[OreGaIru : New Me!]

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[-Continuation-]

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[Hachiman's POV]

"…so there's no doubt the culprit is among the three of them." Immediately, Yukinoshita announced, reaching the same obvious conclusion.

When Hayato heard it, he let out a rare outburst. "H-hang on a sec! I don't want to think the culprit is among them."

I chimed in. "Nope. It is exactly what Yukinoshita and Yuigahama said."

"Hayato. Don't be any more stupid and dumb than you have already been." I responded harshly.

Still undeterred by my words, he continued to defend. "B-but don't the texts say bad things about all three of them? It can't be one of them."

"Exactly." My response was sharp and cutting. "The reason behind the bad things about all three of them is because no one would suspect them. To be honest, the one who executed this idea is pretty dumb."

I let out a mocking laugh. "I mean, if it were me, I would purposely leave out either of the other two from slandering and frame them as the culprit. A complete noob mistake, I say."

"Hikki, that's really horrible…" Said Yuigahama.

I defended myself. "No, it's a white-collar crime."

I returned to the conversation and said. "Hayato, let's face it. You must have at least considered the possibility that one of those three could be the culprit, didn't you?"

"And isn't that why you are hesitant to find the culprit from the beginning? To not stir up a conflict and ruin your so-called friendship."

"..." Hayato bit his lip in vexation.

He probably never wanted to imagine something like this - that there was hatred right under his nose or that dark emotions were swirling underneath the smiling veneer of those whom he trusted.

"For now, could you tell us what you know about those three?" Yukinoshita probed Hayato for information.

At that point, Hayato looked up, his face brimming with resolve. His belief in his friends remained clear in his eyes. He probably held on to the lofty belief that he could clear up the suspicion that had been cast on his friends.

With the same attitude, he adhered to Yukinoshita's request. "Tobe's in the same soccer club as me. His bleached hair might make him look like a bad guy, but he's the best at getting everyone energized. He always gets involved at the school festival and the sports festival. A nice guy."

"An easily excited person whose only talent is making noise, I see." Yukinoshita released her evaluation without any filter.

"..." Silence. Hayato was lost for words.

"Hm? What's wrong? Go on." Yukinoshita prompted, giving Hayato a strange look for falling into silence so suddenly.

"*chuckle…" I couldn't help but chuckle from the sidelines, observing Hayato's clueless face as he struggled to find words to retaliate against Yukinoshita's 'decipherment' of his friend.

And his ever-confident demeanor faded into the past as he simply stared at Yukinoshita dumbfoundedly.

"Hahhaa..!" The small chuckle continued to grow, and a small laugh slipped out of my mouth.

Damn, that description was funny but also painfully accurate. I don't know whether she is doing this consciously or if it just came naturally to her. Probably the latter one.

But one thing I am certain of is that - I pity Hayato.

Believe me, I really do.

In many ways, actually.

"...*glare." Suddenly, stern glares were directed at me, particularly from Yuigahama.

What is she so angry about, all of a sudden?

Yukinoshita also looked slightly put off, but more so because I had disturbed her flow rather than my laughter.

And as for Hayato, he just simply looked at me with his usual brightening smile on his face, with no hint of annoyance or irritation.

A saint.

I am telling you, he is a saint.

I mean, if he is not, then who could it be?

Here we are badmouthing one of his friends left and right, but he is taking this sportively instead.

"Sorry, my bad." I immediately acknowledged my mistake.

"No worries." Hayato, who accepted my apology, instantly regained his momentum and launched into the next character description -

"Yamato's in the rugby club. He's calm and good at listening. He's a chill guy who puts people at ease by not saying much, I guess? He's the silent, caring type. A nice guy."

"So not only is he slow, he's incapable of making his own decisions… right?"(Yukinoshita)

"....um-m." Hayato frowned in silence, incapable of mustering any words.

"...*sigh" With a resigned sigh, he continued -

"Ooka is in the baseball club. He's easy to get along with, and he's always helping other people out. He's always polite and respectful to his elders and his juniors. A nice guy."

"An opportunist who worries about his reputation, then."(Yukinoshita)

"...." - "..."

By this point, Hayato wasn't the only one who had been speechless.

Yuigahama and, to some extent, even me, opened our mouths vacantly, but no words came out.

Yukinoshita demolished them.

Nonetheless, I couldn't hold back my amusement. "As I expected, you were born to be a prosecutor, Yukinoshita."

"Shut it. Hikigaya." Yukinoshita scolded.

She really can't take in compliments, does she?

Then she peered at the memo she wrote and groaned. "It wouldn't be strange for any of these people to be the culprit."

She said in a realistic manner. "Hayato's descriptions aren't much to go on…"

"Yuigahama, Hikigaya." She turned her inquisitive gaze on us. "What do you think of those boys?"

"Er, th-there's not much to say…" Yuigahama replied with uncertainty.

"I don't really know those guys." I said.

"But that Tobe guy with the long brown hair has an irritating voice, and the way he acts trying to look cool is totally uncool. Overall, I don't quite like him." I spoke honestly, recalling how he had called me 'Hikatani' during gym class.

"As for the other two, I don't really have any strong opinions about them." I finished my assessment.

"So you basically don't know anything, and no one asked about your subjunctive personal feelings."(Yukinoshita)

"Well....that's true." I admitted.

"Then could you look into them for me?" Yukinoshita asked, looking at Yuigahama and me.

I responded. "The groups are being decided the day after tomorrow, correct? We have one day to figure it out."

"…um, okay." Yuigahama looked slightly uncomfortable at this request.

I suppose for Yuigahama, who wishes to get along with everyone in her class, this wasn't an action she was inclined to undertake.

Yukinoshita also seemed to realize that too, because she lowered her eyes gently, "…sorry, it's not a terribly pleasant thing to do. Please put it out of mind."

Nope. Wrong choice of words, Yukinoshita.

When someone puts it like that, anyone would say they'd do it.

Well, that much was obvious. Even more so considering Yuigahama's personality.

That's basically as good as emotional blackmail… Which I don't think Yukinoshita is aiming for.

"I will do it. I don't really care what my classmates think of me." I accepted the task.

Yukinoshita glanced at me and smiled thinly.

–stick!(:arrow piercing right into my heart)

"Leave it to me. Finding faults in people is one of my 108 special skills."

Yep. I will do it a hundred times.

"H-hang on! I'll do it too! I-I just can't let Hikki handle it on his own!" Suddenly, Yuigahama insisted with a red face.

The next instant, she clenched her fists and said. "And plus! There's no way I can turn down one of Yukinon's requests!"

Her devotion to Yukinoshita was rather touching.

"…I see." Yukinoshita answered shortly, looking away sharply.

Whether because of the sunset glow or her embarrassment, the colour rose was planted on Yukinoshita's cheeks.

Hayato, who was watching the two girls with a bright, invigorating smile on his face, remarked. "What a nice friendship."

"Dude, you sound like an old man, but yeah, they get along pretty well." I agreed, not missing the chance to throw in a comment.

That is exactly why I don't want to be the cause of that disturbance between them.

"So do you, Hikitani." Hayato turned to me with the same bright smile.

Hikitani?

Didn't we already talk about it? I am quite sure he also agreed to it.

He is definitely not the type to go away from his words. Is he holding a grudge against me due to the last confrontation?

"..." Confused, I looked at Hayato, who was...grinning?

Yep. I hit the nail in the coffin.

"I assume this time you won't oblige if I ask you to stop calling me that?"

"I sure won't."

An immediate positive response.

...well, gotta face what I brought upon myself, I guess.

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[-Scene END-]

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[To be continued….]

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