Chapter 79 Is He A Genius?

Hearing his words, Himeno Yuki was left utterly stunned. At this school, everyone is focused on getting promoted to Class A or working tirelessly to save 20 million personal points. But Hikigaya, standing right in front of her, had come up with a way to earn those 20 million points so effortlessly. And he shared it with her just as casually. "Is he secretly a genius?" she wondered, her thoughts swirling in disbelief.

"Hikigaya," she exclaimed, "don't you think you've got a pretty sharp mind?"

"Well, maybe, who knows?" Hikigaya replied with a touch of pride. Being praised like this wasn't a bad feeling. In fact, he wouldn't mind hearing more of it.

"Then why don't you lead the class with Ichinose and the others?" Himeno Yuki asked, frowning in confusion. "I feel like, with you around, our chances of reaching Class A would be much higher."

"It's just some common knowledge," Hikigaya said, his earlier pride deflating. Now, embarrassment crept into his voice. "I'm not nearly as good as Ichinose or Kanzaki." Although he tried to downplay it, there was a hint of pride in his words. But he knew himself well—he was, at best, slightly better than the average person. When it came to academics, sports, leadership, communication, or even an overall vision, he simply couldn't compare to Ichinose or Kanzaki.

Himeno Yuki studied him thoughtfully, her gaze lingering. "I've been curious for a while now, Hikigaya. What's your opinion of Class A?"

"What do you mean?" Hikigaya tilted his head. "I don't really know anyone there except Katsuragi."

"It just seems like you're not all that interested in being promoted to Class A," she observed.

"That's right," He replied nonchalantly. "My dream is to be a househusband. Getting into Class A doesn't help me much with that. Why are you looking like me like that?!"

Looking at him like he had grown a second pair of heads. "Oh my God you're not joking?!" She shouted in disbelief.

"Look, not everyone wants to get promoted to Class A. Some just want to graduate from high school"

In truth, it wasn't entirely that simple. In Hikigaya's eyes, even if you made it to Class A and secured the privilege of career freedom, the outcome wasn't all that special. Instead of being a regular worker in a small company, you'd just become a slightly better-paid worker in a big one. Either way, you'd still be a corporate slave.

In modern Japan, even becoming a "social animal" requires exhausting effort. Accepting one's fate felt easier. Even if the school's resources helped you get into a top company, the odds were you'd stay stuck in a low-level position. Whether you get promoted or not would still depend on your own abilities. So, Hikigaya didn't see much value in chasing Class A. Suppose he could ride Ichinose's coattails to success, great. If not, he wouldn't stress over it.

All he really needed was to save enough personal points to reach 20 million. Once that goal was met, he could transfer to Class A. If not, he'd convert the points into cash and enjoy a few years of leisurely living.

"That's stupid.." Himeno Yuki sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead. "I guess the best I can hope for is that we work together on this."

"What do you mean?" Hikigaya asked, momentarily puzzled.

"Nothing," She said quickly, a mischievous smile crossing her face. She lowered her voice. "How about we just avoid submitting the report to the school?"

"Why I shouldn't?" Hikigaya asked, confused. "With Commander Horikita in charge, I think the club activity report will pass without any problem. If we don't submit it now, we might not get another chance."

"Think about it," Himeno Yuki said, glancing around cautiously. "We could secretly save 40 million personal points using your method and graduate as Class A students."

"No way," Hikigaya replied firmly. "That would mean I'd have to set up a stall after school every day. How is that any different from working? Absolutely not." He continued, "Besides, this kind of thing isn't sustainable. Sooner or later, someone will figure it out." Who wants to waste their time working, its sounds miserable if he thinks about it.

He looked at her, perplexed. "By the way, how did you even find me?"

"Ha?" She gave him a deadpan look. "Did you really think you were hiding it well?"

"Uh… yes," Hikigaya muttered and nodded.

He wasn't trying to brag, but the facts spoke for themselves he sold hundreds of copies had been sold without anyone noticing. He definitely had his redeeming qualities. Wearing decent work clothes, his perpetually deadpan eyes blended seamlessly with the overworked, soul-drained look of a typical salaryman.

In fact, some students even addressed him with respect, likely mistaking him for an older, experienced individual.

And yet, Himeno Yuki had managed to uncover his activities. This girl's perceptiveness was unexpectedly sharp.

"Like duh, you were so obvious," She said, folding her arms across her chest and waving them dismissively. Her tone carried a mix of disbelief and irritation. "I saw you setting up a stall from a distance. You were so noticeable with your creepy dead fish eyes!" Then, as if realizing how blunt she sounded, Himeno Yuki's face reddened slightly. "It was more like... an eyesore." This girl really had no filter.

"Never mind," Hikigaya said with a sigh, turning to leave. He waved her off as he added, "Anyway, just go back. Don't disturb me."

After all, she was also a member of the so-called "Harvest Club." If the group disbanded, she'd lose her shield for dealing with Ichinose and the others. It was in her best interest for it to continue operating. But before Hikigaya could take another step, Himeno Yuki grabbed his wrist, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

"I'm a member of the Harvest Club too! Let me help!"

"Ha? Why?" Hikigaya asked, clearly reluctant.

"What's with that look?" She asked, her expression turning sour. "It's just part-time work. Junior high didn't allow it, so I've never had the chance. I want to try it out and see what it's like!"

"Is something wrong with your brain?" Hikigaya muttered in disbelief. There were actually people who wanted to work part-time.

"Huh? Say that again?" her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Ah, no, no, I didn't mean it like that," Hikigaya backtracked, panicking. "I just meant… if you start selling books with me, you'll stand out too much!"

And it was true. As much as Hikigaya hated to admit it, Himeno Yuki was undeniably a beautiful girl. If she started selling books with him, she'd be recognized immediately and dragged before the student council.

"Hmm..." She lowered her gaze, taking a moment to appraise herself. Her flawless features and long legs were impossible to miss—she was painfully aware of that. "Yeah, I guess it'd be too noticeable," she admitted reluctantly.

"Exactly!" Hikigaya said, relieved. His gaze shifted to the hand still gripping his wrist. "Uh, any chance you could let go now?"

But Himeno Yuki had other plans. Letting go, she clapped her hands together as an idea struck her. "How about this," she began excitedly. "I'll get some blue work clothes like yours and a name badge. Tomorrow, I'll join you to sell books!"

"No, that's not what I—" He tried to interject, but she cut him off.

"It's decided!" She declared. "Oh, and don't forget to bring me a chair tomorrow!" Waving cheerfully, she turned and dashed off toward Keyaki Mall, clearly eager to live out her part-time work fantasy.

This girl… "She really treats people like servants," Hikigaya muttered to himself, exasperated.

If Ichinose was the big leader, then Himeno Yuki was destined to be the pushy supervisor, and he? Forever the lowest-tier corporate slave. He sighed. Refusal wasn't an option. Knowing her enthusiasm, she would likely attend training with Ichinose in the morning and then come back to join him at the stall after school.

That left Hikigaya with only one solution: come early and sell as many books as possible before she showed up. Otherwise, he was sure the leftover stock would end up gathering dust in his hands. Sure enough, business had its risks. He suddenly realized that this path wasn't his style. Being a househusband seemed far more suitable to him.

The next day. In preparation for the upcoming sports festival, the school introduced a variety of physical education activities—horseback riding, obstacle races, hurdles, three-legged races, group tug-of-war, and more.

Hikigaya found himself teamed up with Kanzaki and Watanabe, their hands clasped together to form the "horse." Naturally, Shibata took the role of the general riding atop them.

Though He didn't put in extra practice outside of class, he ensured his performance in PE was just good enough to avoid dragging everyone down. During a match, Shibata confidently snatched the cloth strip from an opponent's head, securing their team's victory. As the group dispersed to rest, Hikigaya slipped away from the playground and bought himself a can of MAX Coffee.

The physical disparity between himself and the likes of Shibata was glaring. While he could keep up, it came at the cost of exhaustion.

"Hikigaya!" To his surprise, Shibata followed him.

"Yeah?" Hikigaya responded, settling onto a bench by a trash can and savoring the overly sweet richness of his MAX Coffee.

"I'm so tired," Shibata sighed as he sat beside him, drink in hand.

Hikigaya glanced at him, sensing an ulterior motive. With Shibata's eager demeanor, it wasn't hard to guess the topic—Ichinose. Hikigaya stifled a smirk. The innocent Shibata was almost endearing in his predictability.

"Ichinose and I aren't dating," Hikigaya said preemptively.

Shibata blushed, scratching his cheek awkwardly.

"Am I that obvious?" he asked sheepishly.

"Painfully." Hikigaya gave him a flat look. This guy was still at the stage of blushing over the girl he liked—so childlike. Ridiculous. He had outgrown such trivialities in junior high.

Even if good women existed in this world, they were still troublesome. None were worth the effort of trying to navigate their whims.

"I guess I can't hide it," Shibata admitted, his cheeks reddening further.

"Doesn't matter to me," Hikigaya replied nonchalantly. "I don't know how you act normally, but you're completely obvious when it comes to her."

Reflecting on the past, He recalled how Shibata had displayed similar tendencies during the uninhabited island test. Still, Shibata had been polite enough not to overstep. "Really, though," Hikigaya thought, shaking his head, "how could Ichinose like someone like me? That was just impossible this guy needs to realize that and stop bothering me"

It was obvious—Ichinose's kindness was just misplaced sympathy, something Hikigaya couldn't entirely brush off but certainly didn't seek.

"What about you, Hikigaya?" Shibata asked hesitantly. "What do you think of Ichinose?"

Hikigaya sighed, annoyed by the persistence. This conversation wasn't one he wanted to have. "It doesn't matter what I think," he said flatly. "What matters is what you and Ichinose think. She only sympathizes with me, that's all. If she were to fall for another guy, wouldn't you still act the same?"

Shibata froze, caught off guard. "That's... true," he admitted. Taking a sip of tea, he nodded thoughtfully. "I've been imposing my feelings on her without considering hers. Sorry about that. Forget I asked." With a sheepish grin, he stood and looked at Hikigaya. "Still, no matter who my competition is, I won't give up easily. I'll win first place in the individual competition at the sports festival!"

"Sure, sure, good luck," Hikigaya replied, raising his can of MAX Coffee in a half-hearted toast. Shibata left, finally leaving him in peace.

After a while on the school grounds, Hikagaya and Ichinose are out of breath.

"Hikigaya," Ichinose called out. Her hands were on her lower back, a faintly exasperated look on her face. "You're still not used to it?" she asked with a sigh. "This is such a waste of time if we keep this pace. Just hold me tighter already."

"Uhm sure," Hikigaya replied stiffly, awkwardly pulling Ichinose closer. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't adapt to this two-person, three-legged training with her.