NOVEL NEXT Chapter 229
Chapter 229: Chapter Thirty-Eighth: Fleeing in Disarray
The long-haired monster at the window, wearing a gentle smile, after intimidating Hachiman Hikigaya, turned around and walked into the classroom to start the usual morning assembly.
The dead-fish-eyed少年 was taken aback as he widened his eyes.
Although he knew that Komachi had gotten him two extra days off, given his understanding of how strict Teacher Shizuka Hiratsuka was, at the very least she would inquire about the reason, not to mention seeking some form of justification.
But now, with just a look that seemed intended to intimidate, and her not asking anything, it was somewhat out of the ordinary.
He might be summoned to the Office by lunchtime.
Hikigaya Hachiman mentally braced himself for this.
However, by lunchtime, Shizuka Hiratsuka hadn’t shown up to find him. Instead, he accidentally saw Yuigahama Yui, a girl with pink pigtails who seemed on the verge of coming towards him, being pulled away by Miura Yumiko, interrupting whatever she was about to do.
“Yuigahama, let’s have lunch together.”
“Huh? But I…”
“Stop being silly! Every day you go to the disciplinary committee meetings; we only have lunchtime together, are you still going to refuse?”
Miura Yumiko frowned slightly and pretended to be displeased as she spoke.
Looking back and glancing at Hikigaya Hachiman, who was sitting alone at his desk, Yui Yuigahama laughed sheepishly and said to her friend, “I’m sorry, the disciplinary committee really keeps me busy.”
The conversation between the girls faded into the distance. Hikigaya Hachiman, who was eating fried bread from the school convenience store, slowly let out a sigh of relief. If Yuigahama asked what he had been doing for the past three days, it would genuinely be hard to explain.
After school in the afternoon, Hikigaya Hachiman packed his things, put on his backpack, and nervously made his way to the conference room.
Absent for three days, no one knows what the colleagues think of me… No, what others think doesn’t matter; the most important thing is that there will likely be a mountain of work waiting.
And there’s still that barrier ahead.
Shizuka Hiratsuka stood by the window, leaning against the corridor outside the meeting room, a lit cigarette loosely held between her slender fingers. She always wore a white coat, a distant gaze focusing on the window view. The sun’s afterglow was showered down, gently draping her smooth hair, which cascaded to her waist and hips, in a layer of golden gauze.
Noticing someone’s arrival, she turned her head to Hikigaya Hachiman with a slight smile.
Instinctively swallowing, Hikigaya Hachiman approached Shizuka Hiratsuka.
“You better get your work done, don’t disappoint others.” I thought there would be an interrogation, but Shizuka just smiled lightly, tapping him gently on the shoulder.
“I’ll try my best,” replied Hikigaya with a grimace.
His wound wasn’t completely healed yet.
“What’s that face for? I didn’t hit you that hard,” Shizuka joked, amused by his grimacing pain expression.
Pushing through the door, the discussions quieted down inside the meeting room. Everyone looked over at Hikigaya, who stood tall, trying not to appear too gloomy.
Taking a deep breath, he said, “I-I’m terribly sorry…”
“Committee Chairperson! You’re finally back!”
“Yes, yes, hurry and help us!”
“What would we do without you!”
The dead-fish-eyed youth was immediately drowned out by everyone’s pleas.
Contrary to his expectations, there was no blame nor was there much work piled up.
Not all, where’s my work?
“Just take this.” Before he could even sit down, a bespectacled male student shoved a pile of papers into his chest, explaining, “Everyone has shared some of the workload, but there’s still some left, naturally prioritizing their own department’s tasks.”
“Uh-uh…” Hikigaya responded in astonishment.
It seems there is work, just not as much as he imagined.
Returning to his seat somewhat dazed, Hikigaya started sorting documents.
Only after everyone assembled did they start with the routine reports.
To his surprise, the overall work progress hadn’t slipped much, if at all.
“Um… Who was handling the meetings while I was away?” Hikigaya asked Yuigahama Yui, who sat next to him.
“Hehehe~”
Yui said nothing and only giggled bashfully.
“Cough!” The student from the publicity department, who was reporting, coughed twice with a mischievous smile.
The faces of the two on the platform instantly reddened like cooked shrimp.
“Please, please carry on.”
Hikigaya Hachiman nervously covered his mouth and coughed dryly. His embarrassed red face combined with the dead-fish eyes could be excruciatingly amusing for others.
But for those used to it, the committee members found it perfectly cute.
“In fact, we can start reporting only after the two committee chiefs have finished discussing.” The female student smiled.
“Carry on.” Hikigaya finally spoke sternly.
“Alright, chief,” the girl blinked, recognizing she couldn’t tease much longer, and continued with her report.
After everyone completed their reports, he sighed in relief.
Though there were no difficulties as expected within the disciplinary committee, new sources of frustration arose beyond his imagination.
The playful looks from those around him felt sharper than when he first assumed the position as committee chair.
At such times, it’s best to stay silent and work harder.
“Koyomi.”
However, when he intended to focus on his work, his fellow girl clearly didn’t agree.
Poking Hikigaya lightly in his ribs, Yuigahama Yui, intending to ask about work, unexpectedly startled him as though hit by an elbow. He jumped, sucking in a sharp breath of air.
“Ohh, Koyomi… What happened?” Yui looked surprised, her brows naturally showing concern.
“No, it’s nothing,” though you just jabbed right on my still healing three ribs.
Hikigaya clenched his muscles forcibly, trying to maintain normalcy. “Why?”
“No, it’s just this…” The girl with pigtails awkwardly smiled and pushed the document paper in front of him.
The moment Hikigaya leaned down to read it, low mutters of snickering erupted among the attendees. When he turned and looked, a fresh round of nervous coughing followed the snickers.
There couldn’t have been a more unbearable place than this meeting room.
He’d rather take the papers home.
“That’s all for today, thank you all for your hard work.”
The dead-fish-eyed young man declared the day’s meeting dismissed and then quickly cleared his desk before making his escape.
Waving and laughing along at the sight of their fleeing leader, the meeting room was filled with mirthful sounds.
…
That noisy summer.