Chapter 5: Wrong posture for opening the door
"It's already dark…"
Walking along the road, Hikigaya muttered his complaint.
His club activities were such a pain, forcing him to delay his return home, and as a result, it had become completely dark by the time he was halfway there.
Hikigaya was the type who lost all motivation to move once it got dark. At this hour, sitting on the couch and playing games was the way to go. Still being out on the street like this felt so lame.
The number of people on the street gradually decreased, which wasn't unusual. After all, he wasn't walking through a bustling commercial area, just a small path leading into a residential district. At this hour, there wasn't really anyone around.
But still, something felt off.
That's right—it was a bit too quiet.
Suddenly, he recalled what one of the background girls had said: if someone were stalking you, wouldn't this kind of environment be perfect for it? It would even come with a built-in fear bonus effect.
But then he laughed it off. It wasn't surprising for a beautiful girl to be followed. What's more, that person was not only a pretty girl but also the type who judged people by looks. Naturally kind to handsome guys, but pretty harsh to unpopular ones. If someone had pissed her off and tried to scare her on purpose like that, it wouldn't be strange at all. At least in Hikigaya's mind, that was the truth of the matter.
Naturally, Hikigaya remembered the filthy ceramic jar still in his backpack.
Oh right, might as well just toss it somewhere. It really wasn't something that interested him, and it probably hadn't been cleaned in ages. Add that to the mix, and it didn't even have value as a decorative item.
Hikigaya looked around. Perfect—he'd arrived at a small nearby park.
On weekends, kids often came here to play. If he left it somewhere, maybe some kid who liked playing with sand would take it. Kids like that wouldn't care if it was dirty.
Thinking this, Hikigaya entered the park.
It was really small—just a rest area for nearby residents. There weren't many things: a swing, a seesaw, a slide, and a sandbox. Of course, there were benches and such.
Hikigaya sat on a bench and took the ceramic jar out of his bag.
He'd already thrown away the black cloth—that thing was even messier than the jar itself.
Several lamps were set up around the park, and by now they had automatically turned on. The bench he was sitting on was right under one, so the jar in his hands was clearly illuminated.
He hadn't looked at it closely back in the clubroom, but now that he did, it was kind of interesting.
It was obviously designed to mimic some kind of ancient artifact. It looked like something in the style of ancient Egypt. What was that movie called? Right—The Mummy. A jar like this had appeared in that.
He didn't recognize the beast head on the lid, but judging by the craftsmanship, it was actually quite well-made. Especially the colored lacquer—the fading effect was done really well. It truly looked like it had been dug up from underground. Pretty realistic.
Hikigaya lifted the jar closer. The light shone on the surface, but it didn't produce the kind of semi-transparent effect he had hoped for.
This thing was really made of ceramic.
Tch. Was that really necessary? Wouldn't a rough job have sufficed? Stuff like this was already all over the place these days. Why go to such lengths?
Hikigaya looked at the edge of the beast-shaped lid. There didn't seem to be any gap. He twisted it with some force, but it didn't budge.
He tried shaking it. There was definitely something inside, but it seemed solidified—it wouldn't move.
So boring… Whatever, I'll just leave it here.
He placed the jar on the bench, stood up, and walked away.
Phew, seriously… I just want to get home already.
With light steps, Hikigaya crossed the street and finally returned home.
Waiting for him was his sister, with an annoyed look on her face.
Ignoring the girl muttering, "You came home this late? You've clearly gone bad," he ate dinner and then opened the door to his room, ready to start tonight's game-clear schedule.
Then he froze.
On his desk, the ceramic jar was quietly sitting there.
...Yeah, it must've been the wrong pose when opening the door.
Thinking that, Hikigaya stepped back out, closed the door, and then reopened it in what he considered the coolest possible way.
Damn it—it's still there…
So it wasn't a posture problem. Someone's clearly provoking me!
Honestly, he had totally supported this jar messing with Miura earlier, but now that it was messing with him, that was a different story.
This called for finding the bastard and beating him so hard his grandparents wouldn't even recognize that they had a grandson in this world.
If it's a girl… then I'll check her face first and decide.
Thinking that, Hikigaya once again left the room and went to the living room. There, his little sister was making a face like, "Why so gloomy today?"
"Komachi, did anyone come to our house earlier?" he asked.
"Nope!"
She seemed really unhappy. But he got his answer—time to make a tactical retreat!
"I don't get it…"
Sitting at his desk, holding the jar, Hikigaya was thoroughly confused.
That person had switched targets without hesitation to him, a guy. The pressure was real.
Could it be the legendary bisexual Hentai-san?
Looks like I'll have to bring a weapon to school tomorrow.
Hmph. If they think I'm just some bottom boy, they're totally wrong. This body is healthy and full of energy—its combat power is way higher than it was before the isekai transfer.
Hmm, how should I punish this Hentai-san?
Yeah, I'll beat him up and then officially introduce him to Miura. That'd be killing two birds with one stone. The catfight would be so worth watching.
Yup, decision made!
If they can't understand kindness, then I'll force them to with violence! Honestly, ever since graduating from middle school in that other world, I haven't fought anyone. I kind of miss it!
Having happily come to a decision, Hikigaya's mood improved. He cheerfully turned on his computer and entered the world of games.
It was a fulfilling night.
The next day, a refreshed and energetic Hikigaya got up early. After packing his bag and happily saying goodbye to his sister, he set off for school.
As he passed the park from yesterday, he couldn't help but stop and take a glance.
It was still early, and no one from the neighborhood was out yet. But unexpectedly, there was someone in the park.
It was a man dressed in red.
His clothes were strange—not something modern. He also wore a large headscarf that even covered his ears, giving off a cosplay vibe.
As expected from abroad, so many people trying to stand out.
The man noticed Hikigaya staring and looked over.
Hikigaya ignored him. He had no intention of interacting with someone who wasn't at work and was instead playing dress-up in a park.
Though, for some reason, this guy gave him a strange feeling—not from the outfit, but from something else.
He couldn't put it into words, but it just felt… off.