It wasn't his fault.
He was just there when it happened.
He did what he could.
That's what Hikigaya Hachiman thought as he recollected the events surrounding the accident.
It was a rainy Saturday. Hachiman was ordered by his beloved sister to go get some desserts. Since his brotherly instincts resonated to her sister's puppy dog eyes, the dead eyed teen grumbled and accepted her task. The teen is currently walking the streets of Chiba, holding the treat his sister wanted to eat.
'I'm sure Komachi will like this one.' Though the teen as he continued to walk. When the fish eyed teen reached the intersection, he looked at the passing cars and noticed some of the cars beating the red light. 'I know that driving in the rain sucks, but you shouldn't risk everyone's safety by running over a red light! What if an accident occurs?" His thoughts escaped his mouth as the end of his sentence was uttered and heard by people around him.
With the stoplight turning green, it signaled the pedestrian to move. Hachiman, who pulled up his phone to check for texts, felt something was wrong as didn't walk with others.
It was at that moment that a black sedan, speeding and trying to beat the red light, was t-boned by a delivery truck. Everyone present in the area looked at the direction of the sudden noise brought by the crash. The black sedan didn't stop, it spun out and rolled three times before stopping right in front of shocked pedestrians and scared children.
Silence enveloped the area. The tension was so thick that if one person decided to move and help, others would do the same, making the situation worse.
'This is what researchers call as the "Bystander Effect" right? When no one wants to help because they think someone else will.' Thought the teen. While his thoughts were revolving around the fact that no one wanted to help, his body opposed his thoughts as the dead eyed teen was racing towards the black sedan. When his brain caught up to his body, the teen was surprised. 'What the hell am I doing?!' He thought as he tried to pry open one of the doors of the sedan. 'This sedan doesn't even resemble a car anymore. The crash made it look like a crumpled heap of scrap and I'm sure that a crash like that is fatal.' Using the upper body strength he gained from working out, the metal door slowly budged. Hachiman then inspected the interior of the vehicle.
'There's only one passenger.' Thought the teen as his arms quickly reached for the man inside. Once he got hold of the unconscious man, Hachiman tried to get him out of the car. His attempt, however, was unsuccessful at first. More and more people came and helped him to get the man out, this time with success. The unconscious man was laid down the pavement three meters away from the remains of the car. Hachiman then took a good look at the man. It was a man in his early forties, with a fair complexion and a face that made him remember a certain clubmate of his. It was then that it hit him. 'It's Yukinoshita's dad!' Thought the teen as he shouted at the people surrounding him. "QUICK, CALL AN AMBULANCE!" Exclaimed the teen as people scrambled to bring out their phones to phone the emergency services.
The man's clothes being black, it was hard to notice the pool of blood at the man's stomach. Hachiman only noticed the pool of blood as he felt the warm liquid touch his skin. Putting pressure in wound, the teen then noticed that the man was stirring. "Ugh." Yamato blurted. "What happened?" Questioned the middle-aged man as he tried to sit up, though he failed as the teen's hands prevented him to.
"You're hurt Yukinoshita-san." Hachiman explained. "Don't try to move around or you'll lose a lot more blood."
The man, observing the teen face who was pressuring his wound remembered him as the teen his eldest brought to their house. "What are you doing here, Hikigaya-san?" asked the man.
"I was buying treats for my sister." The teen replied. "But that's not important right now. What's important is that we get you to the hospital so your family can see you."
"I don't think I can do that." Replied Yamato as he coughed blood.
"You can!" Exclaimed Hachiman. "You shouldn't give up, especially since your wife and daughters would be sad." Hearing the sirens of the ambulance nearing them, the teen sighed in relief. "Good, the ambulance is here. We're almost in the clear now Yukinoshita-san, just hold on till we get to the hospital."
The EMT approached the teen and asked him questions. "What's wrong with him?"
"He has a wound on his stomach." Replied the teen. "And he seems to be lightheaded and he's coughing up blood."
Noting the observations of the teen, the EMT responded to him. "Alright, we'll take it from here. Bring him in boys." The man said towards his two coworkers as they placed Yamato on stretcher as the two conversed. They were loading the downed man to the ambulance when Hachiman approached the EMT.
"Can I come? I know him. I could help explain the situation to his wife and kids when they come." The teen said, almost pleading for the man to take him along.
"Okay." Thankfully, the man let him come.
The treat he bought for his sister forgotten, the fish eyed teen boarded the emergency vehicle.
Once inside the ambulance, he sat down beside one of the respondents and tried to converse.
"This is the first time I've been in an ambulance without being the victim." Remarked the teen, making the said respondent curious.
"You've been in an ambulance before?"
"Yes sir." Replied the teen. "It was when I was younger, I broke my leg playing basketball. I was rushed into the hospital to get patched up." He explained.
"You're lucky." Commented the man. "Most of the cases we've responded to has high fatality rate. Only 30% of them survives." The man points out.
The ride towards the hospital was silent after their exchange, right until the man on the stretcher coughed once again. The EMT then checked in on the man. "Are you okay, Sir?"
Coughing even worse now, Yamato then notices that the young man from earlier was with him. "Why are *cough* you here?"
"So I could explain to your wife what happened." Hachiman answered. "Is something the matter, Yamato-san?"
Feeling his body give up, the man uttered his last words to the teen. "Tell *cough* my wife that I'm sorry. I love her *cough* and our kids very much. Please *cough* take care of them." The man's eyes lost its light and his hand fell.
"Oi, Yamato-san, don't give up!" Exclaimed Hachiman as the paramedic performed chest compressions. "Come on Yamato-san! You want to see your wife and kids, right? Fight!" His words were futile as the man remained unresponsive. After five more minutes of chest compressions, the paramedic called it off. "He's gone."
Yukinoshita Yamato, the headstrong father of the Yukinoshita household. A diet member of the Chiba council and a loving husband and father is dead.
Hearing footsteps come closer to him, Hachiman looked up to see the man's wife and daughters. Fuyume, quickly dropped the call after hearing about his husband.
"What happened?" Asked the matriarch between bated breaths. "What happened to my husband?" Worry filled the face of Fuyume as she shook the teen for an answer.
The teen, unable to give her what she wants, became remorseful. This made the woman became angry. "Hachiman, answer me! What happened to Yamato?!"
"Hikigaya-kun! Please answer my mother." Yukino remarked. Haruno nodded at his sister's words.
"I-it was an accident." Hachiman started to explain. "I was walking home when I saw his car get t-boned by a truck. I came and brought him out the car and asked people to call an ambulance."
"Then?" Wanting to know more, Fuyume quickly asked after the teen spoke out.
"The ambulance came, I asked to come with them. Yamato-san then told me to tell you that he was sorry, and that he loves you and his daughters." Not wanting to continue even further, the teen looked downwards and shut up.
"What happened to my father, Hachiman?" It was Haruno who asked the question. "Where is he?"
"He didn't make it." With a heavy heart, the teen spoke his words. "You can see him at the morgue."
"What do you mean?" The wife asked. "Are you telling me that he's dead? That can't be! He's stubborn as a mule! He can't be dead!" Entering the first stage of grief, the woman denied the dead eyed teen's words. The woman, who let go of the teen's collar earlier, grabbed it once more. "Tell me you're joking, Hachiman."
"I wish I am, Fuyume-san." The teen responded.
"No, no, no!" Yukino exclaimed. "This isn't real! My father is alive right? Where can we find him?!"
Seeing that the trio are not listening to his words, the teen spoke out once more. "Follow me." He said as the mother and her daughters followed him towards the morgue. Hachiman felt like a warden leading people to the gallows. Each step he made became heavier and heavier on him. At one point, he stopped just because he couldn't handle the pressure. Once in front of the morgue's door, Hachiman was approached by one of the medical staff.
"What seems to be your business here, Sir?" the staff asked.
"We're here to see Yukinoshita Yamato." The dead eyed teen uttered. "Hearing who they were looking for, the staff's demeanor turned somber as he responded to the teen.
"Come in. I'm sorry for your loss." The woman then opened the doors. It was in there that they were directed to a hospital bed covered with a large blanket, but the shape of a body was clearly visible underneath. The woman didn't say anymore words as she just removed the blanket that covered the dead man's head.
It was Yukinoshita Yamato.
"NO NO NO! THIS ISN'T REAL!" Both Yukino and her mother shouted as tears fell on their faces. Haruno was silent, but her face betrayed her as tears were also flowing down her face. Hachiman offered his shoulders to the grieving woman as they embraced the teen and sobbed harder.
Fuyume, who is grief-stricken, turned to the teen and spoke. "This wouldn't have happened if you called for help earlier." The teen was surprised to see Fuyume glare at him like a venomous snake. Hachiman, knowing that they weren't in the correct state of mind, tried to talk to Haruno, who seemed to be the calmest of the three.""Haruno-san, please call your driver in the hospital front. I'll help you bring them there. They need to rest, you too, by the looks of it."
Doing what he said, the young woman dialed their driver's phone. "Please bring the car in front of the hospital. We'll be coming out soon."
"Let's go. You guys need the rest." Hachiman tried to stay calm, but the words of the matriarch was starting hurt him.
After successfully bringing Yukino and Fuyume to the hospital front, Hachiman bid farewell to them. As the car left his vision, tears started to fall from the teen's face.
'After all I've done to help, I'm still the one they blame huh?' He thought as he walked back towards his house, not minding the pouring rain. 'Guess I'm really a bad person in their eyes.'
Hachiman was annoyed.
The reason? His weekend that was dedicated for his beloved Vita-chan, was taken away by someone from his school. It wasn't even someone he's close to. Pulling up his phone to see if there's new messages, Hachiman saw that other from countless messages of the Yukinoshita matriarch, there were no new messages.
"Hikigaya!" He heard someone shout. Turning to look at the source of the voice, he saw that it was the person that called for him.
Sagami Minami.
"Sorry for being late!" The girl said, panting between her words. "Did you wait long?" Asked the redhead.
"Not really." The teen replied.
"Great!" Sagami exclaimed. "Let's go then!" The redhead walked for a few feet, thinking that her companion for today was following her. When she turned around and saw the teen still in his place, she ran towards him and asked him a question. "What are you doing?"
"I should be the one questioning you." Hachiman responded. "What is this outing for? You suddenly told me to come here." Asked the teen.
"I just ugh…" The young woman trailed off. "I just wanted to thank you for your help!" She exclaimed. "I wanted to thank you for helping me back at the sports festival." Minami explained.
The dead eyed teen on the other hand, was confused. "For helping you, why? Aren't you mad at me for making you cry back at then?"
"Why should I be mad now?" The redhead answered with a question. "I'll admit, I was mad at you after the festival. But when you helped with the sports festival work, I saw that I deserved all those words you said to me." She paused. "I'm actually mad at everyone else. They think that I'm still the same girl that cried because of you. I don't want their-"
"Pity." It was the fish eyed teen that completed her sentence. "I know the feeling." Walking forwards, the teen spoke out the redhead. "Alright, let's go."
Walking side by side this time, it was Minami that started to talk with the teen. "Ano…" She trailed off, hoping that her words were heard by her companion for the day. "What about you?" Her question ended right there, with no context whatsoever.
Thinking that her question is about earlier, Hachiman responded. "What about me?"
"Why would you help me in the first place? I am the reason you're being called "the most hated man in Sobu" right? Why help me at all?!" The redhead asked with conviction.
"Why shouldn't I? You asked for my help." He answered her question. "Besides, whatever the rumors say about me, what I did was just an unfortunate result."
Confused, the redhead asked about an explanation. "What do you mean that making me cry was an unfortunate result?"
"It is." The teen answered. "People were looking for you to close the ceremony. I was tasked to find you and bring you, but you weren't cooperative. So, I did what I have to do." The fish eyed teen explained.
"So if I just came with you, you wouldn't have said those words to me?" Sagami asks.
"Of course." Hachiman replied. "It was the worst-case scenario, and it was what happened. I just have to make do of what I get dealt with. That's just how life is."
"What about the words you said? Did you mean any of that?"
"Some, yes. Like how we are the same."
Feeling angry as she remembered those words the most, she asked him another question once more. "What do you mean by that?!"
"Isn't that the case?" The teen chuckled dryly. "Even now, we're almost the same. You and I just want to become the better version of ourselves." He paused to look at the redhead, who was looking at him intently. "Isn't that the reason you assumed the role of becoming the Chairwoman of the sports festival committee?"
"You're… right." Hearing his explanation, Sagami calmed down. "I'm sorry for being a bitch towards you." She apologized with a meek voice.
"All good." The teen dismisses her words. "I said some harsh words towards you, of course you're bound to be angry or have some sort of resentment towards me. I would be surprised if you didn't."
"Oh, we're here!" The red head exclaimed as she noticed that her favorite café was in front of them. It was a cozy café that is primarily targeting teen girls. It was pink all throughout, with pink chairs, tables, and cutesy character designs that you'll typically find in a children's show.
"It fits the name, Pretty Pink Café." The dead eyed teen noted as he looked at his surroundings. "I take it this is your go to hangout spot with your friends?"
"How did you know? That's creepy."
"I heard one of the staff talk about you, they said that one of their patrons was here." The teen then sat down. "So, what's good about this café?"
"T-The drinks here are awesome! Especially their frappes!" The redhead stutters at the start of her sentence. "And their cakes! It's very delectable."
One of the waitresses that knew Minami approached them. "Ara, Minami-chan, it's the first time I saw you with someone else other than your friends." The waitress then looks at the fish eyed teen. "Is he your boyfriend?"
"No no no, it's not like that Kuuki-san!" The redhead's cheeks turned red like her hair, with her hands flailing to deny the accusation. "I just wanted to thank him because he helped me with class work, that's all!"
Kuuki, who didn't believe any words she said, just let it slide. "Alright, if you said so." She then asks about their orders. "What are you guys having?"
"I'll have the usual." Sagami says as the waitress writes down the order.
"How about you mister?"
"I'll have one strawberry shortcake and a medium sized mocha frappe."
After noting down their orders, Kuuki then smiles at them. "Your orders would come soon. I'll you two lovebirds for now." Her words caused the two to blush in embarrassment.
"I'm sorry about Kuuki-san." The redhead smiled sheepishly as she apologized for the behavior of the waitress. "She always liked to mess with customers, especially those that look like a couple." She explained as she rubbed the back of her head.
"It's fine." The young man responds. "I understand her predicament. I worked at a convenience store before, and boredom was hard to combat. I'm sure it's just her way of having fun." His response brought silence as Sagami didn't know what to talk about with the teen.
"Hikigaya?" The redhead then notices that he was checking his phone. Seeing that his face is full of concentration, she tried to aske the teen if something's wrong. "Is there something wrong? You looked serious just now."
The fish eyed teen, hearing her words, decided to put his phone back in his pocket and answered her. "It's nothing. I just have some messages I didn't want to read." The teen reassured his companion.
"Ah, I get it!" The redhead claps as she understood the feeling. "It's like when someone sends a chain mail right? To be honest, I'm not really good with stuff like that." She explains, the dead eyed teen just looks at her blankly. "I remember! Do you recall the chain mail incident right before the workplace visit?"
'Of course I do, I stopped it from spreading.' Thought the teen as he prepared his response. "If there was such an incident, I didn't know because no one sent me such messages." He explained. "Some even think that I was the one who started the messages."
Feeling like she just stepped on a landmine, Minami tries to retreat. "Anyway, I'm really thankful for saving my ass once again back then!"
"It was no big deal." The teen dismisses her. "It was the right thing to do."
It was the last day of preparations, but the banner that will be used for the even has been vandalized and the whole committee's morale were low. Hachiman stayed the night and added more designs in the vandalized banner. He doodled with some of the leftover paint and made the vandal look like it belonged there. They knew it was him because one of the early birds of the committee members, saw him sleeping beside the banner.
Everyone thanked the teen for his efforts.
"But still, how did you manage to complete it in one night?" The redhead wondered. "It's like Santa delivering presents on Christmas Eve."
"It wasn't that hard. In fact we could've done it all in the morning."
"Then why do it alone?"
"Everyone was dejected back then. If you decided to make them overwork, I'm sure it would cause trouble as the morale was low."
"Then why-" She wasn't able to finish her question as the dead eyed teen interjected.
"To boost the committee's morale." He answered. "You saw how they performed that day right? It was worth it in the end." The teen shuts her up.
Good thing that their orders came, or the redhead would've gone crazy from the silence. Both of them muttering a thank you, the two were given their respective slices of cakes and their drinks.
The two spent their time eating in silence, mostly because they didn't have anything to talk about.
"Thank you for coming with me today Hikigaya-kun. I really appreciate it." The redhead thanked him as they walked back to the train station.
"I just can't say no to free food, that's all." The teen murmured. The girl heard his words and laughed.
"What kind of thinking is that." She said between the fits of her laughter. Once she had calm down, Minami then speaks once more. "I'm fine here, Hikigaya-kun."
"Alright."
"Oh?! Is that Hikigaya?" The two heard as a new voice approached them. "Talk about being lucky! It's like I've drawn an ultra-rare card!"
Hachiman knew who the voice belonged. In fact, he would never forget it. It was what brought him to where he was right now.
The girl he confessed to, the girl who rejected him.
Orimoto Kaori.
"Speak up Hikigaya! Are you not happy to see me?" The jovial teen taps his shoulder to egg him on.
"Should I be?"
Amused, the brunette laughs at his remark. "Hilarious! You're really hilarious, Hikigaya!" She continued to laugh. Noticing the young man's companion, Kaori turned her attention towards the red head. "Who are you? Are you his girlfriend or something?"
"No! I would never date this creep!" Sagami's instantaneous reply came. "I'm Sagami Minami, I am Hikigaya-kun's classmate."
"I am Orimoto Kaori!" The brunette introduced herself. "I used to be Hikigaya's classmate!" Exclaimed the girl. "So where do you study, Hikigaya? I don't see you anywhere near my school."
"I study at Sobu High." The teen calmly replied. "Of course you wouldn't see me, Kaihin's route is the opposite of Sobu."
"So you chose Sobu! I didn't know you were a smarty pants." The girl laughs once again. "But still! It's rare to see you! The last time I saw you was back when…" Hachiman knowing what she would say next, still hoped that she would say something else. "you confessed to me!"
'She didn't have to say that at all.' The teen thought as irritation started to bubble in his veins. "That was long ago." Came the teen's reply.
"Eh? So you did confess to someone?" Asked the redhead as she then turned her attention towards the brunette. "So what was your answer back then?"
"I rejected him! I don't know anything about him to go out with him." Kaori speaks out. "Honestly, who would go out with someone they didn't know?" She said and the two girls laughed.
Hachiman hated his current predicament. 'I should just leave them. Who makes fun of a person in the middle of the street?' Before he could enact his plan however, a voice stopped him from doing so.
"Oh, Hachiman? I thought you were at home." The laughing girls stopped as they both knew the woman who just spoke. "Never thought you'd come out on your own volition."
It was the Brunhilde, Chifuyu Orimura.
"I came against my will Chifuyu-nee-san." The teen answered. "She asked me to come with her today." Hachiman points to the redhead.
The said redhead felt the need to introduce herself. "I'm Sagami Minami, nice to meet you Orimura-sensei!"
"I know who you are." Was the woman's reply. "Good job on the sports festival by the way." The Brunhilde complimented. Hearing her words, the redhead smiled as wide as she can. "So Hachiman, where are you going after this?"
"I'm going home. I'm too tired to continue this day." The dead eyed teen answered the question.
"Kaori-san are you done?" A voice once again intruded as the quartet all looked at the source of the said voice.
She was the same height as the brunette, but her facial features, voice, and mannerisms all mirrored the mighty brunhilde.
"Madoka-san!" The brunette called out.
The Olympic medalist stared at disbelief. "Madoka…" Warmth overflowed the woman as she finally found her little sister.
The same sentiment couldn't be said with the little sister, who looked at the woman with anger. "Chifuyu." The girl then looked at her side and noticed the dead eyed teen. "Are you Hachiman?"
"Hai, Madoka-san." Came the reply of the fish eyed teen.
"It's been so long since I last met you." She notices that he was taller than he used to before. "You've grown up."
"I did." Hachiman responded. "You've grown up yourself as well. You're very pretty."
"T-Thanks." Came the stuttered reply. The girl then coughed quickly to reestablish herself. "Thank you, Hachiman."
"Will you come home now, Madoka? I miss you very much." The Brunhilde said as she tried to close the gap between them. However, the little sister didn't appreciate it and moved back, creating more distance.
"No." Was her stern reply. Turning her back on her older sister, she motioned her companion to come with her. "I'll see you soon, Hachiman. Let's go, Kaori." The two left, leaving the Sobu people to themselves. Minami noticed the tension and decided to part ways with the teen as well.
"I-I'm going as well, Hikigaya-kun. See you in school."
This left the two housemates alone. Hachiman noticed the slumped shoulders of the woman and heard her sniffing.
"You want to get some ice cream, Chifuyu-nee-san?"
"That sounds lovely, Hachiman."
Chifuyu enjoyed eating a large serving of banana split.
Yeah, death and drama. Will the Yukinoshitas come to terms with Yamato's death, especially Fuyume? Will Chifuyu and Madoka patch up? Will Komachi ever get the treat she wanted?
Fun fact: I've finished this before chapter 13.
Sup! Jasserru is back with another chapter.
This chapter is probably the rift that will cause Yukino to be harsher to Hachiman.
Let's hear your thoughts at the reviews, would appreciate them.
FnF if you liked it!
Thank you for reading!
-Jasserru out!
