COTE : There is Something Wrong With Hikigaya

After Totsuka went in, Katsuragi closed his eyes again, but his occasionally furrowed brows gave away his unease. 

The student council office door soon opened again, and Totsuka walked out, looking dejected. It had only been about five minutes, so the result was obvious. 

Katsuragi stepped forward, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Don't worry, leave it to me," before confidently walking inside. Totsuka looked at him with admiration, as if thinking, *That's Katsuragi for you.* 

About ten minutes later, Katsuragi came out with the same composed look as before. He showed no signs of joy or disappointment, making it impossible for anyone to guess how it went. 

He left without greeting or interacting with anyone. 

Then… 

"Kanzaki, why aren't you going in?" 

Ichinose urged her classmate. Kanzaki glanced at Hikigaya, then at Ichinose. He was about to say, *You go first, I'll go next,* but before he could finish, Ichinose pushed him from behind, forcing him into the room with an unwilling expression. 

Now, only two people were left in the hallway. 

"My name is Ichinose, Class 1-B. Ichinose Honami. Nice to meet you!" 

Outside the student council office, on the seats in the hallway, the pink-haired girl casually sat beside Hikigaya, as if they had been friends for years. She was so natural about it that even Hikigaya didn't realize she had already greeted him like they were close. 

Hikigaya: "..." 

So… bright. 

Cheerful, lively, warm like a spring breeze, pure and kind… In that moment, Hikigaya could think of every positive adjective possible. There was even a faint, pleasant scent coming from her. 

"Hi—Hikigaya Hachiman." 

The dead-fish-eyed boy quickly shifted away, but she just scooted closer, completely unaware that their distance had already entered the "friend" zone. 

We were total strangers just a second ago! How did she get so familiar so fast?! 

Compared to a certain cute, blonde girl who wanted to be friends with everyone, this was on a whole different level! 

"Hikigaya-kun, you seem pretty close with Yukinoshita-san?" Ichinose asked curiously. 

"Why—wait, no, how did you come to that conclusion?!" Hikigaya stiffened. 

"Hehe, because I'm a girl! And a woman's intuition is always right~ Hope you don't mind, Hikigaya-kun." Ichinose stuck out her tongue playfully, looking both smug and eager to show off. 

For some reason, Hikigaya's heart skipped a beat. 

Just a few simple words, and she had already closed the emotional distance between them without making him feel uncomfortable. It created a strange sense of familiarity. 

That was Ichinose Honami's ability. 

Looking at her bright, cheerful smile, a word popped into Hikigaya's mind. 

Sincerity. 

Sincere words often had sharp edges, but at the same time, they were the most powerful way to reach someone's heart. 

Sincerity was the ultimate weapon. 

It sounded simple, but how many people could truly be sincere? 

The simpler something was, the purer it became. 

And from this girl, Hikigaya felt that pure sincerity. 

"Hmm? Is there something on my face?" 

Ichinose wasn't annoyed or uncomfortable with Hikigaya staring at her. Instead, she tilted her head slightly and met his gaze with bright, jewel-like eyes. There wasn't a trace of malice in them—only warmth, like sunlight. 

Facing her, it felt like anything impure didn't belong. 

"No—nothing. I just think you're a little too open." 

If there was a type of person Hikigaya struggled to deal with, Shizuka-sensei was one. The pink-haired girl in front of him was another. 

Back in middle school, just one look from him was enough to make girls show an obvious look of disgust, like everything he did was wrong. 

"Most girls would avoid someone with eyes like mine. And sometimes, being too kind and having no sense of personal space isn't just bad for others—it can hurt you too." Hikigaya's voice was cold. 

"Huh? So… my actions made you uncomfortable, Hikigaya-kun?" Ichinose froze for a moment, then lowered her head. "I'm sorry. I was being too pushy." 

Hikigaya Hachiman, what the hell are you doing?! 

I should just commit seppuku right now! 

Even though he felt guilty inside, Hikigaya kept his expression cold. 

Like he said, forcing your way into someone's heart was dangerous. 

People's hearts were the hardest and most dangerous things to understand. 

Judge actions, not intentions. If you judge people's hearts, you won't find a single perfect person. 

This girl saw "everything" as "kindness." 

That was like walking on the edge of a cliff—with one foot already slipping. 

"But I never thought your eyes were scary, Hikigaya-kun." 

Even though she looked a little down, Ichinose still spoke honestly. 

"So don't get discouraged, Hikigaya-kun. Believe in yourself. You got this!"

The world left her covered in wounds, but from those wounds grew wings. 

That line suddenly popped into Hikigaya's head. 

The dead-eyed boy opened his mouth, but he didn't know what to say. Even after being hurt, she still smiled. 

Seeing Hikigaya's expression, Ichinose said shyly, 

"I know you mean well, Hikigaya-kun. People often tell me the same thing or criticize me for it, but whenever I see someone in pain, I just can't help but reach out. If I stopped helping because I was afraid of getting hurt, I worry that one day, I'd get used to it and stop caring." 

Then she stuck out her tongue playfully. 

"Do I sound dramatic or self-important? And I don't know why, but even though this is our first time talking, I just keep going on and on. I'm not usually like this—it's so weird! I hope you don't mind." 

"I... I..." Hikigaya thought for a long time before sighing. 

"Forget it. Just take care of yourself. And maybe just forget everything I just said." 

He could tell what kind of person this girl was. She wouldn't stop until she hit a dead end. Even if she knew there was a cliff ahead, she would keep moving forward. She was a seeker… and also a martyr. 

He had warned her not to get too close to people's hearts, yet he was doing the exact same thing. The double standard made him sick. 

Then, the office door opened. Ichinose raised a fist and said, "Let's do our best!" before stepping inside. 

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