COTE: Hikigaya's Classroom of the Supreme Being

"Good afternoon, Nagumo-senpai."

Despite feeling somewhat inconvenienced, Hikigaya stood up and greeted him.

Aside from Nagumo, there were two second-year boys nearby, likely his companions.

"Ah, it's alright," Nagumo waved dismissively. "I just saw you and wanted to say hello. You and your friends continue."

Even so, Hikigaya sensed that Nagumo had something more to say but was probably holding back due to Sudo's presence.

"Hikigaya," Nagumo said, glancing at the plate of vegetables on the table, "why are you only eating these? At your age, you need proper nutrition. If you're short on points, just let me know. We're both in the student council, after all."

Nagumo, only a year older, dared to act like a caring adult. Still, Hikigaya wasn't about to get into a confrontation over something so trivial.

"Thanks for the concern. I've just been eating too richly while traveling recently, so I decided to switch to something lighter."

"Ah, yes, I almost forgot. The food on that ship was all free. You don't get to enjoy such luxuries regularly."

Nagumo's words seemed laced with mockery. His status as the only first-year student invited into the student council was still a sore spot for him—what a petty person.

Fortunately, Hikigaya was skilled at self-deprecation.

"Yeah, since it was free, I might have overindulged a bit."

"...Heh, you're quite the glutton."

Nagumo seemed momentarily taken aback by Hikigaya's response, his laughter awkwardly covering his surprise. Most high school students cared about their image, but Hikigaya was the type who didn't mind losing face, leaving others unsure how to respond.

Or perhaps they simply didn't know how to handle it.

"Sorry for interrupting you. Let's talk another time."

With that, Nagumo turned and walked back to his table of companions.

Once he was out of earshot, Sudo muttered under his breath, "Ugh, what a jerk. His words are so annoying."

"Uh..."

"Hey, don't you feel the same way?" Sudo pressed, seeing Hikigaya's silence as a sign of disagreement. "Why are you letting him get away with this? Even if he's a senior, you don't have to just take it! You should have confronted him like you did with Ryuen on the ship!"

"...There was no need."

Hikigaya was at a loss for words. What exactly did Sudo think of him?

Noticing Hikigaya's confusion, Sudo frowned, as if struggling with an internal conflict.

After a moment, as though coming to a firm decision, Sudo placed his hands on Hikigaya's shoulders and said earnestly, "Hikigaya Hachiman, there's something I need you to answer honestly."

"Using honorifics now? Alright, go ahead."

Hikigaya, sensing the seriousness in Sudo's tone, adopted a more serious demeanor as well.

"Do you... like Suzune?"

"...Huh?"

What on earth was this guy blabbering about?

"Isn't it obvious?" Sudo insisted confidently. "The way you defended Horikita yesterday, it must be because you like her, right?"

"...I've defended you before too."

"No, no, that's different!"

"No, it's the same."

Hikigaya's tone was firm. He had never romantically thought of Horikita. She was just the president's annoying little sister, merely a girl by coincidence.

"And if you want Horikita to notice you, improving yourself is the way to go," Hikigaya suggested, trying to shift the focus.

Sudo fell for it immediately, thumping his chest with resolve. "I've been making progress! I haven't slacked off in class once recently!"

"...That's the bare minimum."

Although it was indeed a significant improvement for Sudo, it was a standard expectation for someone like Horikita, who was a top student.

"Why not start by improving your everyday behavior? Like how you treat your seniors."

Hikigaya had no interest in meddling in others' romantic pursuits, but he certainly didn't want to be misunderstood as a rival.

Besides, that was Ayanokouji's domain.

"Huh? I didn't say anything earlier!" Sudo protested.

"...But you shot a pretty nasty look at Nagumo-senpai, didn't you?" Hikigaya said with a hint of exasperation. "I get that you're frustrated, but Nagumo-senpai is going to be the next student council president and has control over the entire grade. You wouldn't want this to affect your basketball, would you?"

Despite Hikigaya's advice, Nagumo had completely ignored Sudo, treating him like a mere pebble on the road. Still, if this advice helped Sudo improve his behavior, it would be a small victory.

"But that guy is irritating."

"I know, but it's like dealing with unfriendly seniors in the basketball club. You have to endure, right?"

"Yeah, you're right."

When it came to something as important as basketball, even Sudo had to compromise.

"Anyway, you should listen to me." Hikigaya gave his shoulder a reassuring pat. "Horikita likes serious guys. If you just show a bit more maturity, she'll notice you over Ayanokouji."

"Wait, Suzune still likes Ayanokouji?" Sudo asked, panic rising.

"...At least for now, she seems more focused on Ayanokouji. They're often seen together discussing the special exam."

Hikigaya felt a pang of guilt with every word, though he remained honest.

"Alright!" Sudo clenched his fist with determination. "Starting today, I'm going to be a serious man!"

"...Good luck."

Though it was hard to believe how long this enthusiasm would last, any attempt at self-improvement was a positive step.

"Oh, one more thing I almost forgot."

As they were finishing up their meal, Sudo suddenly spoke up.

"That 500,000 points you covered for me before, I'll pay you back next month when the points are distributed. Let's exchange numbers so I can contact you then."

"...What 500,000 points?"

"Hey, come on, are you really this forgetful? That large sum of money you paid for my retake exam! I'm bringing it up now because of the rewards from the special exam."

"Oh... never mind, keep it for yourself."

Hikigaya hadn't forgotten, but he considered it unnecessary to worry about such trivial matters.

"No, no, I need to pay it back! I didn't have enough points before, but now that I have the money, of course, I should return it!" Sudou insisted, shaking his head vigorously.

He added quickly, "I sometimes get rewards from participating in club activities, so you don't need to worry too much."

"…Then let's settle it at two hundred thousand," Hikigaya said firmly.

"Eh? But…"

"No 'buts.' Just two hundred thousand," Hikigaya interrupted him decisively.

At that moment, Sudou was only short by two points, and spending two hundred thousand would easily resolve the issue. In other words, any extra expenditure was Hikigaya's own decision, and there was no reason for others to bear the cost.

"Oh, well then," Sudou conceded, seeing Hikigaya's resolute stance.

After settling lunch, Sudou left first to prepare for afternoon practice, while Hikigaya approached the table where Nagumo sat to say goodbye.

"Nagumo-senpai, I'll be heading out now."

"Hikigaya, wait a moment."

"Is there something you need?"

Hikigaya feigned ignorance, though he could tell Nagumo had something on his mind.

"What did you do this morning?"

"I helped Senior Kiriyama register the basketball team's roster," Hikigaya answered honestly.

However, he had the feeling that Nagumo already knew the answer and was merely asking for formality's sake. After all, Nagumo seemed unsurprised by Hikigaya's presence on campus in his uniform during summer break, making it seem like he was already keeping an eye on him from the start.

"Oh, is that so?" Nagumo said with a smile. "I've had many matches against Kiriyama. Although our class has had the upper hand in class competitions, I've always respected Kiriyama's abilities. What do you think?"

…The upper hand? It's more like a crushing defeat.

Hikigaya rolled his eyes inwardly. Currently, the difference between Class 2-A and 2-B was nearly 800 points. More importantly, even Kiriyama, the leader, had lost the courage to fight back. The entire class must have already given up hope.

So how should he respond here?

"If you're worried about Kiriyama causing any trouble, I don't think you need to. He doesn't have the guts."

After a brief hesitation, Hikigaya decided to be honest.

Upon hearing this, Nagumo's face lit up with amusement.

"Why does it feel like you're underestimating Kiriyama? It's not good to underestimate your seniors."

"No, it's just that Kiriyama wants so badly to be in Class A that he can't let go of his pride. But with a little incentive, he'll yield to your reforms, Senior Nagumo."

"…Hahaha!"

Nagumo initially fell silent, then laughed heartily with his two companions.

"Kougake, Denou, did you hear that? This first-year student is sharp enough to see right through Kiriyama's true colors!"

He turned his attention back to Hikigaya.

"No wonder, despite your average grades and physical abilities, President Horikita takes an interest in you. I finally see it for myself."

It seemed that Nagumo was still brooding over their last conversation. However, Hikigaya wasn't naïve enough to believe he could simply brush it off.

Fortunately, this interaction had likely been quite 'successful.'

He had gradually figured out Nagumo's temperament and realized that redirecting his attention to Ayanokoji wasn't too difficult. Nagumo was very concerned with showcasing his strength to those around him, essentially a show-off. If he knew there was someone formidable nearby, he would certainly find ways to challenge them.

But Hikigaya presented himself as someone unclassifiable yet undeniably significant. This way, Nagumo wouldn't waste time on him nor dismiss his words lightly. After all, it was unrealistic to expect Nagumo to be easily swayed by a few praises about Ayanokouji.

Hikigaya needed to prove his value first to gain Nagumo's trust.

In the end, whether it was academic performance, sports, or even fighting…

Hikigaya's goal was simple: to show Nagumo what true excellence looked like.