Chapter 41: Hikigaya, The Rival?

“So, Akito, you missed the club again yesterday. It’s really fun, you should come more often from now on. With everyone else…”

As she spoke, Yuigahama hugged her knees, burying her face in them. Then she peeked sideways, sneaking a glance at Himekoji Akito like someone spying.

“Together?”

“N-no, with everyone! I didn’t mean just the two of us! Everyone else will be there too! S-so don’t get the wrong idea, it’s nothing weird!”

“Don’t worry. Since it’s you, I won’t get the wrong idea.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”

Yuigahama snapped her head up, glaring at him sharply.

“Uh…”

Was that an overreaction? Himekoji gave Yuigahama a puzzled look.

The girl seemed to realize it too and let out an awkward chuckle. “A-haha…” Trying to brush it off, she then looked towards the other side, prompting Himekoji to turn his head as well.

His eyes met those of Totsuka Saika, who was talking to Hikigaya Hachiman across the way. They were deer-like eyes, glittering brightly, cuter than any girl’s.

“Hey! Saika~!”

Yuigahama waved enthusiastically at Totsuka Saika.

Saika waved back warmly and immediately trotted over toward them, tennis racket in hand.

Following right behind him, someone completely out of character for his usually anti-social nature trailed along – Hikigaya Hachiman, who disliked crowds and noise, slowly shuffled after Saika.

“It’s tough, Saika. Playing tennis during class, now training again at lunch,” Yuigahama gave her usual kind of greeting.

“Not at all! I do it because I like it. Ah, speaking of which, Himekoji-kun is really good at tennis!”

The conversation, unexpectedly, shifted towards Himekoji.

Wait, perhaps saying “unexpectedly” wasn’t right. He’d been through this storyline once already; this was exactly how things happened in the game.

It was just that a scene straight out of a galgame was now playing out in real life; he wasn’t quite used to it yet.

“A-ah, is that so?”

Come to think of it, this might be the first time he’d been complimented face-to-face since becoming a pervert.

“Yeah, your movements were very beautiful!”

As Totsuka Saika said this, he looked at Himekoji. His gaze was unbearably cute. If compared to dogs, it was like a Chihuahua; if to cats, a Munchkin. It was that kind of gentle, soft feeling only those adorable animals could match.

Hey, how could someone this cute possibly be a boy? Was God blind?

Hold on… suddenly it felt like he wanted to try pursuing Saika, even if there were no task rewards!

No way, no way! Got to stay calm!

Himekoji quickly shook his head, trying to banish that dangerous thought.

“Speaking of which, Hikki is really good too!”

Yuigahama blinked in surprise upon noticing the person who’d somehow ended up beside them. Immediately, she steered the conversation his way.

It gave the impression that an adult was showing kindness to a child who’d been left out.

Like, wow, totally something expected from Yuigahama, who hung out with Hayama and the other normies.

“True! Hikigaya-kun, have you played tennis before?”

Thus, Saika’s gaze also turned to Hikigaya, accompanied by a refreshing smile.

It was even brighter than the summer sun.

So, this smile was directed at someone besides himself after all…

Just thinking that sent an uncomfortable feeling washing over Himekoji’s chest.

Hang on! Nope! That’s nonsense. How could he possibly feel that way? The target was a fellow guy!

“I played ‘Mario Tennis’ in elementary school. Never played the real thing though.”

Hikigaya replied, his gaze fixed solely on Saika.

Huh? Wait, looking only at Saika?

Is that… the smell of a rival?!

Ah, remember now. Saika’s pretty popular with the girls. Some girls are so charmed by his cuteness they call him the “Prince.”

Saika, a beautiful boy with looks as cute as a girl’s, truly fit the image of a “Prince.” The nickname probably carried their feeling of “wanting to protect him,” too.

So, was Hikigaya one of them?

He thought Hikigaya Hachiman, who’d supposedly mastered the way of solitude, would be different from those flashy, shallow types outside!

Himekoji Akito was disappointed!

But speaking of “Prince,” Himekoji himself used to be called that all the time earlier. Only, it came with a far more impressive and dominating prefix tacked on…

Yep…”Pervert.”

“Oh! That game everyone played? I played it too! Doubles was super fun!”

Yuigahama responded with a laugh, seeming to recall childhood joys.

“…I only played alone.”

Huh? Was that meant as a cold joke? But that lingering, self-mocking sense of loneliness within those words… what was that?

“Eh? … Ah, umm, sorry!”

“Are you some minesweeper working inside my heart? Your job is to dig up every single wound I have, one by one?”

Hikigaya shot a completely dead-eyed glare at Yuigahama.

“It’s just that you’re carrying too many bombs, Hikki!”

Totsuka seemed to be listening to the conversation happily.

Meanwhile, Himekoji had his gaze locked on Totsuka Saika the whole time. His stare was like a hunter locking onto his prey.

A guaranteed Amazing 10-Draw Gacha! And 2000 2D Points!

Seeing such an incredibly cute boy signifying such rich rewards, it wouldn’t be strange if drool started leaking from Himekoji Akito’s mouth right now.

…

Then, the bell marking the end of lunch break rang.

“Ah, time to head back.”

Totsuka said that and started walking. Yuigahama moved to follow close behind him.

Weirdly, it felt completely natural for her to head back with him.

Hey! That’s too reckless! Since becoming a pervert, Himekoji Akito had never walked back with anyone!

Hikigaya, it seemed, was stuck in the same awkward situation as Himekoji.

“You guys go ahead first.”

The words almost slipped out simultaneously from both of them.

But on the verge of speaking, they both changed what they were going to say—

“By the way, Yuigahama, aren’t you supposed to get Yukinoshita her juice?”

They spoke practically in unison.

Hold on, what was this awful sense of synchronization?!

“Huh? — Ah!!”

Forgetful Yuigahama seemed to remember the errand she’d come down for only now.