The Exorcism Tale of Hachiman

Seeing Yui Yuigahama swaying precariously, Hachiman Hikigaya was genuinely worried that she would collapse to the ground with a thud as she walked.

"Yeah. Because I have my midterm exam today, I stayed up all night memorizing the key points..."

Nodding, Yui Yuigahama covered her mouth and yawned before explaining why she looked so sleepy.

"Is that so?"

Upon hearing Yui Yuigahama's reason, Hachiman Hikigaya's head creased with several black lines.

Will Yui Yuigahama really fall asleep during the exam if she doesn't sleep all night?

After all, the exam this morning is a difficult and obscure science subject.

As is well known, science subjects are highly hypnotic.

"No problem!"

However, when Hachiman Hikigaya voiced his concerns, Yui Yuigahama, who had just looked exhausted, suddenly radiated confidence.

She's already drunk three cans of coffee since this morning.

If she can fall asleep like this, she should just squeal like a pig in the Service Club in front of Hachiman Hikigaya and Yukinoshita, okay?

"Really? Good luck..."

Hachiman Hikigaya, who had originally intended to remind Yui Yuigahama not to speak too definitively, saw her suddenly become energetic as if in a final burst of life and decided to swallow his words.

After meeting Yui Yuigahama, the journey to the classroom that he had originally planned to walk alone naturally turned into a walk together.

As they approached the classroom, Hachiman Hikigaya slowed his pace slightly, letting Yui Yuigahama go in first before entering himself a few seconds later.

Upon entering the classroom, the students, who would normally be chatting at this time, were instead flipping through books and various study materials, their usual cheerful demeanor completely absent.

Even Yui Yuigahama greeted Yumiko Miura after entering the classroom and then sat down in her seat to continue studying.

While the rest of the class was studying, Hachiman Hikigaya, who was sitting in his seat lost in thought, and Yumiko Miura, who was looking down at her phone at the back of the classroom, seemed a bit out of place.

......

The exam bell rang soon after.

Then, the unfamiliar teacher on the podium read out the exam guidelines that he had heard countless times before and began distributing the midterm exam papers.

After taking the test paper, Hachiman Hikigaya quickly scanned the questions.

A hint of surprise appeared in his eyes when he saw the last few challenging questions.

The last few challenging questions were extremely similar to those that Yukino Yukinoshita had specifically chosen for him and Yui Yuigahama to practice.

If it weren't for the certainty that Yukino Yukinoshita would never cheat due to her pride, Hachiman Hikigaya would have mistakenly thought she had seen the midterm exam paper in advance.

The ballpoint pen scribbled on the exam paper, making a 'scratching' sound.

Hachiman Hikigaya, who had already fully grasped the knowledge points of the exam, did the science subject so smoothly the first time.

In another classroom, Yui Yuigahama looked at her exam paper with a confident smile on her face.

.........

The two-hour exam ended quickly.

Upon hearing the teacher's announcement to stop writing, Hachiman Hikigaya slightly moved his arm, which had become stiff from daydreaming.

He then waited quietly for the teacher to collect the test papers before taking his belongings and leaving the classroom.

"Oh, my dear friend..."

As soon as he stepped out of the classroom, Yoshiteru Tateki, who was taking the exam in the same classroom as him, came over and put his arm around his shoulder.

How did you do on the exam?

Hachiman Hikigaya pushed aside the arm of the woodwork stand and casually asked about his best friend's exam results.

Even if Yoshiteru Zaimokuza hadn't said anything, he could probably guess that the other party's results were abysmal.

After all, it wasn't until last week that Yoshiteru Zaimoto found out he had an exam today.

If you're just trying to cram, that amount of time is definitely not enough.

"Hmph..."

Upon hearing Hachiman Hikigaya's question, Yoshiteru Zaimokuza pushed up his glasses and, contrary to Hachiman Hikigaya's expectations, did not show a mournful face as if the world was ending. Instead, he appeared quite confident.

"For this general, a mere midterm exam is a piece of cake!"

"Looks like someone's tutoring you."

Seeing Yoshiteru Zaimokuza's confident demeanor, Hachiman Hikigaya almost instantly realized the reason for his confidence.

"As expected of my close friend who understands me perfectly, he guessed it right away!"

"No, it's entirely because it's so easy to guess, isn't it?"

Hachiman Hikigaya looked helplessly at Yoshiteru Zaimokuza, who was wriggling around like a fat hamster, with his dead fish eyes.

It would be absolutely impossible for him to finish reviewing his lessons by himself.

If that's the case, then the only remaining possibility is that someone will help.

"Tell me, who helped you?"

Hachiman Hikigaya was quite curious about the person who kindly helped Zaimokuza with his studies.

After all, in reality, Yoshiteru Zaimoto, who often exudes a chuunibyou (delusional) aura, is even less popular than him at school.

Given this situation, anyone willing to lend him a helping hand can only be described as an angel.

"Actually, well..."

The previously high-spirited Zai Muza Yoshiteru suddenly became awkward.

He glanced at the students beside the two of them, then suddenly pulled Hachiman Hikigaya to a deserted corner of the stairs.

"Please! Please grant me this one and only request in my life!"

As Hachiman Hikigaya approached the stairwell, just as he was about to ask Zaimokuza what he wanted to say, Zaimokuza suddenly performed a dogeza (a deep bowing gesture) towards him.

Chapter 159 As expected, he fell asleep during the exam.

"I reject!"

Without any hesitation, Hachiman Hikigaya jumped aside to avoid the dogeza (a type of traditional Chinese stilt-legged stance) and refused his request with a serious expression.

"That's so unfair! I didn't even say what I was asking for..."

Seeing Hachiman Hikigaya's heartlessness, Yoshiteru Zaimokuza couldn't help but burst into tears.

"If you hadn't added 'once in a lifetime' before your request, I might have listened, but now..."

Hachiman Hikigaya rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on, and was about to turn away when Zaimokuza suddenly grabbed his leg.

"No, I already promised them..."

"So, since you promised, then go and do it yourself!"

Hachiman Hikigaya struggled to pull his leg out.

However, Yoshiteru Zaimokuza clung tightly to his school uniform pants and wouldn't let go.

To avoid having his pants torn, Hachiman Hikigaya reluctantly stopped struggling.

"Speak first. If you think it's too much trouble, I absolutely won't help!"

"Um, this..."

Upon hearing Hachiman Hikigaya's words, Yoshiteru Zaimokuza, who had been smiling, immediately looked guilty.

After coughing a few times and gathering his emotions, Cai Muzuo explained his request.

"Do you remember that boy we met last week when we were playing tennis in PE class?"

"You mean Totsuka Saika?"

Hachiman Hikigaya raised an eyebrow.

He's a boy, but he's cuter than a girl.

In particular, the other party had invited him to join the tennis club.

Hachiman Hikigaya naturally remembered such a person very clearly.

Wait a minute...

If I remember correctly, Totsuka Saika's grades were quite good, more than enough to help Zaimokuza with his studies.

Looking at the woodworker Yoshiteru in front of him, Hachiman Hikigaya suddenly guessed the truth of the matter.

"You didn't accept tutoring from Totsuka Saika, and then came to invite me to join the tennis club on his behalf, did you?"

If you think about it carefully, Yoshiteru Tsaimoto, who doesn't want to take the make-up exam and has no other options, might actually agree to this condition.

After all, aren't best friends just something to be sold?

"of course not!"

Yoshiaki, the woodworker, retorted excitedly.

"My dearest friend, what kind of person do you take me for? Do you think I'm the kind of person who would betray a friend just to avoid having to retake an exam?!"

"The wooden seat..."

Upon hearing Zaimokuza's words, Hachiman Hikigaya's expression shifted slightly.

I never imagined that I had misunderstood him.

Just as Hachiman Hikigaya was feeling guilty for misunderstanding his best friend, Yoshiteru Zaimokuza swiftly performed another dogeza (a deep bowing gesture) in front of him.

"So let's ask him to teach us how to play tennis!"

"........."

Hachiman Hikigaya was disheveled in the wind.

Isn't teaching Totsuka Saika to play tennis more troublesome than joining a tennis club?!

"I reject!"