After classes finally ended the other students left for their various after-school activities, talking to one another about where they would go.
Meanwhile, Hikigaya let out a quiet, tired sigh and exchanged a subtle glance with Kushida, signaling her to move ahead with the plan. She caught the cue, then left the classroom with her group of friends.
'She held up her part of the deal… Guess I've got no excuse. Time to play my part and be done with it.'
His eyes drifted toward the back door. Sudo, Ike, and Yamauchi were still lingering, laughing about something idiotic. Ayanokoji stood nearby too, looking less like a friend and more like their designated errand boy.
'Well… good thing these idiots didn't wander off. Guess it's time to pick up where I left off.'
"Hey, Horikita," he said, turning toward her just as she was gathering her books.
She looked up, eyebrows faintly raised, clearly not expecting him to initiate conversation.
And in that brief pause, the memory of his talk with Kushida during lunch quietly resurfaced as if waiting for this exact moment.
"I'll just ask you outright then Hikigaya-kun, have you seen Horikita-san smile even once?"
Hikigaya suddenly paused. 'Horikita? Smile? The heck is she talking?'
Then he stared at her with a tired expression. "…I've got better things to do than stare at girls' faces all day Kushida-san," he replied flatly. "So, no. Can't say I have."
That wasn't entirely true, though. But no way he was ever going to admit that.
'Still… I've seen her frown like she just smelled something awful. And that one time she smirked after roasting both me and Ayanokoji… yeah, that almost counted. Maybe that counts as a smile?'
Kushida blinked, then raised her hands lightly. "Ah—! Sorry, I didn't mean anything by it! I wasn't implying you were paying that much attention."
Hikigaya narrowed his eyes slightly. "…Then what were you implying?"
"I just… wanted to know if she ever smiles, that's all."
"…And why does that matter to you?"
Kushida placed a finger to her cheek and gave a slightly sheepish smile. "Ah… I guess I was just wondering because…" She leaned in a little, her voice dropping slightly, "I want to be friends with Horikita-san."
'So that's where this is going,' he thought dryly.
"Then go be friends with her. Why are you telling me this?" he replied bluntly.
"I've been trying since the very first day," Kushida said with a small pout. "I've approached her so many times, tried to talk… but she just shuts me down instantly."
Before he could say anything, she suddenly reached out and lightly tried to take his hand.
But Hikigaya instinctively pulled away like she'd tried to hand him a live grenade.
She blinked just once. But behind that perfect smile, a flicker of something else appeared. Irritation, maybe or offense. 'Tch… playing hard to get huh gloomy face?'
Instead of backing off, she leaned in just a little closer, narrowing the gap between them. The faintest scent followed her movement soft, floral, not overwhelming, just… pleasant.
'Man, why does she smell like flowers?' Hikigaya blinked, unconsciously breathing in the scent. He immediately regretted it. 'Wait, why am I thinking about that? Dammit, brain. Betrayal noted.'
He instinctively leaned back again, quickly trying to calm his nerves and restore his usual indifference. Her sudden proximity had shorted out his usual emotional firewall.
Kushida, still smiling sweetly, tilted her head. "I just thought… you seem to know Horikita-san a little better than I do."
"I don't," he deadpanned. "We've barely talked. I could count the number of times on one hand—actually, scratch that, maybe just on one finger. And the only reason we've ever talked is because we sit next to each other. That's it."
She said "Oh… I see,"
Hikigaya blinked.
He was fully prepared to toss this annoying favor over to Ayanokoji and ask her to go ask him. After all, Horikita mostly actually interacted with that guy. It would've been perfect.
But then a thought struck him unexpected and annoyingly rational.
'Wait a second. This might actually work out in my favor…'
His expression turned a little more serious as he looked at her again. "You want me to help you get closer to Horikita, right Kushida-san?"
She blinked, her eyes lighting up. "You'd really help me with that? That would mean so much to me, Hikigaya-kun. I'd be really grateful."
Hikigaya scratched his cheek, a little awkwardly. "Yeah, I'll help. But… can I ask for a small request in return?"
Kushida tilted her head, curious. "What kind of request, Hikigaya-kun?"
'Uh…Seriously? Can't he just simply say yes like the rest of the idiots?'
"It's nothing big," he said quickly, as if trying to downplay it. "It's just… in class, maybe you could start asking the teacher questions now and then? Like, simple ones that might lead to short discussion.
She tilted her head, clearly confused. "Hmm? "You mean… like, during lessons?"
"Exactly," he replied. "There are students who want to ask something but feel too embarrassed. Especially if it's basic stuff. They're scared of looking stupid."
She gave a thoughtful hum. "But don't you already do that yourself, Hikigaya-kun?"
He shrugged. "I do. But there's a limit to how much I can ask before the teacher gets tired of me. And, well… asking too many basic questions on my own kinda gets embarrassing after a while. Plus, I'm still a bit lost on what they're teaching sometimes. I can't keep up with everything alone."
Kushida raised an eyebrow, "You really think that would make a difference, Hikigaya-kun?"
Hikigaya nodded slightly. "Yeah. If someone like you starts asking questions—simple ones that kick off a short discussion—it changes the atmosphere. Makes it easier for others to join in without feeling awkward."
"The teacher will take things more seriously if the class seems more engaged. And more questions mean more topics get covered… meaning more of my doubts—uh, no, I mean the class's doubts—get cleared up. It'd make things easier for a lot of people."
He continued, trying to frame it in a way that might appeal to her.
"And honestly, a lot of people in class would probably be really grateful if someone like you took the lead like that. It's something you can do easily, right? Doesn't even take much effort for someone as, uh… socially proficient as you."
She didn't respond right away just kept that picture-perfect smile fixed on her face. Maybe she was weighing his words or maybe she was just pretending to.
Either way, Hikigaya didn't particularly care whether she believed him or not. He wasn't lying.
Asking questions… yeah, that helps in the short run. But what actually changes a classroom isn't the questions themselves it's the discussions that follow.
One decent question leads to a short answer, then maybe someone else adds a thought, and before you know it, the class isn't a graveyard anymore. It's alive now, moving, maybe not thrilling but at least no longer dead.
And if students like Kushida or Hirata start that chain reaction, someone well-liked and trusted by others, then even the quiet kids, the ones who think they'll sound dumb, start thinking they can speak up too. Because someone already broke the silence for them.
Teachers aren't immune to it either—they're not robots, after all. When they see students actively responding, they can't help but put in more effort. They start explaining things better, engaging more. Even in a school like this, where they're not obligated to step in whether students are paying attention or not, no teacher can stay fully detached from something they're genuinely putting effort into.
All of that—momentum, attention, clarity—it builds up over time. It makes the class better. Not just for him, but for all the students who quietly want to reject the kind of environment normies create when they're given too much freedom to slack off.
And the funny part? All it takes is one well-timed, low-effort question from someone with enough social gravity.
Was he exploiting that? Yes absolutely.
But that didn't make it false. It just made it efficient.
And if it helped him get even a little closer to the objectives he had in mind, then he could live with being the clown who nudged it into motion.
A soft voice suddenly broke the momentary silence.
"Um… I kind of agree with him," Wang Mei-yu said, looking a little flustered.
Kushida blinked in surprise, and even Hikigaya looked directly at her.
"I-I mean," Wang continued, eyes flicking between them, "it's hard to speak up in class. Even when I have questions, I end up staying quiet too. So, I think it would be great if Kikyou can help other students too."
Kushida let out a small laugh, "Ehh? Is that all, Hikigaya-kun? You could've just asked normally, you know. I would've helped even without all this setup."
Her voice was playful, but something in her eyes lingered on him a moment too long like she was still trying to figure him out.
"Well, I'll give it a try then," she added, turning to Wang Mei-yu with a friendly smile. "If it helps people like Mii-chan too, I don't see why not."
Then her attention shifted back to Hikigaya. "And about Horikita-san… you'll help me talk to her, right?"
Hikigaya raised his hand in a casual half-shrug. "Sure. I'll set up a situation where you can talk to her properly, but that's all. Don't expect any magical advice on how to be friends. That's… way outside my skill set."
Kushida giggled again, seemingly satisfied. ""That's more than enough, Hikigaya-kun. Just give me the chance, and I'll definitely try to make Horikita-san smile."
"Make her smile, huh?" he muttered.
"Do you have an idea how?" Hikigaya asked.
"Well, I thought you could help me think of something, Hikigaya-kun."
'Why do I feel like the antisocial one's doing all the social work here?' Hikigaya sighed internally, already bracing himself for whatever nonsense would come next.
"Well, about that…"
And so, with a sigh and a quiet nod from whatever part of him still cared…
He found himself willingly tangled in yet another mess.
"Do you have some free time after class today?" Hikigaya asked.
"I don't have any time to waste. I have to go back to the dormitory and prepare for tomorrow," Horikita replied, as curt as ever.
He blinked. 'She really said that out loud? Impressive. I wish I could shut people down that effortlessly.'
"Not to make it weird or anything, but… I wanted you to go somewhere with me. Just for a bit." He asked.
"What are you after?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Do you think that by inviting you out, I'm plotting something?"
"Well, when someone like you invite me out of nowhere, I will naturally have my doubts. However, if there is a specific matter that you wish to discuss, I wouldn't mind listening."
He let out a small, invisible sigh. 'Why is it that whenever I invite people out, it always makes me sound like I'm planning a crime? I mean, sure, I've got the vibe of one but come on, even I'm not that bad.'
Hikigaya gave a dry shrug. "That's exactly why I said 'not to make it weird or anything.' You don't have to assume I'm dragging you into some shady scheme."
Horikita crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed. "Then get to the point already. I don't have time for vague half-explanations."
"Well, you know that café on campus? The one with a ton of girls? There's a coffee drink and some sweets there which is kind of exclusive you know and I absolutely want to get it. But I don't have the guts to go there all by myself. "
"I certainly can't argue that most of their customers seem to be women, but aren't men also allowed to patronize the café?"
"They are technically," he said. "But going in solo as a guy? Guys there only show up with girlfriends or either friend groups. Walk in alone and you look like a lost pervert or someone waiting for a date that's never showing up."
Horikita gave him a long, unimpressed look. "So, you're dragging me along to make things easier for you."
"…Yeah. Pretty much," he admitted with no shame.
"But you don't seem to care about how people see you. In class, you're the first one to ask ridiculous questions like it's nothing."
"In class, there's always something I'm aiming to achieve when I speak up," he continued, offering her a half-truth. "But voluntarily entering enemy territory like that, especially for a loner like me, is a completely different battlefield. I'd rather avoid to be the only lone guy wandering into a flower field filled with normies like that."
There was a short pause before he added, "Besides, you won't have to stay too long. Just long enough for me to grab the drink, pick up the sweets, and finish up quickly. It won't take more than fifteen minutes."
"And hey, if you want me to do something in return, I'll comply too, as long as it's within reason."
She narrowed her eyes slightly. "And if I don't agree to go?"
"Well, that would be that. I'd have no choice but to accept. I can't force you to give up your private time, after all."
She looked at him for a long moment, then finally relented with a sigh. "Fine. I'll accompany you. But only if you agree to answer a few questions on the way. Which I've been… curious about."
He gave a small nod. "Alright, I'll try to answer them. Probably."
He had a few ideas about what kind of questions Horikita might ask, but if answering them meant wrapping up this awkward errand faster, it was a price he was willing to pay.
After all, his job was simple just set the stage. Whatever happened between Kushida and Horikita after that? That was their mess to deal with, not his.
"Let's go then. I don't intend to waste time then." Horikita said, already turning toward the door.
Hikigaya followed behind her, a few steps slower, slouching with the posture of someone reluctantly dragged along. His hands stayed buried deep in his pockets, his expression unreadable as always.
As they neared the back door, the idiot trio Sudo, Ike, and Yamauchi were still hanging around, laughing obnoxiously about something that probably didn't even qualify as a joke.
He moved right past them without slowing down though he made sure to "accidentally" bump his shoulder into Yamauchi on the way out. Just hard enough to make him stumble a little.
Yamauchi stumbled slightly. "Huh—? Hey, watch where you're going!"
"Oops. My bad," Hikigaya replied flatly, not even bothering to look back.
He didn't stop. Just kept walking like nothing happened.
"Seriously? It's you again? What's your damn problem, loser?" Sudo barked from behind.
Before Hikigaya could react, Sudo grabbed him by the collar from behind, yanking him back a step.
Horikita stopped and turned around, frowning sharply.
Hikigaya blinked, then let out a very quiet, very tired sigh.
'…And here we go.'