Chapter 9: Unpeaceful Romances

(Yuigahama Yui POV)

"Hassen messed up, didn't he?" muttered Hikki.

*Ring ring*

Before I could ask him about that, my phone rang.

It's Ooka-kun's number.

"Hello Yuigahama-san." said Ooka-kun.

"What's up, Ooka-kun?" I asked.

"The thing is I need your help so could you please come to the rooftop?" asked Ooka-kun.

"Oh alright. Then I'll come over with H—huh?" I said.

I was about to take Hikki with me but when I turned to him, he's no longer there.

"Er, no, nothing. I'll come over." I replied.

He's seriously dumped me!

Did his lazy instinct tell him to leave?

(Yuigahama Yui POV Ended)

(Narrator POV)

At the tennis court, Hachiman and Saika just finished their training session on tennis.

"Good job~" said Saika.

"Good job." said Hachiman.

"Ne, Hachiman. Could you do Meteor Strike next time?" asked Saika.

"Meteor Strike? Is that even related to tennis?" said Hachiman.

Upon hearing that, Saika wiped out the smile on his face, fiddled his fingers on his phone and glared at Hachiman.

"Hmm? Did something on my face?" asked Hachiman.

"Ah, no. I just thought I had to ask you a favor." replied Saika.

"What is it, Totsuka?" asked Hachiman.

Saika heavily inhaled and exhaled before saying the line. The atmosphere at the time became darkened.

"Could you drop the act already? especially when you're not the real Hachiman." said Saika with a serious face.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Hachiman.

Upon hearing that, Shizuka suddenly popped out from her hideout and ambushed Hachiman.

Shizuka furiously attacked Hachiman but all of her approaches were either missed or blocked.

The little fight won't last long as Shizuka suddenly backed away on her own will and Komachi appeared beside Saika.

"I hope this is enough to answer your question, Eight Thousand Nii-san." said Komachi.

"As long as I know, Hikigaya isn't this monstrously good at martial art. Do you still have any excuse left, Sanshokuin Hassen?" said Shizuka.

"It is just as Komachi-chan's said. It's you all along, Sanshin-kun." said Saika.

It's all according to Komachi's plan to prove that 'Hachiman' who is right here is the fake one disguised by Hassen.

"Although your camouflage is so perfect, as the time passed by, I couldn't help but doubt that you're kind of slightly different from how you should be." said Saika.

Hassen still acted indifferent in response.

"In these past few days, although your tennis skills aren't that much different, your body can't deceive me. You, who shouldn't be the obvious athlete type, rarely sweating while I'm obviously sweating." said Saika.

And that is pretty much obvious even now, even after a tennis training session and a little fight with Shizuka, he still only has two or three drops of sweat at most.

"Next is Meteor Strike." said Saika.

"Meteor Strike?" said Hassen.

"It's Hachiman's unique technique named by Zaimokuza-kun." said Saika.

Hassen has an expression that 'I might have to meet that fatass later'.

"And lastly, I texted Hachiman earlier but you didn't even realize it, which is something Hachiman I know rarely does." said Saika.

Hassen put on his glasses and fixed his hair a bit.

"Honestly, what's the point of revealing all these anyway? It's not like this is a serious crime, no?" said Hassen.

"Why are you doing this?" asked Saika.

"Komachi knows. Both him and his brother against Onii-chan involving himself in the world of romance so he's here to keep our 'wingmen operation' from bearing fruits." said Komachi.

"Just for that reason? That's ridiculous." said Saika.

"What are these guys thinking?" muttered Shizuka.

Hassen has a look that says 'That's my line, Hiratsuka-sensei'.

"You're still as an airhead as usual, Komachi." said Hassen.

"Wha—" said Komachi.

"Only an airhead would spill the beans about her own plan right away." said Hassen.

Komachi then went speechless.

"To be honest, neither Hachiju nor I myself am aware of your plan at all, at least until Totsuka talked to me about that Airheadgahama more frequently during these past few days. The reason why I'm disguised as Hachiman isn't for that reason to begin with, but it was his request." said Hassen.

"Don't lie to Komachi. Onii-chan won't do that." said Komachi.

"It's been a really long time since we saw each other but your opinion of your big brother is still as naive as ever. Are you sure he will NOT do that no matter what?" said Hassen.

"What do you mean?" asked Komachi.

"Judging from how you deduced the situation, Totsuka probably told you that something is wrong with Hachiman who spent his time with him these past few days and you suspect that either me or my brother has been camouflaging as him so you dragged Hiratsuka-sensei here to unmask me. However, has something like 'If Hachiman isn't with Totsuka these past few days, then where he was?' ever crossed your mind?" asked Hassen.

Komachi tried to speak something but decided to shut her mouth right away.

"Can't say that it's because your brother is so hard to notice, right? Especially after what happened after the cultural festival event and the fact that your brother did have quite a number of acquaintances that familiar with him already." said Hassen.

"Alright, wise guy. Let's hear you out." said Komachi, annoyed.

Hassen quietly muttered 'not even Eight Thousand Nii-san this time, huh?'

"One of his acquaintances participated in the certain boring election so he wanted to keep his eyes on her to ease his worries. However, he can't do that as Hikigaya Hachiman so that's that. Does that satisfy you, 14 years old brocon-chan?" said Hassen.

"Komachi doesn't want to hear that from you of all people!" yelled Komachi.

But once Komachi calmed down, she recalled what Hassen said and understood right away that regardless of whether in a sense of romance or not, Hachiman did approach Yukino on his own which made Komachi proud of him for that. However, the fact that the one whom Hachiman asked for help isn't her but his cousins of all people really killed her joy. Thus, her dislike for her cousins grew even more.

"Is it alright to believe him right away?" asked Shizuka.

"It's fine, sensei. Because it's Onii-chan we're talking about, unless it's because of this kind of reason Onii-chan won't even let him take his place, Komachi is sure about it. Anyway, sorry to drag you into the trouble, Totsuka-san." said Komachi.

"Eh? No, never mind." said Totsuka in which Komachi couldn't help but wonder why he has to be a guy.

"However, there's one more thing I would like to confirm." said Shizuka.

Everyone's attention is now turned to Shizuka.

"Are you really Hikigaya's cousin? I've been suspecting this before but what I've seen today really makes me couldn't help but ask about it right away. Just because you're his cousin doesn't mean you guys need to have the exact same face." said Shizuka.

Hassen brushed his bangs away and casted a shadow covering his eyes.

"D-don't even think that you can intimidate me like how you do with Yukinoshita, brat!" said Shizuka as she's readied for round 2.

"There's a lot of misunderstanding here. First, I've yet to show you what the intimidating truly is." said Hassen as he calmly walked around.

"Second, it's not like I'm against Hachiman involving himself in the world of romance like what Komachi said, at least when it's still worthy enough for him to cling onto." said Hassen as he slowly turned to Shizuka's direction.

"Lastly, I don't have any martial art skills." said Hassen.

"Hah? That's ridicu— Gak?!" groaned Shizuka as she was hit by Hassen.

*Bonk*

Shizuka laid down on the ground after taking one hit from Hassen's fingers flicking.

"Sensei!" shouted Komachi and Saika.

"You… *cough cough*!" said Shizuka.

"My skills are much more dangerous than those of your knowledge to the point that they aren't for show, so I recommend you be more cautious next time." said Hassen.

Although it's just a single hit that doesn't leave any visible scratches on Shizuka's head, the force was high enough to damage her medulla oblongata despite not being fatal, so she lost balance and fell down on the ground, unable to stand up on her own.

"I don't really care which chicks going to fulfill Hachiman's romance but I wouldn't mind giving them the same treatment as you or Sagami if they kicked him into the depth of despair." said Hassen with the unfriendly tone.

"Are you *cough cough* a demon?" said Shizuka.

As if his physical threat wasn't enough, Hassen added more threat.

Not much is known about what exactly Hassen and Hachiju did to Sagami but she turned into a full-fledged shut-in since then.

After Shizuka went unconscious, Hassen picked her up from the ground, adjusted his glasses and left.

"Why does he have to do this? Does he hate Hachiman that much?" said Saika.

"It's the opposite. However, his philosophy about romance is just a polar opposite to others, the same thing could be said to his brother. And Komachi really can't stand having them rubbed that off on Onii-chan!" said Komachi.

Upon hearing that, Saika grasped Komachi's hands with fire shone in his eyes.

"Let's do our best… No, even better from now on, Komachi-chan, for Hachiman and Yui-chan's sake. Just because he has terrifying strength doesn't mean he has the right to ruin Hachiman's love life!" said Saika.

"Yes! Let's save Onii-chan together!" said Komachi with a super determination smile.

After that, Saika and Komachi departed.

However, the moment Saika left the scene, the smile on Komachi's face wore out.

"Komachi does this not just for Onii-chan and Yui-san, but also for her own standpoint too." muttered Komachi.

Komachi's hands are both curled into cute small fists.

"Onii-chan's siblings can only be Komachi alone. You two aren't fit for reclaimed that position so just stay away as horrible cousins forever." thought Komachi.

(Narrator POV Ended)

(Yukinoshita Haruno POV)

"I really have no idea that she's entered Sobu High. I wish I met her much sooner." I said.

To think that Yukino-chan lost the election when she pretty much all but guaranteed her victory considering her popularity among students and respect from teachers, it's no wonder if this person will pique my interest.

But of all people I could imagine be the one who defeated my cute little sister, it's his little sister.

So unfair! So unfair! I have never won against you even once yet your little sister won against mine!

"Nee-san. Your face is red." said Yukino-chan.

"Oh, my bad." I said.

It can't be helped, isn't it? Not to mention that you lose the election is pretty much half of the fault, y'know?

But I guess I shouldn't blame her. After all, don't let Yukino do Haruno's work.

"So she's becoming the student council president, huh? Maybe I should visit her sometime." I said.

"What do you think you're trying to do this time?" said Yukino-chan with narrowed eyes.

"Pay her a visit, perhaps?" I responded which earned 'don't give me that' cold glare from Yukino-chan.

"C'mon, Yukino-chan. Onee-chan is just interested in this new student council president, y'know?" I said.

"Do you think I will believe that?" said Yukino-chan.

"What's the matter? It's fine if it's just Hikigaya-kun alone but not if it's others? Don't worry, It's not like I'm going to choose her as my brother-in-law instead of him or something." I teased.

Yukino-chan's face turned red and quickly cutely averted from my sight.

Aww… Someone being embarrassed here.

After that, Yukino-chan (still with reddened cheek) picked her things and left.

It's natural for her to suspect me to have some kind of ulterior motivations behind my visiting.

As nosy as Yukino-chan is, she's probably not going to let me off the hook that easily and I knew it.

But this isn't the time for her to be into this matter. In fact, she should mind her own love life so I could finally mind mine.

"I can't wait for the day we will reunite again, Tenma Nobunaga-kun." I muttered.

The first man in my life that I couldn't defeat and eventually become my first love.

And the same man that dared to manipulate me into becoming cultural festival chairwoman and left during my high school days.

We have been competing with each other (which he's always at the receiving end to be exact) during our high school life and that's definitely the most colorful school life I've ever had.

In our last competition, we're both the representatives of our class during the cultural festival.

I thought he would find a reason to dismiss the competition like how he usually does (which failed for a few times) but he just accepted it right away with a sigh.

At that time, only Nobunaga-kun and I were fighting over the chairman position, the loser will become a vice chairman.

I'm too eager to settle our scores thanks to my bloodline competitiveness that made me overlook the meaning behind his actions, let alone doubt that.

Guess what? In the next day, I was implicitly becoming the chairwoman because Nobunaga-kun managed to transfer to another school without me realizing that beforehand.

"It was his plan all along?!"

I screamed internally at that time. That guy knew that I couldn't just abandon the cultural festival right away like he did because of my public facade so he accepted my challenge back then.

However, what makes me frustrated the most isn't because I couldn't defeat him even once, it's because I couldn't tell him my feelings back then.

Seriously, for three years I have to feast myself with the monotone life because of his leaving.

But now I have a chance to take my colorful life back.

Tenma Nobunaga-kun. I'll make you make up for three years of your absence in my life.

(Yukinoshita Haruno POV Ended)

(Hiratsuka Shizuka POV)

After the younger Sanshokuin knocked me in the head, he carried me to somewhere else until the consciousness left me.

Although at this time my consciousness is regained, my strength isn't.

All I could do is just feel, think, breathe and listen. I really don't have enough strength to speak or open my eyes at this point.

"And this is why I told you to keep in mind that just no killing promise isn't enough to be considered acceptable. If it weren't for her being a martial artist to some degree, her skull could have splitted in seven pieces, y'know?"

That voice, the older Sanshokuin?

And what's with that information? Scary?

"It's just self-defense so it can't be helped."

Don't give me that bullshit. I thought I'd have died back then!

"I swear that by comparison, Futami could've handled her better than you. If it weren't for you take her here and have me give her my acupuncture treatment I don't think she could ever gain her consciousness for the rest of the day."

I would've thanked you for healing me and lectured your brother if it weren't for you placing me inferior to your bird, you damn brat!

"To think that they're able to identify my identity that quickly. Guess I underestimated people here too much."

Serve you right, then.

"You don't say. However, from the very beginning, we're the different person despite many similarities, sooner or later it would be found out anyway, and it's pointless for them to find out this late, especially when the objective is already archived."

Tch. He's right.

"From now on, Komachi will definitely act fiercer than ever. Is that really okay?"

Ah yeah, if that kid went berserk things would tilt into Yukinoshita and Yuigahama favor more. Ha! Take that, you double cheeky brats!

"Who are you asking that for? Hachiman or those who Komachi try to help?"

What?

"It's true that she seems to be more mature than him in this kind of stuff. But that's only when she's compared to him."

"You don't say."

For once I agreed with the younger brat.

"If she has no intention to avoid the joker decision then those who she helped will be done for."

What? Joker decision?

"Oh, that's right. It's our little brother we're talking about. If that decision is being made, not even Komachi can change his mind."

What exactly is that? And what did you mean by 'our little brother'.

"Now we're his cousins, we don't have the right to be called as something else, especially that."

After leaving more unsolved riddles for me, I heard both of them left the room.

And it took a little while for me to regain my strength, fully.

"What the heck just happened?"

I couldn't help but to say that line.

(Hiratsuka Shizuka POV Ended)

(Yuigahama Yui POV)

After Hikki took his leave after receiving Sai-chan's text, I was called to the rooftop by Ooka-kun.

When I was walking to the rooftop, I met Hina-chan and Kawasaki-san midway.

"What are you doing here, SakiSaki?" asked Hina-chan.

"The orange hair guy whose voice loud enough to burst my eardrum borrowed my pen today and he wanted to return it to me at the rooftop. What's that guy thinking?" replied Kawasaki-san.

I can agree with her. Today Tobecchi is quite weird. For him to be so scared of Kawasaki-san during the Kyoto Trip, today he even gained courage to go and borrow her pen today much to everyone's confusion (especially Kawasaki-san).

"Please Kawasaki-san. Please lend me your pen. Please."

It doesn't even make sense and he kept cutting Kawasaki-san's denial with that line which she eventually gave in confusingly.

But for Tobecchi to even do this is really fishy.

"Yuigahama?" said Kawasaki-san.

"Yahallo." I greeted.

"Yahallo. What are you doing here, Yui?" greeted Hina.

"Well, it's just Ooka-kun told me to go to the rooftop." I replied.

"What's this? Then it meant three of us have a business with boys at the rooftop at this timing. What a coincidence." said Hina-chan.

"Three of us?" said Kawasaki-san.

"You too, Hina-chan?" I asked.

"Remember that Yamato borrowed money from me during lunch break? He promised to return it to me at the rooftop after he got the money from the ATM." said Hina-chan.

"Our school has an ATM?" I asked.

"There's no way our school has that, otherwise he should get the money out of that from the beginning, not from me." said Hina-chan.

So all three of them are weird today. What should I do?

If only either Hikki or Yukinon was here…

"What are those idiots up to, really?" said Kawasaki-san, annoyed.

Then Hina-chan started to smile and chuckle creepily like how she did in the haunted house during the Kyoto Trip.

"Huhuhuhuhu… Three guys are alone at the rooftop. I wonder how intense their situation is right now." muttered Hina-chan.

Don't tell me…

With blood dripping from her nose, Hina-chan pulled me and Kawasaki-san to the rooftop and banged the door open.

Once the door opened, the boys who called three of us here were waiting for us there.

It's weird. But not as weird as Hina-chan's current situation. Seriously, what does she think after seeing the three boys standing there together.

"Oi. Stop fooling around and return my pen already." said Kawasaki-san with a sharp voice.

That's Kawasaki-san for you. Even Hina-chan was snapped back to reality after hearing that.

"Oh right, Yamato. My 1000 yens." said Hina-chan.

After that, the three boys walked toward us.

But something is strange. Ooka-kun walked toward Kawasaki-san with a pen in his hand and returned it to her, Tobecchi walked toward Hina-chan with a 1000 yens banknote in his hand and returned it to her while Yamato-kun walked toward me.

Three of us girls made eye contact with each other, emphasizing that we're equally confused.

The three boys heavily inhaled and exhaled as if to prepare for something.

Then all three of them have their faces dyed in red and bowed down simultaneously.

"Ebina Hina-san. I like you. Please stay by my side forever as my lover!" said Tobecchi.

Eh?

"Kawasaki Saki-san. I like you. So please be my woman!" said Ooka-kun.

Huh?

"Yuigahama Yui-san. I like you. Please become my girlfriend!" said Yamato-kun.

HUHHHHHHH?!

"HUHHHHHHH?!" I said, embarrassed.

What? What? What?

"H-Hah?" said Kawasaki-san with a slight stuttering.

"EHHHH?!" I said.

Then I heard a long sigh filled with dissatisfactions near me.

"I see. Tobecchi. You knew that I wouldn't come if it's a request made by you so you have Yamato-kun do that for you. And since Ooka-kun and Yamato-kun also have similar objectives as you so you three cooperate with each other." elaborated Hina-chan with a rather cold tone and blank stare.

So that's why…

Hina-chan then turned her back and headed to the rooftop door.

"My answer is still the same, Tobecchi. No." said Hina-chan as she left.

Tobecchi trembled for a while before regaining his composure.

"My answer is also still the same, Ebina-san. I'm not going to give up." said Tobecchi.

"W-Whatever, I'm leaving." said Kawasaki-san.

"Wait, Kawasaki-san. I'm serious here so please think about it." said Ooka-kun.

"I don't have feelings for you, neither did I plan to have it for anyone soon. Are we clear?" replied Kawasaki-san and left.

Ooka-kun looked hurt but still acted tough.

"Then I should just wait for her to have a plan for that. Am I right?" said Ooka-kun.

"Ahaha… Doing your best then." I said.

Do I have the right to say that line, I wonder.

Even after Hikki's horrible cousins showed up, I still couldn't say that my efforts were the best.

My train of thought is then interrupted.

"Y-Yuigahama-san. M-May I have your answer?" asked Yamato-kun.

Ah… I forgot…

Now I think I understand Hina-chan's feelings back then a bit more.

But I'm different and definitely not going to repeat after her, especially when my relationship with him is at the stake.

"Sorry, I can't accept your feelings. I already have someone I like so…" I replied with an apologetic bow.

Just like Ooka-kun, Yamato-kun did his best to maintain his toughness but it's still visibly painful.

"N-Never mind Yuigahama-san. I'm fine. I knew that things would end up this way." said Yamato-kun.

"Are you a masochist?" I unconsciously asked.

What the heck did I just slip through my tongue?!

"Well, after we listened to what Hikitani-kun said during the Kyoto Trip, we think it would be better if we muster up courage and confess as soon as possible so…" said Yamato-kun.

"So we planned this. Sorry for bothering you, Yuigahama-san." said Ooka-kun.

"Eh? No, it's not that bothering." I said.

To be more precise, not as bothering as his cousins.

"And that's what I like about you, Yuigahama-san." muttered Yamato-kun.

I instinctively averted my eyes elsewhere.

"But really, even though you know how scary Kawasaki is you still went and confessed to her. You're so brave." said Tobecchi.

"To be honest, I kinda wish she would react to my confession as cute as how she did with Hikitani-kun's back then, y'know?" said Ooka-kun.

I think I can't turn deaf on that.

"Wait. What do you mean by that, Ooka-kun?" I asked.

And I don't know why my voice turned monotonous all of sudden.

"W-Well, during the last day of the cultural festival I spotted Hikitani-kun ran past her and said 'Love ya, Kawasaki' to her. Kawasaki-san is then blushed madly and her face at that time is so cute, enough to make me fall for her." said Ooka-kun with a red face.

"I'VE NEVER HEARD ANY OF THIS!" I screamed through my lungs and left.

I ran off of the rooftop without even paying attention to the "She really does like him after all" line from behind me.

(Yuigahama Yui POV Ended)

A/N: Chapter 9 for you readers. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. See you.