AN: Welcome back, dear readers! Since the last chapter, this story has become my second-most popular one in terms of both views and reviews (though, given some time and a few more chapters, I can safely say it will become my most popular one), which was somewhat expected. Still, I thank you all for showing interest in this story, and all the reviews you've left. There are few things I enjoy more than reading reviews, as it makes me happy to know I've created something someone else enjoys. Of course, constructive criticism is also welcome, and I don't mind if someone leaves a negative review either – that just means I have to try harder. Or not, as I don't really let the negative thoughts of others influence my writing. Enjoyment is subjective, after all, and to me, the most important thing is to create something I can enjoy myself.
Now, without any further ado, let's get the second chapter underway!
Chapter 2 – Observation Failure
Human Observation.
It is one of the numerous (108, to be exact) special skills that I have developed and honed as a loner over a long period of time. I would even argue that it is one of my best skills alongside Inner Monologue, Stealth Hikky, and Feigning Sleep, possibly even competing for being the skill I've mastered the most. The reason for that being the fact that observation is crucial for loners in terms of survival, as being able to observe the environment and people around us allows us to avoid unnecessary social interaction, and gain valuable information regarding our immediate surroundings, which can in turn – for example – be used in case we need to fight or flee when confronted with an adversary. Suffice it to say, being the self-proclaimed King of Loners, my skills with human observation are top-notch. I am easily able to observe the people around me and gather information from them without drawing any attention to myself, the best results coming from using the skill in conjunction with my Feigning Sleep skill. However, even in situations where feigning sleep is not an option (such as during class, even if I would like for it to be so, but getting chewed by Hiratsuka-sensei is not always fun), I am perfectly capable of observing others without being discovered doing so.
At least, that would usually be the case. But, with my eyes always meeting the olive-green ones of Miura Yumiko whenever I inconspicuously glance towards the back of the class, I'm starting to question whether my skills have regressed.
No, I doubt this is because of my skills weakening, but rather because of the girl in question being on edge, and thus hyperaware of her surroundings – and I don't blame her for it.
When lunch break ended, Miura had walked back into the classroom – some time after I had already returned, of course – without saying a word, the expression on her face as neutral as could be. Her face also lacked the distinct signs of crying I had seen previously, telling me that she had likely freshened herself up in a bathroom on the way back to the classroom, so as to not arouse any suspicion. However, knowing what she had just gone through, I could clearly see she was tense, and she didn't so much as spare a glance at Hayama – let alone speak with him – as she made her way over to her desk. Hayama's demeanour also changed ever so slightly when the blonde entered, but he kept his cool expertly. No-one knew what had happened between the two of them, and Hayama clearly wanted to keep it that way. Unbeknownst to him, someone did already find out. Me.
After Miura's return, it didn't take long for our mathematics teacher to arrive and class to start. However, despite already feeling that my involvement with Miura's situation had come to an end, I couldn't help my curiosity, and kept observing Miura and her clique during class – though that might have also been due to the subject of the class not being one I was particularly fond of, and thus I sought something else to keep me occupied. As everyone had to keep quiet while our teacher droned on and on about something or other, I couldn't use my Heightened Loner Hearing to my advantage, and had to instead rely on my sight. And since I couldn't very well stare at the back of the classroom continuously, I had to conduct my observation with quick and inconspicuous glances during seemingly natural movements of my body. Reaching to scratch my leg here, a small stretch of my arm there, or a slight turn of my head when changing which hand I leaned against. Simply genius, if I do say so myself. And given that my presence in class was already almost non-existent, I could easily observe Miura without bringing attention to myself. I'd wager that even if I had brought attention to myself, most of my classmates would have likely gone "Who's that?" over something like "Oh, it's just Hikitani.". Hmph. If you normies are going to ignore my existence, you might as well learn my name properly, so you know who you're ignoring.
Anyway, back on track: Miura.
Despite having taken every measure to remain undetected while I satisfied my curiosity by observing Miura, every single time I shifted my gaze towards the blonde and her clique, the girl in question would raise her own gaze to meet mine, as if she had some sort of sixth sense to know whenever I would be looking in her direction. The first couple of times I assumed she just happened to look in my direction, since – as I already had deduced – she was clearly on edge because of what had happened, and thus more aware of her surroundings, and likely more aware of me, due to our prior conversation. After we locked eyes for the umpteenth time, however… it became clear it wasn't just a coincidence. Like myself, she was not concentrating on the class at all, her mind likely a jumbled mess of self-consciousness, anxiety and stress.
At least, that's what I assumed, though since I couldn't actually read her mind like Charles Xavier could have, there was no way to confirm that right now. But, my assumptions do have some basis, as I fully understand the situation Miura is in. She told me about her confession to Hayama, but is afraid of anyone else finding out. Miura, knows how powerful rumours are, how quickly they spread, and what they can do to a person. If someone found out that Hayama had rejected Miura, it would have cataclysmic effects within the hierarchy of Soubu High that would not only drop Miura from her spot at the top, but would also cause great trouble for Hayama himself, who would lose his only form of defence against a barrage of confessions from maidens in love who believed they now had a chance. Miura knows this, so she can be sure that Hayama will not tell anyone, but a rumour does not have to be based on a fact. Someone most likely saw Miura as she ran away from the classroom after her rejection, and could have easily made their own assumptions based on that. It's also possible someone heard what happened – the classroom isn't soundproof, after all. And, finally, there is me. I know that Miura was rejected, and I wouldn't blame her if she was anxious about me spilling the beans. Of course, I would have nothing to gain from spreading that kind of information, and I doubt anyone would even believe if I said something like that, but I don't blame her for being suspicious about me. I know I would certainly be suspicious of myself. Whatever the case may be, Miura has every right to be anxious about someone possibly finding out what happened, though so far it feels the class is completely ignorant to the events that had transpired.
Despite that, Miura can't rest easy, and that anxiousness has made her wary of her surroundings – thus foiling my plans of sneakily observing her and her clique. With our eyes having met so many times, she must think I'm a creep. More so than usual, at least, unless I take what she said earlier about her opinion of me having improved at face value. In that case, she probably still thinks I'm a creep, but less so than usual.
Sigh.
Figuring I had a better chance to sate my curiosity after class, I deemed any further observation right now as futile and instead triedto focus on the class. Keyword being tried, as, having already missed more than half of the class, there was no way I would be able to catch up now. So, instead, I passed the time until the class would be over by focusing on my current biggest problem:
Yukinoshita Yukino.
Though perhaps calling her a problem is not the correct – or nicest – way to put it. Rather, the problem is what I'm going to do when I meet her during club. I need to be able to keep my cool enough so the girls won't get suspicious, while simultaneously observing Yukinoshita. Thing is… I'm not sure if I'm able to keep my cool while doing that. I'm sure I do not need to say this, but Yukinoshita Yukino is simply beautiful, and with my newly discovered feelings towards her, I am even more aware of that now. I can only hope that Yuigahama will be able to keep Yukinoshita occupied enough to allow me to covertly observe her, if only to test what kind of effect she has on me. After all, I haven't seen her in person after making the discovery about my feelings. Everything should go fine, as long as I keep up my poker face. And if we get a request, that might also act as a distraction for my covert operations… Heh, that makes me sound like I'm a spy. Agent Double-0-Hachi, reporting for duty. Either that, or a stalker… Wait, is what I'm about to do stalking? I guess it would technically count, but it's not like I'm doing it for some malicious purpose… It should be fine… right? Or am I just trying to find justification for my actions? No, it should be fine, I'm just doing what I'm always doing: Observing. Not sure if that will hold in court, though.
I internally let out another sigh and found my gaze wandering towards the clock on the wall. At least mathematics will be over soon, then it's just a couple more periods until club… I sent one last glance towards the back of the class, yet again meeting the eyes of Miura Yumiko, this time keeping eye contact with her for a few seconds before turning back away. Miura Yumiko… I do wonder how her situation is going to develop from here..? Well, whatever. Guess I'll have a nap until the class is over. Leaning onto my desk, I closed my eyes and exhaled deeply through my nose, stifling a yawn so as to not alert the teacher of my plans. With my stealth skills, I should be able to avoid detection quite easily and catch a few snoozes real quick…
The teacher's words seemed to melt away as I slowly slipped closer to falling asleep, yet I never quite made it there. In my half-asleep half-awake state, my mind kept wandering to different things, never focusing on anything long enough for me to consciously acknowledge that I had been thinking about it. However, one specific thing – one person – kept coming back to the forefront of my dreamy thoughts. Not even sleep was sacred any more, as the icy blue eyes, raven-black hair, porcelain face, delicate fingers and enticing lips of Yukinoshita Yukino had invaded nearly every moment I kept my eyes closed.
Eventually, the bell signalling the end of the period rang and shook me out of my attempt at a nap, and I groggily lifted my head, this time unable to stop the incoming yawn. Well, a few eyefuls of almost being asleep is better than listening to our mathematics teacher. As long as we disregard my grades, that is. Stretching my arms after the teacher had left, I found my thoughts still lingering on Yukinoshita, and quickly shook my head in attempt to properly wake up. This isn't good… I'm starting to suspect my feelings are indeed more than a simple crush, and that I have truly fallen in love… Well, nothing I can do about it now. While cracking my neck, I closed my mathematics textbook (which I had barely used during class) and placed it into my bag, taking the opportunity to glance at the back of the class.
As always happened in the interim between classes and periods, the classroom burst into chatter as people gathered in their own groups and cliques while others exited and returned later, having used the free time to either go to the bathroom or fetch a drink. Today was no different from usual – at least on the surface. But the most observant viewer, or someone with knowledge of what lies below that surface – essentially, someone like me – could spot that there was something off about the dynamic within one specific clique.
"Oh, maaaan! Math is like, so hard you know? Right, Hayato?" To no-one's surprise, the loudest noise in the classroom was coming from Tobe, complaining about the difficulty of school as usual. "Like, what even is a cosine or a pythagoram?" Tobe glanced to his sides, where Ooka and Yamato flanked him, and the pair nodded in affirmation. In the corner of my eye I saw Hayama giving Tobe a troubled smile in reply, and just from his expression alone, I could almost hear the sigh of exasperation he no doubt wanted to release.
"Well, mathematics is not that difficult when you put some thought into it. It doesn't matter if you're quick or slow at it, anyone can solve any problem. Besides, trigonometry is relatively simple. University-level math is a lot harder." I kind of have to agree with Hayama there, even if I don't want to. Even I've been able to grasp the concept of the Pythagorean theorem, and I'm terrible at math. Tobe looked dejected after Hayama's answer, and he desperately turned towards the two girls of the group – though one of them didn't seem to be paying much attention.
"Ahahaa… You can make anything sound easy, Hayato." Yuigahama said with an awkward laugh as she scratched her cheek, her gaze briefly flicking to my direction, but I was careful to avoid it, masking my observing by leaning back in my chair and closing my eyes – leaving me in a position where I could still listen in closely. "I still haven't really even understood the previous thing we were taught, so I'm a little behind on this whole tro… trigomo… tri… trigonometry stuff." Hearing Yuigahama struggle with difficult words never failed to amuse me, and this time was no different as I felt the corners of my mouth involuntarily twisting into a slight smile. I shouldn't be surprised. She is as much of an airhead as Tobe is. I do wonder which one would be the Lloyd and which one the Harry, though..? Gotta say, if there's one thing the west film industry knows how to do right, it's comedies. Though If I were them, I would just give up now and leave the more serious stuff in the hands of the likes of Ghibli and Shinkai. Nothing in the world can beat them when it comes to dramas.
"Maybe we could hold a study session together? Teaching someone else is the best way to learn yourself, after all, so we can all help each other and bond as friends at the same time." Hearing Hayama's words, any and all remnants of my previous smile were gone from my face. There's no doubt about what he really means by 'bonding' as friends. "Wouldn't you agree, Yumiko?"
"Eh? O-oh, um… Sorry, w-what was that about a study session?" As Miura spoke, I leaned back forwards and rested my head on my left hand, the new position leaving the blonde and her clique just at the edge of my vision. Due to now holding some respect for Miura, as well as just wanting to see how the situation would evolve, I couldn't help my curiosity.
"We were just planning on holding a group study session. You seemed a little out of it during class, Yumiko, so I thought you might need some help with this." Hayama replied with his usual smile. So I was not the only one observing her, then? Though, I guess it's understandable that Hayama would want to keep an eye on her, given what happened between them. Also, I'd imagine it's easier for him to observe Miura, due to where he sits compared to where I sit. "Maybe we could go to the library, or a cafe today? What do you guys think?" Hayama glanced around, meeting the eyes of everyone else in his clique. I see what he's doing. Right now, Hayama still has the numbers on his side, and he's clearly 'flaunting' that to Miura. Perhaps he is afraid of Miura telling the others about the confession, and is trying to make her realize it would break everything. Or then I'm reading too much into it, that's just what I would gather based on the information I have.
"Hmm… I've got club today, so I might not be able to come." Yuigahama said with a thoughtful look on her face. "Also, shouldn't we get Hina in on this as well? I'd feel kind of bad if we had a group study session while she's ill..."
"Yeah yeah! And don't we like, have soccer practice today as well, despite the cold?" Tobe continued after Yuigahama.
"Ah, you're right, Tobe. Maybe tomorrow, then? I'm sure we could all agree on a time that suits all of us. We don't want you falling behind in your studies, so it would be best to have this study session as soon as possible." Hayama replied, receiving a couple of nods from the others. "What do you say, Yumiko?" Once again turning his gaze to the blonde, Yumiko looked away, her gaze briefly meeting mine. Don't look to me for an answer. This is your fight, not mine. And maybe a group study session is what you want, it could give you some opportunities to act out your plans.
"I… Er… I-I agree with Yui in that we shouldn't exclude Hina from this. I'm not against the idea of a group study session, but… everyone should be a part of it." Miura replied, still not looking directly at Hayama. I feel like she's being kind of obvious that something is troubling her, with the way she's acting… It's not like her to be this meek. Hayama looked at Miura for a few seconds, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly as he scrutinized her, before he flashed another bright smile and let his gaze wander to the others.
"Alright, we'll talk about with her when she comes back to school, then." Hayama said, then glanced at his wristwatch briefly. "There's still a bit of time before class starts… I think I'm going to buy some drinks. Anyone want anything?" Ooka shook his head in reply to Hayama's question, and after a brief moment of thought, Yuigahama did the same.
"Oh oh! I'll come with you, Hayato." Tobe stood up from his seat excitedly, but Hayama simply waved his hand at him dismissively.
"Don't worry about it. You like cola, right, Tobe?" For a moment, Tobe looked dejected, but then nodded and sat down again, while Hayama stood up once receiving his affirmation. "How about you, Yamato?"
"I guess green tea would do." Yamato replied, and Hayama nodded to him, then shifted his gaze to Miura. Oh, is this going where I think it's going?
"Alright. Yumiko, do you want to come with me?" Hayama extended his hand towards the blonde, who seemed surprised by the sudden request. Yep, it definitely is. Hayama is no doubt looking for an opportunity to have a one-on-one talk with her about the confession. She's been acting like nothing happened so far, but I don't think Hayama would just assume that she's going to keep like that forever, unless he can talk her into it.
"E-eh? Me?" Miura's gaze flicked between Hayama's face and his outstretched hand for a few moments, before she seemingly composed herself and looked away. "I… I'm fine, thanks. I had a drink during lunch." I couldn't quite see Hayama's expression from my current position, but I could guess that he didn't expect for Miura to reject his proposal – and neither did anyone else present, if the looks on their faces were anything to go by. Hayama relied on Miura still being infatuated with him, and thus unable to refuse a chance for some alone time with just the two of them, but I wonder if he has a backup plan? I can't think of many ways he could persuade Miura to join him, now, without making the others suspicious.
"Oh? Well, alright then." Hayama's reply struck me as odd. Is he going to give up. "I was hoping I could talk with you privately about something, Yumiko." To my surprise – and likely Miura's as well – Hayama didn't beat around the bush or make up excuses. The most surprising thing was, though, that he didn't even try to mask his request, leaving the others to make their own interpretations of it.
"Hayato! I-is this..?" Tobe was the first to speak, nearly rising from his seat as he slammed his hands on top of it, and the surprise was evident on the faces of the others as well. It was clear what conclusions they had drawn from Hayama's request, though whether that was all part of his plan was unclear.
"No, nothing like that, Tobe." Hayama briefly glanced at his friend and waved his hand dismissively, then turned to Miura again. "I'll buy you whatever you want, I just need to talk with you a bit. It's… important." Miura gazed up at Hayama silently for a few seconds, then shifted her gaze to me again. Don't lean on me, woman! I have no part in this. I tried my best to glare back at the blonde without alerting anyone, which seemed to have worked as she turned back to Hayama.
"...Alright, I'll come with you. If this really is something important, that is." Miura replied and stood up, and Hayama nodded to her in return, then began to make his way out of the classroom, with Miura following behind
"We'll be right back, everyone." Hayama gave one last radiant smile to his clique before he and Miura left, a couple of them waving him goodbye. Why are you waving? You're literally going to meet again in five minutes. Well, whatever. I glanced over at the door, just catching Miura's backside as she exited the classroom. A part of me wants to hear what Hayama is going to tell Miura, but… It's already enough that I'm nearly stalking Yukinoshita.
Stretching as I sat up straight in my seat, I turned my gaze to the window and watched as numerous snowflakes slowly but steadily fell from the sky, a breeze occasionally blowing them everywhere. The serene scene soothed me, but even it couldn't remove the odd uneasiness I felt. Unless Miura comes to the club for help in her predicament, my involvement with her is pretty much over. And yet, I can't help having a feeling…
...that this whole thing is going to lead to nothing but trouble for me.
What am I going to say?
While we walked down the hallway to the nearest vending machine, I kept asking myself the same question over and over. There was no doubt about what Hayato wanted to talk about, but I didn't know what I would say in reply. I wanted to change things, but Hayato wanted everything to stay the same, so it was only inevitable for us to clash, but I didn't want to quite do that yet. He still had our clique on his side, but I was alone. Haah… I was pretty gung-ho about opposing Hayato to Hikio earlier, but I've been nothing but nervous since. Maybe I'm not so brave after all.
"Yumiko." Hayato's voice pulled me out of my thoughts, but he didn't turn to me, and instead kept walking forwards. Where are we going? We already passed the vending machine, didn't we? "Where… where did you go during lunch break?" I glanced around, seeing only a few students here and there as they walked along the hallways. If you wanted to talk in private, why start now?
"I… I wanted to be alone for a little while. You should know why." I replied sharply. Hayato had shown me a glimpse of the part of himself that he hides from the rest of us, but the existence of which Hikio had confirmed for me, so I didn't bother acting nice towards him any longer.
"Are you… still mad?" Hayato glanced at me from over his shoulder, his expression unreadable as always. "No matter, that isn't what I wanted to talk about. Well, it is, but not exactly that." Hayato turned around a corner, and as I followed him, we found ourselves at a hallway that ended abruptly, a single vending machine standing against one wall with a door next to it, the sign on it simply reading 'Storage'. This is a really odd place for a vending machine… Who would even know to come here? "Let's see… Cola for Tobe, green tea for Yamato… Do you want something, Yumiko? I'll pay." Hayato looked back towards me from the vending machine, pointing to it with one hand.
"Eh? I don't know." I replied and crossed my arms, briefly glancing at the selection on the vending machine. "...MAX, I guess." Hayato raised an eyebrow as he stared back at me in confusion for a few seconds. "What?"
"Oh, I just thought you didn't like coffee, Yumiko." Hayato replied, then began to dig around his pockets for money. "You never buy any actual coffee when we all go out together."
"Well, MAX is like, okay. It doesn't really taste like coffee because it's like, so sweet." I said and glanced behind me as a random student passed by us. I only tasted for the first time today, but I can't say it wasn't good. "Anyway, you wanted to like, talk to me so cut the crap and get to it." Hayato paused for a moment as he was ordering everyone's drinks, then let out a sigh as he knelt down to pick up his purchases.
"So you are still mad." I felt my eyebrow twitching as Hayato stood up and walked over to me, handing me a can of MAX. "Alright, first of all, I want to say I'm sorry." Hayato held Tobe's and Yamato's drinks under his arm while he opened his own one – black tea, by the looks of it. "Some of the things I said may have made you angry, but that was never my intention, so I'm sorry." My eyes wandered over to Hayato's left cheek, where I had slapped him. It felt surprisingly good to slap him, now that I think about it. "As I said before, I'm touched by your feelings, Yumiko, but I can't accept them at this time. We have so much on our plate as students right now, with our third year coming up and such. Besides… You do know what might happen to our friend group if we suddenly started dating now?" Each word that left Hayato's mouth made me more and more angry, and I had to summon every ounce of self-control I had to stop myself from throwing the can of MAX in my hands at him. How was I so foolish to not see what he's like..?
"Look, Hayato, I told you to cut the crap." Hayato stopped mid-drink and looked towards me with confusion. "Why do you… Why do you keep up that mask? I already know you're lying to us, so you don't need to act around me." I didn't meet Hayato's gaze, but saw him looking away from me after a few seconds of silently staring at me. Even though I already saw it after he rejected me, and Hikio affirmed it for me, I still can't believe Hayato would do all this… Why lie to us? Why not just be yourself? Why not make real friendships with the others, rather than cling onto the superficial ones he's made? What do you have to hide? I tightened my hold on the can of MAX, as the questions I wanted to ask, but couldn't voice out, circulated in my mind.
"You know, Yumiko..." Just as I was about to speak again, Hayato beat me to the punch, and I looked back towards him and met his eyes. I could never discern what Hayato was thinking, but now, his eyes and face seemed even more unreadable than usual, more mysterious, even scary, to a degree. "...Hikigaya really likes MAX coffee as well, doesn't he?" Hayato's gaze briefly flicked to the can in my hands, before returning back to my eyes. Eh? "Was it him who told you about this supposed 'mask' you're talking about? Did you talk to him during lunch?" Hayato's tone of voice had an eerie vibe to it, and I involuntarily found myself swallowing.
"What… does Hikio have to do with anything?" Hayato averted his gaze from mine, shifting it to inspect the can of tea in his hands. Is this… another glimpse at what Hayato is really like?
"I don't know what he's told you, but I'll repeat what I said earlier: Don't believe everything he says. Hikigaya harbours some ill will, perhaps a grudge towards me. And don't you remember what happened at the culture festival with Sagami? Or what he did during the summer camp? He's not a nice person." I wanted to refute Hayato's claim, but couldn't bring myself to do so. Hikio… He is a nice person. Agh, why can't I say anything back to Hayato..? This is frustrating… I'm still such a coward… "Sorry, I know this is not like me, but… Hikigaya just makes me lose my cool a little." Hayato glanced at his watch, then walked past me, stopping just behind me. "We should head back, Yumiko. Once again, I'm sorry I'm not able to return your feelings just yet, but there's still plenty of time. I hope we can still be friends." In a moment, his usual smile was back on his face as he placed a hand on my shoulder, but now, his smile seemed empty somehow. "Let's not tell the others, okay? It wouldn't do good to have them know you asked me out like that, since I haven't given you an answer yet." Saying nothing further, Hayato began to walk down the hallway again, not even looking back to see if I was following him or not. So… that was it.
A part of me wanted to slap him again, while another just wanted to cry. I was basically just rejected again. All the questions I wanted to ask came back to my mind, but I knew asking them would do no good. Hayato wouldn't answer anyway. He's never told us anything personal, never truly opened up to us, and I only began to realize that recently, when it was already too late. He said there is plenty of time, but that couldn't be more wrong. I leaned against the wall and let my arms fall to my sides, careful to still keep a hold of the can of MAX in my hand. What the hell do I do now? Hayato is still planning on keeping all this hidden, keeping to the status quo, despite knowing everything is going to fall apart soon enough. I can't go talking to Yui or the others about this yet either, not when Hayato is still around, but if I try to get them alone, Hayato will know I'm up to something. And he's now suspicious that I'm in this with Hikio… I let out a sigh as another student walked past, this time with hurried steps. I should probably head back soon, huh? The others will get worried. But… will they get worried because we're friends, or because we're "friends"? I stared at the can in my hands in silence for multiple seconds, then saw my grip around it tightening as my mind wandered to the conversation I had with Hikio earlier today. What am I even thinking? When did I become such a pessimistic coward? Hikio, of all people, called me brave, and while many would dismiss his words without even hearing them, I know better.
If even he thinks I'm brave, then I sure as hell must be.
Geez, who would have thought Hikio would become the one to give me the confidence boost I needed.
Picturing Hikio in a cheerleader outfit repeating "You can do it!" over and over with his trademark monotone voice and deadpan expression, I let out an audible giggle and cracked open my MAX, then began to briskly make my way back to the classroom.
The rest of the day after mathematics seemed to go by in a flash, which I would attribute to the fact that the subjects were far more forgiving and interesting for a humanities type such as myself. "Time flies when you are having fun", as the saying goes. Though I wouldn't say I was "having fun" per se, but I certainly enjoyed the rest of the afternoon classes much more than I had mathematics. Another factor that contributed towards this time acceleration phenomenon would be Miura, as after she returned from fetching drinks with Hayama, I couldn't detect any signs of her previous distress, thus coming to the conclusion that my observation of her situation was no longer necessary. Either that, or someone activated Made in Heaven. I wouldn't know, as I'm not a Stand user. If I was, though, I'd totally name my Stand something like "Leashed Luminous Love", "Anger/Anger" or "Styx Helix". But, alas, I find that possibility to be quite low, so the more likely cause is Miura.
Miura had returned to the classroom in the nick of time just before the class had started, a little after Hayama had returned with the drinks he had bought. I didn't pay so much attention to her late arrival as I did to her demeanour, however. While before, Miura had been visibly nervous, she now seemed to be back to her usual self, chatting away with Yui briefly upon returning and during the recess after the class like nothing was out of the ordinary. Of course, immediately looking for me and meeting my eyes with her gaze when she returned to the classroom, then showing me a brief confident smile helped as well, though I felt she was a bit too obvious with the gesture. It's not like were in this together, I was just curious about her unique situation, and happened to be the one to give her words of advice and encouragement. Nonetheless, it was clear to any more observant viewer that Miura's mood had improved. I don't know what Hayama talked about with her – though I have a good guess – but everything seemed to have gone in Miura's favour, and given that Hayama acted more relaxed afterwards, he is likely completely oblivious to that fact. Still, I have every reason to believe that Miura's path to her goal is not simply clear of obstacles, now, as Hayama definitely wouldn't let his guard down so easily. He could very well be simply acting relaxed, while using the opportunity observe and measure whether or not Miura will keep her mouth shut and obediently fall back into how things previously were, satisfying the status quo, while devising a plan in case she does not. Truly, normies are scary beings. Or maybe it's just Hayama.
In any case, thanks my perception of time accelerating during the last afternoon classes of the day, I soon found myself packing up my things as the classroom once again exploded into chatter now that the school day was over. As the various cliques formed yet again and people exited for their clubs and other after-school programs (including the super-popular "Going home"-club), I turned my gaze towards the most prominent clique in the back of the class, landing it on Miura. Like most of everyone else, she was packing her bags while chatting away, mostly with Yuigahama. After a few seconds, she must have realized I was looking at her, and met my gaze with her own. While normally I would have expected to be met with something akin to a scowl, this time Miura showed me a confident expression and gave me a small nod, though I didn't really get why, as I didn't feel like I had done anything to deserve such a gesture. She had already given me her gratitude for earlier, after all. Shortly afterwards, Yuigahama seemed to notice my gaze as well, as she turned to face me, offered me a smile, then quickly got up from her seat while saying her goodbyes to Miura. Right, here we go, then.
"Hikki!" Yuigahama swiftly made her way over to me, her bag slung over her shoulder, and out the corner of my eye I noticed Miura's gaze still lingering on us. "You ready to go?" I gave the pink-haired girl a quick nod and then stood up, picking up my bag as I did.
"You surprised me. Usually I have to wait around for you." I said and began to make my way out of the classroom, with Yuigahama following behind.
"What do you mean?" Yuigahama leaned forwards as she walked next to me, and I glanced over to be met with a confused expression on her face. "You were waiting for me just now, weren't you? I should be the one to say I was surprised, usually you don't wait for me to finish and just go on your own, Meanie-Hikki!" Yuigahama lightly punched me on the arm, and I had to avert my gaze from her.
"A-ah, right, of course." I scratched my cheek with my hand as I avoided the pink-haired girl's gaze. I guess that's what she interpreted my staring as… I can't very well tell her I simply happened to look in her direction because I was still a little curious about Miura. That would open a whole Pandora's Box of questions I do not want to answer. "And I do wait for you, just not in the classroom. It gets too stuffy in there with all the social interaction, I can't stand it." I returned my gaze to look forward as we slowly – and dare I say pleasantly – strode towards the Service Club clubroom. And while I did think – or at the very least, I hoped – I was doing a good job of masking it…
I was in inner turmoil.
It felt like with each step my heartbeat increased, and I had to concentrate hard on just about anything I could set my eyes upon to stop my thoughts from wandering and to try to calm myself. This was it, the moment I had been both dreading and awaiting. The moment I would see Yukinoshita Yukino again after realizing I harboured romantic feelings towards her.
I still didn't have a solid plan for what I would do when we did eventually arrive at the clubroom, but during the last couple of classes, I figured acting natural and not trying too hard with a plan might be the best course of action. Of course, there's no saying in what will actually happen when I do see Yukinoshita, but all I can do is brace myself for it. I can't delay this any further now, after all.
"Hikki!" I was startled by a sudden shout from Yuigahama, and was met with a pout when I turned to face her. Ah, I must have zoned out for a little while… Are we almost at the clubroom?
"Ah, s-sorry, did you say something?" Yuigahama punched me on the arm again, then let out a sigh. I'm sorry, Gahama-chan! I was too busy worrying about my doomed future to notice you, spare me your wrath!
"I was just asking if you'd noticed anything out of the ordinary about Yumiko. It felt like she was a little absent-minded and quiet today after lunch, so I was worried." I nearly jumped when Yuigahama suddenly asked me about Miura, but composed myself before she could notice anything. What's with that timing? I mean, Miura was being kind of obvious with what her mood was like, and the sudden change would not go unnoticed by even Yuigahama, so I'm not surprised that she would be worried, but…
"...Why would I know anything about Miura?" I asked in turn, managing to keep my voice neutral. I doubt she knows what's going on, and I'm not going to tell her. That's up to Miura herself. "It's not like I associate myself with her or anything."
"I-I was just asking because you're like, you know, perceptive and stuff, Hikki." Yuigahama replied, and I felt myself relaxing. Well, it's good she doesn't suspect anything. Not that there's anything going on that one would have to be suspicious of between Miura and I, but just a rumour about us meeting once during lunch is bad enough, and things would only escalate from there. It would only lead to trouble. "It's just… I don't know, I feel like there's something she's worrying about, or something like that, and I want to help her."
"Well, if there is, I'm sure she'll tell you about it. If it's big enough, she might request help from the club, who knows." I said and continued staring forward, the door to the clubroom visible in the distance. "To answer your question, though, no, I haven't noticed anything. How could I have, when I haven't even been paying attention." Yuigahama seemed to relax after my reply, as she let out another sigh, this time a content one.
"Yeah, you're right, Hikki. Yumiko just worries so much for us sometimes, I find myself worrying if I'm worrying about her enough in return." Yuigahama let out a little giggle, then seemed to stop herself. "Wait… Is that right? Worrying about… being worried? Being worried about worrying? Worry… worrying..." I stifled a chuckle as I watched Yuigahama's face twist as she spun the words around in her mouth, trying to make sense out of what she had just said. Ah, never change, Yuigahama. Your antics are far too entertaining.
Soon, we were standing before the clubroom door, and as I reached out to open it, I paused for a moment, swallowing down the lump forming in my throat as my heartbeat rose once again. Alright, here it is. Calm down, Hachiman. I need to get through this with a straight face. I don't know what will happen once I open this door and see Yukinoshita, but I have to brace myself for it. There might be a strong emotional reaction, or there might not be, but I have to always prepare for the worst. There is no such thing as overpreparing. Realizing the Yuigahama was looking at me with a confused expression, I steeled my resolve and opened the door in one swift motion. Just as I was about to take a step inside, however, I immediately froze in place.
I had expected to see the usual idyllic scene that Yuigahama and I would always see upon entering the clubroom. The single table in the centre of the room, three empty chairs – two on the opposite side and one on this side – with the fourth one occupied by Yukinoshita Yukino as she read her book while some tea was being brewed on the side table. Sometimes, mine and Yuigahama's cups would already be there on the table, with or without tea already in them. As this scene was what we had become used to seeing every single day, I had mentally prepared myself to face that scene in my new state of mind and emotion. I was prepared to see the ever-beautiful Yukinoshita Yukino from a distance as she gracefully flipped the pages of her book, then would greet us upon noticing our arrival. The outcomes I had calculated all revolved around seeing that exact same scene as we always did.
So, when instead of seeing that same scene, I was met with the face of none other than Yukinoshita Yukino directly in front of mine, all of those calculations and preparations, as well the resolve I had managed to gather, was all blown away in an instant.
"Ah…" A quiet sound escaped from Yukinoshita's mouth as she looked me directly in the eyes, though we weren't quite at eye level due to our difference in height. My mind was completely blank, and I couldn't move a muscle, but seeing the light dusting of red appearing the perfect porcelain-like face in front of me, I couldn't help my heartbeat – which I had just about managed to calm moments ago – rising once again and my own cheeks heating up at the sight. A few moments that felt like an eternity passed before my brain finally regained its cognitive functions and I was able to think again. T-this..!
Curse you, Gods of Romantic Comedies!
"Yukinon! Yahhallo!" Yuigahama's greeting rung in my ears, and seemed to snap Yukinoshita out of her stupor as she blinked, her hands briefly twitching as they moved towards me ever so slightly, then moved back to her sides. "Were you going somewhere?"
"Oh, I-I..." Yukinoshita averted her gaze from me, and I did the same, not daring to look at her any longer after that surprise attack. T-that was dangerous, I was afraid I was going to have a cardiac arrest there caused by a heart attack. Though I guess I now finally have to accept that my feelings for her are true, as I doubt I would have had as strong a reaction otherwise. "...I w-was about to get some more water for the tea. But, er… Good afternoon, Yuigahama-san, H-Hikigaya-kun." O-oi, don't stutter when you say my name! I know you're embarrassed by the sudden close proximity, but that's not allowed! My heart can't take much more of this.
"Y-yo, Yukinoshita. Could you… um..." I sent brief glances to the girl in front of me, but still couldn't bring myself to meet her eyes properly. Luckily, she seemed to get the hint as her eyes widened and she stepped to the side.
"A-ah, yes, of course, I apologize. Please, do come in." I walked past Yukinoshita, desperately trying to ignore the pleasant, girly smell than emanated from her to the best of my ability and made my way over to my seat. With my heartbeat still being off the charts, I internally let out a sigh in attempt to calm myself. Haah… Well, that could have gone worse. I don't think either of the girls noticed anything, what with Yuigahama being behind me, and Yukinoshita being too surprised to suddenly be face-to-face with me. But… As Yuigahama made her way over to her seat, I let my gaze wander over to Yukinoshita, who was still stood by the door.
Yukinoshita Yukino was beautiful, that much was known by literally everyone at Soubu High. But when I looked at her right now, that beauty seemed to radiate over me in overwhelming waves, making my heart race against my will. After only a second or two, I had to avert my gaze again, instead looking towards the side table on my left. I don't think I have any right to have any doubts about my feelings, now. Who would have known that I of all people would fall for someone like this? As I let out another internal sigh, I noticed something curious about the side table. Specifically, the fact that Yukinoshita's tea set was still there. Wait, but if she was going to refill the water, why is the kettle still there..? I looked back towards Yukinoshita, who was now making her way back to us, and saw that her hands were empty. What was she doing by the door, then..?
"Would you two like some tea? I didn't have it prepared in advance, so you'll have to wait a little." Yukinoshita asked from us before I could think more on the matter, gesturing over to her tea set as she stood in front of the table, her gaze flicking between Yuigahama and I.
"Didn't you… need to refill the water?" I asked in turn, now having regained my composure somewhat, though I could still feel a slight tingle in the pit of my stomach as I looked at Yukinoshita, meeting her icy-blue eyes with my own.
"I… believe there is still enough for the three of us. I can fill it later, or tomorrow, but I wouldn't want to leave you two here alone while I go fill it, I feel it would be rude." Yukinoshita replied, and I could sense a logic behind her words, though I almost felt like there was something off about them as well. It doesn't really explain why she was at the door without the kettle, but… Oh well. Maybe she was going to open the door for herself beforehand so she wouldn't have had to fumble with it while carrying the kettle, or something like that.
"Oh, I see. I guess I'll have a cup, then." Yukinoshita flashed me a small smile, and I felt it pierce my heart like an arrow. Gah! D-don't do that, woman! This whole 'observing Yukinoshita' thing to analyse my situation and her thoughts of me is going to be quite hard, I feel… While Yukinoshita received affirmation from Yuigahama and made her way to the side table, I took out a light novel from my bag, hoping that reading about whoever was going to screw over the Devil of the Shield this time would distract me enough to allow me to calm down and fall into a natural enough state to fool the girls into thinking everything was as usual. War is deception. If everything seems natural, I'll be able to mask my feelings and observe unnoticed. Though I haven't really thought that far as to what exactly I'm going to do afterwards, other than considering a c-confession… I guess I'll just see how things go and whether my feelings stay the same or not, while trying to figure out what Yukinoshita thinks of me as subtly as possible.
Satisfied with my plan, I opened up my novel and began to indulge myself in it. Ah, Isekai… The genre I can never tire of, despite it sometimes feeling overdone a million times and repetitive. At least this time, I can truly connect with the main character. Soon becoming engrossed in the book, I felt my heartbeat steadying itself and the almost oppressive feeling of being constantly aware of Yukinoshita's presence disappearing. The chatter of the two girls to my left as I flipped the pages was almost akin to the music I sometimes listened to while reading, telling me how comfortable I had become with the atmosphere of the Service Club during my time here. Yukinoshita, Yuigahama, myself, a good book and some tea, this had become the norm for me, and I enjoyed it. Though, it seems I was too used to it, as I at one point found myself reaching for my cup of tea, only to find it not being there, immediately realizing that Yukinoshita had yet to pour our cups for us. Ah, right… Sighing, I placed the book down on the table, ignoring the pleading calls of my cute Melty-chan from the pages to read more and instead shifted my gaze to the left, where it met Yukinoshita's eyes. Both of us froze in an instant, but as if on cue, the electric kettle on the side table finished brewing the tea shortly afterwards, saving my heart as Yukinoshita stood up and walked over to the kettle. That was… unexpected, to say the least. Was she… looking at me, or did our eyes just happen to meet? I glanced back down at my novel, my gaze lingering on the open page for a few moments. No, I feel that's just wishful thinking as a result of my feelings. This is not good, love is making me feel hopeful and optimistic. Preposterous. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I placed a bookmark on the page I was on and closed the novel, just as Yukinoshita brought my cup to the table.
"Here you go, Hikigaya-kun." Yukinoshita said and began to pour tea into my cup. Despite my best efforts to keep my gaze on said cup, I couldn't help my eyes wandering up her slender arms to her face, catching her bringing up one of her hands to move a strand of hair behind her ear, something about the relatively simple gesture causing a heat beginning to form inside of me. This is bad. Was she always this… sensual when doing this? Or am I just now seeing it that way? "There's only enough for one cup for each of us, so this will have to do for now. Is that okay?" Yukinoshita's question shook me back to reality, and I was able to focus again.
"A-ah, yes, thanks, Yukinoshita." I replied and reached out for the teacup, but instead of the cup, my hand abruptly came into contact with something else – Yukinoshita's hand. She had no doubt planned to hand my cup to me, or otherwise place it closer for me from the edge of the table where she had poured the tea in the first place, so when I reached out for it myself our paths – and thus our hands – ended up crossing. Of course, it wasn't like we ended up holding hands or anything, as our hands merely bumped into each other, but in my current state, the sensation of her soft hand against mine made me feel as if a sudden jolt of electricity went through me. T-the Gods of Romatic Comedies really are toying with me today, aren't they… "S-sorry." I quickly apologized and reached out further, grabbing my cup and setting it on the table next to my novel. I need to be more careful.
"...It's okay." Yukinoshita's words were quiet, and I glanced up to see her looking away. D-don't act so bashful! Is she doing this on purpose? "You should learn to keep your hands to yourself in the future, however, Hiki-molester-kun." She then continued in her usual tone of voice. Hearing the more-or-less playful insult leaving Yukinoshita's mouth, I felt slightly relieved. Good to know she's still her normal self. Well, it's not like she would change drastically over the course of a single weekend anyway, I'm just far more aware of her now than I was before.
"Well, maybe you should have been more careful with where you put your hands, Yukinoshita." I replied, readying myself for some of our usual banter. "Did you not see me reaching for the cup myself? I don't need everything to be handed to me on a silver platter." I brought the teacup to my lips and took a sip, the tea already being cool enough to drink thanks to Yukinoshita's method of pouring the tea from a height. Wonderful as always.
"Oh, is that so? I was under the impression that you were unable to even perform such a simple task on your own, so, feeling pity, I decided that I would help you by handing the cup to you. Ah, I feel so sorry for your parents and sister, who need to put up with taking care of such a miserable being every single day." Like usual, Yukinoshita's words were sharp as icicles as they pierced through me, but as a veteran on this battlefield of banter, they were but a scratch.
"In that case, I believe your impression of me is incorrect, Yukinoshita. As, in fact, my parents couldn't ask for a better son. I leave them in peace and allow them to rest when they come back home from a long day of corporate slavery. I'm independent enough that as long as they keep the fridge filled with food, they don't have to worry about me. Sometimes I'll even cook something for them and Komachi, when they have to work overtime. I even help with the household chores, more so than Komachi does. I make sure to keep my room clean, empty and fill the dishwasher, and even take out the trash when necessary, though that is mostly Komachi's job." I returned Yukinoshita's verbal assault with my own, refuting her claims about my incompetence and uselessness with facts. "Of course, all of it will be invaluable knowledge and experience for my future as a househusband." Finishing with a proud smirk, I closed my eyes and took another sip of my tea. How do you like that, Yukinoshita? Hearing no reply from the raven-haired girl, I opened my eyes and looked towards her, only to find the girl massaging her temple with her free hand as she held onto the electric kettle with the other.
"Ahahaa… Hikki..." I looked towards my left to find Yuigahama looking at me awkwardly as she scratched her cheek. "That was… a little..." Yukinoshita let out a sigh, then walked over to the side table and placed the kettle on it. What? It was a perfect counterargument.
"While the points you made were all good, they were all invalidated by your last remark. To think you still hold onto the idea of becoming a househusband..." Yukinoshita began to massage her temple again, the exasperation clear in her voice. Oi, what do you mean? It's a perfectly valid plan for the future! I just need to study the bare minimum required and then find a rich wife willing to marry me.
"Yeah… Yukinon is kinda right on that one, Hikki… You can't just rely on something as outlandish as that for your future." Well… I guess a backup plan or two wouldn't hurt...
"Truly, you are a lost cause, Hikigaya-kun. Even if you did manage to go through with that plan, your wife would have to be extremely smart and capable enough to be able to provide for the two of you by herself, let alone be willing to tolerate the presence of one such as yourself in the first place. It would be an incredibly difficult task to find someone that matches all of the criteria." While Yukinoshita's previous insults did no damage to me, now her words were supereffective. W-well, I guess she does have a point… But… I'm not bad-looking, so it wouldn't be too difficult, right? "Being able to provide for two people alone is a difficult enough task, and out of the people you know, I can only think of two who would have the skills for it – myself and Nee-san." Yuigahama seemed like she was about to retort, but gave up before any words left her mouth. There is… a certain logic, I'll admit… "And then the second issue of tolerating you. If we narrow down the selection to just Nee-san and I, then… Well, Nee-san would be able to tolerate you, but she is far more likely to just play with you until you're no longer amusing to her." That description was spot-on… But, hey! Why are you painting such a bleak picture of my future? "So, that would leave you with me, and..." Yukinoshita narrowed her eyes as she looked me up and down, scrutinizing me for all I was worth – which I guessed she believed wasn't very much. "...I suppose I could be persuaded to tolerate you enough, out of pity, if nothing else." Yukinoshita was now the one to wear a proud smile as she crossed her arms across her chest, seemingly relishing in her victory of destroying my argument with everything she had. Taking me in out of pity? That's just sad, although… Without even consciously realizing it, I began to picture a life where I would be the stay-at-home husband of Yukinoshita Yukino.
"Ah, welcome home, Yukino dear. Would like dinner first? A bath? Or perhaps… me..?"
…
It… doesn't really have the same impact when the gender roles are reversed. Rather, it just comes off as quite odd and creepy. Wait, why am I thinking of this in the first place?!
My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door of the clubroom, and all three of our heads simultaneously turned towards it. Hm? Isshiki? No, she doesn't usually knock, as far as I know. Could it then be… Miura? Did she decide to come to us or help after all?
"Ahem. Please come in." Yukinoshita said and sat down in her seat, briefly glancing at me as she did. Shortly afterwards, the door was opened, and a head of blonde hair peeked into the room – but not the blonde I had been expecting.
"Good afternoon." Hayama Hayato greeted us as he stepped inside, his trademark smile plastered on his face. Hayama? What's he doing here? Hayama was still wearing his soccer uniform, so he had clearly come here straight from practice. I can't believe all the sports clubs are still having practice when it's that cold outside. Then again, the field is always kept in good condition, and I suppose the exercise keeps everyone warm.
"What brings you here, Hayama-kun?" Yukinoshita asked, clearly as surprised by his sudden appearance as I was. Hayama walked up to us, but didn't take a seat, his gaze sweeping over the three of us before he replied.
"I… have a request for you."
AN: Finally, this took ages. My original plan was to have this chapter out a week ago in time for Christmas, but that obviously didn't work out as I intended. So I guess instead of wishing a Merry Christmas to you all (or whatever other holiday you may or may not celebrate), I'll say Happy new year! Though, around the time I'm publishing this, there's still a few hours before 2020 for me. I haven't made any resolutions, because I know I won't be able to fulfil them. Heck, even all my plans for this holiday season have gone tits up, to put it bluntly, as evidenced by the delay I had in writing this. In any case, I have a pretty solid plan for the next chapter, but you'll have to wait until next decade before you see it! Haha, I know I'm so funny. I'll go see myself out now.
Happy new year again, and "see" you in the next chapter!
