The next day, Hikigaya was up early.
He hadn't gotten much sleep, but strangely, he didn't feel weighed down. Instead, there was a lightness in his chest, something that felt dangerously close to resolve.
And for now, that was enough.
After that, he laced up his shoes and headed out for a run.
Running wasn't something new for him. He had done it for a long time—not because he loved it, but because he needed it. It helped him stay fit, but more importantly, it stopped his mind from going in circles. Over time, he started to enjoy it in his own way. It became something steady in his life, something that helped him feel calm and clear.
He stepped outside early in the morning. The campus was quiet, just the way he liked it. He ran at an easy pace, not too fast or too slow. It was enough to feel the ground under his feet, enough to clear his head and help him feel ready for the day.
"Ah… my body's finally kicking in again," he muttered to himself, exhaling deeply through his nose.
After his run, he returned to the dorm, took a cold shower, and changed into his uniform. Then, he made his way to school.
Instead of heading to class right away, he made a beeline for the special vending machine because, early in the morning, nothing mattered more than his MAX Coffee.
The can fell into place. He grabbed it, popped the tab, and took the first sip.
"Alright," he said to no one "Now I can actually deal with people."
And with that, he finally entered the school building and made his way toward Class D.
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On the second day of school, though technically the first in terms of actual classes—most of the teachers were focused on explaining the learning guidelines and outlining the academic curriculum.
Hikigaya listened closely, more than he usually would. He wasn't taking notes, but he absorbed as much as he could, knowing how important the next month was going to be.
'Since we have to prove our worth as students next month, I'm not entirely sure about all the other factors in evaluation yet. But one thing is pretty clear—academics will play a major role in that. Which means...'
As the lecture continued, he let his head drop slightly, resting his hands over his scalp, feeling the sudden tension rise.
He was completely screwed.
'It's been three years since I last properly opened a school textbook. Basics? Yeah, they packed up and left ages ago. At this point, even simple equations look like puzzles with missing pieces to me.'
A heavy sigh left his lips, the weight of reality settling in.
'At this rate, I'm definitely going to fail.'
His gaze drifted toward the board, the neatly written instructions from the teacher feeling more like a warning than guidance.
'If I don't start cramming day and night now, I'm finished. One month to relearn the basics—math, science, everything—while somehow keeping up with the current syllabus. Honestly, at this point, I might as well just find a shrine and start praying. To God. For a miracle.'
But even that wasn't the worst part.
There was a question that had been hanging over his head since the moment he stepped into this school. Something he had avoided thinking about until now.
'Seriously… how did someone like me even pass the entrance exam? And the interview too? None of it makes sense.'
The idea of attending Advanced Nurturing High School was still ridiculous to him even now, sitting in this very classroom.
He had barely prepared for the entrance exam. Actually, calling it 'barely' was generous. It was more like straight-up ignoring the whole thing.
The decision to apply hadn't been his own. It was Komachi who pushed him into it—relentlessly—until, four days before the exam, he gave in. He went in with no preparation, no expectations. During the test, he found himself staring blankly at the math section, barely able to make sense of even the simple problems. Science offered no relief either. Only Japanese and English gave him something to work with, but even then, he hadn't put in much effort.
And the interview… well, let's just say it was a masterpiece of questionable responses. His answers ranged from vague to downright absurd.
Suddenly, a brief surge of memory flashed back to him.
"Since Advanced Nurturing High School offers so many unique opportunities and support for its students, is there something big you're hoping to achieve here—or a future you're working toward, Hikigaya-kun?"
"To become a Proud househusband. And eventually do nothing."
"Well… I suppose homemaking is a noble path. A supportive role is essential in any partnership. So then… what will you do if you, ah, don't find a wife?"
"Oh, that's easy. I've got Komachi."
"Komachi… who?"
"My little sister. She already takes care of me, kind of. So I figure, once I become an unproductive adult, she'll just toss me into some nursing home and visit me twice a week. Maybe bring some snacks too."
"I see… And she's okay with this arrangement?"
"She says she's going to abandon me, but I'm pretty sure she doesn't actually mean it… I think? Probably. I mean, there's a chance she'll actually dump me in some shady care home out of spite, but still—family's family, right?"
"Uh… Right. What a unique perspective you offer, I suppose."
"Well, Hikigaya-kun, thank you for… sharing. I'll, uh… forward this to the admission board and… we'll be in touch. Probably."
The memory of that interview still made him cringe. If he could, he'd probably crawl into a hole and never come out. When the interviewer awkwardly said, 'We'll be in touch. Probably', Hikigaya couldn't help but think, 'Yeah, there's no way I'm getting in'.
Yet, here he was. Maybe the school had a 'worst-case scenario' policy and just decided to let him in as a test case.
"No point thinking about what's already over. Still, going from barely even planning to study again after all that… to landing in a place like this? Guess life doesn't care if you're ready or not, huh?"
He sighed again, softer this time, and lowered his gaze. Accepting his situation, he started to focus on what needed to do next.
'I'll need to plan this out as if the worst possible scenario is already in motion. Step one is figuring out how much I've actually missed, then mapping out a strategy to cover just enough to pass whatever evaluation they throw at us before next month. No room for mistakes here.'
After that, Hikigaya returned his focus to the teacher's instructions, and soon, the first few periods passed normally or at least, what should have been normal.
At the starting of first period, the students had all sat in attentive silence, taking notes, nodding dutifully, some even looked genuinely interested or at least were pretending to care.
It was what you'd expect from a group of high schoolers trying to make a good first impression.
But by the fourth period… things had started to change.
'That guy in the second row is straight-up reading manga in plain sight now. Not even trying to hide it. Wow, impressive.'
As more periods passed, the initial strictness among the students had almost completely faded.
Hikigaya blinked as the boy two seats away in another row opened a gaming console and started playing games. Another girl was scrolling through her phone, giggling every now and then, whispering to her friend like the teacher wasn't even there. A few others had just slumped onto their desks.
It wasn't the distractions themselves that bothered him. It was how quickly everyone started copying them. One person slacking off wasn't a big deal. But then another did the same. And another. Before long, more students were following without even thinking about it. The ones who didn't have much motivation to begin with just went along with what seemed normal all of a sudden.
And this was only the second day of school.
The most bizarre part in all this?
None of the teachers did anything. Not a single word of warning. Not even a glance.
Hikigaya sat a little straighter, eyes narrowing as he muttered in low voice.
"Wait, what…? Am I missing something?"
At first, he considered the possibility that this was some kind of weird 'Beginning-of-the-year leniency' and Teachers were only tolerating these minor disruptions because it was still early, and the students were still settling in.
But as more time passed, it became clear that this wasn't the case. The teachers weren't ignorant of what was going on. No, they were purposefully ignoring it.
As he sank deeper into his thoughts, a sudden realization struck him.
Hikigaya's gaze shifted to the corner of the room, where a small camera hung, silently observing. Then to the teacher, who was ignoring the chaos around them, and finally to the students, slacking off without a care.
One by one, all the pieces fell into place.
'Ah… So, this is it. A test. A test of discipline, of self-control. The cameras are there to keep an eye on us, but not in the way I thought. It's about… seeing how we handle ourselves when there's no one pushing us.'
With the teachers turning complete blind eye, the school's overly generous perks, and no parents around for the next three years, these students had basically been handed total freedom.
He had expected Japan's most prestigious school to be stricter, something closer to a traditional, controlled environment. But this was the exact opposite. They weren't just being tested on grades. It was about how well they could handle themselves in a system that gave them everything, yet supervised nothing.
'It's like the real world…,' he thought bitterly. 'No one's here to guide you. No one's going to tell you what's right or wrong. You're just left to figure it out, or fall flat on your face.'
He stared out across the classroom again, watching as the environment seemed to deteriorate further. 'Guess that's the whole point, huh? This school isn't here to help you. It's here to see if you can keep up, just like the real society.'
Hikigaya rubbed his temple, frustration biting deep.
'No. I can't afford for this to be the new norm. Not when I have so much to catch up on. Not when I'm already struggling just to keep my head above water academically. I came here thinking I could at least try to survive, to pull myself together, but now…'
Another heavy sigh escaped him, louder than before, a clear sign of his growing disappointment.
"Again, with the sighing," a voice snapped from beside him.
He didn't have to look to know it was Horikita. Her tone was already laced with irritation.
Horikita sat properly at her desk, arms crossed, eyes narrowed at him like he was some stain that wouldn't wash out.
"You've been doing that since this morning. Actually, since yesterday too." she tilted her head slightly. "Is it some kind of nervous tic, or are you just trying to make sure everyone knows you're a miserable being?"
He turned his head just enough to glance at her, his face unreadable.
"Sorry. I'll make sure to breathe in complete silence next time so as not to offend your fragile sense of atmosphere."
She scoffed, clearly not expecting someone like Hikigaya to argue back. "You're irritating."
"Don't you realize you're already standing out?" she said, eyes narrowing. "And not in a good way."
"Funny, isn't it?" he replied, his tone dry. "I haven't even done anything, and yet here I am already a topic of conversation. Must be some kind of passive charisma."
'Passive charisma, huh? Yeah... if blending into the background like wallpaper counts as charisma, then I'm practically a celebrity.'
"That's not charisma. That's just you being a nuisance."
"And yet, here you are. Bothered enough to comment. Twice." Hikigaya replied
"I wouldn't have to if you weren't constantly sighing like some worn-out salaryman stuck in traffic."
He tilted his head, smirking faintly. "Well, the traffic part feels accurate. We're all going nowhere, slowly."
She crossed her arms, unimpressed. "Pathetic."
'Wow. What an arrogant and rude girl this one is. It's honestly impressive how little effort she puts into basic human decency.'
Horikita's glare sharpened as she sensed his thought. "If you have a problem, go complain to someone who cares. Or better yet, keep it to yourself."
"Believe me, I tried," he muttered, flipping a page. "But even my own ears are getting tired of listening to me."
"You're hopeless."
"And you're oddly invested in someone you find irritating," he said without looking at her. "Which begs the question, do you actually hate me, or are you just allergic to sincerity?"
Horikita shot back without hesitation, voice cool and sharp.
"Don't flatter yourself. I don't even care enough to put an effort into hating a gloomy, fishy-eyed boy like you."
Hikigaya didn't flinch. His tone stayed flat, almost bored.
"And yet, here you are still talking to me. Some indifference that is."
"Tch."
She looked away, clearly finished with the conversation.
'Funny thing about people who claim they don't care. They're always the loudest about it. Like they're trying to convince themselves more than anyone else around.
After that Hikigaya once again, put his focus back to the lecture again. Soon Less than a minute after the end-of-class bell rang, about half of the students had disappeared.
Those who remained either secretly wanted to go or were like Ayanokji who were unconscious of their surroundings, or preferred being alone, like Horikita.
Suddenly, Hirata stood up and asked if anyone wanted to go to the cafeteria together. Predictably, many students agreed, especially the girls.
'How does he make it look so easy? I almost envy the guy… almost.'
Hikigaya barely looked up, but he caught Ayanokoji glancing toward the group, looking like he wanted to join. only for Horikita to glance at him and mock the poor guy.
Too bad for him before Hirata could properly invite him, the conversation shifted, interrupted by the girls eagerly taking the lead. Horikita scoffed, shaking her head in amusement.
Hikigaya let out a short chuckle at the sight. Not out of malice — more like recognition.
"Man, I don't know I should laugh or feel bad for the guy," he muttered under his breath.
It reminded him of his time in elementary school—the way he'd wanted to hang out with the popular kids during lunch but never quite fit in. They avoided him, whispered about something called "Hikigerma," as if touching him would make their eyes dead too.
Hikigaya decided to stay in the class and consume the can of MAX Coffee he brought in the morning. Soon, lunchtime ended, and the students came back, still taking their sweet time.
The speakers in the classroom suddenly turned on.
"First-year students, please be aware that today at 5 PM, the school gym will have a club meeting. Students who want to join a club, please go to the gym. I repeat, today—" A girl with a sweet voice continued the announcement.
Hikigaya heard the announcement and leaned back in his chair. He wasn't exactly the club type, but it might be worth checking out. After all, there could be something useful there.
He glanced around the classroom, seeing a few people already getting up. 'I could just skip it... but, nah, might as well take a look. Worst case, I just leave if there's nothing useful or interesting there.'
With that, he sighed, stood up, and grabbed his bag. At least it would give him something to do instead of wasting time in the classroom.
But before he could leave, he glanced to his side and saw Horikita and Ayanokoji caught up in yet another argument, more like her tearing into him with insults.
"Heh, looks like she's really going all out on the poor guy. Even I'm starting to feel bad for someone who's supposed to be a final boss."
After that thought, Hikigaya just turned and left the classroom.