There is something wrong with Hikigaya’s classroom of the Elite, as expected

Chapter 18: The Cat and the Leopard

“Hahaha, Hiki-kun, are all the students in Class D this straightforward and humorous? Sorry, I usually don’t act like this unless I really can’t hold it in, it was just… so… so funny! Was that really the class president of Class D just now?”

Outside the gymnasium, Haruno couldn’t help but laugh, bending forward and backward, clutching her stomach.

“Now Yukinoshita-san should understand what I meant earlier, right?” Hikigaya sighed, holding his forehead. “And… right now, Class D doesn’t have a real leader. If someone like that idiot were to take charge… forget it, just the thought of it is terrifying!”

And then there’s that brainless idiot, Yamauchi, who never once got my name right, he’s doing it on purpose!

Seeing that the situation was becoming more troublesome, Hikigaya immediately decided to escape from the foolish duo and lead Haruno away from them. He didn’t even want to imagine what absurdities might happen next.

By the way, Hikigaya wasn’t worried about Haruno, but the monkey-like fools Yamauchi and Ike. They would undoubtedly be played around by Haruno like pawns.

“I see.”

“So, does this mean you’re admitting that you’re the same kind of person as that black belt, ace pitcher?”

“……”

“Though these two are humorous, when it comes to social etiquette, especially with girls, they’re really quite terrible. Don’t you think?” Haruno’s face still had a smile, but her words carried an icy tone.

Adolescent boys are typically very curious about the opposite sex, and when faced with girls, most boys are more reserved, shy, and restrained. It’s rare for guys like Ike and Yamauchi to be so shameless in front of girls.

As a guy, Hikigaya felt so embarrassed. What kind of wild dogs are these?

Oh, it’s Class D. Never mind.

At the same time, Hikigaya could sense the trap in Haruno’s words. She had already made it this obvious, and logically, he should agree and criticize the lewd behavior of the two idiots. Everything would be so natural.

But if he said that, it would sound insincere, fake, and awkward. It would put him in an uncomfortable position.

Fine, actually, Hikigaya had done it himself!

So, he could only pretend not to understand and keep silent.

Haruno raised an eyebrow in surprise and then leaned closer to Hikigaya’s ear, laughing softly, “But Hikigaya-kun, you’re always such a gentleman~”

From the very start, everything Hikigaya did in the gym was noticed by Haruno. Whether it was standing straight, blocking the crowd, or intentionally keeping distance from her, or even stopping Yamauchi, there was a sense of contradiction—he clearly wanted to distance himself, but couldn’t help but get closer.

What intrigued Haruno even more was that Hikigaya was… protecting her?

At this thought, Haruno couldn’t help but laugh inwardly. What a childish and arrogant little boy, but with that came a strange feeling.

“Don’t… don’t get me wrong. I’m not a gentleman. I just have a little more self-control than those two monkeys,” Hikigaya felt an itch in his ear and quickly pulled back a little.

“Eh? So does that mean… You have no attraction to me?”

“Please don’t misinterpret me!” Hikigaya’s face turned black with sweat.

“A boy saying to a girl ‘you’re not attractive’ is a very serious accusation~”

“Yukinoshita Haruno is the most charming, most beautiful girl I’ve ever met in my life!”

“Eh? Wh-what do you mean? Even if you suddenly confessed, I… I wouldn’t accept!” Haruno suddenly looked flustered.

Still pretending, huh?!

Hikigaya sneered inwardly.

“I’m telling the truth. There is no girl in this school more charming than Yukinoshita Haruno. I admit that her beauty is unparalleled, and it’s a misfortune for other girls to share a school with you.”

“Hahaha!”

Haruno couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst out laughing. After a while, she finally calmed down, though a slight blush remained on her face.

“It seems Hikigaya-kun is ‘repressed’ in certain areas~” Haruno teased.

“A teenage boy without a girlfriend often hides as many women in his heart as there are rooms in the emperor’s palace, and his dirty thoughts are like a public restroom,” Hikigaya said expressionlessly.

“Eh, what a smart remark! But using a famous writer’s words to defend yourself, Hikigaya-kun, you’re so sly!” Haruno deliberately paused and then smirked, “And… so Hikigaya-kun doesn’t have a girlfriend, huh~”

Hey, hey, woman, isn’t your focus a bit off here?

Before he knew it, the conversation rhythm was once again in Haruno’s control, and Hikigaya’s heart began to feel more uneasy and confused. Even now, he didn’t know how to interact with the young “Yukinoshita Haruno.” He wanted to get closer, but he was afraid of influencing her negatively, which was exactly why he had been avoiding it ever since he crossed over.

Hikigaya took a deep breath, his eyes showing a brief moment of struggle, but he quickly suppressed it. His gaze toward Haruno became distant, and his tone had an undeniable sense of distance:

“Yukinoshita-san, you must have noticed that I’m a boring, solitary person. I also had responsibility in that car accident, and I’ve never blamed anyone. You’ve compensated me, and that matter is already behind us.

So, if you’re just trying to get closer to me because of guilt or some self-indulgent emotions, there’s really no need for that. If it weren’t for that accident, we wouldn’t have crossed paths. From the start, you and I… we were never from the same world. Playing pretend with a rich girl isn’t something I’m interested in, so please find someone else.

Let’s… keep the distance of strangers. It will be better for both of us.”

Hikigaya’s words were blunt, and there was no mistaking the annoyance, rejection, and distance in his tone. Under normal circumstances, any girl would feel wronged and angry. The fragile relationship would undoubtedly break, and they would end up strangers.

But the imagined scenario didn’t occur. Instead, Haruno smiled even more warmly:

“You know, Hikigaya-kun, right now you’re like a wounded little kitten. You clearly want to be healed, but you’re afraid of being hurt again.”

Saying this, Haruno took the initiative to move closer, and suddenly the distance between them became very intimate. Hikigaya could even vaguely smell the faint fragrance of osmanthus on her. Their eyes met in this moment.

“A wounded… kitten?”

What a shameful metaphor!

Hikigaya struggled to suppress the embarrassment and forcefully retorted: “Then Yukinoshita-san must be a snow leopard.”

“Why do you say that?” Haruno asked with interest.

“You’re very good at using the environment to camouflage yourself and catch prey, but once you’re out of the snow, you’re defenseless.”

Once he finished speaking, the smile on Haruno’s face had disappeared at some point. It was replaced by a sharp, oppressive aura, but it quickly faded, and once again, the familiar smile returned:

“Is it because of these eyes that you’re so good at observing others?”

Haruno stretched out her slender finger and slowly reached for him. Hikigaya instinctively avoided it, but Haruno’s finger froze in mid-air:

“Hehe, am I really that scary?”

Haruno’s face was still smiling, but Hikigaya felt an inexplicable coldness.