigaya immediately turned and walked in the opposite direction, pretending not to notice. Lately, Kushida had been persistently inviting him to eat with her. Hikigaya had no intention of getting involved with her or any other troublemakers.

As he moved through the aisles, a bald figure caught his attention. It was Katsuragi from Class A. At first, Hikigaya didn't pay much attention, but then he noticed something unusual—Katsuragi was studying a hairpin with an oddly serious expression. What the…?

Hikigaya stared, bewildered. Did Katsuragi have some kind of secret hobby? And more importantly, where would he even put a hairpin? He couldn't resist glancing at Katsuragi's shiny bald head. Before he could spiral further into his thoughts, Katsuragi spoke up, as if sensing the question hanging in the air.

"In case you're misunderstanding, let me clarify." Katsuragi's tone was as serious as ever. "This is a gift for my sister."

"Oh... right, of course," Hikigaya replied awkwardly, chuckling to hide his embarrassment.

Katsuragi didn't even look at him but continued his assessment of the hairpin. His sharp observation skills were clearly not limited to exams—he hadn't even been looking, yet he caught Hikigaya staring.

Hikigaya relaxed a bit, feeling an unexpected sense of camaraderie. "If it's for your sister," he said, "you might want to rethink the choice. Trinkets like this usually don't work out."

"Why not?" Katsuragi asked, turning to him.

"Trust me, I have a sister," Hikigaya said with exaggerated pride. "Brothers tend to have terrible taste in gifts. Even if your sister accepts it with a smile, it'll probably end up stuffed in a drawer somewhere."

He sighed dramatically. "I once gave my sister, Komachi, a cute little charm for her schoolbag when she started junior high. She never used it. Just tossed it in a drawer. I was crushed when I found out."

Katsuragi considered his words, nodding thoughtfully. "...That does make sense," he admitted.

Hikigaya couldn't help but feel a bit smug. While he'd mostly been showing off his knowledge of sisterly dynamics, it seemed Katsuragi had taken his advice seriously.

"Then what do you think would make a better gift?"

"Hmm…" Hikigaya pondered for a moment before responding, "Since you've got some money now, how about giving her some rare sweets? You know, there's hardly a girl in the world who doesn't like sweets!"

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." Katsuragi nodded, setting down the hairpin in his hand and heading toward the dessert section.

Hikigaya followed closely, gesturing enthusiastically. "This MAX Coffee from Chiba—it's technically coffee, but it's sweeter than most desserts! Oh, and this chocolate, Komachi loves it. And this one too!"

Watching Hikigaya's overzealous recommendations, Katsuragi couldn't help but feel a bit exasperated. I'm buying a gift for my sister, not yours, you moron. But then, he thought, A guy who loves his sister this much can't be all bad.

"Thanks for your input," Katsuragi said, shaking his head helplessly. "But I haven't decided how to give her the gift yet, so there's no need to rush."

"Oh…" Hikigaya withdrew his hands, looking slightly embarrassed. His "big brother mode" had kicked in without him realizing it. "If you want to send it to her, you could try using a delivery service," He suggested.

"Hmm?" Katsuragi frowned. "I thought the school had a rule against contacting the outside world?"

"Oh, right," Hikigaya recalled. "But I've heard that the school's sports clubs sometimes leave campus for competitions. You could ask someone in the sports department of Class A to send it for you."

"Really?" Katsuragi looked momentarily surprised.

"Maybe," Hikigaya admitted. "It's worth asking someone in your class who's in a sports club. They'd know for sure."

"Fair enough," Katsuragi nodded, a rare smile softening his usually stern face. "If I manage to send the gift, I'll owe you one."

"No need," Hikigaya replied, waving a hand as he turned to leave. "Just don't disappoint your sister. That's what really matters."

It was an unspoken understanding between the two brothers. Still… It was summer vacation, and Hikigaya couldn't help but wonder how Komachi was doing back home. Her birthday was in March, but he'd need to plan ahead if he wanted to get her something special. After all, his own club didn't have any competitions requiring them to leave school grounds.

Oh well, Hikigaya thought. When the time comes, I can always ask Shibata for help. He doesn't seem like the type to refuse, especially with some incentive. His thoughts were entirely on Komachi, leaving him uninterested in continuing the outing.

As Hikigaya exited the convenience store, something at the door caught his eye—a stack of books. "That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime." "Didn't expect that," Hikigaya muttered as he picked up a copy. "A light novel like this, even here? How considerate."

He had enjoyed these kinds of stories back in middle school, even going through a phase of adolescent fantasy. But as he grew older, he found himself gravitating toward more profound literary works. After a moment of deliberation, Hikigaya placed the book back on the stack.

I might as well visit the library and borrow something worthwhile to read back at the dormitory, he thought.

NOTES

Rahime here sorry for not updating been busy for two days. Happy New Year to everyone take care and always stay safe. enjoy reading