Well yeah, I'm currently walking Shiromeguri-senpai home.

Now that I've noticed it, only when I became a second-year high school that I experienced walking home a girl. not to mention that it's my second time doing it with the same girl. Seriously, it took way too long for me to realize that I'm actually experiencing some sort of a typical highschool romance cliché. However, I really can't compare this current situation to those as I'm just doing what a person with somewhat passable manners would do. Yes, I can't just let her walk this street all by herself.

But hey, romcoms mostly start with excuses of this level. Excuses such as "fake lovers", "hating each other", and, "purely professional relationship only". Then they became subjected to the mere exposure effect and thus, slowly but surely, they fall in love with each other. Not that I can say that the said trope is bad. To be honest, it's the most realistic trope out there because as far as I've observed, people who spend time together for extended amounts of time really do at least became on good terms.

However, can the same thing be said to me? Winter is already close, yet, I still don't know my seatmate's name. I go to club everyday, yet the dynamic between me and the two club members hasn't changed one bit.

There's only one thing that probably hinders me from developing such feelings. That is because I don't delude myself with youth anymore. That or I'm just trying hard not to be deluded again. Interactions with the opposite sex at this age usually give off this weird feeling of youthful energies. Most people would just go with the flow and let those feelings turn into infatuation. And that's what I'm trying to avoid. And to do just that, I do, or at least try not to misunderstand any of my interactions with the opposite sex.

So there you have it. Me walking home Shiromeguri-senpai is just... yeah, walking her home, nothing else.

About time for Shiromeguri-senpai to notice my silence as she's now giving me a somewhat confused look.

"Hikigaya-kun, are you always this silent?"

"Uh yeah, I only talk if someone asks me or if the situation demands that I should." I think that's quite convincing enough. Not that I could tell her that I'm thinking about walking her home as some sort of a romantic setup.

"But isn't the situation kinda demands us to say something? I mean, it's kinda awkward if we're just to walk straight home without even saying a word."

Now if she'll word it like, it does makes sense.

"Just... thinking about stuff."

"What kind of stuff? Let me hear them too!" Ehh, what if I say that I'm thinking about some indecent stuff, would you still like to listen?

"It's just about who will I appoint for the rest of the positions."

Now that I already used that as an excuse, let me just think about it for real.

So I already kinda decided that I will appoint Zaimokuza as one of the officers, but I still haven't decided on which position. The easiest that I could think of is vice president. Why? Because they're pretty much not needed whenever the president is present, aside from additional manpower of course. Also, his somewhat creative ideas, albeit most of them are just delusions, can be helpful whenever there are meetings. If he opens up an idea, the others can just find flaws in it, polish it, and bam! a passable idea is created. Okay, vice president it is.

Next possible officer that I could think of is... what was her name again? The one with motorcycle brand as a surname, Suzuki? Kinda sounds wrong. But yeah, that girl can make use of the perks of being a student council officer as it can probably help her get a scholarship. But that can only be possible if she doesn't have any serious part time jobs at the moment. I think she can be the secretary. Ah yeah, Kawasaki is her name.

"Oi Hikigaya-kun, you're spacing out again."

"Ah, sorry about that."

"So who are the officers that you have in mind? Is it Yukinoshita-san and Yuigahama-san?" Right, I totally forgot about them, not that I could ask them to join this mess though.

"Actually, it's not the two of them, but it's true that I have only decided for two positions yet."

"Eh, I was kinda expecting that it was the two of them."

"Nah, I can't see myself being in a higher position than them. And I don't think Yukinoshita is someone I could give orders to."

"So who are the lucky people?" Lucky? More like Unlucky.

"They're Zaimokuza of class 2-C and uh.. Kawasaki from my own class."

Upon hearing their names, she put her left hand on her chin, striking a thinking pose while slightly nodding. "Zaimokuza-kun, Kawasaki-san, Ah! you mean those students who helped during the sports festival?" Phew, I'm glad she didn't consider my choices as just a bunch of nobodies.

"Right. Zaimokuza, along with Ebina, is the one who proposed most of the main event games, while Kawasaki is the one who designed the costumes."

" Yeah, sports festival became so fun because of everyone!" She then stared at me with a cute pout on her face. Hey, what's with the sudden change of expression? "Too bad there's someone here who decided to cheat on the final event."

She finished her sentence by bringing her right hand on my forehead and flicking it. It wasn't painful by any means but I still managed to let out an obligatory "Ouch".

"I thought no one would look at me so I thought maybe it's a good thing to do so." I replied while fakely massaging my forehead.

"That aside, I'm glad you're able to decide on two capable students to become officers." She said while holding her hands together at her back, swinging them like the carefree girl she is. I just stared at her in awe as she walked like she's bouncing around. Cute.

"Though I'm still not sure if they will accept."

"Don't worry about it. I'll come with you to help you convince them."

" Thank you Shiromeguri-senpai, but I hope that wouldn't be necessary. I want learn how to be independent as soon as possible."

After listening to me, she flashed a smile that seemed to make the whole atmosphere around us feel comfortably fluffy, while patting my head like I'm her younger brother.

"That's the spirit, Hikigaya-kun!"

I think that's enough conversations for this walk not to become awkward. And with that, I offered her to ride my bicycle. This way, I can have the excuse of not talking to her because I have to focus on the road.

"Shiromeguri-senpai."

"Hmm, now that I've been thinking about it, I know you're kinda having a hard time calling me Shiromeguri-senpai all the time. You know, because there's too many syllables in it." That's not what I'm asking for right now but yeah. "How about just calling me 'Meguri-senpai'?"

Of course it's out of the question! I intend to make this acquaintanceship as professional as possible, yet, you're playing with my teenage heart like this! Well, how about this.

"Can I just call you 'senpai'?"

"That works too. So what is it, Hikigaya-kun?"

"Can I ask you to ride the bike this time again? It's getting pretty late at night."

"We won't get caught, right?"

A small flashback, well, flashed on me instantly. It's about the final game of the sports festival where I got caught cheating. I kinda don't like how that sentence sounded.

"Hopefully, unlike what happened during school festival."

Senpai just chuckled as I started pedaling the bicycle to their house.

...

After locking my bicycle and parking it, I opened the door.

"I'm home." I announced, though I doubt Komachi heard me because she's not in the living room. Well, I'm only using a voice not loud enough to be heard from all the other parts of the house.

Or that's what I thought when I suddenly saw Komachi's head pop out of the kotatsu. She looks like a turtle and it kinda looks cute. Of course she's gonna look cute! I mean, it's Komachi we're talking here.

"Welcome home, onii-chan!"

"What are you doing under the kotatsu?"

"Nevermind that! Where have you been? It's been so late, you know?"

This will forever be my disadvantage during these kinds of situations. I can't just make an excuse like hanging out with friends or something.

"I just walk- er, I lost track of the time and just pedaled slowly."

" Nope, I'm not buying that, onii-chan! My ears are sharp enough to hear that you've said 'walk'." A big smirk formed on my sister's face. "So who's the lucky girl? Is it Yui-san? Yukino-san? Or just maybe, Taishi-kun's onee-chan?"

"You have too much hope for your onii-chan. And no, I didn't walk any of them. I just happen to be busy with some stuff. Nothing important, really."

"If you say so... Well then, take a bath first, dinner should be ready."

I can see that her suspicion hasn't vanished yet. She might pester me for the next few days before she'll drop the issue, but that's not my problem for today. Nah, as a hero for fun once said: "I'll leave tomorrow's problem for tomorrow's me."

...

After dinner, I went straight to my room, but not to sleep. I opened my phone and called Zaimokuza to ask him to join the student council. I sometimes wonder how did his contact info managed to invade my phone, but that's water under the bridge.

"If it is my comrade Hachiman! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I'll get to the point. Can I appoint you as the a member of the student council?"

"Hey, can your master be enlightened about what you've just said?" Of course he isn't the type to read the bulletin board.

"I somehow managed to become the student council president and I need few individuals willing to fill in for the other positions."

"So it comes to this once again, huh? Don't fret my comrade, for this Master General Swordsman will aid you once again in ruling the common folk of Sobu!" Ha! as expected!

"Then I shall appoint you as the vice president."

"Then so be it. Don't let me down, Hachiman!"

"I should be the one saying that."

And just like that, I ended the call with my negotiation being successful. To be honest, I just can't imagine him turning down this request of mine. Why? It's because I just know him quite enough. I know that he wanted some kind of involvement. He participated in Totsuka's training request with the service club even though he doesn't have any reason to do so. He also joined Yuigahama's small birthday for some reason. Yeah, and the reason is because I'm with those events.

Now there's only Kawasaki that I need to contact. It's strange, I guessed her name instantly this time. However, I don't have her any of her contact info. I mean, I don't really have a reason to have her contact number up until now. Wait, the insect! He actually once contacted me during his request to somewhat investigate his sister's part-time job.

I scanned my call logs, which isn't that much. I looked for an unknown number that contacted me somewhere around june or july of this year. Gotcha! Some may find it depressing that I only need to scroll down to ten call logs, and most of it are just missed calls from Hiratsuka-sensei from the summer camp.

"Hello, onii-san." The nerve of this insect!

Relax Hachiman, you're the one who has a business with them. You can't make the brocon accept your proposal if you'll threaten her brother.

"I'm not your onii-san. By the way, can I get your sister on the phone?"

"Sure, onii-san!"

Then came a feminine voice across the phone. This must be Kawasaki.

"Kawasaki, This is Hikigaya speaking. Can I ask you a favor?"

"Wait, that sounds like important. Can we just talk about it at the school. I owe you a favor so the least I could do is hear you out properly." What favor? I honestly can't think of one. Well, she's willing to help me out and that's all that matters. Phew, this is going easier than I thought.

"Thanks. Love ya, Kawasaki!"

"Eep!! Wait! What are you saying!!!" What? I'm just expressing my gratitude by thanking you... Eh, eh!!!

"Ah no! That came out wrong! I'm just really thankful that you're willing to listen!"

"Hah, sorry for overreacting. See you tomorrow."

I kinda understand her. Of course everyone will be weirded out if someone you don't interact regularly will utter the L word out of nowhere. So, is that how that certain brown haired girl from my middle school days felt when I suddenly confessed to her? And yeah, I really don't want to mention that certain name, for some reasons.

"I'm sorry too, and yeah, see you tomorrow."

Yeah! this contacting session has been a success.

A/N: Aaaaah! I badly wanted to write a HachiSaki fanfic but... Anyway, thanks for reading!!!

Edit: Sorry for what it seems like a new consecutive update. There's a bunch of messed up spacing on the text and I'm too uncomfortable with them so I tried to fix them. Okay, gonna sleep now. Bye!