Yahoo, everyone!
I'm so sorry for taking this dakn chapter much longer than expected. Lot of trouble, and procrastination, held my time back so much it took this long for me to finish this.
And not only that, I also need to rewrite this damned chapter twice because my laptop crashed and then the second result was not satisfying enough. Not to mention, I worked my ass on a side story of chapter 5 first but unfortunately it bears yet another unsatisfying result, so I had to scrape it and write it again later.
Anyway, enjoy the read and I hope you all a very pleasant day.
-oOo-
A few weeks has been passed ever since I snapped Haruno out of her depression and guilt before I savagely assaulted her ice cream. Well, it was me who bought it so it's pretty justified in my opinion, although it borderline looked like I had sexually harassed her. Well, honestly, it was pretty hot.
*Hachiman awakened a new fetish*
What the heck?
Anyway, now I don't really need to visit the girl most of the times. We sometimes went into the rooftop and eat lunch together only if she called me. Also, she was now acted really cheerful and total tease, and I'm pretty sure it was how she acted before getting gloomy and stuff by how much her best friend, which was unsurprisingly Shiromeguri Meguri, reacted happily to it. I also think Meguri was a sadist since she cried in joy when Haruno teased a poor girl to death.
Remind me to never get on her nerve. Still, I'm glad that Haruno was now over with the guilt and gloomy stuff.
On another note, I was currently got into a weird situation with the supposed boss of Soubu's delinquent, who hilariously only had one follower. Anyway, I felt like the universes have simultaneously decided to crap on my face as of now, which was sadly common in my daily life. Well, now that's just depressing.
As I looked to my side, the girl with silver-ish blue hair was still violently fidgeted in fear that it made the most glitchiest game I've ever had the displeasure playing look and shook better in comparison. Really, and forgive me for this, but she was what I would imagine how a human sized vibrator move. The empty classroom didn't help lifting the suffocating awkward atmosphere in the slightest. It even made it worse with the eerie screeching noise, honestly.
I stared at her with curiosity and concern since I could practically hear her muttering some kind of cat meow over and over again like my broken alarm. My feeble mind literally just failed to comprehend what she cutely blabbering about and its look like I won't sooner.
Since, fuck my luck, she just fainted as soon as I thought about it with foam gushing out of her mouth. Now I really began to suspect that my E-rank luck didn't change even in the second life. Shirou, where the hell are you? I want to give back what you shamelessly shoved down to my pocket that long time ago, now!
-oOo-
No matter how or how many times I look at it, I still found it ridiculous. I mean, could you blame me? A minute ago, someone had just passed out in very front of me with foam coming out of their mouth. It was almost comical really, until she woke up less than a minute after violently fainted on her seat. At that part, I just outright got freaked out.
Now we're back at staring contest we have done together two minutes ago with me as a winner. Let see how she fare now...
I flipped the chair I sat on with raging passion, probably almost giving the bluenette another heart attack. I thought at the very least now I can avoid drinking any pill of anti-depressant for the entirety of my life while paying it my own goddamn money...
Fookin bloody bastard, now I'm hella lucky I don't have a fucking six inches serrated long knife.
Calm down, Hachiman. Violence isn't the answer. Just like Gandhi said, if you feel angry, just choke the hell out of your emotion and dump them on big river. Wait, that's not Gandhi isn't it?
Finally calming myself with the questionable philosophical joke, I looked back at the other occupant of the room, who seems to be on the edge of crying with bladder probably ready to burst.
"O-oi, oi, oi. I-I'm not gonna hurt you or do anything alright. Now breath. Calm yourself. I promise we will..." She followed my frantic hand gestures with a scared child look as her chest heaved up and down.
Damn, they're just like how I remembered. No, no, no. Bad thought! Think of unsexy thought! Bad Hachiman!
"I promise we will talk this misunderstanding out, alright." She frantically nodded, still clearly frightful from my earlier sudden burst.
"So, uh... What's your name? My name is Hikigaya Hachiman."
Usually, I would be proud and disappointed with my social skill that dwarfed some stupid riajuu, but the way she just stared at me with the same scared look make me unable to crack a joke. Now I know what kind of situation she faced. What a pain. With a sigh, I fished out a single notebook from my bag with a pen and handed them to her.
For some reason, that simple gesture managed to startle her up from the chair and knocked her seat down. Wait, or is it was just because she thought I will take something dangerous from my bag?
After getting over her surprise, the girl blinked confusedly at this and I just sighed again.
"You, you're bad at speaking with people aren't you?" At that, she looked at me as if I just solved the question of what is the meaning of life.
"I mean, there's no way that anyone won't notice that, right?" Now she looked like she had found out that her entire childhood was a lie and Santa won't actually come at Christmas.
"No way." I sighed in exasperation at just how stupid people around her life were. "...No one actually tell her about that? Poor girl. That's just sad..."
That was actually just a muttering, but I forgot that loner, or people who just don't really talk, tend to hear better than majority. I couldn't see what happened to her since, for some unfathomable reason, a shadow was casted around her eyes despite her lack of bang.
But even so, I could still see a single tear trailing down her cheek. Goddamnit, why did I was so weak with crying girl? And why did she even cry in the first place?
Though before I could even do anything, her fidgety hands then moved toward the book and the pen on the table. She shakily wrote a few things and when she finished, the bluenette looked up at me fearfully and expectantly that I swear there was a cat ear on her head. Wait, so she has cried before because she's so scared with me!?
I was pulled out of my thought when she nervously hand me the book.
"M-m-my name is Kawasaki Saki. Please don't hurt me!" do you really need to stutter in writing too? Honestly, it just hurts me physically.
"Okay, okay, look." I paused, looking straight at her eyes, "I won't hurt you or do anything. I just want to talk, okay. I won't bite you so don't be scared."
"You won't?" Okay, stop looking at me like that. That's just unfair.
"Y-yeah, I promise. Here." Why are you giving her your pinky, stupid Hachiman?
She suddenly beamed as our fingers interlaced together in pinky promise that held no small amount of embarrassment to me. Well, as long as no one was crying in here, I think this is fine. Kinda.
"Anyway, since everyone was probably in the gym right now, we should have go there to-" And there goes my escape plan. I'm even forcing myself to look enthusiastic with school gym for this, damn.
From behind the back, the hem of my blazer's sleeve was being tugged by Kawasomething. I really don't have the courage to look back. I don't really sure I could able to look away if I looked back. But, damn me, I looked back at her and found the girl with puppy eyes complete with the cat's ear.
"don't go." She held up the book. "I-I-I wanted to chat." Do you really need to keep the stutter?
"please." Oh, for Kami's sake-
"I've never able to talk like this before. My face usually just tenses up when people looked at me, and they would tenses up too, even fainting or running away."
"I-I just wanted to be friend. please. I'm so sorry if this bothers you, but I'm deeply grateful if you want to have chat with me.
Just a chat."
Yep. There goes my plan, went crashing down hard like my ancestor's kamikaze plane before explode violently on Allies' ships. *sigh* I thought I would be able to rest after Haruno's antic but damn, universe really liked me huh. Yeah, liked to fuck my little ass.
Whoops, need to keep the rating down, aren't we?
After sighing again in exasperation, I took the book from her hand along with the pen. The sound of metal scribbling against paper filled my ears as I slowly wrote what I wanted to convey to her who watched the whole scene with confusion, fear, anxiety, and hope.
The wind from the opened window at our side gently flutters her long, silky blue hair. With a thud from dropped pencil that come out of her pencil's case, I finished what I did that should have been done much more earlier.
"Very well.
But I won't be your friend." She looks completely dejected by this, as if her world crumbled in piece before reduced to dust. But then, the shine come back to her eyes.
"I'll do something better for you. I'm sorry if this is wasn't what you expecting, but I never think I would be enough for you.
that's why, instead of becoming your friend,
I'll help you to get as many friends as possible."
"..really...?" Despite how low and barely audible it was, I could clearly hear her voice. I nodded in positive.
"...no..."
My brow rose from their actual position at her answer.
"Why?"
She went back to scribbling on the notebook.
"Having a lot of friends seems fun.
But it feels not complete.
I wanted a friend.
Where I could tell my worry and problem without having to fear them.
Where I could talk to about silly thing and never genuinely bored with it.
Where they could tell me anything they held on their shoulder.
I'm sorry, I was a selfish person."
Sigh escaped my lips yet once again. So problematic. Yet, I couldn't help but smile at her request. What a smart and weird girl she is.
"All right then,
Let's be a friend. So be as selfish as much as you can."
-oOo-
"W-why are we going to the r-r-rooftop?" A book with a few mentally harmful words was presented upon my face while the one who held it walked beside me.
Her long, silky blue hair swaying like a wave as she looked around the slightly dark staircase with fear clear in her face. I can't help but wonder, how in the actual hell she managed to look so straight faced once our classmates came back from the PE class. Or is it just me who scared the hell out of her? Truly, I can never stop marveling my talent at making someone pisses their pants. How depressing.
"Well, let me explain something to you..." My word catches her attention, "first thing first, even if you just wanted a trusted friend, I won't be able to help you spend a lot of time with all morons and mental patients around me."
I could practically see the girl sweatdropped at how I said it, but I continued nonetheless. "And it would be much more suffocating for you in my opinion."
She then innocently blinked, trying to understand what is the meaning of my words but failed to do so. Well, it was better that way. Jealousy with loneliness is a slow but very potent and painful poison after all.
The silence that stretched after I finished talking didn't stay for long as I opened the door to the rooftop that we had just reached recently. I had to squints my eyes and adjusting them with the sudden change of brightness after I opened it with a metallic creak.
It didn't take long for me to be able to see the surrounding clearly, and before a single minute passed, there I found the person we're going to meet. The rooftop don't exactly have any place to sit or relax as it was actually forbidden for student to be here, and so, that's why she sat over the floor under the sun with the warm spring sunray basking her figure while she dutifully waiting for me. It looked quite beautiful honestly.
It seems that our presences didn't simply get unnoticed by her as she looked at me with hidden joy before blinking at the girl hiding behind me. I lifted my right hand up, the other was busy holding a giant wrapping of bento boxes, and then greeting her with my usual, trademarked catchphrase.
"Yo."
-oOo-
"So, umm... you want me to be her friend, right?"
"Am I not clear enough?"
"No, no, no. That's not what I meant." She unsurely glanced over my shoulder, looking at the bluenette behind me with a bit concern. Hey, I saved your ass from crippling depression and this is how you pay it?
"It's just, have you already talked to her before coming here? It seems that she was as confused as me..."
"Uhhh..."
I freeze, not knowing how I will response to that. Truthfully, I hadn't thought about her opinion first and just go with my judgment and assessment over the situation.
And Kami knows how terrible I am in doing so, what with monster of logic and all. People all around me in the past have no doubt about my thought for some problem or situation, but if the said situation was regarding around normal human being emotion and heart, they would rather choose Satan himself over me without an ounce of hesitation.
Haruno's situation was an exception since I tackled it with similar method of my old me. But Kawasomething's problem was different. She wanted a friend. Nothing less, nothing more. Which I could proudly say that I have an abysmal capability in doing so.
It was so mundane that my feeble mind failed to come up with a solution for such normal situation. Damn normies.
In the past, I don't really have that much of friend and I don't really know how to build it either. Camaraderie, maybe since I live in constant battle, but a completely normal friend born from common activity, no way. And the people I worked with wasn't really sane either, which I mean in the level of beyond questionable if I must say, so it didn't help that much.
The only person who deserved the most for bearing the sane status in my notebook is probably Haruno. If we didn't count the sociopathic tendencies she has, she was actually normal-
Idea suddenly popped in my head as my wounded non-existent pride slowly trying to heal itself again. Haruno who watched me quietly seemed to be quite surprised with my sudden turn of expression from grim to cocky.
"Well, you see, Haruno-san." Somehow, every times I called her name, her ears will start to redden. Hormone really sucks huh. "I might have not yet discussed about this with her moment prior but I still think you're the best choice we have."
Kawasomething who kept her distance quite far from us at the very beginning with frightful look, suddenly moved a few inches closer to us with face full of curiosity. Baby steps.
"Kawa- Uhh... Saki-san." Gasp reached my ears from both directions. Is it wrong for me trying to avoid a copyright strike? "I need you to come here and give your opinion in this matter too. Don't you want a friend?"
The said girl then quietly moved to us in four like a cat after sitting on the floor. I could swear I saw a cat ears on her blue head too, which I quickly catches as that she was probably excited and nervous, or both. She then sat beside me in seiza with face as hard as iron. No wonder someone got scared, they probably never got a bone chilling look before.
Then before I even realize, tears began to well at the corner of her eyes. It was quite cute if I saw it when it didn't make me panicking. Looking at her line of sight, my gaze ended up landing on a nervous Haruno who hid behind my shoulder.
Realizing that I was staring straight at her, she sheepishly chuckled and put a shaky smile.
"S-sorry, it just a bit... um... startling... sorry..." At the very least, she had the decency to look ashamed. Look at what had you done?
However, her answer still left mu unsatisfied. If I remember correctly, I mostly have a stern look on my face but how come did she able to not get scared by that. Not like I expected to have another person proved that I was indeed creepy, but I felt really curious.
Narrowing my eyes and furrowing my brows, I leaned forward and made myself look much more bigger before her, startling the girl as she produced a yelp.
As I looked down further unto her, my ears suddenly caught some kind of heavy breath. And that's when I noticed the growing blush on Haruno's face.
Groan escaped my lips. Uggghhh, screw me.
With a flick of finger, I brought her back from the trance and start to contemplate my life, just like every Monday, and perhaps Tuesday too. At the very least, her weirdness is milder than what I feared.
Looking at Haruno, she flushed brightly and refused to meet my despair-filled gaze. After an attempt to compose herself by clearing her throat, which unbelievably failed in miserable way, she started.
"I-I'm so sorry f-for my rudeness, umm... Saki-san." She finally managed to get a grip and looked kindly at the shivering blue cat, "umm... may I know your name first? My name is Yukinoshita Haruno. Pleased to meet you."
The younger girl then started to brighten up a bit before she pulled a book out of thin air and began to scribble. Haruno blinked, and confusedly looked at me.
"I-is she, umm-"
"No. At the very least, I don't think she is."
"Nice to meet you too, Y-Yukinoshita-san." I can't blame Haruno, really. But luckily, I had adapted to it judging from my lack of disturbance. "My name is K-Kawasaki Saki. I have heard a l-lot of good things about you from Hikigaya-san."
Haruno visibly brightened by Kawasomething's comment and casted a few shy-ish but joyful glance at me. "E-ehhh, he did that? W-what had gotten into y-you, Hikigaya-kun?"
Oi, oi, don't get ahead of yourself, Haruno-san. I still need your riajuu's mindset to help this poor girl. With a snap of finger, the raven haired girl came back to the land of reality with disappointed look.
"I won't forgive you if you decide to ditch this, y'know?"
"Now, now, Hikigaya-kun. Why are you so doubtful to me? I thought we already had some sort of deep trust after what we have been through. It hurts, y'know" At the very least, I'm glad that you finally able to act casually with me, else I would have force myself so hard to not pinch your ears and cheeks.
A few happy little noises reached my ears from out of nowhere. When I looked back, I found myself staring at kawasomething who practically glowing in excitement with stars on her eyes.
Seems like she was just nervous huh. Well, not like I'm complaining since it would everything far more easier. The problem is just how anyone who might become her future acquaintance reacts. I just hope they won't faint since Haruno who had a resistance to cold and sharp look, courtesy of me, was shivering in fear.
Snapping out of my thought, I was surprised to see that the said girl has become less nervous around Haruno who tried to strike up a conversation with her.
Yeah, seems like it would be much more easier. At the very least, I won't lose my mind in this situation.
-oOo-
The bonding session between the mischievous Haruno and Saki the nerve-wreck went surprisingly pretty well. I never want to admit it out loud but thanks heaven I have useful riajuu among the sea of idiot on my side.
After that, knowing that kawasomething was rather infamous in the school ground, we, which actually just me and Haruno, decided that it would be the best if the bluenette must never got caught while she looked rather, er... childish and cute.
God knows how cruel the wolves in school uniform can be. They would undoubtedly swarm her like pest and exploit her weakness that breaks the image and reputation she had no desire to have.
Luckily, my parents' café was quite empty today and Komachi might as well be a good addition to the girl's friend list since she had no idea of who she is.
The bell chimed once I opened the front door of the Hikigaya's family main income. School has ended some moments ago and the only thing that gives us a bit of trouble was only the presence of kawasomething's loyal dog, Ebina Hina. Heh, at least she wasn't spraying blood all over the place while spewing some yaoi gibberish here and there.
Still, it was annoying since I can't interfere lest I want to catch some unnecessary attention from the explosive green head. Though, we managed to get rid of her with a simple gesture from our bluenette, which was may or may not be misinterpreted by the green haired girl. And it actually managed to freak me out.
I mean, Kawasomething just jerked her head to the side to avoid eye contact with the girl, and Ebina suddenly did an impressive 90 bow out of nowhere after gasping dramatically. The next thing I know, I'm pretty sure Kawasomething got traumatized by whatever thing Ebina, who cried in awe, said to her before running away like a mad bull.
It was even to the point where I need to walk the poor unresponsive girl, who most likely having a short-circuited brain, to where we would meet Haruno.
Back to the present, I managed to snap out of my inner monologue thanks to the 'tender' kick Komachi gave to my leg.
"Sorry, I blanked out."
"You better stop doing it, dumbass." She casted a glance to the two girls behind me, "what the hell is this? You dated two girls and bring them into a dinner together? I honestly don't know whether I should be disgusted or awed by this."
"From where in the actual hell you managed to get that conclusion? They're not my girlfriend you idiot."
"Well, actually, yeah. As if there is anyone out there who want to date you."
"Oi, where did the initial thought you have about me had gone?"
"Anyway, go take a place or something, you guys are blocking the way." Tch.
Without a warning, I snaked my arm around her shoulder. "W-what are you doing, you idiot? Release me!"
"Actually, this business I had needs your presence too, so, nope." With that, I brought our new happy little group's reluctant tag along to the private booth.
After a bit of hardship in restraining the little demon, she was lucky she is my little sister and cute, we finally able to sit down. Needless to say, Komachi was furious, annoyed and disheveled from how much her she tried to trash and escape from my grasp that resulted in anything but succeed. Haruno and Kawasomething looked as if they were forced to hear sweetened words, which sounded gross, from a drunkard who tried to flirt with them, though the latter looked much more worse and scared than the former.
"Now give me a goddamn good reason before I bash you head with this mug." Even if a string of guilt tightened around my heart, I unceremoniously smirked.
"Oi, oi, I know I was lucky to avoid dying a few times in one day before, now you wanted me to die too?" Look of horror spreads across her face.
Ah shit, that hurt much stronger than I had expected. Sorry, Komachi! I will buy you anything you want after this!
"F-fine! Just don't try to do anything funny, you dumbass!" I could heard A few curse under her breath while she grumbled, but the girl finally managed to calm down after a while.
Taking a deep breath, she casted a mix between suspicious and annoyed look to Haruno and Kawasomething. Haruno had only smiled sheepishly and waved her hand awkwardly while the latter shook under Komachi's gaze so hard I could feel our table trembles along with her.
Only a tap on the shoulder from me managed to snap her out of her mess. She then looked dumbly at me before gasped and proceed to frantically took out the notebook.
"Huh?" From the corner of my eyes, I saw Komachi blinking confusedly.
"Nice to meet you."
"Wait, is she-"
"Nope, just read it for now. I'll explain later."
"My name is Kawasaki Saki. May I know your name?" At least now she didn't stutter. Dear Kami, I felt my mind dying slowly when she do that.
"I don't blame you if this is sound weird. I myself honestly don't know what am I supposed to do, but I... umm... wanted a friend and Hikigaya-san said you could help. Ah, I'm sorry if I bothered you."
Komachi stared at the girl, all trace of annoyance and anger has been gone, replaced by confusion that quite obvious to see from her owlish blink. But then a look of realization graced her visage as she began to look at the bluenette with suspicious gaze.
"Did you just said, er... write Kawasa-"
"Aneki, I'll come to save you!" "Sa-chan, Kei-chan was here!"
The sound of the café's front door was slammed open, followed by a few rustle from several people. At that very moment, I wondered, what in the actual hell I had gotten into.
-oOo-
I hope you guys enjoyed it.
Hehe, another chaos will come to poor little hachiman again, huh. And who was supposed to be thanked for it? Hehehehhe..
I'm sorrt if you guys found some, or a lot, grammar or simply error as I had no time to edit it.
Anyway, even if some arc was focused on one character, I will probably put some peek on another character that I just recently developed.
If you asking whether or not I actually have a concrete plan for the other alters character, then let's just say, er... I was the type to improvise on the fly. So if you're trying to find some kind of foreshadow in some of the other chapters, I'm afraid to say that you mayfound nothing.
Only stalker-san had a concrete character from the very beginning along with hikigaya family, tobe and ebina if I'm being honest.
Damn, I need to stop doing shit on the fly, it can be a really bad habit sometimes. And I also need to create the three people around 8man too, mainly Yukino, Yui and Hayato. Ishigami Tobe would soon follow behind though.
Anyway, I think that's the only I can say to all of you, so see you next time.
Bye~!