Chapter 6

Hikigaya POV

As soon as I closed the door, I could hear the voices of my mom and Komachi in the kitchen welcoming me back. Right after I hear a whisper followed by a strange yelp and the clanging of something metallic on the countertop. After some shuffling, I heard the sound of water spilling and Komachi's worried gasp.

Yukinoshita? What is she doing here?

As I started to kick off my shoes, I saw Komachi run up the stairs and quickly bring a towel. That was when I finally took off my shoes and rushed into the kitchen. All I saw was the moment when Komachi disappeared behind the kitchen counter followed by Yukinoshita.

Soon enough, I was mopping the floor, while my mom wrapped up Yukinoshita's sprained ankle. Even from here, I could see the swelling, making a small bump, and judging from her pained expression, it must hurt a lot.

"Is that too tight?"

"No, it's fine. Thank you."

"Haa… I'm sorry. To think you would get hurt like this on your first visit…"

"Not at all. It was my carelessness that led to this accident. Do not worry about it. It's not too bad of an injury." Her actions were telling a different story. I could see the death grip she had on the edge of the chair. Also seeing this, my mom was lightly wrapping her ankle with an ice pack.

"Still, I'm sorry. Well, I'll go check on the bath. I'll find you some clothes to change into as well."

With that, my mom left upstairs, leaving the two of us in awkward silence.

"…"

"…"

"So… is it alright to ask how you ended up here?" She was quiet for a good minute but eventually responded.

"… Well, after our meeting with Tsurumi-sensei, Komachi still had lingering questions. She asked if I would come over to finish asking and I agreed. It was getting late so I was getting ready to leave, but Komachi asked if I wanted to stay for dinner. Not wanting to impose I refused, but your okaa-san arrived at that same moment and it was hard for me to refuse her too, so I decided to stay and help."

"… I see…"

"…"

The silence was making the atmosphere even more awkward than before. The strange situation caught me off guard and I just couldn't come up with anything to say, not that I could normally. I glanced at her from the corner of my eye. She was still wearing the apron from before, but it was clear that she was drenched. She was looking down, so I couldn't see her expression. Seeing her like that, I couldn't help but find it funny. Considering that she always seemed aloof, this almost pouting side of her was refreshing. I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped me. I tried to hold it back, but the more I looked at her the more I wanted to let it out.

"Hehe… he, ha haha! I'm sorry, it's just so strange, hahaha!"

I thought that she would respond with her usual cold, proud self, but, to my surprise, she actually started to lightly laugh as well. Before I knew it, the awkward atmosphere soon dissipated as if it never existed. As her body shook with laughter, the wrap holding the ice pack came loose. And fell to the floor.

"Ah…" She reached for the pack but flinched in pain as her swollen ankle stretched with her body.

"Here, let me do that for you." I hesitated at first but this kind of reminded me of the time she helped me at the end of the school marathon. I could repay the favor.

"Oh, um… Thank… you…"

I got on one knee and grabbed the pack and wrap from the floor. I gently lifted her leg up slightly, but quickly realized my miscalculation. I forgot that I was still a healthy, young man.

Her leg was cold to the touch but smooth and soft. I could feel the goosebumps on her skin that formed from the cold water on her skin. Even more so, the droplets of water that flowed down her leg from her wet clothes, for some reason, were really sensual.

Damm it! What am I thinking of at a time like this?! Stop! Oṃ Maṇi Padme Hūṃ…

To distract me from such impure thoughts I started to chant the Buddhist mantra in my mind.

"Nng… hmnm… nng…"

Why are you making such strange sounds?! You're not helping! Oṃ… I figured I should look away from the problem while I wrapped her ankle, so I looked up towards Yukinoshita's face. One hand was tightly gripping the hem of the apron and the other was lightly clenched and held over her mouth. She had her eyes closed while a light red tinged her cheeks. I forgot to breathe for the few seconds I was staring at her. This side of her was seriously beautiful.

Noticing I had stopped what I was doing, she opened one eye slowly and then the other, until we were just staring at each other. Probably noticing the longer than normal eye contact, she turned her face away.

"Umm… I think you can wrap it a little tighter." Her voice was soft and almost indiscernible, but I heard her clearly.

"Uh… yeah… got it…" I went back to warping her ankle, the awkward atmosphere slowly returning.

"Yukino-senpai, the bath is ready! Hmm…?" It was then that Komachi burst into the scene. She looked back and forth from Yukinoshita and me, feeling something slightly off. Yukinoshita's face was red and was looking away from me. I was still holding onto her leg. "Onii-chan, what are you doing? Did he do something gross?"

"Oi, why am I always the culprit of something when I'm clearly innocent." I quickly finished up and set her leg down. "That should hold for now. Try not to move it too much…" I went back to finish cleaning the mess in the kitchen.

"Yes… Thank you…"

"Hmm… Well, anyway, let's get you upstairs. Lean on my shoulder." They slowly made their way to the stairs. My mom then came to help them up the stairs and into the bathroom. I only watched from the kitchen, making sure they would be able to make it up.

As I put away the mop and cleaning products, I couldn't help but look at my hand that was touching her leg. It was still wet with water. It was then that I started to feel the thumping of my heart, much faster than usual. I took a deep breath and started to take out plates and such for dinner.

My heart is beating way too fast. I must be out of breath from mopping the floor… I should probably start doing some exercise before I get too out of shape…

After everything that happened, we were finally able to sit down and eat. Yukinoshita called home and was told that they would send someone right away to take her to the hospital, but she insisted on waiting until after we ate. After all, she sprained her ankle making it.

After eating, Mom started to clear the table and wash the dishes and Komachi was helping Yukinoshita change into her washed uniform. I was watching a show on television while waiting for Yukinoshit's ride home. After a bit, Komachi brought her over to the couch and went to help out in the kitchen.

Instead of trying to force a conversation, I decided to keep quiet and keep my eyes on the T.V. I was trying to forget about what had happened earlier, but I couldn't help but steal a few glances at her. Luckily, Kamakura was keeping her company, or rather she forced him to keep her company.

A few minutes later I noticed that she had taken out her phone. She looked at it and then turned around to look towards the kitchen then back at her phone. It seemed like she wanted to get the other two's attention, but didn't want to call out loudly, or something like that.

"Is your ride close by?" I decided to call out to her instead.

"Ah… Yes, they are about five minutes out."

"Alright, I'll tell my mom."

"Thank you."

I got up and walked to the kitchen. "Kaa-san, Yukinoshita's ride will be here soon."

"Hmm~… You don't say~… Well, you can go ahead and receive them, Hachi! I'm all dirty from washing the dishes."

"Ehh…? Sure, I guess." I thought it best to not question any further. Anymore and Yukinoshita might start to feel bad for the trouble, not that there is any.

Soon enough, I heard a knock on the door. Though, if I had known who was behind the door, I never would have agreed to receive them so easily.

"Good afternoon, Hikigaya-kun. Can I assume it is your fault that my cute Yukino-chan got hurt?" Who else but Yukinoshia's first daughter would come to cause trouble. Haruno confidentiality stood in the doorway with a mocking grin on her face.

"Why does the blame always fall on me?" Caught off guard, I could only question her assumption and move out of the way, not bothering to welcome her in.

"Answering with a question makes you look guilty, you know. It's no fun if you admit it so readily. Well, if you don't mind it's getting late. My okaa-san is worried sick~. Excuse the intrusion."

She removed her heels at the door and made her way to where Yukinoshita was.

"Nee-san?! What are you doing here?"

"I was already out and on my way back, so okaa-san asked me to bring you home as soon as possible. Dr. Mei is already on her way."

"I told her I was fine. There was no need to bother her at this hour."

"Okaa-san just wants to make sure everything is fine. Come on, it's best not to keep okaa-san waiting." Haruno put her purse on the coffee table and reached her hand out and Yukinoshita quietly took it. As Haruno helped her up, I could see Yukinoshita tense up in pain.

"Yukino-chan, relax. Since I don't usually get drunk, I've gotten used to people resting their weight on my shoulders. I'm stronger than I look." As she said that, she glanced my way and grinned. "Isn't that right Hikigaya-kun."

"Tch… I wouldn't know something like that. I'm not even old enough to drink yet." Recalling my conversation with her not too long ago, I started to get annoyed at the smirk on her face.

Haruno started to walk slowly and Yukinoshita balanced herself and followed her while jumping on one leg, though every time she did, her face would contort in pain.

"This isn't gonna work. You're gonna keep straining your leg like that. Hmm… Hikigaya-kun, come help carry Yukino-chan on the other side." She was obviously trying to provoke some kind of reaction from us, like usual. The look on her face was too obvious.

"Huh?! N-no, it's fine like this. It's just a short way to the car…"

"Now, now… The more you strain the ankle, the longer it'll take to recover. Hikigaya-kun let's go!"

"Wait a second, Komachi come… help…" I decided to call Komachi to come help, but when I turned to the kitchen, both my mom and Komachi were gone. I thought they were being too quiet. They must have disappeared as soon as I opened the door.

I looked back towards Yukinoshita and saw her looking down, her face was a deep red, probably from frustration. Her usual cold and distant disposition nowhere to be found. She has really changed from when I first met her. I decided to bite the bullet and give in to Haruno's provocation for today, for Yukinoshita's sake. If I remain calm, she should be able to as well.

"Yea, yea. Don't have much of a choice." Yukinoshita was holding her free arm close to her chest, but when she saw me get close, she let out a sigh of resignation and held out her hand. I took it with my right hand and stretched it over my neck and held onto her long, supple fingers.

I could see Haruno in my peripheral vision with a large smirk on her face. I looked away and started to wrap my left arm around her back and, gently, placed it on her hip. This was probably the most contact I have ever had with someone of the opposite gender. Being so close, I could smell the shampoo and feel the dampness of her hair. My heart started beating heavily and irregularly, almost hard enough that I had to wonder if Yukinoshita could feel it.

Oṃ Maṇi Padme Hūṃ… Oṃ Maṇi Padme Hūṃ…

I, again, started to chant the mantra in my head to ward off my inner thoughts, while making sure my expression was as stoic as possible. With Haruno on her left and me on her right, we made our way to the car. She had sprained her left leg, so she leaned most of her weight on Haruno, but being in direct contact with her was stimulating nonetheless. No matter how indifferent I act on the outside, I was still a guy. Even so, I knew that this wasn't the time or place, so I kept chanting the mantra to put my inner demons to rest.

"Oh no~! My bad… I left my purse in your house! Hold on, while I go get it~!"

"Wait! I can… go… get it…" As soon as we made it to the car, Haruno started to 'search' for her keys, and then conveniently 'remembered' she had left them in her purse, which was still inside, leaving me holding onto Yukinoshita. She left so suddenly that Yukinoshita didn't have time to readjust her balance. To compensate for the loss of balance on her left, she ended up leaning more towards me. Feeling her loss of balance and fearing she would fall over, I instinctively tightened my hold on her hip. Her left arm grabbed onto my shirt searching for stability and her right hand squeezed mine even harder. Considering the dim lighting outside, any stranger would assume we were sharing an awkward embrace.

After finding her balance she loosened her grip on my shirt but still held on. I similarly loosened my hold on her hip. We were both smart enough to understand the situation we were in, so the classic 'separation after a sudden touch' you see in anime didn't happen. If we had, Yukinoshita's injury would have gotten worse since she would have had to use her injured leg to find balance.

"…"

"…"

Here we go again…

"… Are you alright? Are you still in pain…?"

"Y-yes, I'm fine. T-thank you. As long as I don't move my ankle suddenly, it isn't too bad."

"… I see…"

"…"

"… Oh, I've probably already done it, but thanks for helping out with dinner. It was really good, better than usual."

"Yes, your welcome. It was… fun… Your okaa-san was surprisingly normal."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, since you have such a twisted personality and Komachi is… well Komachi, I thought your mother would also be on one side of the spectrum as well."

"I can't argue with that, though from what I hear, my mom was a loner in her younger days, though less than me. My dad was a milder version of Komachi."

"Really? That's hard to believe… Well, anyway, I didn't really do much. Your okaa-san did most of the work."

"I guess she must have wanted to make a good first impression. Though I still don't understand how you got hurt. As an apology, and since everything seems to be my fault, let's say I owe you one. If you need help with anything just let me know."

I don't know what I could help her with, but it's the polite thing to do, right? I doubt she would actually ask for my help, though. She'll probably use the favor to force me to cooperate for the service club or something.

"W-well…"

"Hmm?" I could see the hesitation on her face. As if debating whether to ask me something or not.

"My okaa-san's birthday is coming up soon. We usually have a formal event for the family, but it doesn't seem possible this year. My okaa-san and otou-san will be going overseas on business this year, and it happened to coincide with my okaa-san's birthday. So I wanted to have a small dinner with my okaa-san and otou-san, and nee-san as well. I wanted to test a few dishes before then, but with this leg, moving around the kitchen would be kind of difficult… so… do you think you could help me with that?"

"Well… wouldn't Yuigahama be a better fit for something like that… No, nevermind, that's not a good idea…"

"Right…"

"Well, you should know that I'm no better in the kitchen…" I could see slight dejection in her expression as I responded. Well considering Yuigahama's lack of talent in the kitchen and her not having many friends in the first place, I am probably the only other person she can rely on. "… but if it's just helping out, then I think I can handle that."

Hearing my response, I could see her expression relax a bit, and a small smile appeared on her face. "Then… thank you again. I'll… message you with the details later."

"Sure, any idea on what you want to make?"

"I haven't decided yet, but most likely something different from what we usually have. Maybe something western?"

"Well, I'm no good at cooking, but I can at least do a quality check. Well knowing you, there won't be many problems."

"Even I make mistakes when doing something new, you know."

We both let out a light laugh and a comfortable silence followed. I felt refreshed in the silence, different from before. Unfortunately, it was soon interrupted by a noisy woman.

"Alright, I'm back~! Sorry it took so long, Your mom is really nice… hmm? Don't you guys think you are sticking too close together?"

"Nee-san!"

"You're the one who knocked her off balance when you left, ya know…"

Yukinoshita immediately let go of her grip on my shirt, and I loosened my hold on her, putting some distance between us while still holding onto her.

"Hai, hai~ Sorry about that. Well, let's get going Yukino-chan!" Haruno opened the passenger side door, and I helped her get into the seat.

I hope she doesn't catch a cold. The sudden loss of warmth on my left made me realize how cold it was outside. Since she had taken a bath not too long ago, I thought it could be a risk. Should be fine though. She will probably be put to bed as soon as she gets home.

Haruno closed the door and looked at me with her usual, annoying grin. "So did you make any progress~?"

Why am I not surprised? It's just like her to ask a question like that. "I don't know what you're talking about." Not wanting to show any kind of reaction, I decided it would be best to turn around and leave.

"Hmm? Usually, you would deny it, but now you're just ignoring the question. Avoiding the question is the same as not answering, you know. Well, so be it. I'll see you soon, Hikigaya-kun~!"

I really didn't want to turn around so I only waved my hand and kept walking. Though, after I heard the car drive off, I couldn't help turning around and watching the car disappear down the road.

I laid down on my bed and thought back to today's events. It was only the second day of school, but too many things have already piled up. Muga's persistence and strange attitude, Miura's loss, and Saki and Keika's outing, though that one will probably be some fun. There's also Yukinoshita's injury and meal preparation, but I'm getting paid in food, so no bother there. Surprisingly, Yuigahama hasn't caused much trouble, though she will probably be roping me in to help 'cheer' Miura up.

I'm more surprised that Isshiki hasn't been around to cause trouble. Not really complaining though, the less trouble the better… Feeling the drowsiness take over, my eyelids started to close.

*Bzzt* *Bzzt*

I heard my phone vibrate from my nightstand, waking me up from the edge. Although tired, I thought it best to check. If it was Yukinoshita, it would be best to respond rather than ignore.

I turned on the screen and, after seeing the message on it, I immediately shut off my phone. I didn't need to see the sender to know it would be trouble. I didn't even finish reading the message.

[Senpai! I need…]

I closed my eyes and started to think rationally. Did she even have my contact info? Did I really see that? Did I really hear my phone buzz? Maybe I was just imagining it since I was coincidentally thinking about trouble…

Nah. I didn't hear anything. Must have been the wind…

The Next Morning

5:00 am

*Beep* *Beep* *Beep* *Beep*

It was way too early in the morning. I set my alarm clock after throwing my phone into my drawer. I was resolute to start doing some exercises daily, but actually waking up this early to do it made me question my sanity.

Anybody actually waking up at this ungodly hour is crazy. Good thing I have never concerned myself with what other people think.

I decided to start with building up my stamina by running. Since I usually ride my bike to school, I was confident of my stamina, but it was all too pitiful compared to regular people. I still remember how hard it was to keep up with Hayama during the school marathon. I didn't even finish it. If I had spent less time lazing around and drinking Max coffee, no regrets, I wonder if I could have finished that marathon just fine. Granted, I was talking to that guy the entire time so maybe if...

While questioning my life choices I reluctantly put on some dark, warm clothes and left my room. I closed my door quietly and made my way down the stairs. It was still way too early for anyone else to be awake so I tried my best to sneak out. I shouldn't be too long so I might even make it back before anyone else wakes up. If I encounter anyone it would probably be the old man. He's still stuck at the corporate slave level.

My destination, Sonounomori Park, was a little far to just walk there, but, with my current stamina, I couldn't run all the way there either, so I opted to take my bike. It was a large, forested park with a few trails to run on. It's also near a sports center, so it gets plenty of traffic. Usually, I would avoid such places, but being this early in the morning, I doubt there would be people there.

By the time I made it to the park, the sun was starting to rise. I locked up my bike and found a secluded spot where I could do some light stretches. I might not do this often but I at least know I should stretch first, but considering I rode my bike here, I didn't spend too much time stretching. After a bit of time, I started my run.

As I started running on a trail that seemed less frequented. It had more grass growing on it than the others and led straight into the more forested area. The morning sun was still able to penetrate through the thick canopy of leaves, though just enough.

Considering my constant bike rides, jogging wasn't a big problem, a short distance. The problem was the terrain. The uneven ground tired me out a lot faster than I thought it would. About 12 minutes in and I was already panting hard. Considering my speed, time, and internal GPS, I estimated that I was barely at the 1-mile mark. That was about a half a lap around the park on the trail. I figured that was already really good for me and decided to sit down on a bench to catch my breath.

I noticed a few people here and there by now, but everyone kept to themselves. Soon enough though, I saw someone in the distance coming my way. To draw less attention to myself, I decided to throw on my hood from the black sweatshirt I was wearing. I started to control my breathing and stopped any unnecessary movement, trying to blend into the background.

As the person got close. I noticed it was a girl. She was wearing a dark blue skirt over purple leggings and a grey exercise hoodie. She had her hood on making her blonde hair sticking out the sides. This was no amateur. I could see the calm on her face and steady breathing. As she got closer I soon recognized who it was. I tucked my head deeper into my hood hoping she wouldn't recognize me.

Soon, she jogged right past without even glancing at me. I closed my eyes, relaxed my tense body, and let out a deep sigh. Good… she didn't see me. Didn't even have to use [Stealth Hikki]. Not that it has worked recently…

"You have 10 seconds to explain why you're here and why you look like a kidnapper. If you fail to convince me, I'll dial the number."

Hearing a sudden voice out of nowhere, I was jolted out of my sitting position and my heart rate spiked. I looked towards the sound of the voice and saw the girl who I had thought passed me by. She was holding out her phone with the numbers '110' on the screen, ready to press the call button.

In my frustration, I threw off my hood and stood up. "Damn it! Why am I always being accused of something?! First of all, this is seriously a coincidence. I've been here since 5. There is no possible way I could have known you would be here. Look at the sweat on my face. I've been running the whole time. And what do you mean kidnapper?! Is a guy not allowed to wear all black?!" In my frustration, I turned around and kicked the bench I was sitting on. I say bench, but it was an old log carved into a bench. In other words solid, hardwood. Kicking it felt as if I had stubbed my barefoot on a wall. I nearly cursed the log bench's 9 generations of ancestors in my pain and frustration. I sat back down on the bench, bringing up my foot to massage my toes.

"Haah… It's like, barely 5:30. How are you that sweaty? That's seriously kimo. And why all the drama. Are you even a man?" I could see her put her phone away, thankfully, and moved to stand right in front of me. "You still haven't told me why you're here."

"Can I not just come out for a run? I'm trying to build up my stamina. Why do you have to question my intentions and manhood…" I could only bitterly grumble out the truth in the hope she would believe it and not call the police. I really didn't want to wake the old man with an 'I got arrested. Pick me up from the station. I'm gonna be late for school.'

For some reason, she looked me up and down while furrowing her eyebrows. "With that? No wonder you're sweating so much. Winter already ended. What's with the thick sweatshirt and sweatpants?"

"It was cold in the morning… Besides this is all I got other than the school's gym uniform, but that stands out too much."

"You telling me that you can't make a trip to the mall or something to buy something better? You're not gonna get anywhere if you aren't serious about it. Half-arsed intentions only lead to confusion…"

I have no idea what she is talking about. All I want to do is improve my stamina. Why is she making it sound like a deep problem?

"Right, well, there are too many people at the mall. Besides, I wouldn't know where to go or even what to buy. I'll stick with what I got."

"No."

"… Huh…?" I looked up to see Miura's glare.

"I said no." Her voice was sharper than usual, which surprised me. "I hate it when people half-arse things. If you're gonna start running then do it right. Besides, if someone else sees how you're dressed, they might actually call the police. Your club ends around 5-ish, right? I'll be at the mall's east entrance around that time. You better not be late." Without waiting for my response she started to walk off.

"Hey, I never agree…" I didn't even finish my sentence before she turned around and pulled out her phone with the 110 number on the screen. "… Nevermind…." She continued her walk until she eventually disappeared from my view.

She seriously left me with no other choice. For some reason, I feel that this is something I shouldn't ignore. My [Danger Sense], another one of my 108 Hachiman skills, was going off. Even so, I didn't want the police after me, so I decided on what my evening activities would be.

Noticing my even breathing, I decided to run another lap and call it a day. After making it home, I showered, got ready for school, and went down to eat breakfast. With Komachi hopping onto my bike, I made my way to school.

It was a normal day considering what has happened recently. Yukinoshita was taking a few days off from school to recover from her sprain. Apparently, someone from her class would be taking notes for her and Haruno would pick those up along with any homework. That same day, I went to the mall and met up with Miura. After a few stores, I eventually bought 2 sets of running shirts and sweatpants and a pair of running shoes. I asked my mom for the money since there would be no way I could have afforded it myself. After that, I thanked her and we went our separate ways.

I got a message from Yukinoshita later that day asking if I could help her with her cooking on Sunday. I wasn't doing anything else so I agreed. I was also meeting with Keika and Kawasaki on Saturday, so my weekend was going to be busy, though not in a bad way.

On Thursday, my second day of running, she caught up to me while I was running. All she said was 'too slow' or 'Are you even a man?' as she passed me.

After my run, I started walking towards my bike and noticed Miura stretching in the open area. I didn't want to bother her so I kept walking.

"Hey, Hikio. You should probably stretch after a run. It helps prevent injuries later on."

"Hmm? Really? I didn't know that. Good to know." I didn't think she was lying so I started to do some stretches we do at school.

"What are you doing? You're stretching the wrong muscles. Is that how you stretch before you're run too? You're gonna end up with an injury if you keep doing that."

"Not like I'm an expert in this or anything. I'm just doing what we do at school."

"Haa… Just follow what I'm doing. I'm only doing it once so you better remember."

She stopped what she was doing so I assumed she was waiting for me to go over. I stood next to her, at a good distance, and she started her stretches. After a few minutes of stretching, I could feel my stiff muscles start to relax, if only a little.

"Alright, that's good enough. Remember to do those same stretches tomorrow. See ya then." Her tone was a little indifferent but for some reason, I couldn't feel her usual sharpness.

"Oh? Are we running together tomorrow? Sure, but I probably won't be able to keep up with you for long." I couldn't help but tease her a little. Since she seemed to have mellowed out a little, I figured it wouldn't be a risk to my health.

I saw her flinch a little but continued to walk nonetheless. Without looking back or acknowledging what I said, she walked away.

On Friday, I didn't see Miura anywhere so I figured she was already on her run. I stretched the same way she showed me and started my own run. I figured Miura would eventually overlap me so I kept at my own pace.

Although, to my surprise, as I was running, I eventually saw her figure in the distance. She seemed to be pacing herself because, eventually, I was able to catch up to her.

"Haa… haa… Yo…" Through my painting, I was able to greet her.

"… What are you doing?"

"Haa… What's it look like?"

"Running out of breath…" Her tone was sharp, unlike yesterday, but was lacking its refined edge. She was even able to counter my sarcastic provocation.

"Haa… well, I wouldn't be if… haa… you could run a little slower… haa…"

"Are you kidding? I can't even build up a sweat at this level. This is just a warm-up. I'm picking up my speed, see ya…" With that, she started to run faster. In my stubbornness, even if she was far ahead, I never lost sight of her, trying my best to keep up.

After our run, we stretched and made our way out of the park. I couldn't help but probe her a little like yesterday.

"See you tomorrow."

"Whatever."

After Karaoke on the second day of school, Yuigahama made me promise to help with cheering up Miura. I wanted to reject by saying 'You know you're asking the gloomiest guy in school to cheer someone up' or by saying it was too troublesome, but after seeing the adamant look in her eyes, I couldn't say no. Meeting Miura while running truly was a coincidence, but it was a welcome one. My goal in teasing her was to see if I could bring out her fiery nature from before.

While not her fiery nature from before, I feel that how she is acting is closer to her true self now. She seems more relaxed than before. Her previous personality was strong so that she could keep girls away from Hayama. It also kept other boys away from her so that Hayama wouldn't get the wrong idea about her. Yuigahama and Ebina were her only close friends because they weren't interested in Hayama. The only boys near her were the 'Idiot Trio' who were more Hayama's friends than hers.

When Hayama figured she was going to do something to upset the status quo, he created a false confession with the hopes that she would give up on confessing and him having to turn her down himself. Maybe he hoped that if he didn't do it himself there would be no awkward atmosphere and life would go on like normal. Probably inspired by the events due to Tobe's confession last year. Unfortunately, the guy got himself caught and everything fell through. He didn't have enough time to prepare and rushed to a solution. At least that's my theory.

Whatever the case, I don't think she needs any real cheering up.

At school, Komachi was a little distressed that she would be running the club without Yukinoshita there but she stepped up to the challenge, though no big projects came to us during Yukinoshita's absence. The only problem was a persistent kohai trying to extort me for something. I kept getting messages from her but continued to ignore them. During club, if I heard the sound of footsteps, I would hide behind the boxes in the back of the clubroom. Komachi and Yuigahama covered for me with the promise of buying them something to eat after club.

Soon enough, Saturday arrived. As I got to the park I saw Miura sitting on a bench. I locked up my bike and walked over.

"Yo. Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Huh? Who's waiting for you?!"

"Why else would you be sitting here for?"

"I'm sitting because I was texting my sister. She woke up early today and was wondering where I was."

"If you say so…" I sat down in the grass and got into position to start my stretches. After some hesitation, Miura also sat down and we started doing them together. As we got to running she started slow but picked up her pace a little at a time, though I could see her look back a few times. When I lagged, she would slow down. When I was too close, she picked up her speed. She only kept a comfortable distance. To my surprise, she even started up a conversation a few times.

For the most part, she seemed fine. If anything she seemed like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. In school, she always seemed tense. Although, with all the glares and whispering, it's easy to see why. In the end, I decided to ask her indirectly which would lead to a direct answer on how she was doing.

Halfway through the run, we stopped for a break on a bench.

"Hey… haa… why are you bothering to run with me? Haa… And don't try to dodge the question… haa… it doesn't fit your personality."

"… Why does it matter…" She slightly shifted her face away from me.

"Just curious."

"… Because… you're the only one that isn't treating me differently."

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"Hah… Ever since that day, rumors have sprouted and everyone has changed around me. I hear some girls talk and laugh behind my back. Some have even directly confronted me wanting answers. Others have tried to comfort me, but are cautious with what they say. Even Yui and Hina, though they have tried their best to act normal, are trying too hard. It's annoying. Even Hayato is avoiding me, not that I care anymore though. I don't know if it's because I never showed up that day or something else. You're the only one who hasn't made fun of me or tried their best to comfort me. You're just you. Being treated differently is annoying, but I have accepted it. Things like my blonde hair have always brought me trouble, but people have accepted it. Now, this happens, and…"

"Wait, wait, wait. Is your hair not dyed? Were you born overseas?"

"Hah? What part of my hair seems dyed? No, I'm Japanese. My kaa-san is European though. Anyways, does that answer your question?"

"Oh… uh, yeah. Your welcome, I guess."

"I wasn't thanking you. I was only answering your question, but now I got a question for you, but now isn't the time to ask it, so you owe me an answer. Let's get going."

Well… at least I got an answer. Now I've got something to report to Yuigahama. I was curious about the question she wanted to ask me but decided not to pry too much considering she already told me quite a bit. We aren't especially close, so any more than this is pushing my luck. Even a loner like me can see that.

After our post-stretch, she told me that she didn't exercise on Sunday and that I should do the same. Something along the lines of 'too much exercise puts a strain on the body'. Surprisingly, as we said our goodbyes, I could see the faint hint of a smile on her usual uninterested expression.

Bidding goodbye, I rushed back home to get ready to head over to Keika's house. I can't let Komachi know where I'm going through. If she were to find out that I was this excited to go see Keika, she might get jealous. She'll start to complain that I was replacing her or something along those lines. In reality, though, one of the reasons I dote on Keika so much is because she reminds me of when Komachi was younger, not that I would ever tell Komachi that.

Kawasaki sent me her home address and told me to be there around 10. I was so excited that I ended up arriving 15 minutes before. I decided to just wait until 10.

15 minutes later, I walked up to the door, pressed the doorbell, and stepped back a little. I instantly heard Keika's excited voice come from inside

"Mama! Papa's here!" I guess their dad's supposed to be home around this hour…

"W-wait, Kei-chan! I told you not to...!"

Soon, I heard the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to the door. After struggling with the locks, the door was flung open and Keika's excited expression was clear to see.

As soon as she confirmed who was at the door, her smile grew even bigger. She suddenly ran out the door and jumped into the air. Seeing her sudden action, I could only open my arms to catch her in the air.

"Welcome home, papa!"

"Huh?"

Thank you for reading once again! I hope y'all enjoyed it. And those who didn't, well at least tell me what ya didn't like so I can do better in the future.

In regards to Ryo, since it has been mentioned, he is just in the background for now. It should be obvious that he will have a bigger part to play later. I just needed to introduce him in the beginning because he is a student. For now, he is just observing the situation, ya'know.

Well, that's all for now. Thank you!