Sakura Airi hadn't expected Hikigaya to give her the entire bread. What's more, he'd even spent his points to buy it. She only meant to eat half.
For a moment, she stared in the direction Hikigaya had walked off in, wanting to chase after him and return the bread.
All of it.
But… she didn't know where his dorm was, and she didn't dare to ask anyone else. In the end, all she could do was stand there silently, clutching the bread tightly in her hands.
"…Nom."
On the way back to her dorm, Sakura Airi finally gave in to temptation. She took a careful bite of the bread, and as she chewed, Hikigaya's image surfaced in her mind.
Strange… but kind.
That was the odd yet gentle feeling Hikigaya gave her.
Hikigaya walked back toward his dorm, the memories of what had just happened swirling in his mind like a storm, and shame surged up like lava erupting from deep inside his chest.
AAAHHHHH!!
What the hell did I just do? That was beyond embarrassing—just kill me already!
He squirmed inwardly in a whirlwind of self-loathing, practically sprinting for his dorm, dying to dive under his covers and writhe around like a maggot.
Only that would purge the nameless fire raging inside him.
Tap. Tap.
Just as he was about to reach his room, something felt… off. There was a girl—no, a figure—squatting in front of his door.
Someone's waiting for me outside my dorm?
No, no way. That doesn't happen in real life.
Must be a mistake. Probably someone in another room...
Suspicious but drawn in, Hikigaya crept closer step by step, and when he finally saw the familiar "111" on the door—his door—he froze.
A girl was squatting there.
A familiar one, at that.
It was Karuizawa Kei—her trademark blonde ponytail unmistakable.
She was crouched casually by his door, looking bored out of her mind, like she'd been waiting there for ages.
Huh? Wait—Karuizawa Kei!?
No—what the hell is she doing here!?
The shock of seeing the gyaru-class queen at his door nearly short-circuited his brain. He was half-convinced he was hallucinating.
There was one more strange detail—Karuizawa wasn't in her school uniform. She was wearing casual clothes: a pale blue shirt and a white skirt.
Compared to her usual school look, the whole vibe was way less aggressive. She looked almost like the girl-next-door type now.
But regardless of the outfit, none of it explained why she was here, outside his room.
"You're finally back. My legs are practically numb from waiting." Karuizawa looked up and gave him a flat stare, as if he were the one keeping her waiting.
"Uh, um, wait a second…"
Hikigaya froze. Her attitude was way too calm, like nothing about this was weird.
"What, are you not gonna let me in?" she said, scowling slightly. "You want the whole class thinking we're spending the night together or something?"
"NO WAY!!"
At her words, Hikigaya panicked and rushed to unlock the door.
Karuizawa walked in like she owned the place and casually sat down at the edge of his bed.
She looked so natural about it that for a second, Hikigaya almost thought this was normal. That she belonged there.
But reality kicked back in fast, and he stammered out, "No, this is not normal! Why the heck are you in my room!?"
"What's the big deal?" she shrugged, completely unfazed.
"Oh, and I brought you a bento. You probably skipped dinner again, didn't you?"
"Well… I did… Thanks? Wait, why do you sound exactly like my little sister!?"
Hikigaya stared at her in disbelief.
The sudden visit, the oddly comfortable banter—it all reminded him of talking to Komachi, his little sister, who always nagged him in that same casually caring way.
"Eh? You have a sister?" Karuizawa perked up at that, latching onto the most random part.
"Now I'm curious. What's someone like your sister even like? Hopefully not as twisted as you are."
"Hey! My sister is the kindest, most understanding person in the world! Nothing like this emotionally warped creep sitting here, okay!?"
"Wow, you just admitted to being emotionally warped. You always talk about yourself like that?"
Karuizawa gave him a theatrical stare, then reached into her bag and slowly pulled out the bento, complete with a pair of chopsticks.
Her gentle, wifey-like behavior was honestly throwing him off.
Hikigaya still had no clue why she'd come all the way here at this hour—or what she was after.
But maybe it was Karuizawa's commanding presence that left him with no room to argue… or maybe, just maybe, he was getting sucked into this strange little domestic rhythm they'd fallen into.
In the end, he sat down silently and opened the bento she handed him.
"Still as good as ever. Did you take cooking lessons or something?"
"Heh."
Karuizawa gave him a small, satisfied smile, but kept it cool. "Nah. You do anything long enough, you just get the hang of it."
"That's so." Hikigaya ate as he finally worked up the courage to ask the question that had been bugging him. "So… why'd you come to my room? Aren't you afraid someone might see you?"
"I came late enough that most people are already in their dorms," she said, shooting him a look. "Besides, you're the one who got back so late. Made me wait out there forever."
"I just… had some stuff to do." Hikigaya scratched his head, trying to change the subject. "Still, you can't guarantee no one saw you, right? What if someone did, and the rumors reach Hirata—"
"Doesn't bother me."
She cut him off so casually, it left Hikigaya stunned.
It doesn't bother you—but that doesn't mean it doesn't bother me!
I don't want the class thinking I'm some blond-obsessed creep!