Uneasy daily life

"That movie was Mai Sakurajima's last one, right? What was it called?"

"This director's resume is full of bad movies. The reviews say they are incomprehensible and boring."

"Director Okita Tadashi, I've never heard of that name before... Could it be a terrible film, the last work of Mai Sakurajima after retiring from the industry?"

"They said filming is almost finished and it'll probably be released this summer. Shall we go see it together then?"

"Great! Let's go see it together!"

The news of Mai Sakurajima's retirement from the entertainment industry gradually spread, from insiders to loyal fans and then to casual observers, becoming the hottest topic of conversation in the class today. Of course, as is normal, these noisy people will actively seek out topics to chat about, and usually, those who are not in their circle will become the focus of discussion.

Fortunately, I am skilled at moving forward and adept at minimizing my own presence.

Hachiman Hikigaya ate his lunch bread, conducting his usual human observations. The popular social circle was still bustling with activity. Yumiko Miura, who had come for love advice yesterday, was still able to talk to Hayato Hayama as if nothing was wrong... It was unclear who first pretended to be fine, but things had naturally returned to normal.

Deception, perfunctoriness, concealment, hiding most of one's face, revealing only a friendly and happy smile.

Youth is a lie...

Stop! Don't think about weird things, or the chairman will come running if he smells it!

Hachiman Hikigaya warily surveyed the classroom, focusing his attention on the front and back doors. It was lunch break, the club president's active period... Tsk, it was already quite a surprise that the club president would actually attend class, and given his oblivious-to-atmosphere personality, it was perfectly normal for him to search for enemies across classes.

Angelina, carrying a stack of things, stood at the back door of Class F, tiptoeing slightly to peek into the classroom. When she spotted Hachiman Hikigaya in his seat against the wall, she was about to reach out and speak—

Hachiman Hikigaya forcefully made a cross with both hands, staring with dead fish eyes to convey the signal!

Don't shout! Young Hachiman could tolerate someone calling his name in class, but that kind of thing was never ideal!

Angelina restrained herself and nervously entered someone else's classroom. The scene was filled with unfamiliar faces and many people... She wanted to finish her business quickly and leave as soon as possible.

Trying to ignore the stares that might be there, Angelina quickly walked to Hachiman Hikigaya's table, put down a stack of things in her hand, and whispered like a spy making a rendezvous: "The White Shadow asked me to give you these exam papers, instructing you not to fail the Emperor's favor and to work your heart and soul into them."

Angelina added, "That's what Bai Ying said."

Hachiman Hikigaya's eye twitched. To be honest, he really wanted to be a couch potato, but looking at these titles like "Mathematics That Hikigaya Can Do Too," "Hikigaya's Physics Training Test," and "Hikigaya's Dead Fish Eye Chemical Reaction Collection," it was definitely the result of the department head personally setting the questions based on yesterday's inspection results.

Wait, send your henchmen to deliver the exam papers to me...

Hachiman Hikigaya looked at Angelina, who was about to leave, and asked in a low voice, "Anshinin, where is the captain going this afternoon?"

"Fengyuan High School".

Angelina, wanting to finish quickly and get away, gave a casual reply and then hurriedly ran away from the unfamiliar classroom.

Staying in other classrooms felt strangely awkward.

If we go back now, we'll have to set off with our superiors. They say it's for a major mission... right?

As expected, the minister had to go out this afternoon, but he didn't forget to give me the exam paper, which was really touching.

Heh, I'll pass this message on to Yukinoshita. Maybe I can skip club activities this afternoon and go home to comfortably lie in bed and do my exams...

Hachiman Hikigaya, with a plan in mind, took out his phone and happily sent a message.

[Hachigaya: Yukinoshita, the club president is skipping club activities this afternoon.]

Have read.

A minute passed.

No reply.

Hikigaya Hachiman: “?”

Wait a minute, wait a minute, why isn't anyone replying after I've read it?

"..."

Yui Yuigahama watched as Hachiman Hikigaya and Angelina whispered and acted furtively, her gaze secretly observing them.

Are Xiao An and Xiao Qi close? Hmm... just ordinary acquaintances, I guess. Could it be because of Xiao Bai?

Yui Yuigahama was a little conflicted. She was afraid of drawing attention to Hachiman, so she hadn't spoken to him in class. Was this a mistake? No, no, it was probably the right thing to do, since Hachiman didn't like interacting with other students…

Hmm? Why is the surrounding voices suddenly quieter?

Yui Yuigahama looked up.

Yukino Yukinoshita appeared at the front door of the classroom, and was already standing inside.

She glanced around briefly and said directly, "Hachiman-kun, could you please come out for a moment?"

"..."

Hachiman Hikigaya silently stood up and walked out.

The pleasure of betrayal blinded my reason.

Indeed, the happiest time is precisely the time when we need to be most vigilant!

Chapter 42 A Thrilling Adventure

"Hey, can you stop causing me so much trouble? Basically, Anshinin gave me the test paper that the club president prepared, and I found out from her that the club president is going to Minegahara High School and there shouldn't be any club activities this afternoon..."

I strongly suggest we hold the conversation at the corner of the hallway. Hachiman Hikigaya immediately started rattling off his thoughts, emphasizing his desire to get things straight and then make a quick getaway.

Minehara High School...

"Does Hachiman really like dark and secluded corners that much?"

Yukino Yukinoshita looked down at her phone and searched for information. The information that popped up quickly provided the key information: the most famous student at Minebara High School, Mai Sakurajima... Of course, this had nothing to do with Minebara High School. A big star who was always busy with her career, she had no time to attend school. Her excellent exam results were the result of her own hard work.

Generally speaking, fans who go to Minegahara High School specifically to see their idols can only cry out, "Where is Mai Sakurajima?"

Didn't Mai Sakurajima recently announce her retirement from the entertainment industry? Could it be that she has finished filming and returned to school? Was Shiro-kun going to Minegahara High School because of Mai Sakurajima?

Yukino Yukinoshita pieced together the clues, feeling as if she was beginning to understand everything.

"I don't have the ability to do this in broad daylight like the minister," Hachiman Hikigaya said, exasperated. "Can't you be a little more self-aware..."

"I'm aware that I'm a celebrity, easily talked about, and attract attention," Yukino Yukinoshita said calmly, coming back to her senses. "Hachiman-kun, who's disliked by everyone, you're worried about the atmosphere?"

"I'm just afraid of trouble." Hachiman Hikigaya leaned against the wall, feeling that this guy and the club president were truly his lifelong rivals. "Couldn't I just say it on the chat app? Why did you have to come all the way to the classroom to find me?"

“If we talk in the hallway, rumors will spread. If we talk around the corner, people who notice will still spread rumors. Although I haven’t paid attention, there must be some discussion about the Service Department and the Aid Department on campus, right? Not to mention how much trouble Bai-kun has caused. He won’t care, and neither will I.”

Yukino Yukinoshita said dismissively, "If we care so much about idle people, time will be thrown into their mouths and chewed into fragmented garbage. I'm not interested in that kind of thing. The reason I came to you is because there's a necessary reason."

"A necessary reason?"

Hachiman Hikigaya scratched his head, a little confused. "I sent you a message, so you should hurry up and carry out the justice for the minister. What do you mean by arresting me, the informant?"

"Hikigaya-kun," Yukino Yukinoshita asked softly, "why did you send me this kind of message?"

"..."

Hachiman Hikigaya felt a cold sweat slowly forming on the back of his head. He said succinctly, "What I mean is, I'd like to skip the club activity this afternoon too. After all, the club president isn't here, and I don't need to stay in the activity room..."

"Does this have anything to do with the message you sent?" Yukino Yukinoshita's voice turned cold.

Hachiman Hikigaya remained silent, then raised his hand and gestured: "I'm saying, Yukinoshita... Look, I know about you living with the club president. You asked me to be your shield and help cover it up. When Miura came to inquire about your relationship before, your behavior was a bit abnormal..."

You don't think it's a secret that you like the minister, do you?!

Hachiman Hikigaya's words left a blank, but the meaning was already conveyed.

“…Hachiman-kun’s dead fish eyes are indeed quite unique.” Yukino Yukinoshita confirmed her guess and nodded. “Then I’ll have to trouble Hikigaya-kun from now on.”

"Oh ah?!"

Hikigaya Hachiman stood up straight and said solemnly, "I am loyal to the minister and have few complaints!"

“Haku-kun keeps a certain distance from women, but it’s different with men his own age. You two belong to the same club, so if Haku-kun wants to cause trouble, he’ll definitely prioritize capturing Hikigaya-kun,” Yukino Yukinoshita said clearly. “Like today, I’ll trouble Hikigaya-kun to keep up the good work.”

"I won't do it!" Hachiman Hikigaya couldn't hold back any longer and protested vehemently, "It's not like the knife is going to stab you!"

"I came from class J to class F, and I saw quite a few people."

"...?!"

“Hikigaya-kun, sending messages through chat software is indeed very convenient,” Yukino Yukinoshita said meaningfully, “so convenient that the traces left behind are very clear.”

You don't want Bai Jun to find out that you betrayed him, do you?

When did Yukino become so decisive? Her attitude is so direct and clear, her strategy so thorough, and her style so forceful and resolute? Such an obvious change must be related to the club president, right? Hmm? Yukino's involvement with the club president... the possibilities... Right, yesterday Yui and I left first, leaving only the club president and Yukino in the activity room, and we just discussed Miura's love counseling...

The minister's ingenious schemes and clever messages all conveyed one meaning: the person he liked didn't like him back... Could it be that he wasn't only talking about Miura?!

Hachiman Hikigaya blurted out, "You didn't confess to the captain and get rejected, did you?!"

Yukino Yukinoshita looked at him: "Hachigaya-kun's friend did that kind of thing, but I didn't—do you have anything else to say?"

"Absolutely not!"

Hachiman Hikigaya cherishes life and is an expert in risk management.

"That's good. I'll leave the club activities to you and Yuihama this afternoon."

Yukino Yukinoshita casually tossed it to Hachiman Hikigaya, who caught it and discovered it was the key to the activity room… Had he been turned into a spy? No, no, this was clearly a threat!

Yukino confessed her feelings and was rejected, is she planning to confess again? No, that's not right either.

Hachiman Hikigaya pondered, holding the keys. Yesterday's words from the department head, Yukinoshita's attitude today… Knowing that the person he liked didn't like him back should have been a tremendous shame and sorrow, enough to make him wail under the covers, right? Just like he had in the past, but was that really liking someone? Is liking someone something to feel ashamed of?

Therefore, what Yukinoshita did was not to confess her feelings, but to tell the minister that she liked him?

The person being confessed to has the right to refuse, but the person being liked has no right to refuse—but how much courage and determination does it take to do that?

This is quite different from Oreki and Chitanda... Is it realistic?

The minister is a windmill, and under the snow he wants to be Don Quixote?

Hachiman Hikigaya put away the key, and when he came to his senses, Yukino Yukinoshita was already gone. She probably went to Class A to arrest the club president first. If the president had already left, she would probably skip the afternoon club activities, so she gave him the key in advance...

Ultimately, if I were to reveal the information to Yukinoshita, there would be a very high probability that I would be exposed. Yukinoshita's joke was meaningless... After all, it doesn't matter whether I am exposed or not when it comes to backstabbing the minister. As long as we die together, it would be a success.

As he pondered this, Hachiman Hikigaya looked up and saw Yui Yuigahama on the stairs.

"Hachi, has something happened?" Yui asked worriedly. "Yuki said she might not come to the activity room this afternoon and told us to carry out our club activities on our own..."

“She has some personal matters to attend to,” Hachiman Hikigaya suggested. “Let’s cancel the afternoon club activities and go straight home!”

"Xiaoqi! Are you going to stand Xiaobai up?!" Yui Yuigahama exclaimed in shock.

He says he has the key—Yui Yuigahama suggests continuing club activities—he refuses—Yui Yuigahama asks for the key—Yui Yuigahama stays alone in the club room.

Saying there's no key means the club activity ends, everyone goes home, or Yui continues the activities of the socially active group, while the lone wolf returns to the comfort of home.

Does this kind of thing require a choice?

“The department head also has something to do this afternoon.” Hachiman Hikigaya shrugged. “Both department heads who are in charge of the keys are skipping work, and we two members are supposed to work overtime? Work is a losing proposition. Let’s just close the activity room for a day—that being said, the department head still assigned me a test paper. He’s like a persistent ghost…”

Hachiman Hikigaya returned to the classroom with a long sigh.

Yui Yuigahama followed behind at a distance to avoid any gossip.

Xiao Qi clearly has the key, right?

While Yui Yuigahama was struggling with her dilemma, Hachiman Hikigaya was taking his revenge.

He held up his phone and pressed a few buttons.

[Hachiman: Reporting to the captain! Yukinoshita is going to Minegahara High School!]

[Bai Liang and Bai Ying: Did you do this?]

After a moment's thought, Hachiman Hikigaya chose not to reply to the message.

……

……

Kanagawa Prefecture.

Bai Ying led Angelina to Bee Plain High School, emphasizing the importance of the mission to his subordinates along the way.

"9527, this operation is of paramount importance!"

"Oh... Sir, could you speak a little lower? I can hear you."

I'll feel really embarrassed if I'm too loud.

"We not only have to face a very difficult enemy, but we also have to be on guard against any random guys who might interfere."