Chapter 193: Sakayanagi's Firm Conviction
Nagumo's departure didn't surprise Hikigaya. As a puppet of those people, even if he knew nothing, he would never have ended well. His reign was over. His kingdom had collapsed in an instant, and beneath the ruins, there would be no followers left for him.
To be honest, if Nagumo had been able to recognize himself in the end, to feel remorse for his actions, to rediscover his true intentions and original heart, things might not have come to this. The same could be said for all the school executives who had knelt there.
This society was far too realistic, so realistic that Hikigaya couldn't even open his eyes to face it properly. Yet at the same time, it possessed an aspect that couldn't be ignored.
And it was precisely because of that, that Hikigaya had come this far.
Nagumo's rule had been short-lived, but it had undeniably existed here. Now, however, both the second-year and third-year students have completely collapsed.
For the second-years, things weren't too bad. After all, everyone had merely returned to the starting line, each of the four classes had lost all their points. But for the third-years, Class 3-B had undoubtedly suffered the greatest loss. With the time remaining, surpassing Class 3-A was now impossible. On the contrary, the two classes behind them, having fewer people affected, managed to overtake Class 3-B in one fell swoop.
[In the chatroom… Nagumo lowered his head in dejection. Even now, disbelief still filled his eyes. To him, failure had always been something distant and unreal. And yet now, failure stood right before him, and everything he had collapsed, power, love, fame, reputation. Everything he once possessed seemed strangely light the moment it vanished.]
[He clutched his head tightly with both hands. The blow was clearly too heavy for him.]
[At that moment, Kiriyama slowly walked up to him and gently patted his shoulder.]
["For someone who believes himself exceptional, rising again isn't difficult. It just depends on whether you have the resolve to reflect and awaken."]
["At least in my eyes, the failure shown in this video was inevitable for your future. Realizing that earlier isn't necessarily a bad thing."]
[At a time when one would be most likely to break down and explode, it was strangely moving that such words of comfort came from someone who had once betrayed him.]
[However, Nagumo didn't completely collapse. Instead, he gradually calmed down. In the end, no expression could be seen on his face as he spoke lightly, "Kiriyama… even now, I still don't understand why you betrayed me. Was I not good enough to you?"]
[Kiriyama's expression grew heavy. He wanted to say something, but the words caught in his throat and wouldn't come out.]
[In the end, Nagumo simply smiled faintly and shook his head, as if everything had disappeared along with his position. "Forget it… forget it. Knowing the reason has no meaning to me now. This video just made me realize that, in those people's eyes, I was nothing more than a toy, a puppet. It's not that I care about my failure. Sure, it hit me hard. What I really care about is that everything I did was merely a tool to others. That feeling of being controlled… it's really unpleasant."]
[Only after hearing this did Kiriyama's expression ease slightly. Nagumo, however, frowned and spoke with even greater seriousness. "That's why I'll keep moving forward, keep going. Even if I'm no longer at this school, one day I'll stand in front of that guy again and challenge him properly, openly, and head-on."]
[Meanwhile… Sakura covered her mouth, tears flooding her eyes and shining as they trembled.]
["He… he won…"]
[Kushida walked over and gently patted her shoulder, speaking like an older sister. "Don't worry. It's all over now… everything's fine."]
[Karuizawa let out a long sigh of relief. "That scared me to death. Seriously, those two sensei were no joke. To think humans could reach that level… is that even something a human can do?"]
[Ichinose continued to maintain her smile. Among everyone there, she might have been the only one still able to stay calm in this situation, perhaps because she had once been a class leader. "Karuizawa, saying something like that now is kind of funny. After all, no matter how strong they were, they still fell into Hikigaya's trap."]
[Kamuro: "You know, Hikigaya really is an old fox. I just realize it today, but someone who can bury a plan as deep as he did, aside from the princess, he's the only one I truly admire."]
[Sakayanagi chuckled softly. "Masumi, don't drag me into this one. Even I couldn't have laid out a plan as meticulous as Hachiman's in a situation like this. Honestly, until the very end, Michael and Ye Zhi probably didn't even understand what was happening. Everything felt so real, yet it was all like a scripted play."]
[Horikita: "That aside, this guy's way of thinking is really… incomprehensible. What I don't understand is how someone so shrewd managed to make all of you fall for him one after another."]
[At that, everyone simply smiled. Everyone except Karuizawa, who answered boldly, "Because of love!"]
[Kushida: "Bullshit. Yours was because of drugs."]
[Karuizawa: "Tch. If mine was because of drugs, then yours was because of force! Compared to me, you're the real animal."]
[And just like that, the two of them returned to bickering, as if the shocking video from moments ago had only been a dream that startled everyone.]
---
After saying goodbye to Asahina, Hikigaya was also taken in by the school for questioning. Of course, Sakayanagi helped mediate throughout, trying to clearly explain the circumstances and sequence of events on behalf of this socially awkward individual.
The process didn't last long. With Sakayanagi's help, Hikigaya only needed to provide some testimony and submit a bit of evidence. After that, the group led by Sima Zhongda would have all the dark deeds of the past ten years exposed, and would ultimately be thrown behind bars, never to see the light again.
From Chairman Sakayanagi, Hikigaya learned that society was paying close attention to this incident, so the possibility of corruption resurfacing to let them escape was unlikely. As for that, Hikigaya could only remain skeptical. Still, no matter what, this matter was no longer related to him.
As a student, he had done everything he could. The rest could be left to the authorities.
After finishing the school's side of the trouble, Sakayanagi and Hikigaya found themselves walking together again after a long time apart. This time, however, the distance between them was no longer as distant as before. Though there was still about five centimeters between them, the atmosphere felt unmistakably intimate.
Of course, this was also because Hikigaya had gradually come to see Sakayanagi clearly and finally trusted that she truly harbored no ill intent toward him.
Sakayanagi was the same as ever, one hand holding her cane, her steps slightly unsteady. Whether intentionally or not, Hikigaya supported her like a gentleman, helping her walk more easily.
Her face seemed perpetually adorned with that ever-present smile. But compared to before, there was now more gentleness in it, more indulgence in her gaze. When their eyes met, Hikigaya even felt his heart skip a beat.
She tilted her head and lightly leaned against his chest, as if she wanted to say something. In the end, however, she said nothing.
Hikigaya didn't know how to deal with the situation. He only felt awkward, a faint blush finally rising to his face as he looked away into the distance.
"If you wore a hat, it would definitely suit you."
A trace of surprise appeared on Sakayanagi's face. Then she smiled softly, with a gentleness only an ordinary girl would show, lowered her head, and laughed quietly.
"If Hachiman likes it, then I'll try wearing one. So tell me, what kind of hat do you like, Hachiman?"
Caught off guard by the sudden question, Hikigaya completely forgot about the awkwardness and began to think seriously. Sakayanagi quietly leaned against his chest, waiting patiently like a young girl, her eyes full of anticipation.
"White, I guess…"
"Why?"
"White is pure. It suits you."
"Then Hachiman must be black… after all, you've gotten involved with so many girls. In the end, it'll probably all come to nothing."
Hikigaya had no strength to refute that. He could only nod helplessly.
"If possible… I still want to take responsibility."
"This society is based on monogamy, Kojiko."
"Yeah… but if there were a world that wasn't monogamous, that actually sounds pretty nice too."
Hearing Hikigaya's words, Sakayanagi simply smiled, then spoke softly: "Even so… I love you."
Maybe Hikigaya heard it, or maybe he didn't. But it didn't matter anymore, because Sakayanagi gently pressed her warm lips against his. The warmth blossomed in the girl's heart, sprouted, grew, and eventually became a towering tree… and someday, surely, it would bear fruit.
No one knew how much time passed before Sakayanagi finally pulled away from him and softly added,
"The white me… is willing to be dyed black by you."
Hikigaya froze for a moment, then simply shook his head.
Sakayanagi chuckled lightly: "I really am a failure, aren't I? Even though I'm so smart, I still can't have you. But I'm not in a hurry, because one day, you'll accept me."
Hikigaya didn't quite understand what Sakayanagi meant. In his heart, there were already far too many people he couldn't afford to betray. He absolutely couldn't make another mistake.
Yet Sakayanagi's words were filled with certainty, as if she believed that someday, they would meet again.
Just as the two of them were gazing at each other, Ichinose suddenly ran over. She didn't seem to notice Sakayanagi at all and spoke anxiously, her voice trembling: "Thank goodness… thank goodness… you're okay… thank goodness…"
As she spoke, her tears spilled out uncontrollably. Losing all restraint, she suddenly hugged Hikigaya tightly and burst into tears.
Hikigaya was startled by the sudden turn of events, but he didn't push Ichinose away. After all, in their eyes, what he had done was something terrifying to think about, something that could've easily cost him his life. And to avoid dragging others into danger, he had never told anyone about it.
Sakayanagi didn't stay any longer. After seeing Ichinose's state, she cast Hikigaya a meaningful look, as if saying, "You have more than just me to deal with, so… do your best." Then she quietly left.
Watching Sakayanagi's retreating figure, Hikigaya suddenly felt a sense of loneliness. What would she do in the future? Would she inherit her father's work and continue living within this school? Or would she become a sensei and guide her own students? Either way, her life would never be meaningless.
And she firmly believed that between her and Hikigaya, there was still an unknown future waiting.
No one knew how much time passed before Ichinose, who had been crying nonstop, finally calmed down. She lay in Hikigaya's arms like a child, completely relaxed.
She kept lifting his clothes, trying to find where he might have been injured. Even though Hikigaya had told her countless times that he wasn't hurt, Ichinose stubbornly checked him over anyway.
"Are you really not hurt?"
"I'm really not hurt."
Ichinose seemed unwilling to dwell on that any longer. Casting aside her usual gentle kindness, she hugged Hikigaya tightly and said with sharp resolve: "Hikigaya-kun, I really can't accept something like this. This time made me realize that I absolutely can't lose you. I can't accept accidents like this ever happening again… so, Hikigaya-kun, don't force me. I don't want to obtain you like this, but… but I really, really want to stay by your side. Forever and ever. I don't want to see you walking into danger like that again."
Faced with Ichinose's raw emotions, Hikigaya didn't know what to do. Just as she herself said, she had never forced him to do anything. Even though everyone said they were a couple, as long as Hikigaya didn't acknowledge it, there was no proof. To many people, that kind of relationship would've been ideal.
Ichinose had always lowered herself to meet Hikigaya on equal footing, and even now, it was no different.
"Hikigaya-kun… I'm willing. Are you?"
With her hand holding his, her eyes fixed on his, Hikigaya couldn't give a clear answer to the girl who had just woken from a nightmare. Looking at her face, on the verge of tears, he felt unbearable guilt, and yet, he was powerless.
Hikigaya: "What do you want me to do…?"
Ichinose: "I want you… to have me."
Hikigaya: "But Ichinose… you know. I don't want to make any more mistakes…"
Ichinose: "Then you're forcing me to make a decision I don't like."
Silence fell between them again. After only a few seconds, Ichinose spoke once more: "Hikigaya-kun… do you like me?"
"What does 'like' even mean…"
Ichinose shook her head and said firmly, "I don't know either. But I do know this, I like you."
Hikigaya: "Then… I think I like you too. Even though I've never liked gentle people, especially those who are gentle to everyone. But even so… whenever I heard news about you, I found myself paying special attention."
At last, a smile bloomed on Ichinose's face: "That's enough… that's your reason for taking that step. Hikigaya-kun, promise me. Okay?"
Hikigaya still looked conflicted. This wasn't a decision he could easily make.
He had already let down too many people. He carried too many debts that needed repaying.
In the end, he still couldn't take that step, because the final barrier was his own inability to do so.
Their eyes met, filled with tenderness.
Just as Ichinose was about to let out a helpless sigh, Sakura appeared from the other end of the corridor, surprising them both.
"Hachiman… I'm really glad you're okay."
"You too…"
"I heard everything just now."
Without waiting for Hikigaya to respond, Sakura took one of his hands in both of hers and said earnestly: "Some kinds of love, if you don't cherish them, will disappear in an instant."
"Some words, if you never say them out loud, will only become the grave that buries yourself."
"So… Hachiman, accept yourself honestly. Remember what I told you? No matter what choice you make, I'll stand firmly on your side. To society, maybe you're wrong, but to me, you've never been wrong."
Hikigaya stood there, stunned. Ichinose beside him was the same, she never expected Sakura to speak up for her like this.
Hikigaya: "Airi… what do you mean…?"
Sakura puffed out her cheeks, clearly frustrated: "Cherish the person in front of you. Don't wait until you lose them to regret it."
Hikigaya wasn't a fool, of course. Saying something like that at this moment clearly indicated that Sakura had tacitly accepted Ichinose's presence, and for Hikigaya, this was precisely the absolute power he needed to take that step.
She gently extended her hand, then embraced Hikigaya with her usual tenderness. After a simple hug, she waved goodbye and softly left: "Leave Karuizawa to me, Hachiman... Please don't resist your future, because I'm here!"
Having said that, Sakura disappeared from their sight.
...
If all relationships in the world are governed by cause and effect, then Hikigaya believed that everything he was doing now was predetermined.
Ichinose gently took Hikigaya's hand and lightly pressed a finger against his chest. Perhaps because the blush on her face hadn't faded yet, she leaned her entire body against his chest.
Hikigaya placed his hands behind his head, lying there and staring at the ceiling of the room, feeling his body gradually warm up, then acting on its own accord, beyond his control.
If Sakura was a tulip, and Karuizawa a red rose, then I think Ichinose was a sunflower.
She had a painful past, a past that made her unconsciously wrap herself up, yet she still warmed the world with her limited tenderness. She had once healed Hikigaya, and had also been healed by Hikigaya, and finally, the two intertwined, like a budding flower finally receiving its last nourishment.
The blush was too intense; Hikigaya couldn't even break free from this passionate embrace. Of course, this was all because the girl's love was so intense that he could feel that unavoidable warmth without even getting close. With each sway of their bodies, the fair, rabbit-like skin constantly flickered before his eyes, and Hikigaya felt as if he had completely broken through the last taboo.
"Almost there... Hachiman-kun... I, I'm almost there."
"Let it out!"
The two held each other tightly, their sweat and the fluids of their exertion mingling together, emitting a strong hormonal scent that made it impossible for anyone who touched them to escape.
Again and again, the irresistible feeling, the surging gasps, like poison, completely eroded their last vestiges of sanity, breaking through their final defenses.
It was a battle of offense and defense, but in the end, there were no winners, because everything after was so peaceful. The two simply lay gently on the already soiled bed, tenderly embracing each other's bodies. But that didn't matter, because at that moment, their souls had surely impacted each other's hearts again and again.
The ecstasy of the flesh is always unforgettable, especially for someone like Ichinose, who was experiencing it for the first time, leaving an indelible memory.
Perhaps due to her good self-care, her face didn't show much pain; instead, she looked at Hikigaya with a radiant expression. Her pink hair was stained with some blood, and her perfect body was covered in some transparent fluid. However, her face remained clear and pure. Hikigaya didn't want to tarnish such a woman who resembled a work of art, so he gently stroked her cheek. Ichinose, in turn, nestled into Hikigaya's embrace, gently closing her eyes and revealing a simple smile: "Hachiman-kun, I'm yours now."
"From now on, we're not just boyfriend and girlfriend in name only."
"We'll be together forever, true boyfriend and girlfriend!"
"I'll always remember the kindness Sakura showed me. I'm so grateful to her for giving me this opportunity, and I'm also grateful to you for finally accepting me..."
(End of this chapter)