T/N: Yeah, this is kinda embarrassing. After that dramatic goodbye, here I am making a comeback. But hey, some good news—shoutout to Sky_Blue_0165 for dropping a link where the rest of those 30 chapters are up for free. So yep, I'm back to translating and finally wrapping this up!
. . .
"Apologize? For what?"
Hearing that from Horikita, Hikigaya was utterly baffled.
She'd been acting strange ever since he stepped through the door... Could the pressure from preparing for the special exam have finally fried her brain?
"Hikigaya-kun."
Just then, Horikita suddenly called his name.
"I invited you here today to apologize. So even if you're harboring some rude thoughts, now's not the time to settle scores. But… just so you know—I won't forget."
"...No, I don't have any rude thoughts at all," Hikigaya said, looking away, visibly guilty.
Weird. Was it really that obvious?
He'd always been confident in his poker face. So why did the girls around him keep seeing right through him?
Had they all maxed out their human observation skills or something?
"Anyway... It was wrong of me to eat your chocolate without asking last time. I figured I'd make it up to you with dinner."
Horikita finally came clean, stumbling over her words.
"What? You're still hung up on that?" Hikigaya looked genuinely surprised. "I already told you it was fine. And… I don't want to throw anyone under the bus, but I'm pretty sure Kikyo instigated the whole thing. She even asked me outright if she could have a snack... That glutton!"
"...Even so, I ate it too. That's an undeniable fact."
"C'mon, it was just chocolate. No big deal."
Hikigaya waved it off again, trying to reassure her.
But Horikita still looked uneasy. Her head lowered as she mumbled, "That chocolate... it wasn't just ordinary chocolate to you, was it?"
"...Huh?" Hikigaya froze for a moment before frantically denying it. "No, you've got the wrong idea! It was just a normal girl's chocolate, I swear."
Even if it was from Yukinoshita, it could only have been obligatory.
He'd once obsessed over it, losing his appetite and all... He felt like such an idiot now.
But then, Horikita dropped a name she shouldn't have known.
"But... you went out of your way to get it from off-campus, right? That chocolate was from Yukinoshita-sensei's little sister, wasn't it?"
"...Wait, what?"
Hikigaya's mind went blank.
"No way. Where did you even—Matsushita?"
"..."
Horikita didn't answer. She just gave a small, guilty nod.
Unbelievable.
Hikigaya had wondered at the time—out of all the chocolate in the fridge, how had they managed to pick that one?
He'd assumed he just left it in a bad spot. Shouldn't have put it out on its own.
But now it turned out these girls weren't just randomly picking—they knew. They were targeting the Yuki-choco.
What the hell... Were they all detectives or something? How did they even figure that out?
...No, wait a second.
Before all that—did everyone just assume he was super into Yukinoshita?!
That thought hit Hikigaya like a brick, and his soul just about left his body.
Not. No way.
"Horikita, let me be clear," Hikigaya said quickly. "I don't know what you heard from Matsushita, but Yukinoshita and I are just clubmates. To me, she's just a regular classmate. There's nothing special between us. So could you not gossip like the other girls?"
He paused, a sudden wave of nostalgia washing over him for the old Horikita—back when she was cold, prideful, and so sharp-tongued she'd roast you just for breathing wrong.
But ever since she started hanging out with Kushida and Matsushita, she'd gotten… way too lively.
"Really? I was thinking, if you cared that much, I could try recreating the flavor of that chocolate for you," Horikita offered, as if it were a kind gesture.
"Recreate…"
Hikigaya gave her a look. "What's there to recreate? I'm sure Yukinoshita just followed the recipe to the letter. Anyone could do that. If you've really got skills, try recreating the one I made for you guys."
"...Wasting food is wrong."
Horikita's expression darkened—clearly recalling that fateful experience.
Yui might have made something inedible, but she'd done it with genuine sincerity, not as a joke. She'd just gone a bit overboard, throwing in a bunch of ingredients she thought would make it better.
Hikigaya had appreciated the gesture... He just hoped that if there were a next time, it'd at least be edible.
"Anyway, just accept my apology, sit tight, and get ready to eat."
"Oh… okay."
Horikita turned around and resumed cooking, bringing the awkward conversation to a close—more or less.
Still, for someone claiming to apologize, her tone didn't carry even a hint of remorse.
Even her apologies had to be high and mighty… That's so like her.
As Hikigaya zoned out, he finally had a chance to look around Horikita's room.
He seldom visited other students' dorms—especially not girls'.
The only time he could recall was with Ichinose… and that hadn't exactly been a pleasant experience.
Ichinose was a good person—too good. So trusting that she ended up getting played by Nagumo, and then got dragged into a fake relationship with him because he'd tried to help her.
Well, there was no reason for them to stay in touch going forward. Not really his problem anymore.
Anyway, Horikita's room had no personality.
It was practically empty—just furniture and books. No decorations, nothing that screamed "girl's room."
There was none of that "oh my god I'm in a girl's dorm!" kind of tension or excitement.
In a way, it felt… safe.
About half an hour later, Horikita finished cooking and started setting the dishes on the table.
"Need a hand?"
It felt wrong to just sit there doing nothing, so Hikigaya started to get up to at least help set the table.
But Horikita stopped him. "No need. You're the guest today. Just sit quietly."
"Is that so… Well, I won't argue."
A moment later, the table was filled with all kinds of dishes that looked seriously tasty—way more elaborate than he'd expected.
Horikita wasn't lacking in cooking skills. For a high schooler, she'd done a pretty solid job.
As if sensing his thoughts, she quietly said, "Both my parents work, so I've had to cook for myself a lot."
"I see… Same with my family."
Hikigaya suddenly remembered something from the past and smiled without thinking.
"I used to cook for Komachi every day until she started middle school."
"...You two must be close," Horikita said with a faint touch of envy.
"Of course," Hikigaya replied proudly. "Back then, just seeing her happily stuffing her face gave me all the motivation I needed."
"...That sounds nice."
But as she spoke, her eyes dimmed slightly.
"My brother… has never once tried anything I've cooked."
"..."
Crap.
Too caught up in bragging about his adorable little sister, Hikigaya had accidentally stepped on a landmine.
"Uh, well, your relationship with him's improved a lot, right? I'm sure you'll have more chances from now on."
"Yeah… and it's all thanks to you."
Finally, a smile returned to Horikita's face.
Hikigaya could finally exhale in peace.
"Alright, let's stop talking and see how it tastes."
"Okay… Time to dig in."
At Horikita's urging, Hikigaya picked up his chopsticks hesitantly.
But faced with the feast in front of him, he still couldn't bring himself to take that first bite.
"Don't be shy, Hikigaya-kun, please—help yourself," Horikita said, smiling sweetly.
"Uh… I'm not that hungry."
"What? So it's fine when Hashimoto treats you, but you won't eat my food?"
"...I didn't agree to that either."
Horikita didn't respond to his mumbling. She just gave him a look—a look that brooked no refusal.
This girl… she's definitely up to something.
Hikigaya suddenly remembered: the last time he ate Horikita's cooking, he somehow ended up getting dragged into the whole drama between her and her brother.
And now… it was happening again.
Could this be the same old trick again?
Is this about the special exam?
Sigh… Seriously. If you've got a question, just ask it. What's with the sneaky games?
Once that thought clicked, Hikigaya actually felt lighter. He picked up his chopsticks and started eating.
"So? How is it? How does it taste?" Horikita asked, looking a little expectant.
"…It's average. Tasty, but average."
"Huh? What's that even supposed to mean?"
Horikita clearly didn't like that answer. Her eyes narrowed with dissatisfaction.
"Hikigaya-kun, don't you always brag about how good your Japanese grades are? And yet you can't even give a proper evaluation?"
"But I am giving a proper evaluation."
"Tasty is tasty. What's this 'average tasty' nonsense? That's practically a broken sentence."
"No, you're misunderstanding me," Hikigaya shook his head. "If we're talking about flavor alone, sure, it's good. But it's the exact taste you'd expect from following the recipe to the letter. There's no originality at all. That's why I can't give it a high score."
"You really are picky, huh."
"Heh, don't underestimate someone who's been cooking for his little sister. Komachi has ridiculously high standards when it comes to food."
Hikigaya looked genuinely pleased with himself. After all, Komachi almost never praised him for anything—this was one of the few exceptions where she couldn't find fault.
"My life goal is to be a full-time househusband, you know. I want to greet my wife with a delicious dinner after her long, exhausting day at work. To do that, I've got to master the culinary arts."
"There you go again…"
Horikita rubbed her temples with an exasperated expression, then muttered, almost challengingly, "But still, what you said is way too vague. What do you mean by 'personal touch'? Recipes are made to cater to the average palate in the first place, right?"
"Tsk tsk… and this is why laypeople like you don't get it."
"…"
Horikita crossed her arms and glared at him, barely containing her irritation. "Since you're such a genius, Hikigaya-kun, there's actually something I'd like to ask."
"What now?"
"Why did Hashimoto-kun invite you to eat in the first place? You're not secretly making some shady deal with him behind our backs, are you?"
Cough cough!
Hikigaya nearly spat out his miso soup.
Of all things, this topic again?
Okay, fair—he was feeling a little guilty. The strategy he gave Hashimoto could be used not just by Class B against Class C, but Class A could use it too.
From a certain point of view, that was basically arming the enemy.
He was just about to come up with an excuse, when Horikita beat him to it.
"Please answer me honestly… You did eat the meal I made, didn't you?"
"Oi."
Here we go again.
Horikita stared at him as he continued to sweat nervously, then abruptly changed direction.
"Alright then. If you won't talk about that, answer me this instead."
"…What now?"
"Did something happen with Ayanokōji-kun recently?"
"Huh?"
That came completely out of left field. Hikigaya hadn't expected that question.
So Horikita noticed something too?
"Don't even think about dodging it," she warned. "Ever since the Commander announcement, Ayanokōji-kun has been acting strangely. He's more focused on your situation than the exam itself. Honestly, it's starting to creep me out."
"Please stop. Just hearing that is creepy enough."
Hikigaya knew Ayanokōji had his reasons, but dragging Horikita-senpai into it? That almost gave him secondhand embarrassment.
"If you're that curious, I don't mind telling you… Though I doubt you'll believe me."
"If you're being honest, I'll believe you."
"…Alright, you said it."
Hikigaya thought for a moment, then summarized everything in a single line.
"The new acting chairman wants to expel Ayanokōji. Ayanokōji suspects they'll try to sabotage this exam to do it, so he wants me to take over as Commander in his place."
"…Huh?"
Just as he expected, Horikita's first reaction was disbelief.
"Hold on, Hikigaya-kun. Are you sure you're not hallucinating? That kind of thing… it's just not possible."
"Told you."
Hikigaya didn't argue. He just shrugged.
Honestly, he couldn't blame Horikita for reacting that way. Who'd believe that the acting chairman of the school was out to get a single student—and cheat during a school exam to do it?
Even Hikigaya, who knew most of the backstory, sometimes wondered if the guy had a few screws loose.
"Hikigaya-kun, it's not that I don't believe you—"
"It's fine. Not believing me is normal," he cut in. "Let me put it like this: pretend for a moment that it is true. Then look back at Ayanokōji's recent actions through that lens."
"…That… would explain a lot."
Horikita paused, then slowly nodded.
"So the school was aiming at Ayanokōji-kun right from the random Commander draw?"
"More or less."
At that, Hikigaya suddenly found himself amused.
Under normal circumstances, the Commander would be a student with Protection Points. That way, even if Tsukishiro wanted to expel Ayanokōji, he wouldn't need to bother rigging this exam.
But Hikigaya went off-script. No one else in Class D volunteered. So Tsukishiro was forced into a corner—and ended up approaching Hikigaya directly, dragging in that whole "study abroad" excuse.
Honestly, the guys from White Room had a knack for playing clowns.
Then Horikita suddenly grew serious.
"Hikigaya-kun… If what you're saying is true, doesn't that mean our class is going to lose without even putting up a fight?"
"Pretty much." Hikigaya nodded, looking bored. "The Commander's job is all done via computer. All the school has to do is tweak a value here or there, and the instructions get altered. And that's just the most basic level of interference."
"You're calling that basic? Then what would the advanced stuff look like?" Horikita asked.
"Advanced, huh…"
Hikigaya stroked his chin for a moment, then said, "Each class submits their events, right? Then the school selects seven of them for the exam. If I were Tsukishiro, I'd just pick four from Class A. That'd tilt the entire playing field. And no one could complain."
"Wait a second—you're acting like anything Class A submits is a guaranteed win."
Horikita glared at him, clearly annoyed.
But Hikigaya just shook his head.
"If you think that, it means the exam rules have already misled you."
"Misled us?"
"Yeah. Remember the day the exam was announced? Chabashira-sensei gave that whole long speech, even compared it to chess."
Even though he'd been out of it that day, Hikigaya still remembered bits and pieces of that monologue.
"Then when you guys were planning the events to submit, you focused on things the students were good at, right?"
"Right, but what's wrong with that?" Horikita still looked confused.
"A lot," Hikigaya said, looking exasperated. "Whether it's chess or basketball, all that flashy stuff doesn't really matter. Let me ask you this: what if Class A treats this like a regular written exam and submits only academic subjects? How does our class compete with that?"
"Uh… Well… We do have some strong students."
"Sure, a few. But if the rules call for twenty students from each class and go by total score? Can you pick twenty people from our class who can outperform Class A across the board? And not just in one subject."
"…That's…"
Now Horikita looked like she was finally getting it.
Exactly. Even if Tsukishiro didn't interfere directly, as long as Class A figured out the trick, Class D's chances were practically zero.
Let's face it—even if Ayanokōji, the so-called "masterpiece," acted as Commander, what's he supposed to do? Magically turn a bunch of underachievers like Kushida into elite scholars?
When it came to raw academic performance, Class D couldn't hold a candle to Class A.
Sure, maybe a class might have some hidden prodigy in chess or martial arts—those skills don't show up on paper. But test scores? What you see is what you get. Unless someone's insane like Ayanokōji… or, well, Matsushita, who might be hiding something too.
The point is, no class has twenty people pulling that kind of stunt.
Unfortunately, just about everyone had been misled by the structure of the exam. They poured all their energy into fancy talent shows that wouldn't matter in the end.
After hearing all that, Horikita stayed quiet for a long time.
…Was she feeling discouraged?
Just as Hikigaya was wondering if he should say something to cheer her up, Horikita suddenly spoke.
"Hikigaya-kun. I've been thinking… That thing Hashimoto said—about thanking you for your idea. Could it be… this was what he meant?"
"?!"
Crap!
Is it just him, or is this girl getting smarter by the day?!