Summary: Hikigaya Hachiman thought he was done with bishounen tennis players once middle school was over.

Rating*: K+

*Listed by chapter, each might be subject to change through future edits, story set to T for safety/default

Characters*: Hikigaya Hachiman, Totsuka Saika

*Each chapter will have a focused list for that particular chapter

Tags*: humor, slice of life, gen

*Tags will differ per chapter as well; e.g. some might have romance involved, too

Disclaimer: Characters are owned by Watari Wataru and Konomi Takeshi

Most people would consider me a wallflower; a cursory glance and my rather distinctly dark presence was enough to say that I wasn't someone to keep your eye on. I guess it didn't help that I stayed far away enough from the crowds to dissuade people from looking at me much to begin with, and my attitude and general lack of awakeness was good reason to skip over me.

However, when one did look at me, they would be rather surprised, my little sister told me. I was, unlike some other wallflowers, not particularly bad looking, according to her.

Of course, I obviously dismissed that thought, despite Komachi's pouts and reassurances (that was what little sisters were for, after all!). I told her that she should clear her head because I had no idea what she was going on about.

I looked at myself objectively; I was tall enough, he supposed, that might warrant some level of distinction in Japan (I currently stood at a rather respectable one hundred and seventy-nine centimeters). My other distinct feature was that my eyes were less than ideal; rotten, most called them. My smile was somewhat charming, I guessed, but only after you got used to it, which, honestly, defeated the point of 'being attractive', as I doubted I would really have many female friends I would be comfortable enough to smile around that often.

Don't even get me started on my hair. That bird's nest was a bit unkempt, with my having grown it out quite a bit since the first year of high school. It was a bunch of thin, wiry locks that layered over one another and framed my face.

So yeah, just like everyone else's hair. In short: nothing special about me. At all.

Though, I can admit that I'd been garnering more stares ever since I got those glasses. Probably because they made my eyes weirder or something. Eh. You win some, you lose some.

I was enjoying my sort-of-sleep, until a good whack on the back of my head woke me up - Hiratsuka-sensei's greetings were getting more and more destructive, I thought absentmindedly. If she kept that up, I would probably just get a concussion one day from the sheer impact of her knuckles against my scalp. I yawned and raised my head up, rubbing my eyes as I did so and managed to catch my teacher exiting the classroom.

"Good morning, Hachiman!" Ah yes; his lovely little angel. Sweet, sweet perfection.

I turned to my left and beheld the glory of my personal cherub. That smile was beautiful as midsummer's day, an ode to the sweet touch of spring. A crooked smile worked itself onto my face as I brushed some hair behind an ear. "Good morning, Totsuka."

He blushed, but I couldn't figure out why; hell, I should be the one blushing. Oh well, I thought, Totsuka's just too cute like this. Apparently, starting at Totsuka made him blush even more intensely. He sat there hugging his hands to his chest, ever the picture of innocence.

Sadly, his Totsuka-time was interrupted by the ringing of the school bell and the familiar yelling of Siddown and shaddup! Sensei was so fun to listen to when she was moody, but it was a pity she was just a bit too loud in the mornings; if she was just a touch quieter in homeroom, she'd probably be perfect.

"Ahem! Alright, class," she began, "today, we've got a new student. He's just moved over here from Kanagawa, but don't be strangers. Make him feel welcome!" Huh, I thought. Interesting, I thought to myself. A bit far but I'd been over there a few times before.

Note to future self: whenever your gut tells you something bad is about to happen, listen to it and run.

The door opened, and in walked someone I hadn't seen in a few months.

"Ah."