Hachiman returned back to the class quickly, because for what it's worth, he still had yet to eat his lunch.
He found Hachi and Iroha in, along with the usual familiar faces.
"Oh, Hachiman you came back." Hachi smiled.
"Lunch." Hachiman quietly replied as he went to unpack his bento, which for all intent and purposes would be identical to Hachi's own.
Iroha looked like she was about to jump when their eyes meet. The way she grimaced was a bit cute, to be honest, it reminded Hachiman the first time he met the current Komachi.
"...Wow, you two really look alike huh." Iroha muttered.
"Boy-girl identical twins are that rare huh?" Hachiman randomly commented. Then again, Hachiman does know genetics and know that scientifically it would be near impossible.
The closest it would be would be semi-identical twins, where the mother's egg split into two prior to conception and inseminated by two different sperm, one carrying x chromosome and another carrying y chromosome.
"They don't usually look this alike, anyway," Yumiko commented, "I'm more surprised that you're in a different school year."
"I was held back a year because of medical issue. Haven't I mentioned this before?" Hachi lightly answered like it was nothing, she had been acclimated to be more open about her being the same age as the people in the second year, thanks to her epic birthday.
Iroha wasn't dumb. All this time she keeps wondering about it, that Hachi never mentioned Hachiman exist, or rather, Hachi said she was Hachiman in the past.
The existence of a twin brother who also named Hachiman was honestly an oddity that not just Iroha, but also everyone who knew Hachi's secret (That being the members of juvenile literature club) also pondering. Nevertheless, they have collectively decided to keep themselves quiet, because they trust Hachi would've told them about it someday.
Besides, with how natural Hachiman and everyone in the Hikigaya household had been acting, it might be just them being too curious and paranoid for their own good.
"Where are your glasses, Hikki?" Yui asked as she sat beside him, again, shamelessly.
"I don't need it, not like my eyes are bad or anything anyway." Hachiman scoffed and handed out his glasses, "They're just decoration."
Yui picked it up and wear it, and noticed that it was indeed, just ordinary glasses with no prescription. "How do I look?"
"You look real mature." Hachi and Iroha both raised a thumbs up and huffed.
To be honest, Hachiman agreed with both of them. It made Yui looked way more adult-looking and dangerously attractive to boot. It actually reminded him of Kanade, who also wore a glasses in their date.
It was really weird, all this time in fiction, glasses always been portrayed as a hindrance, but some people like Kanade or Yui just look good if not even (subjectively) better with one. And now Hachiman pondered how Yukino would look wearing it before he squashed his thought post haste.
Hachiman actually wondered if he had a fetish for girls in glasses, so he tried looking at Hina, who got startled in response because of the sudden eye contact.
He felt nothing.
Then he looked at Yumiko, who reacted just as badly, "W-why are you staring at me?"
"No reason at all," Hachiman smirked creepily.
Wow, these dead fish eyes came really handy. He never thought something like this before, since many people seemingly hate him for it.
It seems that Yuigahama completely immune to his eyes, at least. And for some reason, Hachiman felt an uncomfortable sense of warmness from that realization.
"What about your club, Hachi? Would it be suspended for the preparation of festival as well?" Hachiman asked.
"Yeah, I think it would be best for everyone," Hachi said.
"Soccer club activity also stopped, though I'm afraid that everyone will grow a little complacent and physically degraded too much," Hayato said, dejected. "And to think we're rather optimistic to join Kanto League this winter..."
"Soubu soccer club is that strong?" Hachiman furrowed his eyes, that was really new to him.
"We scored second in the Prefecture during the last Prince Takamado Cup" Hayato wrily smiled, "Slim margin to the end, only one step until we can go to regional too."
"I see." Yumiko nod in understanding, "In tennis even stopping your training for a couple of days can be dangerous."
"Is that why you keep training every two days?" Iroha asked, "Sounds really tough."
"Speaking of which, Hikio, are you going to join a tournament soon?" Yumiko asked, "Hikigaya is going by the end of this week since she's the only one who didn't have Grade 4 championship at the moment."
"Nakamachi had her AEON Top Gun and Miura-senpai have her Chiba Junior Circuit title as well as the Chiba Junior Tennis Tournament she won two years ago. We aim to be a seed in the grade 3 Chiba Junior Tournament, and eventually entering Kanto regional qualifier. For that reason, I absolutely have to win in Silverwind or I might not have enough points." Hachi explained.
"What makes you think I can win that one?" Hachiman asked skeptically, "Our trainer at Renaissance encouraged me to register, but I'm sure I'm going to get my ass kicked. Please be realistic for once."
Hachi leered at him, "How could you put so much effort in anything with that mindset?"
"Hard work betrays none but dream betrays many. Having a lower expectation of yourself means it would be more satisfying if you achieved a surprisingly high result." Hachiman pointed, "Of course I put an effort in anything I actually want to do. That doesn't mean I have insanely big goals or anything of the sort."
"Whoa, Senpai you really live a boring life, don't you?" Iroha winced.
Hayato just wrily smiled while Yumiko smacks her own face in frustration, while Hachi just shook her head in exasperation. "As you can tell, this is the kind of person Hachiman is. He's basically a walking demotivational meme, so don't listen to his rambling."
"Deny it as much as you can, you know I'm objectively in the right." Hachiman snorted and put back his wrapped bento box in his bag, "By the way, I need to go to the teacher's lounge, so excuse me."
"I'm going to see Yukinon for a moment." Yui hurriedly packed her lunchbox herself before Hachiman can finish, because she knew he's not the type to patiently wait anyway.
And so they left their classroom to finish their business first.
Hachi, Hayato and Yumiko watched as these two left the class.
"Yui really get along with him huh, that's surprising," Hayato commented.
"Duh, it's pretty clear she had a crush on him." Yumiko sighed, "Though even when I said that Hikio seems to be friendlier now."
Hachi smiled widely, "Yuigahama-senpai is always positive, so she can balance out his nihilistic ass."
"By the way, Hikigaya, what will your class do? We're going to do a class play, about the little prince or something. Hayato will play the pilot and Totsuka will be the prince."
"Little prince huh, that's a pretty good idea." Hachi hummed, her imagination ran wild as she grinned.
"Hikigaya... I mean your brother said the same thing." Hayato corrected himself.
"He did? Oh well, we read a lot of foreign literature." Hachi nodded, "And I suspect he's joining the committee to escape being cast in the important role?"
"Yep." Yumiko and Hayato answered in sync, who pointed at crying Hina.
"HAYAHACHI CANCELLED THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!" Hina suddenly screamed, then calmed herself. "Ah thought HayaSai isn't that bad either."
"HayaHachi huh, this is not a romance story, Senpai. Besides what with that ridiculous pairing?" Hachi laughed, then her eyes meet Hayato, and she stopped laughing.
And suddenly the atmosphere become awkward, and Yumiko noticed that as well but she decided to stay quiet herself. Iroha, meanwhile, was confused with the situation, "Eh?"
"A-anyway my class is going to do cosplay cafe," Hachi said, trying to defuse the weird tension and distract Iroha from possible misunderstanding. "Thanks to someone..."
Hachi glared at Iroha, who looked away and whistled in terror.
"Has been promoting my makeover talent like crazy." Hachi gave Iroha a chokehold as she speaks.
"Hayama-senpai, save me!" Iroha begged, struggled to free herself to no avail. She repeatedly elbowed Hachi but it didn't seem to hurt her at all.
"Cosplay Cafe huh? Not bad." Yumiko smirked, "We better not doing this play half-assedly then."
"So you say." Hayato sighed. After all, he was one of the two main protagonists of the act. He will have to put even more effort than expected.
"Ufufufu, leave that to me." Hina crossed her arms proudly.
やはり, 俺の関係の値はリセットされました
As Expected, My Relationship Values had been Reset
Disclaimer:
Original Story by Watari Wataru
Chapter 10 - Agape
Hachiman didn't see much in the way of familiar faces in the committee when he entered, which was expected. He didn't really remember anyone outside of his class, to begin with. It was four in the afternoon when class ended and it's time for the committee to begin a meeting.
The chattering became incredibly obnoxious and unbearable, and they get increasingly colorful and loud the more people to come and chat.
Hachiman desperately ignored it.
When the door open for the last time, everyone suddenly became quiet.
It was like every heartbeat stopped when she came.
His sight firmly looked at the graceful and distant figure of Yukino, who came in with the rest of student council members. They sat on the assigned student council seats.
"Welcome to the first meeting of Soubu Cultural Festival Committee 2009," Yukino said with dignified, serious voice. "My name is Yukinoshita Yukino, President of the Soubu High Student Council."
"I'm thankful for your participation in this committee, unfortunately, we only have three weeks to prepare for this event, so I shall skip the pleasantries."
Meaning, she will not tolerate any hiccup or laziness, she truly means business. Hachiman already had a good feeling that he might actually misunderstand her completely.
There was not a single cubic centimeter of friendly air coming out of her. Everyone on the committee already knew they're in a deep shit, with the exception of himself and Yui. It was quite a frightening and harrowing experience, at least for those not accustomed to interacting with her.
The strangely friendly and social Yukino that he saw in the festival, gone. This Yukino truly and unmistakably similar, if not worse, than Yukino that he familiar with.
Beautiful, unflappable, certain, cruel and merciless.
Something that Hachiman badly wanted to test.
"First of all, these printouts contain the positions that need to be filled in this committee, you may choose which section you're confident or most skilled in. However, just in case there is an imbalance on staff distribution, job overlap and redistribution would be inevitable. I have a high expectation for the result of your work."
Hmm, Yukinoshita actually put a rather realistic estimation ahead? That would actually quell dissent right before it began. Hachiman would praise her, at least inwardly.
Also, that last bit was rather intimidating. Like everyone would know how high her expectation was.
"Secondly, I would like to ask if anyone is interested in volunteering for the position of the Committee Chairman."
Hmm? Wait, that was odd.
"Pardon me for asking." Hachiman raised his hand almost reflexively, drawing all the attention to him. "In the first place, wouldn't it be logical for The Student Council to assume the leadership position and manages everyone?"
"That might be true, indeed, it might be just the most efficient method to do so." Yukinoshita scoffed, an air of unabashed arrogance filled her breath.
"However, I am receiving some unpleasant whispers." Yukino said, "That my tyrannical attitude was unfit for that position, it would lessen the value of the entire Festival."
Echoes and murmur began to break into the room, some even repeated the exact statement, some might even agree with that. In the first place, many of the committee members didn't come here on their own choices.
"To be honest, I myself would like to object." Vice president, the spiky red-haired guy who sits beside her said, with seething anger buried deep in his calm voice. "Such baseless rumor has no place in this committee."
"Vice President, you do not represent the will of the committee, so please do not speak as you please," Yukino told him off while hiding her lips with the steeple of her fingers.*
Hachiman noticed she was smiling though. Did Yukino simply put a cold air in front for everyone? Or was she smiling because it was him who came to her defense?
No, Hachiman totally didn't feel jealous or anything!
If they're friends or close enough, it would make sense for Yukinoshita to be soft on him.
Even if she said a harsh word, she would deliver it in casual and soft tone, just like how Hachiman saw the old Yukinoshita and old Yuigahama, hell, sometimes Yukinoshita did it on him to boot. She would insult Hachiman with a friendly smile on her face.
"Ano..." Yui said, "I think it's not biased at all, the one who can judge their leaders would be those who work under them. So I will have to side with Vice President here. I believe he does represent us, just like he represent the entire student body."
What Yui said was indeed, common sense.
"Judgment of the committee huh." Yukino muttered, "Then there's only one thing left that we can do. That would be a vote of confidence."
The vote of confidence, technically it's the best method to gauge whether a potential leader figure regarded as trustworthy.
Even so, there's a huge flaw in her method.
"I object." Hachiman said, "Because in this case, a vote of confidence is highly unreliable."
"While I personally knew who you are, I'd believe you should introduce yourself to other committee members first," Yukino told him, "Hikigaya-kun."
They met and introduced to each other during the firework festival after all.
"My name is Hikigaya Hachiman from class 2-F, and I'm only recently transferred to Soubu, beginning this semester. If that's not clear enough, I am entirely unfamiliar with your leadership or situation with Soubu students as a whole, so I am confident with my unbiased, objective view about this debacle."
"Your assumption that things would be fine is flawed, President. First of all, you assume anyone would volunteer for that position in the first place. The truth is, the fact that most of them weren't here by their own will."
Yukino sharpened her eyes, while Yui widened her eyes in shock.
"Most of them fell into peer pressure, or simply ended up with the short stick in a gamble, such as rock paper scissors. Many of them would simply prefer to stay in the class working with their own classmates instead of coming here."
Hachiman's words resonated with the members of the committee and their expression was rather telling.
They couldn't agree more with his opinion. They don't want to be here at all.
"So with the assumption that they're here unwillingly, there's no possible way for them to volunteer themselves for the position where they receive even more responsibilities than they already have."
"Logically, because they don't want the leadership position to fall upon themselves, they would choose to vote for you by default whether they really trust you or not." Hachiman wickedly smiled.
"So let make this more clear." Hachiman said, "Anyone who came here voluntarily, please raise their hand."
There were very few hands raised, including Hachiman and Yui's own. Yukino was actually surprised with this.
If she were in their position, her appointment to the committee would be strictly voluntary. Because this kind of thing would be in her best interest.
"That leaves two of us, then let's continue to the next question. Yuigahama-san, are you ready to accept responsibility to be the Chairman of the Festival Committee?" Hachiman asked.
"No, that would be impossible for me!" Yui shrieked, "I absolutely refuse."
What an honest and humble person! Not that it was unexpected answers or anything.
"And what about you, Hikigaya-kun?" Yukino asked, "Are you willing to accept that responsibility?"
"To be honest I have complete lack of confidence in my own leadership and communication skill. Even so, I'd like to volunteer myself for the position of Chairman candidate. What I am confident in is my own personal management and scheduling. If the job of Committee chairman includes them, then I can definitely bear that responsibility."
"Candidate? There's no other option but you."
"There is another option, it was you, President." Hachiman grinned, "I'd believe it is in the best interest of the committee to decide which one of us would lead them better."
Everyone suddenly dropped their jaw in shock. This transfer student had the audacity to challenge Yukinoshita in election battle?
By making himself a plausible option, Hachiman actually forced the committee members actually think instead of mindlessly voting.
"Fine then, we shall make a snap election post haste with myself and Hikigaya-kun as available candidates." Yukino said, "Anyone who didn't mind either choice may leave their paper blank or vote for both. The student council and Hikigaya-kun shall not give their vote."
And so, the student council members handed out a small note paper for everyone except the mentioned people. A grand total of 35 ballots representing all members of the committee minus Hachiman.
"I would honestly appreciate everyone to vote with their conscience. That's all." Yukino finished and became quiet.
They all take turns filling their empty paper, fold it and threw it into a cardboard box where the votes were gathered. And they finished in but ten minutes.
Yui looked at Hachiman and Yukino in concern, but for some reason, Hachiman looked extremely calm and collected.
"Vice President, Secretary, please begin the tally."
And so, the votes were all counted.
Out of 53 votes, 5 votes for both, 2 blanks, 30 votes for Yukino and 16 votes for Hachiman.
Yuigahama let out a sigh of relief, she was afraid that Hachiman just mindlessly picked a fight where it doesn't belong.
Hachiman had decided to play himself as Villain, an objectively worse option than Yukino. Anyone with half a brain would not vote for him, even if they actually hate Yukino. He was a new student here, everything about him, including his ability and trustworthiness as a leader and a person, was completely unknown.
Yui herself voted for Yukino, without a doubt. It's not that Yui doubt Hachiman either, it's more that Yui had an absolute faith that Yukino is the better leader of the two.
However, Hachiman's unashamedly critical words also appealed to their raw emotion, and it's unlikely for him to be seen as completely in the wrong. And it's unlikely that everyone in the committee content voting for her either.
Because of this, that means some members of the committee will vote for him as well. Hachiman made sure he absorb all the negative votes that would otherwise discredit Yukino's credibility as a leader via votes of no confidence.
It gave them an outlet to express their dislike of Yukino's leadership without showing outright disapproval that would hurt Yukino's position.
Plus, the Yukino that Hachiman knew really hates to lose, it would make her reconsider surrendering her position as chairman candidate.
Even if it's a little, Hachiman really was betting on a faint hope. He was betting on that small illogical part of his mind, that just like Yuigahama, maybe some aspect of Yukino's personality remains the same. And that Yukino would accept his challenges earnestly.
Miraculously, it paid off.
The result of the voting cemented the committee's trust in Yukino. And Yukino's trust in her own leadership, for that matter.
It was a fight that Hikigaya Hachiman fully intend to lose.
Yui's mind traveled back to her conversation with Hachi. And now, she was all the more convinced that both she and Hachi was right.
"President, I'd like to go to the bathroom, so please excuse me a bit."
Hachiman's face was pale and his legs were wobbly, nevertheless, he forced himself to act tough and left the room with as much dignity as possible.
Only to slam his back to the wall of the other side of the corridor, his breath uneven.
He swore it was like he lost five years of his life. That was a fucking embarrassing display of bravado.
Of course, it's not as if Hachiman wasn't ready for worst case scenario of him being chosen as chairman, however unlikely it was. And that possibility haunted him to the core and killing his psyche.
It was the suave and gentle hand of Vice President that saved him from collapsing down. Even though he was shorter than Hachiman, his presence was much larger, and somewhat charismatic too.
It might be because he was sitting side by side with the ever-charming Yukinoshita the tyrant goddess, but only now that Hachiman realized that this person might be much more than he appears.
"Are you alright, Hikigaya-san?"
"Yeah, I'm just really nervous that's all." Hachiman said, "And my bad for making a racket in there. Vice President."
"My name is Jun, Inamura Jun." The Vice President said, "Had President didn't make a mountain of the molehill, this wouldn't happen. And I failed my duty as her support. So the blame ultimately lies with me."
Wow, this Vice President actually has the guts to talk shit about her? Not that Hachiman disagree, Yukino was being needlessly dramatic.
At least it seems that Jun actually cared about her.
"Did President always been this hated? I'm under impression that her policies were largely popular?"
"So am I, but recently, there seems to be a lot of scatching rumor about her. And I'm very sure, as strong as she can be, there are limits to her patience and it affected her decision making skill as well." Jun told Hachiman.
"Recently? When was that?"
"Probably sometimes after the Summer vacation. Which is strange, since I actually took over her duties for almost half the entire vacation as well."
Summer vacation.
Hachiman racked his brain, perhaps there was something very obvious. Something that makes her suddenly become a target of hate...
"The Firework festival," Hachiman muttered.
"Eh?"
"The Firework festival." Hachiman said, "She was seen together with Hayama Hayato, correct?"
Jun sharpened his eyes in realization.
"I see. Hayama Hayato was a popular student in this school and have a lot of admirers, it might be that some people misunderstood and jealous of President." Jun concluded, "And then spread these rumors to hurt her."
This guy also really, really sharp. Hachiman hummed. No wonder he can stand being Yukinoshita's right hand.
Of course, Hachiman also realized this because he knew the story of Yukino and Hayato that takes place in their past. And it happened all over again without either of them realizing that.
Still, it was strange for Yukino to be affected so much by it, because...
"If the rumor was blatantly false, it wouldn't affect me as much as it was." Yukino suddenly came out of the meeting room.
"President..." Jun muttered in concern.
"This was the fault of my weak resolve, and for that reason, I sincerely apologize, Hikigaya-kun." Yukino said, "And Vice Pres-no, Inamura-san too. I'm really sorry."
Yukino understood, that her past attitude wasn't exactly the most friendly or cooperative, and realizing this, part of her would admit that the rumor wasn't too far from the truth.
Even so, it pained Hachiman to see Yukino so weak and vulnerable. He hated it because once again, his images and projection of her infallible character had been broken.
The image of Yukino who helplessly walked into her family limousine, as dictated by Haruno, came back to hit him full force. It was the real Yukino all along.
And Hachiman can't do anything to help her either.
He didn't see that sides of her before because he was deluding himself that he understood her the most, and instead saw her through a rose-tinted lens.
"Something like this." Hachiman muttered, "Remind me of a talk I have with someone before."
"I used to be super pathetic, perhaps more pathetic than I am now. People around me, including this one girl, keep telling me to change myself for the better. I told her that I don't want changes to be imposed on me, and she said..."
"If you don't change yourself, then your problem will never go away."
Yukino felt like she was slapped back into full realization.
It was also something she told Hachi, a long time ago. How could she forget, it was her entire reason to become Student Council President in the first place.
She wants to change herself, and change the world around her.
Irony never tasted this strong before, and because of that, she breaks into incessant laughing.
"How could I forgot..." Yukino wiped a single tear from the corner of her eyes, Hachiman wasn't sure if it was tears of sadness or tears of joy, perhaps even a little bit of both.
Still, a laughing Yukino was a pleasant sight to behold. Hachiman... didn't hate it in the slightest.
"Even so, changes aren't something you can force yourself to accept," Jun said, looking elsewhere as he told her.
Hachiman... surprisingly agree with him.
To change yourself would require challenging your own belief and values. That you're wrong, or your approach to your problem was wrong, and sometimes, changing yourself may result in invalidating everything that you stand for.
A lot of people who desperately changed themselves might instead lose themselves somewhere in the process.
"I saw it for myself that you've changed since you became part of Student Council." Jun closed his eyes calmly, and his voice was soothing. "Have faith in yourself, because I and other student council members have faith in you."
Yukino's face flushed a bit, but she was smiling. Still, she decided to refute his word once again. "Vice president, you're just enabling my faults, so don't speak as you please."
"That's not true at all!" Secretary, who also Hachiman knew as Hachi's close friend Fujisawa, grabbed Yukino's hand to convince her. "Vice President is completely right."
The handsome treasurer also came to their defense, "President just need to remember that feelings and conviction and changes will come naturally to you."
Hachiman awkwardly shifted aside to avoid the needlessly thick atmosphere of friendship and romance, like, seriously, one moment he felt like he understood, but another time he just gets baffled.
And then, doubts began to fill Hachiman's mind once again. With friends like these, does Yukino really need him? Even if Hachiman didn't cause this fuss, Hachi will be there to help Yukino as well. Eventually.
There's no reason that it has to be Hachiman.
Yui was the one who brought him back to reality, as her hand grabbed his sleeve.
With a warm and lovely smile, she whispered to him, "Thank you for being there for Yukinon, Hikki."
If she kept saying such sweet nothing to him, he might start to believe her. And maybe, someday, he might fall for her.
Yukino approached Hachiman, more refreshed and confident than before.
She offered a hand to him, "Let's make this Festival committee work as smooth as possible, Vice Chairman Hikigaya."
Hachiman still wondering if he did the right thing, nevertheless, it wasn't just Yukino who desperately need a reminder of her objective.
For the time being, Hachiman determined to stick around. Because he hates being left in the dark like this.
He wanted to know and understood Yukino, something he failed to achieve before.
He reached for her hand and shook it, "Likewise, Chairman Yukinoshita."
And with that, his path was sealed.
* Also known as Gendo-pose. Neon Genesis Evangelion.