146 - Outcome Decided: The Senior Who Became a Livestock
"..."
The gamble quickly moved into the fourth round.
This time, Hikigaya Hachiman was quite lucky, rolling heads three times in a row.
Meanwhile, sitting across from him, Miharutaki Sakura wore a struggling expression, hesitating over whether or not to call "STOP."
This made Hikigaya Hachiman realize that the timing was perfect.
Wherever there is oppression, there will be resistance.
But what if this external oppression suddenly weakens or even disappears?
Would the oppressed, like a drowning person desperate for air, immediately surface to breathe?
Of course, Hikigaya had calculated this too.
He had already completely seen through Miharutaki Sakura's thoughts.
Speaking in a gentle voice, he said,
"Senpai, you must be very tired."
"Watching Mibuomi Aoi slowly turn into someone unfamiliar to you, yet being powerless to change anything."
Hearing this, Sakura stared at Hikigaya with wary eyes, not knowing what he was planning next.
"You should take a break, Senpai."
"Actually, you must have investigated by now, right? The Ougatou sisters, who also became my private livestock — I haven't done anything excessive to them even to this day."
"I can promise you, as long as you obediently cooperate with me, I won't do anything excessive to you either."
"And as long as Mibuomi Aoi doesn't provoke me, I won't make a move against him."
These were lies.
Hikigaya understood Mibuomi Aoi's character better than anyone — that guy would never abandon his ambition and would definitely challenge him again in the end.
Everything Hikigaya said was simply to give this "drowning" Miharutaki Sakura a reason to surface for air.
"Save those words for after you actually win this gamble!"
Sakura replied coldly, showing no sign of being moved.
No matter how sweet the words, becoming someone's private livestock ultimately meant surrendering control of one's own will.
In that case, she would no longer be herself, but a plaything meant to entertain Hikigaya Hachiman.
However, perhaps even she hadn't realized it — the tightly strung string in her heart had already loosened.
Hikigaya's words had become the last straw for the drowning Miharutaki Sakura, giving her a brief opportunity to breathe.
Perhaps, from the start, she had wanted to legitimately lose to another man, hoping someone would stop her from following Mibuomi Aoi further down the wrong path.
Hikigaya, ever observant, had already noticed that her tone lacked the firmness it once had.
Her mental defenses had been completely shattered by him.
"STOP."
This time, Miharutaki Sakura didn't hesitate anymore.
She was simply exhausted, her heart weary, and no longer had the courage to continue fighting Hikigaya Hachiman.
Stopping after three rounds was the most conservative winning strategy.
The scales of fate balanced equally.
'I'll leave everything to fate,' Sakura thought, closing her eyes with a blank expression.
Meanwhile, Hikigaya Hachiman also closed his eyes, glancing out of the corner of his eye at Yomozuki Runa, who was cheerfully playing the role of the bystander.
If he had judged correctly, this dice machine could be manually manipulated.
At the start of the gamble, Runa had said: this was a contest of endurance and determination, not luck.
Meaning, under the psychological warfare and verbal attacks, whoever showed a crack first would lose.
And the reason for the loss... was likely hidden in Yomozuki Runa's hands — a switch that could freely control the dice's result.
Not allowing the players to cheat — but instead letting the "fair" judge cheat herself.
'That truly suits a mischief-maker like her.'
'And also, from the moment we entered until now, there's been a constant feeling of being watched. I haven't found it yet, but there should be pinhole cameras transmitting everything to someone.'
'It's probably Momobami Kirari — she's watching everything.'
Hikigaya Hachiman understood clearly now — this was never a fair gamble.
Realizing this earlier than Miharutaki Sakura, he had already stood in an unbeatable position.
As long as Sakura showed signs of psychological collapse first, victory was his.
The winner would be Hikigaya Hachiman!
The dice spun rapidly in the air, its six sides flashing chaotically.
Just like the tangled and uncertain fates between Hikigaya and the girls.
Bang—
The dice landed on the table, spinning wildly, slowing down more and more.
It looked like it would stop on the side marked "6."
But suddenly, as if pushed by some unseen force, the dice that was about to land on "6" tilted — and came to rest on "5."
"Looks like the outcome has been decided~"
Yomozuki Runa's voice, full of sly amusement, filled the air.
A tall boy and a small girl, looking at each other across the table.
'You're something else, Runa-senpai.'
'Well, well, Hachiman, you're just too interesting for me not to meddle a little~'
Yomozuki Runa stared intently at Hikigaya, her gaze sliding downward.
Suddenly, her pink tongue slipped out from her small cherry lips, and she sensually licked the lollipop in her hand.
Clearly supposed to be an absolutely impartial judge, yet manipulating the outcome at her own whim just because it amused her...
That was the kind of thing Yomozuki Runa couldn't resist.
Hikigaya understood more and more clearly — every student council officer was a two-faced individual, walking from one extreme to another.
This wasn't an insult.
It was a strange form of praise.
If Runa symbolized Rationality → Chaos.
If Mibuomi symbolized Kindness → Hypocrisy.
And if Momobami Kirari symbolized Nobility → Lust...
Then this outwardly pure, proud, and unyielding Miharutaki Sakura must represent...
Hikigaya thought of a possibility, and an odd feeling stirred inside him.
'It couldn't possibly be...'
"Victory has been decided~ Sakura-chan, you've lost the gamble."
"I... lost...?"
Yomozuki Runa removed the divider, revealing the results:
Four points versus three points — Hikigaya had won by just a single point.
Hopping over happily to Sakura's side, Runa stuck out her pink tongue, almost licking Sakura's cheek, and said in a low voice:
"Well then, according to the wager, Sakura-chan, from now on—"
"You'll be Hikigaya Hachiman's private livestock~"
"No matter what he wants to do to you, as long as it doesn't harm your body or threaten your life, it will all be permitted."
Miharutaki Sakura's face turned utterly pale, and she instinctively clamped her legs together.
All her pride and sanctity were replaced by pure terror at her defeat.
Now she was like a lamb laid bare for slaughter, completely exposed before Hikigaya Hachiman.