Fanfiction
Good Ramen, Bad Ramen
I am in heaven.
Yes, if heaven is defined as the place where one gets peace of body and mind then it was definitely not wrong to say that I was in heaven. Lazing around in a warm kotatsu gave my mind and body the rest it needed after a mind-boggling amount of work I had done in the creation of free newspaper for the student council. On second thought, wouldn't it increase my efficiency in work even more? It means that all the riajus who were partying and spending time with their friends were wasting precious energy that was bestowed upon us by the sun. And also with less energy, they would be inefficient in doing work and become a burden to the society. Thus loners were the supreme creatures who took care of the environment and helped in the development of the society. Maybe the government should start programs to cultivate loners.
Yes! Yes! I would definitely do that if I enter the politics! But wasn't my dream to become a house-husband? It was seeming far though.
But, I mustn't lose hope. Gotta try hard Hachiman!
As I was indulged in these worthless thoughts, it was all dark outside. My parents were running late due to work during fiscal year end and Komachi was busy in studying for her entrance exams. I started to feel sleepy and went to my room to conquer my sleep.
Before I knew, my mobile, which I used merely as an alarm clock started buzzing indicating that morning had come. Another tough day ahead, I thought.
With everything done, I left for my school on my bike.
The classroom was pretty busy as usual. People were talking about this and that. In the group of people, a girl with Chinese bun hairstyle was present. She was ditzy and airheaded Yuigahama Yui, who also happened to be my clubmate in the service club. My other clubmate was a topper. She also topped my "List of People I would never forgive", the Ice-Cold beauty, Yukinoshita Yukino. It was an incredible achievement on her part to top in my list, not that I would tell her this. But recently it seemed like her ice was melting, all due to the incredible "Puppy Eyes persuasion technique" Yuigahama frequently used on her. But despite all this, her coldness remains and people like Zaimozuka certainly get feared to death by it. Why was I remembering his name in the morning? Has his company started to degrade my brain? No, I won't let it occur.
The homeroom was boring as usual and thanks due to one of my 108 special skills: Stealth Sleep skill, I was able to pass it without and difficulty. I was feeling lazy so I decided to grab a can of MAX COFEE from the vending machine before going to the club. Outside, the atmosphere was still pretty cold. So the MAX COFEE rejuvenated my body and I started to head towards the club.
When I reached the club, I opened the door swiftly to avoid any creaking noises.
When I saw inside, Yuigahama was already there beside Yukinoshita.
"Yahallo!Hikki!" She greeted in me in her own dumb way.
"Good evening, Hikigaya-kun", Yukinoshita greeted me and I nodded curtly after adding a "Yo".
"Ooh Senpaai!" greeted another girl sitting in our clubroom. Then again, why was she here again? If she came for piling up work on me then I would refuse straightaway.
"Then Isshiki, Why are you here? Don't you have the student council to attend to? Or are you here to ask for help with something again? If that's the case, then I'm sorry, we won't be of any help." I said while looking at her questionably. Her cheerful smile changed into a frown and she said, "Senpai, What exactly do you take me for?" Oh so she wasn't stretching syllables today, then there mustn't be any work, I thought as I located myself to my seat. Yukinoshita started preparing tea while I started reading the new light novel I had bought. Isshiki and Yuigahama indulged in small talk. After a while the door, the door of the room was opened with large force causing it to squeak and crackle.
I am sorry for your pain, door-chan! But there is nothing you can do when she comes here.
"Sensei, knock!" I said with added annoyance in my voice.
"Yeah, yeah" she said while taking a seat in front of us. Yukinoshita then served tea to all of us and sat on her seat.
"So, what brings you here, Sensei?" I asked.
"Oh! I am here to congratulate you all for the completion of the free-newspaper. Good work guys!"
"Thank You!" We all spoke in unison.
"Yes! Your idea was pretty good Isshiki. Given the season, everyone wants to know about good places where you could spend time at. Also, the newcomers would be informed about our school as well. It would be a hit among the students." She said while sipping her tea from the paper cup.
"Should she be really saying that about date spots?" I muttered to myself and the heard the sound of cracking of bones from my front.
"You said something, Hikigaya?" She asked me with a warm smile. But why was I not feeling any warmth in it? You are scary Ma'am!
"Nothing Ma'am, nothing" I quickly said and she relaxed her face.
"But Hikigaya, you have certainly worked hard. Good for you!" This time she said with a real smile.
"Yeah! Hikki worked really hard sensei!" Yuigahama said with a dumb smile.
"It is true. He worked really hard to make his eyes more rotten than usual at the end." Yukinoshita spoke with a teasing smile.
How come you always find different ways to pull my leg, Yukinoshita-san?
Well, I took it as a complement and blushed slightly. I was never praised in such a way before from her. So I averted my gaze from her.
Hey! I should have been praised by one more person but she was busy in sipping her tea. So I returned my gaze to sensei.
"You also worked hard Yukinoshita. To be able to manage Hikigaya is not small task. Only the best can handle him!" Hiratsuka-sensei added.
"Yes. I suppose it's true that only the best can handle him. Thank You Sensei." She replied.
Why was I insulted? Was I becoming a new fad? "Hikigaya Hachiman, Accepts insults in all shapes and sizes!"
The other two in the room didn't even bother to speak. They were holding back their laughter to the best of their abilities which were as small as ants.
"Laugh all you want. Don't hold back." I told them.
"Aahaa~~No! No! Hikki..~~Ahahaha~~" Yuigahama tried to console me but failed miserably.
You Know, being laughed at hurts a tad.
"Don't be so glum, Hikigaya. You are still young so you should work hard and enjoy the benefits of youth. You should probably visit the places in the free-newspaper." Towards the end, her voice drowned and her expression became gloomy.
"…." "….." "…." "…."
The laughing had stopped abruptly and was replaced by bizarre silence. I could hear the howling of wind at that moment.
Why this person tried to say something only to become depressed herself? Someone, please take her!
Hiratsuka-sensei stood up and started to move towards the door. The she turned back and said "Well, I you are feeling tired Hikigaya, Yukinoshita , then you can always go out to eat ramen like that night!"
"That night"? Which night she was talking about? On what night did I went out to eat ramen with Yukinoshita? Oh! Now I remember! It was on the first night of the field trip to Kyoto when Sensei bribed us with ramen for our silence. But didn't she disclose her secret by herself?
I looked at Yukinoshita but she was looking away.
"Ehhhh~~! Ramen again?" Isshiki said with monotonous voice. Good! She hadn't heard the last part otherwise it would be quite a bothersome task to explain it to her!
"Again?" I felt two scrutinizing glares on me.
"Yeesssss! During visit of local cafes for the free-newspaper, Senpai took me to a ramen shop!" Isshiki said to the two of them.
What is it? Isshiki is insulting the Naritake's ramen? No! I can't let that happen!
"Oi!Oi! Isshiki! I"ll let you know that ramen is the greatest of all foods. It's one of the many delicacies that any high school boy would find to be their greatest companion. One supreme bowl of ramen cures my noble soul and provides me liberty to eat alone! And also, you said it was good right? Right?"
Thanks to my impeccable logic and love for ramen, I was able to silence Isshiki. But I could not say the same for the other two.
"Hikki! Why do you like ramen so much? It's disgusting!" Yuigahama said with a disgusted face.
"Yuigahama-san, please be considerate. He is completely disgusting." Yukinoshita said with a cold tone.
"You're one to talk! Who said, "What a violent taste!" after eating? Was it me?" I also replied to Yukinoshita with an artificial cold tone.
"…."
Hah! Hah! Yukinoshita-san you can't beat me in the legendary world of ramen!
It looked enough to silence her but she prepared for rebuttal.
Counterattack! Oh no!
"Then who was crying tears of joy in front of the ramen shop?" Yukinoshita asked me with a cold glare.
I could hear Yuigahama mumbling "Hikki? Yukinon?... Ramen?" but I ignored her and said "Which ramen lover would not be moved by standing in front of Tenka Ippin ramen store? Its thick soup is famous in all Japan!"
Hearing this, Yuigahama said "Eh? But there aren't any Tenka Ippin stores in chiba!"
"I know! That's why it was my first! But you know, there used to be one in chiba!"
I still could hear Yuigahama mumbling " Not in chiba!...Not in chiba.."
Yukinoshita was looking at me with cold eyes but there was a lack of fierceness in them. I wonder why's Isshiki is so silent?
"What's with "that night" Senpai?" Isshiki asked.
Oh my God! So she had heard that? I looked at her and she had a devilish grin on her face.
On the other hand, Yuigahama looked like she was struck by lightning. Her eyes were wide open and mouth agape.
Yukinoshita looked at the floor as if embarrassed.
Yes it was embarrassing all right. To go out to eat ramen with a girl of such high prospects at late night was slightly embarrassing. To add, Yukinoshita's direction sense was very poor so I had to escort her to the hotel. And she was also behaving awkwardly that day.
"Ooooh! Senpai! To think you would take Yukinoshita-senpai to an overnight date! I knew you could do it! But eating ramen on a date? That is not gonna score you high points you knooooow? You should probably take her in a high-class restaurant you knooooow!"
'Like I could afford that', I thought while continuing to listen to Isshiki's ramblings.
Was she thinking that we went on a date? Wait! What's with the "overnight"?
"I wonder what Haru-san senpai would think? I think she would be very happy!"
Just as I heard "Haru-san", my body froze in fear. What if Isshiki tells her and she misunderstands? I could imagine her killing me by poking all over my body!
Somebody save me!
"Isshiki-san" Yukinoshita spoke, with a thousand times more coldness in her voice. It caused Isshiki to flinch and she hid behind me.
Hey! Don't use me as a shield!
"There is definitely a misunderstanding here. There was nothing like a date." Yukinoshita spoke coldly.
"Yes Isshiki. Don't just try to misunderstand things for fun." I spoke in a reprimanding tone.
Isshiki winced.
She then spoke out in a flustered voice "Ah! I know! I know! There is just no way senpai can take a girl on a date! See! It's senpai we're talking about!"
Why do I think that I was being made fun of?
"Then don't make jokes on such matters, Isshiki." I spoke in a deep tone.
The clubroom had a tense atmosphere. As if realizing it, Isshiki got up to leave.
"I'll be going back now!" She said and went towards the door. As she reached for the handle , she turned and said "But you know Senpai, Yukinoshita-senpai, you really are like a married couple!"
She flashed a sly grin and left the clubroom.
When she went, I sighed and another sigh overlapped mine.
When I looked towards it, Yukinoshita was blushing red and looking away and Yuigahama looked in daze.
I then started "To think Hiratsuka-sensei will give us this much trouble is surprising. She bribed us with ramen to keep quiet and she uttered it herself in front of the person from whom it should be kept secret the most."
Yuigahama the spoke"Eh? Hiratsuka sensei?"
Yukinoshita then told her more.
"Yes. On the first night of field trip, I and Hikigaya-kun caught her escaping the hotel to eat ramen. That's when she treated us with ramen."
After listening to her explanation, Yuigahama's face relaxed.
"Just what were you thinking? And why were you so quiet?" I inquired Yuigahama.
"No!...No!Nothing! AH! Now I kinda know why she's having troubles in marrying!" Yuigahama spoke with her "ehehehe" laugh.
"Yes. Sensei's love for ramen is even greater than mine" I added. "She took me to a ramen shop during the summer and after I reached home she sent me an e-mail which looked like a light novel describing all ramen stores in chiba!"
Then Yuigahama assumed her thinking pose and clapped her hands.
"I know! How about we go to a ramen shop? Me! Hikki and Yukinon?"
"I would like to refrain." Yukinoshita answered.
"Please Yukinon!" and Yuigahama unleashed her formidable puppy eyes technique.
"Allright Yuigahama! We'll go!" I answered and stood up. I was hungry anyway. So why not eat the best food?
We packed our bags and exited the clubroom.
Today was eventful as well.
