Chapter 089: Chabashira is Outmaneuvered! Chabashira-sensei, You Wouldn't Want... Chabashira: !!!
Another person who couldn't sleep tonight was Shiina Hiyori from Class C.
In the three-person dormitory where she lived, her two roommates had already drifted into dreamland. Under the glow of the warm yellow wall lamp, their steady breathing sounded exceptionally soft.
However, Shiina Hiyori gently placed a hardcover book borrowed from the library on the low cabinet by her bed. It was The Count of Monte Cristo; she had read it several times, but not this specific edition. This was a rare literary find she had never seen before—the pages were yellowed, carrying a faint scent of ink and the breath of time.
She lay down slowly, her gaze falling on the unfamiliar ceiling. A hint of daze flickered in her eyes. Even though she had read a favorite book—a rare edition at that—her mind was a mess, and sleep was nowhere to be found.
Because...
In fact, on the bus ride to the port, she had already made a firm decision. She felt a bit uneasy about this exam, so she decided that once she boarded the cruise ship, she would definitely take the initiative to approach Hikigaya-kun and listen to his inner thoughts more carefully.
But who would have thought that after boarding, she would unexpectedly discover that this luxury liner actually housed a small library. Although the number of books couldn't compare to the vast collection of the school library, as a luxury ship serving the wealthy, the books here were all of high quality. There were even rare volumes she had only seen mentioned in documents but never laid eyes on. These rare editions of literary works made it impossible for her to look away.
And so, Shiina Hiyori spent her entire day in the library. She immersed herself in the world of books, carefully turning pages and quietly savoring the text—sometimes frowning in thought, sometimes with a slight smile, completely forgetting the time and her original plan.
By the time she snapped out of it, the sky was pitch black. She was the only one left in the library, save for the gentle reminder from the librarian.
Consequently, Hiyori did absolutely nothing today.
She let out a soft sigh.
She even felt that Ryuen-kun seemed to meet with Hikigaya-kun much more frequently than she did. Despite having made the decision to work hard for Class C, she had missed an entire day's opportunity because of a few books.
Looking at it this way, she would have to create an opportunity for a "chance encounter" tomorrow.
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The night faded, the morning light shimmered, and a new day arrived quickly. The cruise ship continued to sail smoothly on the sea. The morning sun rose slowly from the horizon, casting golden light onto the deep blue water. The ripples glittered as if a layer of crushed gold had been scattered, looking exceptionally dazzling. The sea breeze blew gently, carrying the unique freshness of the morning, making one feel that nature truly is grand.
Hachiman woke up early without any procrastination. After a simple wash, he went straight to the ship's deck.
At this moment, several students were already up, gathered in small groups with breadcrumbs in their hands, carefully feeding the gulls circling overhead. The gulls chirped, soaring in the air and occasionally diving down to peck at the food in the students' hands. The scene looked remarkably cozy and free.
Hachiman watched quietly for a while, then took his camera from his pocket. His fingertips lightly adjusted the settings as he aimed at a gull soaring in mid-air. With a "click," he pressed the shutter, freezing a flying gull in his lens.
The sound of the shutter wasn't loud, but it still caught the attention of someone nearby who was also feeding the gulls. The person walked directly over.
"Hey, why are you taking pictures of gulls? I'm standing right here next to you, and I'm way cuter than a seagull. You should be taking pictures of me instead."
Hachiman turned slightly to look. Standing beside him was a girl with striking, long, straight purple-black hair draped casually over her shoulders. Paired with a charming, cute face, her eyes held a hint of craftiness and confidence.
She was looking at him expectantly, waiting for his answer.
'Wait. You are indeed quite cute, but are you trying to get him to praise you?'
This was one of the first strange... no, one of the first strange girls Hachiman had encountered at this school.
It could be said that most of the girls in this school weren't exactly "normal."
However, he recognized her identity— Morishita Ai, a student from Class A. She was a girl whose presence only grew stronger in the later stages of the original story. She was also one of the three girls on relatively good terms with Sakayanagi in Class A: Sakayanagi, Kamuro, Morishita, and then Yamamura Miki, who liked to "respawn" at vending machines.
Speaking of which, this Morishita Ai was not just an oddball; in the original story, she was almost a god-like existence.
She had a sharp mind and an extremely strong sixth sense, always noticing details others missed. Her style was eccentric and unconventional, often doing things that were completely unexpected.
At this moment, Morishita Ai indeed showed her "magical" side. She didn't mind Hachiman's subtle expression or feel awkward because of his silence. Instead, she took a step closer to him and asked directly with curiosity in her eyes, "I'm asking you, is Ayanokouji Kiyotaka from Class D really as terrifying as Kamuro said? Is he exceptionally strong?"
Hearing this, Hachiman understood. It seemed that after Kamuro Masumi went back, she shared the intel she scouted with Class A. Since Kamuro was Sakayanagi's right-hand person, there was no reason for someone of her level to lie.
Katsuragi would naturally believe it, but Morishita Ai harbored doubts about this intel and had come specifically to investigate the truth herself. It seemed she wasn't just an eccentric, but someone who liked to seek truth from facts and verify things personally.
However, Hachiman shook his head and refused. "You shouldn't be asking me about such things. I'm a student of Class B."
Morishita Ai nodded. "I see. I thought you were the one who told Kamuro, but looking at it now, it seems not."
After saying this, she didn't stay any longer or ask further questions. She turned and walked toward the other end of the deck with light footsteps, as if she had only come to ask a question and lost interest in staying once she got her answer.
Hachiman felt that Morishita's sixth sense was indeed quite strong.
However...
"Coo coo—" Morishita Ai had been feeding the seagulls earlier with a large piece of bread, but she had left with the bread. The seagulls hadn't eaten their fill yet and were flapping their wings. Hachiman shook his head slightly, stopped thinking about Morishita, and picked up his camera to continue photographing the gulls. Perhaps because there was no food, the gulls were a bit reluctant.
So, Hachiman left the deck and went straight to the ship's restaurant. Many students were already having breakfast, and the atmosphere was quite lively. He didn't stay; he went to a server, ordered some fries, and returned to the deck.
He placed the fries on the ground, and soon, seagulls flew down from the sky to taste them. Hachiman continued to use his camera to capture them. After about a dozen shots, he felt a bit tired, and the gulls were full, resting against the railing.
Just then, a tall figure entered his field of vision. It was a tall woman with a crisp ponytail, her black hair falling on her shoulders. Standing tall and straight in a simple OL (office lady)
uniform, she had a capable aura but a flat expression. It was the Class D homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae.
Chabashira Sae seemed to notice Hachiman Hikigaya standing in the corner. Her gaze swept over him indifferently. She seemed to pause for a moment, but as if remembering something, she quickly turned and walked toward the deck exit with steady, unhurried steps.
Hachiman watched her silhouette in silence.
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Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was evening. The sun set, the golden glow faded, and night once again enveloped the cruise ship. The lights in the cabins turned on one by one, their warm yellow glow making the ship look exceptionally cozy.
Hachiman continued to wait.
Finally, at 8:00 PM, his phone vibrated. It was a message from Kikyo Kushida.
He picked up his phone and opened the message. The content was very simple, just one sentence: [Finally! Chabashira-sensei and Ayanokouji-kun are meeting alone at the theater. Hurry over!]
Looking at the message, Hachiman couldn't help but twitch his lips. He thought to himself:
'Sister, did you really do nothing else all day but stare at your phone tracking their GPS records? That's too persistent.'
However, despite the mental commentary, he acknowledged Kushida's competence.
Thus, he immediately stood up. Then he messaged Sakura, inviting her to go to the theater to watch a play at this hour. He had asked her yesterday but hadn't confirmed the time; now he could.
Sakura Airi was already prepared. Hachiman met her at the deck, and she looked a bit nervous.
"U-Um, Hikigaya-kun." She still seemed a bit tense. "L-let's go together."
Yeah. He felt like she had practiced her dialogue, but the effect seemed minimal.
So, the two walked side-by-side toward the theater. They soon arrived.
The theater was spacious with exquisite interior decor. Red seats were arranged neatly, and the lights above the stage were dazzling. The theater could hold about 100 to 200 people. However, perhaps because everyone had just boarded yesterday and were too excited, their
energy was spent. Since today's theater schedule was the same as yesterday's, there weren't many people.
When they arrived, there were only about a dozen guests scattered in the corners, making the place feel quite empty.
But Hachiman had an ulterior motive.
Hachiman and Sakura Airi entered the theater. His gaze swept quickly through the room, and he soon found Chabashira Sae and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
Chabashira and Ayanokouji were sitting in the front row, making them very conspicuous and easy to identify. Chabashira Sae was leaning slightly back in her seat, her eyes on the stage as if she were seriously watching the play. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka sat quietly, one seat apart from Chabashira, with a calm expression as if he had been forcibly called here by Chabashira and had no interest in the performance.
Hachiman gently tugged on Sakura Airi's sleeve, signaling her to follow him forward. Airi was a bit dazed and followed him subconsciously, her eyes showing a bit of confusion.
But just as they approached the front row and were getting close to Chabashira and Ayanokouji, Airi seemed to suddenly realize what was happening. Her gaze fell on Chabashira Sae, her pupils dilated slightly, and an expression of surprise appeared on her face. Her lips parted slightly as she whispered in a small gasp, "Cha-Chabashira-sensei... why is she here?"
Sakura Airi's personality was always introverted and sensitive, timid and cowardly. She usually got extremely nervous seeing a teacher, so accidentally running into her own class's homeroom teacher in this remote theater made her body stiffen instantly. She felt as if she had been "caught in the act."
But a teacher isn't going to bust you for "early dating." Especially since they weren't dating, so there was no need to worry.
On the other side, Chabashira Sae also noticed Hachiman and Airi approaching. She only gave a signal with her eyes, seemingly not intending to strike up a conversation.
"She probably has some business; let's go to the other side," Hikigaya suggested. Airi nervously followed him to the front row seats on the opposite side. It seemed they were avoiding Chabashira and Ayanokouji by keeping some distance.
Just then, a crisp voice came from behind them, and a familiar figure ran up from the back. "Sakura, wait! Your things!"
Hachiman and Airi stopped at the same time and turned around. They saw Karuizawa Kei with her beautiful golden ponytail running toward them, holding a camera in her hand.
Karuizawa ran up to Sakura and handed the camera to her, a friendly teenage smile on her face. "Thanks a lot!"
"Ah, um, you can keep using it," Sakura said nervously, her face turning pink.
"I won't need it today, not today."
"No, no." Karuizawa Kei quickly waved her hand and spoke rapidly, "I've taken enough photos, and you can borrow cameras from the ship's service desk for free anyway. I won't keep using yours. Here, back to you." After speaking, she smiled at Sakura again and didn't say more.
She turned and walked back with light steps, appearing to leave the theater for somewhere else.
Hachiman didn't pay much attention to this interlude. "Let's go."
"Mhm." Sakura Airi held the camera and followed Hachiman toward a position far away from Chabashira's side.
They were now a relatively far distance from Chabashira.
"..." Chabashira thought.
'It seems these three students just came here normally.'
At this time, the play on stage had officially begun—Shakespeare's classic tragedy King Lear. The actors wore exquisite costumes and performed with full emotion. Their lines were clear and powerful, echoing in the empty theater.
"I love your Majesty according to my bond; nor more nor less."
"To be good, is to be happy; but there are many who get bad returns for their goodness."
"Have more than thou showest, Speak less than thou knowest."
Classic lines flowed from the actors' mouths, full of philosophy and infectious energy. Truly a work of Shakespeare; having endured the passage of time, it still exuded unique charm and the power to move people's hearts.
However, Chabashira Sae clearly wasn't here to watch the play. Although her eyes were on the stage, her gaze was somewhat vacant. She clearly wasn't watching seriously; her mind was busy calculating her own affairs.
The reason she chose to meet Ayanokouji alone in the theater was because there were few people, it wasn't easy to be disturbed, and it wasn't easy to be discovered. After all, what she was about to say was something that violated a teacher's boundaries.
She was silent for a moment, then looked at the expressionless Ayanokouji, who had just encountered the representative of Class B. Ayanokouji didn't even look over. She decided to state the purpose of calling him here.
"A man came to the school a few days ago. He had only one purpose for coming here. And you should know that man."
"..."
"So, what you mean is—" Ayanokouji said.
"He requested that Ayanokouji Kiyotaka be expelled," Chabashira Sae said in an indifferent tone. When she said the word "expelled," her tone rose slightly. But unfortunately, there was no panic on Ayanokouji's face.
So she had no choice but to add: "The school has always been unprecedentedly enlightened toward students, making every effort to cultivate each student, hoping everyone can grow here and realize their value. Therefore, this baseless and groundless request was naturally blocked by the school. You should know how much pressure the school bore and how much effort was made to protect you."
Chabashira's words seemed intended to make him feel grateful.
And Ayanokouji quickly realized that this wasn't about how much pressure the school bore, but how much pressure Chabashira Sae was applying to him right now.
A man came to the school, and pressure was applied.
He couldn't think of any other person; even by process of elimination, he could guess who it was. And judging by Chabashira Sae's currently amused expression, it was obvious that man could only be that person.
Atsuomi Ayanokouji. His biological father. The person in charge of the White Room. And, he was his "masterpiece."
"And then? Do you intend to use that to threaten me? What is your goal?" Ayanokouji turned sideways, and his gaze finally shifted.
This reaction satisfied Chabashira Sae. "You have talent. I have observed you for a long time. You possess great strength—whether it's academic ability, physical fitness, adaptability, or calculating power, all are impeccable. You're even much more excellent than many Class A students. You've been hiding your strength, but now, you can't hide it anymore. I want you to lead the current Class D into Class A! Horikita Suzune can't do it, but you can!"
Lead the current Class D into Class A! This was Chabashira Sae's current goal.
But.
"As a teacher, are you really that obsessed... If we reach Class A, we are the ones who benefit. What does that have to do with you, Sensei?" Ayanokouji didn't take the bait.
"In the past," Chabashira Sae said, "I was also a graduate of this school, and also from Class D. I was just a tiny bit away from graduating and being promoted to Class A. That is my obsession. And you have the strength to fulfill my wish."
Ayanokouji then spoke word by word, "So, Sensei is planning to use that man to threaten me?"
One could sense that Ayanokouji seemed slightly angry, but Chabashira Sae remained extremely stable. Not even her eyelashes flickered. "This is just a trade. If you aim to reach Class A, then I will do my best to protect you. Isn't that a good deal?"
"Is that so? You really are... an irredeemable person," Ayanokouji evaluated.
"Make your choice: expulsion or promotion to Class A." Chabashira Sae became sluggish again, but her words, though calm, were exceptionally cold.
However, Ayanokouji had no other choice.
And so, ten minutes later, while watching the performance on stage, Ayanokouji left.
Chabashira remained. She stayed in her seat, leaning slightly back in a lazy posture. A faint, satisfied smile appeared on her face, and her eyes were full of certainty. She knew Ayanokouji Kiyotaka had no choice; he would definitely do as she asked, leading Class D to Class A and helping her fulfill the wish she couldn't achieve back then.
Thinking this, she suddenly noticed that Hikigaya-kun, who was watching the play with Sakura up front, suddenly stood up from his seat. Sakura Airi was startled by his sudden movement and looked up with a flushed face, whispering something.
Hachiman just waved his hand lightly, signaling her not to mind.
Chabashira Sae's attention was instantly drawn. She subconsciously thought: 'Is he leaving midway? Or is he going to get some drinks, like popcorn or drinks?
Since the school paid for everything, the students were very free. Enjoying a play naturally came with the same treatment as a movie. Snacks and drinks were available everywhere.
She subconsciously glanced at the snack counter in the corner of the theater, then brought her gaze back to Hachiman, waiting to see his move.
But. Chabashira found that Hikigaya wasn't walking toward the snack area. Instead, he was walking straight toward her.
The reason she thought this was because after Ayanokouji left, she was the only one in this section.
Is there... some business? Chabashira's mood inexplicably turned slightly nervous. Although Hikigaya was just a Class B student, he was a powerhouse who could suppress Horikita Suzune, was recognized by Horikita Manabu, and had led Class B to a record they had never achieved at this stage.
So, her mind grew heavy. She began to speculate on his intention.
'Could it be that he heard something from my conversation with Ayanokouji earlier?'
As soon as this thought popped up, she forced it down, repeatedly telling herself it was impossible. After all, the distance between them was so far; it was impossible.
Eh? However, just as Hachiman was about to walk in front of her, Chabashira Sae froze. She realized that his gaze didn't linger on her even for a second; he walked right past her without stopping, heading toward several seats behind her.
Chabashira: "..."
Alright.
Chabashira felt a bit awkward.
At the same time, she realized she seemed to have been a bit self-important.
That's right, she was the Class D homeroom teacher; why would Hikigaya pay attention to her? Even though she was just threatening and enticing Ayanokouji to lead Class D up, they were just Class D, and Hikigaya couldn't possibly know Ayanokouji's true strength.
There was no need to be so guarded. After all, they were Class D—the class underestimated and ignored by every other class in the school.
After all, losing all 1,000 class points in the first month was unprecedented. Although Class C was the same, Class C had been reported, whereas Class D hadn't been reported by anyone. Even after Horikita Suzune told everyone the truth about the school in advance, they still lost all 1,000 evaluation points.
Who would be wary of a class with no self-discipline?
While thinking this, Chabashira noticed Hikigaya bending down as if to pick something up.
'Picking something up? It's a pen... No, a voice... recorder?!'
When?!
If it was from when she was talking to Ayanokouji earlier, the distance was very far, so Chabashira could confirm Hikigaya couldn't hear the conversation. But if it was this voice recorder... at this distance... it could record everything.
But...
It's unlikely, right?
Chabashira squeezed her hands, maintaining an adult's composure on her face.
However...
Chabashira noticed that after Hikigaya got the voice recorder, he glanced toward her. No, not just a glance—it seemed he even smiled at her.
No, he definitely gave her a smile.
In that instant, only the actors' lines on stage remained in the theater, but Chabashira felt that in this moment, her own rapid heartbeat was clearly audible.
A moment later, a smile also appeared on Chabashira's face—not a smile of having everything under control, but a self-deprecating smile that felt like everything might be over.
Karuizawa!
That name flashed through her mind like a bolt of lightning. She understood instantly, her whole body trembling as all her doubts were answered.
Perhaps Hachiman and Sakura passing by wasn't a coincidence, and Karuizawa coming over to give Sakura the camera wasn't as simple as returning it.
Rather... Hikigaya and Sakura were in front attracting their attention while Karuizawa noticed that she and Ayanokouji wanted to talk privately. Thus, Karuizawa had secretly placed a voice recorder nearby, recording her conversation with Ayanokouji.
Karuizawa was actually Hikigaya's person!
If those words she used to threaten a student were exposed, she... would probably be finished.
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