Loners tend to spend their days off quietly without disturbing anyone. It's best to spend them reading, playing games, or even watching anime—it can be suitable too.
That's what I was thinking as I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling. There was nothing I could do to pass the time. Even Yukinoshita said she felt tired and wanted to stay in her room to prepare for her lessons.
Everyone agrees that the events of the past week were nerve-wracking.
I sat on my bed, looking around my room, which hadn't changed at all since I moved in. I hadn't put any books on the shelves or added any decorations; I had only placed my clothes in the closet.
Should I go to the library and borrow some books?
But I still have a number of light novels I brought with me.
I could go to the cinema to kill a couple of hours with a movie, or to a café, but my points have dropped a lot—it's time to start saving.
I'll cook my own meal at home. I'm good at making curry, and I really like it too.
That settles it—I'll go to Keyaki Mall to buy what I need.
I picked up my phone from beside my pillow to check the time.
9 a.m.—no time to waste.
I jumped out of bed and headed to the bathroom. I need to get ready before going out.
After washing my face and brushing my teeth, I started getting dressed. A short-sleeved shirt and pants would be enough—the weather is warm.
I took my phone and room key card before leaving and closing the door behind me.
The hallway in front of my room was empty. Most students prefer to sleep longer—even me—but I prefer taking a nap in the middle of the day.
I took the elevator down to the lobby and stepped outside the dorm, heading toward Keyaki Mall.
Unlike the dorm, there were quite a few students outside enjoying their time. Some clubs were even practicing their activities.
This would be my first proper visit inside Keyaki Mall. I had been there before with Yukinoshita, but I hadn't explored all of its facilities.
It's said to literally have every kind of store and shop—everything just for students.
I'm thinking of visiting the video game store to check it out. I might buy something in the future.
Alright, it's decided—the video game store will be my first destination.
After walking for a while, I arrived at Keyaki Mall. The moment I stepped inside, a cool breeze from the air conditioning brushed against my face. The voices of visitors were loud as well.
I headed toward the building map to explore more. A huge board was placed on the wall near the entrance, displaying all the store locations inside the mall along with their opening and closing times.
Truly first-class service.
I quickly located the video game store I was heading to—it was on the ground floor.
Good, it was the closest. Choosing it as my first stop was the right call.
I began walking through the crowd toward my destination. Most visitors were in groups.
From my experience, even after shopping with people other than Komachi, I still find a special kind of enjoyment in shopping alone. You can walk at your own pace and take your time browsing the things you care about, whereas in a group you have to ignore all that and consider others' tastes.
I reached the store, but I couldn't move. I just stood there, frozen. Posters of games and various devices—everything you could dream of was available here, using the points the school gives.
I quickly shook my head to regain my focus. No time to be stunned—it's time to explore.
The door opened before me, leading into a new world I had never visited before. Everything was available. The store was empty this morning, which made sense—people interested in these things wouldn't wake up this early. Let's consider it a good chance to take my time.
I lost track of time inside the store. It felt like a space separated from the outside world. But unfortunately, everything required a large number of points.
Indeed, the most important thing in this school is points.
Well, I'll just consider it an enjoyable outing.
I returned to the map to choose my next destination. It's better than wandering randomly—I should always use my time wisely.
I stood in front of the wall again, observing the map. There was still a cinema, karaoke rooms, more clothing stores, and restaurants—but nothing caught my attention.
Looks like it's time for the grocery store already.
Nothing attracts a student in this huge school?
This system needs a complete reset.
I turned away from the wall. There was no point in standing here.
"Honami-chan, over here, hurry!" A girl's loud voice rang in my ears. She was running toward me quickly, dragging another girl behind her.
I tried to move out of their way, but my shoulder lightly bumped into the other girl.
I didn't feel any pain—we barely touched, and the other person had tried to avoid it too.
I turned to check if she was hurt. If a rumor like that spread, it could ruin my reputation.
Hikigaya Hachiman hits girls… that's bad.
The girl standing in front of me had soft pink hair. Her eyes were gentle and bright, and her figure was more mature than girls her age. She wore a simple dress that suited her well.
"Chihiro-chan, wait a second!" she called out to her friend. It seemed the other girl hadn't noticed she had stopped and kept walking quickly.
"Honami-chan, hurry!" the other girl urged, still unaware of why her friend had stopped. She raised her hand, signaling her to wait.
"Ah… I'm really sorry about that. Are you hurt?" she asked, clearly worried.
I wasn't hurt. I had only stopped to check if she was okay—and she seemed fine.
"N-no, I'm fine." I scratched the back of my head, unsure how to deal with situations like this.
If someone treated me badly, it would be easier—you just ignore them.
"Oh, that's good. Bye." She quickly ran off to her friend after making sure I was okay.
Well, there are always girls this kind. The important thing is not to get carried away and let your imagination run wild.
I put my hands in my pockets and turned to continue on my way. I need to prepare the curry quickly—it's my meal for today.
I arrived at the store to buy the ingredients I needed. Curry doesn't require many or complicated ingredients, so it's easy to learn how to make and easy to shop for.
I decided to grab a bottle of juice first—I might keep it in my fridge.
I stood in front of the large refrigerators. They displayed a wide variety of drinks and flavors, but it wasn't hard to choose. A simple flavor like orange was enough.
Decision made—I'll take orange.
Suddenly, I felt someone approach. I shifted slightly and saw a girl with long purple hair carrying a bag over her shoulder. She passed behind me and kept walking until she reached the end of the aisle and stopped.
She seemed very nervous, carefully observing her surroundings. She looked up toward a corner, as if searching for something.
I slowly raised my eyes upward. There was only one camera in the entire aisle, unlike other facilities in the school that had cameras covering every angle.
This camera left many blind spots, especially in front of the refrigerators.
Wait… could it be?
No, no—this isn't the time to throw baseless accusations just because someone is acting a bit suspicious. It's better to leave.
I quickly returned the juice bottle to its place and moved to the other side of the aisle, away from her. However, I could still see her reflection on the glass refrigerators in front of me.
Not clearly, but enough to distinguish her movements.
After making sure no one was nearby, she approached the fridge, opened it, quickly grabbed a drink, and put it into her bag.
She adjusted her bag on her shoulder and started walking away.
I quickly turned to look at the fridge… it was the alcohol section?
Did she just steal a can of beer?
No—it's too early to jump to conclusions. Maybe… maybe she just put it in her bag so no one would see it before paying at the register.
The school may give students more freedom than the outside world, but it wouldn't go as far as selling alcohol to minors—that would be illegal.
I quickly followed her to see what she would do. This might be strange—why should I even care or follow her?
But my mind was confused right now. I didn't really know what I was doing.
It seemed she had no intention of paying at all. She kept walking normally until she left the store.
She really did steal it.
But did she do it to consume it, or just for the thrill? Some people steal purely for excitement.
I left the store quickly and saw her walking outside alone, acting completely normal—as if she hadn't just stolen a can of beer minutes ago and hidden it in her bag.
Behind her appeared a small girl with short silver hair, wearing a hat and leaning on a cane.
An image flashed in my mind—the girl I saw on my first day at this school. She looked like she came from a noble family. Even with her small body, her eyes were intimidating—I could sense cunning within them.
Was she following her because she ordered her to do it, or to catch her in the act?
I think they're both first-years, which means they'd be rivals to Class D.
I have neither the desire nor the time to get involved with other classes at this stage. I already have enough problems.
Every class has its own issues. Those who don't cause chaos… might resort to stealing?
At least Yamauchi and the others wouldn't do something like this… I hope.
×××
In the end, I decided to ignore what I saw. If something doesn't concern you, and no one asks for your help, there's no need to interfere.
I bought everything I needed from the store and decided to head back home. I felt tired after encountering so many new people.
Some encounters might be destined.
On my way back, I passed by the gym. It was filled with loud noises from clubs practicing inside.
Next to it, I saw a large vending machine.
Might as well grab a can of coffee—I'm thirsty. Even though it doesn't have Max Coffee…
Well, I'll just pick anything today.
I stood in front of the machine. There were many brands I hadn't tried before. Whenever I try to pick something other than my usual drink, I always feel hesitant.
The noise grew louder and louder. Did the club members get too excited and lose control?
I looked up at the gym entrance—it opened, and students began coming out. It seemed their activities had ended.
They all looked excited, shouting loudly. Sports always energize people.
"Oh, Sudō, that was an amazing performance!"
"Yeah, man, you might become an important member of our team!"
"Even though you're only a first-year, your skill surpasses some third-years!"
A familiar name caught my attention among the group that came out.
The basketball club members were louder than the others. They gathered outside in a group.
Praise kept pouring onto Sudō. So he's good at basketball. It's not easy to receive praise from older students—they always think they're more experienced and skilled.
"Thanks, guys… that was a fun practice." A smile appeared on Sudō's face.
Whenever he faced me before, he would frown, so I had never seen him smile like this.
The club members started saying their goodbyes and leaving, and Sudō walked away from them too.
He was wearing sportswear and holding a basketball. He approached the vending machine, wiping his face with his shirt, sweating heavily from the physical effort—he must need a cold drink.
He stood next to the machine beside me without saying a word.
Did he not notice me? He didn't pay me any attention.
He stared at the machine for a moment, then stepped away.
Didn't he find what he wanted, or did he leave because of me?
All our encounters so far had been hostile, ending in trouble.
But Sudō had suddenly improved his behavior over the past two days. I really want to know why.
I think Sudō is a good person… just misunderstood.
So it wouldn't hurt to try talking to him. Even if he ignores me, there's no one here to see.
Alright, it's decided.
"Hey… Sudō."