An irritated looking boy was sitting next to a café window. The boy upon closer inspection did have a wealthy family, considering not every day a teenager was found inside an expensive café in the high end shopping district of Tokyo. He sighed apparently annoyed at the amount of time he need to spend sitting inside this café.

As the time goes on the boy opened his eyes showing a bored dead looking eyes before taking a sip of his coffee. 'cold' he thought to himself. 'why does people even cared about having a meeting in this kind of place? That may seem weird coming from a youthful person like me. Oh who am I even kidding youth is a lie. A simple illusion. Every friendship has a fool illusion of making friendship a companionship, thus why father was always over friendly with those stock holder, those act would keep an image of friendship toward the stock holder when in reality the stock holder was merely a partner in the firm.'

His rotten internal monologue was suddenly interrupted by the arrival of a beautiful dark brown haired woman. Her choice of clothes although weird are not strange to him after all the Hikigaya are a strictly traditional family descended from the samurai age thus the kimono that her mother wear. This woman son noticing her waved at her.

After his mother take her sit in front of him smiling at her son. "good morning mother, what was so urgent that I need to be called here and not until I return home?" he asked her mother with a tone of respect. "I just want to see my son that's all, do I need a reason to see you now or you just didn't want to see your lovely mother anymore?" his mother makes a playful face in which his son smiled. "no mother forgives me I am just curious." Her son said to her retaining the same smile from before. "oh no don't feel sorry I am just kidding, however true to your word my son I do have an agenda in meeting with you today." Her mother said with a serious face. "it's your father in his drunkenness with Mr Yukinoshita has decided to engage you with his daughter in hope of having 'the same grandson and granddaughter'".

His mother smiled at him. While his son decided to spit out his coffee back into the cup. "I'm sorry mother but what?" was his son reaction. He was left utterly speechless. Their family may have cooperated in the past but arranged marriage wasn't really practised by their family, well the Yukinoshita still does that but their family has left that tradition ever since the end of the samurai period. All of his ancestor, grandfather, uncle and sibling are able to choose their own love so what was going on in his father head?

"I'm sorry mother it's a lot to take in" he started after regaining his composure. "if it brings you any happiness I already peppered your father and you should expect him being down for the rest of the week." He smiled at his mother "but still why?" was all he could say. "that tradition was abandoned during the Meiji and our family decided to be a little bit accepting with their son and daughter choice so why bring it back now? And the family are obviously not in the doldrums, our partner and sub family are spread widely and there was zero political and power potential. So why?"

She smiled at her son perceptiveness 'with attitude and the capability of reading other people like that no doubt you my son will triumph at the end of day'. "well it was political but in a difference sense." She said cryptically, knowing his son would get it now. "yukino. Are you trying to say I'm engaged to Yukinoshita Yukino? But mother I only met her once in my life…" before his mother interrupted her "and that was during the empress doll ceremony with the Eru family" her mother said while remembering the ceremony and how beautiful and astonishing the ceremony was. "you helped yukino don't you and I think she was smitten with you to" her mother said while smiling at him.

"mother she probably already forget about me." He said remembering those near tragedies of her falling into one of the river. "oh Hikigaya I already talked with your father and forcefully have him talk this through with Mr Yukinoshita." He couldn't but gulped at the word of forceful because he knows scary his mother is when she is angry. "however, both of them are reluctant to break it off seeing your deed in the past already warranted her hand in marriage in the future.". at hearing her mother word Hikigaya Hachiman went silent. "I am sorry my son but breaking it would mean dishonour to the Yukinoshita and despite our family adapting to modern standard there are still a few code we follow to the word." She finally said before her face turned into a sad emotion. "no mother I will fulfil father wishes but there was one rule." He said looking at his mother intently.

"I will go to Chiba and went to the same school as her, I will try and made a relationship with her but if she is not interested or no relationship was created until after the graduation then I can break the engagement." Her mother was shocked by his term before smiling kindly at him "well consider it done I can soften your father to accept the term." Hikgaya Hachiman smiled at her mother.

It was one week after he received the news of his engagement, and following his word he moved to Chiba and transferred to the Chiba High School a prestigious school that has a high accepting standard, he could enter the school easily as his grade was above standard but that wasn't his problem right now. No his main problem is to brave his self into his new school as he stood in front of the faculty office 'come on I can face hundreds of stock holder and business partner but can't face the thought of going to new school come on you fool' he said to himself, he didn't only feared going into a new school but also feared his meeting with Yukinoshita Yukino.

Flashback

He was dreaming, dreaming about the day he saved her. Him walking on top of the of a wooden bridge before seeing a 9 years old girl trying to go down the steep bank of the river, then the unthinkable happen she slipped and fallen into the river, he in his quickness jumped into the river from the bridge probably cracking something after all the bridge is tall. His body just moved and he didn't regret it one bit. He was awakened by the dream before muttering to himself 'today is the day I guess'.

Flasback End

After gathering his composure for a few moments he knocked the door to the faculty room before a muffled voice answered 'come in' and he opened the door and entered the faculty room. "good morning sensei I am- he was however interrupted by the teacher. "yes I know, you're the new transfer student right Hikigaya Hachiman? I am Hiratsuka Shizuka, or Hiratsuka sensei to you. I will be teaching your class in literature and I am your homeroom teacher as well, nice to meet you."

"likewise" he said before secretly observing her, 'no ring, love to read jump and has a tendency acting childishly sometime yes this is definitely the same cases as the Eru family younger son Tanaka who was also a teacher in Kyoto'. "come on I'll take you to your classroom" she said as he followed her out of the faculty room. "by the way you will be in class 2-F and as I say it before that was my class" she walked to the door and opened it.

"ok students, settle down. Today we are going to have an exchange student so I will let him introduce himself." She said while motioning him to come into the class. While walking into the class he already made a few calculations on how this would go and most of his prediction come true:

They didn't expect the son of one of the oldest family in Japan. Most people who followed politics and business would immediately recognise him.

The boy was disappointed that he was not Hikigaya Chitanda.

Now what he didn't expect was he was being glared at by a blonde girl at the back, probably intimidated, she looked like a queen bee protecting its nest from outsider and everyone favourite Hayama Hayato is also here, you could say both him and Hayama has past together that ended due to a certain incident.

"hello everyone, my name is Hikigaya Hachiman, but judging from your look you already know my name. I ask of you to treat me like ordinary as I am also here in pursue of knowledge like all of you and after all I am not a royalty or even above all of you. I hope we got along just fine." He finished leaving the class with a moment of silent that was of the most powerful people in future is in their class.

The class went on without a hitch, without anything of interest happening, however apparently now there was popularity poll between the resident blonde boy and the boy who came from one of the most powerful and oldest family in Japan.

It was lunch now and Hiratsuka sensei has called him to meet him at the faculty room "I need to have a word with you Hikigaya" she said after he arrived at the faculty room "you didn't have a lot of friend did you?" she said suddenly which matched his idea of she calling was due to his social life. "where did this come from?" he asked with a questioning gaze on his teacher "well from what you write inside of your essay and the fact that your mother called me to warn me about your problem did tell me what your problem is." Out of many of her student this year she didn't expect to pick up a second Yukinoshita Yukino, this boy suffers from the same thing as Yukino did. They did too good of a job that they suffer from it.

'mother why you torture me so' he said to himself. "yes I don't have a lot of friend, not that they bully me or anything I just don't trust them as easily well do to a certain incident in my past" he said to her while looking the other way. "I think the essay revealed your problem already and before you ask, I know because you are not the first student to have a problem like this." "you may go but return to me after school ok" she said to him before turning to her table in order to continue her work. "for what?" he asked "that's a secret" he said to him while winking. 'this single woman' he said to himself before excusing himself out of the faculty room.

And so he waited for his teacher after school, while sitting there on a bench in the school lower floor while reading his favourite novel I am a cat by Soseki Natsume which satirized the foolishness of upper-middle-class Japanese society during Meiji era. Since it was published in 1905 not a lot of the original copy still available so he was one of the lucky few to have an original copy. After waiting for a while his teacher arrived "ready to go Hikigaya" she asked in which he nodded before following her. "where and what would this place happen to be sensei?" he asked her teacher who was walking next to him. "oh nowhere just on the 2nd floor on the other section of the building. After a good 5 minutes of walking his teacher finally stopped in front of a classroom without a sign making it an unused class she knocked the door before opening it. After her teacher opened the door to the classroom his eye immediately went straight to the person that was sitting in the room, Yukinoshita Yukino looking up from the book she was reading before locking eyes with him "snow woman" he said suddenly.

"Hiratsuka sensei" she said, apparently shocked by his teacher sudden excursion. 'wait a minute why am I here?'. "evening yukino forgive me for the intrusion how was the club? Apparently after 4 months the club is still empty as ever" she said to the only member of the club, apparently this club is having a problem searching for member. "well it was a rought start" she said before being interrupted by the lonely teacher "well I have answered your pray here I bring you a new member." She said as she pushed him forward while smiling. It was clear on their face that they were thinking the same thing 'two years with my fiancé that I have met 8 or 9 year ago.' As they contemplated the incoming awkward moment in the future.

"I refuse he look like a criminal who would tear my clothes apart." However, before her word could irritate the boy further her mouth was closed by Hiratsuka sensei. "I know you two knew each other during childhood. Hikigaya here need a major rework on his personality and I am also speaking on behalf of his mother" she said as Yukinoshita huffed and crossed her arm.

"mother called again?" he asked his teacher "yes, anyway Yukinoshita I'll be leaving him in your hand from now on" and his ever lonely teacher left the room. Leaving them to suffer on how awfully silent it become afterward. This two lovely pair of boy and girl looked at each other, apparently unable to say much. "so we're" he said first "engaged" Yukino finished for him. Yukino who by now looked like a lost kitten asked him "what now?".

"first we need to clarify a few principles here what are we, what is this, and where will this take us?" she said to him apparently distressed. "calm down." He said to her firmly after hearing her rather short rant. "what are we? An item whether we liked it or not, and don't worry I know you don't have a big plan for a high school romance me either, what is this? This is a relationship between acquaintance that I hope would change in the future" he said her while she was struggling to hide a blush "where is this going I would rather leave that to you" he said as he finished picking up a chair for him to sit. Sitting down he rubbed the back of his neck before taking his book and continuing to read from where he left off.

"I don't mind the marriage, however if I have to be married to some there must be something there. If there nothing between us, then what worth is the marriage. 'that was mature of her' he said to himself "well that and the other reason is because of the bridge" she tried to said something before she was interrupted by the sound of the door opening.

"excuse me is this the service club" asked a girl with a pinkish hair. He looked at her intently to read her personality. Her smile, the way she acts yes she is the resident good girl although if that is genuine or not he still couldn't decide yet. 'service club?' "what does the service club really do?" he asked his club president "we provide help to students. People came here with their request and we try our hardest to help them achieve their objective." He raised his brow before turning back toward the girl "so I assume you have something you want to consult about?" he asked.

"yes Hiratsuka sensei told to come here and I didn't know Hiki also joined this club" she said with a smile. 'Hikki is that how easily she shortened my name I need to tell Komachi about this she might like it.' He said to himself yet again. "Yuigahama san what bring you to the service club?" she asked as she turned her chair to face the two of them. "ah you know who I am?" asked the ever bubbly character now suddenly sitting in the middle of us. "it's been a few months since the start of the school I don't see why I shouldn't know a fellow classmate even if we are in different classes."

"I bet you know everyone here" he said as he turned the page on his book. You could clearly see where most of his focus went. "well I didn't know you were coming until now, and I am sure it was the same where you used to go as well" she said to him. "right" he said as he began adding more focus to his book. "don't worry I have a weak heart you so I will just pretend you doesn't exist." She said with a cold voice as cold as the north pole. "what is that consolation?" he retorted "no its called irony." She finished.

as the banter continued Yuigahama decided to stay silent and then started talking. "so this is really a fun club!" she said happily. 'is that what you get from the conversation?' he said sarcasticly. However, he was now able slowly to read her true identity. "and wow Hiki you sure talk a lot" she said. "why is there something wrong with me not talking in class?" he asked her while still not removing his eye from his book. "well how do I put this? You hardly spoke to anyone and brushed away any opportunity of a lasting friendship today! You are totally different in class! To be honest also a little bit weird" she said to him.

"I guess we all has a different habit, I love to read in peace and you love to talk, the reason I talk a lot here is because miss snow woman over there would hang if I am not talking" he said to her. "oh my snow woman have you not grow up from bed time story yet Hikigaya kun?" she asked him coldly. "yes I have I just love to read about them sometime and enough with the cold tone do you want to be a real snow woman?" he asked her again. However, she decided to ignore him and focused on Yuigahama.

"anyway what did you need Yuigahama san" she asked the pink haired bundle of joy. "uh well."

Few Hour Later

"how can it be so much failure" the club president said as she watched the burned cookies infront of her. Earlier this day Yuigahama has come to the clubroom seeking help in order to improve her baking skill and as such Yukinoshita Yukino was happy to help, however they wouldn't expect it to be this bad. "I think it was poisonus" said the resident loner Hikigaya. "no it couldn't be that bad" said Yui as she pick it up from the plate "I think you are right" she said with a downtrodden voice after taking a close look at her own cookies. "well both of you has try your best now let your old friend here do the rest." He said with a smile. "what exactly can you do except spreading germ Hikigerma kun" said the resident ice queen. "oh you be surprised" he said "now get out and come back after 10 minutes." He said while pointing at the door.

After 10 minutes of waiting both of the girl came inside the room to see Hikigaya Hachiman holding a plate of burn cookies in his hand. "here please try it" he said while smiling. "there was nothing different about it" said Yukino before picking it up and eating it "it also tasted the same" said the resident ice queen again. "yea these aren't delicious at all" said the pink haired girl. "well then I guess I just throw this away then..." he said while opening a nearby trash bin preparing to throw away the cookies. "wait! These aren't that bad actually" said Yuigahama to which the Hikigaya stopped and turned to face them while holding the cookies. "strange because if you didn't catch on already this is your cookies." Said the boy while smiling at them.

"what! Then why did you make us leave?" asked the pink haired girl apparently angry about the short trip and standing that she need to make during the 10 minutes' duration. "simple to show you the we men are a simple creature, we always follow a simple protocol in which when a female counterpart put her best effort into baking cookies for us then we are duty bound to accept it regardless of the taste." He said while reminiscing his mother story about how his father accepted her cookies during high school even though it was borderline poisonous.

"Before we go any further I would like to clarify that I didn't like the solution…" Yukino interrupted suddenly while gazing toward Hachiman. "but I believe it was true and the best solution for your problem." She said while crossing her arm. "well good for you to understand even though you don't like my solution" said Hachiman while looking at her "I guess now it's time to clean this room and Yuigahama san don't even think about leaving" he said suddenly toward the retreating figure of Yui probably trying to run away. "because if you did leave there will be hell to pay later" said Hachiman while his dead fish eye piercing into her soul, making her sweat profusely 'scary' was the thought of the pink haired after seeing his dead fish eye.

Evening, outskirt of Chiba city limit.

"you got to be kidding me" we found our protagonist standing in front of a traditional Japanese mansion gate. Earlier today his mother has called him about his living arrangement and told him that he will be staying at his grandfather old house or more specifically his grandfather old mansion now that he was standing in front of it. "it was so far from the school to and since when did grandfather own a mansion here in Chiba of all places?" he asked to nobody in particular. "well I guess this is my home for the next two years" he said as he opened the gate only to stop "wait does that mean I will be leaving in this old mansion alone?!".