141 - Personality Correction~
It was lunchtime, and only a few students remained in the classroom.
They were staring, speechless, at the astonishing scene before them.
This was third-year student Miharutaki Sakura, the Student Council's Beautification Chairperson, actually taking the initiative to challenge Hachiman Hikigaya?
This was probably the first time that a committee chair-level figure had publicly gambled with a first-year student. The only previous exception to this had been... President Momobami.
What on earth was happening?!
Holding a boxed lunch in his hands, Suzui Ryota was so shocked that he couldn't say a word. His mouth opened involuntarily, and with a clatter, the lunchbox slipped from his hands onto the desk. The school hierarchy and simple view of gambling he had built up were now being severely challenged.
"Haha, gamble everything? Are you sure?"
Hikigaya neither accepted nor refused, but instead examined the full-chested woman in front of him with a scrutinizing gaze.
With an expression of proud defiance and her ponytail tied high, she gave off an air that made one want to grab and toy with her.
"What? Scared?" Miharutaki stared into Hikigaya Hachiman's eyes, her sharp gaze seemingly piercing right through him.
As long as she defeated Hikigaya here, everything could return to its proper course. The sunny, cheerful boy she remembered would also come back.
"Alright," Hikigaya lazily met Miharutaki's gaze without the slightest fear.
"Hey, hey! Hikigaya, why must you gamble with this woman?!" Saotome said nervously, worried that Hikigaya might not know Miharutaki's reputation since he was a transfer student.
Leaning close to Hikigaya, she whispered urgently, "This woman is really strong. Gambling with her is extremely dangerous. You can totally refuse."
"Besides, don't you still have plans for the 'Festival'? Even though I'm not sure what your exact plan is, if you beat her in public, your reputation will rise even further."
"Wouldn't that ultimately have an effect?"
Aiura looked on in confusion, not understanding the riddles exchanged between the two.
Feeling Saotome's warm breath brushing his cheek, Hikigaya instinctively stepped aside. After a while, he spoke slowly:
"Of course. That's why I'm requesting a private, non-public gamble."
Private gamble?!
The girls present frowned slightly.
As the name implied, a private gamble would not be open to spectators.
The match would be conducted by the Management Committee led by Yomozuki Runa, and only Hikigaya and Miharutaki would be present besides the dealer.
Additionally, after the gamble ended, both sides would be prohibited from revealing the results or the stakes to anyone within the specified period. However, the stakes would still be enforced under the Management Committee's supervision.
In other words, there would be a delayed disclosure period.
Private gambles were rare and only used under very specific circumstances.
'Is he worried that losing would hurt his reputation, so he's opting for a private match...'
Miharutaki instinctively wanted to refuse. Her goal was to publicly damage Hikigaya's reputation to protect her fiancé's face. If they gambled privately, the impact would be greatly reduced.
"Of course, if you don't agree, I won't accept any form of gamble with you," Hikigaya shrugged with a 'whatever you want' expression.
On one hand, he intended to defeat and humiliate Miharutaki. On the other, the Great Bloom Festival plan was still ongoing. Until then, he needed to maintain his public image as the "underdog." If news of him beating the Beautification Chair spread now, it would be a problem.
Thus, to accomplish both goals simultaneously, a private gamble was the best option.
"How long is the disclosure ban?" Miharutaki asked in a low voice.
"Until the last day of the Great Bloom Festival. How about it?"
Miharutaki nodded. "Agreed."
"Then from this moment, our gambling match must be kept secret."
Hikigaya put his hands in his pockets and looked around at the four or five classmates still present, including Suzui Ryota.
"I ask everyone here not to spread the news about my gamble with Miharutaki-senpai until the Great Bloom Festival ends."
"If the news leaks... the Management and Beautification Committees will pursue the matter to the end."
As he spoke, Hikigaya shot a sideways glance at Miharutaki.
She nodded slightly.
"Tch, how domineering..."
"He's obviously afraid of losing, that's why he insists on a private gamble... What's he acting all arrogant for..."
The few students present grumbled softly but didn't dare go against Hikigaya's will.
He wasn't wrong; this was part of the rules of a private gamble. Once the match was confirmed, all witnesses were forbidden to leak any information before the disclosure period ended.
"Alright, let's go, Miharutaki-senpai."
Hikigaya turned and gave Yumeko a reassuring glance.
.
.
.
Following Miharutaki's noble figure, Hikigaya's eyes flickered thoughtfully.
Agreeing to gamble with her wasn't an impulsive decision. He had already gathered information on Miharutaki from the Ougatou twins and Juraku Sachiko.
'This woman's gambling style is similar to mine.'
'Calculation? Psychology?'
Hikigaya Hachiman was confident he was second to none. Anyone who excelled at calculation left traces; anyone who tried to manipulate hearts could themselves be manipulated by them. On this, Hikigaya was absolutely certain.
Only women like Kirari, Yumeko, or Sachiko—full of madness and unpredictability—were truly troublesome opponents.
Their actions could not be predicted by ordinary rational thinking.
But an opponent like Miharutaki Sakura? Hikigaya had faced such types countless times and was more than adept at handling them.
After a few twists and turns, the two arrived at the Management Committee office.
Inside, only Yomozuki Runa was there, slumped over a table, playing a handheld console, sucking on a lollipop, looking like she had no classes to attend.
"Ah, if it isn't Sakura-chan and Hachiman-chan. What brings you two here together?"
Miharutaki closed the door behind them and locked it.
She walked powerfully to the antique long table, sitting down with her long, slender legs elegantly crossed, though her knee-length skirt only revealed a bit of her fair calf. Her sharp gaze was fixed on Hikigaya Hachiman, scrutinizing him.
It was like a serious, old-fashioned teacher evaluating a troublesome student, wanting to correct his personality.
Normally, a delinquent student faced with such a gaze would have already panicked.
But Hikigaya was not ordinary.
He calmly pulled out a chair and sat across from her.
Fingers interlaced under his chin, he asked with great interest:
"You said earlier you wanted to gamble everything, so... what exactly are we betting on?"