2.1

For a brief second an intense silence ensued. As I stared at Hikigaya, I could feel a growing blush on my face, my temperature rising. Thankfully, upon shifting my focus to his eyes, my blush immediately broke.

Though in my opinion, they weren't ugly or anything, Hikigaya's sharp eyes were certainly something else. Slanted, dead, and beady, most would be repulsed or at the very least, filled with unease at such a sight. Despite this, they were somehow intriguing to me, much like the rest of his person. In my mind, such eyes represented the doorway to his very soul; looking into them was like peering into a bottomless well, full of unfathomable emotions and views.

Unfortunately as entranced as I was, I still hadn't lost all awareness and a growing realization of the situation crept in. Luckily before I could die from the suffocating atmosphere, Hikigaya stood up offering a hand.

"Uhh … I'm really sorry." he said, looking away as he spoke, his cheeks still red.

Taking his hand, and getting up on my feet, I immediately brushed off the dust and dirt from my uniform. To my delight, by some miracle, I suffered no scratches or cuts, the only casualty, my slightly ragged clothing. Ughh, I would probably have to wash it tonight.

Looking up to face Hikigaya, I decided to give an impression of a cold serious female student to avoid any future misunderstandings. Leveling a glare at him, I said in as harsh of a manner as I could, "TT-th-isss uhh ... incident never happened. Y-yo-ouu got that ?". Apparently it seemed like my brain cells were dead from the stress of the situation.

I guess I'll be going to commit seppuku tonight.

Sharply turning away, I began to walk quickly towards my home, leaving a probably confused or amused Hikigaya. Not wanting to think about what had just occurred, I focused my mind on a single task, getting to the sanctuary known as my home as swiftly as possible. Doing so would probably help take off the fact that I have just acted like a total stereotypical tsundere.

With this resolute determination to flee from what was probably going to be my life's biggest embarrassment. I reach my house within record time, entering and immediately closing the front door. As soon as I'm inside, I slump against the hard plaster of the walls, giving myself time to process my nerves.

After a few minutes of repeatedly trying (and miserably failing) to erase the recent turn of events from my head, I somehow manage to calm down enough. Taking off my dirty uniform and putting it into the washing machine, I quickly change, starting my homework. To my luck earlier that day, Hiratsuka-sensei had assigned our class an essay, and promptly my frustration shifted accordingly. To be honest, after I had finished the painfully asinine and doltish task of answering the prompt "Looking back on highschool life" I had doubts on whether I had actually benefited in the end..

I really do hate Japanese class.

Hours later, when the last of my assignments were finished and I had taken a nice long hot shower, a warm feeling of contentness enveloped me. Nothing was better than finishing a huge chunk of work and basking in the sense of accomplishment as you stayed ignorant to the fact more was to come.

Hopping into my bed, I prepared to go to sleep. After all, slumber was probably my favorite pastime, surpassed only by reading or watching the occasional anime. Recently however, the latter had fallen out of favor, courtesy of accidentally viewing some series about a pervert who named himself the Boob Dragon? Needless to say, I was not going to be watching anything on AT-X for a very long time.

Watching a harem show as a girl really is unsettling. Seeing how all these fictional female characters, usually Yamato Nadeshikos, fall so completely to dense and usually boorish males really made me feel ill. Then again, overly self conscious females probably weren't the target demographic for these types of series.

Grabbing some chapstick I began to apply it to my lips, tenderly moving the smooth soothing cream across. As I did so, the sudden memory of a soft touch on that very same area came into mind. Immediately the day's earlier repressed memories flooded into me and with them, a growing sense of embarrassment. About to be overcome by a second wave of shame and humiliation, I swiftly took action.

Not wanting to alarm my parents or brother, I grabbed my pillow, going under the cover of my blanket. Once I was fully enveloped, I did what any other girl would do when confronted with such a situation and let out a scream. It was a howl of despair, anxiety, and humiliation all let out into a pillow.

And so the day ended with an incredible desire to shrivel up and die.

2.2

The next morning was one of anxiety as I began to dread going to school and facing Hikigaya. After what had happened yesterday , I was most definitely on his radar. If he were to even glance at me or so much as to breathe in my direction, chances are I would light up, much like a certain reindeer's nose.

On a more positive note, I had surprisingly gotten a decent sleep the night before. Apparently the high stress I felt at the time, encouraged my brain to just shut down and lay aside my recent trauma. It was really too bad that I couldn't fall into another sleep, specifically a permanent one.

Noticing that I was alone in the house, I quickly grabbed some breakfast, a piece of toast along with eggs, left on the counter. Usually my parents woke up an hour before me, having to make the long commute to work. Oddly enough my brother always decided to go with them, insisting on going to school early, though for less than academic reasons. Something about exorcising evil spirits when their qi was at its lowest?

Heaving a heavy sigh, I opened the front door and began the dreaded walk to school. Now that I was thinking about it, was I perhaps somewhat overreacting? Could the existential fear I had felt been the product of my overly dramatic imagination? It wasn't like such an event if discovered by the student body would be spun into the school's hottest new gossip piece. Oh wait, that's exactly what would happen.

Shuddering already, from imagining the stares and rumors a situation like that would bring, I was snapped back into attention as I neared the classroom. Wanting to deal with my fear straightforwardly, rather than let it grow and simmer, I quickly walked in, trying to get to my seat in as short of a time as possible. To the common onlooker, I probably looked like a frightened mouse scurrying away at the threat of danger.

As I sat down, I began to take out my copy of Osamu Dazai's The Setting Sun. First period was Japanese Literature making everyday start off wonderfully (not). Once all the necessary school supplies had been taken out, I looked around checking to see if Hikigaya was also present in the room. After what had happened yesterday, it was going to be awkward to say the least, being within a 10 meter radius of his person.

Quickly scanning the room, I found that he and around a quarter of the class were not present, likely having not arrived yet. And so in lieu of the situation, I decided to stare at the classroom entrance, looking to see if Hikigaya would be in attendance that day. Just as I had begun to watch, I heard the sound of nearing footsteps, and sure enough a person walked into the class. Looking closely I was relieved to know it was not Hikigaya but rather one of our more popular classmates. I believed he was in the baseball club, though I couldn't really be bothered to recall his name.

However, right when I was about to turn back toward my desk in order to prepare for Hiratsuka-sensei's arrival, another person suddenly entered my field of vision. Slouching as he walked with those trademark dead eyes, it was Hikigaya. Upon noticing that I was staring at him, his eyes widened ever so slightly in what I assumed was surprise before shifting away to the opposite direction. Despite this, I could still clearly tell that he was watching me.

Immediately my face, much like a pile of tinder on a hot day, began to burn up, creating what I could only assume was a very noticeable blush. Seriously, what was I? A hormonal preteen girl who had just found her first crush? This wasn't middle school anymore.

"Amamiya you're looking awfully red. Is something wrong?" the girl sitting next to me asked in a teasing tone. I believe she was called Masako and the two of us had talked on occasion. Suffice to say, she was your average highschool girl, obsessed with drama, gossip, and of course boys. While we weren't exactly friends in my opinion, we got along fine. Well at least that was the impression I got when she offered for me to hang out with her and her group of friends during lunch, an offer I had taken her up on since the beginning of the school year.

"Nn-nnothingg. I was just startled" I stammered out. It appeared that we were friends based on her calling of my name without honorifics. Regardless, I really hoped she would just take a hint and not pry any further. The last thing I needed would be this incident becoming her new exclusive gossip piece which she would then eagerly spread around the school.

"Oh really?" Masako said in a sing-song manner before turning her head towards where I was once looking. She then deepened her smile and then turned back to face me. Was this going to be the end of my highschool life as I knew it? Giggling, she then continued, "Not bad, not bad at all Amamiya, Ooka is pretty high up there in terms of specs. He's pretty popular, being one of Hayama-kun's friends"

In other words his only good feature is that he's friends with a person more popular than he is?

"I think you're getting the wrong idea Masako-san" I coldly responded. Apparently my blush had instantly died with her misdiagnosis. It seemed like I was not in the very least interested, much less romantically inclined towards Ooka. Well given the fact that I couldn't recall his name, that did make a lot of sense.

"Whatever you say. I think you should honestly aim for Hayama-kun though. I mean taking in account your looks and grades, you're basically a demo version of Yukinoshita-san. Besides Miura-san, you have the best chance in this class to actually succeed. "

A word of advice Masako, when you're complimenting someone, don't liken that said person to an inferior version of another. After your statement I want to go home and cry.

Thankfully after receiving that backhanded compliment, the topic of conversation moved into various school gossip, drama, and fashion. In other words, the overall intellectual level of our discussion probably fell somewhere into the single digits.

However as I continued to go through the motions of my everyday routine, I did come to the realization that Hikigaya was indeed watching me. Sitting diagonally from me near the class entrance, I would notice him occasionally glancing in my direction, observing as if to determine whether I was a threat or not. Though it was a little unnerving, the day went on with little interruption.

On a different note, the most popular social group in our class, consisting of Hayama and his group of friends, seemed to be especially lively, whispering furiously while pointing and glancing in my direction. Of course I was aware of such implications, but in the interest of wanting to believe that the day was a complete victory, I chose to remain ignorant.

Thus the day in my mind concluded rather nicely.

2.3

A week passed by at a snail's pace. If I had to describe this period using one word, I would simply say "boring". Aside from the various glances and murmurs directed at me at a somewhat greater frequency than before, my daily school routine continued on. However there were several interesting developments that had occurred during that very week of boredom.

First was regarding Hikigaya. After our little accident more than a week ago, I had most definitely been placed under his radar. Though he didn't glance at me with the same intensity as he did the day after the "incident", I still received the occasional hidden stare. It really was unsettling.

Unfortunately with this added attention, my usual habit of "Hikigaya watching" came to a stop. I wasn't in the mood for taking any risks and I absolutely didn't want to deepen the already incredibly awkward relationship the two of us had.

Had I been an otaku, I would have liken the situation to the set up of some romantic comedy anime or romance VN. Two classmates by coincidence, meet after school due to an accident and soon a blossoming romance emerges. Ughh. Such rosy events would never occur in the real world.

Putting aside the fact I lack any feelings for Hikigaya, the reality remains that the atmosphere between the two of us made it impossible to interact at all. Speaking truthfully, I would probably never talk to him again. Right?

The second thing was less of a development and more of a significant event. Around half way into the week, a dispute broke out in our class between the two most popular girls Yuigahama and Miura, both of whom were in Hayama's circle.

Wow. Does being Hayama's friend immediately grant you a popularity pass?

It seemed like Yuigahama somehow offended Miura over some minor grievance resulting in the latter bashing the other. I wasn't really invested in the details of their spat though the uncomfortable atmosphere their dispute generated was probably one of the worse I felt.

What had caught my attention though was that it seemed Hikigaya was somehow involved, at one point coming to Yuigahama's defense, only to back out at the last moment. Seeing him do something so out of character really got my gears turning. Did he have some history with Yuigahama?

To make the matters even more intriguing,Yuigahama appeared to be friends with the famed Yukinoshita who had arrived to her aid.

Within Sobu, there existed 3 individuals who stood at the pinnacle of the social hierarchy. These people were Miura, Hayama, and perhaps most famously, Yukino Yukinoshita. The daughter of some important business tycoon, Yukinoshita's upbringing screamed high class, her regal looks and top grades contributing to her image of an aristocrat.

What made Yukinoshita exceedingly popular at Sobu though, was her supposed ice-cold demeanor and unwillingness to socialize. Oftentimes she would just give off an aura of unmatched coldness, making anyone wanting to approach her, falter and back away in fear. Well at least that was the case previously. Yuigahama's closeness indicated otherwise.

Moving into action in order to defend her apparent friend, Yukinoshita mercilessly cut down Miura, launching insult after insult. If I had to be honest, I felt that Yukinoshita's attacks weren't too effective, mainly due Miura's inability to comprehend Yukinioshita's highbrow way of bashing. The sight was quite disheartening and rather sad.

Soon after Yukinoshita's intervention, half of the class, myself included, left the room. The tension caused by the conflict was so thick, it felt as if I would have suffocated and died had I stayed any longer.

They really could have shown some restraint.

With that incident passed, my daily cycle of waking up, going to school, doing homework, and then going to sleep continued. With my lack of any after school clubs, I more often than not, had an abundance of free time. While this development did bring me joy and elation the first few days, these feelings quickly turned into boredom. After all, reading the same books and watching reruns of various TV shows could only entertain a person for so long.

Unfortunately, by now, most clubs had closed their recruitment, making any attempt to join pretty pointless. The only choice left was to talk to my guidance counselor, Hiratsuka -sensei, and ask if she could pull some strings.

And so here I was in the teacher's lounge, explaining my predicament to Hiratsuka-sensei who listened intently while smoking a cigarette.

Besides the fact there weren't any windows opened, did she realize that other people were in the room too?

After I had finished explaining my problem to sensei, she stayed quiet, adopting a contemplative look, before giving out a small giggle. Among all my teachers, Hiratsuka-sensei was by far the most eccentric, having multiple strange quirks along with an almost childlike personality. It was really too bad that she taught Japanese. Had she been a science teacher, we would have gotten along swimmingly.

Smirking as she looked directly at me, she said excitedly, "Amamiya-san, just to confirm, you're willing to join any club so long as they accept you right?"

I really don't like the sense of where this is going.

Nodding my head in assent, she then continues, "I have just the club in mind for you!", her excitement quite evident in her voice.

At this point it's a little too late to voice second thoughts. Though for a few seconds I consider uttering them.

Ushering me to stand up and follow her, she begins to walk toward the special building within the school. Unlike the rest of the school, the special building has not been recently renovated and is instead largely abandoned, save for its rooms being used as storage.

As we start to walk, Hiratsuka-sensei begins to hum loudly, clearly happy at the prospect of me joining the club of her recommendation.

Isn't she supposed to at least tell me the name of the club I'm going to join?

Just as I'm about to ask her, Hiratsuka-sensei suddenly stops at one of the classrooms. "We're here" she remarks, before opening the sliding door and entering.

Stepping inside I am greeted by 3 faces who I immediately recognize. Despite this, my focus is drawn to one in particular, his dead fish eyes boring into my own.

I take it back. Apparently my life the past week definitely screams a romantic comedy.

A/N: And this concludes the 2nd chapter of Kindred Spirits. I definitely had a lot of fun writing this chapter and Amane's character. Now that the basic exposition of the story has been largely completed, we can finally begin the meaty plot of the service club. Regarding the upcoming plot, I hope to not make it too repetitive and for the sake of the story, I'll probably cut out some events while adding some new ones. After all I wouldn't like to make a story that's a complete copy of the original with just an added insert character.

Anyways I hope you enjoy this chapter and I hope to see you guys again in the next update. Hopefully that won't be too long. Thank you for all of the support and viewership!