A/N: I don't own Oregairu.
"What's wrong Hikigaya-kun, cat got your tongue? Surprised to see your beloved onee-san at this time of the night?" The mature woman shot him a smile that for him raised a lot of death flags.
'Yukinoshita Haruno,' he muttered to himself. Nothing good ever came from interacting with her, and she always knew just how to use any opportunity that presented itself to wreak havoc. She had a really bad habit of taking interest in people and making their lives miserable solely for her entertainment, or at least that's what he has witnessed from what she's been doing recently with him and Hayato.
The older Yukinoshita strode towards Hachiman who was standing a few steps away from the convenience store's entrance, her form slowly coming into view as she entered the range of the store's interior lighting leaking through its glass front. She donned a black coat that concealed her inner white dress, paired with black pumps and crystal earrings that glittered from the glow. Her appearance reeked of the stench of upper class and wealth, but he knew well that underneath that luxurious veil lied a sinister person.
"I just so happened to be heading home from work when I saw a certain face that's one of my favorites, and I just can't let this chance to say 'hello' pass." Haruno poked his chest where his heart was before giggling to herself."By the way, a little bird told me all about how you and another girl are getting along quite well recently. So tell me, since when have you and Yuigahama-chan been dating?"
"So I've heard, about how we're 'hitting it off' as of late. Just to clarify, we aren't dating though." He said dismissively with a wave of his hand.
"Oh... But I believe the both of you have visited each other's houses with no one else around?" Hachiman flinched at her question as images of those times flashed in his head, cursing whoever it was that had been keeping her so well-informed.
"Umm, well y-yes, but—"
"And I believe you two have also gone out on a date before?" Haruno interrupted, once more sounding matter-of-factly.
"Err, it's not a date, it's more of—"
"Whaaat?" Haruno cut him off again, feigning great disbelief. "But Hikigaya-kun went out with a girl to sit down, talk, and eat somewhere, with it being just the two of you. Wouldn't you agree that that would at least meet the criteria to classify as one?"
Haruno gave him no time to stop and think as she carried out her assault with one jab after another, mercilessly driving him into a corner. The unnerved expression on his face only fueled her urge to egg him into defending himself all so she could say something in return against him.
"That depends on how you label these things, you see. I'm not so certain for her since I can't quite make out most of what's running inside that head of hers, but on my end it surely isn't like that. We just hung out as her treat for me helping her out. A way to repaying a favor, nothing more and nothing less."
It would be foolish to misunderstand her gestures of goodwill as something more. Yui was truly the nicest girl he had met outside his family and her niceness wasn't limited exclusively to Hachiman, although after what had happened lately his own doubt had grown tenfold on how correct his opinion was of the girl and her actions. But it wouldn't do any good if Haruno were to be made aware of any of that...
"Ehh? If that's the case, then aren't you guys only one label away from being an item then? Or is it simply that you are still playing house while stubbornly searching for 'that'?" Haruno smirked, the last sentence carrying a different tone than the rest.
'Why must both Yukinoshitas I know be such a handful to deal with...' Hachiman drew a long, exasperated sigh out of annoyance, he was going nowhere with this woman who only listened to the words she wanted to hear. He gritted his teeth, which did not escape the older girl's attention who deemed it was more than enough prodding for one day.
"Oh please, relax a little Hikigaya-kun, will you? It's not like I want you two to start dating someone or anything, that's still your choice. I was just teasing you, is all!" Haruno switched back to her former expression and playfully jabbed his cheek with her index finger repeatedly, stopping only as he took a step back to distance himself from her. "Although if you two do end up dating... then I'm sure the 'little bird' wouldn't be so fond of the idea."
He was well-aware of the strife present between the Yukinoshita sisters, but as a fellow doting older sibling to a younger sister he gave her the benefit of the doubt regarding the genuineness of her feelings. Then again, perhaps his skill to discern these things accurately had dulled from hanging around with an airhead far too much on a regular basis.
"Now, I wouldn't want to be a bother by keeping you out here so late, so this is the part where I say goodbye. For now, at least." Haruno winked and stuck her tongue out. Hachiman felt more of intimidated by her remark than seduced by her charm, glad she had finally turned around to enter the car parked by the side of the road. Its silver hood ornament gleamed slightly as it passed him by, awakening the dormant aching within his leg for a short moment.
It's been over a year since that incident occurred, that fateful meeting that had its development delayed after he was crippled and bedridden. The images were fuzzy in his mind, perhaps it was his brain's way to cope with such an unpleasant event that it opted to blur the memories enough without making him forget about it. Even the feelings he harbored during the time spent at the hospital were now unclear.
Did he feel sad then? Angry? Vengeful? He recalled it was a painful experience, but that was mostly it. If anything, he was more of disappointed at how he overestimated his parents' concern on what happened to him. They were preoccupied with work, he told himself, hence they hadn't the time to pay a visit as often as Komachi did.
But if the past didn't go the way it did...
Would he have made a successful high-school debut on the first day of class? Would he no longer be a loner and instead be one of the normalfags who hung out every day after school, going to the arcade or the mall? Would he have more friends than he did now, if they werehis friends? Would he come to class and be welcomed loudly with an annoying greeting?
"..."
Somehow thinking about it all made him feel grateful that it did happen, as if it were a small price to pay. Had things been altered even by a little bit, then maybe he wouldn't have met someone...
'Plus, there's Totsuka too, though I guess he'd talk to me regardless of how we'd meet, since he's nice and all.'
However Hachiman found his tactic wasn't as effective as it was anymore, for the smiling face of the young boy with silver hair could no longer take his attention away from the other person who now persisted in his daily thoughts. Looking up at the night sky, the clouds were just clearing up to reveal the bright face of the beautiful full moon.
"Guess I better head home before Komachi gives me an earful for taking too long."
"Hachiman? Helloooo?"
"Ah-" The loner snapped back to his senses and found Yui watching him worriedly. His eyes scanned their surroundings to recall themselves alone at the rooftop, sitting on the floor with their nearly finished eaten lunch in front of them. The cloudy sky along with the slight, cool breeze made for comfortable atmosphere to relax, which was perhaps partly at fault for his spacing out. "Umm, you were saying?"
"Geez, I've been talking on and on all this time and you weren't even paying attention." The girl pouted ever so cutely and crossed her arms.
"Sorry, but it's not the first time it happened. You're like a white noise machine, emphasis on the noise part." He added.
"Wha- Y-you're so mean!" Yui lightly hammered her fists on his left shoulder, no intent to harm whatsoever. "I keep talking because you and Yukinon always have your faces buried between book pages and it's getting super awkward when you're both quiet like that. It's like you two are in your own separate worlds, leaving me behind all by myself."
"Alright, I'm really sorry." He surrendered, wanting to end her whining as he was still feeling unaccustomed to how close Yui could get sometimes. "Anyway, what was it again that you were talking about?"
"I was asking what's wrong, since you looked really out of it today. Like you were thinking about something all day. Even in class you weren't sleeping like you usually do, instead you were just blankly staring at the board." She imitated the deadpan gaze he supposedly had.
"Ah, that's right." He recalled what had happened last night, how it had been in his mind and keeping him preoccupied for most of the day. "It's nothing, just some small stuff that isn't really worth your time."
"Hmph, fine." Yui harrumphed before going quiet and hugging her knees with a scowl on. He was pretty surprised she didn't pry any further like he had expected her to, although her facial expression was also brimming with interest as her eyes restlessly darted back and forth on him.
Technically he had the choice to leave it as is, but he knew well she'd bug him about it sooner or later. Besides, Hachiman figured this would be a good chance to discuss it with someone and maybe shed some light on some of his questions.
"Well, how do I put it..." He started, at that instant Yui's ears perked up and she sat up straight. "You see, I... have a 'friend' of mine who realized something recently."
The girl's pink eyes went wide with curiosity as she listened attentively. He was sure she was going to crack a joke about how he had no friends, but instead he took her silence and seriousness with the topic as his cue to carry on with his story.
"Well, this uhh... friend of mine, he... He's getting along pretty well with his friend who's a girl and... People started kind of asking if they're dating, is the thing." He knew Yui wasn't exactly the brightest girl, but just how much specific can he be and still get away with it without her realizing who he was actually referring to?
"Wow, that sounds like some development you'd find in manga! Wait a minute, now that I think about it, it almost sounds similar to us..."
"I-i-i-it's not about us!" Hachiman stammered in panic, clearing his throat once he had composed himself. "I-I mean, yes it does resemble our situation, but it's not us. I'm talking about a friend of mine here, remember?"
"Right, I get it." Yui nodded and let him continue.
"Anyway, he gets asked that question and initially he says no because well, in actuality they aren't officially dating. But when he looked back, what they were doing did seem like what a couple could normally be doing, granted they've become closer than before."
"Why, what were they doing?"
"Oh, you know, t-the usual stuff. Hanging out together, on a given-name basis, house visits... e-except, no one else's home, stuff like that." Hachiman scratched his cheek, the feeling of uneasiness returning to him. It suddenly felt like this was a bad idea, especially when his stomach was so full at the moment.
"O-oh..." Yui's face began to grow red.
"W-wait, they haven't done anything like that yet." Hachiman realized her growing embarrassment and quickly took her mind from the gutter.
"'Yet?' S-so they did have intentions?"
"No, wait— no, that was worded wrongly. Ugh..." His eyebrows furrowed at the difficulty of discussing such a topic for the first time, and confiding to a girl with it no less. He carefully rephrased it in a less misleading manner this time, making sure there was no room left for misunderstanding. "I meant that they haven't done it yet, IF he ever did have any plans to go out with her."
"So at the beginning he didn't but... Did he maybe have plans now?" The girl inquired, intrigued by the idea.
"Now that you've mentioned it, I..." Hachiman's eyes moved to the side and away from hers as he pondered.
'Did he now?' He asked himself the same thing. Had the thought ever crossed his mind before the question was raised? Did those moments spent daydreaming where the two of them were hanging out together count? And since when had those unnoticed feelings even started to take root?
The idea used to be pushed away to the back of his head, but over time it turned into something appealing and was entertained, even if only for a short moment each time. He would often scold himself for his audacity afterwards and remind him of his place, but lately he had grown unconvincing to himself.
His rotten eyes shifted back towards the girl whose gaze was similarly fixated to his, searching for an answer within those pink orbs of hers that seemed to grow more dazzling the longer he stared.
"I don't know, to be honest. It's still pretty vague, being new to all these kinds of things."
To be fair, Hachiman wasn't entirely new to it, to this feeling. There were few instances in the past which he had buried deep and never to be unearthed, but it was the first time he had received a different response, one that didn't mercilessly crush his heart and spirit afterwards.
"Err, I mean, he's new to this." He quickly corrected his blunder. "So I think his answer to that is still up for debate."
"I see." Yui lips curved into a small, contented smile. "So basically he's inexperienced when it comes to relationships. As in, he has never gone out with anyone before?"
"Y-yeah, I guess you could say that." He averted his eyes to hide, not wanting to be caught.
"Well, for me I think he's doing fine." Hachiman looked back to her, who now seemed to have found her answer. "I think the way he's worrying his head over it now is admirable. Sure, he was only made aware of it after someone else had mentioned it along the way, but usually it's like that y'know? People often notice those things about you first than you do yourself. And I like to think that the reason behind his wariness isn't just because he has no idea of what he's going to do and was fumbling around, but also since he doesn't want to hurt anyone if ever he made a mistake." Her smile then turned into a wistful, somber one. "Although he should come to a decision and make his move soon, since dragging things out for too long isn't good either."
"T-then, let's say if you were in the girl's shoes... Wouldn't you kind of feel bad or disgusted about it? Rumors turn ugly with every round they take in-between gossips." He knew it better than most people, after all.
"Huh?" Yui was surprised at the sudden question thrown at her. "Well, it's kind of hard to tell with just that. Like, do you mean for example, if people started thinking t-that you and I w-were... d-d-dating?"
"Uhh, s-sure. For the sake of an example, let's go with that. If that were the case then you'd hate the idea, right?" Hachiman chuckled nervously, unsure if he was even still trying to pass it off as a joke.
"What? No way! What would make you say that?" Yui exclaimed and leaned towards him before quickly reeling back with blushing cheeks upon noticing how short the distance between their faces had become. "I mean, i-it's embarrassing I guess but..."
"...but?" Hachiman gulped as he felt his heart lumped in his throat.
"I-I don't... m-m-mind it that much in particular, I-I guess." Her response was weak as she avoided his gaze, fiddling her fingers.
Hachiman couldn't believe what he was seeing and hearing right now. The way Yui's cheeks were red while coyly glancing at him resembled that of a girl who secretly held feelings for the person they were talking to as he had seen in his manga. It was true that her words were only based upon the key points circumventing the hypothetical situation of them being considered as a couple, but even then her positive remark regarding the matter brought him a sense of bliss.
And at the same time, it started to feel very wrong.
"I would, though." Hachiman stated, surprising Yui.
This wasn't how it was supposed to go. She was supposed to look repulsed, throw snide comments and make a run for it after telling him to never talk to her ever again. Then come tomorrow the whole class would have learned of it, and he would become the laughing stock with hushed whispers exchanged behind his back, the object of pity and disgust. Every day he'd wish that he'd just disappear and never return, all so he could hide from the cruelty of the world and those around him.
"Wha... Do you h-hate me?"
Hachiman saw the look on Yui's face and recognized the hurt expression she had, which must have been similar to the one he had in the past. Even as guilt began to weigh down on his heart heavily, he steeled himself and spoke.
"It's not like I hate you. I just feel it would be detrimental to your reputation and the well-being of your friendship with Miura's group. Maybe you won't exactly be clipped off from your circle of friends since they aren't that shallow to begin with, but it's sure to bring some awkwardness between you and them that may never go away. Besides, I'm sure there are a lot of better guys for you out there. I don't have anything going for me, so..."
He clenched his fists tightly, the last sentences having forced its way out of his mouth. Something about them made him feel sick just thinking about it.
"That's not true." Yui firmly responded appearing to be quite upset, however before he could apologize the girl continued. "I understand that my friends and family may have a say on this but in the end, unless they have a really good and valid point, it's still my choice so I get the final word."
The conviction present in her voice was resolute, especially since he knew Yui was a passive person who preferred to "go with the flow" than speak her mind. For her to object him strongly, he must've gone and flipped her switch with their conversation.
Spending time with the girl for some time now, it was only recently when Hachiman had looked back to discover all the many subtle changes that had occurred over each day. Perhaps the same could be said for Yui who he hadn't noticed was also changing little by little, which was probably thanks to his presence...
"Alright, I get i—"
"And another thing!" Yui pointed straight at his face. "Hachiman, you!"
"Me?"
"That's right! You need to stop downing yourself so much." Yui raised her voice a little as she rebuked him. "I get that you have a lot of things about you that others criticize, but in the first place nobody's perfect. And if you ask me, sure you may not be the 'best' guy out there, but you're definitely far from being a bad guy. I'm sure any girl to have you as their b-boyfriend, would be very lucky!"
"I doubt that. Others will and always will find your faults, and no matter how well you cover it up a single glimpse of your ugly side would be enough to destroy everything good you've built up." He retorted, not necessarily speaking from experience but Hachiman could see it happen around him all the time.
"Then maybe the problem is you're around the wrong people. If they were really your friends then I'm sure they'd have accepted you for who you are and treat those things as a part of what makes you yourself."
Yui was refreshingly unyielding today, Hachiman wished that she had stood up to Yumiko before the same way she did to him now, then perhaps she would have been seen as a person of equal sooner without the need for Yukino's meddling.
"Even if you say all that, I'm not convinced of all those things myself, what more for others?"
"Then I'll explain it to them, all about your good sides. How you're so wary of even the slightest details that may cause problems if left unattended which most overlook, how selfless you get even if you have a tendency to self-destruct when you try reaching your hand out to people in need, how much of a genuinely nice person you really are if people just made any effort to know you better, and not judge you immediately just because your eyes look weird."
"You could've made do without that last bit though."
"That's besides the point! I just... I-I don't like it when people say those things about you, and I sort of feel bad for not standing up to you sometimes..." Yui bit her quivering lip as her expression softened into a sad one. "I'm sorry."
"W-well, even if you say all that..." Hachiman had not expected for things to escalate and become too embarrassing for him to handle. He wasn't used to getting complimented aside from his own mental monologue, so he was at a loss on how to properly respond to her. Moreover, Hachiman was unprepared for the coming of the day Yui would outmatch her in an argument and was desperately looking for a way out. "My 'girlfriend' probably doesn't even exist."
"I have a good feeling that she does, she might already be just around the corner waiting." She answered him, reassuringly. "I know one day she'll meet you, and when she finally does I'm sure it'll be the happiest day of her life."
Yui's final statement was spoken with such confidence that it was as if it were no mere assumption and would come true at any moment. His rotten former-self would have made allegations against her claims and branded her remark as foolish, wishful thinking, but after everything he had been through and hearing her words he had learned to put some faith in her.
Her eyes alone were enough to convince him that she was right and he was wrong, giving off an aura purest of the pure. For the nice girl that Yuigahama Yui was he found she had the least amount of lies in her, which was why how she chose to go out of her way and refuse to accept every bad thing he said about himself was beyond him. For the first in what was a long time, her stubbornness wasn't completely annoying.
"A-alright, I give." He finally admitted his defeat, trying his hardest not to smile but ended up failing anyway when he saw how her eyes shone with happiness at his surrender. "You win this time."
A familiar chime rang throughout the campus right on time to interrupt Yui's moment of victory, signaling the end of their lunch break. Hachiman sighed in relief after having been saved by the bell from her gloating, getting to his feet while Yui stowed their lunch boxes away.
And now that a lot of things had been laid bare today, the fleeting moment of holding her hand as he helped her stand up would never feel the same.
The warmth of her fingertips lingered on his hand for a while before dissipating, a soothing sensation that Hachiman wished to relish once again under the pretense of assisting her. Similarly Yui long since enjoyed the abrupt physical contact, always looking forward to accept his initiative as an excuse to feel his large hand press and gently squeeze against her smaller one.
The two shared a moment where they silently prayed the other would never catch onto whatever it was that ran in their minds the instance they touched, lest it ruin the image of it being nothing more than an act of chivalry between members of the opposite sex.
"We should hurry." Hachiman spoke up first. "Wouldn't want to be late for class and get in trouble." He had begun trudging along when he felt a tug at the elbow part of his uniform's sleeve.
"Wait, aren't you forgetting something?"
"Huh? Like what, saying your name again?"
"W-well, there's that too, but..." She gestured to her now empty bentou boxes. "W-was it bad, or..."
"Oh, r-right. Sorry." He scratched his cheek to look for a proper response. "It was pretty good. Thank you for the meal."
"Really? I'm so glad then!" She hopped to his side beaming with a triumphant smile. "Then I'll make an even better meal next time!"
"Don't get too cocky, all you made for today were just sandwiches. Anyone could slap something edible between two slices of bread."
"H-hey! Don't start raining on my parade, you gloomy raincloud!" Yui lightly punched his arm.
"And work on your comebacks too, they're terrible." He chuckled. "But seriously, they were delicious. No tomatoes either, so it's definitely a pass for me Yui."
As the girl hummed happily on her success during their trip back to the classroom, Hachiman was relieved more than ever that he thought twice before saying something. If he ever pushed through with his comment that Yui would "make a good wife some day" then she may have never let him live it down.
"All good things must come to an end," and the same went for the Service Club as its peaceful time was rudely interrupted by the appearance of a visitor.
Yukino was irritated at how she was being unnecessarily loud and forgetful of knocking first before choosing to derail the door by sliding it forcefully, whereas Yui disliked how their underclassman got a little too close for comfort with Hachiman and fawned over him to underhandedly win his favor.
"Senpai, I need your help!" The girl who had entered the room claimed, her hands pressed together in plead for his aid. "Please hear me out."
"If it's something the Service Club can handle then we would be willing to help." Yukino spoke up to inform her presence as club president and person-in-charge to the girl. "Isshiki-san, if you would kindly sit down for a moment and give us the details with your request."
"Oh it's alright, Senpai's the only one I need so don't worry about. And this isn't a request or anything like with the student council thing, it's more of a favor." Iroha brushed her off and quickly turned back to Hachiman. "Please, you're the only guy I can count on to do it for me, it just won't do if it isn't you!"
She wasn't a liar per se, rather she had a cunning habit of exhibiting a sly level of ambiguity. For example: a normal healthy boy would've had his hopes up—and something else, while we're at it—if such a lovely-looking kouhai used that cutesy tone and charming body language to ask for a favor, that was how Isshiki Iroha played her cards right.
But she'd never go overboard by doing things like compensated dating, she was in truth a clever girl who knew where and when to draw the line and thus avoided trouble.
Or at least, for her own sake anyway.
"W-well, I don't want to say 'yes' without knowing what the consequences are once you drag me into this." He voiced his reluctance.
"This weekend, there will be a huge sale on most items at the mall, but they have a condition for you to avail it." Iroha fished out a folded flyer from her blazer's pocket and held it in front of him to see.
"And that is..?" He squinted his eyes and pulled his face away, skimming the details written on the paper for the answer.
"It's a sale that's only available to couples, y'see. Or well, they don't have to actually be a couple, they just need to act lovey-dovey with each other."
"Eh?" Yui was the first to react, slamming her hands on the table much to their surprise.
"W-wait, correct me if I'm wrong... But do you want me, of all people,to play the role of your boyfriend?" Hachiman pointed at himself in disbelief.
"Bingo~ Ah-!" Iroha took a step back, inhaled deeply and took a bow. "But please do not misunderstand this as me expressing my interest in dating you, I am merely asking for your help with the matter as you're the person I deem to be most appropriate for this situation. My duties as student council president prohibits me to display bias thus I sincerely ask for your forgiveness as I cannot respond to your feelings."
"Umm... I wasn't misunderstanding anything." Was all Hachiman had to say after her long-winded rejection. "But if I had to ask, wouldn't anyone else be a better option? I mean, I'm not exactly what you'd call 'boyfriend material.' For as long as I can remember, I've been made well-aware by girls that I'm not someone you normally consider as a candidate for something like this."
'Okay, maybe not all girls...' He thought to himself, stealing a glance at the pink-haired girl who had a look full of concern at what was unfolding.
"That's true Senpai. You slouch too much, you have a creepy laugh, you can be really harsh when you speak your mind, you don't have much redeeming qualities and your grades are only a little over average." Each comment felt like an arrow struck him, making a vein pop up on his forehead each time.
"Well, sorry for being born this way, you little bi—"
"But," Iroha with a confident smile, raised her finger and pressed it onto his lips to shush him. "I know that Senpai is a really nice person and would never do anything to me, even if we were alone together all day."
"Uh-huh." Hachiman rolled his eyes, not that much convinced with the flattery coming from her.
"Don't you remember, when we went out on that date before? I for sure thought it would be the worst time of my life since all you did right off the bat were nothing but poor decisions that reflected your zero experience with dating. But surprisingly you showed me a fun time and that you had a lot of good points in you that you don't see much in other guys nowadays, you even managed to convince me to show you and only you a part of me that's totally embarrassing."
"Urk-!"
He felt the two girls stare daggers at him suspiciously, and her winking at Hachiman only served to make it worse. Iroha never failed to amaze him with the way she used her mouth and silver tongue with such mastery.
"Despite the negative score you got I somewhat enjoyed our date, we even had our picture taken at that cafe, you looked really funny there! Anyway, all-in-all you're not like most guys who are dangerous so I trust you."
"That's simply because Hikigaya-kun is a spineless pervert who often chooses to commit sexual offenses covertly than upfront and brazenly." Came a snarky comment from the other end of the table.
"Gee, thanks for the moral support Yukinoshita. I always knew I could count on you."
"You're most certainly welcome." The club president giggled.
"I was being sarcastic."
"So was I." She replied with a smug smile. "Or did you perhaps want me to hold up a sign for you?"
"U-umm..." Yui finally voiced herself and raised her hand, feeling having been left out for a while as the conversation only revolved around the three. "I mean, if Iroha-chan wants to ask for Hikki's help and he's fine with it then... Yukinon and I don't really have a reason to stop him, right? I-I guess..."
The girls then turned their eyes towards him in unison awaiting his response, with Iroha looking the most expectant.
What Yui said was definitely right, whether they were against the idea of him helping the girl out or not, in the end it was still his choice alone to make. The idea of him responding positively didn't seem to sit well with his fellow club members, however he owed Iroha a lot after pushing her to win the student council elections and had vowed to assist her, although he originally made that promise with paperwork and school-related tasks in mind.
He wasn't obligated in any way to lend her a hand on such a personal matter and he opted to stay at home all day during the weekend, but the sale itself was enticing. After all, trying to save up money left over from his scarce monthly allowance meant he wanted to spend every last yen as prudent as he could, and a 50% discount on selected items was the perfect opportunity.
"Okay, fine... I'll go with you." He finally agreed, hoping to himself he wouldn't regret this decision.
"Alright! Then it's a date~" She jumped and gleefully declared.
"But it's not a date." He commented, which Iroha simply ignored. He then looked at the club members, with Yui smiling awkwardly and Yukino shaking her head while sighing.
"Ah, gimme your e-mail address so I can send you the details later once I'm done checking some stuff out. But don't get too excited overthinking about it."
Hachiman took his phone out and handed it to Iroha who blessed his lonely contact list with another registration, and after a few moments of a dozen taps per second the deed was done.
"There, all set." She said, handing it back before testing it out by shooting him a mail. Hachiman's phone quickly buzzed a few seconds after she had pressed "send" and surely enough, the screen's notification showed one new item was received from an entry aptly named "Senpai's cutest favorite kouhai Irohasu 3". All he could do was face-palm as he had another taste of just how troublesome the misleading Iroha could be, dreading what sort of mess he'd be thrown into during their so-called "date" on his day off.
"Well then, I have to go since I left the two lovebirds behind at the council room with all the work. I shall be in your care Senpai~" The flaxen-haired girl bowed politely before taking her leave, exiting the room with a loud slam of the door behind her as she went on her way.
Hachiman let go of his breath and exhaled a great deal of air once the storm had passed, looking back down on his phone to see the "name" she put in. It would make for good practice, she had mentioned before, but he doubted her claim when she shot down every answer he gave for her questions and have his score deducted based on some absurd criteria.
As far as he was concerned, only Komachi points truly mattered, though he had yet to discover what exactly he could use them for or redeem with. Perhaps a free back rub, or a plate of omurice lovingly made by her...
"As with what Yuigahama-san had stated before, I respect your decision on the matter Hikigaya-kun. But I do advise you to refrain from doing anything... unnecessary." Yukino spoke up, breaking the silence for once. "And I certainly hope you're not using your indebtedness to her as an excuse to go on a date with Isshiki-san."
"But it's not a date." Hachiman iterated, his eyes then shifting to the other girl who appeared to be uneasy. "Something wrong?"
"Ah, it's nothing, h-haha... " Yui gave him another awkward smile before taking her phone out and starting to tap away at it.
Watching her gave him an idea and he looked back to his own device sitting in his hand, however if he were to send an e-mail then what would he even put in there? She already said that "nothing" was wrong, so asking her again through text wouldn't really make much of a difference even if her response was said with tongue in cheek. He also didn't want to assume that something was indeed off regarding him accepting Iroha's request, even if a lot of clues already pointed towards that conclusion.
'Let's think about it some other time.' Hachiman returned his phone into his pocket and resumed reading, but to no avail. It was impossible to comprehend the words written in front of him now that his thoughts were busy somewhere else nearby. He might have been paying too much attention to Yui lately, and while Hachiman had always had a penchant for pedantry its improper usage would only serve to work against him.
Time went on and they had reached the end of the day without any other visitors, Yukino was the first to disband from their group as per usual and the two other members went on their way.
Even as they walked silently through the empty corridors of the school, Hachiman was still wondering on what it was that had been bothering Yui. He could keep making intelligent guesses, but that was all they could ever amount to. He wanted facts, and for facts he needed proof, which could only come from the source herself.
"Say, umm... Yui." Hachiman stopped walking and turned around to face the girl who was lagging behind him, much unlike how she'd usually be the one in front if not walking beside him.
"Hmm?"
"Are you not okay with me going out with Isshiki on the weekend?" Hachiman went and asked her straight, no more beating around the bush. He initially failed when he expected her to be the one to choose to speak her mind, so he tried a direct approach.
"W-what?" The girl blushed, taking a moment to gather her wits from the sudden question. "O-of course not, I said I was fine with it before, remember?"
"You did say it, but did you really mean it?"
Yui opened her mouth to speak but no words came out as their eyes met. She then hung her head low and tightly gripped the slings of her backpack.
"It's not my place to say what you should do." She finally answered with a bitter tone.
"Are you maybe worried I'll do something bad like what Yukinoshita said earlier?"
"That's not it. I don't think of you that way anymore, dummy."
"Oh. T-thanks, I guess." It was his turn to grow embarrassed.
"Alright, enough of that. She's counting on you, so don't let her down. Okay?" She held out her pinky towards Hachiman. "Promise me you'll help her out without holding back."
"O-okay." He replied before shyly linking to it with his own. It felt a bit childish for his taste, but it was very much a Yui kind of thing that he was at least willing to go through with.
"Then, let's go already." The girl turned him around forcefully and leaned on him with her palms to move him forward.
'Since when has his back gotten so wide...' She wondered as her hands pressed on him, fighting the urge to cuddle up behind him similar to the time they went home from the study session at Yukino's place.
It wasn't that Hachiman wasn't reliable in the past, she knew he always has been. Yui found out about it even before day one, and after their reunion he unknowingly continued to live up to her expectations of him. He might say that he had nothing to gain from helping, but oddly enough he'd agree to lend a hand.
He was far from perfect and his methods were sometimes flawed or skewed, but his willingness to help was unchanging—one of the many things she had come to love about him.
And now that others have started learning of his good side, she felt that the distance between them would grow larger as more people surrounded them. It wouldn't be too farfetched to think that someone, say a girl, might gain interest in him after being "saved", much like how it went for her.
Even if he brushed it off as a "natural reaction" to seeing someone in danger, it did not change the fact that he had rescued Sablé by taking one for her. Even if he said that he didn't do it in exchange for something, it did not change how she felt indebted to him. Even if they weren't dating and had no right to keep him for herself, she couldn't help her feelings and grow upset about Hachiman getting closer to another girl.
"Okay, I get it. I can walk on my own." Yet Yui didn't listen and continued to push on Hachiman's back wordlessly as they went.
As they reached the outside world, the two were about to go on their separate ways when Yui stopped him.
"Wait, I forgot to give you something. Turn around again."
"Huh? What is it?" He asked, but since Yui didn't answer he complied anyways, praying she wasn't childish enough to give him a kanchō out of nowhere.
He then felt two arms wrap around him from behind, tightening into a warm embrace.
"O-oi, what the hell are you thinking? What if someone sees us like this?"
"I-it's fine, right? This is just a good luck charm. For your date..." She answered, burying her face onto his back so he couldn't see her sadness. Yui held onto him a little longer before finally letting go when she had managed to smile again.
"Do your best, alright?" She said, looking into his eyes despite being red up to her ears.
"S-sure, I will."
As they bid each other goodbye, Hachiman watched in silence as the girl walked away from him. He wanted to call out to her and ask but he bit his tongue at the last moment.
'Am I reading into things too much again?'
During the last time Yui mentioned it wasn't his fault at all, rather it was due to a biological process that she was ashamed of to confess to be the culprit. Aside from the stress and sleep deprivation he had accumulated from overthinking, the resolution of the misunderstanding caused the bond of their friendship to deepen.
This was the second instance he felt he had done something wrong to her, and this time around he wasn't confident that it fell under the same category as before. It was already too late to give chase now that Yui had already disappeared from his sights, cursing his feet for refusing to budge earlier.
But that was the first time he had heard of a good luck charm like that...
In hindsight, he realized that the two of them had grown close enough to have a fight even way before, but now the thought of her being sad made him uncomfortable that he had lost the desire for dinner. How ironic it was that he couldn't even grasp his own situation despite Yui praising him for his ability to perceive the little things that mattered. When push came to shove he often found himself taking action swiftly and effectively, yet now that the circumstances were completely different with how he did not have a third person's point-of-view as with the problems of those who sought the Service Club's aid, he found himself without a course of action.
Left with nothing else to do at the moment, Hachiman decided to return home and call it a day.
As the loner reached his house he announced his arrival before heading straight to the living room and plopping himself down sofa, drained from today's events. Komachi soon peeked in to find her onii-chan staring distantly at the ceiling and, being the useful little sister she was, sat down beside him and cleared her throat.
"So, care to share what sort of thing happened to Onii-chan for making that kind of face again?" She asked before shuddering.
"Huh? What kind of face?" He grabbed his phone and looked at himself with the inactive screen, studying his features.
"Oh wait, my bad. Komachi forgot, Onii-chan was born like that." She giggled cutely with her fang sticking out.
The jokes between the Hikigaya siblings never had the intention of hurting his feelings, much like how Yui said the same went for her whenever she would tease him, instead it was more of meant to ease the tension in the air. Like always Hachiman felt a little better and managed to let out a laugh thanks to her, so he rewarded her with a well-deserved pat on the head which she accepted wholeheartedly before telling her what was on his mind.
"Well, on the weekend I'm probably going to be spending the entire day with Isshiki, an underclassman of mine, since she wanted me to help her out on a sale that required the customers to act like a couple. And Yui...gahama seemed to look down about it at first, although I'm not quite sure on what the reason was." He began, bracing himself for a lecture as the look on his little sister's face was far from delighted or amused. He had also purposely left out the part about being hugged out of embarrassment, as he wanted to think about it and other things first, and to find out the answer himself.
Meanwhile Komachi had conflicted feelings about the revelation: on one hand she's ecstatic that her onii-chan would be going out with a girl, but on the other hand it wasn't Yui he was going to be with. Furthermore, hearing how Yui reacted and what Hachiman thought about it based on what he said, it sounded like there was little to no development happening between the two.
"Ah-"
Before his little sister could begin bombarding him with questions however, Hachiman remembered one very vital detail left out regarding the plans he had for the coming weekend that needed to be said:
"But it's not a date."
A/N: Sorry. It's been long since. I know. I feel quite rusty with writing right now and I forgot what I wanted to put on the next ones so I had to re-read everything a couple of times to remember whatever it was I was going for. I actually wanted to write something else before this for the sake of practice, but felt that this had gone untouched for far too long that it was unacceptable.
Covid, work, real life, a lot of crap happened since I've been inactive. Actually even way before that, but let's not go there and just be thankful that I neither lost my job nor kick the bucket somewhere along the way, and have finally updated again. Many thanks to everyone who has been fave'ing/following this story and that incest one of mine (my fellow lewd people). If you were with me since the beginning of this story and are still here reading this, then kudos to you my friend. I hope you're doing well, stay safe and until we meet again.
P.S.: I haven't watched Oregairu's third season yet but yes, I already know. :(