AN: Hello again and welcome back, everyone! I always knew that this story was going to be long (and not just because I take ages with updates – sorry this one took so long!), but only now has it really dawned on me that this is going to be a very long ride. A part of me doesn't like the slow pacing in my stories I often end up with, but I don't like rushing things either. I do have some things planned out, so the story should really start to take off soon – those of you who enjoy the yandere aspects will get what they signed up for in the near future ;)
Thank you all for the reviews you've left me – your support means a lot to me. And, without any further ado, let's get this chapter underway – I'm sure you've all been eagerly awaiting it!
Chapter 8 – The Queens Advance
Crowds.
If I had to rank the top ten things that I despise the most in this world, large crowds of people would be very close to a top spot on that list, nestled somewhere between riajuus and subpar adaptations of my favourite novels. I mean, how can you mess up a character's arc so badly, or leave out such an important part of the story to cut costs? Maybe then you wouldn't have had to have those filler episodes that served no purpose. What was I monologuing about again? Ah, yes.
Crowds.
Everyone knows that there is strength in numbers. Thus, forming packs with other members of your species is understandable – and in many cases, necessary – in terms of survival. But the crowds that we humans form in public spaces are a demented perversion of this natural survival method. There is no structure, no order, just pure chaos. The strong point of forming a pack is that every member works together, but crowds of humans are the exact opposite: everyone only thinks of themselves. Sure, the people around you might be total strangers, but it's still common decency to watch out and think of other people when you're trying to get somewhere – everyone else is trying to get somewhere as well, after all. The Japanese are fairly good at this (and dare I say that the Chibanese are exceptionally good – just one more reason why Chiba is the best place in the world!), but as I have proved based on my observations in the past fifteen minutes, there is still work to be done. And, my loner lifestyle has once again been proven to be the best possible one, as standing on the sidelines means I do not bother anyone by getting in their way, and neither does anyone accidentally bump into me. It's a win-win situation.
Still, it would be better if I didn't need to be in this situation in the first place, but unfortunately, it doesn't seem like I have a choice.
I let out a sigh and pulled out my phone, noting that the person I was supposed to be waiting for was now just over ten minutes late. Why the hell does Miura want to meet up with me on a Sunday anyway… She said to me in the phone call that she wanted to talk about her and Ebina's plans, but couldn't we have done that over the phone..? Well, I guess this does save me from the endless questions from Komachi regarding the matter had she overheard, but I'll probably be subjected to those anyway when I get home, if the strange look she gave me when I woke up this early on the weekend was any indication… I stifled the incoming sigh and pocketed my phone, placing my hands in my pockets as I leaned against the pillar behind me, looking up to the cloudy sky past the eaves of the roof of the station. Well, at least I don't have to do this in the summer… The crowds would be even worse, and don't even get me started on the heat.
Letting my gaze drop back down, I began to absent-mindedly scan the crowds of people that passed by, going to and from the station just behind me, hoping to catch a glimpse of the blonde hair of the girl I was waiting on, but to no avail. Just as I was contemplating on sending Miura a message questioning her lateness, I noticed a head of light-brown hair peek through the crowds, before a short girl – the owner of said hair – ran out, and I momentarily froze in place. Quickly, though, I realized the girl was not who I had initially thought they were, as her blue eyes looked past me without paying any attention to my existence, before she ran off to a group of other girls off to the side. Inwardly, I let out a sigh of relief and lifted my gaze up to the clouds again. Isshiki, huh…
My brows furrowed as I recalled the events that had transpired on Friday.
"What… did you just say..?" I must have misheard her.
The girl in front of me was looking up at me with a pleading expression, her hands slightly trembling, though I somehow guessed it wasn't because of the cold.
"You… heard me." She said after a few moments of silence, briefly averting her gaze before meeting my eyes again with her honey-coloured ones. "Do you… like Yukino-senpai?" Hearing it for the second time, I was now sure I didn't mishear – and that fact concerned me greatly.
"...What kind of question is that?" I asked in turn and glanced to the side, though I didn't keep my gaze averted for long. "Where is this coming from anyway, all of a sudden like this?" Isshiki looked down at the ground for a moment and bit her lip, then opened her mouth, but closed it after a second or two without having said anything, before finally looking back up at me.
"I..." Isshiki's voice was quiet, almost inaudible, but she seemed to steel herself and spoke out in a clearer tone. "...I saw you… acting differently with her. I mean… you two seem closer, now, or something, and… I felt like… there was something different about you when you two spoke… Am I… am I wrong..?" This… this is bad.
If Isshiki has noticed that something has changed about the way I interact with Yukinoshita…
Has it been that obvious? No, that can't be the case. Certainly, there are some things I cannot avoid, but I have managed to mask my feelings expertly, I feel. But Isshiki…
I let my gaze scan over the girl in front of me. I had never seen Isshiki like this, but I knew for certain she wasn't just toying with me. She really had noticed that something about me had changed, and had come to an assumption about what might have caused that change.
"...Well..." Isshiki jumped a little as I spoke again, then focused her gaze on me intently. "I don't know about being closer… Yuigahama hasn't been present, and we just kind of started talking about literature in her absence, before you interrupted us, that is." Both today and yesterday, in fact. "I… don't know how you would come to that kind of conclusion, though." I was doing my best to keep my cool in front of Isshiki. The fact that she was even asking this from me meant that she wasn't sure whether it was true or not, and I very much want to keep the truth regarding the question to myself.
"..." Isshiki stared at me in silence, the atmosphere starting to feel both tense and awkward at the same time, until she finally lowered her gaze. As she looked down, her bangs covered her face, concealing her expression from me, but I could see her hands trembling again. Isshiki had been acting odd the entire time, and I still couldn't understand why. Did this question really trouble her that much? "...I see. So that's how it is." Isshiki spoke in a low tone, as if to herself, still keeping her gaze directed downwards. What did she mean by that?
We both stood still in an awkward silence for a few seconds, before Isshiki suddenly raised her head again, locking eyes with me for a moment, before dashing past me.
"S-sorry that I asked something so weird, I'll be going now, Senpai." Isshiki said as she ran past me, leaving me dumbfounded. A part of me wanted to reach out or call her name to stop her, but the look that I had seen on her face, the emotion I had seen in her eyes, prevented me from doing so.
She had smiled at me, but it wasn't like any kind of smile I had seen from Isshiki before. It wasn't a cheeky grin, nor a sly smirk, nor the elusive genuine smiles I had sometimes seen. It most resembled the fake smiles she put on far too often, but even then, there was something wrong about it.
It was an empty, fake smile, but different from the ones I was used to seeing.
She didn't use it for appeal, but rather to hide something.
And in the brief moment that our eyes had met, I had caught a glimpse of the emotion she had tried to conceal.
Sorrow.
Isshiki's question and odd behaviour had been on the forefront of my mind for the rest of the evening, and even after allocating some of my precious time on Saturday to the issue, I had yet to reach a conclusion as to why she had acted the way she did. I can kind of get why Isshiki would be curious about something like that – if only because it meant she could blackmail me to work as her pack mule, or that she could report me to the authorities – but the way she acted and her reaction were completely different from the Isshiki I know. And that look on her face when she left me… The only other time I've seen anything like it on Isshiki…
...Was back when Hayama rejected her.
But, precisely due to that reason, I cannot understand her reaction. Isshiki said she wasn't going to give up on Hayama just because of one setback, so clearly she still has her eyes on him. Why would she care so much for any possible feelings I have? And, I am still unsure whether Isshiki somehow knows of my feelings towards Yukinoshita or not. I had avoided the question and masked the truth to the best of my ability, but I couldn't ignore the possibility that she had somehow gotten the answer to her own question.
I had gone over everything in my head multiple times already, but the amount of possible reasons for Isshiki's strange behaviour only increased the more I had thought about it – each one seeming as implausible as the last, yet still possible if I certain assumptions were made. All I knew for sure was that Isshiki had noticed something different about me while I interacted with Yukinoshita, made an assumption based on her observation (which was correct, but she doesn't know that for sure), and for whatever reason, the conclusion she had come to caused her some level of distress, which was visible when she asked me about the subject. And when I answered her (or rather, avoided answering her), she had once again noticed – or perhaps realized – something, which pained her, but which she tried to hide from me. Normally I wouldn't care much about something like this, but… Isshiki was acting way too weird on Friday for me to ignore it. I can only blame my Onii-chan instincts for it, but… She is someone closer to me than most people. Well, the conclusion I came to after mulling it all over yesterday was that this was not something I could solve with the information I have available to me right now. There are far too many variables, with her knowing or not knowing the truth of my feelings changing those. I'll just have to see what happens when I next meet Isshiki, but...
"Hikio!" A sudden shout pulled me back to reality, and I looked towards the source of the voice to see a familiar face approaching me. "Sorry that we're late, I took a bit longer in like, the shower and stuff before I left, and we missed the train that we were supposed to take." The blonde stopped just in front of me, adjusting her scarf as she did, and I found my gaze unconsciously wandering over her form. Aside from her black scarf, she was wearing a stylish-looking red winter coat (at least, I figured that it seemed stylish, not that I knew anything about fashion) with a short black skirt peeking out from underneath it, covering her upper thighs, while the rest of her – admittedly quite attractive – legs were covered by black thigh-highs, which her white high-top women's boots contrasted nicely against.
"Yo, Miura." I replied and quickly lifted my gaze to meet Miura's green eyes, hoping she hadn't noticed where my eyes had been moments prior. "Wait, did you say 'we'?" Just as I finished my sentence, I noticed another figure standing behind Miura, who now stepped to the side, coming fully into view.
"Hello, Hikigaya-kun. Fancy running into you here." My eyes met the glasses-framed ones of none other than Ebina Hina, who smiled back at me. Compared to Miura's vibrant one, Ebina was wearing a grey-coloured winter coat and donned jeans instead of a skirt, with a pair of earmuffs on her head. At her appearance, I looked towards Miura with a raised eyebrow, only to receive a similar expression from her in return.
"...I didn't know you would be here too, Ebina." I said and scratched my cheek awkwardly. It does make sense, since she is now 'in' on Miura's scheme, but… I assumed from Miura's phone call that it would be just her.
"Hmm? Could it be that perhaps you were looking forwards to some alone time with Yumiko~? Fufufu..." Ebina leaned closer to me and poked my chest with her index finger, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Maybe I will leave you two alone, after all – Yumiko is going to need some consolation after receiving a rejection from Hayato." I saw Miura's cheeks reddening at her friend's words, and she moved up to her and placed a hand on the other girl's shoulder.
"H-Hina! Cut that out. Hikio is… a friend. And right now, he's also someone who will help us with the clique." Miura scolded Ebina, then turned to me, her cheeks still slightly flushed as she looked at me, but didn't meet my eyes with her own. "I-I hope you don't get any funny ideas, Hikio!" What's with the reaction? It's lacking the usual amount of heat that I'm used to from the Fire Queen. 'Used to', huh… I guess I can't really escape it. Well, there are worse people I could have as… friends.
"Nothing of the sort, Miura." I replied and glanced around briefly, feeling a few gazes on me from here and there, which made me slightly uncomfortable. Yes, I met up with two pretty girls. Please stop staring at me like I'm some sort of freak! "So, uh, are we going to go somewhere, or..? I don't really feel like discussing things out here in the open." I then continued and rubbed the back of my neck, and Miura cleared her throat before responding.
"Yes, we will. There's a place nearby where we shouldn't be interrupted. Come, this way." Miura began walking, motioning for us to follow. Before following her, I briefly glanced at Ebina, who met my gaze with her own and smiled, then moved closer to me, leaning so her face was close to mine.
"Maybe I should have worn a skirt as well, then you would have had two pairs of thighs to admire." Ebina whispered with a wink, her smile turning mischievous. S-she noticed? I mean, I wasn't looking in the f-first place, so… Objection! The accusations are false, your honour! "Well, I won't blame you, Hikigaya-kun. Yumiko does have some tasty legs, if I do say so myself." Ebina let out a small giggle, before she turned around and followed after Miura, leaving me dumbfounded at her words and actions, my cheeks feeling ever so slightly hot. Was Ebina always this cheeky..? And that last comment… I get the feeling it wasn't just a joke...
Shortly, I followed after the two girls, letting Ebina catch up with Miura, while I stayed a respectable distance away from the two. Following Miura's lead, we made our way past the crowds of people at the station towards a shopping centre close to it. How will this ensure that we won't be interrupted? It's Sunday, there's bound to be tons of people here, especially given that we're pretty much in the centre of all Chiba. Someone from our school could easily see us and misinterpret things.
"Hikio?" Miura and Ebina had stopped and were looking back at me, so I stopped as well as I raised an eyebrow in question.
"What is it?" Miura took a deep breath and brought a hand to her face to pinch the bridge of her nose, the gesture only increasing my confusion.
"What are you like, doing all the way back there?" Miura asked and crossed her arms, while I stared blankly at her.
"I… didn't want to give other people the wrong impression. I'm staying a respectable distance away from you two." I replied to the blonde, who let out a sigh of irritation.
"The wrong impression about what? We're friends, Hikio. Stop dragging so far behind us, it'll make you look more like a creep than if you just walked with us." I… guess that makes sense. But… still. "You walked me home on Thursday, and I didn't see you complaining about it."
"That was… different circumstances. Right now, people could see. People who we know, or even ones we don't, but who know us." In response, Miura closed the distance between us, and as I reflexively took a step back, she grabbed onto my arm and pulled me along with her, until I was standing right by her and Ebina.
"Just shut up and come with us, Hikio. As I said, you are my friend, I don't care if someone sees us. Besides, I know Hayato is out of town for this weekend, Tobe is helping out his family with something, and Yui is still resting at home, if they're who you're worried about." Miura glared at me with her olive-green eyes, the distance between our faces less than I would have liked.
"Alright, alright." I said as I averted my gaze, feeling my cheeks heating up again due to her closeness, and freed my arm from her grip. Seriously, she needs to stop insisting on being so touchy-feely with me. I am a healthy young guy, after all, and even being in love with Yukinoshita won't help with preventing my heart rate increasing when someone who can match her beauty is acting like this. Anyone other than me would get completely the wrong idea, woman!"Let's just get going. The point of this little excursion was to talk about your plans, right? We should get to doing that as soon as possible." Miura eyed me for a few moments, before she sighed, then began to walk forwards again, prompting Ebina and I start following her.
Acquiescing to Miura's request, I walked with the two girls to my right, though I still made sure to keep a slight distance between myself and Miura. Even if we are… friends, I still have my personal space I like to keep to, and I didn't want to accidentally bump into her or anything – just me being considerate. Miura seemed content with it, chatting away with Ebina as we made our way to the shopping centre.
Being located in the very heart of Chiba, the place was quite large and spanned multiple floors, with dozens of different stores catering to whatever need one might have. Cafes and restaurants could be spied here and there, where people were taking breaks from their shopping sprees, or perhaps just enjoying a nice, warm drink before returning to the cold weather outside. And, with it being a Sunday, the whole place was absolutely jam-packed with people. I wouldn't have been able to maintain any sort of distance to the two girls without getting separated even if I had wanted to. Luckily, it seemed Miura was an expert at navigating the thick crowds of people as she lead us down a hallway on the second floor of the shopping centre, towards a cafe situated just next to an empty store plot – a place that was as "out of the way" as possible in a large shopping centre like this.
"Alright, here we are." Miura said once we'd arrived at the cafe. Peeking inside, I could see groups of people sitting at the various tables, but a lot less than what I had seen elsewhere in the shopping centre. Huh, I've been here a couple of times, and I never knew of this place… Granted, I've never been to this part of the shopping centre, but this definitely seems like a cozy little place that I would like.
"This place definitely seems to suit our needs…" I said and glanced back the way we came, seeing very few people actually making their way towards us. The empty plot acts almost like a buffer… And since this is a cafe rather than a store, it won't get as much traffic. "How did you come upon this place?" I turned to look at Miura again with a raised eyebrow.
"I've like, known about it for a while, actually. Since last year, to be exact. The store next to it went out of business not too long ago, and ever since, the place has become a bit quieter. Although, it was always a quiet place, as you'll see soon enough. Come on, let's head inside." I nodded to Miura in reply, and the three of us walked through the doors into the cafe itself.
The place wasn't big, but it was clearly separated into two parts. The part that could be seen from outside looked like a normal cafe, with the counter at the back, behind which I assumed was a small kitchen or storage room, with tables dotted about here and there. Off to the side, however, multiple booths of varying sizes could be seen, separated from the rest of the establishment – and from each other – by wooden walls that extended nearly to the ceiling. Each booth had a sliding door on it, on which a number and a plaque could be seen, the writing on the plaque saying either "Free" or "Occupied". Ah, I see what Miura meant, now. For customers that want privacy, they offer soundproofed cubicles, though I'm not sure how soundproof these are, considering the walls don't quite reach the ceiling. Well, at least they are private enough. I'll have to keep this place in mind.
Still following Miura's lead, we requested a private space from the employee at the counter, who directed us to one of the free cubicles, number 4. Inside, there was a table in the centre of the relatively small space, with seating placed against the walls around it in a U-shape. Embedded into the table, a small device of some sort could be seen, which the employee explained could be used to contact the counter when needed, such as when making orders. Before leaving, he gave us a menu and told us that we could use the space for half an hour, and that any additional time would incur a payment. After receiving each of our orders, the employee left us by ourselves, sliding the door close behind him and turning the plaque on it around with a soft "clack".
"You were right, Yumiko. This place is perfect for us." Ebina said as she sat down on the seat on the wall directly opposite to the door, while Miura took her seat on her right, and I on her left. "Though it does make you think… I wonder what people get up to in these small, enclosed places when no-one is looking?" Ebina pushed up her glasses and a quiet, creepy laugh could be heard from her, while I let out a sigh.
"You've read far too much doujinshi, Ebina." I said, then shifted my gaze to Miura, sitting directly opposite to me. "Let's get to the point. First of all… Miura, you spoke to Yuigahama on Friday, and got her to help you with your plans, right?" I already knew the answer to my own question, but it would act as a tie-in for what I actually wanted to tell Miura.
"Oh, uh, yeah, I did. I brought her up to speed with what Ebina and I have been talking about, but I made sure not to mention you to her, Hikio." Miura replied to me. "I've… actually thought about it a little bit, and… Why don't you want Yui to find out you've been helping me? I know you said something about the girls from your club not liking it if you undertook a request on your own behind their backs, but… We are friends, now. Won't they want to know how we became so… c-close?" Miura began to twirl a strand of her hair around her index finger and briefly averted her gaze from me.
"I was… just about to tell you something relating to that." I replied and took a deep breath as Miura met my gaze again, and I could see Ebina looking towards me with intrigue. "I… want to tell the two of them that I've been helping you. At first, I thought that my involvement with you, Miura, would end quickly, but… now I think that won't be the case." Miura's eyes widened for a moment, before a small scowl appeared on her face. Before she could voice her discontent, though, I continued. "It is as you say. I initially didn't want to tell them because I knew they wouldn't be happy if I had undertaken another request behind their backs on my own, and made myself believe that I was justified in doing so because this would be something that would be over rather soon, and we would never speak again afterwards. Given how things have developed, and since you… seem to still want my help..." I had to avert my gaze from Miura. I won't admit to her that seeing a new side to Miura and spending time with her has been… not bad. I wouldn't go so far as to say I've enjoyed it, but there are worse ways I could have spent my time. "...I don't think it's good of me to hide my involvement from the girls at the Service Club. Maybe this way, we'll all be able to help you, Miura." I looked back at Miura, whose gaze was still fixated firmly on me. "So, yeah. I just… wanted to let you know before I told them. I didn't want to betray the trust you've put into me, or something." I awkwardly rubbed the back of my neck, and saw a small smile appearing on Miura's face.
"Thanks, Hikio. For telling me first, that is. I won't stop you from telling Yukinoshita and Yui. You… shouldn't keep secrets from your friends." Miura looked away as she finished, and while she tried to keep a neutral face, I could tell something was off. She seems almost… guilty to say that… Everyone in her clique has their secrets, and they haven't opened up to each other properly, so I guess… Miura isn't much different in that regard. I glanced to my right, where my eyes briefly met those of Ebina, her expression neutral. But that is what she is working hard on – changing things so she and her friends can open up to each other. She's shown me that she is strong – now she needs to use that strength to be honest.
...I feel like I'm being a little hypocritical here.
Before any of us could continue the conversation, there was a knock on the door to the cubicle, and the same employee who had taken our orders had now returned to us with them – a simple coffee for me (with extra sugar, of course), an iced frappé for Ebina, and green tea for Miura. We paid for our orders, and were then once again left to the privacy of our cubicle.
"Right, so… You'll be telling Yui and Yukinoshita about this tomorrow, then?" Miura asked from me after taking her first sip, gently placing her cup back on the table as she met my eyes with her own.
"If Yuigahama is back in school, then yeah. I'd like to tell them both at the same time, but if I don't get a chance for that, then I'll tell them separately." I replied and took a sip of my own coffee. I'd like to tell Yukinoshita at the earliest possible convenience, as I did kind of promise that to her on Friday… And, since Miura has already roped Yuigahama in, I don't want her to feel like she's been left out on purpose… Ugh, I should have probably told them sooner. I'll just have to hope Yukinoshita won't take it badly. No, she'll understand, I'm sure. I have that much trust in her. "I'll… assume you told Yuigahama about Hayama?" Miura nodded to me in response. "I won't tell Yukinoshita about what happened, but once she knows that I've been helping you essentially work against him… Well, I'm sure based on what she knows of Hayama's request and the rumour floating around about you two, she'll be able to put two and two together rather easily." Miura stretched slightly, then leaned forwards as she let out a sigh.
"I'm fine with that. I… don't along with her at all, but… She shouldn't despise me enough to tell Hayato about what I'm planning, right?" Miura looked towards me, her expression slightly pleading, and I shook my head at her. Yukinoshita isn't like that. She may be fiercely competitive and hates losing, but spite is too petty for her.
"Those two… They've known each other since before coming to Soubu, right?" Ebina now spoke up, her gaze landing on me, and I nodded to her, then lowered my gaze to my coffee.
"Their families are on good terms with each other, and thus, they've known each other since they were young. That's all I know." Which means that there are things in her past that he knows, but others don't. And vice versa. Well, I'm sure the Devil Superwoman Haruno knows both their secrets, having been there to watch it all.
"Just another thing Hayato has kept hidden from us all this time..." Miura muttered to herself, and I saw her grip on her cup of tea tightening. I can't even begin to imagine all the things Miura has had going through her mind ever since she began to realize what Hayama has been doing all this time, but one thing I know for certain as that she must feel hurt. Slowly coming to the realization that the person you believed you loved doesn't care for you, and has simply used you… It makes me feel bad for her, and only increases my distaste for Hayama.
"At least you now see him for what he truly is, Miura." I said, and the blonde lifted her gaze to meet mine. "I've… said it before, but… I think trying to get Hayama to open up to the rest of you will be a fool's errand. In a way… I can kind of understand him – wanting to keep others away, closing himself from them. But, we are not the same." And neither is he the same as Yukinoshita. And I know he knows that. "Our reasons, and ways of doing do, are fundamentally different. Hayama is weak, but you've shown yourself to be strong, Miura. And in this cruel, twisted world…" I lifted my hands and formed them into the shape of an open maw, keeping them still just above my cup of coffee. "...It is the strong that devour the weak." Going for a dramatic finish, I snapped the maw formed by my hands shut, held it tight for a few moments, then rested my hands back on the table. That was cool, wasn't it? I've always wanted to say something like that… Eh? Why are you two looking at me with those dumbfounded expressions? D-don't tell me I've just done a Zaimokuza… I-it was a cool line, r-right?
"Ahahahaa!" Miura burst out laughing after a few seconds of silence, and a giggle followed from Ebina, prompting me to look away from both of them. Yeah yeah, laugh all you want. I thought it was a cool line, alright?
"...I see now that Yumiko wasn't lying when she said you were more amusing than any of us could believe, Hikigaya-kun." Ebina said as Miura stifled her own laughter, the meganekko smiling at me warmly. "And I don't mean that in a negative way." Ebina lifted her own cup to take a sip, and I averted my gaze from her as I awkwardly scratched my cheek, my eyes landing on Miura opposite to me.
"Haah… What the heck, Hikio. Just like that, you manage to drive away my sour mood once again." Miura said as she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, once again showing me her Geneva Convetion-breaking smile – and I would be lying if it didn't bring a slight heat to my cheeks.
"...It's not like I did anything special, just said what was on my mind..." Seeing Miura gaze at me with an almost dreamy look in her eyes and a healthy blush – likely resulting from her laughing fit – on her face, I had to look away again, feeling my heart rate increasing. What the hell, woman? Stop looking at me like that! You're being far too vulnerable there – any other guy would have gotten the wrong idea! Feeling the need to put the conversation back on its original track, I turned back to Ebina and cleared my throat. "Anyway, I also wanted to ask about that rumour you fabricated to counter the one about Miura and Hayama. What… exactly was it about, Ebina?" The girl on my right pushed up her glasses and smiled – though there was a wickedness in it compared to the one she had just a moment ago.
"Heh heh… So Yumiko didn't tell you about it? It was quite an ingenious plan, if I do say so myself." Well, it was my plan in the first place, but you took your own approach to it.
"...I was told it would spread like wildfire, eliminating the rumour about Miura, but without any of the negative effects that my original plan would have had." I said to Ebina, who seemed to look quite proud of herself.
"Quite correct, Hikigaya-kun. You thought that the only way to achieve quick spreading of a rumour was to make it a nasty one about someone, but given that the rumour only had to spread amongst the girls, you forgot one key detail." Ebina stared me square in the eye and lifted up her index finger. "...The overwhelming power of BL!"
…
"...What?" I refused to believe that I had heard her correctly, and heard a sigh coming from Miura.
"That was my first reaction when she proposed her idea." Miura brought a hand up to her face and rubbed her temple. "But, from what we could tell on Friday, it worked, and Ebina has confirmed that the rumour she planted is still alive and well even now when it's the weekend. I… can't doubt it's efficiency." ...Scary. I don't even know what the rumour was precisely about, but… Scary.
"Fufufu… Do not be like that, Yumiko. Deep down, all girls love BL. You just have to embrace it." Ebina paused briefly to drink from her cup again, then pointed towards Miura. "You always refused or made up an excuse before whenever I was attempting to show you its beauty – but no more! You want us all to open up to each other more, and this will be me opening up to you. There's no refusing this time, Yumiko." Miura shuddered at her friend's words, then let out a sigh of defeat, but before she could reply, Ebina reached out to her with a hand and smiled, continuing in a much lower, but also softer tone of voice. "...I've never truly showed any of you the extent of my hobbies, and I would very much like to do so. As long as you let me do that, Yumiko, I'll be happy. You can think whatever you want about them and me afterwards." Miura's eyes widened as she looked at Ebina, before she smiled back at her, placing her other hand on top of Ebina's.
"Of course, Hina. I already told you, didn't I? Whatever it is I find inside, I will accept it." Ebina nodded to Miura with a smile, and I felt a smile of my own forming on my face as I looked at the scene. Look at me, getting all sentimental over something like this. And here I thought that years of watching Anime would have hardened me more… Well, I guess I am kind of happy for them. They're casting aside their old bonds that weighed them down like iron chains, and forging something else together. Something…
...Something real.
All of a sudden, I felt the urge to look away from the girls.
Could… Could this really be it..? The genuine, real thing I wished for… Being completely open and honest with those who you consider your friends. No secrets, no lies, just cold, hard honesty and being yourself…
It's almost painful how simple it sounds.
I didn't really know what I was seeking when I voiced my… request for Yukinoshita and Yuigahama that day, but I had hoped I could find it with them. I still don't know what exactly it would be, other than that it would be painful – truth and honesty always is. The club and its members are precious to me, I cannot deny that fact, but did I trust them with all my heart? Was... what Miura wanted to do with her clique exactly what I had been looking for?
But… opening up to another person fully is not an easy feat. Miura and Ebina have begun to open up to each other, but it will be a while before they can be fully honest with each other. So… what about me, then? Being fully honest and open with those closest to me, for a chance at reaching the genuine thing – is that something I'm capable of? Or rather, is it something I am ready for? After all, if I were to completely open up to those closest to me, to completely put my trust into them…
...I would have to be honest about my feelings.
Taking a long swig of my coffee to wash away the uneasy feelings I had, I found my gaze landing on Miura, taking in her features as she now spoke with Ebina – I wasn't paying enough attention to make out what about. If… If I do end up doing something like Miura is doing right now… Would she be one of the ones I would… open up to? Certainly, Miura is adamant about us being friends, and staying that way even after this deal with her clique has been resolved. I do not hate her company myself, and I must admit that the new side I've seen of her is not only admirable, but even somewhat… attractive. Not that I didn't believe Miura to be that before, but previously it was only based on her physical attributes. My grip around my cup tightened, and I looked down into the remaining coffee still in it. What am I even thinking about? Get yourself together, Hachiman. This isn't what you came here today for. But… I lifted my gaze again, happening to meet Miura's green eyes as she looked in my direction. ...Maybe helping Miura like this will benefit me. I'm still unsure what exactly the real and genuine I longed for in my selfish request is, but perhaps observing Miura will be the key to finding that out.
"Oh, right, sorry, Hikio" Miura suddenly addressed me, pulling me out of my thoughts, and I raised an eyebrow at her. "We didn't actually say what the rumour was, right? I'm sure we must not have made a lot of sense just then..."
"...Knowing it somehow ties into the fantasies of that fujoshi, I'm not even sure if I want to hear anything more..." I replied and gestured towards Ebina, pushing my thoughts to the back of my head. Maybe when I've seen this through, I will have gained a clarity that will allow me to act.
"Oh, it's nothing too bad, Hikigaya-kun." Ebina said with a smile, meeting my eyes with her own. "All I said was that there might have been something that someone saw happening in the classroom during lunch break between Hayama Hayato and… another boy."
"...I don't think I need any more information." Ebina let out a slight giggle at my remark. I can see how that rumour would work, though. Even if only half the girls were like Ebina, it would still spread very quickly, and given that the rumour was about Hayama, even the girls who weren't into BL would be interested… "I'm guessing then that the 'certain someone the rumour could have a negative effect on depending on how they handled it' that Miura mentioned in her message to me on Friday is Hayama?" Ebina nodded to me in reply, taking a quick sip of her drink.
"Like Yumiko said, he's gone for this weekend, so he'll come back to a surprise on Monday, after rumour has settled in. I doubt he'd be able to ignore the rumour, as he'll have to do something about it in order to preserve his position and reputation. Because we planted the rumour before the one about Yumiko and Hayato got to spread amongst us girls, it should die out while he deals with the new one." Ebina explained to me, and I nodded to her in return. I see. So, in essence, it is basically my plan, but executed differently. It is still a fake rumour that has negative effects on the subject – Hayama – but those effects aren't as drastic as they could have been. And while Hayama will no doubt be displeased about this rumour, he shouldn't be able to pinpoint it back to us that easily. He might suspect me, given that he made to request for the club, but that's nothing I can't handle myself. Ebina might be his next suspect, but he should still be under the belief that she is on his side. And she is likely prepared for the possibility that he suspects she is not.
"Well, this should hopefully solve the immediate problem of the rumour, then. Miura managed to get Yuigahama on her side, so now you have three more members of your clique left." I said and leaned back in my seat, my eyes meeting first those of Ebina, before moving to Miura. "So, what's your plan next? Tobe? Something else? We came here to discuss our plans, so let's throw some ideas out."
The next twenty minutes or so seemed to go by quickly as the three of us discussed our plans moving forward (I had come to accept the fact that Miura would continue to rely on me for help, and I couldn't bring myself to refuse her now). The girls agreed that Tobe should be their next "target", given that Ebina believed the other two – Ooka and Yamato – to be the most likely ones to abandon the clique altogether over truly opening up to the rest of them. They had always been the most distant ones in the clique, and neither Ebina or Miura could say that the truly knew them personally. Still, Miura said she wanted to at least try, as they could very well also simply be victims of Hayama and his manipulation.
The first real problem came in the form of how it would be best to approach Tobe – both literally and metaphorically. Miura knew that his family had a business of some sort that he helped out with every now and then, but apart from that, she had no idea how he spent his free time when not with the clique. And when he was with the clique, he was almost stitched to Hayama's side, making it difficult to get him into a one-on-one situation like Miura had done with Ebina and Yuigahama. Not only that, but Tobe was also – put very nicely – an idiot (which all of us agreed on without hesitation). He wasn't a bad guy, but he wasn't smart and lacked the social skills of Yuigahama and Ebina. He can't read the atmosphere as well as they can, nor can he read between the lines, so he is oblivious to the status quo that their clique had been keeping up all this time. To the simple-minded Tobe, his friendships with the others seemed like they were real, and it was this simple-mindedness that Hayama exploited – and it was also the reason Miura was sceptical about simply straight up telling him what she had realized like she had done with Ebina and Yuigahama.
Still, we all knew Tobe would have to be the next one on the list, but the girls agreed to put the subject on hold until they could get Yuigahama's input on the matter. I also made a suggestion about baiting out Hayama's true self in a way that would make Tobe aware of it, but it was deemed too risky right now, as it might backfire onto us if Hayama caught wind of it. At that point, Ebina brought up the fact that Hayama might also get suspicious if the two of them started to act all friendly with me all of a sudden, like Miura wished to do, and I agreed that it was a genuine concern. As long as I got the chance to tell Yuigahama and Yukinoshita of my involvement with Miura, I didn't mind them knowing we'd become… friends, but Hayama was already suspicious of the two of us having some connection, so if Miura suddenly announced that we'd become closer… Only bad things could come of it.
Miura understood the risks, but she didn't want to have to "hide" our friendship any more, especially now that I was going to tell the Service Club about it as well. Ebina suggested that we could act as if she had been the one to properly introduce us to each other, given that Hayama was likely aware that Ebina and I had talked in the past, but I was still sceptical about the whole thing. We were only able to get this far because Hayama didn't suspect Miura, and revealing that she now considered me to be her friend could jeopardize all of her plans. Miura was oddly stubborn about the issue, though, and I ended up reluctantly agreeing, but made her promise to act as we had so far until I could tell the girls in the Service Club, which she agreed to.
Before even realized it, our half an hour in the cubicle had run out, and, not feeling like paying extra for another, we decided to leave the cafe behind. Seeing as my little outing with them hadn't taken that long, I intended to get back home as soon as possible to enjoy the rest of my Sunday, but it seemed Miura had other plans.
"Right, well… I'll take my leave now." I spoke up once we walked out of the cafe, and both the girls stopped to look back at me. "I mean, there's still plenty of Sunday left, and I did have some plans, so..." I averted my gaze as the two of them continued looking at me. Like… Well, I guess I could finish that route in the VN I started last weekend, since Zaimokuza gifted it to me and seemed eager to hear my reaction. And I could stop by the book store on the way… Oh, and I'll need to find that novel for Yukinoshita… I-I totally have plans, I'm not just trying to come up with things on the spot!
"What, like, staying inside all day? Live a little, Hikio!" I turned back once I head Miura's voice, and saw her walking back to me, and before I could react, she had grabbed onto my arm. "Come on, you were invited out by a girl, and I'm not going to just let you waltz off at the earliest chance!" Miura was glaring at me, though I didn't sense any animosity behind it. ...Oi, why are you making it sound like a date? You invited Ebina, too! "...Well… If you really had something planned, Hikio… I'll let you go. I just… wanted to repay you for your help again." Miura's grip on my arm loosened a little, and she turned her head away, her gaze directed downwards. I had seen a similar thing multiple times in the past from my little sister (or, more recently, from Isshiki), and knew it to be an attempt at provoking my older brother instincts, but right now, I felt like I could sense sincerity in Miura's tone. In other words, she wasn't simply trying to manipulate me to agree.
"...Well, I suppose they aren't that urgent… I can handle them later tonight, so as long as we don't stay until it gets dark… It should be fine." I awkwardly rubbed the back of my head with my free hand while Miura looked back up at me, then smiled widely at me. The food Miura paid for on Thursday was enough compensation already, but I don't think I'll be able to stop her from showing her gratitude. Hmph, she gets all stubborn about the weirdest things...
"Alright, thanks, Hikio. You won't regret going shopping with me!" Miura said with a giggle, then began to drag me towards Ebina, who looked at the scene with amusement. Okay, I do in fact immediately regret this! Please stop dragging me like that, you'll make people stare, and then they'll get the wrong idea! Ugh, I knew waking up today was a mistake!
After some grumbling, Miura agreed to let me walk on my own, and she and Ebina lead me to a clothing store on the same floor as the cafe. As we made our way through the crowds of people, the thought that someone among them could be from Soubu and recognize us kept nagging at me. I'm trusting Miura when she says no-one we know happens to be here, but I'm still uneasy… Well, I guess since Miura doesn't want to keep our… friendship a secret any more, it should be fine, and we have Ebina's plan as well, but… I really don't want Yukinoshita or Yuigahama finding out about this before I tell them.
Simply accepting that I had dug this hole for myself for not telling the girls earlier, I held back an incoming sigh and walked with Miura and Ebina into the clothing store. This particular store seemed to be full of winter clothes, though that might have just been due to the season. The girls chatted away as they compared the various articles of clothing that were on display, while I tried to distract myself from the eyes I could feel on myself from time to time by doing the same. I don't really know what you're supposed to do when shopping like this. If I go buy clothes, I usually just buy whatever I pick up first that fits and isn't too expensive, or then just order stuff online. The internet is super handy like that – you don't even have to leave the safety of your own home to shop for daily necessities!
"Hikio." Upon hearing her voice, I turned to look at Miura, placing the coat I had looked at back on its place as I did so. "Does this look good on me, do you think?" Miura held a white-and-blue winter coat with fuzzy cuffs and a hood in front of her, and I let my gaze wander up and down it for a few moments. The colour scheme reminds me of Yukinoshita… It might look good on her, though with her looks, anything looks good. Or is that just my feelings for her talking?
"...Sure, it looks fine. And, weren't you doing this so you could… buy something… for me, right?" I replied, now suddenly unable to look Miura in the eye. That was surprisingly embarrassing to say…
"I-I'm getting to that! And, I won't accept that generic compliment. I want to know how you think it really looks on me." Miura stared at me with her brows knitted together, though she wasn't quite glaring at me. What for, though? Just ask Ebina, she knows more about this stuff than I do… Seeing as the blonde wasn't moving an inch, clearly waiting for me to fulfil her request, I let out a sigh. Fine, whatever. Well, I think Miura is definitely in the same boat as Yukinoshita, in that she would also look good in just about anything she wore, be it an oversized woolly shirt or a ball dress, but…
"...I think your current one looks better." I replied and gestured to Miura's red winter coat, which was draped over her arm, which she now also shifted her gaze to. "It's… I don't know… It fits you well, I think. And… looks very… pretty on you." I scratched my cheek awkwardly and looked away, feeling quite embarrassed at the situation. "...I'm not the best person to ask about this stuff, and I'm not good at compliments or anything like that, so..." Stealing a glance at Miura, I could see a slight blush on her cheeks as she smiled at me.
"It's okay. Thanks, Hikio." Miura replied and then looked at the white coat she had initially asked me about. "I think I'll keep what I have, then." Miura shifted her gaze back to me and smiled again. Uh, okay..? I still think Ebina would be a better judge when it comes to clothing, but she seemed very insistent on knowing what I thought of it… "Oh, but I will need to buy some gloves… Could you help with that, Hikio? I'm sure you'll know which kind would be the best."
"Uh, sure." Though it's not like I'm an expert or anything…
The selection of gloves available was bigger than in any store I'd seen previously, and Miura – with my help as she had requested – ended up buying a relatively cheap pair from the same brand as my own gloves were. Despite their low cost, they had served me well for quite some time, and Miura seemed happy with them. Afterwards, we scouted the clothing store for something that Miura could buy me as a "thank-you gift and a sign of our friendship" (her own words), and I settled on having her buy me a new scarf. I was quite content with my current one, but didn't want to refuse her kindness, so I figured something like this would work. The scarf Miura bought for me had a plaid pattern of darkish green and black colouring, with thin yellow stripes throughout it. The colours were somewhat muted, so it didn't stand out as flashy, and the material was as thick – if not a tiny bit thicker – than my current scarf, so it would keep me warm. Coincidentally, Miura bought a scarf with an identical design, but slightly different colours – the same darkish green, but with dark red as the secondary colour and black stripes – for herself, stating that her current scarf was starting to get old. In the corner of my eye, I saw Ebina grinning at the two of us as we chose our scarves, but ignored her. While I did find Miura gifting me something like this not entirely necessary, I could tell she was serious about being friends with me, so who am I to deny her that? It's not like there's some deeper meaning to it.
Plus, it was a nice scarf.
After we were done with the clothing store, Miura and Ebina wanted to visit a couple more places in the shopping centre, and I ended up following with them. Before long, it had already been over an hour, and all of our legs were in dire need of some rest, so we decided to have a short break. We made our way to where the public restroom was, and as I was the quickest to be done there, I sat down on a bench just outside to wait for the girls to finish. Haah… this has certainly been an unexpected way to spend my Sunday. But… I lifted up a plastic bag with the logo of the first clothing store we visited, and couldn't help the smile that appeared on my face. It hasn't been so bad, I suppose. Doesn't quite beat staying within the confines of my own home, but it's far from the worst way to spend time.
"Oh, I guess I was quicker than Hina." Miura's voice alerted me to her presence, and I looked up to see her glancing around, before she sat down next to me. Oi, your leg is touching mine. P-personal space, woman! "It's been a while since I've had this much fun on a shopping trip..." Miura said and stretched, completely oblivious to my inner turmoil. Just calm down, Hachiman. Since when have you allowed something like this shake you? It's just Miura, don't let your thoughts wander. "...And it's thanks to you, Hikio." I turned my gaze to look at Miura, and saw her smiling at me. ...Okay, that isn't helping.
"...I know you think somewhat highly of me now, but I wouldn't go that far." I replied and looked forwards again, and Miura lightly nudged me with her elbow.
"And I've told you time and time again that you don't think highly enough of yourself, Hikio. You've… quite honestly saved me. Well, maybe that's making things overly dramatic, but… I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been there on Monday. And I do like, genuinely e-enjoy spending time with you, so..." I glanced at Miura, and she began to twirl a strand of her hair around her index finger, her gaze directed away from me. Saved her, huh…
"I think you did that all by yourself, Miura." The girl sitting next to me rapidly spun her head to look at me, her eyes wide with confusion. "You're strong, Miura. You wouldn't have done what you did if you weren't – I've said this before. It is true that I have helped you – how much exactly we clearly disagree on, but that isn't my point – but the one who has taken all the steps forward has been you. You had the strength to save yourself right from the start, you just needed someone to show that to you." I turned my head to face Miura, and froze in place, as our faces were closer than I had expected. Ah…
Anyone at Soubu would easily agree when I say that Miura Yumiko is beautiful. She is one of the few who can compete with Yukinoshita Yukino in terms of physical appeal, though people with different preferences may find certain… attributes of theirs more or less attractive. Suffice it to say, I am no different when it comes to acknowledging that Miura is indeed attractive.
So when said girl is staring right into my eyes, her lips slightly parted as if she had been about to say something, with very little distance between our faces, it's completely understandable that my heart would start beating quite a bit faster and my body would start to feel hotter. Not even my feelings for Yukinoshita can stop a completely normal natural reaction – nothing more to it.
Right?
"A-ah, sorry." Miura was the first to speak, moving her head back, her face now flushed, and I turned away as well, my own cheeks feeling hot as well. T-this girl… Being with her is starting to seem to be as dangerous as being with Yukinoshita… The Ice Queen has left the defences of my heart in shambles, so I need to be careful. At least it's not like I could develop similar feelings for a second girl… I stole a quick glance at Miura, but had to look away almost immediately. No, that stuff only happens in Light Novels and Anime. This is just a physical response, so I need to calm down. Deep breaths, Hachiman. A few silent moments passed, before Miura cleared her throat, and I warily looked back at her, but didn't turn my head this time. "You… say those kind words, Hikio, but… I'm not as strong as you think I am..." I saw Miura biting her lip, and her tone of voice was lower than before. The atmosphere from just a moment ago is completely different… Looking at Miura, I felt my onii-chan instincts flaring up, before she took a deep breath and turned to me again, her face serious but her eyes slightly watery. "Can I… confide in you with something, Hikio?"
"..." I stayed silent as I looked Miura in the eye, and seeing the weakness in them, I gave her a small nod in reply. This is… clearly something she hasn't told anyone else, and she's putting enough trust in me to tell me about it. I felt my hand holding onto the plastic bag clenching into a fist. Why… does that make me feel… happy?
"I… My..." Miura bit her lip again as she tried to find the words, before letting out a sigh. "...My family. They're..." Miura's voice was quiet, and her hands laid on her lap, unmoving until her fingers curled inwards.
"Ah, here you are! Sorry, I took a little long." Ebina's sudden voice caused both me and Miura to look towards the girl, who had just appeared from the restroom. "Hm? Did I interrupt something?" Ebina tilted her head in confusion as her eyes flicked between us, and Miura shook her head as a reply.
"No, you didn't. We should continue." Miura stood up and looked at me, while I raised an eyebrow at her. "I… I'll tell you another time, sorry, Hikio." She said and I gave her a slow nod in response. "It seems… I'm not quite ready yet..." Miura muttered under her breath, and Ebina looked at her friend with curiosity.
"So… I did interrupt something..?" Ebina questioned as I stood up, and Miura smiled at her in return.
"I'll tell you in time, Hina. Let's just continue with our shopping trip, now." Ebina eyed the blonde in front of her for a few moments, then reached out to place a hand on her shoulder and smiled.
"Alright, if you say so. Where to next, then?"
Whatever mood had taken over Miura when she was about to tell me something about her family seemed to dissolve as we continued to go around the shopping centre, and Ebina didn't bring up the topic after her initial curiosity. The topic had clearly troubled Miura, and I figured that it was one of the things she hadn't told to the others. Her family… There are an infinite number of possibilities for what could have come after her "they're".
Distant.
Cold.
Demanding.
Abusive.
I wouldn't want to think that the last one is true, but… Considering she seemingly hasn't told anyone else, and the fact that she was clearly not comfortable talking about it…
I shunted the most negative thoughts away, but couldn't get rid of a certain feeling nagging at the back of my mind. Miura was someone closer to me than most people, that much I could admit, and I did somewhat… care for her. So, now knowing that the source of what might have caused her to be hurt in the past, like I had suspected, had the possibility of being her own family…
Quite frankly, if it was true, it made me angry at her family, despite not even knowing them or their circumstances. It was selfish of me, but I couldn't help it. Of course, I could be wrong, but I could tell without Miura even telling me anything that her home life must not have been all sunshine. In the best case scenario, her situation was like mine – distant parents, but not voluntarily so. And the worst case scenario… I didn't want to think about it. Still… to think that I would come to feel this way about the one and only Fire Queen of Soubu High… I've gone soft. Having been absent-mindedly following the girls, I wasn't sure which store we were at, but I found my gaze wandering to Miura as she talked with Ebina. Keeping my gaze on her for a few seconds, I smiled to myself and looked away.
Well, maybe that's not such a bad thing.
"Tadaima."
"Ah! Welcome home, Onii-chan! You were out for a surprisingly long time – suuuuuuspicious~!"
"Haah… Give me a break. I just went and checked out some things I had to do. Can you save the questions for later? Onii-chan would love to answer anything you want to ask about how I spend my free time, but right now I need to rest for a little bit. I'll be up in my room."
The shuffling of clothing, the rustle of a plastic bag, followed by lazy footsteps coming closer, before they abruptly stop, and the culprit behind all of these sounds looks me in the eyes, now seemingly frozen in place.
"Good afternoon, Hikigaya-kun."
I gently place my cup of tea back down on the kotatsu and smile, finding quite a bit of amusement in Hikigaya's expression of utter bewilderment. Ah, I want to burn the memory of that expression into my mind...
"...Yuki… noshita..?" Hikigaya managed to say after a few moments of silence, his surprise at seeing me clearly evident on in his voice and on his face.
"Ara, it seems your rotten eyes are still capable of seeing. I suppose welcoming you back home would be appropriate, yes?" Komachi walked past her brother and returned to sit just to the right of me.
"What… are you doing here?" Hikigaya seemed to finally snap out of his stupor, and walked over to us, scanning the various books and other study material on the kotatsu with his gaze.
"Yukino-san came to help me study! She's been suuuuuper helpful with my entrance exam prep." Komachi explained as she leaned over the kotatsu, while Hikigaya's eyes flicked between her and me.
"We did discuss this on Friday, did we not? I had some free time today, and Nee-san wasn't around, so I contacted Komachi-chan and came here to help her." I continued after her. Though, my true motives for coming here were different. "When I arrived, your sister told me that you had left the house after waking up uncharacteristically early, so we took the chance to study out here rather than in her room." I continued my explanation. I was rather looking forwards to seeing Hikigaya-kun, and was surprised to hear that he was not home… My eyes flicked to the bag Hikigaya was carrying with him. I wonder where he has been..?
...And with whom?
"Ah, I… see. Sorry, I didn't expect that you'd come here on a weekend like this, Yukinoshita." Hikigaya said and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Komachi, are… Mum and dad home?" Hmm… I might be overthinking things – Hikigaya-kun would more than likely have gone out on his own rather than with someone else.
"Dad is still sleeping upstairs, or at least he hasn't shown himself yet, and Okaa-san left a while ago – apparently an old friend had showed up in town and wanted to meet. Oh, but you should have seen her face when Yukino-san walked in before she left! She had to down two cups of coffee before she believed that she was awake and not dreaming." Komachi was giggling to herself as she recalled her mother's reaction to my arrival, while Hikigaya let out a sigh. Yes, she was quite surprised to see me. I tried to make a good first impression – she will eventually become my mother-in-law, after all.
"...I hope you didn't say anything that would have given her the wrong idea..." Hikigaya said with exasperation in his voice as his sister grinned at him.
"You need not worry, Hikigaya-kun. I made it very clear that our relationship is that of clubmates, and that I was here today only in order to tutor Komachi-chan." I said to Hikigaya with a slight smile and picked up my cup of tea again to take a sip. As much as I wanted to say something else to her, now is not the time. I must take my time to make Hikigaya-kun realize that we are meant to be. "And speaking of tutoring, should we get back to it, Komachi-chan? We've made advances in Mathematics, but you wanted some help with English as well, correct?" I turned to look at Komachi, meeting her eyes with my own. Now, if all goes according to how I've planned…
"Hmmm… I think I need to have a break, though..." Indeed, for I have made sure you've studied harder than perhaps necessary.
"Oh? Is that so? Well, I suppose breaks are necessary when studying. I've read that going for a walk to clear one's head is beneficial for a good study session. It will allow you to review what you learned before when you come back as well." I brought a hand to my chin and looked upwards, seeing a big smile appearing on Komachi's face in the corner of my eye.
"That's a great idea, Yukino-san!" Komachi said and sprung up to her feet. "Oh, I know! How about while I have my break, you can have Onii-chan keep you company?" Hikigaya's eyes widened at his sister's declaration, while I had to suppress the smile that was threatening to form on my face. Komachi-chan's eagerness to have her older brother spend time with girls comes in handy, now. I'll need to figure out some way of having her refrain from doing so with anyone other than myself, though...
"Wait, Komachi, hold on-" Hikigaya tried to protest, but his sister cut him off before he could say anything.
"I'm not letting you refuse." The younger Hikigaya sibling took a step forwards and glared at her older brother. "Would you leave our guest unattended while I'm having a break, Gomi-chan?" Hikigaya seemed to flinch back at his sister's words, and he averted his gaze from her.
"Well, I wouldn't, but..." Hikigaya muttered something under his breath as he scratched his cheek, then turned to look at me. "Are you… fine with this, Yukinoshita?" Momentarily, I was surprised by his question, but then felt a smile on my face. Oh, Hikigaya-kun, of course you would first think of me in a situation such as this…
"I am not opposed to it, Hikigaya-kun. As long as you don't get any weird ideas, that is." I said to Hikigaya with a playful smile, conveying to him that I had no ill intentions. My Hikigaya-kun is not that kind of person, but… Well, I wouldn't be opposed to that either.
"And there you have it~! Komachi's going to clean all this up, and then go out for a bit, so you two can have some time for yourselves!" Komachi said and began to pile up her books, while I drank down the rest of my tea.
"Eh? Wouldn't it be fine to just… wait for you to come back down here..?" Komachi sighed at her brother's question as I lowered the cup from my lips, before she moved up to her brother again and leaned closer to him.
"Can't you take a hint? Stupid Onii-chan… I'm giving you a perfect opportunity, here! Just go for it, I'm rooting for you!" His sister whispered to him, though it was loud enough for me to hear perfectly – on purpose, I assumed. She is right, it is a perfect opportunity, which is exactly why I planned all this out. I hadn't prepared for Hikigaya-kun not being home, but I managed to turn that to my advantage. Now I just need to help him get closer to realizing that he belongs with me. "Ah, Yukino-san, I'll take care of your cup." Komachi said to me as she turned around and saw that I had finished my tea.
"Yes, thank you, Komachi-chan." I stood up and handed her the cup. "We'll continue the tutoring session afterwards, then?" Though I am fine with it if we don't, as that would mean I get to spend more time with Hikigaya-kun.
"Yeah, I'll call for you when I'm back! Now, go, go!" Komachi began to usher me away from the kotatsu until I was stood next to Hikigaya.
"Ah, well… Lead the way, I guess, Hikigaya-kun?" Our eyes met, but only briefly, as Hikigaya turned away from me. Is he… feeling embarrassed, I wonder..?
"S-sure." Hikigaya replied briefly, glanced back at his sister, then started to walk towards the stairs, and I followed after him. As we made our way up the stairs, I tried to peek into the plastic bag he was carrying, but couldn't see what was inside of it. The logo on it doesn't feel familiar, but… a clothing store, perhaps? So he went out to buy some new clothes, then? "...Sorry about that. Komachi gets all excited any time she sees a girl in my general vicinity, so… I'm sorry she roped you into this." Hikigaya said as he stopped in front of a door I presumed lead to his room.
"Don't worry, Hikigaya-kun. We both understand that this is a social visit, yes? You've visited the apartment Nee-san and I live in, so I don't see a problem with this." I replied, and Hikigaya glanced back at me, his hand resting on the door handle. Now that I think about it… I really am about to enter his room, huh? Suddenly, I could feel myself getting all nervous, my heart starting to beat faster in my chest. Just calm down, Yukino. Act natural. There's no need to be nervous, but I'll also have to be careful so I don't lose control and go to the other end of the spectrum…
"..Right. Well, uh… C-come in." Hikigaya turned the handle and pushed the door open, reaching for the light switch as he stepped inside. Calm. Calm. Right, here we go. After a deep breath, I followed after him.
Hikigaya's room was neater than I had expected, with some clothes I could see strewn on the bed and resting on the back of a chair being the only things that stuck out to me. Next to a desk with a computer on it, a large bookshelf – though not as large as the one I had seen downstairs – immediately caught my attention. Rows of novels were neatly organized on the topmost shelves, while the bottom one seemed to be reserved for Manga, from what I could see. This must be his collection...
Hikigaya walked over to the bed and dropped the plastic bag onto it, before reaching to pick up the bits of clothing on the bed and on the chair, moving to stuff them into a cupboard on the far side of the room. After finishing his "clean-up", he turned to me again and awkwardly scratched his cheek, not quite meeting my eyes with his own.
"So, uhh… You can… take a seat, or something. Oh, and close the door, please." Upon hearing his words, I blinked (for the first time since I had stepped inside, I realized) and quickly nodded to him, then turned to close the door. Ah, I'm alone with Hikigaya-kun in his room… Calm down, heart. This is what you wanted, right, Yukino? Turning back around, I saw Hikigaya had moved next to the bed again, and I walked up to him as he reached into the plastic bag he had carried in with him.
"You… went out to buy something this morning?" I asked, and Hikigaya froze for a moment, before he pulled out a book from the bag. The cover featured a girl with black hair sporting white ribbons and reddish eyes in a questionable state of dress. ...I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but…
"Something like that, yeah." Hikigaya replied and took out another object from the plastic bag, this time a dark green and black plaid scarf, and I noticed that for the briefest moment, his lips curled into a smile. "Actually… There is… something I need to tell you." Hikigaya walked over to his desk, placing the novel on it and neatly folding the scarf next to it. Something… he needs to tell me? Could this..? "Before that… do you want something to drink, or..?" Hikigaya turned back to me and pointed a finger at the door, and I shook my head at him.
"No, I am quite fine. Komachi-chan made some tea for me earlier, so I am not thirsty." Hikigaya nodded to me, then walked back over to his bed, sitting down on it.
"Alright, well… You can sit down, like I said." Hikigaya gestured to the bed, then to the chair at his desk, his gaze directed away from me. His bed… Let's not go too far ahead. I took a deep breath and sat down on his bed, keeping a bit of distance between us, though Hikigaya seemed to still tense up slightly as I sat down.
"What… did you want to tell me about?" I asked after a few moments had passed and turned to look at Hikigaya, who met my eyes briefly, before shifting his gaze to the scarf on his desk, then lowering his gaze again.
"Remember when I told you that I had been… working on something? On Friday?" I recalled the things we had talked about on Friday during club, then nodded in response. Yes, he said that when I asked if something was troubling him… I thought it might have been a repeat of what happened during christmas, when Isshiki dug her claws into him. "Well, you see… I… I've actually undertaken a request from someone on my own… again." Hikigaya finally met my gaze again, looking at me apologetically. So I was correct, then. "B-before you get mad, let me explain. I relates to the request Hayama made on Monday." Hikigaya raised his hands up in front of his chest defensively as he looked at me, pausing in his explanation.
"Don't tell me you accepted his request on your own?" Hikigaya shook his head at me in response. "Who made this request, then?" Hikigaya's eyes flicked towards his desk again, before he took a deep breath and looked me in the eyes again.
"I happened to meet Miura by chance on Monday during lunch break, and then again on Tuesday. She requested me to help her with opposing Hayama and the stagnating status quo he holds up, so she and her clique can open up to each other and truly become friends." Hikigaya explained. Miura-san… I see. It all makes sense, now. Miura-san was the one who had interrupted his peaceful lunch breaks, not Hiratsuka-sensei. And why Hayama-kun was suspicious of them having talked... I am slightly disappointed in Hikigaya-kun, but I can forgive him. But Miura-san… I felt my hands clenching into fists. "You… must be aware of the fact that Hayama is… acting in public, right? You've… known him for a long time, after all." Hikigaya averted his gaze again, and I let out a sigh.
"You could say that, yes. I will clarify, Hikigaya-kun, we weren't that close in the past, but the current Hayama-kun is not too far off from how he used to act. However, you are correct in saying that he is not being truthful about himself to those around him – Hayama-kun is very much like Nee-san is in that regard. I can safely assume she was a major influence as to why he started putting on the mask and distancing himself from others." I brought a hand up to massage my temple as all sorts of memories returned to me, pushing them away. "I do want to ask, Hikigaya-kun… Why did you not tell us about this? You say Miura-san requested your help in working against Hayama-kun, but what does that actually entail?"
"Mostly… I've been giving her advice, being someone to bounce ideas off of. Miura specifically didn't want me to tell Yuigahama, as she wanted to do so herself, and you… Well, I believed that the request – or at least my part in it – would be over quickly. With the way things have gone with Miura, though… I now know that won't be the case." Hikigaya turned his body so he was facing me fully, then bowed deeply. "I apologize for not telling you or Yuigahama earlier, Yukinoshita. I… may also have not told you the truth regarding certain things, so I apologize for that as well. I did it all in order to not to betray the trust Miura put into me, I hope you understand." Hikigaya kept his head lowered, likely waiting for my answer. The trust that she put into him… I believed Hikigaya-kun and Miura-san did not get along very well with each other, so what caused this change..? I wouldn't have imagined that she would ask for his help. A feeling I was all too familiar with started to bubble up inside me, but I kept my calm.
"Raise your head, Hikigaya-kun." Hikigaya waited for a few moments before lifting his head, locking eyes with me as he did so. "I must admit, I am a little disappointed, perhaps even hurt, that you didn't tell about this sooner. But, I know what you're like. You are far too kind to reject someone who is earnest enough to request for your aid." I smiled at Hikigaya, who averted his gaze from me as I did. "So, did you tell me this just out of guilt, or do you need help with Miura-san's request?" I do not know what has been going on between Miura-san and Hikigaya-kun, or even how much they have talked, but… It won't do good to have my Hikigaya-kun spending too much time with her.
"I… don't think so, no. Not right now, at least. Miura is trying to convince the members of her clique to open up to her and each other and be honest, because she fears that if they don't, their fake friendships will fall apart upon graduation. She's already gotten Ebina on her side, and she's now helping Miura with her plans. And… Yuigahama as well." Hikigaya scratched his cheek, his gaze flicking to me but never staying for long. So… I've been left for last? "Ah, but Yuigahama doesn't know that I've been helping Miura this past week, only that Miura is trying to change things in their clique. Apart from Ebina, you're... the first one who knows about my involvement." Well, I suppose that is a relief. Still, now that this has been brought to my attention, I must intervene. The influence of another girl can only be harmful to my Hikigaya-kun, and the more they interact, the higher the chance that Miura-san sees Hikigaya-kun for the wonderful person he truly is. From what I know of her, I would like to think she is too simple-minded and prejudiced to notice it, but… Considering she is now working against Hayama-kun, whom she previously quite obviously held dear… "Oh, and… I guess I should also say that… Miura… she considers me her friend, now. We've… gotten closer as I've helped her, you could say, and I've seen a new side to her. I know you two don't get along – I didn't either a week ago – but… there is much more to Miura than either of us thought." I jerked my head to look at Hikigaya, and he seemed to flinch as our eyes met.
"You… what?" Things clicked into place in my mind, and it was taking all of my willpower to stop my hands from shaking – with fury. Miura-san… The feeling deep within me began to rise to the forefront of my mind – it was the same feeling as when I realized Isshiki was trying get herself a piece of Hikigaya.
"Uh, w-well, like I said… She considers me a friend, now. That's… why I went out today." Hikigaya pointed towards the scarf on his table. "Miura called me in the morning and told me she wanted to discuss her plans, so I went to meet her. Ebina was there too, and they kind of dragged me around a shopping centre afterwards. I… wanted to let you know, so it doesn't come as a surprise if you saw her acting more friendly with me, or something..." On the outside, I was able to keep my calm, but my mind was churning at the thought of another girl – and not just any girl, but Miura Yumiko, who had always looked down on Hikigaya – leisurely spending time with him.
"...And is this… friendship something you agree to? I seem to recall there being quite a bit of opposition between the two of you in the past." I just about managed to keep my voice calm, though I knew my tone was colder than usual. Keep calm, Yukino. It is unacceptable that another, lesser girl would have the guts to spend time with Hikigaya-kun, but you have to keep calm. It wouldn't do good to show him anything that I will regret later.
"Er… Well, like I said… There is more to Miura than I initially believed. She… isn't so bad." Hikigaya looked away in embarrassment, rubbing the back of his neck as he did. "This is… really embarrassing. Just… Haah… She considers me her friend, and while I'm not… inclined to use quite the same terminology..." I see. Hikigaya-kun keeps a distance to other people, but there are those who he has warmed up to.
And it seems Miura-san has managed to worm her way to being one of those people.
Despicable.
Unacceptable.
There is only space for one other person to stand next to him as his equal.
Me.
Everyone else must learn this.
"I see." I said after a while of silence and looked forward, not focusing my gaze on anything in particular. I do not know what Miura-san is planning, but her opinion of Hikigaya-kun has clearly changed, so I must take action soon to ensure Hikigaya-kun does not stray from the path he is meant to walk. If Miura-san turns out to be a potential obstacle…
Well, for her own good, I hope that won't be the case.
"Um… Yukinoshita..?" Hearing Hikigaya's voice, I turned back to him, and once again conflicting feelings arose within me. What was I..? Ah, right… I knew I felt strongly about Hikigaya – we were meant to be, so how could I not – but even still, the extent of my own thoughts sometimes scared me. Though, perhaps scared wasn't the right term, as at the same time… I knew they were simply the truth. "Your… eyes… I could have sworn… Nevermind." I brought a hand up to my face and lightly touched my cheek. Hm? My… eyes..?
"Sorry, did I space out a little?" I asked with a tilt of my head from Hikigaya. My feelings had mellowed out from a moment ago, but an uneasiness accompanied by anger still boiled deep within me. I will need to learn more about Miura-san.
"Ah, it's fine. But… yeah, that's how it is. So… don't be surprised if you see Miura… well, actually talking to me, or something. I'm sorry, again, that I didn't tell you sooner. I'll be telling Yuigahama as well tomorrow." Hikigaya replied to me, and I relaxed myself, thanking my self-control in my mind.
"It is quite alright. You had your reasons, and you made an honest apology, so I can forgive you for this." I said with a smile, and Hikigaya let out a sigh of relief. "I can make the assumption that you will continue to help Miura-san with this, then?"
"Yeah, I will. She has Ebina and soon Yuigahama helping her already, but Miura… isn't going to let me walk away from this so easily." A slight smile made its way onto Hikigaya's face, and two conflicting feelings arose within me. Firstly, I knew wanted to see that smile of his more, but secondly… I felt something churning in my stomach as I realized that Miura was the one to have triggered it. "...And I don't really want to quit out now anyway. I've already promised to help Miura with this, so I might as well see it all the way through." ...And there's the protective kindness Hiratsuka-sensei spoke of. I can't speak ill of it, though, for it is one of the reasons I harbour these feelings towards him.
"Well, I suppose that is fine. If… you and Yuigahama are helping Miura-san with this already, then..." I do not want to leave Hikigaya-kun unattended with Miura-san.
"Ah, well… I think… it'll be up to Miura herself if she wants to ask you for help, but… I'll tell her you've offered it." I nodded in reply to Hikigaya, bringing a hand up to my temple briefly. That will be a good chance to observe Miura-san, and if necessary, tell her to back off from Hikigaya-kun. "So… is there… anything else you want to ask regarding Miura's request, or..?" Hikigaya asked from me after I had been silent for a time, his awkwardness clear in his voice.
"I think we can discuss things with Miura-san later. I can make the safe assumption that whatever happened between Miura-san and Hayama-kun on Monday is the catalyst for her wanting this change in her clique, yes?" Hikigaya nodded to me in reply, but didn't comment on it. A rejection still seems to be the most likely thing to have happened… "I won't dig any deeper, then." I let my gaze wander over Hikigaya's room, first stopping on the novel on his desk, then moving it to his bookshelf. "Oh, right. The novel you spoke to me about." I turned to look at Hikigaya, who raised an eyebrow at me in question. "Ōkami to Kōshinryō, was it?" Hikigaya's eyes widened slightly, before he stood up from the bed.
"Oh, right, yes. I should have it here somewhere." Hikigaya said as he walked over to his bookshelf and began to scan through it, and I stood up as well to follow after him. "Let's see… As I said, I only own the first volume, but… Ah, here it is." Hikigaya pulled out a book and turned to face me, turning the book so I could see the cover, which featured a brown-haired girl with a pair of wolf ears on her head and a tail peeking from behind her standing in what I guessed was a wheat field. "I can lend it to you so you can read it, but you don't have to be in a hurry to return it." Hikigaya handed me the book, and I took it from him, turning it around to check the back cover.
"Thank you, I will certainly give this a read and tell you what I think afterwards." I said as I scanned through the synopsis on the back cover. "Have you checked out my recommendation yet?" I then asked from him.
"Oh, not yet, no. I've just bought another volume of a series I have been reading, but after that, I'll see if my dad's bookshelf has it." Hikigaya said and gestured towards the table, where the novel he had purchased today was, and I nodded to him in return..
"Hmm… I suppose we do have some time before Komachi-chan returns, so..." I walked back over to Hikigaya's bed and sat down on it, then looked back at him with a smile as I opened up the novel he had given to me. "...We might as well get started on our respective novels, no?" Hikigaya looked back at me, stunned for a moment, before he seemed to grasp what I had said.
"Ah, I… guess we could." Hikigaya walked to his desk, picking up the novel on top of it before he returned to where I was sitting. After a few moments of awkwardly glancing between me and his bed, he sat down in his previous spot and opened up his novel.
I smiled to myself as I took a sideways glance at Hikigaya, feeling a relaxing warmth spreading through my chest. These quiet moments are what I cherish most. Hikigaya-kun and I don't need words between us, though there are some words I would very much like to hear leave his mouth. Suppressing the smile on my face from growing larger, I instead basked in the atmosphere and began to immerse myself in the novel. These quiet moments are unique to us, and no-one can take them away from us. Not Yuigahama-san, not Isshiki-san…
And certainly not Miura-san.
AN: Phew, that's finally done. If I'm not mistaken, this chapter took the longest to come out, and I sincerely apologize for it. I started to work on (and actually published) a new story before I began to work on this chapter, which delayed it a little, and when I was about two thirds of the way done with the chapter, I kind of spontaneously started reading the Gotoubun no Hanayome Manga and may have spent nearly every waking hour binge-reading it over the course of a few days. This obviously took away time from my writing, so… I do apologize, once again. On a kind of unrelated note, Nino is best girl, and anyone who says otherwise is a heretic.
The next chapter will not take this long to come out, that I can promise, though I will be a little busier with my studies, as my new semester has also started, so do bear with me.
Until next time, I bid you all farewell, and cheerio!
