Hey guys! Here's a little something to get you something while I come up with the next few parts. This was supposed to be a part of Chapter 5-3, but it just didn't really fit the way I wanted it to. So while I reconstruct 5-3, here's something that came out of it. Call it an Interlude. It takes place at the same time as Situations Vol 4.

"Eh, you did?!" Komachi said, running up to me and placing a vice grip on my shoulders. "You're actually proactively moving in a relationship? You're not scaring her or off or moving too fast for her? Tell them! Go on, get!"

Suddenly, I found myself being pushed up the stairs as my sister did her best to keep me on track. Honestly, I don't think I'd be able to muster up the gall to approach them directly about what I was going to say.

I just couldn't.

We finally reached the door to our parents' bedroom, and Komachi used one hand to knock on the door three times.

"Mom, dad! Onii-chan has something to say!"

"Eh?" Mom's voice popped up. "Come in!"

"Hachiman approaching us with something... Interesting."

As we walked in, Dad's little comment that was meant to be silent was just audible enough to me.

"Well well," Mom said. "What's urgent enough to interrupt our beauty sleep, you two?"

Don't you mean 'interrupt our semi-regular, bi-weekly binge-watching session'?

"Oi, Onii-chan, come on!" Komachi said, lightly nudging my back.

"Uh, so…" I stuttered, scratching my neck. "You probably have an idea b-but, I uh,"

Come on, you can do it. It's just a simple compound word!

"I've have- I've got a girlfriend; for uh, around five months now."

This is so embarrassing; I've never referred to her as such. Or even if I did, I probably never used it intentionally!

"Uhuh." They said, both nodding in sync with smiles smeared across their faces.

Why are you not surprised? Oh wait…

"So I wanted to invite her over soon to meet you guys. Next week, specifically."

"Woah…" Mom said under her breath. "He works faster than expected."

"True true…" Dad replied.

I'm right here… also why was your and Hiratsuka-sensei's conclusion vaguely similar?

"Five months…" Mom murmured with a somewhat smug expression. "You sure enjoyed yourself for a while, huh?"

"I mean… I guess so."

From the things I've heard in passing, it seems like regardless of relationship to one's own parents, one would never just outright tell them that they were dating someone; not immediately, anyway. I suppose everyone wants to appreciate the sort of "honeymoon" or grace period before having to deal with the outcomes of their new relationship.

At first glance, it seems like too much to ask to have to introduce someone who's a complete stranger to your own family; as if they should have any say in who you can or cannot associate with, you know? How many times have you heard of cases where an otherwise happy couple (however you would define that) were broken up by a disapproving pair of helicopter parents that couldn't handle the fact that their child probably has a better eye for people than they ever did. Let your children turn into adults! This is further proof that so many people should never ever lay off the protection if their only incentive for raising a child is to keep up with some sort of expectation. Don't force that misunderstood pressure on others if you yourself don't understand the point.

Ehem. Anyway...

"So? Who's the girl?" Dad smirked.

Ah, so this is what it's gonna be like from now on, huh?

"A girl from my batch; we were- are in a club right now, along with Komachi here. We met in… the spring of last school year."

"Very specific, onii-chan." Komachi butted in. "Just not specific enough!"

Ah right, you were totally still there, huh.

"Her name is Yukinoshita Yukino."

Suddenly, as if I triggered their sleeper cells, mom and dad's eyes widened in surprise. They looked to each other for a split second before turning back to me.

"Wait wait wait, hold up." My mom said waving a hand in front of her face. "Like that Yukinoshita?"

"I uh, didn't realize that name was as famous as that."

I mean, I knew the name carried some sort of weight, especially around these parts, but to get that much of a reaction out of my parents is kinda strange. A bit surreal on my end, because it makes me think that they think I stepped into a whole new league and inadvertently tagged them along as well. That isn't my responsibility… it's just me and her; why's it gotta be a whole family matter?

No use complaining, I guess. I know what I signed up for the moment I first met her mother. Scary.

"Well they're hardly celebrities, but they are pretty uh, up there, you know?" Dad added.

"Is that… not a good thing?" I warily added, feeling an eyebrow curl slightly.

"Not necessarily…" Mom said suspiciously. "But that isn't important now. More importantly…"

Mom patted the space in the bed in front of her, gesturing for me to settle down, implying a longer talk.

Nice, just what I felt like getting up to right after a nice time with her.

"What's she like?"

"I uh, don't really know how to even begin explaining that."

"Eh? You really didn't think much about telling us about what you're getting up to, huh?"

Ouch.

"Mommm," Komachi swooped in. "You know onii-chan's not good with this kinda stuff, cut him some slack.

Mom backed off slightly. "Alright alright."

I turned to my right to see Komachi had sat herself beside me at the foot of the bed. I nodded at her to show my appreciation for her support. She gave me a sly wink in response.

"Why don't you…" Komachi tapped her chin. "Show them a picture of her?"

"Huh, I guess." I rifled through my pocket hastily. I struggled a bit as I fumbled my way to my phone's home button and pressed it to show my lock screen.

The phone lit up, and my parents leaned in with their subpar, early 40-something year old vision preventing them from properly seeing the screen.

"Why don't you turn up your phone's brightness a bit?" Dad said, squinting slightly. "I can't get a good read on it."

Just parent things… I guess I can cut them some slack; ageing does all sorts of weird stuff to the body.

I fiddled with the brightness to give them a good view. And by that I mean I turned that dial way past 11. I bet if the sun were to be swallowed, this phone would be able to illuminate everything on a national level… and blind everyone in the immediate area, seriously.

My parents leaned forward to see the girl beside me in the picture. Mom's eyes widened in immediate glee as she lightly gasped and my dad smiled, as if to approve of my taste… probably.

"Oh my…" Mom said. "She's quite the catch, isn't she?"

"No kidding." My dad smirked. "You have quite the eye, son. Good job!"

"Right…"

Right, because everyone but me could see how much of a beauty she is… I guess I can't really blame their surface-level reaction. They don't know anything about her… not yet, anyway.

"What's she like?" My mom perked up and hugged her knees to her chest.

Someone's excited. I guess I would be if my loser son suddenly showed me such a sight.

"Um, she's... hmm."

Even right at this moment, when she's not in front of my face- actually, I think I have a harder time finding the words when I'm not talking to her. That's kinda because instead of speaking I… you know.

Come on come on… you can do it. Just don't look at them in the eyes when you're being so serious. Pretend they're not there!

"Smart, calm and cool, hardworking, almost to a fault. And uh…"

As I try to enumerate her attractive qualities, I'm deliberately trying not to mention the disagreeable parts as that's not my parents' place to know of. Her pedigree already seems to be a bit of a cause for slight unease. Also, that'd be rude of me. Very rude.

However, I realize that even if I try to imagine I'm telling only myself these things, it's probably even more embarrassing than it'd be if I was just saying these things outright. It's like those cheesy "she loves me, she loves me not" scenarios where I'm picking apart a poor, and innocent flower that will be unable to do its duty of looking pretty. I'm very glad that I'm not the type of guy to participate in activities like that… Gross.

"C-cute, I guess."

"I guess?" Mom replied, making the smirk she's wearing evident through the way she sputtered. "Our boy is smitten…"

Komachi sighed as I heard her palm making contact with her forehead. I honestly couldn't blame that reaction to my pathetic attempt to put Yukino into words properly. Why is the natural reaction always to revert to tsundere status?

"Anyway," Dad stepped in with an expression that seemed overly eager. "How'd you two get together?"

"Let's s-see…"

Despite my best efforts to put up an interesting narrative, I was a bit distracted by the fact that this questioning felt… like not what I imagined feeling?

I don't appreciate the fact that I was right about feeling uneasy telling these parts of myself to my parents. While the distance between us seemingly lessened for the first time in a while, there was still a distance to speak of. Probably something that shouldn't exist when I'm taking the small steps into a life unlike the one I've led with them. It's the difference between amiably seeking opportunities to catch up with them, or basically standing them up for the rest of our lives. The former seems unlikely, and the latter is unattractive, but closer in line with the way things are going.

"I see, I see." Mom said, nodding along. "The more you talk about her, the more I'm intrigued."

"Color me curious, as well." Dad said. "I want to see the girl who's managed to plaster a smile on your face, of all people's."

Understandable.

I deliberately left out the… complicated portions of the story. Which is to say almost everything after the summer of last year. All they needed to know was that me and her were interested enough in each other to start something together. The whole love triangle angle, high school drama, genuine stuff, codependency crap, Yukinoshita family involvement, and whatever else can take the backseat. Or the trunk, really; at this point, it really does feel like a corpse that needs to be buried; or given proper rites and then buried.

I don't think I'm ready for that kind of conversation with them right now. Not as I'm about to forcibly remove my free time, and intrude on their binge-watching.

Following my parents' responses, I felt myself at a loss for words. I didn't really know what they wanted out of me, and so my brain couldn't infer the topics to keep the conversation alive. My hesitancy was telling me I needed to get out of the room and decompress a little; they already got most of what they wanted out of me, right?

"You know," Komachi interrupted. "Yukino-san once took me out for a little date and…"

Despite my intention to reach out, the words being exchanged after my own seemed to not only fly into my ear, but immediately found themselves going out the opposite end. I may be sitting face-to-face with them discussing something rather intimate, but I don't think I could feel any more distant if I tried. Just something a son's gotta do, it feels like.

Since Komachi had taken the conversational wheel, I decided I'd take advantage of everyone's shifted attention and slowly but surely leave the room.

Slowly, I stood up and (tried very hard to) made myself seem discreet as I attempted to sneak out of the room. They definitely saw me attempt something, but if I don't make a scene of it, then I'd probably be safe as no one was going to interrupt the current flow of the conversation which seemed to be captivating the involved parties.

Hah… next week will take care of itself, right? I guess it will.

It just feels so agonizingly close.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed him leave the room, and I'm sure my parents paid a lingering glance, but nothing more after that.

Typical gomii-chan… can't blame him, though.

Mom and Dad still laughed along to the things I was telling them about recent Service Club activities and some funny memories from the past couple of months. I understand that he can't really talk to our parents upfront… I just wish it was that much easier, you know? There's only so much I can do. That I should do.

Might as well ask, right? I just hope he isn't listening in.

The muscles in my face suddenly contorted. "You're proud of him, right?"

The air stood still for a while, and in that moment, Dad blinked twice and rubbed his chin a bit, while Mom swept some of the hair out of her face. The looks on their faces told me that they wanted to be honest, yet didn't know how.

"Of course." Mom smiled sadly.

"We always were." Dad replied, nodding along uncomfortably. "It's just… hard."

"I know…" I said. "I just needed to make sure."

I gotta say, they did do their best to act naturally towards onii-chan as this was probably the first time in a long time that they had any semblance of a good talk. I don't think it was fruitful, but it's a start, you know? He's trying to share this part of himself that they've never seen before; something that they thought probably was highly unlikely, not that they'd ever admit it.

I stood up with heavy shoulders and made my way to the door. Before leaving, I looked back at them once more, this time with a smile.

"You'll be able to reach him; I'm sure."

I didn't stick around to check for their reaction. I turned around and closed their bedroom door gently. Ten seconds, twenty seconds; I don't think I heard a single noise come from that room until the wordless sound of the television opening confirmed their desire to move forward; to think about everything. And with that, I made my way downstairs.

Naturally, the past couple of years have really left onii-chan's relationship with our parents a little troubled. I don't think tense is the word, but like, I think the proper way to describe it is distant; it's there, but not to the point where it's remarkable. Not in the manner where it's easy to ask for or share things. Though that thin presence could definitely turn tense should the wrong steps be made.

Particularly steps made by me.

I never asked onii-chan about how he feels about any of this, not that him in the past would give me an honest answer. And so I put the topic off for the foreseeable future, and played along as usual; hoping to be the mediator should the time come. The past… five or four months since onii-chan's finally in a decent headspace. It could've been a good opportunity to broach that topic with either of them, but I didn't think I could.

I was always a bit uneasy knowing I was the only one capable of bridging the distance between him and them; our parents didn't want to do something that'd get them shut out, and onii-chan was… well, you know. I figured I'd be better off not knowing. In the case that my attempt to mend the family's relationship went wrong; if no understanding was reached, someone got shut out, if someone lashed out, or if everyone went on as if nothing happened in order to keep the peace… then that'd be on me. I don't know if I was ready for the possibility of failing that badly.

It's one thing to flunk a test, to lose a competition, or lose at a game; those mistakes are part of the learning experience and they build character. But to screw up a relationship? Your family at that? There are too many things going on for that kind of mistake to end up fine. Who knows if something that destroyed itself from the inside could ever have hope of being repaired.

I tried to tell myself that that kind of thing wasn't some pre-teen's responsibility; that those were things they had to figure out themselves, but I always knew I had the power to be the kind of person they needed… and the same one that could indirectly cause it all to fall apart.

And that power is so terrifying…

I'm no superhero like in those Marvel movies; I wasn't able to step up to the occasion and be the person this family needed. Maybe, just maybe it's too much to expect out of someone like me who should just focus on school and making friends and memories. But I knew I could, or at least… that maybe I could be of help.

But I froze. For so long, I froze because I didn't know if I could handle that kind of responsibility and the consequences that come with it.

And so I waited… until someone else decided to make the first move in this deadlock, I would just be the one who could be there for my family and play the biggest part in keeping tension low. No one could get hurt that way, yet no one could be honest. I knew that it wasn't the most heroic or genuine option, but I wanted to play a part in something.

And now, onii-chan just came home, and told me he made the move to invite Yukino-san over.

Thank God...

On the surface, I was just glad, and I really was- and still am. But… I don't know if I could describe the relief I felt inside. I was just so overjoyed that these feelings didn't come back to me until onii-chan left the room earlier. Suddenly, things started to look up for the Hikigaya household.

Heh, I found a way to make this about me. I'm sorry, onii-chan, and Yukino-san; I hope you can forgive me for being a little selfish.

Just for this moment, let me be happy that this burden isn't gonna crush me.

I twiddled with my thumbs and phone in my hand as I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling as I was just thinking more and more about… everything.

I almost became a man this evening, and now… I'm just a little confused. I guess it's a good thing I came home and got to this issue before doing anything more drastic?

I'm glad Komachi was there with me. Things could've gone awkward… I guess it was better than tense.

*Knock Knock*

Eh?

"Onii-chan?" Komachi calmly said. "Can I come in?"

"Oh, sure. Let yourself in."

Slowly enough, Komachi brought herself through the threshold, though I couldn't see the expression she had as she looked down for a while. I didn't think much of it, though I sensed that there was something she had to say. And judging by how she didn't just kick my door down and make a war cry, it's probably safe to assume that this topic was something fairly serious.

As I sat myself up, I gestured for her to sit down on my bedside. As I got the good look at her profile, I noticed her jaw was fairly tight, and that she hadn't made eye contact a single time in this little encounter.

"Is something up?" I asked. "What happened after I left?"

"Nothing much." She said hesitantly. "Just… something I wanted to s-say to you."

Huh?

I took note of the unusual hitch in her voice. "Hmm?"

"Stand up." She said. "C-close your eyes, and don't open them until I say so."

"Umm, okay?"

Even if I felt a bit odd, I listened to her regardless. Standing up, the last thing I saw before shutting my eyes was Komachi standing up slowly.

"This better not be some dumb prank like that other time, Komach- oof!"

"Thank you."

Suddenly, I felt her body crashing into mine as her arms wrapped around my torso. My own arms found themselves in the air due to the surprise.

"W-what's up?" I asked, slightly embarrassed by this sudden, out of character action from my dear little sister.

"J-just…"

And so she started… sniffling? Much quicker than I thought, I felt that the front of my shirt had started to feel wet, and her shoulders rose and fell in rhythm with her breaths.

"You d-did it…" She muttered through her sniffles. "You m-made the f-f-first move."

Just over that? I feel a bit insulted.

"I uh… didn't realize it meant that much to you…"

"Not that, d-dummy…" She replied. "It's just…"

I felt her face move away from my chest. "Open your eyes."

I did as I was told and was met with her tear-stained face… something I hadn't seen for a long time. And something that brought out a long, unused feeling I had in me. Yet this was clearly one of some sort of relief, or joy. But… over me inviting Yukino over? A single tear came down her left eye and onto her reddening cheeks. After one sniffle, she finally said to me.

"I was so s-scared…"

"Scared?"

"I…" She said, driving her head back into my chest and tightening her grip around me. "I c-can't say it right now… so j-just be a good siscon onii-chan for a while longer, k-kay?"

Admittedly, I was still a little confused, but I didn't want to be rude to her. Obviously she was holding onto something for a while, and was in no mood to speak through those things.

The best thing I could do was just… be there. I was good at that, right? There's plenty of time afterwards.

I wrapped my arms around her, but made sure to have a hand on her head, calmly running my hands through her hair as the gentle heaving of her voice dominated the soundscape of the room.

"Alright…" I whispered, a smile aching its way through. "Just… don't go for too long; I might cry too if I see your crying face again."

Through her crying, Komachi let out a faint giggle, reminding me that all of this was all… alright.

"Stupid. Dumbass. H-Hachiman."

I think this makes sense. That household must've been fairly awkward with that kind of undercurrent rushing under it. This just came out in the heat of the moment, but I think I really like it. Komachi is a good imouto.

See you soon!