At that moment, Nagumo froze completely.
He couldn't comprehend how things had escalated to this point. Forcing an awkward laugh, he spoke, "Sensei, you must be mistaken, right? Or is this some kind of misunderstanding? I admit I was impulsive, but it was just a light tap on Hikigaya. It's not like this warrants something as severe as a suspension, does it?"
The incident in question had been witnessed by Mashima-sensei, the first-year homeroom teacher. Nagumo knew from the start there was no denying it. However, even so, Hikigaya hadn't been injured. In fact, the band-aid he was wearing afterward was purely for show, an unnecessary gesture.
In any regular school, such a trivial matter wouldn't result in a suspension—at most, it would warrant a verbal warning.
"I understand your perspective," the teacher sighed lightly.
As the homeroom teacher of Class 2-A, he had always recognized Nagumo's abilities and provided him with leniency where possible. After all, Nagumo wasn't just the backbone of the class but had also, to some extent, reshaped Advanced Nurturing High School's dynamics.
He had unified the third-year students, who were supposed to compete against one another. In terms of leadership, Nagumo was arguably more capable than the previous student council president.
But this time, no one could help him.
"However, this decision has already been finalized by the school, and the reasoning is sound. As the student council president, you're expected to set an example. Instead, you not only physically assaulted someone but also got caught by another teacher. Even I can't cover for you in this case."
"I see… Thank you for your efforts," Nagumo murmured, lowering his head in apology.
After a brief moment of contemplation, he steadied his emotions and made another plea. "You're right, this incident was indeed my fault, and I'm willing to accept the punishment. However, could there be some flexibility here?"
"Flexibility? What do you mean?"
"Right now, we're in the middle of the special exams. Could the punishment be delayed until the exams are over?"
The fallout from the forest school incident had left the dynamics among the third years somewhat unstable. Class 2-A was no longer in the dominant position it once held.
While Class 2-B, led by Kiriyama, hadn't openly rebelled, such matters could never be guaranteed. Nagumo had planned to use the final special exam of the semester to utterly crush Class 2-B, ensuring they would never dare rise again. If he were suspended now, the outcome was as good as decided. They might even lose the exam entirely.
Nagumo was painfully aware that his dictatorial leadership model depended entirely on his strong presence.
Without him, Class 2-A would teeter on the brink of collapse.
"It's unfortunate, but that's impossible," the teacher replied with a bitter smile. "Starting tomorrow, you'll spend a week reflecting in your dorm. This is non-negotiable. At the very least, missing this special exam won't result in your expulsion. That, I suppose, is the silver lining."
"What if I apologize now?"
"That would be futile. Hikigaya stated he gave you two weeks to apologize. Doing so now would seem insincere, purely to avoid punishment, and he wouldn't accept it."
Truthfully, even the teachers found this punishment excessive. Hikigaya wasn't severely injured, and Nagumo's position as student council president should have warranted leniency—at most, a written apology. But this was a directive from above, and they had no choice but to comply.
"I understand."
Seeing his teacher's firm stance, Nagumo realized there was no turning back. Still, he couldn't wrap his head around how things had escalated to this point. Normally, conflicts between students were handled internally by the student council unless they became major incidents.
Was this a case of the school making an example of him because he was the student council president?
But that didn't align with Advanced Nurturing High School's principles. This school didn't aim to produce obedient rule-followers—Nagumo was certain of that much.
Then why?
Surely Hikigaya hadn't bribed the school administration?
Nagumo couldn't imagine any student wielding such influence over the school's leadership.
Still, it was hard to believe this incident had nothing to do with Hikigaya.
His demand—an apology in front of the entire school within two weeks—seemed almost laughable at the time. Nagumo had dismissed it entirely. But looking at the outcome now, perhaps the two-week deadline wasn't a pressure tactic but a deliberate delay.
If that were the case, a lot of strange details started to make sense.
"Was this all just a scheme to get me excluded from the special exam?" Nagumo murmured, frowning.
Still, one question remained unanswered: how did Hikigaya ensure his suspension? Even if Nagumo were to suspect foul play, the school had never shown favoritism to anyone, not even heirs like Koenji.
Nagumo's thoughts circled back to the school broadcast. That incident had left a deeply negative impression. While he had ordered the third-years to refrain from discussing it, the first-years and third-years were under no such obligation, and the forums were abuzz with mockery.
Perhaps someone high up in the school hierarchy had disapproved of his actions but found no grounds for punishment until Hikigaya's incident provided the perfect excuse.
"So, in the end, it's all because of that guy," Nagumo muttered, frustration bubbling within him. Despite his annoyance, a part of him was looking forward to his next confrontation with Hikigaya.
This time, he had been cornered, but he wasn't entirely out of the game yet.
Recently, Hikigaya had been in an exceptionally good mood.
Nagumo—the scum of the scum—had been suspended, barring him from participating in the special exam. By now, Class 2-A was likely in utter disarray. While the class's other leaders might manage to stabilize their peers, without Nagumo as the absolute central figure, it was uncertain how much composure they could maintain with Class 2-B close behind.
Of course, this didn't guarantee their loss, but the impact was undeniable.
As for Hikigaya, he wasn't particularly impressed by Kiriyama from Class 2-B. The man wasn't a competent leader—his blame-shifting after losing to Nagumo spoke volumes about his immaturity.
Regardless of the outcome, Hikigaya felt he had already achieved more than he had planned. Initially, his only goal had been to harass Nagumo. If Nagumo refused to apologize, Hikigaya intended to escalate the matter to the school, creating a scandal to erode Nagumo's authority.
For a senior like Nagumo to be repeatedly provoked by a junior was a significant blow to his image. While Hikigaya didn't care about personal insults, Nagumo's entire leadership depended on his perceived strength.
Now, with Nagumo suspended, Hikigaya's goals had been achieved—perhaps even exceeded.
"Well, I guess I should thank Tsukishiro for his involvement, as annoying as that guy is," Hikigaya thought, shaking his head.
For now, though, his mind shifted to another topic. Tomorrow was Saturday, which also happened to be White Day—a day traditionally meant for returning Valentine's Day gifts.
"Wait, is this really a tradition?" he mused. "Feels more like a capitalist scam."
Still, he found some solace in the fact that White Day fell on a weekend. If it had been a school day, he'd have to navigate the logistics of when and how to distribute his gifts.
It seemed like none of the girls particularly liked cookies. This left Hikigaya with the unenviable task of lugging multiple boxes to school. His backpack was nowhere near sufficient; he'd have to carry two more bags by hand. And then, to make matters worse, deliver each one individually.
If it were just his classmates, that would've been bad enough. Actually, no—bad was an understatement.
Hikigaya couldn't imagine himself having the guts to stand in front of the entire class and hand out return gifts to the girls. The sharp, searing stares he'd inevitably receive were enough to make him shudder.
And when it came to girls from other classes, the hassle multiplied exponentially. Not only would he need to set up meetings with them, but he'd also have to schedule those meetings at different times.
What was he, some kind of time management prodigy?
Thankfully, today was Saturday, which solved at least one of his problems.
Now, all Hikigaya had to do was stuff the gifts into their mailbox lockers and send a group message afterward. For this reason, he had even woken up early—well before seven. More diligent than he was on school days, to be honest.
But it was worth it. The dormitory was deserted in the early hours of a weekend morning, and most students were still asleep, dead to the world. Hikigaya made it to the lobby without encountering a single soul and methodically slipped the gifts into the appropriate mailboxes, matching names with precision.
"Yosh. Done."
With the deliveries out of the way, only the gifts for seniors like Asahina remained. Fortunately, Hikigaya had already asked Matsushita, who happened to be on dorm duty today, for assistance. Afterward, he could swing by the shopping center and maybe grab a little reward for himself.
After all, this time's exam victory was quite the achievement. Even Hikigaya felt a small flicker of pride.
That said, his classmates were already getting carried away. Over the past few days, their focus in class had waned, replaced by occasional bouts of rowdiness. Hikigaya silently hoped they wouldn't repeat the mistakes of early semester complacency.
But that wasn't his problem. Let Horikita and Hirata handle it.
What did concern him, however, were Kikyo and Matsushita. Those two had been acting oddly lately—approaching him for no reason, initiating small talk, and even increasing physical contact.
Casual gestures like placing a hand on his shoulder had become far too common.
It was unsettling.
Even Horikita, from time to time, cast curious glances in his direction. Hikigaya half-expected her to stand up and sternly declare, "Please refrain from disrupting school discipline." Except, of course, she wasn't the class monitor.
In any case, he wished they'd all just take it down a notch.
"Ugh…"
Just as Hikigaya was preparing to leave the dorm lobby, he bumped into someone unexpected.
It was Ichinose.
Why did it have to be her?!
If there were a ranking of people Hikigaya least wanted to see right now, Ichinose would undoubtedly be near the top. Her expression mirrored his discomfort, as if she'd walked in on something she wasn't supposed to see.
… This is the worst.
Hikigaya could feel his social anxiety bubbling to the surface, his mind screaming for an escape. But with Ichinose blocking the exit, his options were limited. Pretending to be blind and walking past her wasn't going to work either.
"Uh… Good morning, Hikigaya-kun," Ichinose greeted him awkwardly.
"…Morning," Hikigaya replied stiffly.
Great. She greeted me. I'd have preferred it if she just ignored me altogether.
Come to think of it, why was she up this early? It wasn't even seven yet. A closer look revealed faint dark circles under her eyes. Hikigaya didn't need to ask to guess the reason.
"I… I woke up early today," Ichinose explained, her voice carrying a hint of embarrassment. "So I decided to take a walk. I just got back."
Her attempt at casual conversation only deepened Hikigaya's discomfort.
"Oh, right!" she continued, suddenly perking up. "I haven't congratulated you yet, Hikigaya-kun! You were amazing in the last exam!"
"Eh? Uh… No, it wasn't just me—it was a team effort."
Why? Why this topic of all things?
Hikigaya wanted nothing more than to avoid discussing the exam. Even in the classroom, he preferred to stay out of such conversations.
But here was Ichinose, one of the defeated parties, bringing it up. Had she already come to terms with the loss? Or was she just forcing herself to be polite? Either way, it was leagues ahead of anything Hikigaya could muster.
"I always knew Class D was impressive, but you took me by surprise," Ichinose said with a genuine smile. "Especially you, Hikigaya-kun. Facing you directly made me realize how much I underestimated you before."
"…You're exaggerating."
"I'm not. This is something you can only truly understand after experiencing it firsthand."
"Is that so…"
"In any case, I'm grateful. This loss was a hard lesson for me and my class, but it's one we needed."
Ichinose's expression softened, a bittersweet smile spreading across her face. She lowered her gaze, her voice tinged with regret.
"Honestly, I've had a feeling for a while now. We didn't earn our spot in Class A through our strength. This was bound to happen eventually."
Hikigaya was at a loss for words.
Someone, please, tell me what I'm supposed to say to that.
He had missed his chance to slip away, leaving him frozen in place, unsure of how to proceed.
Just then, a familiar voice cut through the tension.
"Well, well. Isn't this a rare sight? What are you two doing here so early in the morning?"
"Ah, Kiryuin-senpai?!"
Startled, Hikigaya turned to see Kiryuin in a tracksuit, her long hair tied back in a ponytail. Judging by her attire, she was probably heading out for some early-morning exercise.
Of all people, why did it have to be her?
Ichinose also seemed surprised but quickly greeted her senior with a polite nod. Kiryuin, however, barely acknowledged her and instead focused on Hikigaya, her lips curling into a sly smile.
"Hey, you. Come here for a second," Kiryuin beckoned him over.
"Uh… What is it?" Hikigaya asked hesitantly.
"Well, if you don't want to, I won't force you."
"Wait! No, I'm coming!"
Hikigaya hurried over, realizing with some relief that Kiryuin might actually be helping him out of a tight spot. For once, he felt a flicker of gratitude toward his usually unreliable senior.
"Sorry, Ichinose, but Kiryuin-senpai seems to need me for something," Hikigaya said, offering a weak excuse.
"Oh, alright. Let's talk another time, then," Ichinose replied, though she looked as if she had more to say.
Following Kiryuin out of the dorm lobby and into the fresh morning air, Hikigaya was just about to thank her when she suddenly extended her hand toward him.
"Uh… What's this about?" he asked, puzzled.
"Well, isn't today White Day?"
"…And?"
"So, where's my gift?"
What the hell?
Hikigaya stared at her, dumbfounded. Was she seriously asking for a gift with a straight face?