Hachiman Hikigaya, who returned from his studies after completing his training.

"How was it, Hachiman?"

Sakura, with her two small ponytails tied up with blue ribbons on either side, turned around in front of Hikigaya, revealing her large, crystal-clear amber eyes without her old-fashioned red-rimmed glasses.

"She's very beautiful, no wonder she's an idol."

Hikigaya quickly took a picture of Sakura, who was showing a charming smile, with his camera.

Yesterday, Sakura didn't want a physical gift; instead, she wanted Hikigaya to take some photos of her dressed as an idol.

Hikigaya readily agreed to such a simple request, and the two are now at a coffee shop near the Beechwood Center where there aren't many students.

It's the first place Hachiman brought Sakura to. Although it wasn't very popular, the cafe's decor was still quite nice.

"Next is here, the angle needs to be lower."

Sakura sat on a retro chair in front of a red brick wall covered with black and white photos, her legs together and her body leaning forward. She rested her arms on her knees and cupped her delicate and lovely face in her hands.

"Yes, boss." Mimicking Albert's tone when answering Ryuen, Hikigaya knelt on one knee and lowered his body.

Given his height, he would need to be in this pose to find a good angle if he wanted to take a good picture of the background behind Sakura.

"Click, click, click."

After finding a decent angle, Hikigaya quickly took three photos in a row. Only when looking at Sakura in the photos did he notice that her complexion had become rosy; his attention had been focused on the background.

Hikigaya looked up at Sakura, whose face was flushed, and asked, "Is it hot to stay in this position? Your face is a little red. Should we delete it and reshoot it later?"

"Don't delete it, this is fine, this is fine."

Sakura quickly stood up, took the camera from Hikigaya's hand, and smiled cutely as she flipped through the photos she had taken.

"I'd like a mocha," Hachiman walked to the counter and turned to look at his idol, "Or a cappuccino, Airi?"

"Ah."

Since we were already taking photos in the store, we couldn't possibly leave without making a purchase. After placing our order, we found a corner seat for two in Hachiman Hikigaya.

With his chin resting on one hand, Hikigaya's gaze unconsciously fell on Sakura, who was bowing her head in front of the decorative red brick wall. Dressed in bright clothes and without her glasses, she had lost her timid and withdrawn image in class.

If Sakura can maintain this confident and poised image at school, she might be considered an idol of her grade.

Thinking of the idol Hikigaya, Ichino was reminded of Ichinose. Before and after dropping out of school, Ichinose didn't express her opinion on the matter, as if nothing had happened.

What is Ichinose thinking? What does she think of his decision to drop out of school?

"Here's your mocha, sir."

The female shop manager, with a smile on her face, handed him a cup of coffee, breaking his thoughts. Then Hachiman noticed that there was a straw stuck in the coffee.

The female shop owner clearly remembered this strange customer.

Silently, Hikigaya inserted the straw into Sakura's cappuccino, which earned him the familiar disdainful look from the female shop owner.

"Airi, your cappuccino is ready."

"Well, I'll come right away."

Before Sakura arrived, the female shop owner quickly took the straw away, glared at him, and left.

As Hikigaya was immersed in the joy of being the female shop owner, Sakura sat down opposite him with a smile on her face. Just after she sat down, two students pushed open the door of the coffee shop and looked around.

It was Ichinose's friend, Asako Amakura, and his second-in-command, Ryuji Kanzaki, who quickly approached him when they spotted him in the corner.

"You two aren't on a date, are you?" NetWarehouse's tone was laced with anger.

Judging from the purple-haired girl's trembling body in anger, Hikigaya felt that her friendship with Ichinose was genuine.

It's not surprising that they were discovered, since Sakura dressed as an idol is very eye-catching. However, judging from the fact that the two of them looked around as soon as they entered the room, someone must have notified them of their encounter.

"Who told you I was on a date here?" Hikigaya looked at Kanzaki, who was still maintaining his composure.

"It's none of your business. Just tell me if you're on a date with this girl."

"Kanzaki."

"It was an anonymous text message."

Hikigaya's indifference made Amakura tremble even more, and Sakura was so frightened by her aura that she shrank back against the wall, but Hikigaya ignored her.

The important question now is who attacked him. This coffee shop is in a remote location, and it would be impossible to find it unless someone had been following him and Sakura.

Since it was an anonymous text message, it was obviously not from a student in Class B.

Class A? Class C? Or Nagumo?

Class C is probably not involved. The two classes are cooperating well for now, and the special exam on the deserted island is expected to start in the next day or two. He also wants to continue to push for Class Three to encircle and annihilate Class A.

Katsuragi from Class A shouldn't resort to underhanded tactics. While Hikigaya was pondering whether it was Sakayanagi from Class A or Nagumo, his phone rang. It was Kushida.

"Quickly check the campus forum, you're killing me!"

"understood."

After speaking in a gloomy tone, Kushida immediately hung up the phone. Hachiman knew that something bad must have happened on the school forum that was detrimental to them.

"Are you on a date with Hachiman?" When Hachiman ignored her, Amakura pointed the gun at Sakura.

"This isn't a date, and you should shut up for a second."

Hachiman glared fiercely at Amakura, but Amakura immediately deflated intimidated by the aura Hachiman had cultivated through his terror-based rule over Class D.

While opening the school forum, Hikigaya told Sakura to go back first, judging from Kushida's tone that he must be in trouble.

After opening the forum, there was an anonymous post that had become incredibly popular with views, titled "The Shocking Romantic History of the First-Year Secretary".

After clicking in, there are a bunch of photos of Hachiman with girls. His face is not blurred, but the faces of the other girls are blurred.

Just by looking at those girls briefly, one can easily tell which class they are in and who they are from just by their hairstyle and hair color.

The first picture in the post is a picture of Hachiman seemingly hugging Sakayanagi against the backdrop of a dormitory building. It was probably taken when he was taking Sakayana back to her dormitory after inviting her to dinner and running errands. At that moment, she suddenly leaned forward, and Hachiman helped her up.

The second picture is of a girl hugging a boy from behind against the backdrop of the sea. It was taken after Kushida was given a break, when he was testing Kushida to see if he had feelings for her.

The third picture is of Shiina.

The fourth picture is Horikita Suzune.

The fifth picture is of Karuizawa.

The sixth picture is of Kiryuin-senpai.

The seventh picture is of idol Sakura; judging from her clothes, it was taken today.

Each photo is a solo picture of the two of them. Although only the first two photos look intimate like a couple, some students reading the post probably attributed it to him.

Hachiman is very popular right now, and at the height of his popularity, he received a text message from his school.

The school is organizing a free luxury boat trip to a deserted island, starting tomorrow...

Chapter 64 Ichinose is also a girl with a dark side.

After contacting the forum administrator as the person involved and getting the post deleted, Hachiman looked at Kanzaki and Amakura.

The two people who had been left standing there were getting a little impatient.

Although he was annoyed by the anonymous posts, he couldn't simply dismiss them given his current position as a 'sinner'.

Calling Ichinose to take them away might make the two of them even angrier, but fortunately the school just gave Hachiman an excuse to postpone the problem.

Hikigaya opened his phone and showed the text message he received: "You guys probably received the text message from the school about summer vacation trips to deserted islands and luxury cruise ships, right? Actually, it's not a trip, it's a special exam."

After promising to give them a reply after the special exam, Hachiman 'hinted' that the special exam would include a wilderness survival project on a deserted island.

With the class's upcoming special exams at hand, Ichinose and his problems can be put aside for now.

"What you should do most now is to discuss with your classmates how to pass the special exam."

It's almost noon now, and we still have an afternoon and evening before the cruise departs tomorrow.

After the two left somewhat reluctantly, Hikigaya thought for a moment and realized who was behind it. If nothing unexpected happened, Nagumo and Sakayanagi had already hooked up.

The timing of the special exams for first-year students couldn't be kept secret from Nagumo, the student council vice president. Sakayanagi's plan to fight three against one on his deserted island had failed.

The students in Class B were increasingly dissatisfied with him.

"Senpai Tachibana, I have a favor to ask you..." Hachiman needs Akane Tachibana's help with something; he needs to find out who is following him.

After finishing his call with Akane Tachibana, Hikigaya returned to his dormitory and summoned his three generals: Ichinose, Shiina, and Kushida.

"I'm sorry, it's all my fault this time."

After the three of them sat down opposite each other, Hachiman apologized to them first, saying that he wasn't the only one whose reputation had been damaged by the anonymous post on the school forum.

Ichinose and Kushida were the first to be affected.

The reason for Ichinose's declining reputation is that she has a 'womanizing' boyfriend who doesn't know how to judge people.

Kushida's reputation has declined because in the photo she appears to be hugging Hikigaya from behind, which makes her presence in Class B awkward.

How dare she seduce a married man, and that wife is none other than Ichinose, whom they admire? Kushida is probably going to be ostracized by Class B.

Horikita Suzune and Karuizawa were mostly unharmed, since they only needed to deny it as long as there were no intimate photos.

Kushida has lost her usual cute smile. "You've ruined me."

"Let's think about how to fix this first. It's all my fault. I wanted to try what it felt like to be hugged from behind by a girl, so I begged you and then the person who was following me took a picture."

Hikigaya took all the blame upon himself. Although it was Kushida who took the initiative at the time, Kushida was targeted by Sakayanagi because he was implicated.

This was Sakayanagi's revenge for bringing down Hashimoto; Kushida was equivalent to Hikigaya, just as Hashimoto was equivalent to Sakayanagi.

"Why didn't you come to me for that kind of thing?" Ichinose had been expressionless ever since she entered the room.

"It's not okay to ask a girl who isn't your girlfriend to do that kind of thing, Hachiman."

Under the somewhat frightening gazes of Shiina and Ichinose, Hikigaya cast a pleading look at Kushida, as if to say, "He's taken all the blame, so please help him out of this predicament."

If it weren't for Kushida's sudden attack that day, a single photo orchestrated by Sakayanagi wouldn't have damaged his reputation to such an extent.

"Now how to do?"

“You said you’re a fan of Honami,” Hikigaya immediately responded to Kushida’s rescue.

"In order to let campus idol Honami see that I am a scumbag, you agreed to do what is shown in the photo at any cost."

Time was of the essence, and Hikigaya couldn't think of a good reason. The reason he gave Kushida was somewhat far-fetched, but there was nothing else he could do.

"Honami also helped explain Kushida's situation to the students in Class B. Although it was a bit far-fetched, the students in Class B should agree with anything Honami said."

"Doesn't that confirm Hachiman's reputation as a lecher?" Shiina looked somewhat lonely.

"Anyway, the truth is out now, and I don't care what other people think of me."

Just like how Sakayanagi effortlessly made himself into the headlines, he didn't care much about what other people thought.

"Right now, I feel most sorry for Honami."

Now, Ichinose not only has to be persuaded by all the students in Class B to break up with him, but also has to help him maintain Kushida's persona.

Hikigaya rested his head on the table, clasped his hands together, and said, "Sorry, I need you to cover for Kushida."

"Then can you grant me a request, Hachiman?"

Sitting opposite Hachiman, Ichinose reached out and lifted Hachiman's chin, bringing their eyes together.

"I no longer want to be your girlfriend in name only."

Hikigaya's eyes revealed Ichinose's pupils to be so deep that they inspired fear.

He would have been very supportive if Ichinose's words hadn't come to fruition. The fact that their relationship was nominally established was because Hikigaya needed to use Ichinose's boyfriend's name to get involved in Class B affairs.

At the time, he even planned to abandon Class D and move to Class B during the exam on the deserted island to offer advice to Class B.

Unfortunately, plans can't keep up with changes. After being moved by Chairman Sakayanagi's sincerity and taking the leadership position, he could no longer do so.

If it weren't for Ichinose suddenly acting like she liked him, he would have dumped her long ago.

"I want to be your real girlfriend," Ichinose said in a low but firm voice.

"Ichinose-san?"

"No, Hachiman doesn't want to. You're blackmailing him."

Kushida looked surprised, while Shiina was annoyed.

Hachiman sighed. "Isn't breaking up with me the best option now? That's what all the students in Class B want too."