Yo. First of all, this story is non-linear so it'll probably be very confusing. I've always been interested in this concept so I wrote a bunch of scenes and have been trying to piece them together. This is 80% an experiment with this topic and 20% me trying to write in a different style than my usual nonsense crack writing. Second, this is set somewhere in the mid-late 80s right before cellphones really took off. I never experienced this time period so if I get something wrong please correct me. Third, I'll have a timeline at the start of every chapter, and maybe once there's more than 5 chapters I'll write a prologue with a chronological reading order. Lastly, lots and lots of thanks to John "Something" Smith for being such a good beta it would be more appropriate to call him an alpha. Enjoy.

Call Connected I

8/4/2022

Set 1 month after Yukino left for the US

I looked at the watch that straddled my wrist, paying close attention to the ticking of the second hand as I tapped my foot in accordance with its rhythm. I stared at it intently, thinking that if I paid attention to it, it would go faster, like an underpaid worker when their boss walks into the room. But alas, time is no one's subordinate. It would not rush for anyone, especially not a college student with nothing better to do than stare at a watch. Time has been something in short supply recently, I wonder where this surplus of five minutes has come from?

9:55

In between getting a girlfriend, graduating highschool, entering my first choice college, and moving into a brand new apartment by myself, I haven't had much time to really appreciate said things that much, but perhaps that's why the universe had given me these five minutes of complete and utter boredom. It's strange how I'm thinking about these things in this small portion of time when I haven't had time for more than six hours of sleep in the past year. Is this what Einstein meant? Do I just have a different frame of reference now?

9:59

Seeing the time, I took the phone off its handle before carefully turning the rotary dial, waiting each time for the circle to reset completely before inputting the next number. 0 - trrrrrr-tk - 1 - trrrrrrr-tk - 0 - trrrrrr-tk. The phone rang for a fraction of a second before a voice chirped cheerfully.

Click

"Hello! This is Japan Telecommunications, how may I help you?"

I gulped, "I uh- I would like to place an international call."

"I see…" She paused, "What is the area code?"

I took a look at the neat white paper in my hand, the scent of cinnamon assaulted my nose as I read the elegant calligraphy written on it. "510."

"510… California, USA?" The operator questioned.

"Yes."

"Okay! Hold on a minute as I check if a line is available…"

"..."

"Phone number?"

I double checked the paper again, even if I was confident that I had memorized the digits despite only knowing them for a few days. "510-XXX-XXXX."

"Would that be charge or collect?"

"Charge."

"My, quite a courteous one we have here." The lady teased.

Operator-san, you're not supposed to talk personally with the clients… Well, I suppose with a job like that, one would try and find some enjoyment from it.

"Just a moment while I transfer you." She continued, not giving me time to reply to her earlier remark. "Enjoy your call!"

A little jingle played, signifying my being transferred. I was a bit nervous since this would be the first time that I'd be hearing her voice in around a month, but I had done my research and made the proper arrangements, there was no way this could go wrong. We've tried to coordinate a call on another occasion, but in between confusing time zone differences and unfortunate timing, our attempts at scheduling one had failed miserably.

Click

"G- good morning, Hikigaya…-kun?"

I let out a breath that I didn't even know I was holding, any tension that I seemed to be carrying left me as soon as I heard her soft yet firm voice.

"Y- yo, Yukinoshita." I breathed.

I heard her giggle softly before she cleared her throat, "I see after all this time, you still are incapable of a proper greeting."

I couldn't help but smile. "Yeah well, I haven't had anyone correct me in quite a while. Anyways, I don't think I can spend too much time, I'm only freeloading off of this konbini, after all. How are you?"

"As expected of you to use such a cheap method. But… I'm doing quite well for myself actually. The professors are very knowledgeable and my assigned roommate here at the dorm has been very welcoming."

"So you've finally met your roommate, huh? As expected of an 'elite' school." I couldn't help but let a bit of pride leak out of my voice, "Just don't overwork yourself, okay?"

"Hah, I'll be sure that that won't happen. I've learned my lesson already." She sounded a bit exasperated, but I could imagine her expression like I was seeing it myself. "Though if I had to nitpick something it would be the cost of living, or rather the cost of everything in general. It's a bit… more than I'm used to, but my family is sending me enough allowance that I don't have to worry about any of that."

"I'm glad. Have you had any problems with people?" I asked.

"Not particularly, no." She replied, "Do you really have to ask? You know I'm fluent enough with English."

"That's not what I meant."

"...well, it's nothing I can't handle."

"Heh, well, I pity the fool who'd try and approach you wrongly." I smirked, "I just hope your English vocabulary can keep up with what you want to say."

She laughed, "Well, I suppose I'll have to work on that. I can't afford to be found at a loss for words after all. Ah, but that's enough about me, how have you and Komachi-san been?"

"Nothing's really changed since you've last been here. I'm keeping my grades up despite not having your incredible tutoring that I had early in the school year, and Komachi's been working diligently keeping the Service Club well and active."

"That's good to hear." She said, "Speaking of, have you talked to Yuigahama-san recently? I've been exchanging letters with her, but she hasn't mentioned anything about herself other than the latest gossip."

"I ran into her a few times, but we haven't had any meaningful conversations." I pursed my lips, "I'm not sure if she's very comfortable talking to me again yet."

She sighed, "How troublesome…"

"Well, there isn't much I can do about it." I sighed as well, "I just hope that she's doing fine. I don't know how being separated from her friends is affecting her, with them going to a different college and all."

"She mentioned meeting with her old clique a few times in her letters, but apparently they weren't always complete…? Ah, that's right. Hayama-kun goes to your school right?"

"Unfortunately."

"Heh, you two must be getting along swimmingly as usual."

"Please don't even joke about that… though I suppose we've been bumping into each other quite often…"

"Well well, I wasn't expecting you two to actually be getting along. Though I suppose it's good that you have some friends."

"Oi, Totsuka and Kawasomething are here as well." I retorted, "And Zaimukuza still makes me playtest his games on occasion. How about you? Is the Ice Queen making any friends?

"People here are surprisingly friendly. It's actually a bit shocking how forward everyone is. My roommate, Mer- Merrisa. Melrissa. Melissa… yes, is quite an interesting person, she calls me her 'BFF' quite often."

"Pff- that's great!" I couldn't help but laugh at the image of someone calling Yukinoshita their BFF.

"I suppose it is. Though she is a little overbearing at times."

"More so than Yuigahama?"

"Hmm, not quite there but I predict as time goes on she'd definitely be at that level."

"Sounds like a hassle."

"Everything is a hassle to you though."

I let out a huff, "Well, that's true."

"Well then, Hikigaya-kun, I have to begin preparing for my lecture in an hour. Though I would like to schedule the next call before I leave."

"Oh, of course. Well, I'm free anytime in the afternoon or at night. The time difference is 16 hours right?"

"That's correct, so I suppose anytime before 6am for me, which would mean before 10pm for you would be good, yes?"

"Well, you don't have to force yourself to wake up that early just to call…"

"And you don't have to stay up so late either. How does... tomorrow, same time, sound?"

I looked up. "What's today… Friday? I don't think I have anything planned for the weekend..."

"Mnn, alright then." She replied, "I'll still be expecting more details about your life in your letters, though."

"I'll send you some peanuts while I'm at it too." I joked, "Also, please calm down with the calligraphy, you know I'm not the best at reading English, much less cursive."

She giggled, "Well, you need to start practicing now if you ever want to visit me."

I blushed, but she didn't need to know that. "Don't forget the gum."

She laughed, "Of course."

It was silent for a few seconds, but she eventually spoke once more. "Goodnight, Hachiman." her voice was so soft it was practically a whisper.

"Have a good day, Yukino."

The line was silent for some time. It seemed both of us were hesitating to end the call.

"Um-" "Ah-!"

"You first."

"O- okay."

"..."

"I love you."

I let out an amused huff. Smiling, I replied, "I love you too."

"Heh."

Click

"Haah, my heart…" I couldn't fight against the large grin that forced its way onto my face as I put the phone back on its handle. "How is she so cute, seriously? I can't even see her…"

•8•

I sat crossed legged, staring at the Pan-san stuffed toy at the foot of my bed. His slanted eyes were squinted to the side as he chewed on a blade of grass. He reminded me of a certain someone who would avert their putrid eyes whilst blushing lightly, spewing nonsense that I couldn't help but listen intently to.

I smiled.

Tearing my gaze away from the plushie, I looked towards my desk at one of the corners of the room, specifically at a white envelope that bore a stamp depicting Fuji-san, proudly erect higher than the clouds as my name, written in dark black ink and messy handwriting, was scribbled underneath it.

Letting out a breath, I glanced at the clock above a large wooden door, making note of the time.

5:55

I tried to stop myself from shaking, but my body was filled with such anticipation that it needed to release the inexorable excitement somehow. I placed my hand atop the beige telephone that sat at my bedside, its smooth surface tingled my fingertips as I prepared to lift it off its handle before the bell rang in the subsequent second, as I feared that its sudden tenor might awaken the girl sleeping a few meter- rather, feet away from me. Melissa was a deep sleeper, but I was never one to take risks, after all.

I glanced at the time-telling circle once more.

5:59

My pulse was rising as an intangible something gripped my chest. Numerous emotions suddenly flooded into me. Joy, doubt, fear, excitement, anxiety… perhaps, love.

Riiiiingggg

I put the phone to my ear. Click

"Good morning! This is the Bell Telephone Company… " A practically luminescent voice chirped out of the speaker, "You have an international call- not collect- from Chiba, Japan, would you like to accept?"

It took me a moment to process the man's words as I recognized that he was speaking English. After a moment to get over my surprise, I replied, "Ah- yes pr- please…"

"Alright! I'm connecting you now, enjoy your call!"

I inhaled sharply.

Click

…

"G- good morning-" I steeled my resolve, "-Hikigaya…-kun?"

"Hah…" I heard a familiar sound at the other end of the line, and all of a sudden, all those complicated emotions disappeared as if they were never even there.

"Y- yo, Yukinoshita." His voice reverberated in my mind.

I smiled.

…

…

…

"I love you."

"Hn… I love you too."

I giggled.

Click

At that moment that I had placed the phone back in its rightful place, I took a sharp, long, and deep breath, before slamming my face straight into Pan-san's stomach.

"Mmnnnnnnn!"

"I don't know Japanese, but what you said at the end there was 'I love you', right?"

I froze.

"Ah, Melissa…-san, so you're awake now?" I responded calmly, though I still felt the need to add honorifics to her name, even though I was already using her given one.

"Hmmm~" I wasn't looking at her, but her teasing tone was enough of a hint to tell me that a smirk adorned her features at that moment. "You never told me that you had a boyfriend!"

I carried myself off of the bed, patting down my pajama bottoms as I stood up, "I'm going to cook some breakfast for the both of us now." I said, "We don't have much time before our first lecture. You better hurry if you don't want to be late."

She groaned in protest, rolling around her bed like she was trying to make pizza. "First you ignore my questions, then you make me get out of bed? What kind of 'oni' are you?!"

"A necessary one." I glanced at her as she tied long frizzy brown hair into a low ponytail. "Are you okay with omurice… without the rice?"

"Of course! But that's just an omelet!" She got out of bed and hopped towards me before her tanned arms wrapped themselves around my arm. "Thank you Yukino~ I'll buy you lunch today as payment." Of course, soon as I mentioned food, her mood slammed the breaks and turned around just like that.

I sighed before my lip involuntarily curved upwards, shaking my newly-warmed upper-arm.

Why must I attract such excitable individuals? Even Hachiman was excitable like this when sea creatures or Max coffee were concerned.

"Hah… truly, what a pain."

"Hehe~..."