Chapter 17: "Yu"

Houtarou's Perspective

Let's put this scenario: What would you do if you saw your crush, took away a kiss from a stranger you don't know? One might simply cry seeing that their crush had kissed someone that might possibly be just a stranger. Then how about if you know that person? The answer would be different…

It was the day after I pieced the evidences I thought of. It was a tedious task, but for the sake of Hikigaya and their relationships I have to do it. I was waiting for Yuigahama and Hikigaya to the clubroom front door. I was going to talk to them before I approach the culprit later in the day. When they arrived, I didn't beat around the bush…

"Hikigaya, Yuigahama, I want you two later to be there near me when I confront the person who leaked the photos. I am confident that this person will do no harm to me, but you two will need to hear what I have to say."

"Very well… What time are we talking about?"

It was 18:00 now. I asked Komachi yesterday about having this confrontation of ours to be part of our activities. Although I asked her, Yukinoshita, and Chitanda to stay in the clubroom, Yuigahama and Hikigaya are both with me so they can understand more about the reasons for the leakage of the photo.

The meeting time was 18:10, as a consideration to the person. I was waiting alone in the park for a few moments. I instructed Hikigaya and Yuigahama to be at a distance place first. I made the appointment yesterday, by asking the contact from Komachi. Just a few moments, the person I called over arrived. He is wearing the same uniform that I am wearing right now. He had a blonde hair that is fixed neatly, wearing the usual smile on his face with one hand tucked in his pockets. It was Hayama Hayato…

"Yo, Oreki…"

"Good afternoon, Hayama…" with that I clicked the phone hidden in my pockets to reach a line of caller. "Let me get straight to the point." I declared so that he will feel the pressure right now, according to my plan.

"You are the one that leaked the photo to the campus am I right?"

"What are you talking about? Am I really that kind of a person to you Oreki?" He only smiled at me fixing the mask he is wearing right now.

"Then, let me ask you a different question… For whom was it do intend to send a message for with that photo? For Yuighama? Or for Hikigaya?" from that, Yuigahama and Hikigaya appeared in the sides looking like we are cornering Hayama from escaping us. The face of Hayama changed to a sour one, like he is not getting away unscathed from my declaration. Of course, I don't intend to let him off easily.

"So you figured it out huh…" Hayama only spatted with his face now looking disgusted and defeat admitted.

"Let's start from the top… Yuigahama called you and asked a favor of talking to Hikigaya to meet him at the gate in the first day of the classes. You have no idea as to what Yuigahama is thinking by asking you that. So that day you stalked the two of them."

"But didn't Hayama say that he had practice that day?" Yuigahama asking me now while looking confused.

"That was a lie… Although more specifically, he lied about having practice that day… I called Isshiki yesterday to confirm my suspicion that you had practice that day, or at least attended practice that day… I mean, the captain and ace of the soccer club ditching practice would set a bad example for his team. So when I finally confirmed my suspicion, I called Yuigahama about people that might know her other than the club, and I was right that you are part of the group Hayama…

"But even so, how come Hayama is the one that leaked the photos? What is his motivation for doing so?" Yuigahama now looking at Hayama. He just returned a resenting face, gritting his teeth and making a fist with his hand.

"Hayama, you said that feel inferior to Hikigaya… I don't think that is just the end of that. You don't actually mean that this inferiority of yours extend to your love life. Especially to Yuigahama…" There was a silence to the end of my statement. Yuigahama and Hikigaya are dumbfounded by my statement. Hayama on the other hand, slowly raised his face and said…

"You are amazing Oreki… For figuring that out…"

"When you found yourself a chance to look into what Yuigahama could have done with the request she asked, you followed them around and hid where you find it easier to be. All for the sake of making sure Yuigahama will not do something stupid. So when they are talking in the Sea Park, you tried to take a photo of them together. But you got no opening until the kissed happened. From there you saw how Yuigahama cried and why Yukinoshita ran away. When you got out, you saw me and Chitanda together going into the park but only paid no heed to it. That gave me the suspicion yesterday that you could have lied about it. After all, there are no rumors about the two of us going out yet…" I gave a cold stare to him while he looked away at me and just gave a weak smile to Yuigahama.

"I shouldn't have asked about that yesterday huh?"

"Not only that… You felt beaten once again by Hikigaya, so naturally you wanted to take revenge to him by destroying his image… But you know that will not solve anything. So you decided to send it in the campus by trying to convey a message… That you care for Yuigahama. You wanted to approach her yesterday when she will be feeling down about it… But she never came, you might have tried to message her to find out what she is doing by then, only to receive no reply…" the only sound after that is the wind passing through the front of us four. There is no change in our positions, yet Hayama is still downtrodden being discovered for his plot.

"The photo trick could have worked if you put a caption on it, but that will burn a wrong image… So you sent it anonymously, hoping that someone would have figured it out… Yuigahama, Hikigaya, may I ask if you know something about who could have been Hayama's crush?" both thinked of something and then Hikigaya gave me the answer…

"Back at the school trip, Hayama said the initial is 'Yu'… So in short, Oreki…"

"Yeah… Now I fulfilled your message Hayama Hayato… I delivered it now to Yuigahama Yui…" I now looked at Yuigahama Yui that is starting to turn red from our conversation. She didn't expect it, that the person that leaked the photo was Hayama Hayato.

"Yuigahama… I know that what I did is wrong but… I have no right to be speaking about it am I?" Hayama only took his seat on the bench while Yuigahama's tears started to well up. I motioned for Hikigaya to move away from the place so we decided to return to the clubroom so we can discuss about it. Although, it was supposed to be a pain, I made an alteration to my plan the last second by calling Chitanda and letting them on in our talk. I didn't know what happened to them after, so I only hoped that it ended well. Hikigaya may have not said a word back then, but while we are nearing the school…

"Thank you, Oreki… For helping Yuigahama…"

The thoughts of the man caring for their loved one are truly very scary… I'm glad that we both are not like that…