With every student in the class holding at least one pack of snacks, this recess seemed to have turned into a small gathering among students.
"Hikigaya, I'll leave buying the drinks to you. Keep the change as your errand fee."
Pulling out a ten-thousand-yen bill from his wallet, Ren quietly stuffed the money into Hachiman's pocket.
"Heh, Ren Katsuragi, the face of a capitalist like you is truly ugly."
Hachiman ate the cucumber-flavored chip he loved in one bite, cast a disdainful glance at Ren, and walked out of the classroom.
There was no helping it; Ren simply gave too much.
A man has his dignity, but now was the time to cash it in. Moreover, Ren didn't ask him to kneel; he just asked him to run an errand to buy drinks.
The drinks were bought back quickly by Hachiman, filling two large bags. Under everyone's gaze, Hachiman handed the bags to Ren.
After distributing the drinks to every classmate, Ren pulled the tab, raising his drink.
"Thank you, Hikigaya, for buying drinks for us! Let's celebrate that we could meet in this school for our second year!"
"Cheers!"
First, point out the key contributor, Hachiman, and then find a very good excuse for this small classroom gathering.
After speaking, Ren took a step back, highlighting Hachiman, who had been standing side-by-side with him.
The atmosphere in the class instantly rose. In this moment, the hierarchy between the popular crowd and the loners was broken.
"Thanks, Hikigaya! Cheers!"
"Hikigaya, thanks!"
"Celebrate our meeting."
Compared to the reserved girls, the friendship between boys was much more straightforward. Quite a few male students came over to clink cans with Hachiman.
Since Ren didn't explicitly say he paid for the drinks, the classmates credited the kindness of the drinks to Hachiman.
With his heart surging, Hachiman managed a forced, ugly smile.
Having not chatted with classmates at school for so long, he seemed to have forgotten how to smile.
"Why show such an ugly smile? A gathering should be happy."
Ren, standing slightly behind, teased Hachiman and pushed him forward a bit.
Hachiman, who had originally stood against the wall, seemed to have entered another circle.
There were no cold shoulders as imagined, no self-indulgent sentimentality as in his memories; everyone chatted together very casually.
"Kato, aren't you going?"
Clinking his drink with Megumi Kato, who had stayed by his side the whole time, Ren looked at the group of girls nearby and asked.
Noticing Ren looking their way, Yumiko Miura and the other girls waved at Ren.
After waving back, Ren raised his drink for a toast in the air with them.
"No need. It's quite comfortable staying by Katsuragi-kun's side," Megumi Kato said plainly, looking at the group of girls opposite.
Anyway, even if she joined in, they would forget her after a while, so there was no need to join.
The sweet and sour lime flavor filled her mouth. Megumi Kato discovered she surprisingly liked this flavor she had never tried before.
Reaching into the chip bag, she grasped nothing.
Finished...
"Katsuragi-kun, I finished my chips. Are there any more?"
"Kato is an Original Flavor partisan, right? I'll find you an original flavor one."
"Please help me get a lime flavor pack, Katsuragi-kun."
"So Megumi has become a Lime partisan too," Ren said with amusement, finding a pack of lime-flavored chips and handing it to her.
Without refuting, Megumi Kato tore open the package and put a chip in her mouth.
"So lively?"
A sudden voice rang out beside Ren. Shizuka Hiratsuka, with her hands in the pockets of her white lab coat, had arrived beside Ren unnoticed.
Recess was meant for students to relax, so Hiratsuka wouldn't say anything about this. Seeing these children so full of vitality brought her more relief than anything else.
"Hiratsuka-sensei, want some?"
Ren pointed the open bag of chips at Hiratsuka, raising his eyebrows to signal her to grab some herself.
"Brat. You give Kato-san a whole bag and even ask about her taste preference specifically, but for your teacher, it's just your leftovers, huh?"
Hiratsuka was speechless at Ren's double standards.
"Hiratsuka-sensei."
Megumi Kato handed the bag of chips she had just opened and barely eaten to Hiratsuka.
"Kato-san, no need."
Not taking the chips Megumi offered, Hiratsuka sat directly in Ren's seat, rummaged through the desk to find a few bags of chips, and started eating on her own.
Be polite with Ren? That didn't exist.
Recess time was always short. The ringing of the class bell reminded the students it was time for class.
Hiratsuka, sitting in Ren's seat, stood up and walked toward the podium, not forgetting to take the unfinished chips with her.
Finally returning to his seat, the passion in Hachiman's heart gradually receded. He reached into his pocket to take out the remaining money to return to Ren.
"Hikigaya, I told you, that's your errand fee." Holding down Hachiman's hand, Ren spoke indifferently.
Seeing Ren like this, Hachiman didn't insist. He put his hand back on the desk and started focusing on the class with peace of mind.
Ring, ring—
School in Japan ended very early. After school, most students packed their bags to go to their clubs while discussing today's interesting events. Hachiman had never been one of them in the past.
But today was different.
"Hikigaya, thanks for today."
"See you tomorrow, Hikigaya."
When classmates said goodbye to their friends, they didn't forget to greet Hachiman as well.
Everything was so natural.
"Mn, see you tomorrow."
Sitting foolishly in his seat, Hachiman said goodbye to one classmate after another.
"Hikigaya..."
"Mn, Ren Katsuragi, see you tomorrow."
"Are you crazy? I'm trying to say if you don't get your ass to the club, you're going to be late." Ren was speechless.
Clubs also had schedules; being late would result in a scolding from the club president.
This silly kid Hachiman. Not everyone in the class joined a club; did he insist on waiting for everyone to finish saying goodbye before leaving?
"Ah? Shit, gonna be late. I'm leaving first."
Glancing at the time, Hachiman swore in front of Ren, grabbed his shoulder bag, and sprinted toward the Service Club.
"This is youth."
Watching Hachiman's rapidly disappearing figure, Ren packed his things unhurriedly and sighed with emotion.
What did he mean "going to be late"? He was definitely late.
Did Ren really not notice the time? Nonexistent. He did it on purpose.
Traveling on this road named "Youth," getting scolded was inevitable—as long as he wasn't the one getting scolded.
As for why Hachiman would be scolded? That's not your concern.
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