Volume 14 Another
For those of you fortunate enough never to have set your eyes upon Watari's Another, I wholeheartedly salute you, however, you may be unfamiliar with the format of this particular fiction. Another is an alternate universe novel theorising the Yui ending; all Yukino geared plots (such as the infirmary scene), from around the sports festival are changed. The novel consists of 7 chapters, the first letter of the chapter titles spelling out "Another." This fiction will follow the same format, though (hopefully) without the rushed inconsistencies and infamously shit ending. You'll notice subtle changes I made to Watari's volume 14, culminating in the ending many fans may have envisioned prior to its release. Hope you enjoy!
*Pitou's En range is a reference from Hunter x Hunter. Characters are able to extend their nen up to a certain range and any movement within that range can be detected. (Nen abilities are much more detailed then my short explanation).
*Fate is a series whereby numerous historical figures (or figures from a future timeline), are recalled to the world as "servants," each with their own incredible powers. These servants are pitted against each other to fight by human masters in a battle royale; the victor attaining the sacred holy grail, which is able to bestow any wish.
*FGO stands for Fate Grand Order. A very popular mobile game based around the Fate franchise.
Chapter 1: (A) Kouhai's annoying request
The chilly winter breeze serving as a poignant reminder to remain true to my ideology of prioritising a jacket designed for efficiency and functionality; as opposed to what a brainless Riajuu like Hayato Hayama would wear due to some misguided inherent belief like, "looking cool." Hah "looking cool," a pathetic attempt of misdirection with the purpose of hiding glaring deficiencies. "Looking cool," didn't help you achieve victory in our impromptu tennis match within those fated courts situated a few short meters from my current position; did it, so-called blonde boy-wonder? Even if the mindless idiots in attendance hysterically roared your name as if you'd suddenly discovered an everlasting cure for cancer, whilst my temporary feelings of upliftment were almost immediately snatched from beneath my feet before the dust had settled…. But... But that isn't the point! Jesus, has my inferiority complex diminished my self-confidence to such an extent in the face of the undisputed king of the Riajuu; I somehow managed third place in a completely rigged two-man hypothetical situation within my own hapless thoughts?
"Senpai… Are you snarling towards those Chuuni-inspired imaginary characters your extra, extra, extra-large 4-eyed friend is always ranting on about?" Slowly turning my face to the left allows me to catch a glimpse of the self-proclaimed "queen of Chiba," but more importantly the current student council president, Isshiki Iroha; gracefully fixing her skirt whilst taking a seat on the bench beside me. Though it's worthy of note that Isshiki-san appeared unwilling to break the 3-foot "Hikki-barrier," established by those assholes I was unfortunate enough to previously refer to as my beloved classmates. Who in the hell told her about that anyway? Does her evil influence rival Pitou's godlike En range?* Scary! Seriously scary!
"Hey! Only I'm allowed to ridicule Zaimokuza to my heart's content. Though I'll admit your unfettered criticism is surprisingly effective…" Christ, remind me never to provide free derisive material to this seemingly-cute two-faced mistress of misery! And was it really necessary to emphasise his size no less than 3 times? Pft self-centred, derogatory bitch.
"Whatever, I gave up trying to understand you ages ago Senpai. I have…. The student council has a small favour to ask, would you be willing to hear us out?" Two-faced-San wagged her tongue whilst tilting her head to the left, in what could only be described as foxy, ultra-kawaii fashion. Even though I had conclusively repaid my debt, (and then some) after foolishly coercing Isshiki-San into becoming student council president. My inherent good-natured principles would inevitably trump any self-centred wishes to refrain from anything even remotely resembling work. Subsequently, why the hell did she change her line of questioning half-way through her sentence? Did she think I wouldn't notice? Even a trained chimp would have caught onto her ruse… Unless she considers me dumber than a trained chimp… Yeah thinking about this is seriously pissing me off.
"I'll listen to your… I mean the student council's proposal. Whether I'll agree or not is another matter entirely."
The cuteness immediately drained from Two-faced-San's face, replaced by what could only be described as seething hatred; inducing a hasty retreat towards the farthest confines of our tiny shared bench. Gazing nervously towards any direction except the obvious, I found myself contemplating possible escape routes ranging from the outright disgraceful towards something more akin to the realms of fantasy.
With her back facing towards me; Isshiki-San exhaled a short, sharp breath whilst rising to her feet. The rigidness in her stance coupled with the tightness with which she clenched her fists, left no doubt in regards to her current mood.
"Follow me." A concise demand devoid of the usual pleasantries, leaving absolutely no room for argument or discussion. Whether due to familiarity, trust, empathy or association, Isshiki-San's mask was beginning to show a fragility I once considered impossible.
Slinging my single-strapped leather bag across my left shoulder; I stole one last glance towards that all too familiar curtained window, beyond which lay that classroom filled with memories of laughter, sadness, steadfast resolve and immeasurable change. The room where it all began and the room where my youth romcom would inevitably draw to a close.
My steps slowly but surely distancing myself from an inescapable future, yet ticking the seconds away towards its fated arrival.
"Okaeirinasai!" As Isshiki-San flung open the door to the student-council, a plethora of familiar voices speaking in varied tones, (and wildly varying levels of enthusiasm), welcomed the returning student council president via the traditional Japanese greeting.
Now hold on a minute, two-faced-San! I specifically recall you stating that the student council was asking for MY help…. Me singular! At no time was I informed of the participance of other individuals in this cursed endeavour. God damn It, I've been had! I absolutely refuse to once again be used as some kind of multi-person footstall! Screw this, I was better off sitting alone on my bench!
However, (as is usually the occurrence), my heartfelt words of defiance weren't provided the opportunity to attain fruition; blonde-bitch-San grabbing a handful of my blazer before dragging me inside (with surprising ease I should add), much to the amusement of those present.
"Hikigaya-Kun, pleasure to once again make your acquaintance."
"Hikigaya-Kun, are even your uncouth entrances into a meeting completely devoid of any form of tact or grace?"
"Hahaha! To the untrained eye, my dearest Hachiman may appear to be nothing more than a clumsy and uncoordinated swine. Yet through the eyes of a trained warrior such as myself, treading in the triumphant footsteps of the supreme Ishida Mitsunari; the truth is instantly revealed!"
Letting out a soft growl whilst drawing my palm towards my face in disgust; my convoluted thoughts splitting between methods of eternally ridding Zaimokuza of his ridiculous Chuuni-fantasies and complex (yet impractical), methods to escape my current prison. Coincidentally, my hand also acted as a sort of make-shift shield, momentarily preventing my line of sight falling upon the typically smug figures of the upper-echelons of our school's hierarchy: Hayato Hayama and Yukinoshita Yukino.
"Ahem! Senpai please take a seat next to Yukinoshita-Senpai so we can begin."
The briefest of a shared glance with Yukinoshita, proved enough to induce a hurried about turn of her head in the opposite direction. Her flushed, rose-coloured cheeks acting as a subtle reminder to maintain at least one chairs distance at all times. Familiarising myself with everyone's current positions before taking my seat: Isshiki-San sat at the head of the room, (directly in-front of the whiteboard), Zaimokuza sat directly across from Isshiki-San, and finally myself and Yukinoshita sat across from Hayama. The typical, square-shaped table arrangement feeling unnecessarily distant with only the 5 of us present.
"Now, apart from troublesome-Senpai who kindly agreed to help with this task, the rest of you already know the purpose of today's meeting."
Wait one damn second, did that bitch just refer to me as troublesome-Senpai? Don't make up condescending nicknames for me in front of my peers! The overarching difference in our popularity and stature might actually cause your stupid nicknames to stick and subsequently diminish any future possibility of becoming an easy-going house husband! Furthermore, two-faced, fake-foxy San…. Please remind me of the exact moment I kindly agreed to do anything? All I did was quietly follow behind you, watching your every sudden movement in order to prevent my untimely demise!
"Isshiki-San, I'm yet to understand the purpose behind this talent show?"
My eyes widened in response to Yukinoshita's question. Talent show? Wait… What? Why do I get the sudden feeling this will involve copious amounts of forced manual labour for us grunt-workers? I refuse! Shut down predator-bitch once and for all Yukinoshita!
"Yukinoshita-San, I can't think of any negatives in pursuing Isshiki-San's idea. A free advertisement highlighting the numerous and diverse talents of Sobu High's best and brightest students, would undoubtedly prove beneficial for all parties involved." Gazing upon Hayama's blonde locks sparkling within the gentle rays of the sun filtering in through the window behind his perfectly rounded shoulders; an all-too apparent realisation began flooding through the veins and arteries which sustain my very life: God I really hate this asshole.
"Hayama-Kun, my sincerest apologies, I must have unknowingly glanced in your direction or involuntarily gestured in your general vicinity. Why else would you answer a question clearly not directed towards you?" My lips upturned into the faintest hint of a smile as Yukinoshita's prey remained stubbornly unmoved yet fearfully unwilling to light the spark in this volatile situation.
"Oooooooook, how about we all take a deep breath and return our focus towards the situation at hand? I didn't call this meeting for you to bicker amongst yourselves. In response to your question Yukinoshita-Senpai, the reasonings behind hosting the talent show are two-fold: Highlight the strength and ability of the current student council to the leaving students and alumni, (in particular Shiromeguri-Senpai), and secondly prove to the school board, PTA and teachers, the necessity and value arising from the diverse nature of our clubs." Now, having gathered together the presidents from 3 of our most well-renowned clubs within the school, that being the soccer club, the service club and the gaming club; I have no doubt that collectively we'll stage a performance unlike anything witnessed at Sobu High before!"
"Okaa-San….."
My gaze falling momentarily upon Yukinoshita's fair features, as those softly whispered words escaped from her sultry, glossed lips. Mrs Yukinoshita being the PTA representative was indicative of her more than likely presence. Subsequently, my previous…. Unfortunate run-ins with the decisive head of the Yukinoshita household, allowed me to fully sympathize with Yukinoshita's obviously apparent trepidation. Hold on a second…. Did she say the president of the gaming club? Zaimokuza? Have supporting characters timelines undergone significatnt progression without the main character's knowledge? After the whole arcade incident with Sagami's brother, I can't imagine the game-club members high-fiving that delusional Chuuni and becoming the best of friends. Though I never really understood the fabled Otaku code… Whatever the hell that is.
Cautiously raising my hand into the air appeared to cause a disruption in the matrix. I'll be honest the universal look of perplexity etched upon everyone's face both felt deserved whilst simultaneously pissing me off. Well best not disappoint my adorning fans….
"Uhh… Isshiki-San…. Don't you think that we're severely lacking in man power?"
"Very good question soulless-eyes-Senpai. Even though my gut feeling tells me that your real objective is to undertake as little work as possible. Nevertheless, I can see the benefit of including students from outside your own clubs to provide some help. Therefore, I'll allow you to either recruit members from one of the 3 non-designated clubs, or members who aren't currently in a club."
Did she just call me soulless-eyes-Senpai? So, in the space of a few short minutes, I've gone from dead to soulless? Well, I guess technically they're the same thing, but somehow her dismissive, bitchy attitude prevails in making it sound a whole lot worse! Wait… Members from another club not taking part….
Quickly turning my head towards Yukinoshita, I made no attempt at hiding the desperation in my voice: "Totsuka? Totsuka, right? We're going to recruit Totsuka?"
"Totsuka-San is the president of the tennis club and therefore he'd be more effective helping out the sports club…. As would Yumiko of course."
That asshole Hayama had snatched away my dignity for the very last time. Clenching my fists in frustration whilst readying my secret weapon, "the snarl of righteousness," I prepared to unleash hell upon his unfortunate soul. A stern grip upon my blazer-sleeve however, forced a hasty retreat as I stared face to face towards the mistress of Hades herself, Yukinoshita. Her unnaturally large eyes fixated upon my own, coupled with a sinister wide grin plastered across her face that screamed: "I dare you to embarrass me." Suffice to say, hell truly hath no fury like a Yukinoshita scorned.
"Both Hikigaya-Kun and myself accept the sports-club's presumptuous request and would like to take this opportunity to nominate Kawasaki-San to our team. Her talents in the recent culture festival will undoubtedly prove her to be a valuable asset."
Ferociously nodding my head in agreement towards Isshiki-San, induced a somewhat-deserved, pitiful glance in my direction. Rolling her eyes in sheer disgust as she began scribbling, (what I could only guess) were the nominated members for each club, up on a pad neatly sat on the desk in-front of her.
"I take it the members of the gaming club won't be nominating any members?" Miss Student Council president blurted out her condescending question without even providing the minor courtesy of gazing towards her prey.
"Hah, mere mortals could never fathom the extent of our everlasting powers. Attempting to raise the standards of some worthless peons towards our lofty positions would be mere…."
"I'll take that as a no Chuuni." Zaimokuza let out a nervous half-hearted laugh; the pains of being emphatically shut down for the zillionth time.
"If there's any other names you wish to nominate, you have until the end of the school week in order to do so. The talent show will take place 3 weeks on Friday from today, providing you roughly 23 days to prepare. Oh, and I almost forgot; the winning team's club will be provided a ¥15000 prize, to use as they see fit. That concludes our meeting, as I'll be taking part with the soccer club allow me to wish the other two teams good luck….. You'll need it." A wide smirk appeared on the face of our impregnable Kouhai. Having perfectly played the neutral zone, her coup-de-grace would be to announce her allegiances as the very last words departed from her delicate, pouting lips.
"HACHIMANNNNNNNNNNNN!"
That annoyingly loud voice could only belong to one person, I'd better hurry up and get to the bike shed before he catches up. The disgusting familiar wheezing coupled with the loud gasps of air from my right=hand side however, confirmed my failure. Damn it, I only managed to reach the front door! And how is he so out of breath from running from the student council room until here? Stop skipping P.E Zaimokuza, your annoying but I wouldn't wish type 2 diabetes on you this young!
"Hachiman! Aren't you going to question my newly acquired powers? My achievements are comparative to those of the legendary King Arthur! With his sacred sword Excalibur in hand, leading his Knights of the Round Table into battle against evil!"
"You've really been getting into the Fate lore recently, haven't you*?" This Chuuni dumbass comparing himself to the mythical British king, Arthur is beyond insulting. I'd better humour him to get whatever information I need as fast as possible; ditching him means some much-needed gaming time, come to think of it FGO* isn't a bad idea.
"So, how'd you acquire your powers then, oh great lord of Blood-Knights?"
"SHHHHH! Even for a talented student of Mitsunari like yourself, casually revealing our secret identities in public could prove instantly fatal!"
Shaking my head in dismay; I considered highlighting the hypocrisy of what he just said but quickly decided against it. I'm pretty sure that Chuunibyou is contagious, so continuing this conversation for longer than absolutely necessary could be highly detrimental to my mental wellbeing!
"So…. How'd you do it?"
Lowering his head whilst narrowing his eyes; Zaimokuza began shifting his gaze in every direction, his cheaply gelled spikey hair remaining absolutely still, even within the midst of the chilly breeze. Slowly inching his head level with my own, his words came out in a hushed whisper:
"Infiltration within the ranks of the warring samurai faction, is a skill bestowed upon those of only the highest…"
"NOT IN CHUUNI!" My harshly shouted retort, came out with more fervour than I had intended. Regardless, attempting to humour his delusions for even a moment longer was becoming painful beyond measure.
Having retreated backwards a few steps; beads of sweat had begun to gather around Zaimokuza's forehead and bushy eyebrows, the look on his face a mixture of shock and confusion:
"I… I… I went to the gaming club a few times after our recent encounter and I explained how my numerous contacts within Sobu High meant that I could easily promote the Gaming club to the masses. They agreed that they needed to increase member numbers and that a popular Senpai able to promote the gaming club would improve their chances of retaining the club status."
"So… You lied. Ahh, the world makes sense again. Why'd you even want to be president in the first place? Did your infamous ideology of 247 gaming and anime, become tedious even for the legendary Lord of Blood-Knights?"
Zaimokuza appeared pensive for a moment, scrunching his eyes together whilst fixating his gaze on the floor. As if hit by divine inspiration, a wide smirk appeared across his lips as he pointed his fat index finger towards me:
"Infiltration! I'm performing intelligence reconnaissance on the enemy! Ha Ha… A most perfect plan if I do say so myself. They'll never see it coming. And with that Hachi-Lord I shall bid you adieu; ingenious plans don't create themselves."
"They're not the only ones who won't see it coming", I thought shaking my head whilst watching Zaimokuza scurry away towards his next inevitably stolen masterpiece.
Eventually reaching the bike garage, I set about unlocking the bike and rolling it towards the front gates; the buzzing of my phone in my trouser pocket caused me to stop however. Pulling out my phone and checking who sent the message: "Y.Y"
Upon seeing those letters, my heart took its customary seat on the Hachi-coaster. She'd only ever messaged once before, (a simple message to provide her number) and I'm embarrassed to say it took me literally 5 hours to build up enough confidence to hit "read". Yeah, no way in hell I'm going through that shit again, that's for damn sure.
Taking a few deep breaths whilst momentarily drawing my eyes to a close produced the desired effect as my trepidation slowly slipped away. Re-opening my eyelids, my index finger had instinctively placed itself upon the button, preventing any second thoughts from overcoming my initial confident movements. The message was short, concise and leaving no room for debate. Very typical of her I thought:
"Hello Hikigaya-Kun. As club president I'll ensure Kawasaki-San is recruited, however I'll have to rely on you one more time to ensure the perseverance of our precious club. I hope I can count on your support."
My head began nodding in agreement as if I were on video-call; on second-thoughts however I'm glad I wasn't, I'm not sure I could handle the embarrassment of anyone else seeing my overtly flustered expression.
I'm pretty sure you've realised who Y.Y is by now, though perhaps not the reasoning behind my choice naming. Literal Surname/Forename conjecture aside; writing her name out fully, felt a little too…. Real, I guess. Furthermore, Y (or rather why,) represents numerous lines of questioning perfectly linked to someone like Yukinoshita Yukino. Why ask me to fulfil Yuigahama's wish? Why had we somehow arrived at this precarious crossroads? Why was she so damn stubborn? And… And… Why me? The most beautiful, intelligent and headstrong girl in the whole school, yet the one person she would somehow always end up besides…. Was me.
"Co-dependence, what the hell does that even mean? I couldn't help thinking Haruno's words were in part her way of blowing off steam, after being somewhat surprised by Yukinoshita's confrontational tone. Yet my inquisitive attitude wouldn't allow me to completely write off her suggestions as being merely ludicrous without proving the opposite. One thing's for sure, she's right about our relationship not being genuine. There's definitely something wrong with the current situation we've found ourselves in; conversely, I wouldn't say that automatically proves Yukinoshita's infamously daunting older sister correct.
The intense darkness within the streets coupled with winter's biting cold temperatures forced my walking pace above normal; had I been concentrating on my impressive timing I'd most likely have showered myself with praise on a job well done. Tonight however, my mind was filled with more emotionally pressing issues then I'd ever publicly admit.
Passing the familiar 7/11 convenience store nearby my home; faintly illuminated within the orange glow of a street lamp, appeared the familiar slender outline of a long, dark-haired girl sat all alone upon a small wooden bench roughly 20 feet from the door-step. Halting my movement; the only audible sounds were the whistling of the wind coupled with the apologetically soft rhythmic breathing escaping the unknown girl's lips. Encroaching upon the silence of this wonderous moment felt akin to sacrilege, yet my curiosity surrounding the identity of the girl got the better of me as I took a few clumsy steps towards her. The snap of a small twig brought an immediate reaction as the girl's head swivelled towards me with almost cat-like reflexes, her beautiful, oceanic-blue eyes gazing directly into my own.
"Hikigaya-kun?"
"Yu…. Yukinoshita?"
A sudden chilly breeze across my back inevitably caught Yukinoshita directly in her face. Whether it was the captivating mannerisms with which she drew her eyelids to a close, or perhaps her hasty about turn and withdrawal into the warmth of her stylish winter jacket; whatever the case, my hand involuntarily raised in Yukinoshita's direction. However, an immediate tactical withdrawal (along with a nervous gulp), prevented a suicide-worthy moment as my hand returned swiftly to my side before Yukinoshita noticed. I could only hope she'd think my flushed cheeks were merely a symptom of the biting cold, as opposed to other reasons.
"Sorry Hikigaya-kun. I must look quite a mess."
"No… Not at all. So… What are you doing out here on your own?"
"After Yuigahama finished helping me pack, I felt the need for some fresh air and I guess I walked longer then I had originally intended. I decided to take a short rest here before returning home." The indecisiveness within her voice was slight yet noticeable, a far cry from the confidence and determination she demonstrated to her scary, (though apparently not drunk) older sister. Weary would best describe Yukinoshita's current demeanour.
"I see…. You could have…. Never mind." Yukinoshita's eyebrows raised with curiosity towards my slip of the tongue. Though calling those words unintentional would be a mere façade; the soundwaves originating from my lips were fuelled by an internal burning desire of intent, providing an opportunity…. For….
"I could have… What? This obvious display of indecision is unbefitting of you Hikigaya-Kun."
"Called me… If you had my number." Attempting to hide my nervousness whilst my feet indiscriminately moved to and fro; for some indescribable reason my memory chose this precise moment to begin replaying extremely traumatic previous experiences, as if mocking my hopeful attempt. When your own memory begins making a comic from your life, you know it's time to despair.
Whilst I was stuck weighing the perplexities of my decisions, Yukino was yet to even attempt a response. Her finger stuck pensively across her lips whilst her gaze appeared to bore a hole directly through me, focusing upon an unknown reality I wasn't permitted to know the existence of. The origins of my anxiety however felt altogether different, similar to an acidic solution becoming neutralised with alkaline, positive expectancy had begun to outweigh my own deep-rooted inhibitions.
"Hikigaya-kun, indecision is unbecoming of you." Taking a step in my direction forced me to gulp, yet the brightness of her smile and affection within her gaze generated a warmth within me I undoubtedly longed for.
Taking her phone out of her jacket pocket, Yukinoshita proceeded to press a few buttons with the level of expert familiarity I had come to expect from a social-media normie like a certain Yuigahama. Suddenly tilting her head in my direction, Yukinoshita confidently thrust the phone towards me. Nanda kore wa? Had I just become the MC of some generic harem? Wait that would require a harem of girls…. What am I meant to do in this situation? Is Yukinoshita showing me something? Am I being disrespectful here? Shit, make a decision Hachiman!
"Hikigaya-kun, are you planning to imprint your number into my phone using telekinesis? I admit you have numerous talents, some with questionable utilisation within a normal society. However, I find it difficult to believe that a psychokinetic power is one of those."
"So…Sorry. You just caught me off guard is all." Making sure to maintain eye contact towards the bright glare of the phone, my fingers autonomically tapped out the sequence of numbers I had spent countless hours memorising. Why you ask? Preparation for a moment like this perhaps? No, not really. My reasoning was more akin to a feeble attempt at escaping soul-crushing boredom. Returning the phone to its rightful owner; I wasn't privy to knowing what pseudonym Yukinoshita had chosen to save my name.
"With that, I'll take my leave Hikigaya-kun. I'll message you later to confirm my number. Oyasuminasai."
With those words, Yukinoshita swiftly strode away. Her silhouette eventually becoming one with the darkness before disappearing altogether. Taking a few moments whilst watching my warm breath dissipate in-front of my eyes; I resumed walking along my original path home. My lips upturning into the faintest hint of a smile as the 2 vibrations of my phone in my pocket indicated a message had been received.