Chapter 69: Ryuen’s Provocation

  "Hey, snap out of it~ Otherwise, I’m really going to get mad!"

  Haruno bit her straw, looking displeased at the dead-fish-eyed boy across from her.

  "Sorry."

  Hikigaya scratched his face awkwardly after coming back to his senses. "I got too caught up in my thoughts."

  After leaving the library, Hikigaya and Haruno had come to a café named Palette in the Keyaki Mall. It was said to be the most popur café among students.

  Why?

  The reason was simple—because there was a barista here who was even more handsome than an idol. With short, light golden hair and tanned skin, even Hikigaya had to admit that, compared to this guy, even Hirata and Masayoshi Hashimoto—the so-called most handsome guy in Year 1, Css A—were a bit cking.

  Tch, another normie!

  "Speaking of which, the competition between cafés here is really intense."

  From Hikigaya’s impression, there were at least several different types of cafés in Keyaki Mall. For a student body of fewer than 500, this number seemed excessive.

  But then again, considering that even a small town nowadays had at least five or six chain bubble tea shops, along with various cafés, maybe it wasn’t so surprising?

  A high-EQ way of putting it: "There’s great market potential."

  A low-EQ way of putting it: "How the hell is anyone making money in this same competition?!"

  "Just like how wherever there's a McDonald's, there’s bound to be a KFC, and maybe even a Burger King, right?"

  Haruno crossed her legs and teased.

  "That makes sense."

  Hikigaya nodded, then gritted his teeth and looked at Haruno. "So… why did we have to come to this café? We could've gone somewhere with fewer people!"

  Just looking at the crowd of students around him made Hikigaya feel inexplicable pressure. He wasn’t exactly socially anxious, but sitting in a café with a girl and drinking something… that was a lot. It felt like a betrayal of his noble profession as a lone wolf!

  Uh… though, now that he thought about it, this wasn’t even the first time.

  "Eh~? A pce with fewer people? Don’t tell me, Hikigaya-kun, you wanted to do something naughty to me?"

  Pfft!

  Hikigaya spit out his milk tea and frantically wiped himself off, but there was no avoiding the strange looks being thrown his way.

  Social death +1!

  Bck history +1!

  Hikigaya’s face turned ashen as he pretended not to see or hear anything, silently sipping his milk tea. Meanwhile, Haruno clutched her stomach, ughing uncontrolbly—a stark contrast.

  "Alright, don’t be mad."

  Haruno grabbed the sleeve of Hikigaya’s shirt with her small hand, lowering her head as if sincerely apologizing. Of course, if she could suppress the smirk at the corners of her lips, it would’ve been more convincing.

  Haruno’s little drama theater: online again!

  Hikigaya ignored her, like an emotionless machine. Seeing this, Haruno lowered her head even further, even making her voice hoarse and tearful, like a poor girl pleading for forgiveness.

  Heh, this time, I swear I won’t fall for it!

  Today, I shall become the emotionless “Hikigaya Robot”! A human computer with a devil’s heart!

  Haha! Unshakable!

  Haruno's lips curled into a sly smile. The next second, she leaned close to Hikigaya’s ear, exhaling warm breath, her voice dripping with temptation.

  "Don’t be mad, okay? At most… at most, I’ll let you… Alright, fine, I promise you, okay? As long as my dear Hikigaya-sama forgives this humble servant, anything is…"

  "Stop, stop!!!"

  Hikigaya’s face flushed red as he trembled, pointing at her with a shaky finger, his voice full of grievance. "You… you, I… I surrender, alright?!"

  Faced with Haruno’s complete ck of moral bottom line, Hikigaya really couldn’t handle it!

  It wasn’t that Hikigaya was weak—it was just that the enemy was too cunning!

  The Yukinoshita sisters were truly his natural nemesis. One could verbally dismantle him until there was nothing left, while the other used all kinds of shameless tactics to make him surrender.

  They were ranked first and second in Hikigaya’s "Unforgivable Notebook"—one a super demon lord, the other an evil overlord!

  Haruno hummed triumphantly, as if saying, "See? You’re still too naive."

  But in his current dazed state, Hikigaya didn’t notice that Haruno’s ears were also tinged red.

  "Hey, this seat’s not taken, right?"

  A sudden, discordant voice rang out. Before either of them could reply, the person had already sat down and propped his feet onto the wooden table with a loud thud.

  Haruno’s coffee was knocked over. Luckily, Hikigaya reacted quickly and pulled her back, but her ivory-colored skirt still got stained.

  "Oh dear, my bad. Are you okay?"

  The red-haired guy across from them grinned. "Next time, be more careful. Because… I did it on purpose!"

  Arrogant. Overbearing.

  This guy was Ryuen Kakeru, the leader of Css C—the mastermind behind their constant harassment of the upper csses. Behind him stood Ishizaki Daichi, whom Hikigaya had seen in the library before, along with a ridiculously burly, dark-skinned guy and a short-haired girl with a constantly annoyed expression, as if the world owed her money.

  The three stood behind Ryuen like bodyguards, especially that hulking brute, Albert. He was built like a tank. Just looking at him, most people wouldn’t even think of resisting.

  The surrounding students instinctively distanced themselves from the group, sensing trouble.

  It was clear they weren’t here for a friendly chat.

  Haruno, however, didn’t seem to care about the stain on her dress, nor did she show any anger. Instead, she rested her chin on her hand, smiling at Ryuen.

  "Oh, it’s you. Here about that boring css stuff again?"

  "Heh, Yukinoshita, you A-Css kids really do have an insufferable way of talking."

  Ryuen smirked disdainfully, his attitude cocky. "My patience is running thin. So, have you thought about my offer?"

  So he was here for Haruno? And from their conversation, this wasn’t the first time?

  From start to finish, Ryuen’s gaze never left Haruno. As for Hikigaya, he was treated as air.

  If it were anyone else being ignored and disrespected like this, they might have snapped by now. But Hikigaya stayed silent, quietly observing.

  There was no way Haruno couldn’t handle something like this. It was better to watch and gather information on Ryuen.

  "I don’t really like pushy little puppies."

  Haruno’s smile didn’t waver.

  Cough!

  Hikigaya nearly ughed out loud. This cocky delinquent Ryuen, in Haruno’s words, had just been reduced to a little puppy—the mental image alone…

  Even Ishizaki behind Ryuen seemed to be holding back ughter, while the annoyed-looking girl’s lips twitched as if she was also suppressing a chuckle.

  Only the huge, dark-skinned guy, Albert, remained expressionless, fully committed to his stoic bodyguard role.