Chapter 145: Horikita's Turn! Class D Actually Had a Winning Strategy!
The afternoon hours always felt exceptionally long.
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the café on the third deck of the ship, casting patches of warm orange light across the floor. The exam had entered its third day. After news spread throughout the entire grade that seven groups had ended early, even though the results couldn't be finalized—resulting in many students failing to obtain the 500,000 points—the exam had effectively ended early for them. This meant they could continue to enjoy the ship's facilities.
Consequently, the atmosphere among the students was quite good.
The atmosphere in Class B was even more relaxed than in the other classes. After all, from the beginning, they didn't know who the "VIP" was, nor did they know if their group would be subjected to a "quick-fire" guess. This "ignorance" had become a form of protection, allowing them to enjoy this rare lunch break with a clear conscience.
Hachiman leaned back on a corner sofa, a cup of half-cooled coffee sitting in front of him. Ichinose Honami sat opposite him, holding her familiar notebook, the tip of her pen lightly tapping the paper.
As the two class representatives of Class B, they were currently cross-referencing data. Of course, it was mostly Ichinose speculating; after all, they didn't know the actual results of the exam yet.
"Monkey Group, Sheep Group, Rat Group, Pig Group, Rooster Group, Snake Group, Rabbit Group..." Ichinose murmured, looking up at Hachiman. "Seven groups have ended early. In the remaining five groups, Class B still has two VIPs who haven't been exposed."
Hachiman nodded without speaking.
The five VIPs of Class B were:
Hikigaya Hachiman: Dragon Group. Asako Amikura: Cow Group. Norihito Watanabe: Sheep Group (Ended). Sayo Ando: Rat Group (Ended). Yuki Himeno: Snake Group (Ended).
Ichinose continued her analysis, "Based on the current situation, Class A has lost at least 250 points, and in the worst-case scenario, 350 points. Class C should have made some gains. As for Class D... with Koenji's 100 points plus the possible 100-point deduction from the Rabbit Group, they should be exactly breaking even?"
She paused, a hint of emotion in her voice, "Hikigaya-kun, with the exam played to this point, Class B has already secured a steady win. Once the results come out tomorrow night, we'll be able to promote to Class A."
Hachiman, however, took a sip of his coffee, his expression calm. "It's not over yet," he said softly. "But it's close."
Ichinose looked at him, a slight smile curling the corners of her mouth. She opened her mouth to say something but noticed a figure walking toward them.
Long black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, and burgundy, fox-like eyes carried an innate coldness. Her pace was light, yet it carried a sense of pressure.
It was Horikita Suzune.
Ichinose quickly stood up, a gentle smile appearing on her face. "Horikita-san, are you looking for Hikigaya-kun?"
Horikita's footsteps faltered slightly. Her gaze swept between the two of them before she gave a small nod. "Yes, I have some things I want to ask him."
"Then I won't disturb you." Ichinose smiled at her and then turned to Hachiman. "Hikigaya-kun, I'll go back and organize my notes first. You two take your time talking."
With that, she picked up her notebook and turned to leave. Her pace was composed, without the slightest hesitation.
Hachiman watched her back, feeling a slight stir in his heart. Ichinose was always like this—gentle, considerate, and empathetic. Even if she had things she wanted to say, the moment she sensed someone else had a need, she would immediately step back. She would probably never actively fight for anything for herself.
Hachiman withdrew his gaze and looked at Horikita Suzune standing by the table. Today she was wearing casual clothes: a white knit cardigan paired with a light brown long skirt. A few strands of her black hair were stirred by the sea breeze, glowing softly in the sunlight. Those burgundy eyes were now fixed on him, carrying a slightly complex meaning.
"Have a seat," Hachiman said, pointing to the sofa opposite him.
Horikita nodded and sat down across from him. A waiter soon approached. Just as Hachiman was about to order, Horikita spoke first.
"Warm water, please."
Hachiman's movements paused for a split second. He looked up at Horikita. Those burgundy eyes remained calm, but a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. The blush was so faint it was almost negligible, but Hachiman noticed it.
As someone who aspired to be a professional house husband in the future, he understood instantly.
"Just warm water is fine," he said to the waiter nonchalantly.
After the waiter left, a brief silence fell between them. The sea breeze blew in through the open window, carrying a salty scent and lightly brushing over the table.
Horikita spoke first, her voice still maintaining its cold tone. "Ichinose-san... is a bit strange."
This made Hachiman raise an eyebrow. "Oh? In what way?"
"Just now." Horikita paused, seemingly weighing her words. "As soon as she saw me coming, she immediately got up and left. It was as if... she was proactively giving up her spot."
Hachiman was silent for two seconds before saying, "She's just that kind of person. Her personality is hesitant and gentle; she always thinks of others. She just never considers herself much."
Horikita's brow furrowed slightly. She thought for a moment and suddenly spoke.
"Isn't that just being a 'mommy' figure?"
Hachiman blanked for a moment. He looked at Horikita's serious face and the confusion in her burgundy eyes, and suddenly he couldn't help but burst out laughing.
The laughter wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet café.
Horikita's expression froze instantly. She looked at Hachiman, the blush on her cheeks deepening—this time not because of her physical condition, but because of... embarrassment?
"Did I... say something funny?" Her voice carried a hint of uncertainty and a faint trace of grievance.
Hachiman quickly restrained his laughter and waved his hand. "No, no." His voice still held remnants of amusement. "I just think your personality is... well, very direct. Sometimes so direct it's surprising."
Horikita looked at him, silent for a few seconds.
"Do I need to change?" she suddenly asked.
The question came so abruptly that Hachiman was slightly stunned. He looked at Horikita; those burgundy eyes were serious now, with a hint of... lostness?
"I know I'm not very good at getting along with people," Horikita continued, her voice lower than usual. "My brother said it, and you said it too, Hikigaya. If I were more tactful, better at reading the room, maybe I wouldn't have been placed in Class D."
She paused, looking directly at him. "So, do I need to change?"
Hachiman didn't answer immediately. He knew that at this moment, Horikita was searching for an answer.
Hachiman took a sip of his coffee, feeling the sour and sweet notes eventually return to a sour taste as it spread across his tongue. After a long while, he finally spoke.
"Horikita-san." His voice was calm but serious. "You indeed have a lot to learn. How to interact with people, the ability to understand others' thoughts, and... well, don't be so direct in calling someone a 'mommy' figure. Knowing it in your heart is enough. For instance, I also think a girl I know is like a 'mommy' figure, but I haven't said it out loud."
The corner of Horikita's mouth twitched slightly.
Hachiman continued, "However, that doesn't mean you need to completely negate yourself just because of a few words from someone else."
He set down the coffee cup and fixed his gaze on Horikita. "The world is indeed not gentle. I know that better than anyone." His tone carried a faint sense of sentiment. "But that doesn't mean you need to compromise completely. If you compromise completely, you'll just turn into a boring adult."
Horikita remained silent, seemingly pondering the meaning of his words. After a long while, she spoke softly.
"Hikigaya-kun's words are... a bit profound." She paused, a flash of thought crossing her burgundy eyes. "My brother would probably feel a great sense of resonance with you."
Hachiman's mouth twitched.
Resonance? With Horikita Manabu? Don't say that; Hachiman found the realization that he was developing in the direction of Horikita Manabu lamentable enough already.
"Let's not talk about that," Hachiman said, quickly changing the subject. "You said in Class D that there was no pattern to the VIPs?"
Horikita was slightly startled, then nodded. "It seems Karuizawa told you." Her tone was certain. "I haven't reported to you yet, so it could only be that someone from Class D told you."
Hachiman looked at her, his heart stirred. Horikita Suzune, while not good at reading the room, was indeed very strong at logical reasoning. With just a bit of thought, she could guess the sequence of events.
However, she guessed one thing wrong. The person who told him wasn't Karuizawa; it was Matsushita Chiaki.
But Hachiman didn't point it out directly. He thought for a moment and said, "What would happen if your four-person team added one more person?"
Horikita blanked, clearly not expecting him to ask this suddenly. "Add one person? Who?"
Hachiman looked at her and said slowly, "Matsushita Chiaki."
Horikita's brow furrowed even deeper. She was silent for a few seconds, seemingly thinking. "That... girl from Karuizawa's 'gal' group?" Her tone was uncertain. "She's close to Karuizawa, but I haven't had much contact with her. Her ability..."
"Is very strong," Hachiman cut in. "She has the ability of Class A."
Horikita's pupils contracted slightly.
Hachiman continued, "After you collect twenty million points and transfer classes, she can take over your position in Class D. To keep Ayanokouji in check, support Karuizawa and the others, and continue to maintain the balance of Class D. You can't be expected to worry about how Class D will handle exams even after you've transferred."
Horikita fell silent. She lowered her head, her gaze falling on the glass of warm water in front of her. After a long while, she spoke softly.
"Hikigaya-kun." Horikita's voice sounded a bit dry. "You've even... thought about what happens after I leave?"
Hachiman didn't say anything.
Horikita looked up at him. Those burgundy eyes now held a complex mix of emotions. There was gratitude, admiration, and something... indefinable.
"I..." She opened her mouth to say something but found she didn't know what to say.
Hachiman, seeing her like this, coughed twice. He understood Horikita's current state to some extent, and he wasn't good at handling sentimental scenes.
"Ahem." He picked up the coffee cup and took a sip to hide his reaction. "Let's not talk about that. Let's keep talking about the exam."
Horikita took a deep breath and nodded. She had clearly wanted to say something just now but couldn't get it out; now that she didn't have to say it, she felt... a bit of a sense of loss. Her heart felt empty.
"The exam this time is titled 'Manage,'" Hachiman said, putting down his coffee cup as his tone turned serious. "Management, control."
Horikita looked at him, waiting for him to continue.
"It's not a riddle, not a deduction, not a game of Werewolf," Hachiman said emphatically. "It's management. Managing the people in your own class so they don't act recklessly, don't get bribed, and don't leak information."
He paused and continued. "That is the true core of this exam. The school shuffled the students into groups not to make us suspicious of each other, but to test the cohesion of each class. Whoever can manage their own class wins. The key to this exam was whether the students of each class could follow their representative's commands and not act on their own."
Horikita nodded thoughtfully. "So, you had the Class B students use spare phones and made it so they didn't even know if they were the VIP..." Her eyes flickered slightly as she spoke. "That way, they couldn't leak it, nor could they be bribed. You directly turned the 'uncontrollable' into 'controllable.'"
"Exactly," Hachiman nodded.
Horikita was silent for a few seconds, then looked up, her gaze meeting his directly. "But what surprised me most wasn't that," her voice carried a complex meaning. "It was that you could make Classes A and C believe there was a pattern to the VIPs, making them proactively guess and hand over points."
Hachiman didn't deny it.
Horikita looked at him and suddenly sighed softly. "Hikigaya-kun, if I were the one handling this exam..." she paused, her tone carrying a hint of defeat, "I don't think I could have done it better than you."
Hachiman looked at her and remained silent.
Horikita continued, "At most, I could have held Class D together and stopped everyone from acting recklessly. But taking the offensive, inducing other classes to make mistakes... I couldn't do that. And even that premise would have to be built on Case 1, using the 'everyone guesses' method to get points, and then using the threat of paying for deductions to constrain them."
Horikita sighed softly.
Hachiman was silent for a few seconds before slowly speaking, "Actually, Class D had a chance to pass the exam smoothly."
Horikita was slightly startled. "What?"
"Entrusting it to Koenji," Hachiman said.
Horikita was stunned. Koenji Rokusuke. The man who did whatever he pleased and absolutely refused to follow anyone's orders.
"Koenji?" She frowned. "How could he possibly—"
"Did you go to see him?" Hachiman interrupted her.
Horikita's expression stiffened slightly. She lowered her head, silent for a few seconds, then said softly, "Yes. After the group discussion ended, I went to find him."
Hachiman looked at her, a flash of surprise in his eyes.
"I asked him about the Monkey Group," Horikita continued. "He said he ended the exam for the Monkey Group and that he was definitely correct."
Hachiman nodded. "Your initiative..." he paused, his tone carrying a rare hint of praise, "I didn't ask you to do that, but you did it on your own."
Horikita's cheeks flushed slightly, but not because of her physical condition this time. She looked away, her voice growing even lower.
Hachiman, seeing her like this, felt the corner of his mouth curl slightly. But he quickly regained his composure, and his tone became serious again.
"Koenji is indeed formidable," he said. "He only participated in three group discussions and found the VIP of the Monkey Group. This shows that his observation and insight far exceed the average person."
Horikita nodded, waiting for him to continue.
Hachiman looked at her and spoke slowly. "So, do you think he could only find the VIP of the Monkey Group?"
Horikita was stunned.
Hachiman continued, "All the group discussion rooms have surveillance. I think you noticed that, but do you know that every discussion, every person's words and actions, are recorded?"
Horikita's pupils contracted slightly.
"If..." Hachiman's voice was very soft, yet every word was clear, "someone gave those surveillance recordings to Koenji and let him watch them. Do you think he could find the VIPs of the other groups?"
Horikita fell silent. Her mind worked rapidly, following this line of thought. Surveillance footage. Koenji's observation skills. The VIPs of other groups.
"As long as they are the VIP and they already know their identity," Hachiman continued, "that person cannot truly remain perfectly still. No matter how well they hide it, they will definitely show a flaw at some moment. It might be a look in their eyes, their tone of voice, or a subconscious movement."
He paused. "Ordinary people wouldn't notice these flaws. But Koenji... he can."
Horikita's breath hitched slightly. She finally understood.
"So... Class D actually had a shortcut to passing." Her voice was a bit dry. "As long as we got the surveillance footage and let Koenji watch it. He could find the VIPs of all the groups."
Hachiman nodded. "But that's just a hypothesis. Even if Koenji discovered something, he would need the right rhetoric. So, it would still require the Class D students in those groups to cooperate with him to confirm."
He paused. "This is a unique advantage for Class D. A genius of Koenji's level—there aren't many in the entire grade. Ayanokouji might be able to do it too, but he wouldn't have thought of this."
Horikita was silent for a few seconds, feeling surprised by the plan Hachiman had come up with, yet she gently shook her head.
"But..." her tone carried a hint of helplessness, "Koenji wouldn't do it."
Hachiman looked at her and didn't speak.
Horikita continued, "He disdains participating in class competition. Even if we got the surveillance footage, he wouldn't be willing to spend time watching it. Unless..."
She paused. "Unless someone could persuade him. Either by befriending him in advance so he's willing to help, or by offering enough points to make him feel the task is worth doing."
The corner of Hachiman's mouth curled slightly. Horikita Suzune was indeed very smart. With just a little hint, she could identify the most critical difficulty.
And that was how to get Koenji to invest in the class competition, how to get him to take action. This was something an average person couldn't achieve.
"So." Horikita looked up at Hachiman, her burgundy eyes filled with complex emotions. "If we rely only on ourselves, this path... actually doesn't work. I am still too weak."
Hachiman didn't answer. He just watched her quietly.
Horikita met his gaze for a few seconds, then sighed softly. "Hikigaya-kun," she spoke softly, her tone carrying a hint of surrender and an indefinable sentiment. "Being your opponent is indeed a very difficult thing."
Hachiman was slightly startled. He looked at Horikita; on that face that was usually cold, there was now a rare hint of softness. Sunlight poured over her through the window, outlining her silhouette clearly. Her black hair shimmered softly in the light, and her burgundy eyes reflected his figure.
The sea breeze blew in from the window, lightly brushing the tips of her hair. Hachiman suddenly felt that at this moment, Horikita Suzune was a bit different from usual.
"What is it?" Horikita noticed his gaze and tilted her head slightly.
"Nothing." Hachiman withdrew his gaze and took a sip of coffee. "I was just wondering if that sentence was a compliment or an insult."
The corner of Horikita's mouth moved slightly, but she didn't quite smile. "Both, I suppose," she said softly.
Silence fell between them again, but this time it wasn't awkward; it was a sort of unspoken understanding. The sun was still bright, and the sea breeze was still gentle. In the distance over the sea, a few seagulls circled low, letting out crisp cries.
Horikita picked up the glass of warm water and took a small sip. The warm liquid slid down her throat, bringing a sense of warmth. She looked up at the sea outside the window, her burgundy eyes now carrying an indefinable softness.
Hachiman looked at her, and a thought suddenly flashed through his mind. Perhaps what she needed wasn't to change, but to find the method that suited her best. Just like Koenji. Just like himself.
"Let's go." Hachiman stood up. "Break time is almost over."
Horikita nodded and stood up with him.
The two walked out of the café side by side, the sunlight falling on them and stretching their shadows very long. In the hallway, students passed by occasionally; seeing them, they would cast curious glances. But neither cared, walking along quietly.
When they reached a fork in the path, Horikita suddenly stopped. "Hikigaya-kun."
Hachiman turned his head to look at her. Horikita looked up, her burgundy eyes serious.
"Thank you," she said softly.
Clearly, she already understood that Hachiman talking to her about these things was his way of reviewing the situation with her—no, it should be said he was letting her participate more in the exam to find things she could grow from.
Hachiman was slightly startled, then shook his head gently. "No need for thanks."
Horikita looked at him, and the corner of her mouth curled slightly. The smile was very faint, almost invisible, but she was definitely smiling.
Then she turned and left, her pace light and firm.
Hachiman stood in place, watching her back disappear at the end of the hallway. After a long while, he withdrew his gaze and continued forward.
His phone vibrated. He pulled it out and took a look; it was a message from Ichinose.
[Hikigaya-kun, are you done talking with Horikita-san? Do you need me to save some dinner for you?]
Hachiman looked at the message, a slight smile appearing on his lips. Ichinose really was a "mommy" figure. However, even though Ichinose was the same as Miura, Hachiman felt that he wasn't Yuigahama.
So, he thought for a moment and typed quickly on the screen.
[No need. See you in the dining hall later.]
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