September 11 2021
Hikigaya Hachiman's Path to Reformation
The Girls
Part 1
05:42 PM
NORMIES BEGOOOONE REEEEEEEEEE!1!1111!1! Group Chat! No normies and riajuus allowed! :)
(HinaHina desu~! is online) ADMIN
(Prince of Tennis is online)
(XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX is online)
(8MAN is offline)
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "Hello comrades! How are your recent days of summer break?"
Prince of Tennis: "I'm almost done with our homework! And I'm going to visit my grandparents and stay with them for a while! Hina, what about you?"
HinaHina desu~!: "I'm still trying to finish all the series that I've saved on my laptop. I haven't had the chance to watch them cuz of school and other stuff. Once I'm done with them, I'll get straight back into our homework!"
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "As for myself, I have yet to so much as glance at them. There are still many weeks ahead before classes resume. And even many more quests and achievements to accomplish with my online friends on our games! I am on the same boat, my sister-in-arms. The shows this season seem to be worth watching! Oh, my to-read list of manga and light novels have been piling up recently. Not to mention my manuscript that has added at least a hundred pages worth of words too! I cannot wait for you guys and the rest of the Service Club to read it and tell me what you think!"
Prince of Tennis: "Wow, you already made that much progress? Keep it up, Yoshi-kun!"
HinaHina desu~!: "Uwaah, I'm already getting a headache just by thinking about it. You better buy us some lunch or something as compensation…"
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "Of course! I am nothing if not generous! W-Well, as long as it's not too expensive… Ehehehehe…"
HinaHina desu~!: "I'm just kidding."
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "Really? Phew, I thought I had to bring out and use my gacha money for this… I'm saving for this game-breaking OP character that's coming in two months see. I already have 10000 Yen saved up! I WILL get him if it's the last thing I do!"
HinaHina desu~!: "If only you showed the same amount of tenacity and seriousness in your studies…"
Prince of Tennis: "That's a lot of money Yoshi-kun. You should be more careful and responsible in your spending. Your parents might get mad."
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "Worry not, my very beautiful and effeminate-looking brother-in-arms! For I had been secretly working in a respectable establishment near the Zaimokuza household for the past two months! Fufufufufu!
HinaHina desu~!: "Oi really? You aren't kidding, right? I certainly didn't expect this."
Prince of Tennis: "Oh that's great! What do you do?"
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "I clean, maintain and make sure that the public bathhouse is spotless and immaculate! I scrub and wipe the floors, make sure that everything is in order and help out when it's the closing time!
Prince of Tennis: "Sounds like a lot of work Yoshi-kun."
HinaHina desu~!: "So that's why he suddenly stopped hanging out with us outside school. It's always been me, Sai-chan and Hachi-kun recently."
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "Nonsense! As a certain NPC from Sk*rim, one of the Eld*r Sc*rolls game once said, 'Honest pay for honest work is the best kind of work there is.'. I keep those insightful words of wisdom always within my heart!"
*Prince of Tennis and HinaHina desu~! sent wow emojis*
HinaHina desu~!: "Well, that's your own money so it's your call on how you spend it I guess."
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "Exactly! I was inspired by Hachiman you see. I know how he spends his money very wisely and saves as much as possible even with his status. He has a lot of spare money than he knows what to spend with because of his part-time job! Hachiman was the one who helped me out and found a nice job for me! He looked up some job vacancies online in my general area and presented me with a nice and detailed list the very next day!"
Prince of Tennis: "That's nice of him to do. Also, we know how much of a cheapskate he is so we can't really blame you for thinking like that hahaha."
HinaHina desu~!: "Well, at least you have something to look forward to on the weekends instead of just playing around all day in front of your computer. Just don't treat it like those drafts of yours. Don't tell us that you've quit after the 2nd day or something."
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "Ouch, that was uncalled for."
HinaHina desu~!: "Hey, I'm just saying that if you're gonna get into that kind of stuff, might as well do it properly and half-assed."
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "That's the plan!"
Prince of Tennis: "A part-time job huh… Maybe I should find one too. Something that doesn't require previous experience, like a cashier or shop assistant or something. Perhaps I can save up and buy that tennis racquet that I always wanted!"
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "I'm sure that Hachiman would love to help!"
HinaHina desu~!: "Yeah."
Prince of Tennis: "What about you Hina?"
HinaHina desu~!: "I dunno. I think I'll miss hanging out with Yui and Yumiko on the weekends."
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "Ah, the life of a normie Riajuu sounds difficult."
HinaHina desu~!: "Shut up or else I'll kick you out of the group chat again."
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "That was a jest! A jest!"
HinaHina desu~!: "Keep on jesting like that and one day you'll wake up with clown make-up on!"
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "To arise being the embodiment of Society's fears. To give light to the masses and lead the oppressed against the greedy oligarchs of Society… Truly, to put on the guise of a clown and do such a thing and lead a revolt against the discriminatory and unjust norms of society would be the ultimate form of comedy, no?"
Prince of Tennis: "Um… What are you talking about?"
HinaHina desu~!: "Best to just ignore him Sai-chan. I have no clue what he's talking about too."
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "See! This is exactly what I mean! Society! Society! This is a society moment! xDD"
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX sent an image
Prince of Tennis: "Who's this? A Western actor in a Joker outfit?"
HinaHina desu~!: "I don't get it either…"
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "Normies…"
HinaHina desu~!: "By the way…"
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "Hmm?"
HinaHina desu~!: "You should take another look at your nickname. You've got something wrong."
Prince of Tennis: "XD"
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "Why? What's wrong with it?"
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "..."
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "Oh"
XXX_420_69_BLADEMATERGENERAL_69_420_XXX changed his nickname to XXX_420_69_BLADEMASTERGENERAL_69_420_XXX
Prince of Tennis: "Yoshi-kun, maybe you need new glasses."
XXX_420_69_BLADEMASTERGENERAL_69_420_XXX: "Perhaps I do, my very beautiful friend. Perhaps I do..."
*SEVERAL HOURS LATER
It feels like it's been a while since I went to the mall all by myself. Most of the time, I go with the others as a group. The one that I'm heading to is the nearest to my home, only two trains and a few minutes of walking away. Not very far, I could have walked all the way here if I wanted to. But I felt like wearing my sandals instead of my sneakers so that's that.
Instead of my usual long skirt, I'm wearing a white airy one that ends a few centimetres just below my knee and a light brown jacket over my white blouse. It's a wonderful day too; A nice cloudy sky and the breeze from the coast is cool on the skin. I think it could even make a certain SOMEONE drop the umbrella and just enjoy the day and my company as well.
There's a lot of people around just as I entered the large building. I also adjusted my glasses since they got a bit uncomfortable while wearing my usual face mask. Even though the chance that I'd see someone I know today is low, I'd rather play safe and take my chances.
Oh, this is definitely something Hachi-kun would do, now that I realize it. Thinking ahead and planning possible scenarios and outcomes and all that. He is quite the schemer, I don't know what goes on in that head of his. It's like his mind never rests, he's always thinking about something and that in turn stresses him out quite a lot. Even with how close we are already, compared to, let's say, Yui or Yumiko, I still can't state with absolute certainty that I know a lot about him. It's quite alright if he prefers to keep some things to himself, it's not surprising given what he's like as a person. I'm more or less the same way anyway, we both respect each other's privacy and don't ask touchy questions about our past.
I once skipped around that topic, hoping that he'll get my clues. It's either he just ignored me or he was completely oblivious to them. Even so, I remind him not to push himself too hard or tire himself too much. It's kind of like my obligation now. Not just me, Yui and Hayato add in a word or two when they think the time is appropriate as well. I'm really happy that lots of people are looking out for him.
I look around, seeing different kinds of people walk past. I see a few couples and groups of friends enjoying their time together. I wouldn't have minded it if any of the girls wanted to come along, but I wanted to do this alone. If Hachi-kun were here, then maybe I'd let him tag along too so it'll turn into a date. It's been a while since we had some alone time, except that time in the Summer Camp of course. It hasn't been that long yet anyway, just a few days ago in fact. Even though I can message him privately, I still want to meet him face to face and talk about some things. There's a lot of questions lingering in my mind that I would rather ask with him in front of me and where I can see his face.
With how much of a pushover he is, I doubt that he'll resist any kind of invitation, regardless of who it's from. I'm not sure if that's a good thing. If he weren't intimidating nor socially aloof, I think some people out there would have already taken advantage of him.
I honestly don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing… I know how easily tired he gets, no matter how hard he tries to hide it. Sometimes playing football with Hayato-kun and Tobe and the rest of their club has its toll. I feel like he can't force himself to say no with so many expectant and hopeful eyes on him. Hayato-kun should know better than to take advantage of that and invite him that way. And Hachi-kun should also learn that saying "no" is an option. Even Yumiko and her competitiveness isn't an exemption. She has loudly proclaimed him as her rival at the sport. Unfortunately, their current score has her on the losing end, but that doesn't stop her from challenging him again and again.
It's honestly impressive seeing them go at it. Yumiko is extremely aggressive and would frequently give out loud grunts and yells during the match. Hachi-kun on the other hand, is quiet, calculating, calm and collected. His facial expression remains the same for the entire duration, and would only change when their match has concluded. If it's a loss, he gives her a bow. But if it's a win, he'll give her the smuggest grin possible to which she goes up to him and pinches his side.
I'm thankful that his slightly clingy Kouhai from the Council personally goes and brings him water when he plays football or tennis after classes and when she has free time, I can't do that since some eyebrows might be raised. I know that he'll drop some hints for me to stop if I do it anyway. But if it's her, then people will see it as an understandable and endearing act on her part. It must be nice being part of the StuCo, people don't usually ask questions and just immediately assume that you're on some official errand or something. Well, that's from Hachi-kun's perspective anyway. He says that some of our fellow students are still a bit intimidated by him.
Seeing the Senpai and Kouhai duo together after classes, and sometimes during breaks isn't uncommon. He doesn't mind her eating with him at the cafeteria at times when he's there. They look so cute together, even more so when he pats her head and pulls and fondles her cheeks, much to her embarrassment. She might look frustrated when he does it since he's treating her like a child, but no one can deny that she secretly likes it. She's like a cute little cub that's following her Mother everywhere.
Err, Father, in this case…
…
Nah, let's just go with Big Bro then. He's a siscon anyway and treats her as such. From what Yumiko and Yui said before, he spoiled her rotten. Which is honestly kind of creepy… But I guess that's what siscons do I guess, hehehehehehehe~!
Also, interacting with Rumi-chan during the summer camp further revealed his siscon tendencies! I never expected that he would go out of his way and actually help her. And since I was the other one who witnessed everything firsthand when we snuck out together in the middle of the night, of course, I'd join in and help out however I can!
Though I was honestly slightly disappointed that our sweet alone time together got interrupted… I would have liked our secret conversation to continue since he really looked like he needed someone to talk to after what happened that afternoon between Yumiko and Yukinoshita-san. That was a pretty tough day, I had trouble sleeping when I went under the covers. He was so cute when I teased him with my feminine charms in the changing rooms too~… Although it was extremely bold and embarrassing to do on my part, seeing his flustered and blushing face was worth it in the end~! And since he rarely ever does that kind of expression, I have to savour each moment of it~!
Uwaah… What would have happened if one of us got into the heat of the moment… Just thinking about it is enough to make my head spin...
Well, he reprimanded and chewed me out after it… but it's still worth it!
Wait, that sounds super leeeeeewd~! Eh, it's Hachi-kun so I don't really mind~! A-Ah…I think I've said enough…
More importantly…
I know that he secretly delighted in having his first time being stolen by a loli! Out in the open while, we were behind them nonetheless!
And by the first time I mean the first kiss of course!
This is exactly why I renamed Hachi-kun's nickname in our group chat to…
LOLICON PEDOPHILE NEET 8MAN
GAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA~~~!
I quickly look down, thanking the fact that I wore my face mask and cap today. If some random people were to see me smiling and giggling to myself, then they'll think that I finally lost it or something. Public opinion on mental health here in Japan is all but non-existent. Worse, they might even call the police and inform them that I escaped from a mental institution. Though I don't really know if Chiba has one… Hachi-kun is sure to know since he loves random trivia from Chiba. He is a true and loyal citizen of Chiba, if he were to run for Mayor in the future, I'd vote for him for sure!
Several minutes of walking, and after going up a flight of escalators later, I finally arrived at the store that was my primary objective for today. It's one of the nicer boutiques in the area, and though it's more on the expensive side, the clothes that they sold and put on for display are really nice.
A pretty sales lady welcomes me as I step inside and then goes back to diligently doing the inventory. Some might see it as improper, but I like shops where they let the customers walk around unimpeded, unlike somewhere the employees follow them around.
Hachi-kun and I went to other boutiques before. Saika-chan and Yoshi-kun wanted to go but they had other plans. But after several minutes when we went inside, he let go of my hand and excused himself, saying that he preferred to just wait outside. He might not admit it explicitly, but I knew that he got super annoyed at being tailed by the employees. They must have thought that he's a shady character or something, I swear people are too judgemental nowadays. I notice the little signs and signals when he's annoyed, angry or frustrated. I've only seen him get mad only once, it was that time when those random guys were hitting on me. Hachi-kun must have felt possessive and protective towards me because of the air he had around him. His anger isn't like Yumiko's where you can see it plain as day right on her face. A fiery kind that immediately lets the other party know that she's fuming. Hachi-kun is more subtle and right under the surface. On the outside, he might look calm and collected as ever, but in reality, he's literally a breath away from snapping. Of the two, the latter is definitely scarier if I'm being completely honest.
When it comes to things like that, he will preferably retreat with barely a word before his patience runs out. Like what he always does, he will never be honest with himself and reveal what he truly wants.
Well, I can't really say that I'm not like that. Even though I don't know what I really want...
In any case, we have similar feelings on the subject and avoided going into such stores after it.
For the next hour or so, I tried out different dresses for the occasion that I'll be attending next weekend, until I finally decided on three ones that really caught my eye. I'm still coming here tomorrow with the others, I might as well make the most of it now since I still have time to myself. Even though I'm sure that Hachi-kun will say otherwise, and I can already hear him saying flowery words to cheer me up, I'm not really confident in my figure. Nor am I comfortable with showing too much skin. Unlike Yumiko, or even Yui to a lesser extent. Not that I feel inferior or anything, it's just that I don't really think about this sort of thing.
The thing at the Summer Camp was just an exemption. I wanted to show off to him and tease him a little bit. It might have been extremely bold and embarrassing for me to do all of those things to him while we were hiding inside the women's changing rooms, but at least I got to see his blushing and flustered face!
…But it was honestly kind of exciting…doing all those things while the danger of being caught looms over us.
Ehehehehehehe… Kyaaahhh~~~~! It was straight out of a lewd doujin~…! Ehehehehehe~!
I feel so silly, squirming and giggling at my own thoughts in front of the mirror here in the changing room. If he were still here in Japan and not WAY over there, literally on the other side of the planet, maybe we could have done something similar again right here, ehehehehe~~…
Ah, we might really get in serious trouble if that happens…
I look at the dresses that I tried out, feeling a bit lacking since I always have Yui or Yumiko with me to tell me how I look. It's always good to ask for another opinion when it comes to things like these, whoever you're asking might even have a more astute eye or better suggestion than what you picked out. I sigh and hang the ones that I picked out right in front, taking each and comparing them in the mirror before me.
"Hmm… I love the scarlet tone of this dress, but I also like the purple and bright green ones…" I whisper to myself while deeply contemplating my choices. All of them end right above my ankles, they are all sleeveless save for the purple one which has a floral semi-transparent sleeve that's a part of the dress. They only showed a modest part of my chest, and I already know which necklace to wear from the ones I already have at home. Same with my heels, they're still in great condition since I put them in their box right inside my closet. I've only worn them once or twice anyway, it's a complete waste of money to buy another pair. All that's left is for me to choose.
Just as I'm about to make my final verdict, my phone rings, startling and causing me to drop the dresses on the floor. I hastily pick them up before rummaging through my bag to get them. A small smile graces my lips when I see who it is that called me.
I clear my voice and check my own reflection before answering his call.
"Halo Halo, Hachi-kun~!"
"Ugh, what's with the tone? You're creeping me out, woman…"
I stomp my bare feet on the floor and pout. "H-Hey?! What gives?! You haven't even sent me so much as a message in a week and that's the first thing you tell me?!"
"I don't have that kind of obligation to you." He says with his voice dripping with sarcasm. I can literally feel the shit-eating grin he has on his face right now.
Tch! T-This bastard…! Toying at me like this! He knew exactly what I was going to say when I picked up the phone!
"Ack!" I cry out dramatically, wobbling from side to side before sitting down on the small chair where my bag also is. "Uwaah, that was a cruel strike Hachi-kun… You're gonna make me cry. Huhuhuhuhuhu…" I weep crocodile tears as I hear a small chuckle coming from the other end of the phone.
"Ahahaha, I'm just messing with you Hina." Hachi-kun laughs a bit. When I heard it, I realized just how much I've missed him ever since he went away. I couldn't help but giggle and go along with him too.
I won't say that I've been thinking about him every day, I'll just come off as a clingy girl to him. And he's not exactly my boyfriend (yet~!) either. But I also can't say that I don't do it from time to time, especially when I'm browsing through my phone's gallery and see a few photos that I have of him. It's a mix of him looking directly at the camera with various expressions on and photos that I secretly took with him as my subject. Almost all of them were taken when we're with Hayato and the others or with our secret clique with Sai-chan and Yoshi-kun. There's several when it's just the two of us, but I especially like the ones that we were on our "Sorties", as I'd like to call them. It's basically just the two of us just hanging out on the weekends when Sai-chan and Yoshi-kun are preoccupied with their own stuff; Sai-chan with his Tennis practice; and Yoshi-kun when he's busy with his games, writing his manuscripts or busy honing his skills in his road to become a mangaka. Seriously he's doing so much stuff at the same time, he should pick one and be done with it!
When it's just Hachi-kun and me, it's not really a "Date" since there are no romantic feelings in the air. At least, as far as we're aware... We don't exactly know when we started fooling around and jokingly pretending to be a couple, it just happened I guess.
*ahem
A-Anyway, back to the photos about him~! Hachi-kun isn't the most photogenic person, I don't push my luck since he might get uncomfortable. He seems to have a slight dislike to having his photos taken, but he just puts up with it for our sake. Still, he really does look nice when he puts his heart into it!
"Hehehehehe~. I know you are." I smile while absentmindedly swaying my feet while looking at my reflection. "Wait, what time is it over there anyway? Isn't it like...early in the morning or something?"
Hachi-kun yawns. "Yeah, roughly 3 am."
"Oi, get back to sleep."
"I can't. I accidentally took a nap yesterday which lasted for a few hours and it messed up my sleeping schedule. If I force myself to sleep right now, I'll only get a headache."
"Ooooohhh, I see. What're you doing right now?"
"Calling you obviously."
I shake my head and sigh in exasperation. "Haha very funny. You're a funny guy Hachiman."
"Hey, I mean it! I forgot the password of my dummy account, that's why I can't receive any messages from you guys! I only have my Father, Mothe and Sister's numbers saved in my new phone!"
"Are you serious? Or are you just making up excuses so you won't be bothered by us..." I narrow my eyes and smirk half-joking and half-serious.
I hear him sigh and then groan at my words. "Oi, that kinda hurts you know..."
"Hehehehehe~! Just a little payback~!" I giggle and then stop when I realize something, "Wait, how come you remembered my number then?
"I have a backup email address that's linked to my dummy one. Although I can't access it, I can at least see the call logs to some extent. I realized it just now after spacing out and then it suddenly came back to me."
I whistle, very much impressed at his resourcefulness and his habit of thinking ahead of time. "Wow, I didn't know that you can do that... What are you, a hacker?"
"It's literally written in the terms and conditions and at the FAQ portion of the service provider's official webpage. Anyway, enough of that technical stuff. What are you doing right now?"
"Right now? Oh, I'm-"
I look at the dresses hanging on the wall.
I look at my own self at the changing room wearing nothing but my underwear.
An imaginary lightbulb appears right above my head and lights up with the brightness of a thousand suns.
I can't help but grin and start giggling at what I'm about to suggest.
"Hehehehehe~... Hey, Hachi-kun~..."
"Hmm? What is it Hina?"
The anticipation is killing me, and I lightly bite my lower lip while trying to restrain my laughter.
"Would you mind helping me pick out a...dress?"
THIRD-PERSON POV
A group of high school girls walking in a mall is a very common sight in this day and age. Especially during after school hours and the weekends where many of them have free time if they are not studying or do not have any official duties to attend to at school. Window Shopping, eating together and going to the theatres to see the latest movies are just one of the few things that they partake in. Some spend the allowance that they have been saving for such an occasion. Others use the money that they worked for in part-time jobs that they are employed in stores and establishments that are willing to accept them. Many of them use the money for their personal use and buy things that they desire. Of course, there are others of their like on the less fortunate and struggling parts of society who spend it on more noble reasons such as tuition for themselves or other family members, rent and other important expenses.
Still, they are here to enjoy themselves since it is only the second time that they have met each other like this. The first was during their Summer Camp not more than seven days ago at the forested part of Chiba. A place where many other sites exist and are frequented by those who are tired and drained by the busy highly urbanized city lifestyle that seeks to escape to nature as a form of therapy and relaxation. Their first meeting initially started well, and then suddenly turned awkward then sour in a single afternoon. Though it ended more or less on shaky spirits, they all agreed to meet again and spend time with each other, however awkward and out of place, their meetup would seem.
The girls walked in twos and threes and had a sixth member: Tsurumi Rumi is with them, her small delicate left hand being held by none other than Ebina Hina. The person that she spent the most time with at the Summer Camp aside from Hikigaya Hachiman. To the child's delight and excitement, the older girl had extended an invitation to her to spend time with them. At first, she was hesitant to accept upon knowing that a certain boy would not be with them. The said boy also happened to occupy her thoughts for the past few days after their Summer Camp, and she would shyly message him once in a while about random things just so she could talk to him. But after realizing that this is her chance to maybe gain new friends, she accepted the invitation which brings us to her current events.
Tsurumi Rumi looks to her right; Ebina Hina is holding her hand and to her left is the silvery-blue haired girl who is very nice to her. In front of them and starting to the left was the black-haired girl who has been very quiet so far. The peach head was currently talking with the blonde one. Back at the Summer Camp, she noticed that Hachiman was quite fond of the two of them. The boy would love to tease Yui, while goading and taunting the blonde with sarcasm and witty jokes. Tsurumi Rumi thought that Kawasaki Saki and Miura Yumiko were scary because of their eyes, but they were in fact very nice and sweet girls under their exterior. It reminds her of a certain someone as she starts to think more deeply about the matter.
"Just like Hachiman." The little girl says in her mind, smiling at the thought as a small blush dusts her cheeks. She quickly looks down just as the girl beside her turns to her. "Good thing Mama gave me this hat. Hina-nee would definitely tease me if she found out." She sighs with relief in her mind.
Ebina Hina thought it was cute and was very glad that the girl accepted her invitation to join them today. Their first order of business as a group was to find a nice place to eat since it is still quite early, exactly 10:00 am in fact. And after that, the group would maybe watch a movie together or shop for some clothes, whatever they thought worthy to invest their limited time in.
"Where do you want to go after eating, SakiSaki?" She asks the silvery-blue haired teen to her left.
The girl in question shrugs, eyes forward while occasionally glancing at the shops around them, "I don't know. I'll go along with what you guys have in mind. I'm not used to these kinds of things." she says in all honesty. She would have rather gone to work, or at least brought Komachi along with her. But the younger Hikigaya was helping at her Mother's cafe and could not go with them. Just like Tsurumi Rumi, she accepted the invitation as a chance to get to know the girls who are friends with Hachiman. As a loner, he is her only true friend within and outside of school. He was just like her once, lonesome and always preserving his quiet solitude. But as the months went on, and they turned into Second Years, she noticed that there were a few who gravitated towards him. Most of them of the opposite sex, to her slight annoyance. They did not immediately gain his friendship and trust, just like herself, but the thought was there. Presently, he has some people who he deemed worthy of his friendship. Kawasaki Saki knows this of course since she is one of them. From his words alone, he named her as the second friend that he made at school right after his beloved Senpai and older sister figure, Shiromeguri Meguri. Knowing that silly and sweet title he gave her, she cannot help but smile whenever the thought crosses her mind.
Even so, she feels rather disappointed, and a bit betrayed. When his younger sister Komachi and her Mother Hitomi told them that he went overseas with his Father. To say that she was shocked is an understatement, more so when she saw the expressions of the two Hikigayas upon admitting that he did not inform her of his departure. In her mind, she always thought that she was the closest one to him aside from the Senpai that he adores and looks up to so much. It made the slight pain in her chest all the more prominent. Before she left her household this morning, she promised to rid herself of such thoughts that might sour and dampen her mood. So far, she is enjoying having small talk with Ebina Hina and also the little girl. She has no problems talking with Yuigahama Yui, they have exchanged some words before. Extroverted people like her know how to read the mood and what proper things to say. And while they did not talk as much during the Summer Camp, she remains in amicable relations with her.
Miura Yumiko and Yukinoshita Yukino on the other hand, were a different story.
She won't forget how the blonde hit Hachiman, leaving his lips bleeding and dripping with blood and swollen. It was a spur of the moment due to how heated the argument was going between her and the black-haired girl. Anyone can see that Miura Yumiko is a passionate and fiery girl, perhaps too fiery when you fan her embers until the flames rise and swallow you. It was the emotional stress that caused her to lash out unknowingly, something that she apologised profusely with tears in her eyes.
The girl did not mean it, and Kawasaki Saki knows this very well. She won't put it against the blonde since she genuinely regretted her actions. Hachiman himself said that he bears her no ill will whatsoever. So with that in mind, hating and inflicting some sort of payback on the blond serve no purpose.
Now as for Yukinoshita Yukino….
Kawasaki Saki was shocked upon hearing that her friend Hachiman had been suffering verbal abuse from the girl. He never made any mention of it. If there was any clue about it, the only thing that comes to mind is that he never calls her by her name, only the "Ice Queen". She thought that it was just a playful and harmless nickname and did not dwell on it as much. An inside joke between him and his Club President of sorts. She never imagined that the truth was actually much worse. It was simply beyond her thoughts, that someone as prim and proper on the outside, well-known, idolized and praised by many of their teachers and fellow students for her beauty and exceptional intelligence, would do something so heartless and cold. Completely unprovoked and without just reason. And the fact that Hachiman had been all but silent on it, enduring it all and not showing any reaction to it only infuriated her even more. He chose to become passive on her verbal provocations, doing very little to defend himself.
In a sense, Hachiman was right. Yukinoshita Yukino is truly an Ice Queen, in every sense of the word.
The Ice Queen has been very quiet so far and only spoke very little ever since the group came together. She was the first one to arrive on their rendezvous, followed by Yui and Yumiko, and then Saki accompanied by Hina and Rumi. She was surprised to see the little girl and greeted her good morning. Still very shy, she chose to stick with Yui, while Hina and Saki who were walking right behind them. Just like everyone else in the group, she was very much surprised when she was told that the boy she was very much hoping to meet was in fact thousands of kilometres away. She deduced that Yui and Hina were entrusted by him with the information since they were the ones who explained it to the rest of them after they sat down to catch up and to plan their day. Though still a hastily made assumption, something that has little to no basis, she felt envious of the two and their closeness to the boy. Once again, she cursed whatever the circumstances that separated them into other classes. It was enough to make someone like her grasp at the handle of her bag more tightly at the thought. To her right, Yui and Yumiko were busy talking about which places to go first, something that she paid very little mind to. Now that her reason for being here in the first place is missing, she is merely going along with them out of courtesy and proper social norms.
And also to scout out her possible rivals for his affections of course. She cannot let an opportunity like his slip through her fingers, not with all of the girls that he is on friendly terms with in the same place.
"Hmm, his beloved Shiromeguri-senpai is missing as well as that clingy Kouhai that he has an obvious soft spot for. Tsurumi is too young to be considered a threat, even with the fact that she stole his first kiss, followed by two more kisses. And thank goodness Nee-san is not here. No doubt she would hoard all of his attention for herself if she and he were here." She sighs out with relief while musing to herself in her mind.
"Yui, I need to check out that boutique. They have some nice clothes on display." Miura Yumiko says, sounding bossy and even a bit commanding to the ears of the others. But to Hina and Yui, this is just her normal tone which can come off as too strong to those who are not used to her. She walks with confidence but not the way Yukinoshita Yukino, nor Hikigaya Hachiman carry themselves. Hers was much more on the feminine confidence type, the striking kind that bolsters its effect because of her beauty, stride and commanding presence, not to mention her sense of fashion and style. It comes to no surprise that even with five other girls who are no less beautiful in their own way, Miura Yumiko is immediately the first one that the eyes of onlookers are automatically drawn to. Miura Yumiko knows this very well and takes full advantage of it without looking too much of a bigoted Queen Bee in her class. It takes special skills to achieve that kind of status and fame that she possesses. She has this kind of aura around her, something that Hikigaya Hachiman is undeniably affected by, no matter how stoic and calm he looks on the surface. He is completely open about it, and even jokes and teases the blonde to her slight embarrassment.
If Hikigaya Hachiman named Yukinoshita Yukino as the "Ice Queen of Sobu", then it only is fitting for another to bear a similar title but the opposite element. Miura Yumiko, the "Fire Queen of Sobu", sounds rather lovely and oddly perfect for someone like her, Hachiman often thinks to himself with amusement.
"Oh, I was just about to say that too!" Yuigahama Yui says with a laugh and then turns to the others. "Hey guys, why don't we check that place out? We still have a lot of time to spare."
She was given words of affirmation by the rest of the girls, except for Yukino who merely gave her a nod. The group then goes to their intended destination together, being led by Yui and Yumiko. It was your average boutique, the kind that almost feels identical with the other similar establishments that are housed by the mall itself. The girls went off in twos and threes and occasionally went off on their own when something catches their eyes. Rumi never left Hina and Saki, switching between both of them when one of them goes to the changing room and then goes back to ask what the other two think of their outfit. The store does not offer apparel in her size, but she still enjoys spending time like this with her companions. Things would have ended quite differently if she had not met these nice people. Especially if she had not borne witness to the evening conversation between Hina and Hachiman beside the steam that night, the very meeting that started everything. It was at that moment that her outlook on life changed. They gave her hope, that perhaps she does not need to be alone, she can rely on others as well as trust and make friends with them. Hachiman himself taught her that forming bonds with people, especially at her current age, is important to the social development of a person.
The little girl decides to excuse herself, and then goes to Yui and Yumiko who are trying out different shoes. She is greeted warmly by the two and sits beside Yui while the blonde looks for something nice.
Yui turns to her, softly patting her head. "Rumi-chan, are you having fun with us? Do you want to go somewhere else?"
"No, I'm fine. It's kind of fun doing something like this, I mean. This is actually the first time...that I've gone out with people." She says quietly while fiddling with her shirt. Hearing her small voice, and the tone that it carried pulled at the heartstrings of the older girl. Yui could not resist pulling Rumi closer to her chest in a tight hug. "This must be the feeling to protect and care for children that Hikki always says…"
"Don't worry Rumi-chan, we're here for you! We can hang out as much as you want, just say the word!"
The little girl blushes profusely at the contact, more so since her face is buried in the older girl's much larger chest. Tsurumi Rumi has no siblings and this kind of skinship is unlikely to be reciprocated by her Mother. So it would not come off as a surprise to say that she feels awkward and unsure of what to do in her current predicament. Unable to utter say nor do anything, she endures it all until the older girl loosens her hug until finally releasing her.
"Y-Yui-nee is a dangerous girl... I have to escape before she hugs me again! I think I won't survive the next time that she does it to me...!" Tsurumi Rumi says in her mind. Her thoughts are very much silly and exaggerated, as what you would expect from a child. Yuigahama Yui looks down on the girl and smiles, patting her head and playfully pulling on her cheeks.
"Hehehehe. Rumi-chan you're so cute! I wish a had a little sister like you!"
Alarms ring within the mind of the smaller girl, anticipating another incoming hug and imminent danger from Yuigahama Yui's chest. Her eyes dart to and fro, looking for something to use as an excuse to get away as soon as possible. She spots a girl with long black hair in the corner, standing by herself and inspecting a dark blue scarf. It was Yukinoshita Yukino, who has been by herself all this time. Seeing the opportunity, she raises her hand and points in her direction.
Yuigahama Yui blinks several times and then turns to what she is pointing at. "Ah, Yukinon. She's told me that she prefers to be left alone today, I can't really force her if she says no..." She says with a hint of sadness at seeing her friend in her lonesome, something that Tsurumi Rumi barely heard because of her immediate desire to get away from her.
"Yukinoshita-san huh, I'll go to her. She looks a little lonely." Without waiting for a reply, Tsurumi Rumi stands up and quickly makes her way towards the raven-haired girl, leaving Yuigahama Yui confused and a little bothered at how quickly she fled.
"Oh, was it something I said...?"
Hello everyone! Ivanov117 here! Do you know what day it is?
It's the 4th anniversary of this Fanfic! Wohoo!
Damn, I can't believe that it's already been that long! I never would have thought that this all started with those "What If?" scenarios, but then again most Fanfics usually start with that question huh. Hmm, now what I just said really sounds redundant... As you may already know, I was inspired after watching "Masamune-kun's Revenge!", so you might see some slight similarities between the Protagonist of that story and Hachiman. I made sure not to make it a copy-paste and to clearly differentiate between the two of them. But hey I literally forgot the more refined plotlines of that show like maybe two or three years ago but that was the plan anyway.
I'm not going to lie, the first few chapters of this FanFic are SHITTE! ABSOLUTE SHITTE! UTTER SHITTE! I cringe at myself for writing so horribly!
The pacing, the awkward and unnecessary dialogue, the inconsistent monologues, the paragraphs that are just WAY too much, the grammatical errors and tiny typos..!
I literally CANNOT comprehend how you lot managed to read past that and continue! If you wiped my memories of me writing this and presented it to me, I would have dropped this story at chapter 3!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
*dies from cringe*
I wonder if other authors cringe at their early works because I definitely do...
Jokes aside, thank you all for being with me and helping me grow and improve my writing skills as an Author! I sincerely believe that all of your criticisms have assisted me in reaching this far! I don't mind reading negative reviews tho, it gives me an idea of how your mind works and your point of view as a reader alone.
Also, I'm just realizing that writing more than 20k words is physically and mentally exhausting. I can feel the strain it does more readily as time goes on. So from this point on, I think I will go back to my usual standard of around 8k-10k words per chapter, just enough for it not to feel too short with whatever is going on with each one. You may have noticed that the last part is in a Third Person POV. It's my first time writing one so I'm a bit nervous about how it went out. I've always been used to reading and writing in First Person since YOU ARE the character, and the method itself feels more intimate and relatable.
A random idea suddenly came up in my head the other day. Now now, I know what you're gonna say:
"B-But Ivanov! You still haven't updated, nor changed the title of the harem ending with the long-ass title! And we want more Komachi lewds and smuts! Sister Incest Route for Komachi please! Lolicon Route for Rumi-chan please! Yaoi route for Hachi x Haya please! MILF Incest Route for HachiMama please!"
THE ONLY LEWDS YOU LOT ARE GETTING ARE FULL UNCENSORED PUBLIC VANILLA CONSENSUAL LOVING HANDHOLDING!
All in due time, my friends. Also, stop being horny. The incest lovers have already invaded my other Fic with my OC. At this rate, Sumiya Yuuko is gonna end up as a secondary character!
Anyway, back to what I was saying. Hear me out: Elements from I Am Legend, Dying Light, World War Z and The Walking Dead, fused into one clusterfuck of a FanFic with Hachiman as its protagonist, struggling to survive in what remains of a devastated Chiba with Kamakura as his animal companion. Sounds crazy? This one sounds sane if you put it next to my Isekai fic! XD
So, yeah. I think that's all for today. Here's to me having enough willpower to continue writing, for the flame that burns within me to never run out! Once again, thank you all for staying and reading my FanFic! I hope you all have a wonderful day ahead!
May the souls of those who passed away from COVID-19 rest in peace.