The Essence of Hachiman Hikigaya

Hikigaya's words struck like a thunderclap, shattering the hopes Karuizawa Kei had secretly harbored. She fell silent for a moment before a wry smile crept onto her face.

"Alright, Hikigaya, I see your point. Losing points later on would indeed be troublesome, and your proposal is tempting... Besides, I don't want to fall from my current position," she admitted in a low voice. Her usual demeanor slowly returned as she curiously looked at Hikigaya. "So, what exactly do you think I should do?"

"Um..." Hikigaya hesitated, sensing something odd in Karuizawa's sudden shift in attitude, though he couldn't quite grasp what it was. He began cautiously, "There are only two ways to gather points—earn more and spend less. The school grants points monthly and occasionally awards them in class. So, try to collect as many points as possible and make sure you have enough on hand."

"Mm-hmm," Karuizawa nodded earnestly, giving the impression that she was paying close attention, something Hikigaya found strangely unsettling.

Despite his unease, Hikigaya continued, "The other method is to cut expenses. Try not to spend points unless absolutely necessary. For example, some of the things you bought... you should probably return them tomorrow. The school requires us to wear uniforms most of the time, so there's no need for all these extra clothes."

"At least let me keep one," Karuizawa pouted slightly, her expression one of mock resistance that seemed more like playful teasing.

Hikigaya, unsure how to handle this, hesitated before responding, "Fine, you can keep one. Just make sure to return the rest."

"Okay." Karuizawa nodded obediently, her previous assertiveness melting away into something softer, almost tender.

What is going on? Was her old demeanor all an act?

Hikigaya couldn't help but feel conflicted, realizing that he might have unwittingly touched on something deeper, something he wasn't meant to uncover. Yet, strangely, he found this new side of Karuizawa more agreeable, even endearing.

"Could you come with me to return the clothes?" Karuizawa asked quietly, breaking his train of thought.

"What?!" Hikigaya blurted out, startled.

"I'm not sure which one to keep, so I was hoping to get your opinion," she said, her eyes lifting slightly in a pleading expression.

Hikigaya nearly caved under this classic but powerful attack. "N-no, that's not necessary!" he stammered, shaking his head. "You should ask Hirata for help. I'm not your boyfriend, and what if someone sees us together?"

"I see..." Karuizawa responded with a resigned nod, her earlier aggressiveness vanishing completely. She now seemed more like a younger sister than the strong-willed girl he was used to.

Is she switching roles too quickly?

Hikigaya thought, feeling increasingly bewildered. After escorting her to the dorm entrance and handing over the bags, he watched her disappear inside.

"Hikigaya..." she suddenly called out, turning back to face him.

It looked like she wanted to say something, but in the end, she simply nodded and said, "Thank you. See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow," Hikigaya replied, though their relationship had now become even more ambiguous.

As he touched the bento in his backpack, his feelings grew more complicated.

Tomorrow would mark the first day of a new month—May 1st. In some neighboring countries, this day was celebrated as Labor Day, but not in Japan. Not only was there no holiday, but Hikigaya despised labor itself. His ambition was to become a member of the idle class, a tax thief lounging in an office, drawing a paycheck for doing nothing.

Of course, his immediate goal was to find a rich woman to support him. Being a full-time househusband didn't sound so bad, did it?

Since school was resuming the next day, Hikigaya needed to return the books he had borrowed from the library. To avoid running into Shiina Hiyori, he usually picked odd times to visit, a strategy that had successfully minimized their encounters.

But this time, perhaps due to some twist of fate, Hikigaya found himself face-to-face with Shiina Hiyori as soon as he stepped into the library that morning. The girl, who seemed almost like a fairy from a storybook, lit up with joy the moment she saw him, rushing over excitedly.

"Hikigaya-kun, it's been so long!"

Oh no, Hikigaya thought, a strong sense of guilt washing over him. He had deliberately avoided her, suspecting she had some ulterior motive and because of his own misanthropic nature. But Hiyori, completely unaware of this, greeted him with her usual innocent enthusiasm, making Hikigaya feel like an unforgivable villain.

"Y-yeah, long time no see," he replied stiffly, beginning to question whether his earlier suspicions were misplaced. Perhaps Hiyori really had no hidden agenda.

Maybe she was just too kind for her own good.

"Hikigaya-kun, I've found some really interesting books recently... If you have time, would you like to read them together?"

Uh-oh, that painful feeling in his stomach was getting worse.

Hiyori's sincere offer only deepened Hikigaya's guilt. Driven by a sense of penitence, he reluctantly agreed. "O-okay, sure."

"Great!" Hiyori's face lit up with a smile so radiant that it dispelled any lingering negativity in Hikigaya's mind. At least, he found it impossible to entertain any sinister thoughts in the presence of such pure joy.

Sigh, I guess I've been too cynical.

Hikigaya inwardly sighed, frustrated by his tendency to doubt others' good intentions. But he couldn't help it; accepting kindness didn't come easily to him. Even when someone's warmth was laid bare before him, he had to meticulously check for hidden traps before cautiously accepting it—or, more often than not, rejecting it entirely.

It was like this in his class too; he wasn't so much an "isolated wolf" as someone who actively isolated himself from everyone else. He was not the lone wolf others saw but rather a bear standing alone in the wilderness.

This was who Hachiman Hikigaya truly was.