COTE : There is Something Wrong With Hikigaya-Chapter 172: The Straightforward Girl

Ayanokouji is searching through Ibuki's backpack?

Hikigaya immediately recognized the boy's back, but why was he going through Ibuki's bag?

If he remembered right, Ibuki was the one Ayanokouji and Yamauchi had brought back yesterday. Hikigaya decided not to alert Ayanokouji and quietly stepped back into his tent. But the overpowering smell inside made him abandon that plan right away. Just as he turned around, he bumped into Hirata, who had just woken up.

"Hikigaya, you're up early," Hirata greeted him without thinking.

Hikigaya nodded, then glanced back toward the girls' tent—only to find that Ayanokouji was already gone. It seemed the commotion had caught his attention after all.

Still, Ayanokouji moved way too fast, didn't he?

Soon, the students from Class D began to wake up one after another. Hirata started assigning tasks—some went out to gather firewood, others searched for potential strongholds, and some looked for edible wild fruits.

Horikita looked noticeably better today. Even though Hirata suggested she rest a little longer, the stubborn girl refused outright, saying she was already fine. More importantly, she wanted to secure their stronghold before anyone else.

Class D's key cardholder—the "leader"—wasn't Hirata, nor was it his girlfriend Karuizawa, or even the more conspicuous Kushida. Instead, it was Horikita, the stubborn mule herself. Hirata had told him this in private yesterday.

That was why Horikita was so reluctant to admit she was sick. It wasn't just about losing 30 points if she had to withdraw from the exam—more importantly, she had the responsibility of being the leader.

Class D controlled one stronghold at their camp, and they had found three more yesterday, making it a total of four. To secure them, Horikita and the others had to move quickly before the reset time.

After the usual morning roll call, everyone started working on their assigned tasks. Hikigaya was given a scouting mission. In reality, it was a laid-back job with a lot of freedom—perfect for slacking off.

Hirata probably did that on purpose, but Hikigaya wasn't about to complain. Meanwhile, girls who usually kept to themselves, like Sakura and Hasebe, were assigned to tasks within the camp to keep them safe.

During this time, a few students from Class C showed up to check out the situation. But instead of scouting, it felt more like they were deliberately trying to provoke them.

And the ones causing trouble? Hikigaya's "old friends"—Komiya, Kondo, and Ishizaki.

They seemed to be arguing with Ibuki, and things got a little tense. It really did look like Ibuki was having a fight with her own classmates. In the end, Hirata stepped in, and the three left reluctantly.

Everyone in Class D had witnessed the scene. A lot of students had suspected Ibuki was a spy, but after this incident, their suspicions seemed to ease.

Hikigaya watched coldly from the sidelines. He wasn't sure if Ibuki and Ishizaki were just that good at acting or if Class D students were just too easy to fool. Either way, he was becoming more convinced that this was all part of Ryuen's plan.

After that little episode, everyone got back to their tasks.

Hikigaya first checked the beach hut. The sign still said "Class A," and all the supplies inside were gone. It seemed like Class A had taken everything.

Satisfied, he nodded to himself. Then, thinking about Ibuki, he decided to check out Class C's camp—or more accurately, figure out what Ryuen was up to.

According to Ibuki, Ryuen's group was stationed by the beach. But when Hikigaya arrived, he realized their "camp" wasn't a survival base at all—it was more like a beach party.

There were temporary shower booths, sun umbrellas, barbecue sets, tons of snacks, ice-cold drinks, and even students enjoying the school-provided surfing activity.

It was clear that Class C wasn't saving their points at all—they were spending everything on comfort and fun.

Some students from Class C noticed Hikigaya. Someone must have reported his presence to Ryuen, but he just glanced at Hikigaya with a smug look, as if deliberately provoking him. Then, without a word, he put on his sunglasses and lay back to enjoy the sun and sand, completely ignoring Hikigaya.

"Hikigaya-kun!"

A surprised voice called out from not far away. It was Hiyori.

The usually quiet, bookish girl was now wearing a light, semi-transparent sun jacket over a pale-colored swimsuit skirt. A straw hat sat atop her head, and her fair legs and bare feet sank slightly into the soft sand. She looked so bright and lively that it was almost dazzling.

Hikigaya found himself staring for a moment.

"Have you seen enough?"

Hiyori's face turned slightly red as she spoke in a half-annoyed tone, snapping Hikigaya out of his daze.

"I-I just didn't recognize you for a moment."

Hikigaya quickly explained, "I mean, you look so different from how I usually picture you!"

"So in Hikigaya-kun's mind, I'm just some old-fashioned bookworm, always carrying around a thick novel and dressed like I belong in another era?"

Hiyori pouted, pretending to be upset.

"Uh... pretty much?"

Hikigaya scratched his head.

"!!!"

Hiyori's eyes widened.

"Hikigaya-kun, how could you say that?! Even if you think that, you shouldn't say it to a girl's face!"

"But I always thought you looked best in your usual library outfit."

Hikigaya said sincerely, "The way you get lost in a book, completely focused—that's the image of you that sticks in my mind the most."

"W-what's that supposed to mean!"

Hiyori's face suddenly turned bright red, even her neck flushing slightly.

"I was just being honest, I didn't mean to offend you. Besides, you look really nice like this too. It's the first time I've seen you dressed so casually."

Now that she wasn't wearing her usual outfit, it made her gentle and soft aura stand out even more.

For some reason, Hiyori hadn't felt self-conscious before, but after Hikigaya pointed it out, a wave of embarrassment rushed over her. She instinctively pulled her jacket a little tighter around herself.

"H-Hikigaya-kun, do you... do you want something to eat? I-I can get it for you!"

She hurriedly changed the subject.

But before Hikigaya could respond, an unwelcome voice cut in.

"Shiina, sorry, but Ryuen told us you're not allowed to get too close to Hikigaya."

Ishizaki stepped forward, alongside the muscular Albert, blocking Hiyori behind them while glaring at Hikigaya with a so-called "intimidating" look.

---

一 一 一 一 一

You can read 30 advanced Chapters on

pat reon.com/GMadman

一 一 一 一 一