Chapter 377: Orimoto Kaori: Hikigaya Once Confessed to Me
At the gate of Kaihin General High School.
Students of Kaihin High, dressed in their black Western-style uniforms, had already been waiting for a long time.
"To the elites from Advanced Nurturing, it is truly our school's honor that you have taken the time to visit us today.
I am the Student Council president, Tamanawa."
The leader was the Student Council President of Kaihin General High. He was tall, thin, and refined, possessing the aura of a white-collar elite professional.
"Uh... konnichiwa?"
The basketball club members were suddenly breaking out in a cold sweat. These rough-and-tumble athletes really weren't good at dealing with this kind of "elite" who spoke entirely in official jargon.
"May I ask, which one is your school's Student Council member?"
Tamanawa raised his eyes, his gaze somewhat scrutinizing and critical as it slowly swept over the shrinking members of the basketball club. There was a calculating look in his eyes as he tried to find a Student Council member from the crowd who could communicate with him on equal footing.
"Oh, the Student Council...
Our guy is still on the bus."
Sudo Ken's expression was awkward. When they got off the bus, they saw Hikigaya still asleep in the back row; they didn't even know if he had woken up yet.
Seeing this, a female member of the Kaihin High Student Council's expression darkened. She stared at the bus parked nearby with displeasure: "Why are they taking so long to come down? Could they be putting on airs and acting like big shots on purpose?"
A girl nearby with brown, wavy short hair quickly chimed in. Her tone was casual and breezy as she cracked a joke to smooth things over: "Maybe they're motion sick? That kind of situation is super rare, ahahaha!"
"Keep calm. Facing guests who have come from afar, we should maintain our demeanor."
Tamanawa waved his hands around, putting on a poised and graceful display. This scene gave the basketball club members a massive headache.
'Why does he have to sprinkle English into everything he says? they thought. How can someone be such a poser?'
Just as the atmosphere reached a stalemate, the bus door slowly opened, and Hikigaya's group stepped off one after another.
A cold, sharp face paired with black-rimmed glasses, a tall and straight posture—he exuded a cool, oppressive, and powerful aura that instantly dominated the scene!
"Eek—!"
Tamanawa's pupils suddenly constricted. He recognized at a glance that the person before him was no ordinary individual. He subconsciously straightened his tie and was about to step forward to greet him.
Unexpectedly, someone was faster than him and rushed forward first.
"Welcome, welcome~~ A very warm welcome!"
Nakamachi Chika rushed forward with a face full of enthusiastic smiles. Her tone was sweet and lively, a complete 180-degree turn from her cold attitude moments ago.
"I am the Secretary of the Kaihin General High Student Council, Nakamachi Chika. Currently... single!"
Behind them, the basketball club members watched with jaws dropped and faces full of bewilderment. The person who was just making sarcastic remarks about them putting on airs had turned into an enthusiastic fangirl in a split second. This speed of face-changing was unparalleled!
"Nakamachi-san, please mind your basic manners!"
Tamanawa helplessly facepalmed, feeling exhausted. The high-end, intellectual elite image he had worked so hard to cultivate for the Student Council was instantly destroyed by this stunt.
"Wow~ Hachiman-kouhai, your 'girl-magnet' constitution is acting up again!"
Asahina Nazuna, who had followed him off the bus, couldn't help but tease him with a sidelong glance.
"That was a miscalculation..."
Sakura Airi stood to the side, suddenly looking like she wanted to cry. She was secretly filled with regret: 'Hachiman's charm level doubles when he wears glasses!'
Hikigaya Hachiman raised a hand to lightly adjust the black-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose. His expression was indifferent and calm, his voice steady and without ripples as he introduced himself composedly: "Advanced Nurturing Student Council, Hikigaya Hachiman."
"Hello, Hikigaya-kun. I—"
Tamanawa quickly adjusted his mindset and was about to step forward for a formal greeting when a sudden, startled exclamation interrupted him again.
"Ah?!"
The girl with the brown, wavy short hair from earlier now had her eyes wide open, her face full of disbelief. Her gaze was locked onto Hikigaya's face.
Hikigaya turned his head toward the source of the sound. The habitually indifferent expression on his face froze instantly, and his heart skipped a beat.
'Why is it her...'
The female class rep from middle school, the "first love" to whom Hikigaya had made his first confession—Orimoto Kaori!
'Super nostalgic! Such a rare guest! WTF... The dead dark history is flooding back into my mind!!!'
"Hmm? Orimoto-san, you... you know Hikigaya-kun?"
Tamanawa's heart tightened. An inexplicable sense of anxiety and concern surfaced on his brow as he quickly followed up with a question.
"You're Hikigaya?!"
After the brief shock, a bright and excited smile bloomed on Orimoto Kaori's face. Her tone was exceptionally familiar: "It's been so long, this is so nostalgic! This is my old middle school classmate!!"
"Eh?! Kaori, you two were middle school classmates?"
Nakamachi Chika's interest was instantly piqued. She leaned in with a face full of curiosity: "When did you get to know such a handsome guy in glasses? Why have I never heard you mention him?"
"I totally couldn't recognize him!
The old Hikigaya was a gloomy guy who didn't talk much. I didn't expect such a big transformation. Haha!"
Orimoto Kaori laughed loudly and gave him a thumbs-up.
Hikigaya felt helpless. This woman really was as indiscreet as ever. However, he also knew she had no ill intent; it was purely due to her personality.
"Wait a moment. You, as a fellow student, calling someone a 'gloomy guy' right off the bat—isn't that a bit rude?"
Asahina Nazuna stepped forward with a smile, though her words carried a hint of aggression.
"Exactly! Hachiman-kun is the most popular boy at our Advanced Nurturing!"
Sakura Airi stepped forward aggressively.
'Wait, Airi? You're just making stuff up now; even I'm getting embarrassed!'
Hikigaya looked on, sweating.
"Uh... sorry about that."
Orimoto Kaori's laughter stopped abruptly. She immediately put her hands together and bowed her head in apology, her attitude frank and straightforward. However, she was the type of simpleton who would admit her mistake but dare to do it again next time.
As soon as she finished speaking, she dropped another bombshell, revealing a secret without any inhibition: "Speaking of which, Hikigaya-kun even confessed to me back then!"
"!!!"
Sakura Airi's eyes widened instantly, her face full of shock and bewilderment.
"What?!"
Tamanawa's expression changed as he looked at Hikigaya as if facing a great enemy.
'Whoa! There's a story here!' The basketball club members all put on "gossip-eating" expressions.
"Hmm~ So Hachiman-kouhai used to like this type of girl?"
Asahina Nazuna squinted her eyes thoughtfully.
"Yeah! Even though we had barely spoken a few words back then, he suddenly came up and confessed. It gave me a huge fright at the time!"
Orimoto Kaori remained heartless and carefree, counting the stories of the past to herself, completely oblivious to the subtle atmosphere on the scene.
"Heh~"
The corners of Hikigaya's mouth curled up, revealing a faint smile. Once the dark history of the past was exposed, it didn't seem as embarrassing as he had imagined. That ignorant crush had proven to be nothing more than a "sham."
Now, it was Orimoto Kaori's turn to be stunned. When her gaze met Hikigaya's steady, indifferent, and unruffled eyes, for some reason, her cheeks inexplicably began to heat up, and her heart grew flustered.
'This feeling! Could it be that I'm in lo—'
"Ahem!"
Tamanawa quickly cleared his throat twice, breaking the ambiguous and subtle atmosphere.
"Distinguished guests from Advanced Nurturing, you must be tired from your journey. Please follow me into the school."