The third day had barely started, and Hikigaya was already doing something absurd by his standards, anyway.
He stood just outside the classroom near the window, his hands awkwardly stuffed in his pockets, waiting for one girl in particular: Wang-yu-Mei.
Clearly someone who knew what she was doing, the kind of person who might help someone like him, if he could figure out how to ask without sounding like he was trying to sell her a scam.
'Okay. Target acquired. She's smart, decent, and not part of any weird clique yet. Ideal candidate for academic assistance.'
Her name ranked among the top fifteen first-years in the entrance exam scores. She seemed like a decent girl, which by his standards made her a safe choice. So, he decided to ask her.
'Except... I haven't had a normal conversation with a girl my age in, what, three years? And let's be real, Horikita doesn't exactly count as normal.'
Just then, she entered his view, walking slowly toward the classroom, alone.
'Better now than never.'
He stepped out into the hallway, each step feeling heavier than it should. His mouth was already dry by the time he spoke.
"Excuse me Wang-san."
She turned, startled, her shoes making a small shuffle on the tile. Her expression was polite, but her body stiffened slightly when she saw who had called her.
"Y-Yes… Um you are?"
"Sorry to stop you like this. I'm Hikigaya. We're in the same class."
"Uh, okay...?"
"I won't take much of your time. Just a quick favor."
She stopped a few feet away, tilting her head slightly, brows faintly furrowed. Listening.
"You're… pretty good academically. Near the top, right?"
She looked to the side and nodded lightly. "Ah… um… yes, I think so…"
"Thing is… I haven't really studied properly in a while. My basics are kind of a mess."
He rubbed the back of his neck and kept his tone as casual as possible.
"So, I was wondering… if maybe, if it's not too much trouble, you could help me review some of the fundamentals. Just a little."
Her eyes widened, lips parting. "E-Eh? M-Me…?"
"I'm not asking for charity. I will compensate you fairly with 'points' for your time & effort. I know your time's valuable. And I wouldn't take much of it."
She glanced at his face, feeling a bit uneasy. Her eyes shifted to his sharp, lifeless gaze and the dark circles beneath them, which made his expression seem even more severe. Her grip on the bag tightened slightly.
"Um… I-I'm not really good at teaching," she mumbled. "I get nervous. I might mess up and confuse you instead…
Her voice shrank with every word, and she avoided meeting his eyes again. That was enough for him to tell she was genuinely unsettled.
Hikigaya stepped back, raising his hands.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to corner you. It's fine if you're not comfortable. Just thought I'd ask."
"N-No! I mean, you weren't— I just..." She bowed her head quickly. "I-I'm just not good with that kind of thing... I'm really sorry..."
He gave a half-hearted wave.
"It's okay. I get it. Honestly, thanks for even listening."
She offered a tiny, apologetic smile, but said nothing more. He turned around and walked back toward the classroom.
'Well, that went about as expected, which is to say not well at all. Still, it's not like I'm out of options just yet.'
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After that, Hikigaya returned to his seat, trying to focus on the lectures. Math and science were especially rough since he could barely remember the basics, and now everything else just stacked on top of that crumbling foundation.
Hikigaya scratched his head, his eyes narrowed at the board. "This is bad… I can't even follow half of this," he muttered under his breath. "Even though I studied until second year, it feels like I skipped middle school entirely."
Hikigaya Hachiman stayed in his seat, arms crossed, eyes drifting across the room.
His gaze landed briefly on a boy in glasses named Yukimura Teruhiko.
"Okay, next target acquired. Seems like a logical guy who keeps to himself… decent enough. Maybe he'll actually hear me out if I ask for help."
Yukimura was one of the top five scorers in the entrance exam. He seemed to do exceptionally well academically and came across as a reasonable person.
'He doesn't seem close to anyone, but he doesn't strike me as the type to care either. Looks like I've got a better shot this time.'
Yukimura stood and headed toward the cafeteria as lunch break began. A few seconds later, Hikigaya got up and followed, keeping a careful distance behind him.
He watched Yukimura choose a seat by the window, away from the noisy groups.
'Good. No audience. If this goes south, at least no one will see it.'
Hikigaya took a quiet breath, steadying himself before deciding to approach the guy.
"Yo. Mind if I sit here?"
Yukimura looked up with a mildly puzzled expression, clearly not recognizing him.
"I don't believe we've spoken before."
"We haven't," he replied with a short nod. "Hikigaya. Class 1-D. I was hoping to have a quick word, if that's alright."
Yukimura looked him over, then he nodded once.
"I'm Yukimura. Sure, go ahead."
Hikigaya sat, letting a few moments pass.
"I'll be quick. I wanted to ask about something. You're ranked fairly high academically, right?"
Yukimura blinked once, a mild reaction. "I finished near the top on the entrance assessments. Why?"
"I'll be honest. I'm behind. My academics… aren't great. Never were. I missed a lot of basics back in middle school."
Yukimura didn't react, but Hikigaya could see the way his fingers paused for just a second above his chopsticks.
"And you're telling me this because?"
"Because I want to hire you to help me catch up. Tutoring. In exchange for points."
Now he had Yukimura's attention. The other boy sat straighter, eyes narrowing slightly.
As he leaned little closer, and in a low voice asked.
"How many points are we talking?"
Hikigaya exhaled slowly and replied "Ten thousand. For a month."
"Ten thousand …You're serious?" he repeated, slowly, as if to confirm he heard it right.
"Yeah," Hikigaya gave a small nod. "I'm not asking for much just the basics. Maybe twice a week, short sessions. Once I've got a grip on the fundamentals, I'll try handling the rest on my own."
Yukimura leaned back slightly in his seat, folding his arms.
"That's barely anything for what you're asking. You want someone to teach you almost the entire middle school curriculum. Ten thousand won't even cover the effort."
To be honest, he had to admit Yukimura wasn't wrong. Teaching that much for ten thousand points was probably unfair. Even Hikigaya knew it would take time and effort way more than he could offer in return at first.
'Of course it's not enough', he thought wryly. 'I get it. Ten thousand won't cut it. But I can't just throw out some huge number and hope for the best.'
Still, he needed to be careful with his points. They weren't unlimited, and wasting them on something unrealistic wouldn't help.
"I get it's a low offer. Okay. How about thirty thousand then?"
There was a moment of silence as Yukimura folded his arms.
"I could consider thirty. But given the scope of what you're asking and the fact that I'm taking time away from my own study schedule, I'd only agree for fifty thousand."
Hikigaya leaned in just a little. "Look, I get it. You think fifty is fair. But I'm not asking for hand-holding here. Just enough to get my footing. That doesn't seem like it's worth half my entire monthly balance."
Yukimura raised an eyebrow, arms still crossed. "Then maybe reconsider whether you really need my help."
Hikigaya frowned, trying to keep his tone neutral. "Thirty thousand is still a serious amount. Especially for just a few sessions a week. It's not like I'm asking for full-time tutoring."
But Yukimura didn't seem moved. If anything, he looked even more sure of himself.
"I understand your concern," he said, tone flat. "But my price is based on the time I'd lose. I won't compromise my schedule for less."
Hikigaya stared at him for a moment, then leaned back.
'So that's how it is huh.'
Yukimura looked calm and tried to stay neutral, but there was a slight shift in his attitude. His tone stayed steady, but there was a hint of smugness underneath.
There it was that quiet sense of self-importance, as if helping someone beneath his level would be a noble act of charity. Hikigaya didn't need to overanalyze it. The moment he acknowledged Yukimura's top rank and asked for academic help, something changed. It was like watching someone straighten their back after being praised, just enough to feel a little taller.
'He barely reacted when I asked for help. But the second I tied it to grades and rankings, it was like someone handed him a crown and told him to wear it.'
And now he was quoting fifty thousand like he was doing him a favor.
Hikigaya's eyes briefly flicked to the tray in front of Yukimura—one of the pricier lunch sets in the cafeteria. Not exactly subtle.
'Right. Of course he picked the most expensive meal. Probably thinks it reflects his value or something.'
The guy clearly had a strong sense of academic pride, but didn't seem to realize how the points actually worked or just didn't care. Thirty thousand should've been more than enough for a few weekly sessions on basic fundamentals.
'So that's it. Book smart, but not much beyond that. Not dumb, just blind in that focused, honor-student kind of way. Guess my read on him was a bit too generous.'
Fifty thousand. That was nearly half of Hikigaya's total points. He can't afford to lose that much especially when he is still unsure about next month point allocation.
"I'll think about it," Hikigaya said, as he stood up from his seat. "Thanks for hearing me out though."
He gave a short nod. "If you change your mind, come prepared. I don't do things halfway."
As Hikigaya walked off, hands in his pockets, he let out a quiet sigh.
"I offered what I could. If that's not enough, then maybe this place is worse than I thought."
Hikigaya thought about other options: Hirata, Kushida, Koenji, and Horikita.
Hirata was easy to find, surrounded by a group of classmates, laughing and chatting without a care. Hikigaya hesitated for a moment but quickly gave up on the idea. There was no way Hirata would make time for someone like him, not with so many others around.
Kushida was much the same, always moving between groups and socializing. It didn't seem likely she'd be interested in helping someone like Hikigaya.
Koenji wasn't even worth thinking about. Hikigaya doubted that someone like him would want anything to do with anyone around him.
Horikita was the only one he didn't completely write off, but even she was just a faint possibility in the back of his mind.
He shifted his focus to the more average students. But most looked downright uncomfortable at the idea of studying this early, especially when the school had given them so much freedom. They weren't shy about turning him down either.
"Studying? Already? Man, chill out."
"Who even are you?"
"Are you seriously asking this on the third day? That's so lame."
Some just waved him off without saying anything. A few gave polite excuses. One group laughed outright before he could even finish his sentence.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hikigaya walked back into the classroom, tired and a little annoyed. His shoulders felt heavier than they should.
"Guess I was the idiot after all. I asked for help, knowing full well what I'd get. But a part of me still wished I was wrong."
He slumped into his seat and looked around. The air felt different now lighter for everyone else, but heavier for him.
The next class started not long after. Hikigaya kept his eyes on the teacher, trying to follow along, but his focus kept slipping. It wasn't just the lesson it was the atmosphere.
The classroom didn't feel like a place for studying anymore. The air itself felt loud, like it was shouting, "Let's have fun, everyone."
Around him, most of the students had already were slacking off. A group of girls were chatting and giggling among themselves. Others stared blankly out the window or tapped away at their phones under the desk. Some were playing games, completely tuned out. One student at the back was asleep, head buried in his arms.
He glanced sideways. Horikita was quietly flipping pages in her textbook, perfectly straight-backed.
He leaned in slightly and asked in a low voice, "Hey Horikita, what do you think of how everyone's acting?"
Horikita didn't look up from her book. "The school's all about student autonomy, isn't it? They're free to manage themselves however they want. It's not my problem if they choose to waste their time."
Her voice was calm, almost indifferent, without any hint of frustration or worry. "Let them do what they want. It won't affect me."
"So that's it," he muttered under his breath. "Just let it slide, no matter how bad it gets."
He looked back at the rest of the class, where the noise and distractions only grew louder. A part of him wanted to shake her, to force her to see how much the environment was deteriorating. But he knew it was pointless.
'Autonomy, huh? Like she actually gave it any real thought, especially about what comes after. Typical.'
His eyes moved across the room slowly, observing.
When placed in a group setting with vague expectations, people tend to look outward to determine how to behave. They mirror. Not because they agree but because non-conformity carries risk. Even suspicion requires initiative. And initiative requires conviction most don't have.
It's not that they're all ignorant. Some students are aware. A few even look uneasy like Hirata and Horikita. But awareness without action is functionally the same as ignorance. If everyone else slacks off, then slacking off becomes the standard. To do otherwise is to break rhythm. And the average person fears standing out more than they fear failure.
Hikigaya suddenly dropped his head into his hands, tension building with every passing second. He glanced at the teachers, a silent weight tightening in his chest.
'A productive session in an environment like this?' he thought. 'It's practically impossible.'
In an environment like this, productive learning is nearly impossible. Most students have already lost interest, openly slacking off, while the teachers rush through the syllabus without much real engagement. They're more focused on covering the material than actually teaching in response to the students' attitude.
This atmosphere creates a barrier for the few students who genuinely want to focus. Instead of supporting them, the environment actively works against their efforts.
Once the majority adopts this careless attitude, it becomes very difficult to change. Group behaviour sets the tone, and the mood of indifference spreads quickly. When everyone gives up, it becomes the norm, and few will resist.
If this pattern persists, the classroom will become toxic for both students and teachers. Motivation will fade, and eventually, giving up will feel like the only option.
Hikigaya thought quietly, 'And that's not the only problem. The collective average is going to take a hit too.'
He recalled the school's hidden assessment system from his speculation the yesterday. If things continued like this, the class average could collapse—maybe even drop to zero or maybe negative. The exact impact on point distribution remained uncertain, but the signs weren't good.
He hated not having any concrete proof, but he had to be prepared for the worst. What if the school really did impose penalties if the class performed this poorly on a collective level?
'There's still no clear evidence,' he thought. 'All I know is that they'll assess us to 'measure our worth' as students and it'll likely be judged as a class.'
His mind raced through the possibilities, the stakes growing heavier with each passing second. He had to stay ahead, keep his own head down, study harder than ever, and be ready for whatever came next.
Then another question surfaced: "Should I even tell them about this?"
He glanced around at the other students' oblivious faces, the memory of their earlier rejections briefly surfacing only for him to push it aside just as quickly.
'Honestly, even if I told them everything, nothing would change. After all, you can't wake someone who's just pretending to be asleep.'
But the thought wouldn't leave him alone.
Still… doing nothing wasn't an option anymore. Not because he wanted to help. Not because he cared about the class. But because the school had designed it that way. Their failure could become his problem.
'So, what now? Wait and hope? That's not me. If I want to avoid being dragged down with them... I'll need to think something.'
He lifted his head and leaned back in his chair, eyes turning cold as they locked onto a point somewhere between the wall and nothing at all.
At that moment, Hikigaya Hachiman knew exactly what needed to be done.
It was a familiar role. One he didn't like, but one he knew how to play.
He tiredly muttered under his breath, almost inaudible:
"Looks like I'll have to clean up after everyone again."