Disclaimer: I do not own Oregairu.

Chapter 2: A Study in Black

Should I call him?

Yui stared at the "Hikki" contact name on her phone screen for an extensive period of time before concluding it's hopeless to even try, and just to enjoy the day. Also, her dog, Sablé, was tugging her along, so it snapped whatever momentum she had. The girl giggled humorously as the dachshund ran through the mall; she didn't even mind the judgmental stares directed her way.

At some point, her pet ran out of energy and was on his best behavior. That gave Yui the best opportunity to do what she came here for: shopping.

The mall was crowded with people, enough to make an introvert uncomfortable. Since Yui was the opposite, she had no problem with the amount of people. If anything, she expected it'd be this way. The winter deals were too good to pass up.

Christmas decorations adorned all around, giving it that holiday atmosphere, especially with a gigantic seventy-something feet tree in the middle. There was a line at the tree that circled all the way to the food court. People were paying employees dressed as fairies to make a wish on the tree; not an actual wish, but writing one on a heart-shaped note. They would then clip their wish around the tree.

Shouldn't that be free, though? What would we get outta it? It doesn't cost much, though, so I'll come back when the line isn't long.

"Where to first, Sablé?"

The dachshund barked in response, although more so at its name than the question itself.

"Perfume store it is!"

...

"Wooow!" Yui marbled in amazement with dewy eyes at the wide selections of perfumes they had to offer this time around.

There were all types of new winter-themed, seasonal products that caught her eye, such as Arctic Breeze, Sakura Gingerbread Fever, Glacial Blast, Wintertime Cherry Blossom, Chiba Christmas Scent Special, etc. She sampled the newer bottles of perfume, sniffing it from her wrist. Sablé seemed disinterested, and attempted to run off. Fortunately, the bun-haired girl had a grip on his leash. Considering all the glass and people around, that could've gone badly...

In the end, Yui purchased one Sakura Gingerbread Fever, for her mother, then left the store.

She really didn't have a game plan regarding what stores to hit up first or what she wanted to buy, she was merely improvising on the fly. All she knew was she wanted to spend a certain amount of money before calling it a day. Perhaps she'd be more decisive if she had a companion—someone who wasn't a dog.

Yui roamed around a bit before landing at a new store called Urban Wear; this was her first time seeing the place. The sign was in English, so she was confused what actually they sold there until she went inside.

Clothes...

Some of the items were up to 50% off. Most were part of a Buy 1, Get 1 Free bundle. She inspected each section carefully, making sure not to pass up any gems.

"This one seems nice." Yui grabs at a red turtleneck with green accents located near the clearance section. "Sablé, isn't it pretty?"

Her glee converted into dismay upon realizing that Sablé was no longer on his leash. She was still gripping on the leash. It was just he wasn't there. But how? He was with her when they entered. But rather than worry about the details, she called his name while looking for him. He wasn't in the store, so she ran out and continued to call Sablé in a panic.

When she failed to locate her pet, she was almost desperate enough to call law enforcement for assistance. The concept itself was silly to her, so she scrapped the idea although and considered her next course of action.

"Hey, Gahama-chan."

Before she had a chance to ask the nearest person have they seen Sablé, a voice startled her from behind, causing her to flinch. Before even turning over, Yui knew who it was—"Gahama-chan" gave it away. It was Yukinoshita Haruno. A vein budged on Yui's temple. She truly despised that nickname.

Yui hid her annoyance and turned to greet someone who could really get under her skin. In all honesty, Yui actually respects Haruno a lot. This was just a bad time.

She abandoned the greeting she had ready once she seen that Haruno wasn't alone. Resting between the older woman's arms was—

"Sablé!"

Yui violently snatched the dachshund away in a fashion that resembled a thief stealing a woman's purse. She wasn't trying to be rude, but she was just worried sick. She wouldn't know what she would do if she had lost him. That must've been why she was suffocating the poor creature with a strong embrace. Perhaps if not from a car accident, he'll die in her arms—literally because of her arms.

"Ahem."

"Oh, sorry. Yahallo, Haruno-san. Thanks for bringin' Sablé back. I dunno how to ever repay you," Yui says in a genuine way, bowing respectfully.

"I do. Let's shop together."

The peach-haired girl cogitated over the idea. It only took her several seconds to come to a conclusion. "Sure, why not? Could be fun..."

"Yay! First order of business should be buying a new leash. That cheap-looking leash you got there appeared it was cut. Let's buy a better one, with better materials."

Now that Haruno mentioned it, the leash did seem it was cut to Yui, rather than Sablé snapping it himself. The line was perfectly linear, a sign it wasn't the dog's doing, but a pair of scissors. Also, if it was his doing, how come she didn't feel him tugging if he was running away?

Maybe we passed a sharp edge on a table somewhere in the store and he managed to get free?

Was Haruno a detective? She had the appearance of one, dressed in a oversized, army green trench coat. Yui left things unresolved, coming to the conclusion that as long as Sablé was safe and sound, she doesn't need to know the what, why, or how.

Yui kept hold of the dachshund. "Sablé's leash is kinda old..."

"Then let's go!"

Haruno led, and Yui followed. When they got to the pet store, Yui set Sablé down at a dog house near the entrance. A tall square fence guarded the perimeter, which meant he wouldn't be able to run off.

"I'll pay. The nicer ones are rather expensive... It cost as much as a bottle of wine from the Yamagata Prefecture. The basic wine, of course."

Yui shook her head, and said, "It's okay. I'll stick with the cheaper options."

"If that's what you want, Gahama-chan." Haruno shrugged indifferently, looking at a row of leashes for pets. "I'm considering a pet, too, y'know."

"What kinda pet?"

Haruno responded, "Something obedient. Something that listens. Something interesting that makes my boredom go away."

Yuigahama Yui was someone who can, at times, get easily confused, so when Haruno was speaking vaguely about the type of pet she would want with an odd, almost teasing tone, Yui wondered if she was talking about a pet at all. Then again, what else would she be talking about?

"So, like, a dog or a cat?"

Haruno chuckled. "Yeah, let's go with that. Though I prefer it stay in a cage, rather than roam freely."

So maybe a bunny? Yui thought, then finding the perfect leash for Sablé. It was a peach color, like her hair, durable, and 35% off.

"That's a pretty one," Haruno, next to her, commented. "Excellent choice, Gahama-chan."

The compliment made Yui uncomfortable. "T-thanks. I'm gonna go pay for this. Be right back."

Yui went to the register to finalize her purchase, then went to see Sablé. She removes the tag and puts it on him. The dachshund was now the proud owner of a brand new leash.

"That's your early Christmas gift. Don't ruin it." Yui pats his head firmly and he sticks out his tongue as a result, as if to say, I won't.

"Ready to go?"

Yui heard the sound of heels clicking behind her and turns to see Haruno. Her eyes reflexively locks on a plastic bag. She could slightly make out the silhouette inside, but didn't want to be nosy, so she tried not to concentrate too hard on the bag.

"Whatcha buy?"

"Oh, nothing special, just a toy."

Yui swallowed her curiosity as she freed Sablé from the dog house, latching onto the leash tightly. "Oh..."

"Shall we?" Haruno walks out first without receiving any response, but Yui followed closely behind.

The shopping zone was packed to the absolute max, high-level bustling and chatter, but Yui somehow heard Haruno mutter something under her breath. The girl just don't know what was said. Suddenly, without warning, Haruno faced Yui, who was behind her. The older woman's amethyst eyes held the opposite effect of the smile she put on—whether genuine or for show.

"I'm sorta disappointed Yukino-chan and Hikigaya-kun didn't tag along, too! The potential of what could've been."

After that declaration of disappointment from Haruno, she didn't mention the absent members of the Service Club again. She was too busy swiping her credit card at every store they entered, buying all sorts of goods.

Most of the time, Yui was window shopping. She would buy something here and there, but in comparison to Yukinoshita Haruno, it was no contest. Yui didn't have the luxury the other girl had in terms of buying things unconsciously; she did not come from a well-off family.

How nice is it to not have to worry 'bout a thing? Yui thought, watching from a distance while patting at her bun.

They barely spoke to one another as the shopping spree continued. It wasn't until Haruno got hungry that they engaged in dialogue.

"All that shopping sure does work up an appetite. Gahama-chan, you must be hungry, too, right?"

"Um, I could eat," responded Yui.

"Splendid! I know just the place..."

...

Located at the heart of the mall—on the third floor—was a café. It was uncharted territory for Yui because a key card is required to access the third floor, which she didn't have.

But Haruno does.

Other than the café, there were only three stores, all of which were designers. But they were here to eat, not shop. At least not now.

From the outside, it looked like your everyday basic café, but inside was someplace grand.

"Oh, wow..." Yui's words slipped right out her mouth.

The seating arrangements consists of luxurious couches (no chairs). None of the tables are wooden—all of the tables was one of the five cardinal gems: ruby, sapphire, diamond, emerald, and amethyst. Even the lighting was top-notch, as it was strictly chandeliers. Other details includes a fountain, a harpist playing her instrument on a gold podium, and an expansive wine cellar that merges beautifully with the exterior.

It was so fancy that it's hard to believe that this place could exist in the mall at all. Perhaps out of place was the way to put it.

Three out of the fifteen possible spots were taken. Haruno scans the lobby with a ubiquitous air, then points to the right.

"Ah, my to-go spot is available. Let's sit over there," Haruno said.

"Is it really okay to have pets here?"

"As long as he's well behaved and doesn't, you know, desecrate on the ground, I'm sure it's fine. Besides, management knows me, so you're in good hands."

Haruno washed away some of Yui's worries, but the bun-haired girl still felt bad. Regardless, she followed her to the chosen spot and occupied one couch while Haruno occupied the other one, across from Yui. All of Haruno's shopping bags filled a major chunk of the couch, so she practically had a little island of space to work with. She didn't seem to mind much, though, considering there was no complaint.

Yui had very few bags, so she just worried about Sablé. To prevent her pet from acting recklessly, she sat Sablé on her lap. Paranoid of the prospect he might scratch something, she restricted the use of his paws.

"How will you possibly eat if you're coddling him the entire time? I'll have someone watch him, if you're gonna be that way. Gimme, Gahama-chan."

Yui hesitated. Should she trust a stranger to watch her beloved Sable? She thought about it for a moment. They shouldn't take long to eat, so perhaps it'll be okay.

"Why not?" Yui says with doubt while handing Sablé over.

Haruno takes the dachshund. "See what you wanna order. We'll talk more when I'm back."

Rather than watch them off, Yui picks up a menu on the ruby table. There was coffee options as well as sodas and alcoholic options. Since she was underage, she couldn't choose alcohol, obviously. The prices were absurd for coffee, ranging from five thousand to ten thousand yen. This was beyond what she would spend on coffee—or beverages in general.

The food items were no better; the prices were so staggering, Yui joked internally if mortgaging her home would be enough to buy one of everything.

"See anything you like?" The voice came from behind.

Yui flinched. Gosh, she scared me. Recovering from her near fatal heart attack, Yui said, "That was quick, Haruno-san."

"It was, wasn't it? I mean, management was so cool about it. Not hard to convince some pals to do a solid."

"I appreciate it."

"…No big deal. You still haven't answered my question: See anything you like?"

Haruno sat back on her couch, watching Yui carefully as if undergoing an inspection. For something as stark as observing menu items, Yui felt an immense amount of pressure, unable to make her own choices. She couldn't explain why she felt such a way. Perhaps it had to do with the person asking the question? Regardless, the longer it took her to answer, the more awkward things would be.

"This is my first time here. What would you personally recommend?" Yui asked.

"I can't very well recommend sake or any fruit wines; you're still too young. I'd say a vanilla-flavored coffee oughta tickle your fancy. As for what to eat, how about sharing a sushi platter?"

Yui accepts with a faint nod. "That sounds good."

"Excellent. Shall I do the honor?" Haruno clicks on a button on the table, and not to long after, a well-dressed man attended to them.

Yukinoshita Haruno ordered exactly everything she had mentioned to Yui—and a bottle of sake, for herself.

"Thanks for the meal, Haruno-san. It was really delicious."

Haruno waves both her hand in a fanlike motion. "Anything for a friend of my sister's. Really, no big deal. God, I wish they were here with us, too. Hikigaya-kun would be such a riot."

Hachiman and Yukino entering into the conversation suddenly surprised Yui, prompting her lips to curl.

Riot? "What you mean?" Yui asked curiously, causing Haruno to smirk.

"You've known Hikigaya-kun for a while. You tell me."

Yui had no clue. Her silence spoke volumes to Haruno that she was unable to decipher the meaning of "riot." Amused by Yui's confusion, Haruno pours herself a shot of sake, but holds off on taking a sip. Instead, she rubs the rim of the glass and kept her focus on the liquid. Yui, as if caught in a hypnotic state, watches Haruno's fingers circulate around and around.

"Hikigaya-kun, to me, is the kind of person that can't get drunk."

Did Haruno meant that literally or figuratively? While Yui thought for a response to that vague claim, Haruno downs the sake and smacks the glass against the table. Although the impact was light, it was enough to startle Yui.

Immediately after the thud, Haruno says, "I'm like that, too… The inability to be drunk."

"Is that a good thing?"

"Depends on who you ask. For the heavy drinkers, I'd suppose they want that luxury. For me, well, not so much. I can't say the same about Hikigaya-kun, though."

Haruno continued on. "Anyways, I apologize for making you listen to my silly abstractions. Since we're done here, I'll pay our bill and fetch Sablé. Sit tight, Gahama-chan."

Haruno stood.

"…'Kay…"

Once Haruno was gone, Yui questioned everything she just heard. Was there some deeper meaning behind what Haruno said?

"Haruno-san sure is weird. Even yesterday—" Then something occurred to Yui just the moment before she finished her sentence.

"I'm shopping at the mall Saturday…"

"At LaLaport, I presume."

"Yep…"

"By yourself?"

"No."

Remembering that conversation from yesterday, Yui wondered if Haruno purposely came to the mall with the impression that Hachiman and Yukino were guaranteed to tag along, when in reality, she was referring to Sablé. That must be it. Of course, with Yukino being Haruno's sister, Yui could see why Haruno would want to join the trio out.

"She's talking more 'bout Hikki than Yukinon." That's the part that was strange to Yui. "Does she—?" Yui vigorously shook her head, denying before even finishing. "No way. She can't possibly have a crush on him, right?"

Jealousy clouded some of her judgement, and she ends up not worrying about the matter. Or at least she was trying not to. The thought of Haruno and Hachiman together horrified her.

Am I going crazy?

Haruno and Sablé returned three minutes later, and by then, Yui regained her sanity. The sight of the dachshund sticking out his tongue made his owner smiled. Even though he wasn't away long, she missed him. He must've felt the same way, racing towards Yui, leaving Haruno in the dust. The scene played out like a reunion.

"My, how rude of you, Sablé!" Haruno joked. "I could've used your protection. Don't run away like someone I know would."

Yui paid no mind to Haruno, continuing to cater to her pet.

"Still in the shopping mood, Gahama-chan?"

Honestly, there were places Yui haven't went yet and she didn't exactly utilize the winter deals to the fullest extent. But she no longer wants this Saturday to trudge on. Perhaps if she were alone—or with Yukino and Hachiman—things would've been different.

"I think Sablé's hungry." Rather than be upfront with Haruno, Yui deployed her dog as an excuse. She took the easy way out.

Haruno pouted, but in a split second, her expression converted into one of understanding. Still…she had one final request—

"Give me Hikigaya-kun's number."

Yui was shook. "W-w-what?"

Smirking, Haruno said, "You have it, don't you? Let me have it."

"Of course I do! It's just…I dunno if Hikki would—"

"Trust me, I had his number before. I replaced my phone recently, and of course, you know how he is. He's not the type to do things twice."

Yui hesitated. Haruno has to be lying, right? No way he would do that. But there was no easy way out of the situation—it was either yes or no. Sablé couldn't save her now. Giving out Hachiman's number was against what Yui wants, but having to deal with how Haruno might react gave Yui goosebumps. One day, Yui was going to muster enough courage to be invincible in any predicament…but not today. In the end—

Sorry, Hikki… "Okay, then."

—Haruno won.

Haruno hands Yui her phone, and Yui inputed his number. That's all she did; Yui, obviously, can't choose the contact name for Haruno.

"Thanks~!" Haruno pocketed her phone before even creating the contact name for the recently acquired number. Perhaps she'll do it later? "I know it wasn't easy for you to do that. That's why I'll reward you with juicy info, if you want it, of course."

Juicy info? Was this "juicy info" worth the cost of giving out the number of the boy she loved? Probably not. Yui felt as if whatever Haruno had under her sleeve, it wasn't worth hearing. That it'll probably contain some deeper, hidden meaning behind it, rather than something straightforward like with Yumiko.

"I'm fine."

"Sure? This is your last chance…," Haruno cautioned, but Yui was absolute. Haruno shrugs as if to say, Your loss.

Both girls gather their individual shopping bags and went their separate ways. Well, Haruno used her key card so Yui could get to the first floor via elevator. Haruno claimed she was going to stay on the third floor to finish shopping.

Yui and Sablé entered the elevator while Haruno remained on the other side. The elevator door has yet to shut, so there was enough time for a proper sendoff.

"Thanks for shopping with me today. I'm bummed you have to leave so soon, when things were getting interesting…"

"Yeah, y'know, with Sablé and all."

"I get it," Haruno said with a kind smile.

Right then, the metallic door starts to shut. It must've closed in slow motion because Yui watches Haruno's expression change from happy to twisted even pass the slightest gap. It was so horrifying to Yui. To add to the madness, Sablé was barking viciously at the door through the entire sequence.

This was odd to Yui, considering Sablé was trained to only bark like that against a "threat."

Outro: Espionage

"That. Was. Exhausting."

Haruno released a icy mist as she exhaled deeply. How today played out wasn't what she was expecting at all.

Though some good came out of it, Haruno thought, glancing at her phone before looking upward.

The moon now replaced the sun in the sky, which was more Haruno's style. She operates better in the dark. The air is chillier than it was before.

Haruno puts on a pair of black nitrile gloves, a mask, and a ball cap. It appeared to be more of a fashion choice than to stay warmer. Along with the trench coat, they were like a matching set.

Although it was late, there were some "missions" Haruno wanted to run. It would be impossible to complete them all today. Roughly eighty percent of them required stealth, thus the reason for her attire.

But the most crucial thing for this particular mission, however, was…binoculars and duct tape.

A/N: I don't think I'll ever write anything really shown from Haruno's POV other than Outro(s). That being said, I wouldn't rule it out, since some of you guys want to see things from her perspective. I also didn't want to give too much away, so the Outro was intentionally short. I feel like Haruno in this fic should be more mysterious with how she handles herself; it makes for a more compelling story.

I plan for some chapters dedicated to Yukino's POV, but most of the time, obviously, things will be shown from Hachiman's POV.

As always, thanks for reading.