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

Chapter 40: Who is the Fisherman?

“The snipe and the clam fight, and the fisherman benefits.”

This was Hikigaya’s view on the internal competition in Class A. The emergence of different factions within the class was not necessarily a bad thing. On the contrary, it could serve as a way to improve internal unity and promote overall progress.

Conflicts are the driving force behind societal progress.

Where there are conflicts, there is struggle, but the struggle itself is not the goal.

One could say that as long as one lives in society, struggle is inevitable.

Struggle is, in fact, an art.

But for high school students, it is very difficult to control the time, extent, and effectiveness of such struggles.

If the competition between Sakanagi and Katsuragi were to be settled within three months, there wouldn’t be much of a problem. However, if the timeline is stretched out, this internal competition could turn into a serious internal drain, severely hampering Class A’s overall performance and even creating an opportunity for other classes to catch up or pose a threat.

“Defend the interior first, and the exterior will be easier to handle.” The decline of a dynasty often does not come from external pressure but from internal collapse.

“Exactly, sometimes fighting it out is actually a good thing.”

Yukinoshita agreed with Hikigaya’s opinion, and her view was almost identical to his. Of course, she understood her position in the class. No matter which side she leaned toward, it would cause an imbalance. That’s why she had remained neutral since the beginning of the semester, never favoring either faction.

“Am I imagining things, or is there something else hidden in what you just said, Hikigaya-kun?” Yukinoshita raised her finger and poked him on the right side of his stomach, skeptically asking.

“Definitely just your imagination!”

Hikigaya’s body immediately tensed, and Yukinoshita couldn’t help but laugh in a playful manner.

“So, in your opinion, which side has the greater advantage? Could you give me some reference?”

Yukinoshita seemed very curious about Hikigaya’s choice, or perhaps curious about his opinion on Sakanagi and Katsuragi. No matter how much Hikigaya refused, Yukinoshita relentlessly pursued the topic, showing no signs of giving up.

To be honest, if it were any other girl, she would have long given up due to concerns like “girls should be modest,” “keep social distance,” or “don’t cause trouble for others.”

But Yukinoshita seemed to have none of these concerns, caring little about others’ opinions. Her manner was straightforward and bold, more like a man, always cheerful and very approachable.

What others might consider “flaws” in her behavior, like being overly casual, unexpectedly gave people the impression that she was “very sincere.”

Yukinoshita’s style of behavior could easily diffuse awkward situations and earn people’s trust. Simply put, she was a social powerhouse—this was Yukinoshita Yukino.

In the end, Hikigaya could only helplessly say, “I’m not very familiar with either of them, but if I were to judge based on first impressions, I personally lean more toward Katsuragi.”

“Eh? I thought you’d choose Sakanagi! After all, don’t boys tend to like petite, cute girls with a bit of a protective vibe, like the little princess type?” Yukinoshita remarked, referencing a common societal phenomenon: compared to other types of girls, “cute” girls seemed to be more popular and well-liked by the general public.

Rather than complimenting someone on their appearance, saying they are “cute” often made the other person happier, and it had gradually become a habit. No matter what the situation was, it was always safe to say “kawaii” (cute).

This was, in Hikigaya’s view, a very strange kind of “collective consciousness.”

“I might be a bit outdated in my thinking, but when it comes to important positions, most people still trust males more than females,” Hikigaya sighed. “And when it comes to choosing class leaders, Katsuragi’s serious and steady first impression makes him more convincing. His image fits what most people expect from a class leader.”

“So… in the end, it’s about ‘image,’ not ability?” Yukinoshita asked, somewhat surprised.

“After all, image is something you can see with your own eyes! Image is important, but not that important. I think if we weren’t choosing a class leader, Sakanagi would definitely overpower Katsuragi.”

Hikigaya shrugged helplessly. “That’s why I said ‘based on first impressions.’ Clearly, Katsuragi fits more with what ‘everyone’ subconsciously expects. Of course, I know this judgment is biased, but the reality is, whether or not someone is capable seems less important. This is probably one of the ‘common ailments’ of society.”

“Just as you predicted, in Class A now, Katsuragi has more supporters. If he successfully enters the student council, his prestige in the class will increase even more.”

At this point, Yukinoshita suddenly sighed, her tone filled with regret. “It’s really a shame that you’re in Class D, Hikigaya-kun.”

…

After parting ways with Yukinoshita at the café, Hikigaya couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. As expected, she was a big player. Even her seemingly simple words often carried hidden tests and traps.

As for the situation in Class A, it had now become a rivalry between Sakanagi and Katsuragi, much like the Chu-Han Contention.

If both of them considered themselves exceptional, with the confidence and pride of geniuses, unwilling to yield to the other, then wasn’t that the same for someone else?

Based on what Hikigaya knew, this might develop into a three-way struggle, a snipe-and-clam fight, or a mantis catching a cicada.

It was unclear whether Sakanagi and Katsuragi realized that there was a third player on the board, watching them closely. It was truly hard to predict.

“I feel like the situation in Class A is really bad!”

Hikigaya couldn’t help but complain, but then he realized that his own Class D was in even worse shape, and he immediately felt a wave of frustration.

As for the problem children of Class D, Hikigaya had gone from being angry at them to feeling numb. Rather than thinking about these troublesome issues, he might as well enjoy his weekend.

Speaking of weekends, whenever Hikigaya thought of it, he would think of tokusatsu (Weekend anime). And when he thought of tokusatsu, he would think of Toei’s famous “three pillars” of tokusatsu. However, recently, tokusatsu had become increasingly “commercialized,” and Hikigaya wasn’t very fond of this change.

Among them, “Pretty Cure” had once been Komachi’s favorite TV show, but as Komachi grew older, especially after entering middle school, she gradually started watching it less, citing the reason that it would be “embarrassing if her classmates found out.” This was quite similar to many teenage boys who didn’t want their classmates to know they still watched Ultraman.

At first, Hikigaya had only watched it out of boredom, accompanying Komachi, but gradually, he found himself unexpectedly liking this action-packed, magical girl-type franchise. So, why not go watch some magical girl combat together!