The Schemer Ibuki

The fragile sense of teamwork that Class D had painstakingly built during the deserted island exam crumbled within a single morning.

Divided along gender lines, both the boys and the girls harbored simmering grievances, keeping their frustrations carefully veiled.

The boys resented Hirata's favoritism, while some of the girls were irritated by the assertiveness of Shinohara and Karuizawa. Yet, no one was foolish enough to voice these complaints aloud; everyone instinctively knew how to protect their interests.

Hikigaya, however, remained unfazed by the rising tensions.

Never one to belong to any group, he found a certain dark amusement in watching the internal strife play out. In his mind, the more they argued, the better—it provided some entertainment amidst the monotony.

That afternoon, with nothing pressing to do and still awaiting word from Hashimoto, Hikigaya opted to skip the usual exploration. Instead, he requested a fishing rod, deciding to indulge in a bit of solitude by the river.

This would be his first time fishing in the great outdoors.

Since enrolling at ANHS, Hikigaya had occasionally experimented with different forms of recreation, especially now that his financial situation allowed for it. One of these new hobbies was open-air fishing.

Initially, he had been drawn to it by a passing advertisement offering a discount, but it quickly became a quiet obsession. He found himself spending entire afternoons by the water, lost in thought.

Unlike most other activities, fishing was something he could enjoy alone.

The greatest appeal of fishing was the tranquility it afforded—no interruptions, no intrusions. Whether deep in thought or simply daydreaming, he could escape the world for a while. It was as if the activity had been designed with him in mind.

—Whoever invented fishing must have been a loner, just like me, Hikigaya mused, his thoughts laced with a touch of irony as he scouted for a suitable spot along the riverbank.

He wasn't keen on sitting under the blazing sun, risking a sunburn for the sake of a few fish. Fortunately, he soon found the perfect spot—a large tree offered ample shade, and a conveniently placed stone provided a makeshift seat.

It almost felt like this spot had been arranged deliberately as if the school had anticipated someone like him might need it.

Whoever set this up must be a fisherman, Hikigaya thought, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

With his bait prepared, he was just about to cast his line when he noticed an unexpected figure approaching.

"Hey, can we talk for a moment?"

"…What do you want, Ibuki?"

It was somewhat surprising. Hikigaya had certainly not expected this person to approach him.

Since Ibuki had been taken in by Class D, they hadn't exchanged a word, except for the first day. In fact, it seemed as though Ibuki had been deliberately avoiding him.

The reason was, of course, quite apparent.

"Well, today's been quite something," Ibuki remarked with a sigh. "First, there was the underwear thief, then a spat between a boy and a girl. It seems Class D isn't exactly united."

Hikigaya nodded in agreement. "Yes, it's on par with your Class C."

"...Say whatever you want. I'm no longer associated with those guys," Ibuki shot back, glaring at him.

In reality, looking at the situation in the upper grades, Class C and Class D were quite similar, both existing at the lower rungs of the school hierarchy.

It was only the presence of Ryūen in the first-year class that had given Class C a chance to turn things around.

In the past, lower-tier classes had no hope but to earn a little pocket money during exams.

"By the way, that guy who stole the girls' underwear is really scum," Hikigaya said, casting a sidelong glance at Ibuki while casually tossing out his fishing rod. "While it's natural to suspect the boys, jumping to conclusions so easily isn't a good idea."

"According to you, it's possible that a girl might be retaliating."

Ibuki initially agreed with Hikigaya but then gave him a curious look.

"However, hearing it from you somehow makes it less convincing," Ibuki said with a faintly mocking smile. "After all, you were the one who strongly refused to be searched... Could it be that you're feeling guilty?"

"…You've got something wrong."

Hikigaya realized that Ibuki's approach wasn't to resolve anything but to provoke him. He had originally been open to the possibility that the culprit might be a boy, but now he was certain.

Simply put, Ibuki was feeling guilty and was trying to cover it up with this clever pretense.

Just like on the first day when she, as a spy, had wanted Class D to take her in. Instead of begging or pleading, she had adopted a tough stance, using others' reactionary psychology to divert suspicion from her.

To be honest, Ibuki's acting skills were quite impressive, especially when she lied—her eyes never flinched. Just that alone surpassed most people.

"This incident doesn't necessarily involve a girl retaliating."

As he spoke, Hikigaya looked at Ibuki with a distasteful expression, deliberately provoking her. "Don't you think the girl who stole underwear might be a girl with dark intentions? Someone who, due to her inability to accept her sexual orientation, has become mentally distorted, and because she is a girl herself, she might not be suspected if she hides the underwear in her bag?"

"So you're accusing me of stealing?"

Ibuki met Hikigaya's gaze steadily, then smiled wryly.

"I suppose, as an outsider, it's easy to suspect me of framing the boys to cause a rift within Class D, isn't it?"

"…I thought you'd first deny being a psychopath."

"Hmph, who cares about your nonsense?"

Their gazes locked, and Ibuki was unfazed, accepting Hikigaya's scrutiny with calm composure. The more she maintained this stance, the more it made him want to laugh.

Ryūen's walkie-talkie had already exposed Ibuki's spy status, and despite her acting skills, to Hikigaya, it was like watching a fool perform.

"Alright, alright, if you have nothing else, just go away."

Hikigaya, trying to stifle a laugh, waved his hand impatiently, hoping to dismiss Ibuki.

But Ibuki seemed determined, continuing to fix her gaze on Hikigaya.

"I know you suspect me, but no matter what, I've severed ties with Ryūen. I won't be taking orders from him anymore."

"…Is that so."

"Believe it or not, it's the truth."

"…Sigh."

Hikigaya finally couldn't help but sigh in exasperation. "Ibuki, do you know that you're somewhat like Ryūen?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Ibuki frowned. "How could I be like him? Don't compare me to that kind of person. It's infuriating."

"I'm just saying... you're both good at fighting. It's a shame you can't beat Ryūen, otherwise, he wouldn't be causing so much trouble."

In reality, what Hikigaya wanted to say was that both Ibuki and Ryūen had a tendency to be overly clever and didn't understand the value of silence.

"Hmph! That's because Albert has always supported him. Otherwise, I would have taken him down long ago!" Ibuki said indignantly.

Hikigaya wasn't fully aware of Ibuki's true strength, but he could tell she had practiced martial arts, while Ryūen was more of a street fighter. The outcome of a fight between them was uncertain.

However, in terms of scheming,even a hundred Ibukis wouldn't stand a chance against Ryūen.

Thinking about it, Ibuki reminded him a bit of Horikita—both were types who overestimated themselves.

It seemed these two might find some common ground in their mutual traits.