Chapter 10: Nebula Lores
(Hikigaya Hachiman POV)
"Is that so? That Komachi. She really sees you guys as her nemesis, isn't she?" I said, sipped my MAX COFFEE.
After I parted away from Yuigahama, I rushed to go check on Hassen only to be dumbfounded by his action.
Hassen carried the unconscious Hiratsuka-sensei on his back and headed to the infirmary.
After he spotted me, before I could do anything, Hassen asked me to call Hachiju to the infirmary.
Once Hachiju arrived and unlocked the door with (probably stolen) infirmary room key, he smacked Hassen heavily on the head (which I don't think it's enough to make him feel hurt) and scolded him for causing a ruckus, which made me immediately figure out that Hassen was the one who knocked Hiratsuka-sensei out.
He's really done it, huh?
Because of that, Hassen had to assist Hachiju in healing Hiratsuka-sensei before her condition got worse.
Since the infirmary was supposed to be locked as the staff already went home so I had to prevent people from approaching the infirmary as long as those two were still in the middle of taking care of Hiratsuka-sensei (somehow I felt like I was just standing there to deter people with my very existence).
Normally, Hachiju and Hassen would let Kazumi and Futami do the job but if someone who has seen them before like Yuigahama or Yukinoshita spotted them both they would immediately suspect things so I have to do that job.
After Hiratsuka-sensei has been treated for twenty minutes, all three of us, together with the pet parrots, left Hiratsuka-sensei in the infirmary and the school itself.
While we're walking toward the bike parking lot after buying some MAX COFFEE, Hassen told me that Komachi finally made her move on her matchmaking operation. Really, she doesn't know when to quit.
"It's been a decade since the first time this day became our common ill-omen and it is still active, I see." I said.
"Indeed." said Hachiju.
"You don't say." said Hassen.
Today's the 10th anniversary of our saddest memories.
As for me personally, today's also the 2nd anniversary of me getting rejection from Orimoto. I want to cry.
For every year after the first time that this day fucked up our lives so hard, it still continues to mess with either of us with undesirable incidents.
And my train of monologue was stopped by the sound of a book dropped on the ground.
Hachiju forgot to zip his school bag and several books fell out of it.
Hassen and I helped him pick up all those books and then I saw the certain book that earned my curiosity and picked it up.
A book similar to the monotone version of my 'People to Kill' notebook but with 'Nebula Lores' calligraphic hiragana title on it, not to mention that it has a chain wrapped itself up and there's two or three red bird feather bookmarks attached in it.
Before I could do anything, my neck was chopped and my consciousness left me.
Seriously, if you don't want me to read something, can't you do it more politely?
(Hikigaya Hachiman POV Ended)
Memorandum: Sanshokuin Hachiju Side
Of all days we have to be able to recall, it has to be this day.
It's the anniversary of the day we don't want to remember.
The day where Hachiman and both of us have to split our ways from each other.
This is really recalling the dark past from many years ago.
Some people say I don't have a human heart.
Some people say I'm no different than some lifeless mechanics.
Some people say I'm just a drama queen.
Well said, well said. To the point that I want to ask them back who the heck pushed me into taking all those horrible descriptions.
I don't have a human heart, huh? How about you guys see me as a human being and treat me as one for once?
I'm no different than some lifeless mechanics, huh? How about you guys not seeing me as some walking robotic Einstein for once?
I'm just a drama queen, huh? How about you guys aware that I have a feeling that can be hurted for once?
Being born as an oldest sibling with educational and calligraphy gifted as a contrast of my (actual) face values, can you imagine what kind of life I have to live through?
Hassen, Hachiman and I. Three of us attended the same kindergarten as well as elementary school and suffered from ostracism.
What I wanted back then, what Hachiman and Hassen wanted back then, was simply to be acknowledged as fellow humans, nothing more, nothing less.
But we never had a chance to obtain that.
Or to be more precisely, we have never been allowed to obtain that.
That's why, ever since I was a kid, I have already learned that 'victors can get anything they want' is a load of rotten bulls line ever.
Why am I saying that line?
Remember what I say about what three of us wanted?
We wanted that, but we had absolutely no idea what we had to do to obtain that at all.
Despite the hardship, we tried our best, from kindergarten to elementary school, again and again, we tried numerous times and eventually lost count on how many times we did try.
It's really hard for us even starting, especially Hachiman who doesn't possess any talents.
We didn't mind it back then as long as we were close to each other at the end of the day, which we weren't aware that we're too naive for thinking that.
And one day, Hassen and I saw something that we can't forget.
Thanks to our background character traits, our existences are often unnoticeable to our surroundings.
Hachiman was beaten up black and blue, by our classmates.
I stopped Hassen from doing anything and swiftly filmed the scene before us with my handy video recorder which I got as my latest Christmas present.
After filming for briefly 8 seconds, I let the ready-to-go-berserk ogre next to me rampaged.
Hassen grabbed a nearby rock and smashed all those classmates' heads from behind violently.
After Hassen finished with the scumbag of classmates, I rushed to rescue the beaten Hachiman immediately.
Once we learned what was actually going on, Hassen and I couldn't help but standing there, shocked.
The ones who beat up Hachiman are the classmates that are jealous of us for being better than them in academics and athletics respectively despite being such gloomy, nobody characters.
And because our faces are that much similar, Hachiman took advantage of that and became a decoy for the hatred that was supposed to flood at us.
They went this far because of something like jealousy and superiority complex. Such people do exist, huh?
As if that wasn't bad enough, we further found out that this wasn't the first time he's doing that. It's just this time verbally just evolved into physically which Hachiman couldn't keep it secret from us anymore.
It's fine. If it's for three of us to reach that goal, I'm glad to do anything.
That was his reason for all of his decoy acts. And he just admitted it while having a smile adorned on his wounded face.
Hassen and I couldn't stop our tears and emotions from leaking, so we hugged Hachiman tightly and apologized to him over and over.
If only we weren't leaving doubt as doubt back then…
We're so horrible. We let him take the fall simultaneously and yet we waste his efforts up until this point.
Hassen and I decided to take care of the mess we caused ourselves once the scumbags and their parents wanted to deal with us.
With the recorded scene on my device, I can't wait for the day to arrive.
But that day never came since the scumbag of the classmates were traumatized and begged their parents to transfer away.
Although they didn't get revenge, their parents still want to find out who did that to their children.
And the fact that they couldn't find out the culprits really made me wonder if they're lacking the ability to do so or we're that much of nobody characters.
In order to make up for it, we're desperately seeking a way to reach our goal since then as we don't want to see Hachiman go through such hellish bullying like that ever again.
If it weren't for Hachiman protecting us until this point, there's no way we're going to continue pursuing that goal.
At that time, both Hassen and I let our desperation get the better of us as we blindly took our parents' words at heart.
Hachiju, Hassen. If both of you can get first place in calligraphy competition and first place in marathon competition, we will grant you two any wishes you want.
And so we worked hard on getting them while Hachiman kept supporting the two of us, which boosted our determination even more.
I believe that many of you could guess what happened, right?
We did fulfill the conditions for having our wish granted and it's all for nothing.
If that's all you can guess, you're naive.
There's more to it.
Our parents, once we state our wish, they just simply tell us that we are just being drama queens for thinking about stuff like that in a pessimistic way.
And as if that wasn't bad enough.
Have you ever wondered how people who get second and lower places feel?
They appeared to be fine in the public at first but what about behind the scenes?
They suffered, they cried, and while they didn't notice my existence, they cursed me.
They have hopes. They did their best. They were serious about it. They truly aimed for the first place. And I crushed, who didn't care about the position they wanted in general, crushed all of them just to obtain nothing in return.
Not only that the wish isn't granted, but I also hurt numerous people through my selfishness.
Now tell me, if 'victors can get anything they want' isn't a load of rotten bulls line, then what is it?
Soon enough, we just couldn't care less about that goal anymore and think that we will be fine as long as we're together.
And as if to prove that what we thought was a tall order, fate forced me and Hassen to separate ourselves from Hachiman on this day a decade ago.
After the first time that this day fucked up our lives, Hassen and I were filled with nothing other than an empty, passionless void, until Sumireko ignited the meaning to live into our hearts.
But I still couldn't repay her for her help back then, not when she's troubled by that Hazuki guy.
Why? It was because she foresaw that we won't let that subhuman continue living so she forced us to promise her not to do anything unless she retracted her words and I had to stop Hassen from going and kill that guy for her.
After that, I also was busy being restrained by Hassen before I would break our promise with her and go doing something as stupid as him.
As a result, all we can do is just make sure none of her schoolmates found out what high school Sumireko was enrolling in.
And while we're helpless to Sumireko, we're also helpless to Hachiman.
We knew he's going to get rejected and already warned him about it. But it's really frustrating that we can't do anything other than that.
How can I do anything when he's brimmed with hope at that time? Seeing that, even I want to hope that I'm just being pessimistic about the warning we gave him only to be disappointed with ourselves for being optimistic for naught and have to see him dejected in the end.
If it weren't for the fact that romance can save Sumireko, I wouldn't count on it to save Hachiman anymore.
However, this won't be just 'another miss' like how it always was with Hachiman, either it will be a 'hit' this time, or else it must be his 'last miss'.
So Komachi, we've already given you and your so-called Onee-chan candidates our warning. Make sure you're taking it to heart because his pointless, suffering loop doesn't need to be extended that much.
Memorandum: Sanshokuin Hassen Side
Of all days we have to be able to recall, it has to be this day, huh?
It's the anniversary of the day we don't want to remember.
The day where Hachiman and both of us have to split our ways from each other.
This is really recalling the dark past from many years ago.
Some people say I don't have a human heart.
Some people say I'm no different than some muscle-minded delinquents.
Some people say I'm just a drama queen.
Reminded me, who were they again that pushed me into taking all those horrible descriptions.
I don't have a human heart, huh? How about you guys see me as a human being and treat me as one for once?
I'm no different than some muscle-minded delinquents, huh? How about you guys not seeing me as some kid Kaido for once?
I'm just a drama queen, huh? How about you guys aware that I have a feeling that can be hurted for once?
Being born as the second oldest sibling with athletic and martial art gifted as a contrast of my (actual) face values, can you imagine what kind of life I have to live through?
Hachiju, Hachiman and I. Three of us attended the same kindergarten as well as elementary school and suffered from ostracism.
What I wanted back then, what Hachiman and Hachiju wanted back then, was simply to be acknowledged as fellow humans, nothing more, nothing less.
But we never had a chance to obtain that.
Or to be more precisely, we have never been allowed to obtain that.
That's why, ever since I was a kid, I have already learned that 'victors can get anything they want' is a load of rotten bulls line ever.
Why am I saying that line?
Remember what I say about what three of us wanted?
We wanted that, but we had absolutely no idea what we had to do to obtain that at all.
Despite the hardship, we tried our best, from kindergarten to elementary school, again and again, we tried numerous times and eventually lost count on how many times we did try.
It's really hard for us even starting, especially Hachiman who doesn't possess any talents.
We didn't mind it back then as long as we were close to each other at the end of the day, which we weren't aware that we're too naive for thinking that.
And one day, Hachiju and I saw something that we can't forget.
Thanks to our background character traits, our existences are often unnoticeable to our surroundings.
Hachiman was beaten up black and blue, by our classmates.
I was stopped by Hachiju from doing anything as he swiftly filmed the scene before us with his handy video recorder which he got as his latest Christmas present.
After Hachiju filmed the scene for briefly 8 seconds and stepped aside, I let my inner Broly do the job.
I grabbed a nearby rock and smashed all those classmates' heads from behind violently.
After I finished the scumbag of classmates, Hachiju rushed to rescue the beaten Hachiman immediately.
Once we learned what was actually going on, Hachiju and I couldn't help but standing there, shocked.
The ones who beat up Hachiman are the classmates that are jealous of us for being better than them in academics and athletics respectively despite being such gloomy, nobody characters.
And because our faces are that much similar, Hachiman took advantage of that and became a decoy for the hatred that was supposed to flood at us.
They went this far because of something like jealousy and superiority complex. Such people do exist, huh?
As if that wasn't bad enough, we further found out that this wasn't the first time he's doing that. It's just this time verbally just evolved into physically which Hachiman couldn't keep it secret from us anymore.
It's fine. If it's for three of us to reach that goal, I'm glad to do anything.
That was his reason for all of his decoy acts. And he just admitted it while having a smile adorned on his wounded face.
Hachiju and I couldn't stop our tears and emotions from leaking, so we hugged Hachiman tightly and apologized to him over and over.
If only we weren't leaving doubt as doubt back then…
We're so horrible. We let him take the fall simultaneously and yet we waste his efforts up until this point.
Hachiju and I decided to take care of the mess we caused ourselves once the scumbags and their parents wanted to deal with us but somehow we don't need to anymore.
In order to make up for it, we're desperately seeking a way to reach our goal since then as we don't want to see Hachiman go through such hellish bullying like that ever again.
If it weren't for Hachiman protecting us until this point, there's no way we're going to continue pursuing that goal.
At that time, both Hachiju and I let our desperation get the better of us as we blindly took our parents' words at heart.
Hachiju, Hassen. If both of you can get first place in calligraphy competition and first place in marathon competition, we will grant you two any wishes you want.
And so we worked hard on getting them while Hachiman kept supporting the two of us, which boosted our determination even more.
I believe that many of you could guess what happened, right?
We did fulfill the conditions for having our wish granted and it's all for nothing.
If that's all you can guess, you're naive.
There's more to it.
Our parents, once we state our wish, they just simply tell us that we are just being drama queens for thinking about stuff like that in a pessimistic way.
And as if that wasn't bad enough.
Have you ever wondered how people who get second and lower places feel?
They appeared to be fine in the public at first but what about behind the scenes?
They suffered, they cried, and while they didn't notice my existence, they cursed me.
They have hopes. They did their best. They were serious about it. They truly aimed for the first place. And I crushed, who didn't care about the position they wanted in general, crushed all of them just to obtain nothing in return.
Not only that the wish isn't granted, but I also hurt numerous people through my selfishness.
Now tell me, if 'victors can get anything they want' isn't a load of rotten bulls line, then what is it?
Soon enough, we just couldn't care less about that goal anymore and think that we will be fine as long as we're together.
And as if to prove that what we thought was a tall order, fate forced me and Hachiju to separate ourselves from Hachiman on this day a decade ago.
After the first time that this day fucked up our lives, Hachiju and I were filled with nothing other than an empty, passionless void, until Sumireko ignited the meaning to live into our hearts.
But I still couldn't repay her for her help back then, not when she's troubled by that Hazuki guy.
Why? It was because she foresaw that we won't let that bastard continue living so she forced us to promise her not to do anything unless she retracted her words and I was busy being restrained by Hachiju before I could kill that guy for her.
After that, I also was busy restraining Hachiju before he broke the promise we had with Sumireko and would do something as stupid as me.
As a result, all we can do is just make sure none of her schoolmates found out what high school Sumireko was enrolling in.
And while we're helpless to Sumireko, we're also helpless to Hachiman.
We knew he's going to get rejected and already warned him about it. But it's really frustrating that we can't do anything other than that.
How can I do anything when he's brimmed with hope at that time? Seeing that, even I want to hope that I'm just being pessimistic about the warning we gave him only to be disappointed with ourselves for being optimistic for naught and have to see him dejected in the end.
If it weren't for the fact that romance can save Sumireko, I wouldn't count on it to save Hachiman anymore.
However, this won't be just 'another miss' like how it always was with Hachiman, either it will be a 'hit' this time, or else it must be his 'last miss'.
So Komachi, we've already given you and your so-called Onee-chan candidates our warning. Make sure you're taking it to heart because his pointless, suffering loop doesn't need its continuity anymore.
(Hikigaya Hachiman POV)
"Well then, what's up with that notebook anyway?" I asked the cousins in front of me.
It's amazing that Hassen managed to carry both me, Hachiju, together with my bike all by himself to Hikigaya Household, not to mention that he could make it before Komachi returned.
I can't help but wonder if he's Dyspo or what.
And with Hachiju's acupuncture, my consciousness returned completely in an instant.
And now before Komachi returned, we had to wrap things up real quick.
However, I still believe explanation is still needed here so I asked them to spill the beans.
"Let's start with the fact that before this notebook was mine, it's grandfather's." said Hachiju.
Ah… Come to think of it, that notebook also looked like a birthday present he received from grandfather Gocho a few years ago.
And trust me when I said that none of grandfather's belongings could be considered normal things, at least their roots.
For example, during one of my birthdays, he gave me a mug as a birthday present.
But the problem is that the mug is his handmade recycled form of a Lucky Cat.
And he gave Komachi Pan-san wannabe doll during one of her birthdays, except that it was a handmade recycled form of Daruma with some alteration to match Pan-san design (poorly one) which Komachi couldn't find it in her to react whatsoever.
And I have already mentioned before that it's not the best idea having him giving you a lecture so I will cut the reason short; he just simply tired of people giving him all those things (which he hate) to him while he himself can't make use of them so at least recycling them for his grandchildren would be better than just dumped them.
"His recycling skills surely improved. Even I didn't see it beforehand that the notebook was created from a whole bunch of special-made talismans." said Hachiju.
"That's so like him." I replied.
Hm…? Talismans? Notebook? Don't tell me…
"As you can imagine, Hachiman. Notebooks are usually for writing something on. What do you think we would do with it?" asked Hachiju.
I trembled at the thought of it.
"As you have 'People to kill' notebook, we also have that in mystic yet indestructible version." said Hassen.
"Isn't that literally Death Note?" I asked.
"If that's the case, that Sagami bastard would just die, not shut-in, right?" said Hassen.
So that notebook is really what you used on Sagami, huh?
Come to think of it, there's no way Sagami would be broken down from just insults if she wasn't receive them in front of someone she likes (e.g. Hayama Hayato).
"Then what's the deal with that notebook exactly?" I asked as I began to get tired of this guessing game.
"Everything we wrote in there was from us relieving our stress since the day after Hachiju received it in words. And since we did it so frequently, on something related to talismans, we ended up creating something terrifying." said Hassen, gloomed.
I swallowed my saliva upon that.
"Let's assume that if the god of romantic comedy exists, Nebula Lores would be the opposite counterpart of him." said Hassen.
"Hah?" I asked.
The hell is that? I'm being serious here!
"It's just an assumption that makes it sound quite lovelier." said Hachiju.
Thank god someone being serious here.
"Anyone who take even a single glance at the content inside 'Nebula Lores', for seven days straight, whatever they saw, whatever they heard, whatever they tasted, whatever they smelled, whatever they thought, any kind of contacts they received, will turned into undesirable, unsatisfactory, disgusting and horrible ones." explained Hachiju.
Now I really regret wanting that explanation.
I have to say that I'm very sorry for her for becoming a victim for that. Just imagine how could she live through that seven days straight without committing suicide and I myself almost taste the very same nightmare as her are enough to make me vomit.
It's not just an ordinary week for her for sure. If what Hachiju explained was true then at least Sagami would only get a stinky smell or something like that whenever she breathed through her nose, only get images of people killing each other or something like that whenever she saw things through eyes and all horrible stuff while couldn't think of something good, for a whole week straight.
It's amazing that the thought of committing suicide doesn't cross her mind. But it's still reasonable in its own way since there's no way anyone could stay the same way they were after the curse is undone.
"According to the number of bookmarks in it, there's three people who have tasted that horrible experience already and I don't think you want to be the fourth one." said Hachiju.
Three, huh? If Sagami was one of them then who were the other tw— wait… don't tell me.
"You guys too?" I asked.
Hachiju and Hassen looked down on their laps and the tears with a little bit of red shade started streaming down from their eyes before stating their answer in unison together with wiping off their tears.
"It's suffering, alright."
No wonder why they both changed so much in these past years.
No wonder why they're much gloomier than how they used to be.
No wonder why even Yukinoshita's sharp tongue can't even leave a scratch on them whatsoever.
Compared to those seven hellish days, nothing else could be considered torturing in the human realm, it seems.
"Now that is strange. We've been talking for quite a long time now but Komachi still doesn't show up. I wonder if something happened to her." I said.
And right after I finished saying that line, the cheerful feminine voice echoed.
"I'm home~"
Speaking of devil.
However, just this time I felt she could turn into the actual devil.
(Hikigaya Hachiman POV Ended)
(Hikigaya Komachi POV)
After Komachi parted away with Totsuka-san, she spotted Yui-san running past her while mumbling 'Hikki, you idiot'.
Knowing that she's not going to get the answer right away if asked straightly, she stalked Yui-san.
Komachi has to admit that Onii-chan does have a point about Yui-san being an airhead.
Once she believed that no one else was around her, Yui-san started ranting.
"How come Kawasaki-san overshadows me?"
Komachi couldn't help but be dumbfounded by what she had heard.
Overshadow? Is that supposed to be what she should worry about it right now?
Of course her height and strength would be overshadowed by Kawasaki-san, but Komachi believes that you at least have two massive racks that unfairly overshadowed every single of your rivals, Yui-san.
"Don't tell me that this is what Hikki meant by that? He confessed to her during the cultural festival? I have no idea at all."
Huh? Did he? Ugh. My brother is such a playboy.
He already raised Yui-san's flag yet without anyone knowing it, raised Taishi's big sister's flag.
So instead of straightly going home, Komachi stalked Taishi-kun until his sister showed up.
Once the Kawasaki siblings meet each other, Komachi went and asked Kawasaki-san straightly about Onii-chan's confession.
And judging from the reaction coming from her, despite her urges of declination, it seems like the confession is real and she moved by it, however, at the same time, it's hard to determine whether Onii-chan really meant it when he confessed.
Yui-san or Kawasaki-san. Another flag has been raised.
But now Komachi thinks she has to go home real quick right now, otherwise a certain siscon will arrange the emergency family meeting right away.
Oh right, Onii-chan's cutest little sister mode on!
"I'm home~"
However, the mode from earlier suddenly worn out as Komachi spotted two more pairs of male shoes next to Onii-chan's.
If there's a mirror nearby, Komachi might see herself cladding in a dark aura right now.
They dared to come here uninvited, huh? Looks like it can't be avoided any longer. The four siblings meeting.
(Hikigaya Komachi POV Ended)
A/N: Chapter 10 for you readers, please enjoy.