This one's a fairly short chapter. Don't expect releases to always be this frequent. Even though I'm technically not writing from scratch, it still takes me a while to make sense of the sentences, and then after that, even more time to make sure things are structured at a passable level.
In this chapter we get a bit more insight about our favourite loner's circumstances. From what I can tell though, for the remaining chapters it's largely Iroha-centric, so there won't be much POV-switching in the future.
[~ Iroha POV ~]
The moment I got back home, I went straight to my room and studied in earnest until it was time for dinner.
Even though I had become accustomed to such a schedule it by now, it was still by no means an easy task.
At dinnertime, I tried discussing the idea of a home tutor with my parents.
"Tutor? Ara, why not?" [Mother]
"Recently, I've seen you working really hard, Iroha. Do as you wish." [Father]
Eh, the idea was so easily accepted!?
Also, wouldn't there normally be more deliberation, especially on the the issue of tuition fees?!
How should I put it, I myself had only been toying with the idea in my head, but the atmosphere here was such that it was already set in stone...
...well, since it had come to this, I guess I should at least try it out.
Once the decision to proceed was made, things progressed fairly quickly.
Otou-san completed an application form over the internet, and some people from the tuition company came over to explain how the system worked.
Afterwards, when I informed Ayane of the decision over the phone, she seemed very elated.
You really wanted the recommendation discount that much huh…
...are you absolutely certain that it wasn't your main reason for suggesting this whole thing to me?
[~ Hachiman POV ~]
"Haah…" I sighed, while reflecting on my pitiful current state of affairs.
I, Hikigaya Hachiman, am presently searching for a suitable part-time job.
No, I have not had a sudden change of heart. Absolutely not. No way that would be the case.
Fundamentally, my life's ambition is still to become a full-time house husband.
Naturally, one might question: Why, then, is the so-called monster of logic currently using his laptop to navigate numerous job search websites?
...
I had just been settling into a much sought-after life of solitude at university, fully enjoying the newfound freedom that came with it.
That is, until last month...
My damned father had phoned me with the news that circumstances had changed and he had decided there was a need to decrease my allowance, at least until the end of the year.
I frantically confirmed with the bank, that the amount I had been given this month was only just enough to cover the bare minimum of food expenses.
Eh, what is this? Is Hachiman going to die?
At this young age, I will die a solitary death at home?
Well, actually the gas, electricity, and water utility bills were still handled by my parents.
To be perfectly honest, if I contested the decision, would I be able to win the argument? Probably not.
Even so, the news had come as a complete surprise to me.
And thus, I was looking for a part-time job in order to protect my life.
Damn, what should I do… working in the service industry isn't exactly ideal...
...
I was completely unable to find a suitable job.
In the first place, the majority of outlets with part-time vacancies for students are businesses operating primarily in the service industry, such as restaurants.
As I thought, society is really unkind to those who shy away from interpersonal communication.
"Is there no job that's for me… not even one job that doesn't involve the service industry…?"
After ten minutes of staring at my computer screen, whilst muttering such a stupid thing.
"…a tutor, huh."
And so, several days later, the time had finally come for the first home tuition session.
[~ Iroha POV ~]
I am currently, together with my mother, awaiting the arrival of the home tuition teacher.
"It's such a relief that they were able to find someone suitable to help you out, Iroha. Though, it seems that it's a boy? And a first-year university student at that."
"Really? Lucky! Them being a boy makes them a lot easier to handle~"
"That's true." she grins.
I think the black part of me was definitely inherited from my mother.
"Come to think of it, did you ever tell me the name of the tuition teacher?"
"Hmm? I still hadn't told you, Iroha? Well... if I'm remembering it correctly, his name was something like Hik-" [Ding-dong]
The rest of her sentence was drowned out by the sound of the doorbell ringing.
"Awawawa, do, doushiyou. They've arrived…"
"What's with this sudden nervousness. Didn't you say yourself that they'd be easy to handle? Hora, why don't you go let them in?"
"U, un."
I said, while trying to control my body that was trembling nervously, and headed to the front door.
Chapter notes
Thanks for the fairly non-negative reviews. Some replies:
ImaNukeYourFace:
Yo ho, everyone knows a pirate's life is free~
Hmm, that wasn't actually my intention with that last paragraph, it's still Iroha-POV. It's kind of to do with the way it was originally phrased, something like "a single person on the train muttered...", I wasn't sure how to rephrase it. Well, I hope that this chapter makes it clear anyway that it wasn't any foreshadowing of 8man's circumstances. Might go back and revise that bit later on.
Guest (on use of Japanese):
While I appreciate the feedback, I'll probably be leaving in various words/phrases that I believe are used frequently enough in anime for most people to be aware of their meaning. To be honest I'm not really sure how to localize some of these phrases without them sounding weird.
Anyway, next chapter is the much awaited reunion of senpai and kouhai. Probably not today, possibly tomorrow, we shall have to see.
On a side note, the original work is kind of on hiatus as of October 2015. So unfortunately/fortunately, 17 chapters won't actually be bringing any closure to the story. Will have to see if at that point I'll be able to provide a worthy continuation. The author has apparently been considering a rewrite, but I haven't seen any sign of that yet.