Palette Cafe.
Hearing Hikigaya's phone call, Karuizawa and the others were somewhat speechless.
"It's clearly the holidays, and it's Christmas. Why is the school like this?"
"It can't be helped. Being called back to work on a holiday—that is the fate of a salaryman. It must be something big, otherwise the teacher wouldn't have notified us like this."
"Then Hikki, Honami-chan, let us take the things back for you."
"Sorry to trouble you."
The two smilingly handed the two large shopping bags to Sakura Airi and the others.
Although they weren't expensive, they had bought quite a lot. Bringing them to school would definitely be inconvenient, so letting Sakura Airi and the others help bring them back was naturally better.
Watching this scene.
Horikita Suzune, holding her own shopping bags, felt a flicker of movement.
But looking at Karuizawa and the others, none of them seemed to have any intention of helping her carry her things.
She hadn't felt much like this before.
It wasn't until a moment where help was needed that Horikita Suzune felt a trace of desolation for the first time.
Forget it, it wasn't as if there were no other options.
Horikita Suzune returned to the front desk.
She spent private points to purchase a home delivery service.
Even if it was only delivered to the dormitory building, she could just carry it up when she returned.
Just like before.
Anyway, she had always been alone; she would just solve it herself.
The three of them headed to school together.
Horikita Suzune was wearing jeans and a trench coat today. All three were in casual clothes. Though it was a bit improper, it should be fine today.
"Horikita."
Hikigaya asked with concern: "Did Chabashira-sensei also notify you to go to school?"
"Yes..."
After a moment's hesitation, Horikita Suzune nodded.
Even though she found Hikigaya very annoying, she at least would not bring her emotions into work.
"Looking at the current situation, those of us notified are all members of the Student Council. Ichinose, do you have any clues?"
"None at all. I didn't receive any contact. There were only some minor disputes a few days ago, so there shouldn't be anything major."
"Furthermore, the Student Council matters didn't include Kushida. Could it be related to a special exam?"
Ichinose and Hikigaya exchanged a glance.
Arranging a special exam suddenly during a holiday.
Hmm...
With this school's nature, it wasn't beyond them...
"I can't figure it out by thinking, let's just go first~."
Hikigaya shook his head and quickened his pace.
After all, it was the first time he had seen Hoshinomiya Chie look so serious.
Horikita Suzune and Ichinose walked on either side of Hikigaya.
Strange to say.
Clearly, she found Hikigaya very annoying, but for some reason, being by Hikigaya's side didn't make Horikita Suzune feel disgusted.
Instead, it was a kind of... relaxed and lucky feeling.
The pressure accumulated during this period dissipated within these few steps.
Conference Room.
Hikigaya pushed the door open and entered.
As he looked inside, Katsuragi and Nanase Tsubasa were sitting on opposite sides of the conference room.
In addition to them.
Third-years Kiriyama Ikuto, Kiryuin Fuka, and two other seniors.
Second-years Sakayanagi Arisu, Ryuen Kakeru, Ayanokouji, Sudo, Hirata Yosuke, as well as Ryuen and Ibuki Mio.
First-years Ishigami Kyo, Amasawa Ichika, Utomiya Riku, Tsubaki Sakurako, Hosen Kazuomi.
And a student from Class 1-B, remembered as Sakamoto Yuta.
He should be the new leader of Class 1-B.
Everyone sat around the conference room, while Chairman Sakayanagi and various teachers sat at the main seats.
And...
Nishishi, who was sitting in the middle of everyone...
"Hikigaya, Ichinose, Horikita, sit down."
Hearing Hoshinomiya's words, Hikigaya and the others sat in the empty seats, feeling quite confused.
They hadn't expected so many people to be called.
This clearly had nothing to do with the Student Council anymore.
Moreover.
Not only were the leaders of each class here, but lone wolves like Kiryuin and Ibuki Mio were also present. What exactly was the reason for selecting these people?
Hikigaya and the others turned their heads to look at Nishishi in the center of the field.
He was seen in tears, constantly wiping them with his sleeves. His endless crying made Ryuen and Hosen look at him with disdain.
Too gutless.
Last time, following Nagumo's orders to sabotage Sumida, he immediately caved once Hikigaya found evidence.
He should have been expelled long ago.
After being forgiven, he backstabbed Hikigaya again and switched back to Nagumo Miyabi.
Cowardly.
Fickle.
Those were the labels on him.
Although they didn't know what had happened, crying like this didn't look like a man at all.
"Alright, now that everyone has arrived, let us begin."
Chairman Sakayanagi let out a heavy sigh, his gaze sharply fixed on Nishishi sitting in his place.
"Nishishi, according to surveillance and identification by several students and staff, you entered the third-floor right-side restroom of Shidax at 10:05 this morning, and are suspected of the murder of Nagumo Miyabi, who was in the same restroom. Do you have anything you want to say?"
The word "murder" immediately stunned everyone present; Hikigaya was also shocked.
However.
Since it was still being resolved within the school, he presumably hadn't succeeded.
But the school clearly wasn't speaking without reason; they had already grasped a large amount of evidence.
"It's not like that, it's not like that..."
Feeling the sharp gazes of several adult teachers, Nishishi's tears fell like flowers as he cried out with a face full of grievance:
"I was clearly already being very obedient, why won't you just let me go? We are clearly about to graduate, why must you make us get expelled, boohoo..."
"We understand the reason, but it seems you do not deny the murder itself?"
"No, no, I just... I just stabbed him a little bit. It's fine, it should be fine..."
The breathing in the room became slightly heavy.
Ichinose, Ryuen, Horikita Suzune, Sakayanagi Arisu, and others were immediately stunned, as if they had never even considered such a possibility.
Hikigaya silently lowered his head.
He similarly hadn't considered such a possibility.
But...
But he had considered that Nagumo Miyabi would definitely not let Nishishi and Takao go, so he specifically left Nishishi and Takao behind to attract Nagumo Miyabi's attention and stall for time.
He hoped the two could stall until Nagumo Miyabi graduated.
The facts were indeed as he had predicted.
In the third-year special exam a few days ago, Takao had left this school.
However.
He truly hadn't expected it to turn out like this...
It made sense.
The result of Takao's expulsion a few days ago was known to the whole school. Nishishi must have tried various ways to beg for Nagumo Miyabi's forgiveness.
A pity. Even though graduation was imminent.
And he held a large amount of private points.
Nagumo Miyabi could have guaranteed at least his own graduation from Class A, yet he still refused to let them go.
After all, their existence.
Seemed to constantly signal that Nagumo Miyabi had been outschemed by Hikigaya, highlighting his incompetent side. Nagumo Miyabi found it difficult to tolerate the existence of the two of them.
He bullied an honest person too ruthlessly...
That's why it turned out like this.
Judging only from the dialogue, most likely Nishishi had privately brought a knife into the toilet and had a dispute with Nagumo Miyabi, directly stabbing him once.
Sensing the fact that he might have killed someone, Nishishi tried to flee in fear, which must have attracted the attention of the staff...
Given the school's calm attitude, it was likely not a major catastrophe.
There was surveillance outside the restroom.
There were also identifications from several staff members or students.
Nagumo Miyabi might also be fine.
There was basically no way to argue...
Hikigaya silently clenched his fist, only to find his palms sweating, a scene that was also noticed by Chairman Sakayanagi.