28. Hikigaya Hachiman's Enemy
"You were cheating, you bastard!!!" Sado Mikura growled under her breath, the chain around her neck clinking harshly with her agitated movement.
Just as she was about to launch into a verbal sparring match with Saotome Mary—
Clap clap clap—
Sudden applause echoed through the library.
Juraku Sachiko looked at Hikigaya Hachiman with approval, softly clapping her hands as she walked over to Saotome Mary.
"No one said the predictions had to be written with black ink. Even though she used nail polish remover, what Saotome wrote was indeed DDU."
"You did very well, Saotome Mary. You've won back your life."
She reached out with both hands to touch the collar around Saotome's neck. "Are you sure you still don't want to be my pet?"
"Sorry, Juraku-senpai. I prefer being a human over being someone's pet," Saotome Mary replied as she deftly removed the collar from her neck and casually handed it back to Juraku Sachiko.
Juraku didn't insist further. She turned around and looked at the two others who seemed to have fallen into an abyss.
"Then, according to the terms of the bet—Togakushi Yukimi, you staked your life plan to the student council. Now, I'll give you a chance for redemption. Put on this collar."
Juraku Sachiko sneered as she raised the collar in her hand. The high-grade red leather gleamed sharply under the lights.
"..."
Hikigaya Hachiman watched all of this in silence.
Humans are like this—only by utterly overpowering the other party can you truly be called human. If you're overpowered, you become "property," invaded, deprived—even your qualification to be human is stripped away.
With his hands in his pockets, Hikigaya turned and left the second library room, standing in the hallway to admire the golden hues of sunset. He had no interest in the emotional struggles or self-redemption unfolding inside.
He didn't leave right away. Something told him that the information Juraku Sachiko had for him would influence his future plans.
Just like six years ago—Juraku Sachiko altered the trajectory of his life.
"So in the end... I'm still not strong enough, huh..."
If your life can be swayed by someone else, then no matter your will or execution, you still can't be considered complete.
Hikigaya Hachiman fell into thought...
Time ticked by—about ten minutes passed before the three girls exited the library.
Saotome was holding a leather bag stuffed full, and the first thing she did upon exiting was shove the bag into Hikigaya Hachiman's hands.
"The ten million yen I owe you. Now we're even."
Hikigaya weighed the bag in his hand—it was heavy. He could tell just by the feel that the amount definitely exceeded ten million yen. As he watched Saotome Mary's retreating back, a faint smile tugged at his lips.
'She just escaped from the abyss, and she's already treating money like it's nothing…'
'Oh well, now I can pick up another discounted bento at the supermarket tonight.'
He then turned to look at Juraku Sachiko, and at the two girls behind her wearing collars. It was obvious—Togakushi Yukimi had chosen to submit in the end.
Hikigaya yawned, his eyes lazy and lacking any vitality, the cowlick on his head swaying: "Well then, it's time for you to fulfill your end of the bet, Juraku-senpai."
Juraku Sachiko crossed her arms, pressing them beneath her chest, and led Hikigaya to the edge of the window. With deep meaning in her eyes, she asked:
"Hikigaya, do you still remember the ones who bullied you six years ago?"
"Ah, I forgot a long time ago." Hikigaya casually clenched his hand into a fist, his thumb pressing subconsciously against the side of his index finger.
"Liar." Juraku Sachiko turned around and tapped his forehead with her index finger. "You only make that gesture when you lie. Just like six years ago, when I asked if you'd be willing to be my dog—you did the same thing~"
"If someone with a sharp eye notices this little secret, the student council will devour you sooner or later."
Hikigaya awkwardly rubbed his nose. "…Ah, is that so."
That was indeed his fatal weakness—he could see through others' disguises, but could not perfectly disguise himself.
In the gamble with Saotome, he had overwhelming momentum and practically played with open cards. Unfortunately, Saotome's arrogance led to her own downfall. In the mental showdown with Sumeragi Itsuki, he had also faked forgetting the cards out of fear she'd notice that he already had the win secured, and so passed the stage to Jabami Yumeko.
So, in the path of gambling, Hikigaya Hachiman still had a long way to go.
"Fine, I haven't forgotten them. I'll send every last one of them to hell," Hikigaya said with a light tone, as if stating the cruelest truth was nothing.
He wasn't lying. Since that day he met with Juraku Sachiko, he hadn't lost—but neither had he won.
He had only maintained a strange equilibrium with that group of bullies, until they graduated and disappeared. It was only then, when the boulders crushing him vanished, that Hikigaya Hachiman experienced a momentary sense of relief.
But Hikigaya was the kind of person who wanted to outmatch even the heavens—how could he possibly let go of those past enemies?
Whether it be the past, the present, or the future, Hikigaya would annihilate every last one of his enemies.
He casually said, "I remember... those guys came from pretty well-off families, right? Don't tell me—Juraku-senpai, are you about to say that they're at Hyakkaou Private Academy too?"
"It's not 'they'... just one of them—"
"Mibuomi Aoi."
"That guy, huh..."
Hikigaya Hachiman narrowed his eyes. That was the prey he had dreamed of day and night—the ringleader who led the bullying.
"How is he doing now?"
"Quite well. He's currently the student council's treasurer. But interestingly, he founded the Full-Bloom Association..."
"What's that?"
Juraku Sachiko's tone was light: "An organization dedicated to overthrowing the livestock system established by President Momobami. He's secretly winning people over, helping students who are or are about to become livestock. He's got a surprisingly good reputation among the lower-ranked students. Also, his gambling skills are excellent—so far, I haven't seen him lose a single game. He's a figure on par with President Momobami."
After hearing that, Hikigaya fell silent for a while. Then he grabbed his hair and looked up.
Just as Juraku Sachiko thought Hikigaya might be emotionally shaken and was about to comfort him—
"Hahahahaha—"
"I'm starting to really like this academy's system."
For the first time, Hikigaya's eyes gleamed with the same maddened light as Jabami Yumeko's.
It was as if everything had returned to six years ago. Mibuomi Aoi, the bully, was seen by others as a bright and cheerful young man, a hero, the embodiment of justice. To oppose him, as the only victim of bullying, Hikigaya Hachiman was naturally labeled as the evil one—an enemy of the world.
"And it's still the same now..."
"Helping the livestock at the bottom, all to satisfy some kind of twisted desire inside him? Looks like he's once again standing on the side of justice."
"Juraku-senpai, guys like him... don't even deserve to be called human."
The setting sun cast Hikigaya's shadow long, stretching across the hallway until it merged into the dark corners untouched by light.
Juraku Sachiko looked at Hikigaya, looked at his shadow, and smiled sweetly:
"Indeed."
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