CHAPTER 136: CHAPTER 136: KARUIZAWA’S TEACHINGS – ACCEPT GOOD INTENTIONS WELL

L

Returning to the dormitory, Hikigaya felt an overwhelming wave of exhaustion wash over him. The events of the previous day had clearly taken their toll. The moment his body hit the bed, he was out like a light, sinking into a deep, uninterrupted sleep. It wasn’t until around noon the next day that his eyes fluttered open.

Sunlight streamed softly through the window, illuminating the tidy room. Hikigaya lay still for a moment, letting the warmth soak in. The corners of his lips curled slightly upward in contentment. Though his body still felt somewhat fatigued, there was a strange comfort in it—a feeling of having survived something important.

Dragging himself from the bed, he picked up his phone and made his way into the bathroom. As he brushed his teeth, he idly flipped through his messages.

There were a few goodnight texts from Menlai and Hiyori, typical friendly exchanges. But one set of messages caught his eye—those from Karuizawa.

Apparently, he had missed them last night, having fallen asleep without checking his phone. Still brushing his teeth, Hikigaya opened the chat with her.

[Karuizawa: Are you still awake?]

[Karuizawa: Or did you already fall asleep?]

[Karuizawa: Okay, just reply when you see this tomorrow. I have something to ask you.]

Three messages, sent one after the other. Hikigaya raised an eyebrow. So she had something to ask him? That was a little unexpected. Yesterday’s rooftop incident had gone well—he thought her emotional state had stabilized. So what else could be bothering her now?

He frowned slightly. "This girl always has something going on," he muttered under his breath.

A vibration in his hand broke his thoughts. A new message from Karuizawa appeared on the screen.

[Karuizawa: Are you up yet?]

[Karuizawa: I saw that you read the message. That means you’re awake!]

Hikigaya sighed, slightly annoyed but resigned. He started typing back.

[Hikigaya: What’s up?]

The reply came swiftly.

[Karuizawa: The coat you lent me last time—I’ve already washed it. You can come to my dorm and pick it up.]

He blinked, pausing as he rinsed his mouth and looked at the wall.

Indeed, one of his high-quality training jackets was missing. He had lent it to her during the rooftop incident when she was trembling from cold and fear. She had clutched it tightly back then—one of those moments where people’s true emotions shone through.

But even so...

[Hikigaya: It’s okay, I still have another one. Just bring it to school next term and return it there.]

He figured that was fair. After all, she had been the one who needed help. He had extended his support; surely it wasn’t too much to ask her to hold onto the coat a bit longer.

[Karuizawa: Huh?]

[Karuizawa: But that’s inconvenient. If you don’t want to bother with it, I’ll bring it to you directly. Which floor is your dorm?]

Hikigaya quickly pulled back from the screen, his expression grimacing slightly. "No, no, no. There’s no way I’m giving her that information."

Even if Karuizawa seemed sincere, letting someone know his dorm location felt like a line he wasn’t ready to cross. He hadn’t even let Menlai or Huko know, and they were far closer in his mind.

After a brief pause, he typed:

[Hikigaya: Let’s meet at Keyaki Shopping Center instead.]

Her reply came fast, enthusiastic as always.

[Karuizawa: Okay! What time and where exactly?]

[Hikigaya: Doesn’t matter.]

[Karuizawa: Then two hours from now! Pallet Café! No being late!]

He stared at the screen for a moment, sighed, and closed the chat.

"Why does it feel like I’m being dragged around again?"

Still, there wasn’t much he could do. He wanted his coat back. Plus, it would be awkward to make a fuss over something this small. Resigned, Hikigaya got dressed and stepped out. Since he was going out, he figured he might as well enjoy a good meal.

Two hours later, at around 12:53 PM, Hikigaya had just finished a satisfying pork cutlet rice bowl. Feeling full and with time to spare, he strolled toward the entrance of Pallet Café.

The place was as vibrant as always, filled with chatter and laughter. Inside, a group of girls were having an animated conversation over sweets and coffee. The whole atmosphere reeked of sugary friendships and Instagram filters.

Unwilling to enter alone, Hikigaya stood outside and leaned against the wall. He glanced at his phone.

13:00 sharp. On time, as always.

But no sign of Karuizawa.

Typical. Girls like her never respected time. "Arriving five minutes early is the bare minimum in any social setting," he grumbled internally.

He gave her ten more minutes. If she didn’t show, he was leaving. It wasn’t worth it—he could always just file for another jacket through the school’s supply system.

Meanwhile...

Back at her dorm, Karuizawa sat in front of her mirror, applying the final touch of lipstick. A soft pink gloss shimmered across her lips, catching the light. She pouted once, then smiled at her reflection.

"Perfect," she murmured. "No guy could resist this."

She was wearing a casual but trendy outfit, her hair styled neatly, and her makeup delicately done. She had spent far more time than necessary getting ready. And as she looked at the clock—her eyes widened.

"Ah! It’s already past the time!" she gasped, jumping from her seat and scrambling to grab her things.

She didn’t even double-check for the coat.

Back at the café, Hikigaya was just about to leave when he spotted her hurrying toward him, her breath slightly ragged from running.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," she said between breaths, placing her hands on her knees.

"It took me longer than I expected to get ready."

He gave her a deadpan look. "Yeah, it really has been a while."

Almost thirty minutes late. She had truly pushed it this time.

"Really, really sorry." She looked up, offering a sheepish smile and bringing her hands together in apology.

"Forget it." Hikigaya waved it off, extending his hand, palm open. "Alright. Clothes."

"Ah..."

Karuizawa blinked, confused. It took a moment for her brain to click.

And then she laughed awkwardly. "Oops... I forgot to bring them."

Hikigaya’s hand fell to his side as his expression soured. "Then what are you even doing here?"

To say he was mad would be an understatement. He had stood there for nearly thirty minutes, surrounded by overly cheerful teenagers and sugary desserts, only for her to arrive late—and empty-handed.

He had even predicted this. From the moment he noticed she wasn’t wearing her uniform, he suspected she didn’t bring the coat. Sometimes, being right just made him more irritated.

People from Class D really lived up to their reputation.

"I’m really, really sorry," she said, looking genuinely apologetic this time. "This month’s a bit tight for me, but I’ll treat you next month to make up for it, okay? Please don’t be mad."

Hikigaya paused, then sighed.

"You better treat me to something expensive," he said, though his voice lacked true malice. Maybe deep down, he wasn’t as angry as he let on.

Karuizawa smiled, relieved. "Deal!"

As they walked away from the café together, Hikigaya couldn’t help but notice how cheerful she looked. There was a spring in her step, and even though she had completely failed at the one task she came here for, she didn’t seem too bothered.

Somehow, it was a little annoying—but also oddly comforting.

People like her... maybe they weren’t entirely bad.

And perhaps, just perhaps, accepting someone’s good intentions—even when wrapped in clumsiness and forgetfulness—wasn’t the worst thing in the world.

----------------------------------------------------

Get membership in patreon to read more Chapters

Extra Chapters available in patreon

patreon.com/Dragonscribe31

-----------------------------------------------------