Under Kanjuro's seemingly gentle but actually irresistible guidance, Komachi Hikigaya felt apprehensive, yet she followed with a strange, almost bewitched obedience, helplessly leading Kanjuro to the entrance of her apartment. She pulled out her keys, and just as she opened the door, she bumped right into Hachiman Hikigaya, who was coming out of the kitchen.
The moment Hachiman Hikigaya saw the slender figure behind his sister, he felt as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning. He froze in place, and the water glass in his hand nearly slipped to the floor. His pupils constricted suddenly, the color drained from his face, and his voice became sharp and distorted with extreme terror:
"Komachi! You! Are you crazy?! Why did you bring him here!!" His gaze was locked onto Kanjuro, his hair standing on end, as if he weren't looking at a classmate but a vengeful ghost crawling out of hell.
Facing Hachiman Hikigaya's almost tangible fear and hostility, Kanjuro remained as calm as a spring breeze. He stood elegantly at the door with an impeccable, gentle smile on his face, his tone as relaxed as if he were just visiting a neighbor:
"Good evening, Classmate Hikigaya. Komachi is such a kind and good girl; she kept saying I'm not a bad person all the way here, even advising me not to mind others' stereotypes." He paused, his gaze sweeping over Hachiman Hikigaya's tense body, his smile deepening. "I thought that as a classmate, perhaps I should take the initiative to come see you, have a chat, and clear up some unnecessary misunderstandings."
As he spoke, he naturally took off his shoes as if returning to his own home, walked straight to the somewhat old sofa in the living room, and sat down elegantly, even comfortably adjusting his posture.
Looking at her brother's pale face and his nearly murderous expression, Komachi was filled with guilt and unease. She forced a smile that looked worse than crying and tried to explain: "Brother, I'm sorry... Brother Kanjuro said he wanted to come, and I... I couldn't refuse him. And look, if Brother Kanjuro were really a bad person, he would have done something bad already, right? He's fine now, and he hasn't threatened us..." Her voice grew smaller and smaller, clearly lacking confidence herself.
Fine beads of cold sweat broke out on Hachiman Hikigaya's forehead, and his heart pounded wildly in his chest. He absolutely did not believe Kanjuro was the kind of harmless character who would take the initiative to "clear up misunderstandings"! Every look, every smile from this guy reminded him of a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, toying with its prey. To him, Komachi's naive words sounded like she was defending a demon!
But he didn't dare provoke Kanjuro. He knew better than anyone (or rather, his intuition felt it) what terrifying power was hidden within this "youth." A forced conflict would have unimaginable consequences.
Kanjuro took in Hachiman Hikigaya's struggle as he suppressed his fear and tried to analyze the situation. He let out a light chuckle and said to Komachi in an almost pitying tone: "It's alright, Komachi. Many people need time to slowly... learn to understand me." It sounded magnanimous, but it was actually filled with condescending mockery.
Then, he looked up at Hachiman Hikigaya, who was still frozen in place, and showed an even more "kind" smile, as if the undercurrent from before had never happened:
"Well, since I'm here, it wouldn't be right to leave immediately as a guest. Classmate Hikigaya, you don't mind if I stay for a simple meal, do you? It's a good chance to chat more."
Hachiman Hikigaya's nails dug deep into his palms. He forced his facial muscles to move, squeezing out an extremely stiff, almost terrifying smile, and ground out a few words through his teeth:
"Of... of course I don't mind. Wel... welcome."
He turned almost mechanically and walked toward the kitchen, his back filled with despair and helplessness. He knew this dinner was destined to be an ordeal. Meanwhile, Kanjuro leaned back comfortably on the sofa, as if he were the true master of the house, and began to observe everything in the Hikigaya home with great interest, his deep eyes flashing with the pleasure of cornering his prey step by step.
The demon had entered the house. And the peaceful (or rather, struggling) life of the Hikigaya family was completely shattered from this moment on.
In the evening, the lock on the Hikigaya family's door turned again, and Hachiman Hikigaya's parents returned home together. When they saw a handsome youth with an extraordinary aura sitting in the living room, they both appeared somewhat surprised.
"Oh, Hachiman, is this a classmate of yours? Quite a rare guest indeed." Mr. Hikigaya pushed up his glasses, his tone fairly normal.
However, Mrs. Hikitani's reaction was more direct. The moment her gaze met Kanjuro's, her eyes visibly lit up, and an involuntary look of admiration—even a trace of an imperceptible blush—appeared on her face. Kanjuro's appearance truly possessed a lethality that transcended gender and age; it was a unique temperament that mixed youthful elegance with mysterious charm.
"This student is so handsome! I'm Hachiman's mother, welcome to our home!" Mrs. Hikitani greeted him warmly, her tone carrying the kindness of an elder, yet unconsciously revealing a hint of flustered attraction.
Kanjuro stood up calmly, his etiquette perfect. With a gentle smile that could melt ice and snow, he bowed slightly: "Good evening, Mr. Hikigaya and Mrs. Hikitani. I apologize for the intrusion. I am Kanjuro, a classmate of Hachiman's. I had a very pleasant chat with Komachi today and decided to drop by for a visit."
His words were proper and his attitude humble, the very picture of a top student and a good boy. He skillfully responded to the Hikigaya couple's inquiries, talking about school anecdotes in a relaxed and natural tone, his occasional humorous comments making Mrs. Hikitani giggle behind her hand. He even praised Mrs. Hikitani's cooking, saying the dinner was delicious.
Under Kanjuro's flawless performance, the atmosphere of the dinner actually seemed exceptionally "harmonious." Mr. Hikigaya felt this young man was quite articulate, and Mrs. Hikitani was even more captivated by his charm, repeatedly praising Hachiman for having such a good classmate. Even Komachi, seeing her family and Kanjuro getting along so "peacefully," felt her previous unease gradually dissipate, even wondering if her brother really had too much prejudice against Brother Kanjuro.
Only Hachiman Hikigaya was different.
He felt as if he were sitting on a bed of nails, the food tasting like ash. Every second was an ordeal. As he watched his parents and sister show goodwill and affection toward Kanjuro, and saw Kanjuro's flawless smile, the fear in his heart was like a cold venomous snake tightly coiled around his heart. He forced a smile and played along with the family's topics, his muscles as stiff as plaster. He didn't dare say much, fearing any word might provoke the demon hidden beneath that gentle exterior and bring about an unimaginable disaster.
(What on earth does he want?)
(Why isn't he doing anything? Why is he acting like a normal person?)
(This calm... is too eerie! This must be the calm before the storm!)
His brain worked frantically, trying to decipher Kanjuro's intentions, but he only felt a cold mist.
However, as time ticked by, dinner ended, tea was served, and they even chatted for a while longer... the expected horrific scene never occurred.
It wasn't until the wall clock pointed to nine in the evening that Kanjuro elegantly stood up and politely took his leave: "It's getting late, I won't disturb you any further. Thank you, Mr. Hikigaya and Mrs. Hikitani, for your warm hospitality. The dinner was delicious."
Mr. Hikigaya and Mrs. Hikitani warmly tried to get him to stay, and Komachi was also a bit reluctant to see him go. But Kanjuro simply declined with a smile, and then, amidst the sincere farewells of the Hikigaya family (except for Hachiman) telling him to "come again next time," he calmly put on his shoes and walked out of the Hikigaya home.
The door closed softly.
Kanjuro's steady footsteps gradually faded away in the hallway, eventually vanishing into the silent night.
Nothing... had happened.
There were no threats, no hints, no supernatural phenomena, no signs of altered memories, and not even a trace of any unusual aura left behind. Kanjuro was like a normal youth who had truly just come to a classmate's house as a guest and left quietly and on time after spending a pleasant evening.
Hachiman Hikigaya stood blankly at the entrance, staring at the closed door, not moving for a long time. His parents and sister had already begun clearing the dishes, talking about the "handsome and polite" classmate with voices full of praise.
A massive, absurd sense of collapse washed over Hachiman Hikigaya. His back was already soaked with cold sweat, and his legs felt weak.
What exactly was going on?
Did Kanjuro... really just come for a meal?
Could it be... that I really misunderstood him? Was my intuition... wrong?
No! Impossible!
That sense of crisis, deep in his bones, could not be wrong!
But how could this perfectly normal, even heartwarming conclusion be explained?
Hachiman Hikigaya fell into deeper confusion and fear. This unknown behavior that didn't follow common logic made his skin crawl more than direct violence. He didn't know what Kanjuro was plotting; this unresolved threat hung over his head like the Sword of Damocles, ready to fall at any moment.
The night remained peaceful, but Hachiman Hikigaya knew that some things had completely changed. Kanjuro's shadow, like the deepest nightmare, had been branded into the surroundings of this home—silent, yet omnipresent.
As the night deepened, the streetlights cast a dim yellow glow on the road. Not long after Kanjuro walked out of the apartment building, light and slightly hurried footsteps came from behind him.
"Brother Kanjuro! Wait a moment!"
Kanjuro stopped and slowly turned around to see Komachi Hikigaya running up to catch him, her face still flushed from the exertion, carrying a sense of relief and expectation as if she had completed a "great task."
"What's wrong, Komachi? Is there something else?" Kanjuro's tone was still gentle, as if everything that had just happened at the Hikigaya house really was just a pleasant visit.
Komachi Hikigaya stopped in front of him, looked up with her large eyes sparkling under the streetlights, and asked with innocent excitement: "Brother Kanjuro! That 'game' you mentioned before... does tonight count as part of the game? Are you satisfied with this result?" She seemed to view Kanjuro's "normal performance" tonight as a segment of the game and felt happy for having "proven" that Kanjuro wasn't a bad person.
Kanjuro's smile deepened upon hearing this, appearing particularly charming under the hazy light, yet also revealing an unfathomable depth. He reached out and, with a natural, almost doting gesture, gently stroked Komachi Hikigaya's hair.
"Satisfied?" he repeated softly, then slowly shook his head, his voice whispering like a night breeze, "No, Komachi, the game... is still far from truly beginning."
These words were like a small pebble thrown into the lake of Komachi's heart, causing the excitement on her face to freeze slightly, replaced by confusion: "Not started yet?"
"Mhm." Kanjuro withdrew his hand, but his gaze seemed to inadvertently and extremely briefly sweep toward a dark window of the apartment building—where Hachiman Hikigaya was hiding and nervously peering out. His gaze retracted the moment it touched, falling back onto Komachi's face, his tone carrying a sort of encouragement, yet hiding a sharp edge:
"So, Komachi, you have to keep it up."
The meaning of this "keep it up" was ambiguous; it seemed to encourage her to maintain her "trust" in him, while also hinting that she needed to prepare for the upcoming, true "game."
His eyes were calm, yet they seemed to pierce through the night, reaching straight into the fearful heart of the observer in the distance.
(Look, Hachiman 0.5 Hikigaya.)
(I haven't done anything extra; I've simply shown the 'normal' side that your family expects.)
(Your fear, your suspicion, your helplessness... what an interesting contrast they form with Komachi's trust in me and your family's goodwill toward me at this moment.)
(This is the first act of the game.)
(A test of the human heart... regarding trust, fear, and human weakness.)
(And the prologue has only just begun.)
Kanjuro did not stay any longer. He gave the still somewhat bewildered Komachi a smile, then turned and leisurely blended into the deeper night, his back quickly vanishing from sight.
Komachi Hikigaya stood where she was, ruminating on Kanjuro's words about the "game not truly starting" and "keeping it up." Her mind was a bit of a mess; she felt Brother Kanjuro had become even more mysterious, and she felt a faint sense of unease, but that inexplicable trust still held the upper hand.
Meanwhile, behind the distant window, Hachiman Hikigaya saw Kanjuro's final, seemingly casual glance clearly. That look seemed to say: "I know you're watching, and the game officially begins now. Hachiman Hikigaya, let's see how long you can stay calm..."
He slammed the window shut, slid down the wall to sit on the floor, and gasped for breath, cold sweat already soaking his back.
Kanjuro had done nothing, yet that made him feel more terrified than if he had done something.
This feeling of placing a human heart on a chopping board and simmering it over a slow fire was far more torturous than direct violence.
The invisible game had already begun. And the stakes were the future of him and his beloved family.
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