COTE : There is Something Wrong With Hikigaya

Haruno the Demon Queen—the lifelong nemesis of loners. A simple thing could always sound twisted and weird when it came from her mouth. 

Of course, Hikigaya would never admit that he was afraid of being seen in a couples' café with a girl. No way. Absolutely not. 

Hikigaya, stay calm! 

He kept his face stiff, silently praying that no one he knew would see him. 

"Heh, Hikigaya-kun, you're not thinking, 'Please don't let anyone I know see me', are you?" Haruno picked up another sugar cube and dropped it into his coffee. 

"…N-No way!" Hikigaya snapped his head up in protest. 

"Then why the suspicious pause?" 

Amused, Haruno picked up another sugar cube and tossed it into his coffee. 

"Yukinoshita,-san let me make one thing clear—I don't even have acquaintances at this school. So your assumption is completely false!" Hikigaya sneered.

You despicable Demon Queen! Don't you know it's cruel to expose people's struggles? 

"And also..." Hikigaya grabbed Haruno's hand, his face full of frustration. "Stop! Adding! Sugar!" 

"Huh? But Hikigaya-kun, don't you love super sweet coffee? I just wanted to make you a little happier..." Haruno lowered her head, putting on a hurt expression, as if she had been misunderstood despite giving her all. 

To outsiders, Hikigaya looked like a heartless guy rejecting a girl's sincere feelings, while Haruno seemed like a fragile girl trying her best to please the boy she liked, only to be cruelly hurt. 

Hikigaya was speechless. If Yukinoshita Haruno doesn't win this year's Academy Award—no, the school's highest honor—I refuse to acknowledge the results! 

"I like sweet coffee, but that doesn't mean I want to turn into a sugar statue!" 

"Haha, Hikigaya-kun, you really have a talent for humor!" Haruno covered her mouth, giggling. 

For some reason, every time Haruno saw Hikigaya, she felt an uncontrollable urge to tease him. And every time he showed that lifeless, defeated expression, she couldn't help but feel oddly satisfied. 

That was the kind of person Yukinoshita Haruno was. Normal people cherish the things they like, but Haruno treated them like toys—playing with them until they broke. And the things she disliked? She destroyed them without hesitation. 

Hikigaya knew all too well how twisted the Demon Queen could be, but... was this really the real her? 

To those unfamiliar with Haruno, her "mask" was deceivingly perfect. But anyone who got closer would start to see something hidden beneath it—something real. 

But... was the "real" Haruno beneath the mask truly her real self? 

Or was this just another carefully crafted illusion, one she intentionally let others "see through"? 

Hikigaya couldn't figure her out. She was only sixteen, yet she had already wrapped herself in so many layers of deception and defense. What exactly had she been through? 

"So... Yukinoshita-san, let's get to the point already." Hikigaya urged. 

"Oh? Aren't you curious why I'm in the student council?" Haruno gave him a look that practically screamed, "Come on, ask me!" 

Too bad for her, Hikigaya simply pretended not to notice. 

"That's your secret, Yukinoshita-san. Don't worry, I won't pry." 

His response immediately earned Haruno's pouty protest. 

"What the heck? I was looking forward to this! Hikigaya-kun, you're seriously bad at reading the mood. That's a huge deduction in points when talking to girls!" 

Her expression was perfectly crafted—natural, pitiful, and heartbreakingly cute. 

Heh. 

Hikigaya remained completely unfazed, even chuckling to himself. A true warrior never falls for the same trick twice! 

He wasn't sure how Haruno managed to convince that strict student council president, but something about this situation felt off. 

"Actually, it's not much of a secret," Haruno said with a smirk. 

"The president and I simply made a little deal." 

...

"Wait!" Hikigaya immediately cut in. "Since when did it become 'we'?" 

"Huh? Aren't we on the same boat now?" Haruno replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. 

"If I run into trouble, you won't just stand by and watch, right? And vice versa. That makes us... what's the phrase again? Oh yeah, partners in fate!" 

"..." 

Hikigaya felt like this was absolute nonsense, yet at the same time... it kind of made sense? 

"I-I haven't even been accepted into the student council yet!" He tried to reassure himself. 

But at that moment, Haruno suddenly fell silent. Her deep eyes locked onto Hikigaya's. 

"Hikigaya-kun, back in the student council office, you lied, didn't you?" 

"Wh-what?" 

Hikigaya stared at her, confused. Why was she bringing this up now? His brows furrowed. "Yukinoshita-san, aren't you overthinking things?" 

Haruno didn't look away. She kept her gaze fixed on him, and then— 

She smiled. 

Reaching out with her slender finger, she pointed straight at his eyes. 

"Hikigaya-kun, do you know you have a certain habit? When normal people lie, their eyes instinctively avoid others. But you? You're different. You always meet people's eyes when you lie." 

Silence. 

For a long time, neither of them spoke. 

Finally, Hikigaya broke the silence, uncertain. "...Is that true?" 

"Nope~ I totally made that up! I just wanted to see if you'd fall for it, hehe!"

Haruno replied with a cheerful smile and took a sip of her coffee. But no one noticed the brief shadow that passed through her eyes when she lowered her head. 

"..." 

"It's not exactly a lie. I just felt that some things couldn't be said at the time." Hikigaya decided not to question the truth behind Haruno's words and answered honestly. 

"It's about the true nature of the student council, isn't it?" 

Hikigaya's right hand, which was reaching for his coffee, paused for a moment. He looked up at Haruno in surprise before nodding. 

"Something like that. The student council president kept emphasizing the authority and mission the school gave the council to change rules and regulations. But honestly, everyone who applied for the position must have understood the real reason—they were investing in their future." 

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