COTE: Hikigaya's Classroom of the Supreme Being

"Forget it. My name's Kamuro Masumi. What's yours?"

"Uh, Hikigaya Hachiman?"

He wasn't sure why they were suddenly exchanging names, but since she had introduced herself, he felt compelled to do the same.

"Why did you say it like a question?" Kamuro inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"No, it's just... that's my name."

"Which is?"

"Uh..." Hikigaya is now completely confused.

Why was she even talking to him? Wouldn't it be easier if they just pretended nothing happened and went their separate ways?

Why can't people see that I'm socially awkward?

"Um, quick question, are you a senior?"

Desperate to change the subject, Hikigaya asked something completely unrelated.

"Why do you ask?"

Kamuro seemed surprised by the question but answered anyway. "No, I'm in Class 1-A. What about you?"

"Class 1-D... So that's it."

"What's it?"

"I mean, I get it now."

If she were a senior, she might have been stealing because she didn't have enough points. But since her first year only received 100,000 points, she must have been doing it for the thrill. She was likely not a novice at this but rather an experienced thief, seeking excitement even before coming to this school.

Kamuro's eyes narrowed as she listened to Hikigaya, though she didn't seem angry.

"Do you regret it?"

"Regret what?"

Hikigaya blinked, then shook his head.

"You're misunderstanding something. I didn't stop you out of sympathy or a sense of justice, and I don't need your thanks. I did what I did purely for my own reasons, so there's nothing to regret."

Whatever Kamuro's reasons were—be it interest or necessity—it didn't matter to Hikigaya. He acted for his own sake.

"You're a really awkward person."

Kamuro looked at Hikigaya with a mix of curiosity and confusion. She had never met someone like him before and wasn't sure how to react.

"Anyway, here, take this."

She handed him a shopping bag.

"No, I don't need it."

Hikigaya tried to refuse, but she shoved it into his hands with surprising force.

This girl is strong!

"Don't worry, I paid for it properly. It's a thank-you gift," Kamuro added.

With no choice, Hikigaya opened the bag and found five boxes of fried chicken bento inside.

...Bento?

"Uh, what is this?"

"Didn't I say? It's a thank-you gift."

"But... why so many?"

"Don't you like fried chicken? I saw you buy some earlier."

"No matter how much I like it, I can't eat it six times in a row."

There was a brief silence before Hikigaya suddenly blurted out, "Kamuro, you must not have many friends, huh?"

"…Huh?!" Kamuro was first stunned, then furious. "What the hell are you talking about? You're the one who gets nervous just talking to a girl!"

"No, no, no, that's not why I'm nervous."

Mostly, it was the embarrassment.

Usually, when someone immediately calls out bad behavior, the person either retreats in shame or becomes defensive and angry. However, this girl didn't do either. She actually bought him lunch as a thank-you gift—and five boxes at that.

What kind of person does that?

In every way, this girl named Kamuro was beyond Hikigaya's comprehension.

"Whatever! I'm leaving now. If you don't want it, just throw it away."

Kamuro didn't wait for a response and turned to leave.

Is she a tsundere?

Of course, Hikigaya wouldn't throw the food away. Wasting it would be a crime.

By the way, Kamuro's demeanor reminded him of a classmate from junior high... Chuan... something. Anyway, let's just call her Chuan-san.

Both were class lone wolves with a "don't come near me" aura.

He wondered how Chuan-san was doing now. She was probably still in Chiba, Sobu High. She was one of the few people who could talk to Hikigaya, so seeing Kamuro made him a bit nostalgic.

Maybe that's why he felt compelled to get involved?

Hikigaya mused as he walked towards the dormitory. Gradually, more and more people gathered around, whispering to each other.

"So many new faces... Is today the first day for freshmen?"

"Yeah, let's just hope they don't end up in Class D."

"No, praying won't help, will it?"

The second- and third-year students looked curiously at the passing freshmen, and their tone changed to something almost disdainful whenever they mentioned Class D.

With a hint of understanding dawning on him, Hikigaya mused, "We must determine the benefits and drawbacks before we even enter the school."

Despite Class D's poor reputation, Hikigaya remained unfazed. He had never considered himself exceptional anyway. What piqued his interest was how the school made this judgment.

Academically, Hikigaya was above average—except for math, where he struggled. But overall, his grades ranked among the top ten at Sobu High. There were other students in Class D with good grades, so it couldn't be based on academic performance alone.

Was it personality? Or perhaps they have past records?

Hikigaya found both plausible. The school modeled itself after society, where personality and past experience mattered just as much as ability during job interviews. For students, that experience would translate to their time in elementary and middle school.

Hikigaya suddenly understood why he was in Class D. He had done plenty of foolish things back at Sobu High.

His interview probably didn't help either. He had downplayed his ambitions, saying things like, "I'll never make friends," "I want to be a househusband when I grow up," or even, "Your school's promise of guaranteed further education and employment is just a clever marketing tactic." It must have irked the interviewer.

Despite his full expectation of rejection, he managed to pass. The outcome was nothing short of miraculous.

As these thoughts raced through his mind, Hikigaya found himself at the dormitory area. The campus had three student dorms, one for each grade. Girls occupied the upper floors, while boys occupied the lower ones. Each student had their own apartment-style room—quite luxurious for high school students.

Though it was surprising that boys and girls shared the same building, dormitory rules were strict. The dormitory rules prohibited boys from visiting the girls' rooms after curfew and prohibited any romantic relationships deemed inappropriate for high school students.

But Hikigaya didn't care much about these rules. He had resigned himself to a single life for the next three years.

Other regulations covered everyday issues such as when to take out the trash, reminders to keep noise down, and limits on water and electricity use.

The school covered not only the accommodation fees but also utilities like electricity, water, and gas. The generosity was almost embarrassing.

After retrieving his room key from the lobby manager, Hikigaya took the elevator to the fourth floor, skimming through the dormitory manual. His room number was 402. He hoped his neighbor was at least somewhat normal.

Hikigaya unlocked the door and entered his room, which was about 102 square meters—around the size of eight tatami mats. It came equipped with a kitchen, a bathroom, and common appliances like a microwave, fridge, air conditioner, and even a computer.

If he wanted anything fancier or decorated the room, he'd have to spend his points.

But Hikigaya didn't care much for luxuries. The most he'd do was buy some novels to read before bed.

"This place is pretty nice," Hikigaya thought as he surveyed the room. It far exceeded his expectations.

It made him wonder just where the taxpayers' money was going.

But that was just a fleeting thought. Since the school had great conditions, why not enjoy them?

"Ah..."

Still in his uniform, Hikigaya flopped onto the neatly made bed, stretching out with a long sigh.

...So, what about the task Demon Queen had asked him to do?

"Oh, I don't want to work."

He decided to delay it as long as possible. There wasn't a deadline, and maybe, just maybe, she would forget about it entirely.

Hikigaya yawned with that comforting thought, and sleep began to overtake him.

Too much had happened today. His mind was exhausted, especially after dealing with that Demon Queen.

For now, sleep seemed like the best option.