"Excuse me miss, but you're not allowed to park your car here."
"…Sorry, I'll move"
The low purr of the engine died with one, final sputter as it came to a halt inside a parking lot. Stepping out Hiratsuka flinched when the afternoon sun blinded her. Letting out a long sigh, she pulled out a small pack of cigarettes.
Shoving the box back when she'd placed one cig in her mouth, she lit up the cigarette and inhaled the cancerous the smoke that spilt from the burning dregs of tobacco.
She repeated this action several times, inhaling and exhaling slowly.
"Hikigaya Hachiman…." She murmured. "So, that's your resolve..."
A loud ring from her cell phone stole her attention. She glanced at the screen, as 'Yukinoshita Haruno' caller ID flashed repeatedly.
With a swipe of her fingers, she lifted the phone to her ears and greeted her "Hello, Hiratsuka here."
She felt her eyebrows twitch when she heard a soft giggle from the other end of the line.
"Thank god you answered, Shizuka-chan!"
"I'm cutting the call now." She said tartly, not in the mood to be disturbed.
"Wait! Wait! Wait!" Haruno interrupted hurriedly. "Shizuka-san, I just joking. Mou…why is everyone so short-tempered nowadays? "
"What's the problem now? Please get straight to the point, I am quite exhausted right now." Shizuka frustratedly tired said.
Her tone of voiced seemingly had an effect on Haruno as she paused to phrase her question.
"Actually" Haruno paused "Can you tell me what happened at school today?" She asked, her voice taking a sombre note. "It seems like something…' interesting' had happened."
"Why would you assume such a thing, Haruno?"
"That's because of Yukino, Yui and Isshiki acted very weirdly today and Komachi-chan won't answer her phone!" The older of the Yukinoshita siblings whined into the phone, making the sensei grimace. "What happened, Shizuka-san? Tell me! Please! Please! Pleaseeeee!"
"Honestly Haruno, I don't think this has anything to do with you," Shizuka replied, folding her arms under her sizeable bosom.
"Mouuu! Just tell me already! What happened?!"
"-It's him."
"Huh? Who? Speak up, Shizuka-san!"
A tired sigh.
"This is regarding Hikigaya Hachiman."
"Oh! Whoa!" She cheered, pumping her fist into the air. "I totally knew that this had something to do with Hikigaya! No wonder Yukino seems so affected by it. Sooo…Did he do something like confess or even make himself yet another social sacrifice? Ohhh, this is so exciting! Spill the beans, Shizuka-san!"
"Neither." She hesitantly spoke out before continuing "The boy sacrificed his own life."
Haruno froze in a mid squeal. A dreadful feeling settled in her gut, and she swallowed weakly, not quite believing that statement. Whatever joke Hiratsuka was trying to pull on her, it wasn't that funny.
Haruno giggled uneasily. "Don't joke about that kind of thing, Shizuka-san. It's not nice to say such things about your student, you know? And besides, it's impossible that Hikigaya would sacrifice himself in that way. So, what really happened?"
Shizuka grunted, the grip on her phone tightening in anger. "I'm not joking." She spat out. "Hikigaya gave up his own life to save me and all the students in my class!"
The other woman gasped. "Impossible! That can't be true right? Answer me, Hiratsuka!"
"Hmph. Why would I lie about such a thing?"
"It is too irrational! How can a monster of reason like him sacrifice himself for someone else, let alone for the people he hates! Lies!"
Shizuka laughed bitterly. "Have I ever lied to you Haruno?"
"…"
"Intensive care unit…Chiba Prefecture Hospital."
Shizuka nearly ended the call, but the silence on the other end made her pause. She took in a deep breath, whispering the next words gently.
"See you later, Haruno."
Hiratsuka-sensei had been sorting her files, going about her day when a student came bursting into her office. She looked up, annoyed, but the harsh words halted at the tip of her tongue when she took in the girl's frightened expression.
"Sensei! Bad news! Please hurry up!"
"Wait! What happened, Isshiki?"
"There's a fight going on the third floor!"
Shizuka groaned, shaking her head. "Are you kidding me?"
"Of course not!" Isshiki snapped, waving her arms around.
"Who?"
"It's Sagami-Senpai and Miura-Senpai!"
"What...why are those two even fighting?"
Shizuka knew that Sagami and Miura were both in love with Hayama Hayato, but that could not have been the reason for them to start a fight. Despite their affections for the boy, the two girls were at a stalemate. After all, Hayama heart's belonged to someone else. She frowned, donning her white jacket.
Rushing out of her office and sprinting up the flight of stairs, she felt her blood pressure rise when she took in the carnage before her. Miura was leaning against the wall, panting heavily. The cut on her cheek made the girl look far more primal than she ever did, eyes glowering fiercely at her opponent.
Shizuka cut in just as Sagami tried to lunge at the other girl again.
"Both of you! I order you to stop this!" She barked. Turning to the crowd of students that had gathered at the scene, she shot them a furious glare, sending the crowd scattering.
"Hayato, Isshiki! Take Miura to the infirmary. And you, Sagami! I need to hear your reasons after school. For those who are not involved, get the hell back to your classes!"
"So, Yumiko Miura. You better have a good explanation for what happened."
"It was nothing, sensei." The girl mumbled, not daring to look into her teacher's eyes.
Shizuka sighed, trying to look a little less intimidating. Goodness knows what she would do if Miura just suddenly started bawling.
"Look" she tiredly sighed, exhausted after dealing with the events of the past few days, she replied "Nothing bad is going to happen. Just say it. I've known you since you've entered the school. You are not the type that will take part in fights, even if you're provoked. So tell me, just what did Sagami do that made you fly off the handle like that?"
Yumiko spluttered, pushing down the urge to scream in frustration.
"She-She said some things that made me lose my temper."
The woman cocked her head to the side, looking slightly confused. "Hmmm? Only that? What did she say exactly?"
"That bit–" Miura coughed to cover up her slip up. "That girl insulted Hikio"
"Hikio?" The teacher felt her eyebrows narrow. Who the hell that? Was it some television star or something?
"Sagami just started running her mouth off, saying that he deserved what he got." The girl felt her hackles rise at the memory. She should have punched that snot-nosed brat when she got the chance. "I couldn't stand it. Idiots like her don't deserve to talk about Hikio like that."
"Why do you care what she says about him, Miura?"
"That's because…he is kind…"
"Miura…"
"Someone like him, who is so kind and good-hearted shouldn't deserve to have his name dragged through the dirt like that! I just can't stand it!" She yelled. "What makes her think that she's better than him? I don't care if he looks like a dead-eyed fish. Any friend of Yui's is a friend of mine."
Shizuka felt her pulse stutter to a halt. Friend? Who? Hikigaya? That was the word that she had not expected from someone like Yumiko Miura.
To announce that the loner and social outcast of the class, Hikigaya Hachiman, was her friend is something that Shizuka could not comprehend. She was unable to wrap her head around it. Or maybe it was because of that. Karma. When you do a good deed, the favour is returned to you…
She smiled. Miura slouched into the seat, her hands absentmindedly touching the large Band-Aid on her cheek.
'Hikigaya, it seems that your attitude has attracted someone that really could accept you no matter what you are.'
Shizuka threw her head back and laughed. The laugh felt happy, yet…why did she feel so sad?
To them, you are an irreplaceable comrade.
To Yumiko Miura, you are her precious friend….
If you are just a pebble on the side of the road, she will not be doing something like this.
You must have affected her, for her to react like this…
You are not an outsider…..
You are the centre of their circle….
"Yeah, you are the worst…" The boy sneered, staring at her with those dead eyes of his.
Ho- How dare you to say something like that? You are nothing, compared to me!
I will have my revenge! I will make you bow down to me!
Someday…you will regret it.
Count on it, Hikigaya Hachiman!
"Minami, have you realized what you did wrong?" Shizuka asked coolly, eyeing the girl with annoyance.
Sagami snarled, looking nothing like the innocent girl she usually portrayed. "I just did what I thought is right! What's wrong with that?"
"Everything."
"What?" She said in confusion. Just what was this hag babbling about?
"Insulting the person that saved you" Shizuka grunted. "Do you feel that it's right?"
Giggling a bit before retorting back to the hag "What do you mean sensei? Save? Who?" Sagami chuckled, clutching at her sides. "You mean that loser, Hikigaya? Please don't make me laugh sensei!"
A smacking sound echoed lightly in the room as the slap reverberated.
The girl felt her eyes widen. Shizuka grimaced, looking at red handprint on Sagami's cheek. Boy, she was going to have a lot of explaining to do if this got out, and knowing the foul mouthed brat in front of her, it definitely would.
"What! Why did you do that?!" The girl stuttered, face contorting into an expression of fury.
"Aren't you a teacher?!"
"You still haven't learnt from your mistakes, Sagami." The older woman shook her head, disappointment painted clearly across her face.
"Geh"
"Let me ask you this. What do you think would have happened, if Hikigaya-kun never found you in time for the closing ceremony?"
Averting her eyes from her teacher, Sagami gritted her teeth.
"I- I don't understand what you mean sensei-"
"Don't try to play dumb Sagami! You knew it right?"
"No…" She held her arms tight against her chest, one hand clutching her elbow.
"You don't? Well, allow me to enlighten you then." Shizuka huffed. "Your reputation as the chairwoman would've been destroyed. It doesn't matter what you would say, or what excuses you would make. Nobody would care if Sagami Minami missed the ceremony. But, they would have raised hell if the chairwoman of the student council skimped out on her duties."
Shizuka pushed on, noting that the girl had begun to tremble. She smiled grimly.
"Imagine, how low you would have fallen on the social chain? Your friends. Would they have stayed by your side? If so, then how long? Can you bear the pressure of judging looks, whispered insults, every minute of every day, for the rest of your school life?"
"No- no no no NO!" Sagami screamed, burying her face into her hands. "I don't want that to happen!"
"Well, it didn't." She said, flatly. "Because that so-called 'loser' has saved you from that fate."
"He?" Sagami turned to face Hiratsuka sensei. The older woman shook her head. After all this time, did this girl not realize? What a fool she was.
"Yeah, that Hikigaya Hachiman that you were trash-talking about? He's the one who saved you! From the very start, you already knew that he saved you! Saved your reputation! Your status! Everything! And you knew it!"
Shizuka growled and pounded her fist on the desk.
"After everything, he's done to help you. You repay him with insults and gossip? Why? Just because he insulted you in front of your friends? Or maybe, because he insulted you in front of the person that you liked? Is that it?"
"No- Stop it! STOP!" Sagami whimpered.
"Now listen here. Hikigaya-Kun didn't drag you back to the closing ceremony just because the council asked him to! Sure that was partly the reason why he did it, but there is more to it than just that. He did it because he didn't want to put you through that kind of humiliation, that kind of cruel experience."
"Wh- why did he even bother?!" The girl snapped. "I don't need him to…"
"Because he's been through it before!"
"…what do you mean?"
"He knows that being rejected hurts! Rejected by very people you seek to please! He knows that being an outcast hurts!"
Sagami stared, the realization slowly dawning on her.
"As an advisor and counsellor, I shouldn't let my emotions control me, but, I just want to let you know the main motives behind his actions. I want you to know the truth! I want you to understand why he did what he did! So the next time you open your mouth to belittle him–"
Hiratsuka sensei met Sagami's gaze.
"Remember. Remember what he's done for you."
She sighed, turning her chair away from the young student.
"I think that our talk is over, Sagami. You're dismissed."
The girl in question stood from her seat shakily. "Thank you, sensei…" She mumbled and quickly exited the office.
She grabbed her bag from her classroom, lifelessly walking through the halls. As she did so, however, she began to question herself.
What…what have I done…
Dammit…why do I feel so guilty right now?
Is it my fault?
This misunderstanding…how did it ever come to this?
I am…the worst…
"He was right," Sagami whispered. She clenched her fists tightly, staring at her reflection in the nearby window.
I am the worst
It was a normal day.
Normal classes
Normal conversation.
But still, it felt like something was missing…
That desk was empty. Barren, cold, lifeless. It looked so…lonely. Previously, there had been one boy who spent most of his school hours at that desk. His presence lingered. But despite that, there was not one trace of its owner.
"…Hikio"
Miura Yumiko gazed at the desk with lonely eyes. The air in the classroom was stilted and heavy, and it hurt to breathe.
"…you will come back won't you?"
The melancholy of the moment was shattered when a single girl walked up to his desk. Miura growled angrily when she saw Sagami hovering over the table, lips moving as she stared at the table.
"Yesh, this desk needs a good makeover."
The barest of grins were present on Sagami's face as she placed the heavy object onto the wooden surface.
"There." She said with satisfaction. "Much better."
Stepping back, she grinned at the beautiful flower vase resting proudly on his desk. It seemed oddly fitting somehow.
Meanwhile, Miura felt her temper flaring at what she had just witnessed. First, it had been the insults. Now, this?! This girl really deserved to be punched and then left in some closet to rot.
"Hey!" She yelled, stomping towards her.
"Yes, Miura-sa–"
Sagami gasped at the impact and fell backwards, her bottom hitting the floor with a loud thump. She growled, eyes blazing with barely concealed fury. Why was she getting slapped so many times in one day?
Heads turned to gape at the queen bee of their class. That had been unexpected.
"What the heck are you doing?" Sagami spat, pulling herself up from the floor.
"I should be the one to ask you that!" Miura raged. "What is with those stupid flowers?"
"Tsk, don't you have any brains in that head of yours? That's for our CLASSMATE."
There was a slightly grim smile when she said that. She giggled at the look on Miura's bitchy face.
"How…how dare you, Bitch! Hikio still alive!"
"Ho? So the Queen is concerned about the flies that surround her. What a riot!" Sagami roared with laughter, slapping her knees.
"YOU LITTLE PIECE OF–"
And so, the battle between for the crown began.
I hope like this you'll come back again Hachiman
The last few bits of this chapter was kind of lacking, wanted to rewrite it to make it seems like Minami was doing this to make her look like a villain to remove the sombre mood in the classroom or something, but had no idea what would be appropriate for gifting something to a comatose classmate at the same time make it seems Minami is not a bad person, that and make the story more emotional if anyone is willing to give me ideas for the end scene, I would gladly appreciate it,
With that said, sorry for the late chapter, was busy proofreading other works and well stuff, do not fret I am still willing to finish the editing and slight rewrite of the story to the end.
