Logic Is My Sword

by Itherael

It's often said that one person's insanity is another person's reality, and believing such was improbable. But if you were to reach a junction where self-delusion and insanity are the only choices left to take, what else can you be expected to do? Simple, defy the irrational world by choosing the path of logic, for I refuse to compromise my principles for the sake of convenience.

8. Sensitivity

(Inside the Cathedral of Causality)

Hehehehe! Maybe I was wrong about that Hachiman guy.

Indeed Muru Muru. Hachiman Hikigaya has done well in using the resources at his disposal to his benefit. He did what was necessary. Nothing more, nothing less.

Although that call was only made because he was desperate to get rid of the emotional baggage. I have to admit that using that alien's technology was a clever idea, but it'll take more than that to convince me that he deserves to be your successor, Deus!

This was but one of the countless trials he will have to face in order to prevail. However, we cannot ignore that even under great pressure, he managed to control Yuno Gasai. If he plays his cards well, she could become an important asset for him in the game.

That is, if she's not your creation, right?

Indeed… I expect that he would have less reservations if she were my creation.

What about the other guy? I doubt that his night was anything compared to having to deal with Yuno.

Even if the night of Kiyotaka Ayanokouji lacks in comparison to that event, we cannot overlook the fact that he has come across his first 'Adolescence Syndrome' case since his arrival. I'm very interested in seeing how he will solve this matter concerning that woman.

Well, he at least has that other guy with those fish eyes to help him, right Deuxy?

As I stated before, a key element to emerge victorious in the game lies in the allies they will make and will have to continue to make through the progress of it. Gaining trustworthy companions is the best course of action to take, Muru Muru.

And you ask exactly that from the two that had failed at socializing during their entire lives… hehehe, you consider yourself fair with humans, yet you're so wicked when it comes to the game. Haven't asked you yet, Deuxy, but what's the catch?

The game is what it is, and nothing more than that.

Riiiiight…

Let us see now what our participants have stored for us.

Sure thing!

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Hello, it's Frank. It has been a while since the last update, but it's finally here. In the review response below, you will notice a new name, who is the latest addition to the Itherael's writing team. Be sure to welcome her.

This chapter is 5% me, and 95% them, so be sure to take that into account.

Chapters should now come faster and have a better quality than before, and even more now as I'll be participating less. With nothing more to add, let's go to the review response. It will continue to be done as many of you had asked.

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Gabriel790: (NirvFrk97): You're not exactly wrong, but you're not right either. Hopefully this new chapter is enough to stem your confusion. And the reason the previous chapter felt shorter than the others is because it was shorter. Shocking, right?

CacciaFulmini: (illleashya): She is isn't she? I have to say, when I first noticed her pop up, I was excited to see how her character would be handled and I think they did an awesome job. Though I will let the main author answer the next part of your question.

(Itherael): There're many reasons, but in the end, I just wanted to create something different.

(NirvFrk97): That's the most important thing when it comes to writing fanfiction, having fun doing so. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself and wish you all the luck.

Guest (1): (NirvFrk97): My use of contendership came from my habit of watching wrasslin'. We'll be sure to fix that when we go over all of the other chapters and polish them up.

Abyss Trinity: (NirvFrk97): There are consequences to every choice someone makes, no matter how big or small. 8man erasing his memories of the night had unintended repercussions.

DXEO: (NirvFrk97): Yes. Logic Mode is indeed badass, but the reason it came to be is still sad, no?

WhiteHero: (NirvFrk97): 8man has his work cut out for him, that's for sure. If there's a good label for him to have in this story it's BadassNormal. Haha, hopefully this chapter satiates your eagerness.

A Certain Pissed off Guy: (NirvFrk97): Yes, Hikigaya Hachiman is a very clever individual.

Echonic: (illleashya): While I think you have a valid point in saying he would want full clarity when going into things, looking at it with the point of view that this was someone who went through something severely traumatic, I think he did what was best given the circumstances. He could have held onto them, but who's to say how that wouldn't hinder his gameplan in the long run? First and foremost, he wants to get back to his own world and as soon as possible.

Imperviousking: (illleashya): Ah, yes. I do agree with you, that chapter was very well written. Though he didn't get rid of his emotions entirely, only those surrounding the night, with the unfortunately side effect of Shiromeguri. Rest assured, he will continue on in stride!

LLsS: (illleashya): My thoughts exactly.

R-king 93: (NirvFrk97): Seeing your DGM pic is still a welcome sight to see. Haha, thanks for reading.

Soul Titan: (NirvFrk97): Hikigaya has gone through some growth so far, and plenty of things happened. Hikigaya did not lose his emotions as a whole. I want to clear that misunderstanding.

Metal Vile: (NirvFrk97): It's great that you were able to understand the events of the chapter from his prospective. And I'm really glad you caught the Nisekoi rant. I hated that damned series, one of the manga's that pissed me off enough to give up on.

Neo Fan: (Risette) Why, thank you! I'll be sure to consider this question for the future!

(NirvFrk97): Hikigaya establishing his dominance over Gasai was probably the the best idea he had for the long-term. Gasai is too terrifying for him to allow to walk all over him. Protective 8man is best 8man. Thanks for reading and enjoy the new chapter.

Dimiel: (Risette) I had to drag senpai in to read this chapter with me. I'm not really too much into gory literature as you probably had guessed! But it was an interesting chapter, right? Ignoring the scary things…

Oh, what kind of guy do I like? I LIKE SENP-... I-I mean… I like mature, polite, quiet, reserved, kind and determined kind of guys. Sadly, those are scarce… although… there might be one out there…

(Hanamura Yosuke): Yeah, yeah, nobody knows who that might be…

Bjersen: (illleashya): To your thoughts on it's return, only time will tell! Though I agree with how riveting the chapter was, I myself couldn't take a pause until I was all the way through. x)

supercomicreader421: (NirvFrk97): Your issues are your own and nothing I can say will change them. What I will say is this, 8man suffering PTSD will not be an enjoyable read, nor would it serve him anything in the context of the world he's in. Him erasing his emotions was an act of self-preservation; unless he felt like he deserved to suffer the experience of that night for the rest of his life, why wouldn't he take the option of getting rid of it?

What learning emotional experience would he have had over this night? That he doesn't like to see people get tortured in front of him? That it's scary? He already knows that.

This was just Hikigaya getting rid of his PTSD that would have destroyed his psyche. Always remember that. He's not going to start erasing his emotions whenever he does something he doesn't like, that's not his character. But thank you for reading the story.

shiroryuu012: (NirvFrk97): If you think that Kamijou Touma of all people can be considered a "Normal High School Student" then you've got some issues to work out… Really, an argument could be made that the only reason he can withstand seeing the things that he does is because of his complete memory wipe. Everything he previously feared and held apprehension towards is gone, so he basically had a blank slate of things to fear and it allowed him to take more things in stride.

Ah, yes, 8man's a coward for choosing not to live with the severe PTSD that he was sure to suffer after the events of that night. Should have grit his teeth and "manned up," right? /s

The Azure Heart: (NirvFrk97): You're a smart one ain't you? Even caught Gasai's "second chance."

EvilMagicman: (NirvFrk97): I understand what you're saying, 8man using the device does technically make him a hypocrite. He himself told Komachi that erasing her friend's memories doesn't solve anything, only removing the issue temporarily.

BUT.

As a compromise, 8man only removed the emotions he felt in a desperate act of self preservation. Would he have judged someone else for doing so? Possibly, but whatever he would have said about them would only have been bluster because he never experienced something like that. Until now. Which is exactly why we didn't have his post-erased self judge himself either. He was in no place to do so.

PhatomRPG: (Risette): It was also cringeworthy for me… In any case, any doubt should be cleared with the chapter down below!

Interesting questions! I'll be sure to deliver them when the interviews begin!

BlackPsych: (illleashya): He really can't, the poor fellow. Though it's not quite as bad as it seems, he's only unfeeling and emotionless in regards to that night and Shiromeguri. (Not really that much of a consolation, but hey, it's better than the aforementioned.)

tsun: (NirvFrk97): After reading over your… odd review, I can only say one thing. In the immortal words of Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski: "Jesus…"

Guest (2): (illleashya): Nothing short of a roller coaster, surely.

jam99chgo: (NirvFrk97): I like this. Keep doing this. Thanks for reading.

Knight of Athos: (illleashya): Interesting indeed, though I will let you decide that for yourself. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Ierat: (illleashya): They certainly did! Thanks for the support.

BentShuriken: (illleashya): I think it would mess up anyone, no matter who you are. That was some dark stuff after all. Though you don't need to concern yourself too much, he did only lose his emotions in relation to the night, and his poor Senpai. Lala and Belldandy certainly were heroes of the night.

Luna Warsong: (NirvFrk97): I don't think any mortal plight could quite compare to anything that revolves around the Cthulhu mythos…

But I'm really glad to hear that you approve the direction we took the chapter towards. Thank you for reading.

Guest (3): (illleashya): There are quite a few, eh? But if anyone can handle it, and do it well, it's these guys! Your wish is my command. x)

ospimpisons: (Itherael): I actually have been thinking in doing so, but the thing would be when. I'll have it in mind. Thanks for reading.

LoveMadness: (illleashya): I know, he had a rough go of it this past chapter! Thankfully things are a little lighter this time around. He made some tough decisions, but that is his strong suit after all.

Red Glasses: (NirvFrk97): Ah, is that reference to the reference of "Megu Megu Megurin Power~"?

TheLaughingStalk Lenny-kun: (Itherael): Lala's presence should prove that they will, but if any doubt remains, they will. And you're correct about that, too.

Sven Vollfield: (illleashya): Absolutely, they definitely did an amazing job with the chapter. I agree with the fuzzy feelings towards the comforting moment, it was so sweet! It was a nice break from the darkness, that's for sure.

(Risette): Your questions had been noted! And… aw… you make me feel warm and fuzzy by saying that… and a bit embarrassed. XD

adv: (illleashya): Not entirely, only in regards to the nights events and unfortunately his innocent Senpai.

Guest (4): (illleashya): Agreed!

Guest(5): (Itherael): I've been thinking about it, and while I cannot say when, I'm sure it will occur eventually.

SaphireHeart: (illleashya): Indeed, I would expect nothing less from Hachiman, he is a trooper. Fear not, while he may have lost his feelings toward Shiromeguri for the time being, all is not lost. Well, here we are with a new update, as requested.

(Risette): Your questions will be considered for the interviews, thank you!

Mugiwara N0 Luffy: (NirvFrk97): I'm glad you agree with the decision to only have Hikigaya erase his memories of the night. It was a heated debate that time.

And we're very glad that the PTSD scenes were effective for you. I did my best to portray them when the chapter was written.

You'll have to find out what happens in the chapter for yourself. Thanks for reading.

Dark Durian: (NirvFrk97): "I'm afraid I've got some baaad news!"

Blue Sanctum: (illleashya): We are all happy to hear you're enjoying! And I absolutely agree, Maid-sama has always been a personal favorite of mine.

CompuBob: (Itherael): I understand your point since it's odd to see a story with 300k words already and it's intro arc is still going. However, it's necessary for the story. Now that we have "illleashya" giving us a hand, they should come faster.

Mikaeru346: (illleashya): Yuuno is definitely a complex person, but for all the craziness she harbors inside, she's got blinders on for Hachiman. One can't ignore the apple of their eye, at least not where she is concerned.

Guest (6): (Itherael): It is not my friend, but the time will come for his/her identity to be revealed.

Supreme King of all Kings: (NirvFrk97): The events of the previous chapter will lead to Hikigaya starting to prepare himself more, although it won't be touched upon in this chapter yet. And his shadow will still be an ass, maybe "helping" once in a blue moon.

Zepher Vrael: (illleashya): Glad to hear you're enjoying the story, I hope the trend continues! I agree that 8man is truly an amazing character, and these guys have done a great job of displaying clever interactions as well as nice development. The fruit of their labor certainly shows!

prietar: (Itherael): Yuno is… unique, but believe it or not, she has her… charm? In any case, all I can say without giving any spoil is that Yukinoshita Yukino is a heavy plot element in this story.

(Risette): I love Usui, too! Oopsies! Sorry senpai! I had impure thoughts that didn't involve you!

(Hanamura Yosuke): Nobody asked!

kou: (NirvFrk97): I'm… getting mixed signals here. But thanks for reading?

Mogami Kumagawa: (Itherael): That's an interesting theory, although, the one involved with Zenkichi and Medaka is Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. I might ask for your knowledge when Medaka comes into the picture. In any case, thanks for reading my good man.

Guesy: (NirvFrk97): Wah… In the Oregairu archives, but not cheering for 8man… Poor guy.

PJ: (NirvFrk97): We thank you for your professional grade, O, Grader-of-shit. /s

(Itherael): In the end, it's a matter of tastes and opinion, so if you don't find it to your liking, maybe you're in the wrong place. I will have to take consideration in the "insightful" review regardless. In any case, I hope you find a story that goes according to your tastes. Who knows, maybe you'll find a shit-less one out there?

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Itherael: I think I said it once, but rest assured I will see this story to its end. This is not my delusions, nor my wishes, nor any speculation.

This is a fact.

It may take a long while, but this is not just writing a story anymore, it's sharing our interests. It's entertaining anyone who comes across, it's simply having a good time together.

Once more I truly thank you all the people that have sticked with us, and I appreciate all your thoughts, whether it was in the form of advice, criticism, compliment or just simply visiting.

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(NirvFrk97): WAIT. Two things everyone needs to know before they begin the chapter. First. Itherael and I have the pleasure to introduce you all to a new helper for the story. This young lady's name is illleashya, she's been a great help. I'll let her say a few words.

(illleashya): Hey guys! It's a pleasure to be working with these two on this awesome story, I hope I've done well in my duties and that you guys enjoy what we've written.

(NirvFrk97): And we're very lucky to have her. With her help, this chapter came out a lot more smoothly than many of the previous ones. Be sure to give her your thanks.

(illleashya): Ah, you flatter me so~

(NirvFrk97): As you can see, she's a cute one. So the second thing I wanted you all to know is… Hikigaya Hachiman did NOT lose ALL of his emotions! I've said this many times in the reviews already, but I feel I need to hammer it home here. He is not going to be an emotionless husk, his lack of emotion centers around Shiromeguri Meguri. That's it.

Oh. And one more bonus thing. After some amount of research, it turns out that Harima Kenji is not as overbearingly tall as we've implied him to be. According to School Rumble stat pages in the manga, Harima is 180 cm which for Americans is almost 5'11.

So he is not that much taller than 8man (we established him as 5'8.5 and 5'10, so about 174 cm and 179.5 cm). There's two for him because the lower one is his predicted slouched height and his potential height if he stopped slouching. I've known people who slouched and were my height and once they stood straight they towered over me. So from now on, we'll point that out in the future chapters and alter everything else in the previous ones.

The truly tall one of the group is Usui Takumi, that giant bastard is 186 cm, a little over 6'1.

So with that. You are free to enjoy the story. That is all. *slams mic to the ground and walks off*

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Logic is My Sword

Chapter 07: Even Tomboys Like Suou Mikoto Have Sensitive Sides

7-0

The sensitivity trait is an odd one.

More often than not, being a sensitive person is regarded as a weakness in this dog-eat-dog world. But as those of my generation age, I hear tales of the west where feelings are actually prioritized. People who are offended by some things have the capability of swaying public opinions until they're pleased. I'm not sure what to think of that.

Here in Chiba, that sort of stuff isn't really our main concern. Is it because we're already pleased with what we have, or because we feel it is pointless to complain? I don't know. But for westerners to be able to do so… I suppose that means they have all the free time in the world that they can focus on being pleased in the first place. It must be nice to be at the top of the food chain. Apex predators, I think they're called.

Ah, I'm digressing. Right, sensitivity.

According to the experts, or at least, to those that actually studied human behavior, coming from the Latin word 'sensibilĭtas', it's the ability to feel (characteristic of sentient and animate beings). The term acquires different meanings according to the context.

The sensitivity may be the natural propensity of the human being to let go of the affections of tenderness and compassion. For example: "The picture of a malnourished child aroused my sensibility and I decided to collaborate", or "My sister doesn't like those films, it seems that she doesn't have a very developed sensibility". Or like in those medical shows: "To work in the hospital you have to leave your sensitivity aside or risk not effectively engaging with patients to better their health."

Sometimes, however, the term sensibility is often confused with sentimentality. The first one we can make clear that it is the feeling that makes us human, that leads people to identify with the problems of our equal. Meanwhile, the second term makes more reference to that sensitivity that is false or forced.

Wait, what? I'm not reading this out of a book. I'm totally not reading a book! Hiratsuka-sensei talked about this… er, some time ago… So yeah, this is my good memory talking! Yeah, totally that.

Honestly speaking, this word could be attributed to one's response to external stimulus, or to the fact that one can perceive and feel sensations others fail to. Hell, those that are sensible could even react and act in a way that totally contradicts their usual behavior, if only because of a particular event they may find familiar, or as a difficult memory.

Either way, I have a tumultuous relationship with sensitivity at best. I'm 'sensitive' enough to notice certain things about other people whether it'd be through their tone or body language; although I prefer referring to it as me just being aware of my surroundings. Being sensitive, as in, getting easily upset, I try to steer clear away from that as often as I can.

Of course, it's an impossibility to not be bothered by anything. Unless there are very circumstantial reasons that allow you to be an unfeeling person, you can't truly escape having an emotional reaction. You can repress it all you want, but you can't avoid them entirely.

Instead, you have a set tolerance. To put it simply, you can treat it as a meter of how much 'damage' you can take before you emotionally react. Some people have a low tolerance, I'm sure they're quite noticeable to the average normie: they're the ones easily swayed by words, either they're angered by them or saddened by them. Whatever spectrum they react is irrelevant so long as they overtly react, that's the indication that their tolerance is low.

When it comes to those with high tolerance, they're known by many names: Thick-skinned, callous, hardened, and plenty of other synonymous labels. Let it not be mistaken with people with 'thick skulls,' those are merely people too stupid to realize they're being insulted. Quite literally a physical manifestation of 'ignorance is bliss'.

In any case, those with high tolerance doesn't mean that they have this nigh-impenetrable shield that deflects insults aimed at them. No, the shields are beaten down and always allow some damage through.

To make it easier to understand, imagine an insult as a physical attack in a video game and a person's tolerance as a… well, shield. However, this shield doesn't have 100% damage absorption -nothing is that convenient- but give or take 70-80%. The tolerance allows someone to take the brunt of an 'attack' but a small fraction of it will still manage to trickle through. The damage that trickles through is what effects the meter I mentioned earlier.

Of course, I'm speaking broadly here. There are many things I haven't factored into my explanation. For one part, tolerance doesn't really mean anything when there's the existence of 'sore spots'. You can think you can withstand as much damage as you want, but the moment someone brings up a sore spot, it's going to be a critical. As they seem to imply, sore spots tend to reflect your insecurities; when they get brought up, it sucks.

When it comes to me… I admit I don't actually have thick skin in the normal sense. Of course I, as a veteran at losing, am no stranger to emotional wounds. And I know that the trials I experienced affected me when I was younger, and that allowed me to forge my current shield so to speak. Same as before, it doesn't block everything but whatever goes through is mitigated even further because of my past experiences.

Things still go through, but that's where my true weapon shines: My control over myself. I can control how I express my emotional responses, whether inwardly or outwardly. When something bothers me, I can rant about it all I want in my head and keep it from leaking out to the world. And on the off chance I can't, I'm quick to calm myself as my form of damage control.

But it isn't perfect, things can still get to me. The immediate aftermath after the Kyoto trip springs to mind. I still can't believe I raised my voice at Komachi…

And it doesn't grant me immunity towards feelings I've never experienced. Something this world is very fond of putting me through.

This world is constantly testing me, and for the first few days caused me to act uncharacteristically aggressive because of how familiar all of these new strangers have acted with me. I know it was just my form of venting, but it still speaks volumes at how the new world affected me. I mean, it's been less than a week and I already had an experience that forced me to erase the emotional distress I apparently suffered through for the sake of my sanity. And I'm already facing the consequences of that decision.

This game I'm participating in has no room for sensitivity or sentimentality. For Pete's sake, my main goal is to kill someone. Even if it's a projection created by that bastard god, it will mimic a human being to the point that it will seem human. Oh sure, one could say that 'seem' is the keyword and that's enough for them to 'power on through and see things to the end,' but it's nothing more than bravado brought up by those too ignorant to see where the true problem lies.

And if it needs to be spelled out for them, then I say let them wallow in their ignorance.

This world and the game are both cruel. But if there's something that can be reiterated as many times as possible and will ring true no matter what: it's that more than anything, they're terrifying.

If I'm not careful, it will destroy me.

7-1

I stood in my room motionlessly as I kept reading Shiromeguri's latest message she sent over and over again. I wasn't sure how many times I'd done so.

Everything about its content, I've practically memorized, I acknowledge what she wrote and I know for sure how I'm meant to react to it. The problem is, said reaction has failed to appear.

I… I felt nothing towards what she wrote. Same as… Same as I felt towards the events of a few hours ago with Gasai Yuno.

This couldn't be right… It was impossible!

I'm panicking, so that means I can still regularly feel emotions. I recall Deviluke's confession earlier and still feel a small sense of embarrassment, so whatever is going on is only centered around Shiromeguri.

I look back at my phone and stare at Shiromeguri's contact information. I need to confirm things. Maybe my head's playing tricks on me, or maybe my mental fatigue was still plaguing me after the night. Even with accelerated recovery, four hours really isn't long enough for a person's brain to recover from the stresses I went through last night.

I press the 'Call' button. And I promptly ignore the wave of wariness that hits me at the fact that I apparently had no problems calling Shiromeguri, a girl.

"H-H-Hachiman-kun!?" I hear my senpai's voice stutter through the speaker.

I swallow slightly, very much aware that nothing was stirred from listening to her. No embarrassment, no amusement, nothing.

"Yo…" I simply respond to her.

"W-what c-can I h-help you w-with!?" Her voice was loud. That's what I immediately register. I know it's something I would note regardless, but normally it would be an afterthought. Before today, I know I would have raised an eyebrow in wry amusement at her tone, I felt no inclination to do so now.

"No, uh," I start, unsure of how to handle this conversation, "I just thought to keep you and Miura from worrying about me since I didn't answer either of you last night."

"O-oh… Was that all…" There's disappointment in her tone that I catch. Again that's my immediate reaction, noting her tone rather than the subject of what she was talking about. I didn't feel confused at it, and I held no curiosity as to why she was apparently let down.

"Yeah," I respond evenly, "Since you two got mad last time and all."

She took a while to respond before she giggled, "Hachiman-kun is so dutiful."

I keep myself from sighing, nothing is being stirred at all. I should be getting embarrassed because of her words, and not just because of what I said. The sense of foreboding was palpable, it's only been a few hours since the events regarding Gasai took place and already things were looking grim moving forward.

Even now the guilt I feel is self-imposed, and not because I felt bad about Shiromeguri.

"It's not really that," I calmly retort, "Just thought you should know, you know?"

I hear her hum in agreement, "Well since Hachiman-kun reported in, I guess there's no need for me to worry, right?" She giggles lightly again.

"Yeah," I offer. I didn't like this. Not one bit.

"Ne, Hachiman-kun?"

"What is it?" I ask my senpai.

"A-Are you busy today?" I hear her stutter out, "B-because I was wondering if I can ask you for a little bit of your time today?"

That's completely out of the question.

I stop and analyze the immediate thought in my head. That was a complete rejection, wasn't it? I didn't even bother to think about it.

"Ah, sorry," I respond tersely, "I actually did have plans for today."

"O-oh… I understand," Again, I notice how her disappointed tone failed to elicit a reaction on my part.

"Thanks for the offer," I respond, attempting to at least appear apologetic. Though faking any sort of feelings on the matter leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

"It's alright," Shiromeguri says, "I guess even Hachiman-kun has his busy days, right?"

This time I know for sure that I would usually respond by saying something along the lines of 'Hey, if you say it like that, it'll make me seem antisocial'. Again, there was no impulse for me to portray my sarcasm.

"Yeah," Is all that I can respond.

"Then!" She states happily this time, "I'll see Hachiman-kun tomorrow?"

"Yeah," I say again, "I'll see you then."

"Goodbye Hachiman-kun!" She says across the line.

"Later, Shiromeguri," I say last before ending the call. I stare at my phone for a few moments. This brief interaction with my senpai definitely proved that something really was wrong. My feelings towards the girl named Shiromeguri Meguri were now nonexistent. And to put it even more frankly.

I didn't care.

This was a cause to be concerned, especially considering how I just had Deviluke and her 'creepy-kun, whatever' invention mess with my head. What if this devoid of emotions I have stretches farther than only affecting Shiromeguri? It wasn't the case with either the pink-haired alien or Miura so far, but it could be for someone else. This was bad.

Sure, someone could sit there and think that the loss of some of my emotions towards someone can be a good thing, but they're only thinking short-term. Yes, losing my emotions can be advantageous for my participation in the game, but only if Shiromeguri winds up being Deus Ex's creation. If that isn't the case… I pointlessly lost a relationship that I needed to have in order to exist in this world without arousing suspicion.

It was a new relationship, but it had an additional tie. Miura. She would surely notice if I became callous towards Shiromeguri all of a sudden. With the Fire Queen around, that prevents me from cutting ties with Shiromeguri if I establish that she isn't the false human. So this situation can potentially make things even tougher for me. I'll have to engage in a fake relationship and 'deepen' it enough in order to get what I need.

And that means I'll lead her on…

That can't happen. For both our sakes.

Also… I had no idea whether this only affects this Shiromeguri or if it will be the same for the one back in my world. And if the latter's the case as well… then I couldn't stand to lose any other ties I had back in my world!

Deviluke! I need to see Deviluke!

I pocket my phone and rush out of my room. In my panic, I knock on the guest room's door hard enough to startle whoever was inside.

"Deviluke?" I call out to her.

…

No answer. And I didn't want to test the RomCom Gods right now by opening the door to check inside. She must be downstairs already. I turn around and practically sprint down the stairs before reaching the kitchen.

"Deviluke…" In my haste, I'm sure I appear flustered to everyone present. They all have ceased whatever conversation began before my arrival and focused their attention towards my sudden arrival.

"Hachiman?" The alien I was looking for was sitting down at the table. She turned in her seat and looked at me with confusion.

She wasn't the only one there. Komachi and the old man were seated as well, Belldandy was serving them both breakfast as my mother stood before the stove helping the goddess with the cooking. Any other time and I would have been weirded out at seeing my parents awake so early in the day instead of sleeping in, but it was the furthest thing from my mind.

"Well, look who decided to finally show up…"

"Morning, Onii-chan."

"Good morning, son."

"Hachiman-san, good morning!"

Urk…

This is really weird… I'm not used to so many greetings in the morning.

---

Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Logic Is My Sword: Chapter 07 Section: Song 01

---

"Er, yeah…" I mutter, "Morning."

I can't exactly bring up my dilemma in front of the entire family, that much is obvious. I'll have to pull Deviluke away for a moment to talk to her privately. It'll probably make the goddess worry but, bringing the both of them will cause pointless drama with my folks. I would prefer to avoid that. Besides, I can already predict some type of comment coming from the old man.

"Boy, why is it that Lala-chan is the one that tells us how you're supposedly going out?" Ack, my mother's tone is as terrifying as I remember.

"Well, it's not like I wasn't going to say anything…" I avert my gaze and rub the back of my head sheepishly.

"So where are you going?" The geezer pipes up with a question.

"Er, well, to be acquainted with someone…" I awkwardly utter. I really didn't want to tell them that I was going out to meet with a girl. Partly because they'll get the wrong idea, and also because I might get the wrong idea as well. Just kidding. But there's no doubt that nothing good would happen if I mention Suou.

"Who?" I feel my mother's eyes burrow into me as if searching for my answer in my soul. Dear me, what's with this obvious distrust?

"Uh, we just met so that's what I'm going to find out," It was technically the truth. This interrogation so early in the morning was unsettling, to say the least.

I feel my mother's stare intensify briefly before finally relenting with a sigh, "Fine. When will you be back?"

"Sometime in the afternoon probably," I answer truthfully this time. I have no intention of being at a girl's house for too long, I don't think my poor heart would be able to take it.

She made a sound of approval, turning back to her stovetop to presumably finish cooking. With that out of the way, I turn my attention back towards the task at hand, focusing my eyes back on the pink-haired alien. Her gaze was still locked on me, the question behind my earlier call evident in her stare.

"Deviluke, I, uh, need to talk to you for a bit before I go," I tell her. I notice Belldandy immediately stand at attention, worry written all over her face. Luckily, I was the only one that saw it. I put my hand up in an effort to get her to relax before sending her a brief nod. The celestial female bit her lip in concern, but eventually nodded back at me.

Deviluke's confusion cleared instantly, a bright smile rushing to take its place. "Of course, darling!" She sprung from her seat and latched onto my arm, effectively cutting off any further conversation with the rest of the family. Though that didn't prevent the geezer from sending a wink my way as I got dragged outside. Shitty pops… And what's with this girl's strength!?

Before I knew it, the freakishly strong alien had me out the front door and was pinning me with the most eager of expressions. Seriously woman, stop that… It's not as if I've come out here for a rendezvous. Restrain yourself before I catch embarrassment on your behalf.

"Hachiman!" Deviluke's lack of care for personal space is ever present in this moment as she pushes her chest into my arm, "What is it you need to speak with me about?"

I clear my throat, disentangling myself with her as I return her gaze with a dry look. She seems to sober a bit at my distance and I don't waste the respite from her antics before delving into the issue.

"I've come across… some side-effects," I begin, "From… the emotion wipe."

At that, the alien freezes and gapes at me.

"W-wha-!?" She begins to screech out before I cover her mouth, fully expecting her reaction.

"It's counterproductive coming outside for privacy if you're going to scream out everything anyway, don't you think?" I raise an eyebrow, as I slowly remove my hand.

"Are you okay? W-what happened?" The alien is too overcome with concern to pay attention to our brief touch, which is fine by me. But her worried gaze might not be a good trade-off. It doesn't suit her.

Whoa, what am I saying? …I'm probably just being overly aware of her since she confessed earlier, even with my current problem with Shiromeguri, something like that isn't just going to be ignored. I release a sigh and rub the back of my head, let's just get back to the issue at hand.

"Physically speaking, I'm fine. How familiar are you with after effects of your devices?" I ask, trying to gauge how concerned I should be with my current predicament. If possible, her frown grows deeper while her brows pinch together in concern.

"Well… I haven't ever used one of my inventions for something other than what it was designed for," She mumbles softly, looking guilty. I frown at that, it's not like this was her fault. It was my decision to use it.

"Hey," I start slowly, "Come on, it's not your fault."

"But… It was my device, I should have known this could happen…" Her eyes were beginning to water, she was only just keeping her tears from falling. Her expression reminds me of one Komachi would make when we were younger.

I placed my hand on her head before I realize. Ah, curse this passive activation of 'Onii-chan Mode.'

"If you start going down that path, you'll only go in circles," I tell her, "Instead of placing the blame on yourself when it isn't warranted, you should try and see what exactly happened. Right?"

With that, I remove my hand. Her expression had changed, she was smiling now with flushed cheeks. If I didn't know any better, it looked like she wanted to pounce on me in a tight embrace. She held herself back though, which I was glad for. My spine thanks you for your considerate lack of action Deviluke!

"Yeah!" The pinkette grins widely. Then she sobers up and looks at me a bit more seriously. "So what exactly happened?"

I mull over what I should say to her in my head for a moment. Well, even if I had things I didn't want to say, I can't really afford to withhold information anyway. Hah… I guess I'll tell her everything then.

"Do you remember the girls I was with at the restaurant when you were looking for me that day I got hurt?" Even if it was brief, Deviluke did meet Shiromeguri that day. And since then there hasn't really been anything eventful that's happened, except the face-off with her guardians and last night's events. So, I didn't feel it was too much of a stretch to imagine her remembering the quick meeting.

She blinks at me in concentration and I'm left wondering what exactly it is that this alien prioritizes in that brain of hers. On second thought, I probably already know the answer to that. Wah… I'm going to get embarrassed if I keep thinking of that!

"...One of them got pretty angry?" I offer, hoping to jog the memory inside that pink empty head of hers. I'm met with no recognition and I heave a sigh to expel some frustration. This conversation is gearing up to be more and more tedious the longer it goes on. "Well, the quieter of the two was named Shiromeguri," I completely abandon the wasted attempt at recollection. Aiming instead to fill her in on what the heart of the issue is. "She's my senpai from school."

"Oh! That means that she's in a higher year than you, right?" She asks eagerly as if she were a child wanting to be congratulated for saying something right. Well, that might actually be the case. I almost forgot, but she actually didn't know about the concept of public education prior to her arrival.

So you can remember what a senpai is, but you don't remember my own?

"Right…" I nod at her, "When I read a message she left me last night, I didn't feel anything. "

The pinkette's eyes widen at what I revealed so far, but I wasn't done yet.

"I even called her, and didn't react to anything she said even when I knew I normally would have. I lost my ability to feel anything towards Shiromeguri." Saying it out loud was enough to make my nerves set in again. This wasn't just about this world, after all, I had my own to consider.

"Hachiman…" Deviluke started to say, but her voice trailed off as her lips curled into a frown. Her hesitation wasn't doing anything to soothe my anxiety.

"Yeah…"

"That's so sad!" She proclaims loudly, "Doesn't that mean you lost a friend!? And she lost you too!"

I didn't really think of it that way, but then again… I literally had no incentive to do so. The young alien was right, this should be a sad situation. But I just couldn't sympathize with the sentiment.

"I don't know if this is just an isolated incident or if others are also affected. You and Belldandy are safe and two other acquaintances as well but I want to make sure that no else was erased." I simply continued with the topic and propose my worries to her.

"That's so awful…" Her voice barely rings above a whisper, while a hand seems to instinctively reach to hide the parting of her lips. I should have known Deviluke wouldn't be able to contain an emotional reaction to the news. But I could do without the obvious pity that swirled in her eyes.

I'm not one to harp on emotional topics, but I could almost literally feel the alien trying to draw some type of outward reaction from me. Possibly to gauge my other emotional faculties, I couldn't be sure. The thing I was certain of, she wouldn't be getting that out of me with this particular topic… that was the problem.

"Yeah," I suppose someone else would have offered more, but I needed answers, not a pity party.

"I wish there was something I could say, Hachiman…" Oh no, is it just the lighting or were those tears welling up in the corners of her eyes? Damn it, woman, the last thing I need is your overrun emotions trying to compensate for my lack thereof. "It's possible that when my invention tried to erase your emotions that night, it might have disrupted some things that were unrelated."

The pinkette appeared to be focused, blinking away whatever moisture was left, as if trying to unravel the unknown effects with the power of her thoughts. Oi…that's not how these things work, you know? Even if you're a genius, solving problems takes more time and effort than that.

"But!" Her sudden increase in volume made me flinch, not expecting an outburst when we were less than a foot apart. "I will do my best to make things right for my darling!" Her hands clasped together tightly to her chest as she gazed up at me expectantly.

"Ah, thanks for that," I answer her casually, "Do you have a device that can help us out?"

"Nope!" She denies brightly, "But maybe I can make adjustments to Change-Change Memory-kun and turn it into a brain scanner too!"

Right… Piece of cake. Geniuses are scary.

"And it'll work?" I ask cautiously.

"Yeeep~!" She grins up at me, "I'll pour all my love into my focus so it doesn't malfunction!"

I feign a cough into my hand in order to keep my composure, "So long as you can get it done as soon as you can."

"Okaaay~"

I huff in amusement at her tone. As expected of Deviluke, she's optimistic enough to treat this situation so positively. I suppose if she's this casual and bubbly about figuring out what happened to me then I have nothing to worry about.

…Right?

Wait seriously, things will be fine on her part right? I'm not going to come back to her saying 'I forgot! Teehee~! Pero~!' Right!?

"Hey, Hachiman." I look over my shoulder to locate the sudden voice behind me.

As expected, it was the eternal idiot, Yuuki Rito who called out to me. His hand is flailing high above his head in greeting, and if the relaxed features on his face are anything to go by, he has yet to register the female presence that is shielded by my body. His approach is casual and I can pinpoint the exact moment Deviluke pops her pink head around my shoulder before she even opens her mouth for a greeting. The blush that bloomed fiercely across his cheeks was a clear enough indicator that he registered her presence.

"Oh! Hi! Etto… Pervert Rito!" Calls the pink-haired alien and I have a rough time containing my reaction. I have to turn away to hide a derisive snort as Yuuki pales at the unintentional dig. At least, I assume it was unintentional… Oh dear, what kind of reputation do you have Short-kun that even Deviluke is calling you a pervert? Can I expect Komachi's influence is at fault here?

I hear a startled, "E-eh?!" Before I catch him stumbling about, probably in an attempt to poorly stutter out a defense. But any redemption is tossed swiftly out the window as he stares at her for an extended amount of time before springing a nosebleed. Way to go… I almost thought you capable of basic human interaction.

Deviluke please don't think this idiot represents all of humanity. This guy's particularly hopeless.

Wait… It's at this moment that I finally take notice of her attire. Oi, oi… What the hell!?

How did I fail to notice that she hadn't changed!? Seriously, who willingly goes out in public wearing nothing but a t-shirt? Especially when it belongs to me!? Are you trying to give people the wrong idea?

No wonder Yuuki's barely hanging in there...this is clearly testing his limits. To be fair, I'm getting embarrassed myself here. Really, what a reckless alien…

I turn around to face the younger boy in order to get away from the dangerous allure of the alien girl. And I found myself instinctively placing my body in between them in order to protect Deviluke's modesty. Ah, Onii-chan Mode is going as a strong as ever, isn't it?

"Deviluke, you should probably head inside." Better to get the catalyst out of the equation before this guy explodes. I can tell the alien was pouting at me due to the obvious dismissal, I heard her huffing grumpily.

"Baka Hachiman! So mean!" She replies sulkily. I listen as she turns away, her pink hair whirling with the fast motion. But I didn't hear the door behind me open and close, what's the hold up? I glance back to see why she hadn't left yet; it proved to be a mistake as she pins me with a devilish look over her own shoulder and I know it spells trouble. Before I can protest, she's bounding over and jumping onto my back. The impact and sudden addition of her weight causes me to bend over, and I'm only barely able to keep myself from stumbling forward. Gah… What's the big idea? Get off of me…

I hear her make a happy sound as she wraps both arms around my neck. I don't comment because I'm not only distracted by her sudden, and unwanted, intimacy but because of the soft mounds I feel against my shoulder blades. Oh, come on! Give me a-

Then the pinkette's lips make contact against my cheek. Wha!?

"Chuu~" Her face separates from mine with a happy giggle, clearly pleased with her actions as she jumps to remove herself from me. I'm sure I heard a soft thud from in front of me, presumably caused by Yuuki passing out from secondhand excitement. But I'm stunned for a moment too long, my wits only returning to me in time to catch Deviluke skip merrily inside.

I grind a hand across the spot her lips were on, already feeling the heat spread across my face. That's the second time now…

"H-Hachiman…" The croaking voice of the neighborhood pervert rings out from the ground. I glance at the pathetic excuse for a human being, his hand reaching out to me in reverence. "Show me your ways…"

"Tch, shut up and focus on the upcoming exams you were whining about yesterday," I growl out to him before heading towards Suou's home.

7-2

I don't want to be here.

Could I be exaggerating? Nope, I'm 100% sure I really don't want to be here.

Sadly, I'm a man of my word, and even if I decided to ignore my gentlemanly nature for self-preservation, there's also the vagueness of Deus' description to consider. Seriously, if it weren't for that I could have avoided this situation entirely. But unfortunately, that's not the case… and here were are.

I look at the sky, squinting a bit while attempting to shield my eyes from the rays. Really sunny, huh? Weird to see during this time of the year. Didn't they say it was going to rain tomorrow?

Turning my gaze to the house before me, I blink twice as I study it for a few seconds. If houses were telling of the people that inhabited them, then I could deduce nearly nothing about Suou from the outward appearances. It was your average traditional Japanese house as opposed to the more modern ones. Two stories, basic slide windows with their basic shutters and a simple front door to match. It was completely normal, something I hadn't had the pleasure of experiencing these past few days.

If only the one residing in it was anything alike…

Oh, there's actually one thing that appeared to deviate from the norm, which was the attached dojo to the right of the residence. Well, you don't see that every day at least. When my surprise left, I felt the presence of dread begin to set in upon the discovery. Who exactly is this girl… some martial arts prodigy?

What have I gotten myself into?

Tch… should I even care at this point? By now I'm just casually rolling with the punches.

I focus on the gate before me, casting those thoughts aside as my hand reaches to press the call button. And just as my finger is about to make contact, a voice interrupts me. Was this a saving grace?

"Hey!" It sounds vaguely familiar, so I turn my attention to the direction of the sound. "It's ya, da mystery sketchy guy! Didn't expect to run inta ya here," The now established feminine voice comments casually in a noticeable Kansai dialect.

Definitely not a saving grace, on the contrary actually. Maybe that impending doom feeling wasn't directed towards my planned interaction with Suou after all. No, instead it was to the completely unfortunate coincidence of running into this monster in the guise of a girl, one that I had the misfortune of meeting on my first day in this world.

Kazama Asuka.

I make a quick sweep of her form, noticing a red t-shirt rested comfortably on her shoulders along with a tight-fitting pair of jean shorts and some running sneakers. Her attire was different from the last time, more casual. Though I don't think people generally go around dressed in bear costumes, so that wasn't a difficult accomplishment.

I debated with myself briefly on my options here. There weren't many, I could feign ignorance, but I only foresaw more trouble than I was looking for coming from that. There was the option of ignoring her and just ringing the bell anyways… but somehow I didn't think she was the type to just let me go. If her fierce pursuit of those delinquents she was yapping about during our original encounter was anything to go by.

Guess I'll just have to be forward. Might work since she's the very definition of that word, who knows? Here's hoping.

---

Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Logic Is My Sword: Chapter 07 Section: Song 02

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"I'm here visiting an acquaintance…" My tone implies a lack of willingness for an extended conversation, yet it's completely lost on this crazy girl. Either that or she pointedly ignores it, your guess is as good as mine.

"Oh? So who's dat?" She's acting quite amicable compared to the abrasive personality she showed before, it's kind of off-putting. I sigh at that, I will never understand the women of this world.

Well, of any world, really.

"That's what I'm here to find out, so if you'll excuse me…" I attempt to shake her off, fully unprepared for the repercussions of such an action.

A frown creases her lips for a moment before she's suddenly throwing her head back with a bark of laughter. Did I say something funny? Suddenly, her closed fist meets my shoulder with way more force than the friendly expression on her face would suggest she intended. "Hah! Just as unfriendly as ever!"

The force makes me stumble on my feet, and I just barely regain my balance before teetering over. Oi! Don't go around throwing punches like that when you have inhuman strength! I've taken enough abuse from you when we first met!

I can feel the biting retort on the tip of my tongue, but I stop myself just short of voicing it. Just… try to relax and see this objectively. It could be worse, I guess. At least she isn't a crazy stalker… hah, better not say that, knowing my luck…

That aside, I have to keep in mind this senseless game I've been subjected to play.

Is my luck really that bad, that she could possibly be a contender? Only a sadistic god could be so cruel… It's probably better to be safe than sorry. But now that I really look at her, she does look pretty young…

"…Right, how old are you anyway?"

There probably could have been a smoother way to go about asking, but I didn't have the patience to take that route. I just hope this doesn't trigger a BAD END in the long run… I'm suddenly plagued by the memory of Hiratsuka Sensei's reaction when I inquired about her age. A chill creeps up my spine as I recall the painful outcome. Surely she won't react that way, right? I cringe inwardly, steeling myself for the possibility regardless.

"Didn't I already tell ya? I'm seventeen…why?" Ah, crisis averted. Though, her eyes narrow at my random query, no other physical consequences manifest and I can't honestly blame her suspicion anyways. That was kind of out of the blue, though I can't be blamed for not remembering either. I was more concerned with ditching the girl at that moment rather than what was coming out of her mouth.

But honestly, what rotten luck… will I ever encounter a female that isn't a potential candidate? Or one that is ordinary at the very least? I sigh inwardly in exasperation. Best not jinx myself, I can see that playing out poorly later on.

Although my supposed relationship with Yukinoshita Haruno is just pure bad luck. I know she's older than seventeen and yet I'm going to be forced to interact with her anyway.

"Er…" Time to backtrack, here we go. "Just thought you might have been a police cadet. You know, considering your activities the last time we met?" Yes, nice save, Hachiman. Ever reliable, this brain of mine. Let's see this through, shall we? "You were pretty adamant about justice and all that, but you look young so-" And before I can gather how well recieved my quick thinking was, the noise of a door opening draws both of our attentions to the residence in front of us.

The reason for my presence here today, a.k.a. Suou Mikoto, peaks out of the front door of her house, just blinking at the two of us in mid conversation. Confusion clouds her expression and she's quick to ask, "What's this? Wait… Do you and Hikigaya know each other, Asuka?"

"You kiddin' Miko-chin? Couldn't forget a creepy face like dis anywhere!" Before I can even grit out an indignant response to her gibe, my face is squished against her chest as she traps me in a headlock. Oi, oi! What do you think you're doing, woman?!

It's soft! They're soft! Stop it!

I try to escape, completely ignoring the softness pressed into my cheek. Completely. My efforts are fruitless though, what is wrong with the girls of this planet? What do you all eat for breakfast?! Nails?!

"I found dis fella actin' pretty sketchy with one of his buddies while in hot pursuit of some scum a few days ago! Wouldn't tell me his name though…" She pins me with a hairy eyeball and I recommence my squirming to get out of her grasp.

Suou deadpans, "I can sort of see why though…"

Thank goodness someone can see things from my perspective! Although, why aren't you doing anything to stop this brute you have for a friend? You're just letting me drown in misery here, you know? And as for the evil-doer here, why can Suou see the problems with your actions, but you can't? Come on Brutish Girl-san, get with it!

"Now I can put a name ta yer suspicious face. Yer on my radar now!" She flashes a scary smile that was probably meant to be teasing, but just looks incredible threatening instead. Seriously woman, could you tone down that aggressive personality of yours?

And let me go damn it!

"Come on Asuka, let Hikigaya go," Suou tries to suppress a laugh at my expense. Great, just chum it up while I'm held prisoner by the warden of evil. And here I was thinking you were on my side.

Though to my utter relief, I'm released from her death hold. I rub at my neck out of sheer annoyance as she exclaims, "Ah! Yer no fun!" The frightful woman punctuates the action with a sharp cackle. Why am I getting villainous vibes from this supposed pursuer of justice? My reprieve is short lived when I hear a sudden exclamation from the blue haired hostess emerging fully from behind the door. I'm immediately accosted with the sight of her form dressed in less than appropriate attire.

---

Go to profile, SEE: Link in Logic Is My Sword: Chapter 07 Section: Picture 01

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Suou only grins in amusement, I averting my gaze while Kazama now looks bored.

Now that I think about it… oi, oi. Aren't you embarrassed by coming out like that? I mean, did you just stumble directly from bed to the front door? A shirt and pajama pants at this hour, really? You were supposed to be ready when I came. And to think you messaged me earlier implying you thought I was lazy…

Out of the two of us, who seems more fitting for that description?

"Oh! You know what would be fun? If you both came in for breakfast!" You do realize that's why I'm here in the first place, right? Surely you didn't actually forget… It's then that her entire statement registers in my mind. I'm sorry, did you say 'both'? Her gleeful suggestion creates a pit in my stomach, so that is what she meant. Just what is with trouble following me everywhere I go? I have to deal with the both of them now, is this some type of punishment?

Great. I survived a night with that stalker of mine and now I have to endure this? Stupid god of time and his unwanted games…

I glance over at the new guest of this 'thing' we're doing, noticing the surprised expression gracing her features. Well, at least I'm not the only one that wasn't expecting this last minute invitation. Somehow that does little in ways of comfort though. All I can foresee is way more trouble than I was willing to undergo today, what an unwelcome turn of events.

"Well, sure why not?" Kazama grins after the initial shock wears off, "I was on my way ta get some groceries fer today anyway, so it's alright. I'll be in yer care then, Miko-chin!"

"Stop calling me that!" Shouts Suou, trying to suppress a blush.

I release a sigh. I think this will lead to the bad ending I previously mentioned… geez…

"What do ya look so glum fer?" I feel a hard impact of a hand on my back, almost losing my balance for the second time, "C'mon already! Let's go dig in!"

Argh… I hope this abuse doesn't become a theme for today…

7-3

I really don't want to be here…

Whoa, deja vu?

After nearly being manhandled into entering the house, I find myself in what looked to be a dining room. Staying true to the traditional design of the outside of the home, the inside reflected much of the same.

How old fashioned…

Floors lined with tatami mats meet my feet as I stepped further into the room. Well, it wasn't much to look at. Aside from the two shoji screen doors, one from where I entered and the other leading out to a far more interesting space, this room was… sparse. Considering I was left here to my own devices, I see no issue in inspecting my surroundings a bit further.

Or at least I would have, but… there's not really much to look at. Seriously, this place was empty, with only a rather wide, short table in the middle. Was this really the dining room? There's a table… but… It's pretty empty.

Wait! This isn't a torture chamber masquerading as a normal room, is it!? This wasn't an elaborate ruse to have me killed because they both find me creepy, right!?

I'm innocent! Innocent I tell you! I was born with these eyes, I don't deserve such punishment for things out of my control!

Erk… I need to get a hold of myself. It's the bland atmosphere around here that's inviting such ridiculous thoughts, it's smothering. I glance at an opening between some doors, looks like it leads outside. Maybe I just need some fresh air; at the end of the day, being at a girl's house is still nerve wracking.

It appeared to be some sort of inner courtyard within the residence. There were clothing lines tracing the perimeter, the hanging fabrics rustling slightly with the wind. My feet carried me across the grass, hands tucked comfortably in my pockets while my eyes bounced around to take in the entirety of the space. That is, until I was met with a troubling sight.

To my great embarrassment, there are quite a few 'personal' items pinned to the line as well. My feet cement themselves in place while heat blooms beneath my cheeks. Are you serious!? You're having guests and you can't remember to take in your undergarments!?

Unfortunately, my sharp eyes zero in a group of precariously large cup-sized bras which do nothing to dampen my growing embarrassment.

"There ya are! Hey Miko-chin, he's out here!" And of course, it's only fitting of someone with my luck, that this would be the precise moment that the ladies who previously abandoned me, decide to reemerge. Somehow I don't imagine this sight being received well…

As Kazama and Suou gazed at me through the door, I notice another person has joined the fray. An older woman who, judging by the striking resemblance, could only be presumed as Suou's mother. Great, just who I needed to bare witness to this clichéd scene. It's not what it looks like, alright? Damn, even that sounds like something a guilty person would say…

"Hey, Hikigaya, we brought the foo-" She blinks, probably noticing my flushed expression… or more like surprised now since my previous embarrassment was quickly replaced in its entirety by dread. "Whoa, Hikigaya. What's with you? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Uh, well…" I mutter, my otherwise quick thinking completely failing me in this moment. I was left pale faced, not knowing what to say, stunned like a deer caught in headlights. Honestly though, was there really any right course of action here? Unlikely…

So this is how I die, huh? I had a good run, I guess. Hahh… I would have liked to return home before I bit the dust at least… And then have the bad luck of getting reincarnated into this world anyway…

I take notice of my host holding a pot, while Kazama, who peeked her head out at her side held a tray containing a larger pot and bowl. The older woman who looked alike to Suou was holding another tray littered with many different dishes and two other bowls, plus a pitcher filled with an orange liquid. Wow, sparing no expense for your guests, huh?

Wait, why am I even bothering to note that in this situation? I doubt I'll live long enough to taste any of it… What is with this world not letting me eat? First Yukihira's, twice, and now this? Give me a break.

"Oh dear…" I hear the woman mumble out lowly, seemingly the only one having caught on to the situation at hand, causing Suou to turn to her.

"W-what is it, Kaa-san?" She asks bewildered, well there's finally some verbal confirmation that it is indeed her mother I'm dealing with. Great. I clench my fists inside my pockets a bit restlessly, mentally bracing myself for the hysterics that I know are soon to come.

"Didn't I tell you to bring in the clothes early because of your guest?" The older woman scolds her sternly and the bluenette is quick to catch on to the meaning of her mother's words. Her expression can be described as nothing short of gaping at this moment.

Her head whips in my direction, cheeks steadily taking on a dark shade of red as her wide eyes pin me to my spot, not that I was really keen on moving anyways. Talk about a ticking time bomb, eh? Her surprised gaze moves from me to the hanging clothes flowing with the wind as silence sets in, punctuating the tense atmosphere.

…

…

Mmm? She's not charging over to me in a furious rage… This seems a little too anticlimactic doesn't it? Not that I'm not grateful, of course.

I cock an eyebrow, somewhat surprised that I seemed to have read the situation wrong. I could have sworn she would be the aggressively embarrassed type here. Wasn't she the one that punched me because I heard her stomach growling? I glance over at the other girl, to see if her expression is any different. Kazama only looks confused as her eyes take in the innocent fluttering laundry, and she purses her lips.

Um… can someone say something please? The awkwardness is growing by the second.

In the next moment, before I can even blink, Suou has put the pot on the table behind her and is bulldozing towards me. Yikes, was this just a delayed reaction? My body tenses up, bracing for the onslaught of unstable emotions that is sure to hit me full force from this embarrassed teenage girl. I reflexively flinch as her hand clamps around my wrist in a vice grip. And then… I'm being pulled.

Huh?

Suou closes the space between us and the entrance to the dining room, yanking me along behind her like a ragdoll. I mean, I wasn't going to offer any resistance here, she's doing me a favor as far as I'm concerned by getting me out of that awkward spot.

She uses her forward momentum to hurdle my body past her own before sliding the door shut and slumping against it. Suou is huffing, hands braced on her knees as she attempts to catch her breath.

I raise an eyebrow as she suddenly lifts her head to level me with a glare, irritation and embarrassment splattered all over her face. I'm honestly relieved that she didn't hit me, but now I'm not so sure if I wasn't out of the frying pan and now into the fire… Especially with the door closed now…

"Did you see?" She asks pointedly.

"See… what?" I respond cautiously, trying to calculate where exactly her anger is directed. If I play dumb she'll hesitate to bring up the issue at hand out of embarrassment, and if I continue to behave the rest of my time here, I won't be labelled as a pervert! It's perfect.

"You're gonna make me say it?" She growls out incredulously. The older woman chuckles, breaking some of the heavy tension as she begins putting the tray she held on the table next to the rest.

"Say… what?"

"…Jerk…" Suou hisses lowly under her breath, finally pushing away from the door to join the rest of us by the table. My own brows pull together in confusion, how exactly did I become the bad guy here? Oi, you're the one who left your intimate clothing hanging around for anyone to see! It's not like I went out of my way to search for them, this was just… collateral damage!

"Uh, what's da problem?" A lost Kazama asks, her head bouncing back and forth between us all, trying to gather what she missed. I assume that from her position, she failed to see the undergarments hung outside, only noticing the everyday shirts and pants since the clothes line was long. Thank goodness, she might not have shared Suou's restraint.

Suou's mother steps to me with an amused smile, and says, "Oh my, it seems that our guest may have seen far more of Mikoto than even Kouzu-kun. What an interesting turn of events," She giggles conspiratorially behind her palm.

Whoever that name belongs to, it got a noticeable reaction out of Suou. Her face flushed crimson once more and she, much to my surprise, began shouting to her, "J-j-just what the heck are you saying, idiot Kaa-san!?"

Now that I wasn't at the center of attention, I was able to observe said woman. To be frank, I can see where Suou got her looks and… ample figure… from. Aside from the clear age gap, Suou and her mother look very much alike. Simple observation, I couldn't be faulted for such a thing. The similarities were glaringly obvious… I'm not a pervert. It would be a cruel and unusual punishment to be lumped in with the likes of Yuuki and Sakurai Tomoki.

The elder woman feigns a startled expression before stating innocently, "Hmm? But it's the truth, is it not? Kouzu-kun never had the chance to see your unde-"

"S-shut it!" Suou shouts, glancing at me briefly and having the decency to look embarrassed when she takes in my obvious presence. Yeah, still here… you know, maybe you should put a lid on this very private conversation? Not everyone wants to hear such blasphemous things, especially before breakfast. Suou forces a nervous laugh as she begins to push her mother out of the room.

Glad to see she took my unspoken advice.

"Eeeh? Mikotoooo!" The older woman tosses an over-the-shoulder glance at her child with a pout, "I want to have breakfast with our guest too~!" She whines childishly despite her age as her feet dig into the tatami, trying to put the brakes on her forced removal. This situation might be the last thing I want to be dragged in the middle of, but it didn't make it any less entertaining. Suou's mother really knows how to rile up her daughter, as expected of ties between a mother and daughter.

"Come back in a while! Just go!" Shouts the flushed girl, finally sliding the door closed on her petulant mother.

Silence reigns after that, and the tense atmosphere seems to choke any opportunity for conversation. That is, of course, until Kazama breaks out into a quiet chuckle, the bubbling laughter only seeming to build at the strange situation. And wouldn't you know? Poof. Tension gone. It's not like I'm grateful to her or anything, but that was a pretty good ice breaker.

"Well, ain't dis funny?" She finally comments after she stifles her last laugh, "As bad with the boys as usual, Miko-chin." Completely missing the dirty look her friend throws her way, she pats her back in comfort. I unconsciously wince as I know how uncomforting her 'gestures' can be, and the action only seems to irritate Suou further.

"You…" Suou ticks an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Wasn't I just tellin' ya ta focus on honin' yer fightin' techniques instead?" She jibes at her jokingly. Oi, can't you read the mood? Your taunting isn't helping the new situation, it's making it worse!

I take in the annoyed expression on Suou's face, feeling the remnants of dread creeping back under my skin. "It's not like you're good with them either!" Huffed Suou in retaliation. Here we go…

"I'm not dat interested in 'em, Miko-chin," Kazama growls back. "Most of 'em are a bunch of perverted idiots, so why should I even bother? All I care about is fightin'!" The two girls are practically nose to nose with electricity crackling between them at this point. This is getting a bit intense, no? Can we tone things down a notch? At least until I'm far away enough to not be caught in the aftermath of your destruction.

Suddenly, they pull apart and I blink in surprise as Kazama demonstrates some moves swiftly, showing off some pretty impressive martial arts skills as if taunting Suou. When did this normal breakfast turn into a stand off?

Though their blundering with the male species is a nice tidbit of information I'm sure to tuck away, I can't for the life of me figure out why I'm still here. I don't even understand how we came upon this showdown… And who's that Kouzu guy anyway? It sounds familiar, but with all these people shuffling into my life, it's near impossible to keep them straight. Maybe I can ask Usui later if it doesn't clarify itself.

"And as usual, so one-tracked about fighting, eh? You haven't changed a bit, even after all this time." Suou waves a hand at her dismissively, "Becoming a martial artist is more than just fighting, you know?" Her tone ends on a teasing note and I find myself suffering from whiplash with this constant rise and fall of emotions.

Looks like they're old friends.

"'Course I know!" Kazama beams with a wide grin, "It's about discipline! About da balance of mind and body as both should work as one, right?" Oi, weren't you guys arguing a second ago? How are you two smiling so casually?

Suou grins, "Totally! Mind and spirit combined with the physical is integral in becoming a true Martial artist! Can't believe you still remember that." She punctuates the ribbing with a light shove to her friend's shoulder. Did I miss something here…?

Kazama grumbles at the action before scoffing lightly, "Tch, who do ya take me fer?" She sticks her tongue out at the blue haired hostess and suddenly I feel like I'm the one intruding when I was the only one initially invited… Honestly, women.

Well, both of them being martial artists also explain that abnormal strength they possess, so that's that. Geez…

Both take a seat by the low table, ignoring the previous outburst and me as they continue conversing… That's kind of rude don't you think? I think better of voicing a snide comment, I managed to live past the embarrassment of a girl who could probably kill me with a single hit, I better not push my luck any further. Actually, with no physical damage done to me and Suou forgetting that I saw her underwear, I'm going to count that as a major win here. Blending in with the scenery is what I'm best at after all, might as well put that passive skill to good use and see how long I can ride this wave.

The theme of martial arts seems pretty big, but with the dojo that lingered so close by, it's no small wonder.

My eyes take a brief sweep of the room, sending my silent thanks to the closed door that separated us from that terrible situation earlier. I make my way casually to join them, planting myself down cross-legged, opposite of the two females who seem to be partaking in some hushed girl talk I'm not privy to. Fine by me, pretend I'm not even here. But I don't think they're actually pretending…

"I'm tellin' ya, it was weird!"

I look up at Kazama's sudden declaration. Quickly, I readjust my body language into that of disinterest while listening in. I want to hear what she has to say, but I don't want to get dragged into the conversation.

"But don't you say that it happens sometimes because all of the gangs you antagonized?" Suou asks the brunette fighter, "How sometimes, there's a person who wants to get back at you and tries to get you by surprise?"

"Yeah, but, dere was something totally different about dis girl!" Kazama exclaims, "She was in da shadows da whole time and was mad dat I hurt her 'beloved.' It's weird, right!?"

This sounds familiar… It couldn't be, right?

"I guess… Maybe one of the gang members you beat up was her boyfriend…?"

"Maybe… But I'm tellin' ya, dis girl was different. Da others just want to beat me up, but her…" Kazama momentarily trails off, "I don't know… It was like dat tournament, I had ta take her serious."

"…But at least you didn't get hurt right?" Suou's reserved tone spoke of her aversion of the subject. I can understand it, we're high school students, we shouldn't be asked to face life-or-death situations. But it seems like Kazama is actually experienced in this matter, even if it was the one time.

"Yeah!" Kazama grins, even flexing her deceptively delicate-looking arm in order to reassure her friend. "She was like dat, but she ran away after I got her in da leg when she lunged at me!"

"You didn't chase after her?" The bluenette girl asks, surprised, "You?"

"It was dark… And she ran inta da alleyways…" The brunette of the two grumbles with a pout, "I didn't get a good look at her…"

While the two begin to jovially bicker about Kazama's lack of action. I frown to myself as I determine my original hunch as correct. Gasai did try attacking Kazama.

I calmly recall the previous night's events. Yes, throughout the night she was limping. I also remember one of the three kidnapped boys saying how he saw her limp as well when she got to him. It must have been Kazama's counterattack that left her in that state.

Ah, Gasai must have been around when Yuuki and I ran into 'the bear'. She most likely saw when she started choking me, and decided to get back at her. Thankfully, her attempt failed and no one but her was hurt. I still heard from Haruno afterwards so I guess Gasai wasn't able to attack the elder Yukinoshita. And with me getting attacked happening soon after, she must have refocused her priorities.

Although, it's weird that she didn't attack Haruno… wonder why that is…?

I withhold releasing a deep breath, not wanting to draw attention to myself. Because of the emotion wipe, all I can feel is apprehension towards Gasai, as if I were warned by someone else about her instability. Everything else I feel towards her is superficial, I'm not truly frightened of her because I no longer had the impressions of her that were instilled to me last night. But seeing how emotionally compromised the Hachiman of last night felt was enough to make me wary.

But enough of that, I don't want to sour my mood.

Instead, I direct my attention to the display set out before us. But as if my thoughts somehow drew her attention to me, I feel Suou's glare on the side of my face. For the sake of self preservation, I feign ignorance in order to avoid another potential catastrophe. Geez… when did my Stealth Hikki get so devastatingly poor? I barely lasted a minute. And Suou, what's with that look? Were you only pretending to forgive and forget about that embarrassing scene earlier? Now that your mother's gone, were you planning to tell Kazama and beat me up together!?

I observe the pots and the bowls, completely ignoring her scary gaze until she finally relents and re-focuses on Kazama. Crisis averted, so now… what do we have here? This pot is full of natto, and the larger pot has miso soup. The big bowl has Oyakodon, huh? Chicken and egg on rice… looks good. The other bowls have fried egg and cold tofu. Quite the healthy selection we've got, though I suppose it makes sense if this house is feeding physically fit people. Good nutrition and all that.

On second thought, isn't this a lot of food? I thought you were only expecting me and yet you prepared all of this? This seems suspicious… Even if I were to consider everyone here as a heavy eater, that would still leave an abundance of leftovers… Don't tell me you're expecting even more company… ?

"Nah, I don't believe ya," Kazama shakes her head in disbelief, calling my attention once again. "No way dat Harima is datin' Tsukamoto's lil' sis!"

Harima… she said? And Tsukamoto's younger sister?

I involuntarily raise an eyebrow at that. Hold on a minute… The delinquent mentioned something about that yesterday.

"That's what Sawachika told us, anyway. And, well, Tenma has already given them her blessing, so it may be true," Suou elaborates, resting an elbow over the table.

So this is the misunderstanding going on with Harima and Tsukamoto Yakumo? I can't even think how things gotten so bad for the delinquent to the point that the girl he likes to actually approves the relationship he supposedly has with her younger sister. Way to go, Delinquent-kun.

"But Tsukamoto's sis is all shy and nice," Kazama frowns. "Harima's just a troublemaker. What could dey even have in common?"

Suou deadpans in that moment, "I don't want to hear that from you, Gang Mediator. Besides, Harima has been behaving this year, surprisingly. He even participated in the sports festival and he's attending classes… most of them… So, yeah, Harima isn't that bad."

So Suou and Harima attend the same school? And even the same class? Seriously, every person I meet is in some way always connected to me anyway, although this time indirectly. And also, the Tsukamoto sisters also attend the same school.

And… ignoring Suou for the moment, Kazama is called Gang Mediator? Does she attend their school too?

Kazama folds her arms, still reluctant to accept but eventually shrugs her shoulders, "Well, guess dat's the reason why dat girl likes him now? It's crazy, but I guess it could happen. I'll give him da benefit of the doubt. Only because ya're sayin' it though."

"The food is getting cold…" I finally speak up.

They blink, and Suou sweat drops, "Oops! Sorry about that!" She sits properly, and starts serving the food, "It's a pain to hand you the food all across the table, come closer!"

"Er… uh… alright…" I sit on their side of the tablet but by the corner, still away from them. I have to remain at a safe distance should something happen. They're trained fighters, but if I'm close enough to the door, I can probably get away.

Suou gazes at me in irritation while Kazama chuckles, "Closer."

I suppress a sigh, "…Fine…" I drag myself closer until she looks content, which was when I'm right at her side. This isn't safe for me at all…

"Great!" She grins while putting my dish and some small bowls in front of me. Then she hands the same portion to Kazama, "There you go."

"Shouldn't we wait for da others?" Says Kazama while tilting her head.

I knew it, more people are coming… Great…

"It's fine, it's fine," She waves a hand, sporting a grin. "It's not like they'll be mad if we start first. C'mon! Dig in!"

Didn't you just throw your mother out of the room when she was meant to eat together with us? That would be a good reason for someone to get mad, you knoooow?

"Itadakimasu!" / "Itadakimasu." They say before starting to eat… but was there the need to shout?

"…Itadakimasu…" I echo back slowly.

I pick up a pair of chopsticks and observe my food. I'm not particular into natto, but I guess if I mix it with the white rice and put the fried egg in, it will make a good combination. I pick a mouthful of it and as expected… it tastes great.

Hah… Belldandy's glorious meals have spoiled me a bit, but at least I can still appreciate other food.

"So, is it good?" Suou turns to me after taking a sip of her mandarin juice. I simply nod my head, and she grins, "It's not as good as that steak you gave me, but, I hope you like it."

"It's good, don't worry." I reassure the bluenette, before looking around the table. Hmm… was there coffee that I could drink? Or was the mandarin juice the only thing available? I never did get to drink a cup at home because of all the… 'excitement.'

"Glad to hear it," She chuckles before turning to face the knowing smile of Kazama, "What is it…?"

"Dis guy gave you steak?" She repeats with a mocking tone, "It's surprisin' how nice he's with ya when he acted like a jerk ta me."

I cock a brow, "She wasn't wearing a bear costume in public when I met her." I point out, and continue my meal. I wisely decided to not mention her physically assaulting me. Something tells me that her rationalization of it, because she most likely won't apologize, would just give me a headache.

Suou blinks, Kazama frowns and narrows her gaze, "What's wrong with dat? It's not like I hurt anyone with it." She picks a portion of egg, "Besides, it was da only way for me ta chase after some bullies without havin' dat idiotic blondie getting in my way."

"Idiotic blondie?" Suou repeats, and realization hits her, "You mean that rich french girl that has been bothering you lately?"

"Yeah, yeah… she doesn't know when ta quit!" She slams a fist on the table, shaking every porcelain plate and bowl, also making me tense in the process. Why, thank you… "Shouldn't have beat her… Now she won't leave me da heck alone!"

"That's because she considers you her rival," Suou points out.

"What are ya talkin' about?" Kazama tries to act uninterested while she grabs another bite of her food, but she does look irritated on this subject. I wonder who that french girl is… not that I want to meet her… she sounds like trouble. "Ya know ya're my only rival, Miko-chin."

"I think I already said it before, but stop calling me that. It's embarrassing when you do it in front of the others," The bluehead deadpans, deliberately avoiding to meet my gaze.

"'Not like he minds," She turns to me, "Do ya?"

I only respond with a shrug, picking up my own glass of juice. What was I supposed to say? 'No, keep going'? Or… 'Actually, it does bother me'? The former would just cause me trouble, and the latter was untrue. It has nothing to do with me.

Kazama laughs, "See? Ya're just overworkin' dat little brain of yers!"

"Shut up!" Shouts Suou in indignation before turning to me, "And don't you take her side!"

"Who's taking sides?" Rolling my eyes, I ask.

"Miko-chin's all flustered!" Kazama teases, making an… unexpectedly cute face… huh… Even she can make that kind of expression.

Great, there I go again… Wait, another deja vu…

Well, whatever the case, I can see now how close they are. I reflect a bit on the two girls as I continue to eat. They share many interest and are somewhat alike in their personalities… though I can still tell the brute known as Kazama surprisingly holds a bit more femininity than Suou… despite the generally unpleasant traits she has. How funny.

And while they continue to argue, the door is opened, exposing a little boy accompanied by an imposing man entering the room. Of course, I tense in anticipation.

"Miko-nee!" The tiny boy with short black hair, sporting shorts and a yellow shirt, bursts his way past me and sits between the ladies. "I'm hungry as hell!"

Suou smacks his head in an instant, "What did I tell you about bad words!? You're too young to start with that!"

"Miko-nee! You're so mean!" Whines the boy, rubbing his head while a pout curls his lip.

Hohh… Seeing the dynamic between a younger brother and older sister sure is a novel sight. But I feel as if I've seen it before… Who was it? It involved a bug and… Something about… Honda…? No… uh… Kanagawa? No, that's the prefecture, but it's something related to it, I'm sure of it!

I blink when I notice the imposing man sitting in front of me, cross-legged and arms folded. If I were to put it, I felt like I was but a small pup in front of an old wolf…

He had short, dark, albeit now-greying, hair and wore a brown Yukata. His facial features were pronounced, amplifying the intimidating gaze he was directing at me… Well, I can't honestly blame him since, if the roles were reversed, I would act just the same for Komachi. I mean, right now I'm just some random guy that his daughter suddenly brought into his home. It's only normal that he would be wary and distrustful of an unknown person.

Hold on a minute, I'm not a jealous and overprotective sis-con, I swear! I just look out for my naive younger sister, you know? There's nothing wrong with that.

That being said, I'm getting nervous either way since my understanding of his situation doesn't help me at all. I just came to have breakfast, dammit! I didn't sign up for this…

"Mmm…" The man only hums as he continues to scrutinize me, making me even more tense. I have no clue if he approves or disapproves of me.

I shoot Suou a glance for assistance but she just sits there, with elbows rested on the table and her chin supported by her hands, looking nothing but amused. Damn it woman, you brought me here, the least you could do is to give me a hand! Kazama is grinning too. You're both having fun at my expense aren't you? What goes around, comes around, so don't expect anything from me when you need it!

Think, Hachiman. You just need to act like the respectful gentleman you know you are and everything will be fine.

I clear my throat before bowing, "Err… Thank you for receiving m-"

"HAHAHA!" He laughs out of nowhere, and loud, almost making me jump, "Kaa-san was right! He's pretty good looking, especially when you ignore his eyes! HAHAHA!"

…Say what?

He stands up and goes around the table, sitting just at my side, much to my discomfort. He pats my back, and I had to support both my hands on the edge of the table to prevent crashing all over the dishes. Can't say I didn't expect that strength, but that doesn't mean I was prepared for it either. And can I not even escape jabs at my eyes from adults?

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Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Logic Is My Sword: Chapter 07 Section: Song 03

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"Err… Thanks?" I say, finally regaining my composure.

"No, no, boy. Thank you for watching over Mikoto," He states cheerfully. "I have never seen her eating a steak so happily as when she got home that night! She even said she had a bad day before that too! Hahaha!"

Suou becomes red, involuntarily raising an arm in surprise and I seize this opportunity, "Eeehh… Really?" Taking a page out of a certain perverted alien's book of teasing, "You were happy?"

Kazama giggles behind her palms, "He got ya, gehehe."

Suou gnashes her teeth, her bashful hue darkening, "Don't start with that either or I'll hit you."

I raised my hands defensively, but I still displayed a smug tone, "Hai, hai…"

"HAHAHA! They already get along so well! Why don't you hurry and take my daughter's hand already?" He pats my back again, and once more I find myself supporting myself on the table to avoid slamming my face into it.

"W-Wha!?" Suou's face managed to redden even further.

"Uhh…" I utter awkwardly, fully knowing that this was just him trying to get a rise out of us.

"Ah, let's eat then, I'm starving!" Prompting Suou to grumpily hand over his share of the food while he directs his eyes back at me, "What was your name?"

My eyes move to the other side as I respond, "Oh, um, I'm Hikigaya Hachiman."

"Do you also go to Yagami High?" He asks after swallowing some food, but I shake my head, "No? Since Mikoto was too embarrassed to tell us more about you, I imagined you two attended the same school."

I turn to my host again with a knowing look, "Was she?"

"D-don't push it!" She scowled, and I'm quick to let it go since I already got the reaction I wanted.

"So what school do you attend, Hikigaya-kun?" Her father asks me.

"Sobu High."

"Ooh!" He exclaims, "The elite private school?"

Surprised at his response, I only nod back at him. I forget sometimes, Sobu is a pretty high-ranking high school and fairly popular in Chiba.

"You hear that, Mikoto?" The man turns back to his daughter, "You found yourself a smart one!"

"S-stop saying it like that! Mou…" She whines, as I keep myself from chuckling. Her embarrassment really helps mitigate the older man's implications. See? Bringing a random boy home gave him the wrong idea. Yet, you were so obstinate about having me over.

"Gehehehe!" The man only snickers in response.

Chatter follows as we continue to have breakfast and I notice that Kazama has already finished. Whoa, that was fast… Oi, did you even chew your food? She suddenly stands up and plops down in front of Suou's father, putting an elbow on the middle with a challenging smirk etched into her face.

"Oyaji! Let's arm wrestle!" She goads excitedly.

That came out of nowhere…

The man laughs, "Hahaha! Sure, Asuka-chan! This time I'll win!"

The door is opened as the two gear up to begin their match. Another man, kind of bulky, that also wore a yukata while sporting short hair, entered alongside Suou's mother. I can hear the cheers from both the kid and a freshly-arrived male as he takes a seat by the table. I silently continue my meal.

Suou's mother rolls her eyes at the sight before sitting at her daughter's side, I watch on as she goes about setting up a kettle, neatly surrounding it with porcelain cups. Wait, is that for…? Ah, it is! There's the coffee and sugar. The older woman notices my focused gaze and smiles gently, offering me a cup. I blink, not realizing I was staring, but nod my head regardless.

"Thank you…" I respond, a bit startled. I prepare my cup of coffee, this was sorely needed today. It might not be as heavenly as Belldandy's or MAX Coffee but it'll do. Aah! Sweet nectar~

She nods back, moving to serve her own plate. I wince at the abrupt shout of one kid as Kazama wins the match. Wait, really? Whoa. How strong is she? She smirks and Suou's father starts laughing again.

"HAHAHA! The strength of youth! One can't hope to win against that," He says heartily as he shakes the feeling back into his arm.

"Dohahahaha!" The new guy bursts into laughter and bellows. "You're just too old to face the girl!

Suou deadpans, "You have no right to say anything, Tetsu." She says after taking a sip of her juice. "I'm sure you won't win against her either. Not even if you were 20 years younger."

The guy called Tetsu smiles, "We'll have to see about that!" She just eyes him, unimpressed over the rim of her cup.

I stare blankly as Kazama and this guy start another arm wrestling match, the others just laughing and cheering them along. How in the world did I get involved in a family reunion? There's definitely a clear difference between this and the ones at my own home, especially back in my world…

Well, with both my parents now being less of the corporate slaves I was used to seeing them as, and with Komachi and the two freeloaders, that may have changed slightly… But regardless, it was far from this… scary and wild reunion I was caught in the middle of. I for one, definitely would not be able to tolerate this on a daily basis. Though I suppose Suou is the way she is because of this sort of environment.

I sigh before noticing the girl in question sitting closer to me, I notice the motioning of her hand as she holds the pitcher of mandarin juice in a questioning manner. How polite, ever the dutiful host. I shake my head slowly and she grins.

"Uncomfortable?" She asks.

I slowly nod, "I'm not used to this atmosphere… But I guess it could be worse." I glance at Kazama who was grinning while a bead of sweat was forming on this Tetsu guy's forehead. He looked to be focusing all of his concentration towards winning, an effort that seemed to be in vain. Suou was correct after all, Kazama's strength must be monstrous. "It's kind of stuffy, but I'll survive… So long as I'm not forced to arm wrestle with that woman."

"That would be funny to see, no?" The bluehead jokes.

"Are you trying to get me killed?" I huff in annoyance before sighing. "Suou, uh," I call out and she blinks her focus towards me, waiting for what I have to say. "Thanks for the breakfast. It was good… despite the circumstances…" Her facial expression doesn't change despite my somewhat-a-compliment. Instead, she continues to stare at me blankly while taking in my words.

What? Why are you looking at me like that?

Suou winks playfully at me after her staredown, "Wasn't expecting that, but… it's cool." Her shoulders shrug in a nonchalant gesture as she glances around before focusing her gaze on me once more, "Say… wanna check out the dojo?"

The eager grin on her face tells me, if anything, that she wants to show it to me regardless of my answer.

Now that I think about it, I doubt that the time the Service Club assisted the karate club in Sobu counts, so this would be the first time I visited an actual dojo. I weigh my options for a moment. I hadn't finished my meal but… Might as well go if it means that I won't remain here with these muscleheads… Her mother is a decent enough person though.

"I guess… " I respond, trying to suppress a yawn and taking a long sip of the last of my coffee, "Anywhere else is better than here. Why not?"

My host narrows her eyes at me, "Do you have to say it like that? Jerk…" She huffs, puffing out her cheeks in annoyance.

I huff softly, "Pardon me."

Suou rolls her eyes, "Whatever… Then let's go."

7-4

I blink as I stare at the building before me. So this was a dojo, huh? I saw it from afar, but standing before it is something else. I remember passing by a few whenever I strolled down the streets on some occasions, but never gave it much thought considering I held no actual interest in martial arts. Well, I did before, but that was mostly during the era of my 'dark' history.

Ugh… I don't want to think about those times…

Upon closer inspection, it was a fairly wide building. The traditional aspects were glaringly present as with the main house. Such as the two lions statues by the lintel of the entrance, or the roof that almost constituted half of the structure. Even the slightly curved eaves that extended far beyond the walls, covering verandas, enhanced this outlook. For all I know this could be a temple, or at the very least, previously served as one. The wooden panels, the planks… they definitely insinuated as much. But who was I to say? This was my first true look at a dojo after all…

"C'mon, don't just stand there," Suou shoves me from behind with a wink. "Let's go."

Upon entering the lobby, the setup seems reminiscent of a school, being that there are lockers that line the walls on either side of me. Suou removes her sandals and motions with her head, signalling me to do the same. I suppose I'll be using one of these then.

I select a random locker to the right of me. Opening the door, I quickly place my shoes inside before following after her.

"I wonder if Hanai's already here," She comments and I observe her. "Oh, Hanai's my neighbour and classmate. His family runs this dojo and we've been friends since we were kids."

Mmm, I thought the Dojo belonged to her family, but whatever.

"Is that so?" I ask, not actually caring.

She blinks and then rests her hands on her hip. Looks like she caught my disinterested tone, "Hmph, you looked like you were interested. Well, excuse me for misunderstanding that face of yours. Your dead fish eyes deceived me then."

I raise an eyebrow at that, "Attacking your guest's physical looks? Who's the cruel one now?"

"Well, you're being a jerk," She responds with a shrug. We're now standing in a hallway, "To the right are the changing rooms, and the showers for the Kamiza." I raise an eyebrow at that word since it was foreign to me. She catches onto my confusion and explains, "Shimoza is the area for the juniors. You've never visited a dojo, have you?"

"Never cared for it," I say nonchalantly.

Suou laughs, "What's with that?" She shakes her head in disbelief before continuing on with the tour, "Well, to the left we have the other changing rooms and showers but for the Kamiza, which is the senior side." I catch the mocking look in her eye as she says the last part. Oi, not everyone has the same interests as you do, you know?

"Basically, the juniors on the left and seniors on the right," I simplify it.

"Yep, and to the front, we have the Keikojo, which is the largest room where the training and demonstrations are held."

She walks to the mentioned room, and I follow. Light entered through the windows on the left, and there were many cushions located at both sides from where we entered. I can only assume this side of the wall is meant for observers. This room was by all means large as she said, which was obvious since many people gathered for the training sessions.

At the far side there was some sort of shrine, which caught my attention, so I walked towards it to give it a closer look. It was placed high on the wall, and like others I had seen, it was a miniature household altar adorned with many shinto-related decorations. I remember Shiratsuka-sensei talking about the ones she saw during those lonely travels she made during school breaks.

To hear her stories was depressing… Someone marry her already before I'm forced to do it!

"So you're interested in the Kamidana?" Suou asks curiously while standing at my side.

Right, that's what these altars were called… "You can say that…"

I look around some more before I hear Suou's voice again, "So what do you think of your first time visiting a dojo? Did you like it?"

"It's interesting," I respond before looking at the ceiling. I always wondered how they made those huge roofs, and from all the stuff up there, it seems complicated. Losing interest in that and not wanting to create an uncomfortable silence while I was alone with her, I decide to ask, "Did you join because of how close you lived by?"

Suou frowns, shooting me an annoyed gaze, "Of course not! I just…" Her gaze averted towards the windows, eyes becoming distant as she thought on her next words, "I guess I just liked it… I always wanted to be strong… so I wouldn't have to depend on anybody…" Her voice fades momentarily, losing herself in her thoughts as she barely utters, "But even though I…"

"Mmm?"

I don't say anything when she blinks in realization and waves a hand with a nervous smile, "F-forget what I said… Dunno what came over me, but yeah, I like it a lot. Makes me feel at ease, and also because I can defend myself and defend other people." She playfully flexes her arm with another wink.

What was that?

I understand where she was going with this though. She wants to be strong so she won't depend on anybody. And being physically capable gives a person a boost to their self-confidence. At least that's what I've heard. Either way, I can respect that so long as she doesn't let it dictate her worth.

Depending on others may be a weakness us humans share, a lesson I learned alongside both Yukinoshita, and Yuigahama. I guess I could include Isshiki too, but still, if one could manage to sort things out on their own, more power to them.

I'm not saying to take all that weight by oneself… but if you could prevent others from getting dragged into unnecessary troubles, I feel it will be better for them.

"If you say so."

And the silence I was meaning to avoid comes for severals seconds when Suou lets out a short laugh says without even looking at me, "I wonder if you would be willing to take some training sessions to boost your self-confidence. Haha, I'm just joking!"

I look elsewhere, "Do I really look so weak as to need it?" Closing my eyes, I smile in false amusement, "A long time ago I might have eagerly accepted the offer, joke or not. Now? I'm more than capable enough to not need that security. It'd be excess."

She turns to me, startled, as I didn't take her words in jest.

I can respect her ways, but that doesn't mean I'd be willing to follow them. Her self-confidence seems to be based off of her physical capabilities, but doesn't that just mean that without them she essentially has nothing else to hold her up?

Her eyes widen, mouth agape for an instant as silence sets in. I didn't portray any emotion as I just looked on, expecting a response. However, she seemed too startled to even try to think of a reply.

"Mikoto?" We both blink upon hearing Suou's mother calling out, "Mikoto, are you here?"

The sudden interruption seems to stir her from her stunned stupor, "A-ah… Okaa-san?" Suou walks to the entrance, meeting with her and somebody else I didn't recognize, "Oh, Hanai? You're finally better?"

"I must be… and who do you think opened the dojo, Suou?" Was the response of the newly-arrived male.

As I follow the bluenette. I manage to get a good look of him. He had black hair, that and his eyeglass apparel were prim and proper, if not slightly nerdy to make a generalization. He was a bit taller than me, maybe beating out Harima as well. But, his demeanor betrayed that immediately. He held himself confidently, shoulders straight and head extended; the way he carried himself exuded self-confidence, even if I can see tell-tale signs of fatigue. However, taking into account the outfit he sported, my surprise faded as fast as it came.

He wore the traditional keikogi, which was the uniform used by martial artists. I was given one when the Karate club requested the Service Club for a minor task back in my world. I got my ass kicked that time though, so I'd rather forget about it…

If I recall correctly, the Keikogi, or dogi, is made up of three separate parts: the Uwagi, which was the white heavy jacket, the lighter canvas pants called Shitabaki, and the Obi, a cotton belt. Hoh… his obi is black, meaning that he's a Black Belt in whatever martial art they practice here. I don't think I asked what it was. Probably Karate… or Kenpo?

"So what is it, Okaa-san?" Suou asks.

"A friend of yours is calling on the landline, hurry along!"

Suou deadpans, "Why not just call my cell, geez… It's probably Tenma…" She blinks, checking her pants' pockets, "Drats! I left it in my room."

Faulting them for such a thing, when you yourself aren't even prepared… Irony at its finest.

"Hurry up!" Her mother urges.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm going!"

Suou sprints past us and outside the dojo. Her mother turns to follow behind her, sighing exasperatedly, "What am I going to do with her?"

I watch as the pair leave before I finally notice the scrutiny of the guy standing at my side. I turn to him with a curt expression, pocketing my hands. Got something to say?

"…?"

"I'm Hanai Haruki. Who are you?" He asks, folding his arms. I don't immediately respond, not only because I would rather not do so, but also because of his demanding tone. "Are you a friend of Suou's?"

"I wouldn't go that far," I answer apathetically.

He furrows his brows over his glasses at my response, "If you're not her friend then…" He opens his mouth slightly, as if realizing something. "Did Suou bring you here because you wanted to train?" He nods to himself and I cock an eyebrow, "I see. This dojo teaches Shorinji Kenpo. You may know or not, but this martial art is considered a modified version of the Shaolin Kung Fu. It's not only a martial art, but also a holistic syst-"

"I'm not here to take any classes." I finally interrupt him. Good grief, I didn't ask you to explain all that.

They say that knowledge holds power, but I'm gonna have to decline here. My brain is already having enough difficulty absorbing the dump of information over these last few days, and I don't need this irrelevant information complicating it.

"Then why are you here?" I can sense his strong gaze, and it's honestly uncomfortable. Stop that. "If you hold no interest in joining the dojo, then I suggest you to either leave or take a seat by the Zabuton area if you wish to observe the training."

I look at him flatly, "Thanks for the offer, but I'll have to decline."

Saying that, I walk away. For some reason this guy, Hanai Haruki, gives me the creeps. Seriously, leaving their guest alone with some random guy. The Suou family seriously needs to improve on their consideration towards guests.

After picking up my shoes from the locker and leaving the dojo, I stand once more in front of the Suou Residence. This may be my chance to get away…

…

As if…

…

I intend to make some progress on the game whether I like it or not. I simply have no choice but to return. The entrance door was left opened, most likely for me. I sigh and go inside once more, closing the door behind me. Well, if I remember correctly, the dining room is at the first door along the corridor. As I approach, I can hear the voices and shouts of everyone inside.

Standing near the sliding door, which was opened, I gaze blankly at the sight before me. Are they still arm wrestling? Can't you just have a peaceful breakfast like any other family? I'm positive that Kazama is at fault since she started this thing.

"Hikigaya-kun?" I turn to Suou's mother, who apparently came from the kitchen since she was holding another pot. More food? Why am I even surprised at this point? She takes a look at the scene and sighs, "If you're wondering, it's not always like this, but Asuka has the tendency of starting these arm wrestling contests and everyone gets dragged into the atmosphere. I'm sorry if any of this caused you discomfort… and thank you for watching over Mikoto. She didn't tell us of what happened to her that day, but I could tell she was in pain. Seeing her brighten when she spoke of her interaction with you… As a mother, I'd like to thank you for that."

No… It wasn't something as dramatic as that. I… didn't do anything to warrant such appreciation.

It wasn't like I watched over her because I was a good samaritan. I only gave her the steak, I didn't do anything else… This is the second day I've seen her, don't give me that kind of responsibility so early!

"Ah, please don't worry," My eyes deviate to the side, "Err… where is the bathroom?"

The woman smiles knowingly and it makes me unconsciously deepen my frown, "Yes. Turn left by the corner of this corridor, you'll see a white door in the next one with a boat drawn on it."

I nod my head, "Thank you. If you'll excuse me."

"No worries," Said the woman with a smile before she went inside the dining room.

I make my way further inside and upon reaching the corner, Suou's voice coming within my ear shot. I involuntarily stop myself from taking another step.

"-ust don't feel good. So yeah, I don't think I'll be able to go." She says, and a short silence follows. "I know I haven't gone lately, but well, just say hello to everyone on my part." I lean my head from the corner, seeing her standing by the end of this other hallway. She was still on the phone… I'm lucky she was looking the other way or she would have seen me. As I lean back, she says, "It's… it's not that! I'm just sick, so I can't go…" Silence comes once more when… "Yeah, have fun. Laters."

I can hear the sound of her hanging the phone, thus ending the call. I'm not one who cares about eavesdropping or listening to other people's business. But unfortunately for me, I needed to use the bathroom, and going back to that dining room to wait doesn't seem to be a good idea. Geez… I shouldn't have had so much to drink…

Whatever, I'll feign only just arriving to keep Suou from thinking I was already here as she spoke on the phone. The trick to this is of course was the composure I show when I'm inevitably questioned upon her seeing me.

Mmm…? I can't hear her coming…

I wait a few seconds… then I waited some more. My patience was wearing thin, just as my tolerance of not using the bathroom. What the heck is she doing?

I lean my head and I see her supporting herself by both hands against a piece of furniture, her hair hiding her face from my sight. Wait… is she really sick? Maybe I should go call her mo-

"I'm so stupid…" She mutters, but I can just make out her words since it's pretty silent around here, aside from the random echoing shout that comes from the dining room down the hall. "I can't move on if I'm continuously invited to those get-togethers…" I frown at that as she continues, "I'm a coward. I'm so dumb!" Suou suddenly grabs her head with both hands, shouting, "Mou! Why am I so stupid!? Why did I wait!? I lost my…" The wind that fueled her sails leaves as quickly as it came, her body deflating, "…chance…"

I lower my gaze and lean against the wall as I finally hear the footsteps getting close. As she turns on the corner, sporting a scowl, she blinks upon seeing me. I turn to her, silently walking up to where she stood before pointing at the door with the boat drawn over it.

"This is the bathroom, right?" I ask monotonously.

She seemed confused at first before suddenly glaring at me, "You're always in the right place when listening in on other people's conversations, aren't you!? How much did you hear this time?"

I briefly study her expression. She's too angry. She won't believe me if I tried to pull a bluff on her. Whatever she talked about with the person on the other side of the phone really set her off.

I only stare at her blankly, "I wasn't here that long."

"You were totally leaning on that wall just now! How much did you hear!?" Growled Suou indignantly.

"Just the end," I reply honestly.

Suou drops her gaze and mutters, "Why does everyone take me for an idiot…?"

Everyone? Does that mean that whatever she thinks I did happens more than just occasionally? Well, it was the truth whether she believes me or not. I admitted that I listened in and that it was only to the final portion. Can't really do anything more than that.

"Well?" She raises her gaze and glares daggers at me.

"…'Well', what?"

"Aren't you going to say anything?" She practically demands, impatience leaking from her tone. Good grief, woman.

"…It's none of my business," I respond sincerely after a few moments.

"You…" She momentarily blinks in surprise, but her frustrated expression is quick to return, "Is that it? That's all you have!?"

"There's nothing more for me to say," I state simply. There really wasn't, I had no business bringing it up anymore.

Suou grits her teeth, "You're impossible!" She gives me her back as she turns around, but gazes at me over her shoulder, "If you're already done with the breakfast, you can leave. It just looks like you're having a bad time here, so I won't make you stay if you don't want to."

I see…

I don't visibly react to her sudden outburst. Her glare momentarily intensifies, and she storms off afterwards.

"Thank you for your hospitality," I say to her calmly. I briefly hear her footsteps stop, but this time I'm the one who walks away.

…

It seems there's more to Suou Mikoto than I first anticipated. The fact that she bitterly threw the line 'Everyone takes me for an idiot!' should be enough to tell that whatever happened went past any casual teasing she's had to endure. This most likely has to do with what she was whining about in that park when I met her. But it's what she said last that sticks with me the most.

To have lost before even having a chance to try, huh…?

In my own my case, I tried hard, yet I lost anyway. Not just referring to 'love matters,' of course, those never actually existed for me in the first place, but for things in general. I guess I can relate to her somewhat.

So even tomboys like Suou Mikoto are sensitive when it comes to romantic matters. I should have figured when we first met, no, that's not right… I had noticed it, but I simply wrote it off as pointless high school romance. It might have been more than that considering how hurt she was, only deep pain can cause someone to lash out to people. I know that all too well.

As strong as she seems to act, even Suou Mikoto is weak against the evils of romance. I don't know what happened, but whoever she liked played her dirty. Can't tell if it was intended but it happened anyway.

If I remember correctly, whoever was on the phone, expected her to join them in outings with other people. She says she 'lost her chance', so she wasn't rejected… Then what other…?

Ah.

When she said that she lost her chance, that implies that the person she wanted to confess to was no longer available, and it might have been a recent development as well since she seemed to still be hurting from it. And these get-togethers she finds herself being invited to most likely include the fellow she pined for and she probably finds it too painful to keep going along.

Though it should be said that there's nothing concrete about this theory for me to confirm it, and I won't regard it as anything more than a wild assumption.

Her mother admitted that she seemed pained lately, but doesn't seem to know why. I suppose that means Suou doesn't want to talk about it. She's probably putting on a facade, pretending everything is fine with them. Why? I'm not entirely sure, but seeing how her younger siblings look up to her… It reminds me of what I would do back then… She doesn't want to break the illusion of a 'strong Onee-chan' for them, same as how I was always 'Onii-chan' for Komachi when she was younger. Now I'm more of a 'Gomi-chan'.

Now the thing with people apparently seeing her like she's stupid might just be her anger talking, but that's only if I base it off what happened just now. I told her the truth and yet she was adamant that I was keeping something from her and thought she was stupid enough to successfully lie to her about it. Could be, but this could also be just an isolated incident with a person she barely knows. Who knows how other people treat her?

So I wonder… Where do things go from here? Our acquaintanceship was probably grinded to a halt because of this. And it would be presumptuous of me to really do anything when she already said that I should leave. And… I'm not so forthcoming as to be able to just outright talk to her. Angry or not, I'm sensitive enough to know when my presence isn't desired. If she doesn't want me around, then I won't overextend my welcome.

I open the door before me to reveal the bathroom. I stand there for few seconds.

Still… I can't help but feel pity towards Suou, though I'm sure it's probably the last thing she wants from me.

I shake my head with a sigh and enter the room.

7-5

"Dere ya are! Ya disappeared a while ago. Where ya been?"

I glance at Kazama, who still sat by the table with the others.

"Sorry," I respond, my tone loud enough for everyone in the dining room to hear. Then I direct my attention to those who hold the authority in the house, Suou's parents, "I'm afraid I have to leave. Thank you for receiving me in your home. The breakfast was great."

They look startled at my words of farewell, and I wish I had another way to show my gratitude, but I can't really think of anything else. I'm not really good at this sort of thing. Showing appreciation or gratefulness that is.

The woman stands on her feet and approaches me, "So soon? But you haven't even had the chance to finish your meal…" She bit her lip and lets out a forced smile which appears more as a grimace, "Maybe we weren't good hosts after all."

I blink, recalling what she told me before heading to the bathroom. I can easily tell that she's aware of the… 'different' way this family acts, thus making her conclude that such is the reason for my sudden departure. I suppose she's close to the truth, but this is not actually their fault. In fact, saying anyone was at fault is too harsh.

If Suou prefers me to leave, then I will. There's nothing more to it.

And so I close my eyes and bow my head respectfully towards Suou's mother, and then to the rest, "No, it's not that, you were all kind and welcoming. I did enjoy myself. I'm sorry for the early departure, but the food was indeed great."

"Hehe…" Suou's father sheepishly scratches the back of his head, "I bet Mikoto did something to scare you off. That girl…" But then he grins, "You know how women are, hahaha!"

I raise an eyebrow before the man became the focus of two deadly glares, courtesy of both his wife and Kazama. Scary! Those two are scary!

"Dohahaha! You're digging your own grave, old man!" The guy called Tetsu jokes, patting his back as Suou's father tenses. I just hope you don't get killed after I leave, Suou-san. I know how scary women can be… Geh, I can't help but shudder at that.

"Hey, ya, we just had breakfast, why're ya leavin' so fast?" Kazama folds her arms over her chest.

"There are other matters I need to attend to today. I didn't plan to stay long," I respond honestly, and bow at all of them. "In any case, thanks again for receiving me in your home. I will take my leave."

And as I say those final words, I hear some steps in the corridor. It was Suou, looking uncharacteristically withdrawn, but I expected as much after what happened some moments ago. Anger burns hot, and it leaves just as quickly. I briefly glance at her as she silently enters the room before focusing on the group as a whole.

"Well, if you have stuff to do, then it can't be helped, Hikigaya," Says Suou's father. "Be sure to pay us a visit again. Any good friend of Mikoto will always be welcomed!"

I notice Suou flinching at his words, only her mother and Kazama noticing that reaction. We were never friends, and right now, we're far from even being acquaintances. Things have become complicated, and whatever progress I made was now hindered. I suppose I'll have to ask Harima what he knows about her seeing how she's a friend of the Tsukamoto sisters. I just hope he doesn't overthink things.

Right now Suou needs to reflect and decide what to do about her problem, and she needs space to do so. Hopefully, she has someone she can share her afflictions with; the sooner she recovers, the sooner I can attempt interacting with her again. They say a good ear actually helps in this sort of situation… but I take this as word-of-mouth. Komachi did help me out during the Student Council Elections, but I didn't want to impose on her too often. She had her own worries to think about.

"Thank you, should the chance come, I'll see if I can," I nod my head. Then, I send Suou a short glance, saying, "Thanks for the invitation. Now we're even."

She blinks and slowly nods her head, "…Yeah…"

With that, I walk towards the entrance. Finally outside, I close the door and let out a sigh. I take out my phone to check on the hour, idly noticing two text messages. Leaving that for later, it was just a few minutes past noon. It was still early… and just when I noticed the sun began to peak out from behind the canopy of a tree, I heard some movement behind me.

"Hey… Wait a second…"

I figured I'd be caught before I managed to leave. I contained the urge to sigh, I've been doing that a lot since getting here it seemed. I found myself turning towards the voice, being met with the stare of Suou. Was there more to say?

---

Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Logic Is My Sword: Chapter 07 Section: Song 04

---

Her gaze stayed steady, but she didn't utter a word to break the silence.

I do the same. It was heavy, and awkward, but I continued to wait patiently for her to say something. I could tell that it was getting to her as well, but still, she didn't… couldn't… say a thing.

Her expression weakened slightly, changing every so often. First she expressed guilt, then uncertainty, then she sulked, and finally she went back to her unsteady gaze. A few moments passed as I watched the changes of her expressions.

For some reason, I patiently awaited her. Any other person, and I would have gotten fed up. I suppose I could say it was my sympathy for her that helped in this situation.

But, it doesn't look like she'll say anything at this rate. I can see tell-tale signs of resignation on her features, she was about to give up on whatever she came here to do. Hah… Might as well throw her a lifeline.

"…Did you need something?" I offer, finally.

Her wavering composure seems to finally break at my inquiry. She heaves out a heavy sigh, as if relieved that the silence that's been weighing down the atmosphere has finally been lifted. Suou's eyes dart away from me and I catch her wringing her hands in nervousness.

"Er… Well, I don't want you to leave on such a sour note…" She meets my gaze briefly before finding something of interest at the base of her feet.

I look on in silence for some seconds, not offering any reaction. The sound of nature surrounded us, the chirp of some birds coming from an unknown direction as wind howled slightly. Oh dear, it seems that now that I've started, might as well see how far this goes.

"I see…" Hands in my pockets, I close my eyes, "Don't get so worked up about it. It's fine, I really do have other matters to get back to."

She blinks, yet drops her gaze again, "…I know it's not. I basically threw you out of the house… I'm… I'm sorry."

I stare at her blankly before I rub the back of my head, "Don't start with that now. I said it's fine. You probably had your reasons for being…" I deliberately avert my eyes, adding a hint of mockery to my voice, "… a crappy host. I don't have any right to question it."

She reddens at that, slightly surprised, "J-jerk!" And then releases a sigh, "But you're right. I haven't been a good host. I took my anger out on you while my problems had nothing to do with you… even if someone used their dead-fish eyes for eavesdropping."

I could do without that pointed insult, thanks.

"I wasn't," I respond flatly. And that was uncalled for, it's not even how that works. How can my eyes listen in on someone? Wait don't answer that. I might just cry if you can actually come up with something.

"You were!" She shoots back and I roll my eyes.

"I totes was," I say with an exaggerated tone, "Is that enough for you?"

Raising an eyebrow, Suou deadpans, "You just want to get out of this, don't you?"

"Who knows?"

"Jerk," She says, but I can detect amusement in her tone. And the smile she was trying to suppress was a dead give away.

And right there comes my turn to cock an eyebrow as I found myself being observed by her, silence reigning the area with the exception of a car passing by this street. Putting her hands behind her, intertwined, she lets a small smile adorn her features, startling me.

"What?"

Her smile widens, "Nothing… but… thanks for cheering me up," She grins then as she tilts her head, the action so cute that I couldn't help becoming apprehensive.

Looking away, I respond, "I didn't do anything."

"You may say so, but for some reason, it's… interesting to talk with you," She says while I manage to regain my composure. "So… no hard feelings…?"

Huh… Deja vu…

"You didn't have to worry about that anyway," I respond.

"Then… do you still have to go?" I raise my eyebrows, "I mean, you said you had some matters to attend…" She scratches her cheek, giving a few steps forward, yet her eyes were directed elsewhere. "I kind of thought that you were lying so you'd have an excuse to leave."

Was that so easy to tell? Well, I honestly expected she'd reach that conclusion anyway.

"It wasn't really a lie, but it isn't all that urgent either," I look up, to the sky. "Either way, I can't really go back now after saying all that to your family. So, yeah, I should probably leave."

I notice the guilty expression coming back to her when she blinks, "What are you gonna do now?"

"Head back home," I shrug my shoulders, I had nothing else left to do except wait for Deviluke.

"…I see…" And once more she looks hesitant to speak. I can only wait… again… for her to make up her mind. Fortunately, it didn't take her too long this time, "Say…" She starts slowly, and I gaze at her curiously as she looks embarrassed. Stop it! "…Can I tag along?"

What…?

"What do you mean…?" I say uncertainly. Geez… that came out of nowhere.

She drops her gaze, but I could still see her cheeks getting redder. However, when she lifted her

gaze, her cheerful demeanour came back as a wide grin was spread from side to side.

Resting her hands on her hip, she replied easily, " I mean that I want to go to your house too. Why are you making me say this kind of embarrassing thing when you know well what I mean?"

I widen my eyes briefly, my countenance shaken for a bit before I calm myself, "Are you serious?"

Suou frowns slightly, "Of course I am. You came here, so it's natural that I should go there too, right?"

What kind of logic is that? It doesn't make any sense at all.

"Aren't you going a bit too fast?" I explain, my tone dry.

She approaches, standing in front of me, "It's not like I'm making any advances on you, right?"

"That's not the point, idiot," I growl, facepalming. "We met just recently. People don't bring other people to their house after just meeting."

Suou tilts her head, slightly confused, "But I did, no? And we know each other well enough already. I don't see why this should be a problem."

She's quite adamant, isn't she? Even saying something as crazy as us knowing each other already.

I scratch the back of my head, "You aren't going to take 'No' for an answer, right?"

"Exactly!" She pats my left shoulder with a jolly smile, "See? You're getting a hang of me already!"

Really… this woman is…

I should be content as the progress I apparently lost had returned, and with force, allowing me to advance, but… this is going too fast for me to handle well. I'm slightly reminded of Deviluke's insistence to being close to me, though this isn't in the same league, as that matter includes this unknown feeling called 'love'. Suou's looking for a new companion, that much is clear. And that amicable and easy-going personality of hers naturally allows her to do it, but when it comes to me…

Making friends does not come naturally, I'm much too cynical. And I'm constantly reminded that my 'trashy' personality is not worth the trouble for normal people.

And I have two problems to deal with, should Suou visit the Hikigaya Residence.

Belldandy and Deviluke. Well, I say two problems, but it's mostly the one. The latter of the two in particular.

While I can explain to Suou that those two are residing in my home due to some family-related matters, Deviluke's clinginess will definitely make things awkward for her if she came over.

And because of it, she might think of me as some sort of sleazy casanova which would damage the already strained image she had of me. Gah… This is becoming too much trouble.

Wait, weren't they planning to go out with my parents to get some cell phones? Yeah, that's what they said but I'm not sure if that means that they won't be home right now. So while them not being around might be a breather for me, two hormonal teenagers being alone together in a home is…

I shivered. That's a big no-no.

"It's a bit cramped at my house," I immediately pipe up, "We have some family friends staying with us at the moment." It was mostly true, what I said. "I don't really think that's a good idea right now."

A tick mark appeared on her head, "You just don't want me to go, do you? You're probably hiding something." She retorts, making a huff. "Maybe you're scared of me finding your dirty magazines!"

"Oi, oi. Who do you take me for, woman?" Grunting, I narrow my gaze, "It's not like you'll be entering my room, even if I do invite you over."

She blinks, and starts blushing, having just realized what she said, "Y-yeah…" And then blinks, "Hold on a minute. You totally admitted to having dirty magazines in your room!"

Whoops… I focused so much on the aspect of her being in my room, that I forgot to defend my dignity. Well, there's no way I'll let anyone in now, considering the amount of questionable stuff I have in my closet. Wait, why haven't I got rid of all it yet?

…I suppose that it continues to slip from my mind with so much stuff happening on a daily basis. I swear I will do it once I get home today! Then again, if Suou comes… no, she can't.

"Whatever, my house is unavailable for the time being," I pocket my hands, "If you're so adamant about visiting it, I can arrange it… once my house is more free."

She makes a humming sound, not really convinced, "Then let's just hang out. I don't have much to do today, and you're a good distraction."

Is that all I serve as?

"Shouldn't you be preparing for the upcoming exams?" I question, trying to prevent a possible incident.

"Nah," She waves a hand dismissively with a grin. "I'll be fine, Hikigaya. So, what do you say?"

Such confidence…

"I'm not the best company," She rolls her eyes at my excuse, but I continue anyway, "You should ask one of your friends."

"I'm asking one right now," Suou casually responds.

I become startled, for her tone conveyed a security that almost made me believe her, but how could I? We barely know each other. I could even count the very few hours we've seen each other's faces on one hand. What does 'friend' mean in that head of hers?

Friends…? Me and her…?

Of course not.

"We're no-"

"Ah, just shut up," She growls, interrupting me, and I blink. "Stop being a jerk and let me come with you."

I stare at her in disbelief, and all I could do now was to relent, given that she's demanding it. I don't have the mindset to keep arguing anymore. In any case, I guess I'll use this chance to get to know her. Goodbye, my peaceful Sunday.

"Fine…" I finally accept and she nods to herself.

"Good. Let me take a quick shower and change," She grins, "You won't come in to wait, right?"

I shake my head, "I'll just wait out here."

"Sure, but don't you try and leave, or I'll kick your butt all the way to hell!" She winks at me, "You hear?"

"Loud and clear," I retort. "What about Kazama?"

"I don't think she'll be coming since she's replacing her father as a teacher in her dojo," The bluehead explains, "Some stuff happened to him, so he can't do it right now. She'll probably have to leave soon."

"I see…"

I'm relieved to know that she won't come along. Dealing with the two at the same time might actually kill me. As they are close friends, I'll be able to speak with that monst- I mean woman… later on… stupid game… forcing me to talk to this sort of person.

"I won't take long," Suou winks at me.

I deadpan, "Alright."

That said, Suou enters her house. I release a deep sigh once she's gone.

She's a character, that woman. Suou Mikoto, huh?

…It surprised me. How quickly she wants to move along our acquaintanceship. First she invites me over for breakfast, then she tries to go to my own home, and finally she 'compromises' by proposing an outing between the two of us. Obviously, I didn't expect such a turn of events.

And then she went ahead and called me a friend. It's plain ridiculous, we weren't anywhere close to being anything other than familiar strangers. Whatever I knew about her was only because I was at the 'right' place at the 'right' time, she didn't tell me about her situation. And she knows nothing about me either.

Hah… What a headache… And now I have to stand in the sun…

Perfect…

7-6

"Say… wanna hit the arcade?"

I turn to see the place, mentioned by the girl who was accompanying me. Said girl sported casual clothing, a blue and white striped, long-sleeve top along with blue jeans and dark blue sneakers. It was nothing flashy, but she did look quite good.

Hold on, Hachiman. Focus.

"Uh, sure. I haven't been to one in a long while, so don't expect much from me here."

She looks at me flatly, "Don't be a spoilsport… Well, I'm not used to playing video games either, so we'll be even." Already heading inside, she motions her head for me to follow, "C'mon, let's go."

"Hai, hai…" I follow and enter the arcade. There were few people around, and most were kids. There were pinball machines, air hockey tables, merchandisers, some shooting games, dance arcade machines and even pachinko machines. It was quite a selection we've got here.

Suou grinned and looked around like an excited child, "What should we start with?"

"First things first, do you have any game tokens?" I inquire and she shakes her head, "I figured… We should get some beforehand."

"Oh! I'll take care of that!" She pats my back as she walks to the counter.

Has she ever been to an arcade before? Well, whatever the case, I might as well check the messages that I had yet to read. I was too lazy to check them as I waited for Suou. Taking out my phone I start to open the first one, who was from the ever teasing idiot, Usui Takumi.

- Don't you think this is absolutely adorable, Hikigaya?

I blink as there was a picture attached to it. Scrolling down I come to see the image completely, making me raise an eyebrow. A sudden desire to laugh tries to climb its way out, but I suppress it. The photo was a bit blurred in places as if taken mid run, but that did nothing to disguise the star of the picture, Harima, who was unexpectedly sporting some ridiculous-looking pink shorts. He looked enraged and it seemed he was chasing the one who took this photo, who was obviously Usui. So that bet was actually valid?

Of course it was. I don't think Usui would miss the chance of messing with the delinquent. Well, that picture certainly looks funny, and the most humorous part is Harima's face. He must have been so embarrassed, which I'm sure has doubled since obtaining the knowledge of photographic evidence existing. He probably sent it to the other guys too.

I almost feel bad for the delinquent. Almost.

I look up from my phone for a moment and I see Suou being badgered by some younger kid. They're pointing at the dance revolution machine. Heh, looks like the little girl wants her to join them. It's not really surprising since, as opposed to me, Suou has a much more approachable aura than I do. Still, it's a mildly entertaining sight to see.

I raise an amused eyebrow when she glances at me for help. I only smirk back at her, I'm not going to help you after how you and Kazama messed with me, you knoooow~

I feel my heart skip a beat in fright when she tries to point at me for the younger girl to notice my presence. In great speed, I turn around and look distracted by some other kid playing football. I feel a glare levelled at the back of my head which tells me that I succeeded in avoiding notice and potentially being dragged along. As the feeling gradually disappears, I take a slow glance back to see if they were still there. I chuckle softly when I see that Suou was dragged off to play with the small girl and her group of friends.

In the meantime, I take a sit and check the other message, it's from Miura.

- Sure, sure… Good morning by the way, Hikio. I hate that the midterm exams coming up after this week! Like, I totally hate them! (≧Д≦) I wanted to go out with you today… but I should get a headstart and start studying… (;¬_¬) Well, it can't be helped. Have a great day, Hikio!

Argh… the cuteness of this girl is unbelievable. It's relieving(?) that her messages never fail to amuse. I briefly think back to Shiromeguri… And I feel my previous amusement practically diminish to neutrality. Geez… I hope Deviluke figures out how to solve my lack of emotions with her.

I glance back up to look at my companion. Looks like the group of children were competing with her in the dancing game. Wait, are they tagging each other in mid-dance? What is she, a raid boss?

Anyway, I should text Miura back. Don't want her getting mad at me.

* Thanks. Do your best.

I really didn't have a right to tell her that when I didn't have the need to study so resolutely myself. But she didn't need to know that.

---

Go to profile, SEE: Link in Logic Is My Sword: Chapter 07 Section: Picture 02

---

"What's that?" I almost jump, raising my head at the sudden voice, "Texting your girlfriend?" Suou is looking on with an intrigued, yet morbid expression, covering half of her face with a hand. Oi, what's that for? And how is it that you don't look even remotely tired?

I click my tongue, "Why do you look so surprised at the possibility?"

"Who knows?" She giggles.

"Tss…" I pocket my phone before adding. "I'm a male of high quality, ripe for the picking. Though that still isn't the case."

Suou waves a hand, feigning disinterest, "Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say."

So quick to wave off my self proclamation. You wound me. And where did your little friends run off to?

"Mikoto Onee-san! Come on!"

We both look back to see that the kids were ready to dance against her again.

"Looks like they got their second wind," I point out the obvious with a smug tone.

"Quiet you," She growls before stomping off towards them. She shouts at me over her shoulder. "You better have something good planned when I get back!"

"Hai, hai." I say casually.

I watch them engage in Round 2. The kids were still the underdogs, but they were much more coordinated this time. Before, they would sacrifice a few points when they would tag one another in. This time, they were ready to immediately jump in once the other player needed to take a small break.

Honestly, the competition was a sight to see. I notice how I wasn't the only one watching it now, there was an actual crowd that was starting to form. How intense.

Once I lost my view because of the growing audience, I walk towards the counter to buy my companion a drink. If Isshiki were around, she'd say that I scored some points for that. Then she'd say that because it was me doing it, I'd lose points and it'd mitigate whatever I gained. And because I wasn't participating in the game, she'd put me in the negatives.

Heh, I'm sure Isshiki would scold me for not taking this seriously. But my response to her would be that this is strictly not a date, nor did it even count as a practice date. Then she would probably pout at me and tell me how much I lacked in tact and charm. If she were here, she'd probably try and get me to lose to her on purpose too because 'That's what the man should do on a date, you knoooow?'

But I'd be sure to keep that sly fox far away from the air hockey stations… Memories of the ping pong table and her skirt are infuriating ones indeed…

"Hey, did you think of- Whoa," She starts but looks at me in surprise, "You okay?"

"Huh?" I blink at both her sudden arrival and her question. Looks like I was so focused on my internal monologuing that I didn't notice the game had ended. I surely need to heighten my Hikki-senses, they've dulled drastically in this world. Offhandedly, I notice the projected scores on the screen. Somehow, even outnumbered, Suou managed to pull of a victory.

"No, well, you look a little nostalgic or something," She says curiously.

"It's nothing," I say immediately, before adding, "I was just remembering something from the past."

Or would it be future? Since Isshiki's pretend dates didn't start until la- No, I'm just going to get a headache if I start thinking about the semantics.

"Oh? What about?" She tilts her head with a casual smile. I'm tempted to repeat 'It's nothing.' But I know that would be counterproductive of me. Although, Isshiki also advised me that girls don't like it when you talk about other females. Hah… Talk about a rock in a hard place.

Well, when in doubt…

"I was remembering times when I brought my younger sister to places like this."

Bring up the imouto.

"You have a younger sister?" She asks with an undertone of disbelief.

Somehow I can tell by her tone that what she actually meant was, "Your parents took another shot even after seeing how much trouble you were?"

Honestly, how rude…

"Yeah, she's a little over two years younger than me."

This seems to pique her interest and I'm left wondering if I've stepped into a conversation I didn't want to partake in. Her expression turns thoughtful, as if she's listing different possible questions to throw at me.

"So, do you have any other siblings?" She decides on that first, but I can tell there's more. Though the innocent enough question does nothing to allude to what may follow.

"No, just us two." I answer her.

"Hmm," She hums innocently, "You must be close then, no?"

"We are…" I nod easily enough. Where is she going with this?

"What's it like at your house?" And there it was. That's what she wanted to learn. Oh dear, she sure was stubborn about wanting to come to my house.

"As much as you can expect from a middle-class household," I vaguely respond before offering her the drink I bought her, "Here."

She loses the mischievous gleam in her eye for the moment as she takes in my sudden gift. Her eyes widen just a bit before she hesitantly takes it.

"T-thanks," Her cheeks had reddened slightly.

"It's nothing," I scratch the back of my head and promptly change the topic, "Do you want to try the air hockey table?"

Maybe she'll get lost in the game and stop worrying about my home life. One could only hope.

"Sure!" She grins at me. Well, that's promising enough at least. We walk towards one of the empty tables.

I stare at her from across the table, she's got the striker poised at the ready seemingly tense with anticipation. Wait, isn't this just a casual game? Why do you look so pumped up?

I'm the opposite of her. My stance is relaxed, I wasn't declaring war here, you know? I wanted to say as much, but her gaze was telling me how much of a bad idea that was. Scary…

"First to five?" She questions with a smirk.

The unease is setting in. What on Earth did I get myself into here?

Before I can even utter out a word of consent, she flinges the puck across the table with inhuman force.

"Die!" And the puck zooms across the table and into the goal without a fight.

In the meantime I'm getting a major sense of dejavu, didn't this happen before? Do all girls wish death on their male companions whenever they play these kind of games? Or is this something strictly to do with me? Either option just serves to depress me. And I'm honestly inclined to say it was the latter…

"Haha!" She laughs, "My score!"

She's her father's daughter alright…

"Right…" I don't argue against her warped logic, "Is it my turn to serve?"

"Go ahead!" She grins at me with a cocky smirk. I sigh, and serve the puck with nowhere near the same amount of power. Don't worry Puck-san! I respect you!

My companion felt otherwise.

"Take this!" And she slams her striker against the puck with her monstrous strength again. I don't even attempt to return it and let it score. I sigh at that. Is this going to be a regular thing?

"Ehh…"

"That's two!" She laughs, "Come on! Where's your fighting spirit? Don't you wanna win?"

What am I, a samurai? There's no need for Bushido Spirit for a simple game of air hockey. Still, that smug tone of hers is kind of pissing me off.

"Whatever," I tell her, "It's your serve."

"Say, how 'bout we make things interesting?" She suddenly asks right as she's about to serve.

"Interesting?" I echo, and inevitably, I feel unease set in again. With the talk of fighting spirit, she's not going to say whoever loses has to commit seppuku, right?

"Whoever wins gets to ask the loser whatever they want?"

Oi, what kind of reward is that? It's completely unfair to say that when you have the lead.

She takes my silence as an affirmative and smirks in response, sure of an easy victory. I feel a trace of defiance run through me. Even if I don't approve of the prize, that doesn't mean I'm going to lay down and accept my fate.

She doesn't randomly shout nonsense this time, but her serve contains the same amount of strength as always. At least she's consistent. I'm prepared and combat the shot easily, using her momentum against her and bounce it off the walls. She hadn't been prepared for my return, and failed to respond to it. The puck scores easily.

"Wha? Huh?" She blinks down at her own goal. How foolish of her, Komachi would try the same as well in this game. She'd get the idea that her power shots would catch me by surprise each time and scare me from trying to hit them. I take pride in the fact that I was able to catch on and decimate her in a game until she cried.

…

What's with today and all the senses of dejavus?

Her baffled expression is quickly replaced with a calculating one. The change is sudden and quite alarming. Is she getting serious? Was she not already, before?

---

Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Logic Is My Sword: Chapter 07 Section: Song 05

---

And so begins the back and forth. It's a tough fight, what she is in strength, I am in dexterity. She throws pure power to her shots, but it's straightforward which allows me to fight back. I can't hope to compete with her in might, nor do I want to. Each shot that she hits, I counter with shots that force her to reach for the puck.

But still, her reactive ability is nothing to scoff at. She can respond to a majority of my trickshots, but cannot apply them herself. Either she's that straight forward, or knows that she shouldn't try to compete with my tactics. I'm a master of underhandedness after all.

As the puck continues to fly, the score is currently two to three, in my favor. I observe her expression growing more and more uneasy with every point that's awarded to me. I wonder why that is.

I hear the telltale sound of a goal being made, taking in her little hiss of victory as she brings the score to a tie. It's my serve by this point, so I line up to angle my shot. The puck ricochets against the wall and I watch as her eyes eagerly follow its trajectory, readying for her countering shot. As we continue to combat each other's strikes, I take advantage of her extended limb and watch on as the puck sinks into the goal.

Another point for me. One more left until my win.

Her grip on the striker tightens, as do the features of her face. The concern is ever growing it would seem, and that idea is only strengthened by the power she wields behind her last hits. I can only come to one obvious conclusion from this. She's afraid I'll delve into the matter that I overheard earlier at her home and I'll use my question for that.

Really, do I seem that tactless?

In my brief distraction, my serve is much too lackadaisical and she takes full advantage of it. I'm unable to respond to it and she manages to tie the game again. Though she doesn't celebrate, if anything she looks more relieved than anything else. I frown at that. Between the both of us, the aspect of being asked a question isn't as terrifying to me. Sure I'd rather avoid it, but I'm not going to have a emotional crisis about her obviously asking about my personal life.

Well, this is the moment of truth I suppose. To beat her and watch her implode over my potential question, or let her win and soothe her worries? The answer was clear.

I'm no sadist after all.

I know I can't simply give her two points in a row so easily, though. Suou's pride would never allow her to accept that, she would immediately assume I let her win. I already got lucky and managed to accidentally lose my lead. If it 'happens' again, she'll most likely suspect that I threw the game. Which won't be far from the truth, but, I shouldn't be so obvious about it. So, how to go about this discreetly?

I don't have much control over the situation, given that it's her serve, so I guess I'll have to rely on some quick thinking. She grips the puck tightly between her fingers, a deep breath causes her shoulders to rise and fall as she exhales. The pressure's really getting to her, huh?

She strikes, sending it soaring straight across the table towards me, reflexes have my hand at the front of my goal reading to counter, but I cringe as the puck deflects off of my striker. The momentum sends it straight back at Suou, and my heart drops into my stomach for a second as I watch it hit off the side of the goal, just barely missing. Before I can even let out a sigh of relief, the puck whizzes straight back at me. Squeezing past my hand and into the little opening I unintentionally left in my surprise, securing her win. She blinks and I blink in return.

Well, that was anticlimactic. Figures that I'd wind up embarrassing myself by accidentally scoring in my own goal… But at least the most desirable result came through.

After a moment of stunned silence, Suou bursts out laughing. Soon, she's in hysterics over something that's not even that funny. So I can only assume the relief of winning is adding to her emotional outburst. Geez, quiet down… Now we have the attention of everyone around…

After getting herself together, she wipes a stray tear, a smile plastered across her face.

"That's my win!" She grins at me.

"Looks like," I can't help but find an end of my lips slightly cocking upwards in good humor.

At this her expression turns a bit sly, I know what comes next.

"So, now I get to ask you anything I want," Her tone is smug, and I'm a little surprised at how easily she recovered from her earlier anxiety. She seems to ponder her options for a moment before her gaze returns to me.

"What are your parents like?" She asks lightly.

Huh, what a mellow question. I would have pinned her to ask something a bit more personal. But who am I to complain?

Though I suppose she really dodged a bullet earlier by winning the game. So since she doesn't have to delve into anything she doesn't want to talk about, perhaps she's showing me the same courtesy. I can only assume…

"They're corporate slaves," I answer without a thought. Her smile twists into disbelief before she levels me with a deadpan expression.

"Should a son really be talking about his parents that way…?" I almost chuckled at her naive question.

"You should see what they have to say about me, especially without a foundation to base it off of," I shrug my shoulders.

She gives me this grossed out look. Hey now, I wasn't lying. The things they say and assume about me are horrible enough to make me cry if I were a weaker person. Either way, I can also see dissatisfaction in her eyes. Hah… might as well get this over with.

"What exactly do you want to know?"

"What they're like!" She hollers, "What's your mom like as a person? And your dad! And how they, er…"

"…led you to being you." I think is what she wanted to ask last. I'm not offended in the least, but I still raise an eyebrow at how discourteous she was about to be.

"My mother's scary," I begin, "She's the pragmatic type but she has a soft spot for my sister." I finish simply.

Suou blinks but then nods in understanding, lifting her drink to her mouth as she waits for me to carry on. My gaze latches on to the way her lips wraps around the rim of the bottle… er, what am I doing? I cough, trying to clear my throat and my mind as the thought of Suou being enticing unexpectedly pops in.

Get out of the gutter, you filthy mind of mine…

"As for my father…" I cringe internally a bit as I attempt to think on how to describe the creepy old man in a way that isn't so… Wait, what do I care? "He's a shameless daughter-con."

That gets her attention. She almost spit takes, I'm thankful for her restraint because I would have been the one who got sprayed.

"W-what?" She chokes out.

"Komachi's his favorite, and he doesn't hide it," I explain to her without missing a beat. "At all…"

"So… Komachi-chan's the favorite in the house?" She tilts her head.

"Ah, no actually. That's Kamakura, but she's a close second."

"Eh?" She blinks at the random name.

"He's our cat." I simply say.

And as I expected, silence follows as she looks at me blankly. I keep my expression unwavering, if only to drive home the notion that I was being completely serious here. Despite my best efforts, she still asks in utter disbelief.

"Are you kidding?"

"Not at all," I respond easily, "That's how the Hikigaya hierarchy goes. Kamakura, Komachi, Kaa-san…" I shrug, I think she's got the gist of it, "You can guess who's at the bottom."

And the silence makes its return. A sudden chuckle breaks the oddly heavy atmosphere as she tilts her head to the side in wonder.

"Really?" Her grin widens, and I can tell she's trying to suppress her laughter.

"Well, my old man and I are constantly competing for the title of 'Household Outsider,' but I'm slightly ahead since he's one of the two providers." I shrug.

This time she struggles even more at reigning in her giggles. Oi, oi… I know you're trying to be considerate by not making me feel so bad about it, but that's just my cruel reality, you know? You're not even trying to hide your amused expression. "Hehe, what's up with that? How can you say that so casually? And I thought my family was weird…"

Hey now, no need to be so… Well, she's actually right… But hey, you're the one that called your family weird. Don't get mad at me for using that against you at any point.

"Tch," I click my tongue and pipe up, "At least that keeps my parents from setting me up with potential dates."

Though my words have a wider repercussion as a strange notion gets caught in my head. Would my parents ever do something like that to Komachi? The idea is glaring and doesn't rid itself until I'm reminded of my daughter-obsessed father. The old man would never allow that to happen… probably his only 'redeeming quality.'

I watch as she balks at my statement. Her mouth opening and closing as embarrassment settles on her face. She huffs finally and gives me her back in stubborn retaliation, though I can see her burning face when she sends me an over-the-shoulder glare. Hohh… you should have expected me to do that after witnessing how your father stuck his nose in your dating life, right?

Wait… But they offered me to take their daughter as well and… We're here… Together… More importantly, alone… Like as if on a date…

Ack, I really shot myself in the foot here. Oh dear me, how embarrassing! I want to crawl into a hole and die right now!

I cough into my hand, "Let's just… Try something else…"

"Y-yeah," She mutters grumpily. And so we walk towards the arcade portion. The silence between us is stifling.

Awkwardness. Thy name is Hachiman…

7-7

Things gradually got less awkward between us as we played the arcade games. And before we knew it, there was a casual atmosphere between the two of us once again. I also managed to learn that Suou was naturally competitive, very competitive. She said she wasn't one for video games, but her surprising skills were high enough to give me plenty of trouble.

Luckily for me, she didn't put up a wager again after the air hockey debacle. But she really took advantage of the bragging rights whenever she managed to win. I was much more dignified during my occasional victories. I only sported a smirk that infuriated her every time.

All in all, I can safely say that Suou was enjoying herself. Whatever had soured her mood earlier this morning seemed to no longer be bothering her. That was fine then, wasn't it? I guess I can admit that I was also satisfied. I mean, I would much rather prefer to have lazed around at home while waiting for Deviluke's device, but this wasn't too terrible.

I take a small sip of another drink I bought for myself. I was idly listening to Suou happily recall the last video game we played together. Unsurprisingly, it had been a fighting game. Though I couldn't help but find one of the female characters available eerily familiar… But I was probably just overthinking it…

"I'm telling you! I don't play video games," She grins at me as we exited the building. We had spent over an hour there, and the sun was still going strong, "I didn't know how I did that combo."

"You caught on fairly quickly after first using it," I point out without any real bite in my tone.

What I also found out about Suou's natural ability at video games, was that she was a spammer as well. In the first round of our last game, she 'discovered' a combo and was quick to apply it for a cheap win. It was very tricky for me to earn my eventual tie, and honestly I felt slightly aggravated instead of smug when I finally won the tiebreaker. However, her good-natured grin did allow me to respond with an amused chuckle.

"Well, yeah!" She laughs, "You didn't take it easy on me at all!"

"Of course not," I scoff, "I would've lost if I had."

"I didn't take you as the competitive type," I hear her tease.

"I'm not," I shrug in response.

She chortles at that, and I only look on with a raised eyebrow. I follow her lead as she begins to walk off in a particular direction. Wonder what she has planned now? As we continued to walk, I initially assumed there was no intended destination, but by the sure footed steps of Suou I begin to think otherwise. Before long I'm graced with the distinct crack of steel and wooden bats meeting, what I can only deduce as baseballs. I raise my gaze to the sign indicating the batting cages and as the plan sets in, I catch the blue haired girl sending me a sly grin.

So this is what she had in mind then? I can't help but find it a bit cliché. Whenever I was bored enough to read Komachi's shoujo manga, the local batting cages were the go-to locations where the main heroine would go out with her love interest on their first or second date.

Of course, I know that this isn't a date. No need for my overactive mind to draw ridiculous conclusions here which could possibly cause me to act like an idiot. Nope, no misunderstandings on my part.

I look back at my companion, who gives a not-so subtle glance at the building. What, you want me to take the lead even though you're the one who brought us here?

"…Want to hit a few rounds?" I ask dumbly. Give me a break, I'm not good at being forthcoming…

She smiles in response and nods her head, "You're on!"

"Ah, Mikoto-chan! You're here?"

The sudden exclamation draws both of our attentions towards the sound, halting our advance into the sporting establishment. I spot two girls, one of the two seemingly of the same age as us, making their way in our direction with eager expressions painted on their faces. I glance at Suou, taking in her stiff posture and finding myself wondering what has her so tense. Embarrassed to be seen with me, are we?

Can't say it's something out of the norm for others.

When they come to a stop in front of us, I take the time to fully inspect the two. The noticeably taller of the two sports long blonde hair tied into twintails, she has unusually bright amber eyes that look between the two of us curiously. There's this elegant grace about her that's odd to find in a girl our age, even while dressed in a casual white fitted blouse paired alongside a flowing floral skirt. She's highly attractive, that much is obvious.

I can say it's the polar opposite for her companion. Mostly because… well, it's a little girl… This younger dark haired girl has long locks that flow freely down her back but with small pigtails at the side of her head. Her expression shows a bit more surprise as her deep blue eyes blink back and forth between us. Trying to make sense of the situation before her most likely. As her gaze steadies on Suou, I observe her attire. She's dressed in a coral collared shirt, a light blue sweater adorned overtop, something fit for the warm breeze. Similar to the one beside her, the wind ruffles the navy skirt around her thighs, drawing attention to the white knee highs covering her lower legs.

I suspect a potential gust wind in addition to the flowy skirts spelling disaster and embarrassment for me if one passes by. Oh dear, I hope the Rom Com Gods don't look upon me for once. I may really die if I'm seen as a pervert by Suou.

I pin my gaze back to the their faces, seeing one as holding the air of sophistication while the other comes across as a bit naive. This is just purely based on first impressions though, of course.

I catch a bit of panic skim over Suou's expression for a moment as I wait for some introductions. She quickly schools her features into that of pure friendliness, sending a subtle wave to the girls in front of her before saying, "Hey! Funny running into you two here!"

The one with the black hair is the first to respond, "I know right?! We were just on our way to the library…" She sighs in exasperation, "With midterms coming up, we really need to pass them! So we need to study as much as we can!"

Why do you look so pained when saying that? And wait… She's taking midterms too? Could it be she's actually a high school student!?

"I'm pretty sure you're the main one who needs the help," Suou cruelly points out. The smaller girl looks like she's about to cry.

"Eri-chaaan!" She whines and turns to her companion for help, "Mikoto-chan is being mean to me!"

The blonde girl in question rests a hand on her hip and shuts one eye, "Isn't she right? You have horrible grades."

Good grief, such cruelty. Are all girls like this with each other? Were Yuigahama and Yukinoshita oddities and girls were actually this ruthless with one another as friends?

"WAHH!" The dark-haired girl weeps in response. I blink twice. Was it just me… or did her pigtails droop?

No one seems particularly phased by the dramatics, which only leads me to believe that it's a regular occurence between them. Suddenly, the blonde pipes in with a question directed towards Suou.

"Don't you think you should also be studying?" Her skeptical look darts between the two of us, obviously looking for an explanation of what was happening here.

This draws the attention of the previously weeping girl as she adds, "Ah! Mikoto-chan! Are we interrupting something?"

Now we've got two sets of eyes burning between us, great. And I swear I saw the smaller girl's pigtails bounce this time!

"O-oh!" Suou exclaims before stuttering out a lame response as if she just noticed my presence, "I-it's not what it looks like!"

I cough into my fist, looking to interrupt Suou's frantic explanation and avoid catching any secondhand embarrassment from her. All eyes fall on me, not that I wasn't expecting such a reaction. I just give a pointed stare to my companion. She seems to catch my drift, and nods at me in gratitude.

"I'm Hikigaya Hachiman," I introduce myself.

"R-right!" Suou continues eagerly, "This is Hikigaya! Oh and these two are some of my best friends from Yagami High," She gestures at the taller, blonde girl who looks just as uncaring as I felt, "She's Sawachika Eri! She's half British!"

Another half British person, huh? Wait, no… Usui was actually a quarter British, wasn't he? In any case, I absentmindedly nodded. So her hair was probably natural then.

Suou then gestures to the smallest of all of us.

"And I'm Tsukamoto Tenma!" She greets brightly before Suou could say anything, "Are you Mikoto-chan's boyfriend!? Ah, but Mikoto-chan! You should have worn clothes more appropriate for a date."

I'm not crazy, her pigtails really look like they're moving! Wasn't that trait only reserved to ahoges?!

"How boyish of you…" The blonde one sighs, not particularly surprised.

"I'm telling you it's not like that!" Suou snaps back, face reddening again.

Oh boy… What's with this situation I find myself? But wait… Did she say her name was Tsukamoto Tenma? Isn't that the girl that Harima supposedly likes? The realization serves to focus my attentions on the darker haired girl, watching on as they continue to banter.

"Oh come on, you don't have to be shy with us!" Said girl giggles conspiratorially behind her hand as she raises an eyebrow to the flustered girl at my side. So this is the one that has that delinquent bending over backwards, huh?

I find myself intrigued by Tsukamoto Tenma, a pint-sized girl with a large personality. She's quite outspoken, blatantly teasing her friend like that. Especially considering it's someone with as much terrifying power as Suou, yeah, she's definitely bold. She could probably break a teeny thing like you in half, you know? Or maybe she's just dense, that's yet to be seen. Have a little self preservation though, I did mistake you for a child after all…

I guess the earlier comments about Harima being a lolicon wasn't much of an exaggeration… Gross.

I catch the other girl, now known as Sawachika, looking at her nails and appearing completely disinterested in the conversation. Though she makes a point of catching Suou's gaze before giving me a brief glance.

"Does that mean you're no longer interested in Asou-kun?" The blond girl asks without a care, "He seemed to be the only male outside Hanai-kun that can put up with your brutish personality."

Whoa, this girl is really brutal. Are they really friends?

"We're just friends," Suou puts her hands on her hips sternly. I note that she didn't seem particularly offended by the blonde's serrated words as she did about the implications between her and this Asou character.

As they engaged in conversation again, I looked at the Suou's blonde friend more closely. She seems standoffish, Sawachika Eri, even more so than myself. No… that's not right, she only appeared to be. The differences between the two of us revolve around her attractive appearance that allows her to get away with such a snarky attitude without any consequences, and the fact that she has a snarky attitude in first place when she was attractive. Suou said she was half British, so maybe it's a cultural thing? I mean, it's a stereotype but westerners are usually portrayed as boisterous and disrespectful in the media. While it's obviously not a universal truth, there is still has to be a basis to that generalization.

I look at her even more closely, the way she carries herself indicates that she has an ego. It's not far off from how Miura carried herself back in my world, with the air of nobility. Well, seeing how she's half British and has that aura, I can assume that she comes from some amount of wealth. Yes, I'm noticing it more now. Not only does her aura mirror Miura's, but her stance reflects something I tended to see from Yukinoshita. Prim, proper, with a refinement that can only be instilled through years of strict indoctrination.

I briefly recall Harima's complaints about blonde ojous being the same, could he have been talking about her? Heh, I don't know why I'm asking. If this world's taught me anything it's that coincidences happen more often than not when it comes to meeting new people. Seriously, everyone is connected to each other.

I blink when I feel a tug at my sleeve, Suou and Sawachika were engaging in a heated argument about something I didn't have any interest in, so that left the culprit to be the elder(?) of the Tsukamoto sisters.

"Ne, Hikigaya-kun," She looked up at me with an eager expression.

"…What is it?" I ask slowly, eyebrow raised. The pigtails did bounce…

She urges me to bend down to her level and for some reason I find myself obliging to her request. Must be my gentlemanly nature kicking in. Her face is so close to mine it's a little disconcerting, but I shake the feeling in favor of hearing what she had to say.

"I just wanted to lend you a hand…" She begins in a hushed tone, well I assume that was her intention but she wasn't being quite as discreet as she probably hoped, "I know Mikoto-chan can be stubborn sometimes but…"

As she's speaking I sense a fairly aggressive aura aimed directly at the two of us. I fear glancing in that direction and being met with what I know is surely the enraged glare of Suou. So I opt instead to save myself and take a cautious step back. Sorry, I'm not willing to put myself in the line of fire for you, 'Tenma-chan.' She gives me a questioning glance, but my efforts prove to be fruitful as I carefully avoid getting caught up in Suou's hand that aims to whack the back of her friend's head.

The bluenette's cheeks are flaming in either embarrassment or anger, I'd hazard a guess to both at this point. The older(?) Tsukamoto whines at the harsh punishment, while I just count my blessings that I wasn't caught in the crossfire for once. It's as I take a step back from all the commotion that I'm struck with another, equally unsettling, aura. It's unmistakably miserable and I find myself glancing around to find the source. It was almost suffocating, how thick it was. What poor pathetic creature could possibly be…?

It's then that I catch a painfully bright streak of pink out of the corner of my eye, doubling back and focusing on the odd colored pair of shorts. Those look oddly familiar…

As my eyes take in the figure adorning this strange attire a fair distance away, I'm met with the pathetic view of Harima Kenji. Really? Of all people to run into, it's the delinquent, sulking in the shadows of the department store a block away. He trudged along, staring straight at the ground, no doubt feeling as pitiful as he appeared. Well, he did ask for it after all. No one told him he had to make a bet.

I raised an eyebrow as I realized that he was unwittingly headed in our direction, though he'd be across the street instead of on our side.

I glance back in Suou's direction, wondering if she has taken notice of the source of the desolate vibes clouding the atmosphere. When I see her gaze bounce over to the man in question subtly, I know she's spotted him as well. I turn back to Harima, wondering how long it'll take him to realize our obvious presence with the state he's in. Aren't people supposed to have a sixth sense when in the vicinity of their crushes? I guess it's a myth… Or was I just that creepy? Ack, I don't want an answer to that…

It's then that Harima finally looks up and freezes as he notices our small group standing on the horizon. Even from this distance I can tell that his gaze lowered to focus on the girl he pined for. Luckily for him, said girl was too busy nursing her head from Suou's discipline and was whining at Sawachika once again. An indication that his luck was only temporary was the fact that Suou looked ready to burst into laughter. And by the way I see Harima pathetically trembling, I know that he's still so frozen at the prospect of potential humiliation that he hasn't even thought of trying to run away. Normally, I wouldn't care but he looks too pitiful right now.

Hah… Might as well help him out here. Never let it be said that I'm not a benevolent man!

I leaf through my options here, there's slim pickings unfortunately. Most of the possibilities would probably do more harm than good in Harima's case, and I'm left wondering why I'm going to such lengths for the delinquent. I figure my best bet in this situation would be to say something absurd enough to gather all the attention on me, hopefully giving the miserable man enough wherewithal to get his act together and make a clean escape.

One can only hope. Here goes nothing I suppose…

"Is our date still on or are you going to follow your friends?" I state casually, able to pinpoint the exact moment in which the topic of my question is acknowledged as I hear Suou promptly choke on the laughter that attempted to escape her throat.

Almost immediately three pairs of eyes are glued to my form with varying degrees of interest. Ah, just as I expected and yet no less unsettling…

One that stands apart from the rest, however, is the incredulous stare of my 'date.' Never thought such words would ever be spoken by me… Or thought, in this case. Her face is an alarming shade of red that I wouldn't have guessed possible for the average human.

"It is a date!" The elder(?) Tsukamoto sister boisterously exclaims. Her grin nearly stretching from ear to ear.

"Eh?" I catch the surprise that takes over the blonde's expression as she absorbs my words, clearly not having expected such an admittance from me.

Well, I most certain have their sole attention now… I cast a discreet peek to where I know Harima's form was frozen in fright, pleased to see he seems to at least partially come to his senses. He catches my eye briefly, and I cast a wayward glance to the side hoping that the idiot isn't too thick headed to figure out my signal.

So as to not foil my own plan, I don't let my eyes linger to find out if he did. Focusing my sights back on the ladies in front of me instead. The tension is heavy in the air and I don't think there's a single person here who doesn't feel it weighing on them. I did a pretty good job of making things awkward again, good going.

The shorter of the two newer arrivals glances between Suou and I before coming to some type of consensus.

"Well, don't mind us then!" The older(?) Tsukamoto finally says, shoving at Sawachika to get her still-stunned friend's body in motion, "We don't want to intrude or anything," She laughs lightly. Suou flounders, her mouth seemingly unable to even attempt to make words, I sure hope I didn't break her…

"Take good care of Mikoto-chan, Hikigaya-kun!" The pair wave a brief goodbye before they make haste, the dark-haired girl practically dragging along her blonde companion as they disappear around the corner of the street. Seems like the small girl was deceptively strong. I check back to where I last saw Harima, glad to see the delinquent knew when to cut and run.

That was easier than anticipated, all it took was one line from me and I cleared out the entire street. Not sure if that's anything to be proud of though…

Then alarms in my head started to blare of imminent danger.

I sense a strong force coming from beside me, the trajectory fast approaching the side of my face before I find my body instinctively dodging the blow. I catch Suou's fist soaring in front of me, just barely missing it's target. That was uncalled for.

She's huffing as I meet her gaze, her rosy cheeks still sporting that stubborn blush that's now accompanied by powerful wrath. That fury being directed at myself, maybe this wasn't the best option after all, at least not for me. Now I'm left alone to be subjected to the aftermath of Suou's embarrassment-fueled rage.

"Y-you! You!" She sends wild haymakers my way and I'm only barely able to dodge them. The fact I managed to do so with her being so close was nothing short of a miracle, "Why did you say that you stupid jerk!?"

"Wai-" Dodge. "I-" Dodge. "Can you let me-" Whoa! That was too close!

"Just die already!" She shrieked out and kept on the offensive. As I continued to avoid hits by the skin of my teeth, I came to the conclusion that I wouldn't be able to say anything with her lethal weapons she calls fists being free to strike me. I couldn't hope to catch her fists like some shounen protagonist. Not only because she'd probably shatter my palms, but because I can't restrain her properly like that.

I'm no martial artist, but I can see a rough pattern to her attempted strikes. Her anger kept her from applying any discipline to them, if she had, I'd be history. I pick my spot and extended my hands.

Got it!

I manage to catch both her arms by the wrists. Not expecting that response, I take full advantage of Suou's surprise and bring them down to waist-height. I release a breath that I hadn't realized I held in at the moment. Success.

"W-wha?" Suou stutters out, and I look back at her red-stained face before double taking. In my rush to restrain her, I didn't realize that I had pulled us closer to one another. We weren't overly close, but we were still crossing barriers that made this very embarrassing.

"Uh, s-sorry," I apologize, but I make sure to not let go of her. This embarrassing situation was a preferred consequence, "But I had to get you to st-"

*WHAM!*

"Oof!" I feel the air exit my lungs swiftly as I feel her knee bury itself in my gut. The results were immediate, I release and grab my stomach before crumpling to the ground.

Agh…! S-shit… Fuck that hurts! Argh… I can't breathe. That makes twice now… How did she manage to hit me in the same damn place…?

It's agonizing for a few moments, but I'm finally able to gulp in some much needed oxygen. I begin to cough soon after. I'm not sure what my assailant is yelling out at me, nor do I really care considering my condition, but she doesn't follow it up by kicking me while I'm down. That has to count for something right?

I can't say I didn't deserve it this time though…

I'm still regaining my breath and nursing my wound when I notice how my female companion, who was surprisingly still here, had gone silent. I glance up at her, and she looks conflicted. A myriad of emotions ran through her face even when she wasn't looking at me.

There was anger of course, but there was also a twinge of regret as well. I saw her embarrassment, but I also noticed a sliver of happiness as well. What an honest fellow…

But, the main emotion I see on her face was something akin to betrayal.

I'm finally breathing normally again as I sit up so I can let the lingering pain course through my body. Ugh… I'd better not bruise…

"I thought we were having fun…" She finally began with a soft tone, "I told you this wasn't… I thought you were different… So why did you say that…?"

I look on as she gazes back at me in near-disappointment. Oh, so that was the underlying issue. She thinks that I said that because I was taking this as something it wasn't, blatantly treading upon her comfort zone. It made me curious as to what she meant by me being 'different' and in what context. But I needed to get her on the same page as me here before I could go off analyzing her words.

My hands brace my body as I sit on the sidewalk, I clear my throat in hopes of clearing her expression, not liking being on the receiving end of such blatant displeasure. I scratch at the back of my neck, feeling an odd tension at having someone's expectations of me being unknowingly tarnished. Oi, you barely know me, why are you even setting such standards on a near stranger anyway?

"Listen, it's not like that…" I begin uneasily, "You saw Harima, right?"

The question serves its purpose, wiping all other emotions from her face to have it be completely replaced with confusion and surprise. I find my tension leaving, no longer having to be subjected to such a harsh stare.

"…So?" She slowly asks up before continuing, "Wait… You know Harima?" Suou raises an eyebrow, waiting for the rest of my explanation, clearly interested in where this is going.

"Yeah, but that's beside the point," Her eye twitched at my brush off of her question, but we had more important matter to attend to. How I knew the delinquent was the least of my concerns.

"You saw his misery, anybody within a ten kilometer radius would have," I state the obvious hoping I could possibly avoid the main reason I had to help the guy out. "He wasn't exactly dressed for the occasion…"

"Why would Harima ever care about that sort of thing?" Her tone is incredulous, and I know I'm losing her.

Well, I tried Harima. Looks like I have to throw you under the bus.

"He's… got a thing for your friend there…" Who knew I could be embarrassed on behalf of the delinquent? "Just wanted to spare him the humiliation."

"Huh? But Sawachika said it wasn't them going out…" Wait, people thought he and that blonde ojou were going out?

Excuse me Suou-san, but there was another friend of yours that was here as well, you know? I relay my thought to her with a knowing look. She stares at me in incredulity until it finally dawns on her. Her shocked face is humorous, but I refrain from chuckling at it both out of fear of another hit and because I don't think my stomach would appreciate the jostling.

"Eh, wait!? Y-You mean…!?" She stares at me, mouth agape, "Are you saying Harima likes Tenma!?"

Was it not obvious to them? With the way he acts, Harima doesn't seem to be the type to be able to hide the fact he likes the small girl. And yet somehow he's unable to actually confess to her.

"Yeah…" I nod at her, "I wanted to spare him the humiliation at least."

"So when you said that…?"

"Ah," I confirm what she was trying to ask, "I wanted to get rid of them."

She looked conflicted again, unsure of what to say. So I continue in her stead.

"So… Uh, sorry, for causing you trouble," I scratch my cheek, "I… noticed that the subject is a sore spot for you." Her expression immediately took on a uncomfortable look as I said this, and she refused to meet my eyes.

"Y-yeah…" She says meekly, clasping her right forearm with her left hand. There's an awkward silence between us before I see her lightly smiling at me in concern, "Are you okay? I hit you hard again, didn't I?"

She did, again, but I was pretty much fine now. No need to make her feel guilty. Might as well, reassure her concerns.

"Ah, I'm seriously dying here," I say in exaggeration, and I'm sure I can hear Suou giggle with a roll of her eyes. Cute. "I should probably head to the hospital in case I get hemorrhoids."

I hear a burst of laughter come from above me and I send a wry glance at her as she attempts to contain her outburst, but evidently fails miserably. I raise an eyebrow in confusion. Did I say something wrong? That's what happens, isn't it?

"O-oh…" She barely stutters out between her fits of giggling, "I-I… don't think, that's what you meant to say…" Finally managing to gasp out her sentence, she flies off into another round. I watch with a frown as it soon becomes uncontrollable, tears were running down her eyes as she held her stomach. I awkwardly avert my gaze wondering what it was I said wrong. It takes a while before she gets somewhat of a hold of herself and sobers her expression.

Well, it was an attempt at least. She still has a grin that stretches to either side of her face and the mirth in her eyes told a different story.

"I think you wanted to say you'll 'hemorrhage.'" She wipes her eyes, trying to keep herself from laughing again, " Hemorrhoids is a condition that has to do with where the sun doesn't shine!" She begins to laugh again.

"..." I remain silent. Oh dear, this mistake is going to haunt me forever. I'm sorry Pillow-san, I'm going to be screaming into you at night for the next few weeks.

"Maybe you should study a little more," She says with a good natured grin, "Midterms are coming up this week for you too, right?" She extends her hand so I can take it. I sigh and do so, letting my humiliation pass by so we can continue this outing.

"I'll be fine," I grumble out before offhandedly saying, "I prefer my current company."

No way I want to pointlessly study for a test whose correct answers I can recall almost perfectly.

I then feel her grip suddenly loosen and I almost fall back down. I catch myself and look back up with a bewildered glare. Oi, what's with you, I could have…

I blink when I notice her flushed face, her eyes were looking at anything but me. Before long she turns around and walks into the building with a stutter.

"L-let's get going…!" And she hurries inside.

I'm taken aback from her sudden change in behavior. Wasn't she having fun at my expense just now? Honestly, Suou sure is something else…

"Hai, hai…" I answer with an amused snort, though I know she could no longer hear my words.

7-8

"…If you keep swinging like that, you're going to damage something," I casually bring up.

---

Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Logic Is My Sword: Chapter 07 Section: Song 06

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"S-shut up! Shut up!" She shrieks out, her face red due to embarrassment, or maybe it's exertion. The bluenette's been at this for a while now, I haven't even gotten a turn yet. She sure loves baseball, I guess. Still, I found it amusing and so chuckled lightly as I continued to watch her abuse the spherical projectiles. I should count myself lucky that I'm not still on the receiving end of such harsh treatment.

It's certainly been a much more rowdy afternoon than I anticipated. I surely had no way of knowing this was the way things would pan out. And now that I've been introduced to Suou's two friends, I have to consider them for the game as well. This circle continues to grow despite my protests, honestly… What a pain.

Maybe I won't have to rely on myself so heavily in this situation, considering Harima's particular interest in the darker haired child-not-child. He could offer a fairly good point of reference with how intently he watches the girl. I'm counting on you, Delinquent-kun!

As for the blonde ojou, that was another obstacle to consider. I foresee that being a major headache later on down the road, she was presumably connected to Harima and they had a bad relationship. And from what I gathered, she didn't seem to be the kind who would give me the time of day. Deus Ex certainly wasn't making our jobs easy when it came to playing our roles, at least that much can be said for me. I'm not entirely sure how well Ayanokouji is fairing, but I can only hope his situation is worse than mine.

In any case, I'll just focus on what's within my reach. Worrying about any other girl is pointless right now.

The lack of the regular cracks of the bat earns my attention. I look back into the cage and see that Suou was panting and no longer in her stance. And whatever tension she held seemed to have relaxed, which is a good thing.

"Finally finished?" I call out to her.

She glances at me with a pout, the bat resting over her shoulder as she abandons her post to walk over in my direction. Exiting the cage, she's got this challenging gleam in her eyes again. Can't say I missed that look.

"Your turn then? Show me what you've got!" Her tone is unsuspecting of such a competitive jeer. I raise an eyebrow, not really interested in making a bigger deal out of my performance as she seems to want to. She thrusts the bat in my direction, urging me to take it. I guess it can't be helped…

I take the offered equipment, meeting her stare with a bored look of my own before shrugging. She should realize, I'm not one for competition, we did just come from an arcade after all.

Making my way into the cage, I feel her finger softly tap my shoulder. I toss a questioning glance her way. What is it now?

I catch her uncertain expression, it serves to pique my curiosity. "Say… you're having an okay time, right?" She questions shyly, before continuing "This isn't something you mind doing?"

I briefly recall the talk of studying earlier, the topic of sciences in particular. Geh… No, this is a much better alternative for sure.

"It's fine," I attempt to reassure her sudden unease, "I don't mind at all."

She glances at me for brief second before smiling to herself. She doesn't say anything else so I take that as my cue to head inside the cage. I've never been to one of these places before, so I stand where Suou had been and face the machine.

So it just spits them out at me, ri-

"!?"

The machine fires a ball right at me. Whoa. I instinctively swing the bat and only just make contact in time. Honestly, I should have at least gotten a warning…

"Be careful!" I hear Suou call out in a teasing tone. Hmph, this woman…

By the second one, I began to get a feel for the throws. I hit everyone of them, but of course without the same power as my female companion. Honestly, I don't think any high school student can even compete with the power she's shown off today. Swing. I unconsciously shudder, feeling glad that she somehow held back when she kneed me in the gut. I really could have died today…

If I remember right, it's a forty pitch session. I was at fifteen now. Swing. Sixteen.

"You're surprisingly good," I look over my shoulder to see Suou's impressed gaze. Tch, the surprise in her tone is kind of annoying. Swing. Did I really look the type that was completely helpless at sports? "Are you in a sports club?"

"If I was, I would probably be training today," I respond before I hit the next ball. Swing. "I could ask the same to you."

The amount of skill she's shown today was beyond impressive. Swing. I already know that she practices martial arts, but I wouldn't be surprised if she was in her school's baseball club. Swing.

"No way, no way," She waves her hand with a grin. Swing. "Practicing in the dojo is plenty for me."

"Is that right?" I ask mostly rhetorically. Swing. Well, I suppose balancing two separate sports would be difficult for most, even for someone as capable as Suou. I'll stick to my solitude, thank you.

Swing.

"Well, you certainly seem skilled…" She comments after some observation, "Have you played before?" Her question isn't groundless, I'm just not certain I want to divulge the fact that most of my skills are acquired through self practice. Swing.

"I played solo games," I say offhandedly, my attention more focused towards the task at hand. Swing.

"Eh? You can do that?" Her question makes me realize what I said. Swing. Ack. I accidentally brought up my history anyway. Oh well. Can't take it back. Swing.

"'Course you can," I grunt out, "I was the best batter, pitcher and catcher in my one-man team."

Normally when there's a game played between two teams, you have winners and losers. It doesn't matter what they say, the losing team always feels bad for doing so. It's inefficient because only one team is able to come out of it with accomplishment while the others are left with shattered confidence. That's why playing a game by yourself is the best way to do it. You can be the MVP for every position you play, and because you're basically playing yourself, it's an eternal stalemate where no one loses. That's totally better! Why haven't I tried trademarking this!?

I'm brought out of my reverie and unconscious swinging when I hear Suou giggle to herself. It was unexpectedly cute.

"I've never met someone like you, Hikigaya." The odd smile she sends me takes me aback and causes discomfort to run through me. It distracted me enough to miss the next, and fittingly enough, final pitch. She grins when she sees that, "It's my win this time!"

Wait, were we competing again? When was this stated…?

"Looks like," I nod at her as I exit the cage.

"Then, you owe me a meal!" She casually states.

Hah?

"That's the first I've heard of it…" And if I recall correctly, I beat you slightly more often today than you did me.

"Hehe, let it be payment for that stunt you pulled earlier." Her tone is teasing, leading me to believe I had most likely been forgiven which is a relief to say the least. I wouldn't want to witness Suou holding a grudge. Though I had thought that taking the knee to the gut was a high enough price to pay.

I sigh and nod along with her, "Sure." But weren't you the one that made a big deal about us eating together sounding too much like a date?

I glance at the clock, another hour had passed. I didn't realize how much time we had spent here. Actually, now that I think about it… Suou had multiple sessions in the cage before I finally had my one turn. Whatever it was that was bothering her earlier wasn't expended until forty minutes of continuous batting. What a monstrous energy reserve…

"Wha-!?" I jump when I feel a sudden cold sensation touch my neck and let out a brief shout. I hold my neck and turn back to see a mischievous grin courtesy of Suou. She held a cold water bottle in her extended right hand.

"Haha! You should see your face!" She laughs. I frown back at her and take the free drink, all it does is make her grin wider.

"Anyone would get surprised at that sudden exposure to the cold…" I grumble out. She only giggles in response. Then she gestures for us to take a seat at a nearby bench. I nod back and we walk toward it. "Thanks."

I remain silent as we sit, I'm idly listening to Suou laugh about something to herself. I take this time to finally ask a question that's been on my mind this whole time. I didn't know if there was a proper way of doing it, so I went ahead and just asked.

"Are you always like this?"

She blinks at my sudden inquiry, not having expected it. She promptly frowns, probably thinking she was about to be insulted, "'Like' what?"

"This… friendly…?" I expand lamely.

"What do you mean?" She gazes at me in confusion. Oh boy… How do I say this without coming off as offensive? Normally It wouldn't really be something I worried about… Actually, no, I would be worried anyway because she can pulverize me…

"I'm asking if you always talk to random strangers and try to befriend them this quickly," I scratch the back of my head.

She seemed slightly puzzled, before deadpanning, "It's not like I go wandering outside, talking to strangers because I want to befriend them, you know?"

"But you did it with me, even bringing me over to your house," I explain with a bit of disbelief. "People don't just do that kind of thing."

I want to know if all this was just her usual behaviour, or if there was something else to it. I'm honestly curious. People usually don't give a damn about others unless they can get something out of it. Only familiarity creates a sense of companionship and eventually friendship, or so I'm under the impression, which Suou and I don't have at all since we just met. I hold no illusion that there's anything special about me, so I wonder why Suou was doing this.

So far this there doesn't seem to be any indication that this outing was an elaborate ruse in order for me to be the butt of a horrible joke.

"I know it's kind of weird," Suou admits uncaringly. "But it's not a usual thing. It only happened twice, and both with other girls." She flashes a grin, "You're my first guy!"

Oh, dear me… How scandalous…

I blink several times, "Do you hear yourself? Saying something like that can cause a misunderstanding."

She pats my back in a friendly manner, "Now, now. Don't act like a girl, Hikigaya. It simply happens."

"Tch, so you're the only one allowed to complain, huh?" I mutter, "You were totally embarrassed in front of your friends." Her pats suddenly take force, almost making me drop my drink. "Oi, cut that out."

"I can't help it when you act like a jerk!" She shoots back, trying to suppress a blush, but failing miserably.

"Now it's my fault…?" I grumble out, and take another sip from my bottle.

"A-anyway, going back to your question…" She starts, her face sporting annoyance. "As I said, this is the first time it's happened with a guy, so it's a first for me too. And of course it's embarrassing!"

Can't help raise an inquisitive eyebrow at that, "Why me?" Seriously, I'm under no inclination that there's anything about me that is special enough for notice. So unless she's planning to lead me on, I have no clue why things have come to this.

Suou blinks at the seriousness of my voice, "'Why you?'" Her gaze trails away as she searches for an answer. This might take a while… however, "Dunno… I can't deny I was embarrassed when we met, but I think it was only because you heard me…" Scratching her cheeks, she continues, but she looks hesitant, " …saying those things…"

"Wouldn't that just be more incentive to not interact with me again?" I point out, "We were strangers that would have most likely not seen each other again."

She seems startled by my response, before pointing the tip of her bottle to my face as if it were a weapon, "Why are you asking me this all of a sudden?"

I back away from it before responding, "I'm just saying, since you were so embarrassed. You could have easily washed your hands of it, but you didn't."

"You're just overthinking things, Hikigaya," Her irritation seemed to be increasing, but I wasn't about to let that scare me.

"Why?" I press her. If she thought that I was going to say 'Maybe I was…' She has another thing coming. If there's anything I refuse to do, it's to accept things without a question.

She backs down a bit, uncertain on how to reply, "I-I just don't think about that sort of thing much."

"I was serious earlier, you could have easily called one of your actual friends to hang out with. They probably would have accepted." I further explain my point, "I'm not one for socializing and you would have had a better time with whoever you invited."

I don't get a response, or at least not immediately. She becomes silent, her eyes apparently directed at the bottle she held, yet I could see they were lost in her thoughts. She was truly trying to find an answer for my inquiry.

"I…" I focus on her again once her voice is heard, "I don't really have many male friends, I mean, I know plenty of guys, but those I can have a good time with are very few." I remain silent, so she adds, "Hanai, remember that guy in the dojo? He's actually the only guy I can hang out with and that's mostly because we're childhood friends."

"What about in school?" She was social, she was attractive, and she was a tomboy. I wouldn't be surprised if she had the attention of her high school's male student body.

"W-well, thing is…" She begins tentatively, "Guys are usually stupid. They tend to think about perverted things, so I can't really come to have a good male friend since all they do is talk about stupid things like my looks and whatever."

I raise an eyebrow, "And what? I'm somehow different?" I ask with sardonic humor.

She grins at that, and this time I'm the one who's startled, "Exactly!"

H-huh?

"H-huh?"

"Don't make such a dumb face!" She chuckles, "It's just… you're funny! It's hard to see what you're thinking with that lame face of yours, and while you are a jerk, the fact that you gave me that steak despite that you knew nothing about me, made me realize there was more to you than you let on. It made me curious, you know?"

"I-is… that so?" I avert my gaze, feeling awkward for some reason. "I didn't really do anything…"

Suou nods her head vigorously, "It's what I think anyway. Unlike with other guys, it's surprisingly easy to talk to you." Closing her eyes, she raises her head slightly, while saying, "I kind of feel more relaxed with you around. It's hard to explain."

"…" I rub the back of my head, not knowing what to say at all. This situation is one that can only cause me discomfort because it's something I'm not used to.

"Don't tell me you're embarrassed now?" Suou teases, "You're such a funny guy!"

"No…" I mumble, "Just… wasn't expecting that…" I admit honestly.

"Yeah?" She looks at me from the corner of her eyes, and I only look into the distance, unsure of what to make of this.

Being told that I'm a relaxing presence for someone is something I've never heard before. Back in my world I'm constantly reminded how unlikeable I generally am, by Yukinoshita, by Yuigahama, and Komachi. Plenty of times I've been told that people can't understand what I'm talking about most of the time and write off whatever I say as 'creepy.' Yet there was Suou, casually saying that as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

I frown to myself. This world is so different, the people are different. For some reason, they're able to accept my behaviour with no real issue. It's usually with the 'You're helpless' acceptance, but they hold no desire to try and change me. And Suou, among many other females, have a desire to interact with me just for the sake of interacting with me. And… That troubles me.

This could be a cruel trick of the world. Trying to lull me in with this sense of security so I could forget about trying to return to my own. I release a deep sigh, all of my energy temporarily leaving me. I felt tired.

It wasn't a perfect world, and nobody I knew was perfect either. But it was still my world. How can I just selfishly turn my back on it and abandon everyone I knew? Then again, why am I being so arrogant and claiming I'm 'abandoning' anyone? The world will continue to turn without me, I'm important to many people, but their worlds don't revolve around me.

"Save me someday."

…

…

No, there might just be one person I'm abandoning, isn't there? Even if it was just one, it's one too many. Though I wonder if I really have the right to say it that way. My previous point still stands after all.

"Hey, Hikigaya," Suou's voice pulls me out of my thoughts, "Are you okay?"

The expression she sported held hints of concern. I must have had a troubled bearing, and coupled with my silence, she grew worried. She had no business doing so, yet she still did, what a considerate person.

"My bad," I say to her. I stand up before she can say anything more, "Should we go eat now?"

I don't look at her, in fact, I was actively trying not to. I don't trust the expression on my face not betraying the obvious discomfort I felt. Still, I feel her inquisitive gaze on me.

"Alright," I subtly glance back and see her sympathetic smile. It softens when she catches my gaze, I turn back and finish my drink, "Did you have somewhere in mind?"

"Yeah," I nod, still with my back turned, "I'll cover it, like you said."

I'm not privy to her reaction to my response, but I feel the mood ease a bit from it's previously serious undertones. Suou's hand makes sudden contact with my shoulder, I finally meet her eyes again as she continues to give gentle pats. Such a contrast from the way she and Kazama handled the 'friendly' gesture earlier. No one can convince me otherwise that pats on the back are an unconscious way of being told by others that they want to hit you.

She grins at me, "I knew I had a good feeling about you for a reason!" Her smile suddenly turns mischievous as she continues, "Despite what those eyes of yours may lead others to believe." She laughs at her own joke, her hand dropping away as she steps a few paces in front of me before glancing back with expectation.

I pin her with a deadpan look, more out of reflex than taking any actual offense. Surprisingly, I don't feel the familiar annoyance creeping in at yet another dig at my eyes. Instead I heave a sigh at her antics, resigning myself to the fact that it's something I'll be dealing with a lot as I continue to acquaint myself with the blue haired girl.

I make my way towards her, catching the tongue she teasingly sticks out at me in out of the corner of my eye as we take our leave.

Honestly, what a pain. But I can't help but chuckle in wry amusement.

7-9

I had every intention of just walking silently along to my favorite restaurant, but I suppose I should have considered the company I kept and realized that wouldn't be possible. Suou pestered me incessantly for our exact location and I found my powers of deflection waning.

"Hikigaya, are you going to tell me what this place is yet?" She badgered once more, earning a pointed look from me. Everyone always gave me a hard time when I would suggest my favored eating establishment and I wasn't exactly looking for a repeat performance here. Sue me for actually liking Saize…

Luckily, I was saved from the obligation of answering Suou's continual line of questioning when something else takes ahold of her attentions. Divine intervention? I doubt I was that lucky…

I halt my forward progress and focus my gaze on the storefront that seems to be under her scrutiny. Not that I wasn't grateful for it. I step back a bit, the sign read, 'ElectroDomestics.' Household appliances, huh? I wouldn't have really pinned her for the type to be in the market for something of the sort…

Though, upon further inspection, her eyes seem to be zeroed in on the large array of TV's in the store window display. All of the screens seem to be showcasing the same channel, bright flashing of multiple of the same colors in perfect sync with one another, though I can't quite make out what it is from this distance.

I'm met with the over eager face of Suou as she turns, waving to get my attention, "Hey! Come check this out!" Upon request, I amble over to her side, curious as to what exactly has her so mesmerized.

Peering at one screen in particular, I notice a little creature resembling the likes of a panda in what looks like a multicolored room, surrounded with bizarrely patterned furniture painted in a similar rainbow fashion. The entirety of the scene looked like some type of abstract painting, the odd designs seemingly having no rhyme or reason. Is this really what stopped her dead in her tracks? I cast a wayward glance at my companion, my eyebrow raising in skepticism. I'm not finding where the intrigue lies…?

She gapes at me, and I can pretty easily assume that I've missed something here.

"You don't know the Gatchannel?" She whispers in clear disbelief. Shaking out of her startled state, "How is that possible!?" Her words gained a bit of volume as she pins me with questioning eyes. Before I can even offer some sort of sarcastic retort, the image on the screen recaptures both of our attention as it suddenly changes.

A new character graces the set stage, a girl who appeared to be shadowing the creature already present. With her, she dragged along another red faced companion, looking like she wanted to be anywhere but there.

The first of the two new arrivals had medium length brown hair tied back and away from her face in a high ponytail. Bangs swept across her forehead in even pieces except for a lone wayward tendril, longer than the rest, that framed the left side of her face. Her eyes were were a pale brown and she sported an interesting sleeveless, blue and white vertical striped blouse. It was tucked neatly into the waistband of a white skirt. By the wide smile that stretched across her face and the bright coloring of her clothes, I could gather she was the cheerful and carefree type, as one would expect from someone conducting a show on TV, I suppose.

The same cannot be said for her companion though. Quite obviously the opposite, in fact, in both appearance and behavior. Deep blue eyes were framed in straight cut black bangs, the rest of her long dark hair flowing gently past her shoulders. A small white flower clip adorned the left side of her head, complimenting the white detailing on her dark blue, sailor styled, school uniform. The skirt flowed to her knees while a red necktie hung loosely over her collar. She fidgeted with the hem, and if the nervous expression that graced her face was anything to go by, I'd say this was her first time on television.

I don't blame her, I couldn't imagine being broadcasted in public. Ah, I can already hear the reaction to it.

'Ara, Hikigaya-kun, I cannot believe that the broadcast networks failed to warn the viewers that their show contained such a disturbing image. It was truly blatant imprudence on their part.'

Ugh… She's not even in the same world and that devil woman is mocking me…

"Hello viewers! Hajime Ichinose here taking the lead of today's broadcast!" The girl states while making some weird poses, making two V signs with her hands, "Today I'll present one of the best persons I have met in a while! She actually comes from Academy City, where the technology is so advanced it's unreal! Would you belie-"

Suou giggles, catching my attention, "As expected of Hajime-chan!"

I raise an eyebrow at that.

"Do you actually know this girl?" I inquire, slightly surprised. "I mean, the way you just called her…"

The bluehead shakes her head, "No way, everyone just calls her that, you know? She's a national hero, remember? Everyone loves her."

"Huh…"

A hero? What does she mean by that?

I have the feeling that I shouldn't ask about it as for some reason, it's common knowledge. I turn my attention back to the TVs, getting curious about this girl in particular. Maybe she's a genius girl that discovered the cure of a disease, or created something that would save many people? With the anime aspects I've come across I should probably expect to see young prodigies making advancements in the world where adults failed.

"...and the trains are so crazy, too!" The girl called Hajime Ichinose still continued to rant about her experiences in that city with advanced technology. This was the same one the old geezer complained about yesterday, right?

"Hey! I was supposed to do the broadcast today!" Came a voice that didn't belong to either of the two, but from the little panda creature from before, appearing in the background as it continued to yell… Hold on a minute… it talks? "Stop hogging the spotlight!"

"C'mon, Pai-Pai!" She whines childishly, "Ruiko-chan finally decided to tag along! Don't be a fuzz!"

"Don't call me that!" The panda-like creature shouted indignantly, before letting out a sigh, "Alright, alright. Take the lead."

What the heck is this show?

"Thanks Pai Pai! You're such a good leader!" Hajime exclaimed, apparently pleased.

And another shout came from whatever this Pai Pai was, "Stop calling me that!"

The blackhead only stared at the scene while sweat dropping. Can't say I wouldn't have done the same if I were in her shoes. Then again, accepting to appear on TV with no experience whatsoever would be the last thing I'd do.

"So!" Hajime started again, "As I was saying, I brought a special guest today! C'mon, present yourself!"

The girl blinked in surprise, "Y-yeah… Well…" She scratches her cheek, unsure of what to say. "I'm Saten Ruiko… resident of Academy City…"

Stop it girl, seeing you this pitiful on public television is giving me secondhand embarrassment…

This, Saten Ruiko girl, looks no older than Komachi, yet she was chosen to represent this… 'Academy City'? And she called herself a resident too, shouldn't it be her parents or an adult instead? I make a mental reminder to investigate Academy City; the old man told me how it was shady and technological marvel, then Gasai made a brief mention how espers actually existed in there, not to mention that Ayanokoji said that it is was a sovereign state. Just what kind of place was Academy City?

"She's a rumor hunter!" Hajime stated excitedly, "What can you tell us, Ruiko-chan? What kind of rumors are th-"

Rumors? What's the point of those? Is that really the most important thing this show can think of as being interesting? All you're doing is contributing to the rapid deterioration of what little critical thinking that society has left.

"Why does this matter?" I pull away with a roll of my eyes. Rumors aren't going to help me about learning about Academy City, they'll only serve to confuse me. Especially because they'll cause me to come up with a bias before I had the time to learn what it actually is. No, rumors should be the last things I learn about.

"Huh?" Suou tears her gaze from the television once she notices I'm starting to walk away. "Hey! You're not interested in what happens in there?"

"Not when it's going to be about senseless rumors," I respond. "There's enough things to worry about here in Chiba. What do I care about gossip of some city I have nothing to do with?"

"Come ooon!" I hear her whine as she catches up to me, "Do you have to say it like that? We would never hear about the things that happen in Academy City outside of the Daihasei Festival Broadcast without this show!"

"So?" I look at her incredulously. Seriously what does it matter what some stupid city does? "At the end of the day, it's irrelevant to our everyday lives."

Suou sighed, rolling her eyes, "Such a buzzkill."

"Right, I totally am," I wave her off, "Weren't you hungry? Let's go."

"Jerk," I see her stick her tongue out at me in the corner of my eye, "Hey wait! You still haven't said where we're going!"

"You'll see soon enough," I tell her cryptically.

"Oh come on!" She whines, right next to me, "You gotta give me more than that!"

Good grief, I'm right here. Please don't think that if you shout my ear off, I'll relent, Suou-san. For my ear's sake.

We walked for a few more minutes, during which I withstood barrages from my bluenette companion. Luckily for my ear, she stopped with her shouting. But what she traded for volume, was pestering at high speeds. I was close to breaking many times, but I was able to endure somehow.

And after one last block of walking and pestering, we arrived.

"Eh? Is this the place?" I send a dry look towards her. Oi, what's with that blatant disrespect?

How dare you join in on mocking Saizeriya. Apologize! Apologize to everyone who are enjoying their meals, right now!

"What's wrong with it?"

"Well…" She begins, "It's not like there's anything 'wrong' with it but…"

"It's just Saize, right?" I can more or less guess the rest of what she wanted to say. Really now, that's just mean.

"Well… I got nothing bad to say about it at least…" Suou shrugs her shoulders.

While she didn't say anything bad about it, the fact that she has nothing good to say either bothers me a great deal. Whatever…

"It's good food at affordable prices, what's not to like about it?" I counter before strolling inside.

There's an incessant buzzing from my pocket indicating a call. I contemplate ignoring it all together, but figured I should at least check who it is first. Fishing the device out of my pocket, I glance at the screen, Takanashi Touka? Another name in a sea of unknown people, great. I opt to shove the cellphone back in my pocket, finding no consequence in ignoring a call from a stranger I wasn't prepared to talk with at the moment. If I answered, I'd be liable to more risks.

"Who's that?" Pipes in Suou, casting me a curious look.

"Just my sister," I lie smoothly, not feeling like divulging the fact that I have no idea who more than half the contacts in my phone actually are. "I'll call her back later."

She shrugs off my reply easily, entering through the front door that I kindly held open for her. I can be a gentleman when the need arises after all. Following after her, we step up to the hostess' podium and wait to be seated.

I check out the rest of the restaurant, noting the majority of the round tables are unoccupied, guess it's not exceptionally busy today. Fine by me, less noise while I enjoy my meal. We are seated off to the right side of the entrance, somewhere in the middle of the mass of white tablecloths.

We're left with two menus, placing a drink order as we await our waiter. There's another buzz that sounds from my pocket as I take my seat, and I would leave it, but it seems even Suou picked up on it amidst this quiet place. She stares at me expectantly as I sigh in exasperation, wishing I could go back to the days when the only person I would regularly hear from was Komachi.

Taking out the electronic annoyance, I verify that it's a message and from the same person who just attempted to contact me. Really, is it that important?

- Hikigaya, I know you well enough to realize you're not answering on purpose, so consider yourself warned. I've been in Japan since yesterday, to check on my sister. In any case, my proposal is still on and I assume you may have already decided by now. If not, stop being a lazy pervert and decide your future, this is the last chance I give you. I'll visit you tonight, I expect an answer.

Pervert? Does everyone know about the stash in my closet?

So now I'm expecting a visitor as well? This day just seems to be never ending. I pocket my phone once more, not even wanting to try and decode whatever it is this person is asking of me. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

"How's your girlfriend, huh?" I glance up to meet Suou's teasing smile as she sips on her water. Oi, quit giving me that look and stop assuming things! I meet her stare with an unimpressed look, resting my chin in the palm of my hand as I wave off her comment.

"It's nothing like that," I dismiss, noticing the waiter making his approach to our table, "Let's just order."

The man sidles up to our table, his pad and pen at the ready for our order, "What can I get for you?" He questions softly, his inquisitive gaze bouncing between the two of us before settling on me. Shy against the female sex, are you? I cast a glance to my blue haired companion but she just blinks at me. What, so I have to order for the both of us? For this not being a date, you sure are giving our waiter a different impression, you know?

I don't bother opening the menu, already knowing what I'll be ordering from my regular patronage of this restaurant. "The house salad and two servings of the Carbonara," He scribbles away on the paper, flashing me one of those customer service smiles.

"Certainly, coming right up."

He disappeared off behind a screen partition, which I assume led to the kitchen. And with that we were left to our own devices as we awaited the food. It didn't take long surprisingly and I was saved from any awkward small talk when Suou excused herself to the restroom. Upon her return, the salad had already graced the table along with two plates and some silverware.

All the more reason to love this place, they don't waste any time.

We both paid our thanks for the meal and dug in.

"Hey, this is actually really good," Suou looks up at me with an impressed smile. Why do you look so surprised?

"See? Don't doubt Saize," I respond with a scoff, "It never lets you down."

"Okay, okay," I hear her laugh, then she winks at me, "But it's still not as good as Yukihira's."

I hear her laugh more when she notices my frown. This cheeky girl…

"Tch, the fact that he already left aside," I grumble, "I don't want to deal with that guy's comments in there."

"Eh? Wait…" I can quite literally see my companion computing what I said last, "You know Yukihira Souma!?"

I flinch back at her sudden rise in volume and when she slammed her hands on the table. Ack, honestly… I almost choked on my food in fright, dammit.

"Relax, woman," I scold her, "You don't need to be so loud."

"O-oh…" Her face flushes as she notices the attention she garnered and retakes her seat. "Yeah…"

Oi, if you're going to act this embarrassed then why'd you feel the need to cause a scene in the first place?

I sigh with a shake of my head, "I know him, yeah."

"Ehehe… Small world," She laughs sheepishly, still recovering from her embarrassing outburst. Our main dish joins the table and we eat in blissful silence for a bit as we enjoy the rest of our meal. I hear Suou hum in approval, a contented smile on her face as she eats. Hah… still having your previous doubts of my food choices disproven, are you?

"I guess…"

"Well, it's kind of funny," Suou begins, giggling to herself a bit, "It's been a while since I've had this much fun and with you no less," She punctuates her teasing comment with her tongue stuck out at me, followed by a sly grin. Oi, be grateful it's me you're talking to and not someone more sensitive to such obvious digs.

"What are you talking about? I'm tons of fun," I counter, "I'm the most fun person I've ever spent time with."

She laughs at my retort, but the laugh quickly dies in her throat in favor of turning pale. The sudden change piques my curiosity and I trace her gaze back to the main window of the establishment. There's a couple casually walking by, I can ascertain that my companion has some type of relationship with them, if her reaction is anything to go by. I watch her try to turn and hide herself, failing miserably. Glancing back at the couple, the female of the two seems to have already noticed Suou. It's a shame her own stealth skills are horribly lacking, I know I would have been able to succeed. But maybe it's because my presence is just that easily overlooked…

Well, this should be interesting at least.

I hear the chime of the bells above the entrance, signalling the arrival of another customer. I can already guess that it's the couple without even having to look. Suou seems to have abandoned her poor effort at camouflage, probably for the best. Instead her face goes through a cycle of different expressions. First panic, embarrassment, and then more panic until she finally settles for plastering on a noticeably false easy-going smile. Your efforts are leaving a lot to be desired, you know? I'd be able to see through that from a kilometer away.

As they finally reach our table, the girl offers a friendly wave before saying "Mikoto-chan! So this is where you were!" Her eyes move to me briefly before she playfully elbows her sheepish partner of opposite sex, "Ne, Masahiro, why didn't you tell me she had a boyfriend?"

"Ahaha… I didn't know," The male responds, apologetic. The two were hand-in-hand. Go blow up.

"N-no! It's not like that!" Suou denies vehemently. If I were a lesser man, I would have taken offense. But this has been clearly established as not being a date, so I didn't mind her words. I only take a drink in peace.

"Ah, Mikoto-chan…" The older woman's expression softens as if she were an elder sister explaining something to her younger, ignorant sibling. "You shouldn't be so unkind to your friend here."

I raise an eyebrow at that. As expected of the wisdom of an older woman, they can catch things high school students tend to be ignorant of. I look her over again, she looks to be a college student, around the same age as Haruno. That disqualifies her from the game right? Ah, no, I shouldn't leave it up to chance. Maybe I can dumbly ask if they're from the same school.

Before I can open my mouth, Suou beats me to the punch with a pitiful, "A-ah, yeah… sorry…"

Well, now, that's just sad right there. She's going to make me feel guilty even though I didn't even hold her behavior against her. Please stop that.

"S-so what are you two doing here, Kouzu-senpai?" The painfully false smile returns to the bluenette's face. I make sure to take note that the male that she's obviously referring to, and whose name is ringing a bell or two more and more, is her senpai. But that's still not enough, I don't want to take a chance where it then winds up that they really are third years and this new woman is still seventeen.

"We were coming back from hanging out with the others," Her senpai, Kouzu, smiles at her before blinking, "Oh, it looks like you're feeling better, right?"

"E-eh? W-well…" Suou stutters out. Oh that's right, she said she was sick in order to get out of whatever get together these two were trying to drag her into.

"Say, Masahiro, why don't you get us some food now that we're out?" I catch the older woman send Suou a wink. Oh? She was able to catch that, huh?

"Huh? Sure, okay…" Her companion looks at her in surprise, "Do you want anything?"

"I'll be happy with whateeeeever you get me~" She sing songs, the boy reddens slightly and nods back. The girl smiles happily as she watches him leave.

"Sorry about Masahiro, he's a little slow when it comes to noticing these things," She turns back to us with a fond laugh.

"Ahaha, don't worry about it," Suou's forced smile returns as she interacts with the girl. Said girl returns the smile before promptly turning to me.

"I'm Nomura Sumiye!" She grins at me, "And what's your name?"

"...Hikigaya Hachiman," I nod at her. The power of older women is fearsome indeed, her ability to take control of this situation proves as much. Though I guess I'm still working on speculation with her age. Cue dumb age related question…

"Are you Suou's classmates?"

She giggles into her hand in response, "Do I look younger than I am? I'm actually nineteen, heehee." The wink she sends me is dangerous, I avert my gaze and cough into my hand to keep myself from reacting like an idiot. What a dangerous power…

I feel a glare zeroed in on me. Hey, wait a minute… what did I do!? I'm the one that was suddenly under attack just now!

Avoiding the obviously misdirected scorn, my attention is drawn back to the source of my trouble as she hums. With her being nineteen, she's not eligible for Deus Ex's game. Thank goodness, I would have no idea how to keep tabs on her. I catch her glancing around the restaurant, observing her surroundings before she turns her gaze back on Suou.

"This is an interesting choice," Her eyes bounce to me before settling on something behind us as she continues, "The food is good here but…" Her playful gaze lands back on the two of us, actually mainly me. "It's not really romantic, y'know?"

Stop insulting Saize, dammit!

I feel the witty retort on the tip of my tongue, but don't bother voicing it. Instead, I reflexively feel the need to apologize for some reason. Wah… Why do I have to feel like the bad guy here? Opening my mouth to comment, my companion beats me to the punch.

"Well, it's not like that anyways…" She begins softly, probably as tired as I am about everyone misreading the situation. Though the last time was actually my fault… "And I think this was a great choice." Suou looks directly at me while saying the last line. A defense to my food choices? How surprising of you.

Nomura blinks at my companion before she smiles knowingly in response, "Haha, you think? Then I'll take your word for it. Might come here more often if you think that." She winks at us.

It's then that her male companion makes his return to the table. Nomura loops her arm with his and continues on chatting with Suou as they wait for their order to be ready. Seriously, blow up.

I don't miss the slight grimace that briefly graces the blue haired girl's face as she takes in the little display, though the others don't seem to notice. But as quickly as it appears, her forced smile takes its place.

"In any case, it was so nice to see you recovered, Mikoto-chan. You should take care of yourself, you know?" Resting a finger on her chin, looking thoughtful she continues, "You've been sick a lot lately…" And that sly and scary smile of hers returns, "Maybe some really good company will cure it…" Her eyes glance at me slightly, "Don't you think?"

I narrow my eyes at the implication of her words. Sorry to tell you Nomura-san, but, I'm the worst choice for a potential cure of Suou's frequent illnesses. Though, a certain club president might tell me that my Hikigerma cells may scare off every other disease, but then the unfortunate victim might suffer from something even worse. This is getting scary, her words are causing me emotional damage through space and time…

Desperate to stop thinking of depressing things, I look back at my companion who only blinked in confusion. That is until she glances back at me, then she reddens once more realizing what Nomura had meant. But before she can deny whatever was being insinuated, the other male in this group we're in speaks up.

"Well, we should probably get going…" He sends a meaningful glance to his girlfriend, who immediately picks up on the cue when a smirk graces her face. In an act of perfect timing, it's at that precise moment that their order is called for.

She giggles, "Would you look at that!" They begin to shuffle away in a way that couldn't make their intentions to 'leave the couple alone' any more obvious. "It was lovely to meet you, Hikigaya-kun! Maybe Mikoto-chan can bring you along the next time Masahiro's friends invite him out!" They bid their farewells, leaving the atmosphere heavy with their wrongful assumptions. Honestly, hadn't we already cleared that up?

I can hear the jingle, signaling their exit. Suou and I bathe in the awkward silence and I'm left wondering if someone can die from embarrassment as I take in the red face of my companion. This has to be a record somewhere, surely.

"You… want to get out of here…?" She asks finally, "I don't want to go home, but maybe… we can get some air?"

"Sure," I nod at her. We mostly finished our meals, and the atmosphere was starting to get suffocating again. Still, I can't help but feel surprised that she didn't want to call it a day. Ah, well, it doesn't really matter, so I guess it's fine.

I sigh and grab the check that came with our dishes, "I'll handle this."

As promised, I'll be the one who pays. I think I hear my wallet cry out in anguish.

7-10

We mindlessly wander; enjoying the change in scenery while walking along in silence, though I'm under the impression that I'm the only one enjoying anything. Well, I assume we had no destination in mind, but I couldn't be sure what was going through Suou's head. She has seemed lost in thought since we left the restaurant.

I noticed the sun dipping low in the sky, the clouds bathing in the orange light. Huh, must be getting kind of late. I pull out my phone to check the time, 5:13pm. The missed call icon glares at me, being an obvious reminder of the visitor I should be expecting at some point tonight. Kind of rude to not let a person know when exactly they should be expecting you, whoever you are.

It's then that I catch the alarming number of messages filling my inbox. Am I reading that correctly? Does that actually say thirty?

Clicking on them, I get a slight chill when I see that twenty-nine of them are from the same 'unknown' sender. Another creepy stalker? I really don't think I could handle that… I swallow my trepidation and select the first one that was sent to me.

- Hachiman! It's me Lala! Daddy and Mommy bought Belldy-chan and I cell phones, so I can send you messages and call you whenever I'd like!

Argh… You stupid corporate slaves… Do you realize what you've unleashed upon me!? Now I'll have to deal with the pink-haired alien sending me whatever inane thing she can think of!

I internally groan, weeping for the abuse Phone-chan will surely have to endure from now on. While I register Deviluke's contact information, I skim through the other messages she sent me. It was mainly horribly shot photos of the mall where she no doubt was enthralled to browse through. The better photographs included her, Belldandy and Komachi posing. I feel bitterness well up when I see how much Komachi is enjoying herself in them. It's the first time I've seen her smile that widely since I got here.

Once that's done, I select the last message that was sent to me by the other unknown sender.

- Hachiman-san. I hope this message finds you in good health. Lala-san and I were provided mobile phones during our visit to the mall in the downtown area. Please, enjoy the rest of your day.

Ugh… The goddess's message is so saccharine and thoughtful… This is too much for me… I send them both a brief 'Sure.' and an additional note for the goddess to notify my parents I'll be running late, before returning my device to my pocket. Once I reestablish my surroundings, I notice that my companion had brought us to a familiar location.

It was the park. The same one we met in, and the same one where Usui found out about me. I look at the girl in question, but now she was miserably looking at the ground. Oi, if you're not careful, you're going to crash into something. She hadn't said anything since she suggested we leave Saize. I can only assume that the encounter from earlier was the direct cause.

---

Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Logic Is My Sword: Chapter 07 Section: Song 07

---

As we entered the park, we continued to walk until we reached the playground. Once there, Suou guided herself to a familiar swing set. Unlike before, this time the bluenette's the one sitting on the swing while I stand across from her. But opposite of my blonde male companion, I do not delve into her matter. Whatever was ailing her, I had no right to inquire about it. It was not my business, and I'm not so inconsiderate as to force her to talk about it, especially when I'm still a stranger to her at the end of the day. If she wants to say anything, I'll be willing to listen to her. If not, I will remain silent until she either requests to return home or if she wants to do something else.

"Sorry…" I hear her softly apologize. She hadn't looked up yet, "I usually come to the park when I want to think alone."

As I thought, would it be best if I weren't here? Should I excuse myself and leave her to her own devices?

"It's fine," I answer her, hands in my pockets, "Do you want me to…?"

"Yeah actually… Ah, maybe… I don't know…" She grinds her hands into her hair before sighing, "No…"

Her voice was soft and sullen, so much so that I almost missed it. But I managed to pick up on it, so I remained in place. I watched as she slowly pushed herself back and forth, not even bothering to pick up her feet as they dragged across the ground. Her head fell against the chain of the swing, eyes closing as she got lost in her thoughts once more. I choose to lean against the bars, calmly looking on as she idly continues to swing herself.

"…can I even talk about this to this guy…?" I hear her murmur, and judging how she still had her eyes closed, she was most likely talking aloud.

For some reason, she's debating whether she can talk about her issue with me. I hold curiosity, I won't deny it, and this game does require me to learn more about Suou until I'm close enough to her to establish whether she was Deus Ex's artificial human. But I don't believe it would be wise to force her to talk about this kind of thing when I'm not yet that familiar with her behavior. I'd be playing with fire, so to speak. Intruding on something that's intimate to her will allow me to gain a better perspective, but my eloquence is severely lacking, and one wrong word will ruin everything. I've done enough gambling these last few days, and while they mostly paid off, I'm not going to keep relying on my luck.

So that left…

"If you want my opinion. I'm totes trustworthy." I finally speak up, the delivery holding my usual dryness. "I didn't even rat out that Harima's wearing pink shorts because he lost a stupid bet. Whoops." The comment has the desired effect when it draws out a meek giggle from the depressed girl before me.

"Now what am I supposed to believe?" She joked quietly, some of the light coming back to her eyes as she looks back at me. Her heels dig into the grass beneath her, ceasing her motion as she takes a deep breath, "I'm just tired of feeling stupid…" She shakes her head, her shoulders slumping a bit.

Well, that's a cue to change the subject if I've ever seen one.

"If you keep frowning like that, you'll get wrinkles."

Oh dear, what the hell am I saying? Am I trying to get myself killed? A certain violent homeroom teacher has said that I should be wary about saying these things to females.

"Hey! It's a girl's prerogative to be sad every once in a while," She retorts fiercely.

"Eh? Really?" I ask her dumbly like if she said something weird. "But don't girls only care about their looks?"

"That's not all we care about!" She shrieks, "And I'm not going to get wrinkles!" Huffing in frustration, she crosses her arms over her chest.

"My bad, my bad," I put my hands up in surrender, feeling some amount of wry amusement. She gives me a pout and holds onto the chains. "You're not going to get wrinkles, alright?"

"As payment for my forgiveness, you have to push me," The expectant look/glare dares me to reject her offer. Scary…

"Uh, okay…" I sigh and slowly walk behind her. Ugh… I have to make physical contact with the middle of her back for this, don't I? I remember that being the case whenever Komachi wanted me to push her. Her gaze/glare hasn't relented so I sigh and softly begin to push her.

"You're gonna sound like an old man with all that sighing," I hear her tease me. Hah… I thought this was payment enough? Now you're just doing the same thing I did.

I decide not to comment, opting to just be the diligent servant in my task of pushing. She encourages me to push her higher, leaning back into the swing to further her momentum. Soon enough she's got a steady rhythm going and I have to step back to avoid getting plowed over upon her backswing. Her hair is whipping in the wind and she lets out a giddy laugh, closing her eyes in enjoyment.

On one particular swing, she leans back farther than before, craning her neck back in my direction and pinning me to my spot with a look. Suou has the widest smile I've seen since the day began and her eyes have a gleam of happiness that wasn't there before. Time seems to slow and I find myself frozen upon being on the receiving end of such an expression. Unable to do anything but watch as she continues to enjoy herself before her feet finally lower to bring her to a gradual stop.

She takes a deep breath and then her head swings back around to look at me again. Her expressions softens this time as she speaks, "…Thanks, Hikigaya." I'm once again struck by the soft smile she sends my way. This time, I'm able to avert my gaze, uncomfortable at being the recipient of it.

"I didn't really do anything…"

Suou only continues smiling softly at me, gazing in silence. Again I fall speechless, I was completely overwhelmed. I had mostly regarded it as a secondary attribute to note, but, Suou Mikoto was indeed a beautiful woman. With her tomboyish nature, it was somewhat overshadowed, but in this moment it was hard to ignore.

She got up from the swing, walking toward me with that same expression and with her hands behind her back.

"Walk me home, Hikigaya?" Whatever instinct I held to reject her was quashed upon being further exposed to that dangerous smile of hers.

"Sure…"

7-11

"I guess this is it then?"

I observe the girl before me with a calm expression. She stood by the entrance of her home, arms behind her as one hand held the opposite arm. And despite that she displayed a grin, I could detect something else in there, something I couldn't put my finger on. Meh, women are so complex sometimes, well all the time actually, but I guess that's part of their supposed charm?

At least that's what both Komachi and Isshiki would most likely tell me.

"Seems so," I reply, standing a couple of steps away from her… actually more than that, since being any closer would make the scene seem intimate and that's… highly embarrassing. I raise an eyebrow as all that follows is silence. In an effort to prevent things from getting awkward for me, I pocket my hands before adding, "Today was surprisingly enjoyable. So, uh, thanks…"

She blinks, "What's with that?" Suou giggles before falling silent, the tiny curl of her lips still a seemingly permanent feature on her face as her gaze drops shyly. "You know… I really had a lot of fun today too. I honestly didn't expect it." She blinks, "Oh… I think I already said that, huh?" She sticks out her tongue playfully.

I snort, "You did. I was just as surprised to hear you say it as you were."

She shrugs her shoulders, not trying to hide her teasing smile, "Even jerks deserve that much, you know?"

"Eeeh…?" I again borrow the tone that belonged to a certain blonde pervert, "Am I still a jerk?"

Suou only giggles in response and I chuckle softly myself. I didn't really expect her to be the teasing kind when I first met her, and it's not in the malicious sense either. My conditioning from a certain flat-chested ice queen and foxy kohai almost had me convinced that any teasings that existed were actually (purposefully) poorly veiled insults. And then there was the terrifying teasing from the older Yukinoshita that only served as a way for her to gain something from me.

"I guess you can say it's part of your charm," She teases, laughing behind a hand.

I cock an eyebrow, "Should I be happy about that being considered a redeeming quality?"

She nods her head, "Of course, Hikigaya! You should be proud!"

Not knowing how to respond to that, I only roll my eyes at that. What a funny woman…

"Well, uh…" I had no idea how to excuse myself first, everyone else would usually beat me to the punch. "I guess I'll head back."

She blinks, "Oh… yeah, probably, hehe…" As she starts playing with a lock of her hair, she adds, "I suppose I should go inside too, huh…?"

Mmm…? Am I missing something here?

"Uh, probably," I answer awkwardly, "So, later, I guess…"

With that said, and with one last nod, I turn around, giving some steps before her voice halts me in my tracks.

"Hikigaya?" I look over my shoulder at her, wondering what else she wanted.

"What is it?"

"Do you mind… hanging out with me again some other day?" She asks, her tone somewhat meek before playful confidence seeps back in. "I can always use another distraction, y'know?"

"I don't, but… Oi, wait. Is that all I amount to?" I deadpan.

She sticks out her tongue again, "Who knows? Maybe someday you'll improve… probably?"

I look at her with a wry smirk, "Maybe I can someday promote myself to 'idle hobby' instead."

Suou laughs at that before tilting her head, "Bye, Hikigaya."

"Ah, later, Suou." I casually nod back at her. And with that I finally walk away. My destination being, of course, my home-not-home.

---

Go to profile, SEE: Link in Logic Is My Sword: Chapter 07 Section: Picture 03

---

As I began my trek, I was sure I heard a soft and happy, "I told you I was right about you…" Come from behind me.

But when I turn back, there was no one there.

7-12

I took my time, not really feeling any obligation to rush back home. I knew it was somewhere around 6:20pm, so to say I wasn't expecting a table full of familiar and unfamiliar faces, would be somewhat of an understatement.

All eyes were glued to me as soon as I entered inside.

My gaze scans over the multiple faces congregated at the dining room table. I easily sweep over the people I recognize, being the immediate inhabitants of this household, plus the guests, Deviluke and Belldandy.

Is this some kind of family intervention? If so, the merit was kind of lost with it being me and not the original Hachiman of this world. And how bad was he, that he needed multiple people banding together to set him straight? I really didn't want to know.

Next to Komachi is none other than the neighborhood pervert himself, Yuuki Rito. My eyes then lock onto the first of the unfamiliar faces, a young girl, easily the youngest one here. Now who could this be? I study her briefly, stumped about her relation to the people here, until I identified a recognizable trait.

Really, if it wasn't for the fact that her eyes held the exact same color as Yuuki's, I would have figured that she was a stray that my family brought home in order to replace me and have all daughters. Because of the one single resemblance to the male beside her, I deduced this girl as his younger sister, Mikan, that I've been hearing about.

Seriously, aside from that, they did not look alike at all.

The girl's long dark brown hair had a slight wave to the ends at her waist, some of it being tied up by a pink hair accessory while bangs framed the lower half of her face. She was in a casual outfit, some layered tank tops, black underneath and pink on top. The outer layer had a red heart embroidered on it with a cutout in the neckline. A pleated black skirt flowed out, completing her look… she was such a cute, normal girl. How could you possibly share genetics with this idiot beside you?

As my eyes move to take in the female besides, who I will now deem as, Yuuki Mikan, I barely manage to dodge the fast approach of an unidentified flying object. My head was just inches away from being pinged with a… wait, is that a ladle? I stare at the metal cooking instrument, it having landed a few feet behind me, trying to make sense of why exactly such a thing was being used as a projectile to harm me.

Could it be that I was right about Mikan and this was actually an assassination attempt? Maybe the other people here were 'cleaners' to make sure the evidence disappeared.

As I turn slowly, using extreme caution in this undetermined situation, I do not expect to see the woman I was attempting to observe standing. And yet I'm met with her critical focus pinned directly on me, while her hands clenched into fists at her sides. I fight the urge to cower under her impenetrable gaze, noticing everyone else seems just as shocked as me at her aggressive display.

"Cook," The woman barks out, her words holding a bite not befitting her passive expression.

My wariness increases at this sudden command, yet through my shock I manage to observe this challenger before me. She has long black hair that extends well past her waist in straight pieces, long bangs curl slightly into her piercing red eyes. The color serves to make here look even more intimidating somehow… scary.

There is a black choker encasing her throat, the shining gold pendant splits the accessory down the middle. She's decked out in an attractive maroon pants suit paired with a white blouse underneath, I'm left wondering if she's a colleague of my parents… Possibly from a mentorship program?

Suddenly her expression sharpens, her eyes tightening and everything about her is now just as sharp. I take it back, she has to be some sort of assassin, a high paid hitman at the very least. No normal person has these kinds of intimidation skills.

I can nearly feel the suspicion rolling off of her in waves, why does this suddenly feel like some kind of standoff?

"Yeah!" The excited cheer comes from none other than the pink haired alien, her hands are raised above her head, immediately drawing the attention of everyone present with her enthusiasm. Noticing this, she simmers down a bit before saying, "I want to see Hachiman's skills!" Her hands clap together eagerly and she wears a wide smile. And just like that everyone's expectant gaze is back on me. I can barely believe she's oblivious to the tension, but then I remember who it is I'm dealing with.

Oi, who told you about my Hachiman Skills? Those are top secret.

"Not interested," I state flatly, stuffing my hands into my pockets. I don't know what the purpose of this sudden challenge is, but I don't have the will or the patience to even consider an attempt. There's a loud scraping noise as one of the chairs is abruptly pushed back, a girl stands tall with her hands perched proudly on her hips.

The new girl has lilac hair that's cut at her shoulders, a black flowered headband pulls back the majority from the bangs the cover her forehead. She's got these really light blue eyes and I notice them narrow slightly at me as the back of her hand comes to hover over her mouth.

Wait, her eyes… What the hell's wrong with her eyes?

"Ohoho… " Her forced laughter rings out loudly, and I'm left wondering from what manga this cliched ojou character crawled out of. "I have to admit, that would be the only thing I'll except in exchange for my precious dagashi!"

Words don't immediately come to mind as I'm met with this strange girl, I thought at first she may have been another challenger akin to the woman beside her, but I don't think she can be so easily figured out.

As she stands before me, posture exuding confidence, I notice her peculiar choice of clothing. She wore a white blouse, similar to the one of that scary woman. The major difference being a red bowtie threaded around overtop of it. A long black skirt flows down her thighs, paired with stocking of the same color along with some heels. I catch her gaze and she leans towards me in interest, which is the precise moment my eyes flicker down and I notice… them…

Whoa… her br… errr… I mean… whatever…

In any case, she said dagashi, didn't she? So this is the girl that messaged me before, wanting me to taste many types of the sweet treats? What was her name again…? Mmm… it was… oh, errr… Shidare Hotaru… right? I think that was it.

So Shidare indeed came to visit just like pops commented yesterday, huh?

An overwhelming presence makes itself hard to ignore, and I can feel the female assassin's crimson stare scrutinize me with distrust. Oi, oi! I know my eyes don't exactly give the vibe of being trustworthy, but I haven't done anything suspicious. Tch…

"What is it?" I ask, some irritation leaking into my voice. Whoops… that probably wasn't the smartest tone to use with a woman most likely capable of snuffing out my life. I didn't meant it, but it was reflexive considering how rude this woman is acting with me.

Her eyes narrow as she folds her arms, the ferocity is back and with a vengeance… Dear me, the intensity of this black aura is unrivaled.

"Touka-chan," My mother speaks, as if scolding her. "Don't act like that, now. You'll have plenty of time to see him cook. He's still recovering from a fight he had with some students from his school."

Touka? I heard that name somewh- oh, she messaged me earlier, saying something about checking on her sister and expecting a reply to whatever offer she made. Well, I expected the sender of that message to be scary, so I guess I was right in assuming that. Someone that can transfer their energy through text, you are brave to address her mother, you have my deepest respect.

I can't even begin to imagine what a woman like Takanashi Touka would want from me? Meh… I'm positive that I will find out soon enough.

She cocks an eyebrow at that, "…Again?"

So she knows about it being a normal occurrence, huh? Who was she to my previous self?

I suddenly find myself stepping back, startled as Shidare leans her face so close to mine that made me think for a second that she was going to kiss me. I immediately quash that absurdity, but her close distance is no less uncomfortable. What the heck, woman? Don't invade my personal space while putting that 'What are you talking about' face. It's obvious, right?

"I heard about that, but I can't really see any bruise," She comments, before smiling slyly. "What did you do, huuuhhhh Hachiman? You never let me use makeup on you before!"

I do hope this piece of information means that you wanted to use makeup to help my previous self hide his bruises, but I have the feeling this girl only wanted to do so for her own enjoyment. The hobbies of women sure are weird…

And seriously, what's with her eyes anyway? There's something about them that bothers me…

I shrug my shoulders, "I just used good ointments, is all."

"But they didn't work on your eyes," Takanashi stated flatly.

Ack. Well, that's just mean…

"Oh!" Shidare claps her hands together as I see Belldandy approaching me with a cup of coffee. Ever the considerate hostess, eh? "Hachiman! Do you remember the Sakanashi fries? That dagashi looks like your eyes right now."

Sakana, huh? Comparing my eyes to some dagashi made to taste like fish? I wonder when these insults to my poor eyes are going to stop. At the very least, I can't say this one wasn't original…

I release a sigh, resisting the urge to facepalm. I nod at Belldandy in thanks for the sweet nectar drink before once again taking notice of Takanashi's deep stare. Just… what the heck is with this woman?

The youngest girl in the room finally speaks, grinning at me, "Well, I actually miss eating Haa-chan's homemade food. Isn't that right, Onii-chan?"

Rito nods his head, clearly visibly intimidated by the overabundance of women congregated around him, "Haha, y-yeah… It's been a while since he cooked now that I think about it."

"Is Hachiman really that good?" Deviluke asks excitedly.

"I admit that I'm curious as well." Belldandy pipes up.

As the others continue to gossip about my supposed cooking skills, I take some time to observe Yuuki Mikan. It doesn't escape me that her apparent relationship with me is very casual, borderline intimate, as if I were a cousin or something. I wouldn't know actually, I don't even think I have any cousins… But what I find ironic, and sort of annoying, is the fact that my previous self seemed to have a closer relationship with this girl than he did with Komachi. As opposed to my own sister, Mikan actually looks happy to see me. She even gave me a nickname…

Hmm… that nickname…

Why does 'Haa-chan' sound familiar? Wasn't there someone else that called me that? I remember a small girl covered in a chocolatey mess, and a daycare too. For some reason an image of black lace crept into my head when thinking about the mysterious younger girl. What the hell!? Did I do something criminal at one point without realizing it!? No wait… that had to do with the small girl's older sister. She was also someone I met. So what was younger girl's name…? Ah! I remember now! It was Kei-chan! Kawa-something Keika!

No, no… Ah, it was Kawasaki Keika! And her sister was Kawasaki Saa-chan! There, see Saa-chan? I remembered you!

Now that I was able to recall Kawasaki Keika, I also remember her being fond of calling me 'Haa-chan'. Not only that, she was pretty adamant about me calling her 'Kei-chan'. And with Mikan seeming to be around the same age as her, and apparently close to me… I guess that might mean that I have my own nickname that I call her? It's an estimated guess, but if I take everything into account, it's the most probable conclusion. Great…

I unconsciously shiver all of a sudden. My awareness spikes and I notice that Takanashi woman glaring holes into me. Annoying! This hag's annoying! And terrifying too! Leave me alone, dammit. Go focus on the conversation! But it's then that I realize that everyone else was looking at me in quiet expectation. Crap, did I miss a cue?

"U-uh, what?" I blabber out like an idiot.

Takanashi raises an inquisitive eyebrow, "'What…' what?"

"I, uh, missed the question…" I scratch the back of my head, curse my tendencies to get consumed by my thoughts. At least before I blended in with the background so I could get away with it, now, I'm closer to the spotlight than I would like.

Mikan giggles, "Haa-chan seems nervous. Takanashi-san is so intimidating as always, eh?" She turns to my sister, winking at her, "Don't you think, Komachi?"

"Ah? Oh… yeah…" She responds in uncertainty. I frown when I catch it, I really hate seeing her like that.

"But… Haa-chan still owes me a meal," She says, her eyebrow arched in amusement. "Can't you cook for me?" She glances at her brother briefly before looking at the intruders, "I mean, your new guests would certainly love to see you in action!"

What an eloquent child… Are you really as young as you look? You make your brother look like an idiot. Well, more of an idiot than he is. The amount of attentiveness and maturity she holds is comparable to the Komachi from my world.

"Of course I want to see!" Deviluke exclaims happily while raising an arm.

Belldandy nods her head with a kind smile, apparently as interested.

---

Go to profile, SEE: Link in Logic Is My Sword: Chapter 07 Section: Picture 04

---

Mikan tilts her head knowingly, "You have quite a few expectations to meet. If you were to deny them, I would be embarrassed, if I were your sister."

Takanashi narrows her gaze, "What are you waiting for? Do it."

And while I expected Shidare to join the fray, she only raised a hand to her mouth, observing me as if she wanted to see my reaction. With those weird eyes she has, her stare is nothing less than creepy.

What's with this peer pressure? Oi, don't you lot know it's bad manners to badger someone into doing something that they don't want to? Luckily for me, I'm above such influences. Even Takanashi's glare doesn't compare to the commanding presence of the Ice Queen.

It's then that my gaze catches the shy figure of Komachi. She looks equally as eager as the others, but is hesitant to voice it. In fact, she looks sad that she can't participate in the conversation that was taking place. Damn you, past self, how could you treat the number one best little sister in the world like that?

"C'mon boy!" My pops decides to intervene, and it's wholly unwelcome, "You have to let the ladies see how good of a husband you can be!" He chuckles, clearly oblivious to my glare, "If there is something we excel at, it's cooking, boy. You used to watch us cook all the time when you weren't with Souma."

"Well?" Mikan tilts her head, and Yuuki nods at me in additional encouragement. Oi, when did I ask for your opinion?

"Ah, well," I mutter with a hand behind my head, "If Komachi and… Mi-chan are hungry, I guess I can make something…"

Ah, Onii-chan Mode activated again and had me agree to do it. Hahh… Well, at least Komachi's bashfully shy smile made it completely worth it. And, well, my random blurting out of 'Mi-chan' wasn't seen as gross and weird. So looks like that's my nickname for her.

And before I can even attempt to move, Takanashi walks out of the dining room while throwing a lone: "Outside." over her shoulder at me. I hear the sound of the entrance door opening, my eyes narrowing when my ears aren't met with the accompanied noise of it being closed. She wants me to follow her outside now? What's the deal?

Many glances are exchanged and directed at me, before finally Shidare steps up. She grabs ahold of my arm, pulling me close to her to an uncomfortable degree. A sly, yet dangerous smile adorning her features. It's scary!

"Hachiman, I waited for two whole days to taste the Dagashi I bought with you," I cock an eyebrow at her grave tone, hearing a gasp sound from behind her as she continues. "Don't you dare die before we can try them, yeah? And I hope you have space for them."

So that's the 'important' reason I can't die…?

As Shidare backs down, I hear another voice, "Don't make Touka-chan wait," comes from my mother with a frown. Mikan looks a bit amused while Yuuki looks at me with a face that tells me: 'It was nice knowing you.' And what's worse is that I get the feeling that he may be right. At least Belldandy and Deviluke seem concerned… but that cocky smile of pops is really pissing me off.

Never thought I would prefer Miko-chin punching me in the stomach over dealing with this…

Bah…

Having no other choice than to comply, I release a sigh. "Right…" I offhandedly say, before following the melodramatic woman. Ugh, what a pain…

As I step outside, I'm presented with the sight of the dark-haired woman standing by the sidewalk, arms crossed as she looked off into the distance. I pale slightly as I noticed she was once more holding the metal ladle that greeted me upon my arrival. That's not a good sign, she's armed… geez… I don't want to be known as the first person in Chiba to be beaten to death with a ladle of all things.

I suspect this may not be a conversation that should be overheard, so I close the door, the sound of it prompting her to turn and face me. Subjecting myself to the scrutiny of her critical eyes once more as she cuts the distance between us in half, arms still folded.

"What's the deal?" She asks dryly.

Oh… crap. "Uh… deal?"

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Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Logic Is My Sword: Chapter 07 Section: Song 08

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That was a leading question, but in what direction exactly, I wasn't really sure. With the amount of suspicion she's been treating me with, I couldn't afford to be presumptuous. It's probably safest to tread lightly here, I don't want to actually get killed.

She tilts her head to the side, her crimson eyes piercing even in the dim glow provided by the street light. "Do you expect me to say it?"

"I wouldn't know what you're going on about otherwise," I respond coolly. If I don't outwardly react to her and remain composed, she'll have less incentive to hold onto whatever doubts she has. And I can possibly manipulate the conversation in my favor, insinuating her to be having paranoid delusions.

"What happened with your eyes?"

I immediately deflate. Does everything always have to come back to that?

"Did you ask Shidare the same thing?" My snarkiness beats me to the punch before I could rein it in.

Her gaze narrows, "Since when do you use the play-dumb-card?"

"It's not playing dumb when I have no idea what you're talking about, is it?" I pocket my hands, remaining casual.

"Then I will repeat myself again, what's with your eyes?" Her tone was ice cold.

"I increased my intake of D.H.A., this was the unfortunate side-effect." What exactly do people expect me to say when they ask me that?

I blink, suddenly staring the metal scoop of that cursed ladle directly in the face, "I don't care how they look, but what they transmit. You're not the same guy I saw last time."

What… is that supposed to mean?

"I'm not sure how I'm supposed to respond to that…" I clear my throat, "I don't feel any different than usual."

"Did something happen?" She asks, not allowing any sort of escape to her question as the tip of the metal cooking instrument grazed my nose threateningly. I'm sure that failing to comply would end badly for me.

I reflexively bat the object away from my face, "No, er, nothing out out of the ordinary. Just the attack from earlier in the week."

"Since when has something like that affected you in any way?" She puts the ladle in my face again, much to my irritation.

What is this, an interrogation? Give me a break. Why am I even bothering with this?

"Since they ganged up on me this time," Again, I push the annoyance away from me, "It was troublesome."

The ladle makes its unwelcome return, the cold steel grating on my last nerve. This time, I don't answer, instead waving the stupid object away from my face again. I feel my brow twitch in irritation when she doesn't relent, continuing her endless goading by thrusting the object back at me each time I deflect it.

I scowl, "Stop that already."

"And what are you gonna do if I don't?" She challenges, her face as stoic as it was since I first saw her. This woman is really trying my patience.

"My legs still work," I scoff. "I can just walk back inside."

"Are you sure you want to give me your back?" Takanashi states curtly.

"..." My annoyed glare intensifies slightly, "Are you threatening me?"

Finally lowering the ladle, she leans to me, "And if I am?"

"Then you're free to leave," I state flatly, "Now, would be preferable."

"You are a liar. It's disappointing…" She sighs, resting the makeshift weapon over her shoulder as she averts her eyes in disinterest. "It makes me sick that I lost to you."

"That's your problem," I mutter with a roll of my eyes.

And that just may have dug me into my grave, Takanashi's stoic facade finally breaks as she pierces me with a fierce glare. Barely able to tense in anticipation before I'm forced to move my head out of the ladle's reach as she attempts to thrust it into my face. I'm forced back a step as her deathly assault continues.

"Oi, oi! Ju- whoa!"

I just manage to side step as she puts her own weight behind her next thrust, I feel the air hit my cheek as it cuts through the space I once stood. I think I'm in the clear, but to my surprise, she twirls her body and the ladle is once more careening towards my face. I involuntarily grab her arm to stop her hit from connecting, causing Takanashi to narrow her gaze before she bats my hand away. I blink as I feel the weight of her hands on my shoulders. Using me as a vault to execute an incredible maneuver, her body flips upside down overtop of me before landing at my back with a pirouette. I'm not even able to recover from my stunned state as she instantly grabs my arm, pulling and twisting it into a hammerlock.

Why is this woman so agile, and elastic? Her moves are too damn swift!

"Kgg…!" I grimace in pain as she puts more pressure on my limb, "What the hell do you want from me!?"

Her voice comes, her tone even, as if she hadn't just pulled that insane stunt, "You haven't responded to my question, Hachiman."

My limited knowledge of arm holds reminds me that hammerlocks are very tricky to escape, especially for idiots that don't know what the hell they're doing. I grit my teeth at the pain that radiates from my shoulder and down my arm. Shit… I really need to get out of this.

Observing that my assailant does not have proper footing at the moment, I take a chance and try to disrupt her balance. So I forcefully tug myself forward, groaning when I feel my shoulder painfully strain, but it pays off as I'm able to succeed in loosening the mad woman's grip. Seizing the opportunity, I immediately wrench my arm and pull away from her person.

She stumbles slightly, but regains her balance using the ladle as support. Who the heck is this woman? As I try to calm my erratic breathing, she folded her arms, her expression unfazed.

"What happened?" She inquires once more.

As I roll my aching shoulder, I frown, trying to think of a reason for this drastic turn of events. My only reasonable idea being that like a certain irritating blonde idiot, this woman has managed to see through my actions and figured that there was something different about me. She said it herself, didn't she?

But… could my eyes alone have led her to reach such a conclusion? I find it baffling that she could be capable of figuring me out so easily. Usui had observed me for several hours in order to tell the differences, and she's been in contact with me for how long now? Less than 10 minutes? This woman is really dangerous, and I'm not just referring to the fact that she attacked me with a metal ladle.

This situation seems to have become far more difficult than I could have imagined. If she discovers me, I'm done for. I can tell she's older, but that doesn't mean that she wouldn't be able to cripple my side of the game even if she didn't meet the conditions to be deemed as a suspect.

It's hard to think of anything that might have led her to suspect me other than my eyes. Considering how curt and aggressive she is, I'm doubtful I'll be able to drag to her to my side as I did with Usui.

However, there's one thing I can say for certain about her, and that is that Takanashi Touka was close enough to my previous self to be able to notice the existence of changes. And the fact that she's bothering to confront me must mean that she deems me as someone important enough to focus on, though in the end, this is all just speculation.

But then I blink, realizing what she truly meant. I was wandering in the dark right now, but even then, there was one fact that lingered regardless of it. Which was…

I'm not the same Hikigaya Hachiman, not the one she knows.

Obvious, isn't it?

So there was only one way to proceed.

"Nothing in particular," I state determinedly as she narrows her gaze. "I have decided to take responsibility for all the trouble I cause from now on. Same for things from the past."

Takanashi raises an eyebrow, not convinced.

"And what is the reason behind this sudden change of heart?" Her tone still holds suspicion, so I know I have to pull out one persuasive answer to weed it out of her.

It would be helpful if she were easier to read past all of the pointed stares and disbelieving looks, I might actually know what it would take to satisfy her and put this conversation to rest. Who knows, it's possible I could acquire a 109th skill, that of persuasion. One could hope… Ah, but I'm fairly sure my Hachiman Skills are limited to 108… Maybe I can combine and level up the ones I already have?

"It's not something as grand as a 'change of heart' or anything," I shrug, "I just got bored with what I've been doing lately. That stuff… it's lost its spark. That's it."

"Do you think I'd accept such an answer?" The woman glowered at me, "Are you making fun of me?"

Swiftly, she lifts her arm wielding the ladle and attempts to slam it down onto my head. I have enough foresight to expect something like this, so I quickly raise a hand and grab it out of the air. Luckily for me, her strength wasn't as monstrous as either Suou's or Kazama's so I only had to deal with a minor sting when making contact with the metal. I tug it hard enough to wrench it out of her grip but nothing further. Hmph, while this brutish woman lacked the tact to keep things civilized I'm happy to report that the same could not be said about me.

So her almost losing her balance after I took her weapon was completely her fault and karma rearing its head.

"Whether you accept it or not isn't my problem," I toss the accursed ladle behind me, "But it's how things are going to be from now on."

I expected Takanashi to take even more drastic measures now that her favored weapon was removed from the equation. However, surprisingly she only stood with a hand on her hip.

"Will you focus these efforts towards improving your relationship with your sister?" For once she plainly asks a question, with no lingering undertone, just simple curiosity.

Though her voice held none of the tension it had previously, I could still tell by her body language that she wasn't completely relaxed. The woman's posture remains stiff, noting the severity in which she regards this question, I feel compelled to show the same amount of seriousness.

"If there's one thing I regret, it's alienating Komachi," I respond gravely, "She deserved better than that."

It may not be my actions that led to it, but I feel a responsibility to set things right all the same.

I finally see a break in her composure. It's subtle, but I catch the faintest hint of a flinch at my words as she averts her gaze from me. Her hand falls from her hip, forgotten, while her body shifts weight to the other foot in discomfort. So this woman isn't an impenetrable force after all?

Her lips move, words coming out barely above a whisper, "Now if only I could bring myself to do the same for her…" I'm not sure if I was meant to hear her quiet muttering, but I'm too focused on her words that I can't bring myself to pretend otherwise.

So she probably has a younger sister of her own, the revelation is surely unexpected. Though as I think back on all of the things that set this situation in motion, one thing sticks out among the rest. I mentioned Komachi, and how I would agree to cooking if she had really been looking forward to it… My relationship with Mikan was in the positive, so she was obviously not an issue. So did me bringing up Komachi set Takanashi off? She clearly knew my previous self enough to know when he was acting out of turn, so it seemed a likely conclusion. The Hachiman of old clearly didn't know how to treat our little sister.

I take a few steps back, sighing at how difficult this situation has been when there was such a simple solution.

"You could have just asked that in the beginning…" I start to say, but it seems she predicted my words as she interrupts me.

"You know this is the way I do things," Her eyes still refuse to meet mine as a slight frown breaks through the stoic facade.

I take in the change of the woman before me, the stone faced assassin was actually showing a sign of vulnerability. Was that what it was? Some epic display of concern for my change in behavior? It doesn't seem like a stretch to assume so. I couldn't imagine a person like Takanashi being able to forwardly express her feelings, at least not in a conventional way that didn't involve me getting interrogated. Though in the end, her forceful methods reaped the results she sought I suppose.

Taking the cue that I'm sure would be most appropriate, I respond, "Yeah."

I turn around to grab the ladle that was on the ground. As I bent down to reach it, a feminine hand beats me to the punch. I sigh at that, but before I get up, I feel the metal rest on the back of my head. Takanashi placed it in a way to prevent me from standing up straight. I only sigh again, I thought we'd be past this by now.

"What now?" I ask, weary.

"Have you decided?" Was all she asks. I inwardly deflate. Stop being so cryptic already…

"Decided what?" I inquire, making sure to sound curious instead of annoyed. Last thing I need is for her to start whacking me with the stupid kitchenware. I feel the presence of the metal disappear once I ask that.

Slowly, I look up to see her back turned to me. I raise an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue.

She glances over her shoulder, studying my expression before asking, "Will you come with me to Italy?"

I blink, oh that's right… She sent a message about my decision earlier in the day. So this is what she meant… What's in Italy that she wants me to accompany her to?

"Are you serious?" I huff wryly, "How do you expect me to think about a career abroad before I finish high school?"

"I can wait until then," She states cooly, waving off my question, "But once you come to Italy I can teach you what there is to learn about working at a restaurant. So you won't have to worry about attending a cooking academy like that other idiot. Your cooking skills are too special to let them go on not getting acknowledged by the world."

I let out a dry chuckle, "Being acknowledged doesn't matter to me. Besides, it sounds like too much work."

Takanashi steps up to me, making me take a few steps back reflexively. She raised her hands, with seven of her fingers extended.

"Seven years," She states. "I only need you to work for me for seven years and then you can become a househusband for the rest of your life."

I roll my eyes in disbelief of her deal, "The point of becoming a househusband is me being financially supported by a wife while providing her a comfortable home. And the fatal flaw in your plan is that I might not have a wife at the end of those seven years."

Instead of responding, Takanashi only stares silently at me as if urging me to figure it out on my own. Well, come on, I was right. How can you possibly guarantee that I'd have a wife after… working… for you…?

…Oh…

"W-why would I take such an old and scary woman as my wife?" I recklessly blabber out. I already had my hands tied with Hiratsuka-sensei, please don't try and join that problematic woman…

Instead of reacting in a similar manner of my homeroom teacher, Takanashi simply folds her arms.

"I'm not pleased at having a thing like you as a husband," I felt my eyebrow twitch at her painfully familiar words, "But I refuse to allow the Hikigaya Style to die with you. And with there being no woman who could possibly tolerate a slacker like you as their husband, I'm willing to make that sacrifice so long as you pass down your culinary skills in order to keep your style alive in the meantime."

Her damaging words make it seem like I'm a cow that's being raised for slaughter. For the sake of my supposed culinary skills surviving the only task I have is to pass them down, once that's done there's no other use for me. Really, my exposure to the biting tongue of the demon superwoman in my world is the only reason I didn't start crying just now. Seriously! My poor fragile heart!

Are my culinary abilities my only good points!? Would people say that if removed, I may as well just die!?

"I have decided you'll have time to decide till you graduate, so think about your future. We both win here."

"It can be argued that we both lose as well…" I mutter.

Whether she hears my words or not, she doesn't make it known, instead turning to make her way back into the house. I stare at her retreating figure as it disappears behind the door. Where do women like that even come from? She seems willing to engage in the strangest things… me being her househusband? The very idea gives me chills.

I don't get a chance to get too lost in my musings before I notice a familiar pink head peak outside the front door. When she finishes her visual examination of me, she's satisfied enough to toss a beaming smile my way. Another person joins, surprisingly it's the short idiot. He seems equally relieved to see me standing, which just begs the question, how dangerous is that Takanashi Touka woman truly? Before I can worry too much about how close I was to losing my life, they stroll over to me.

"Hachiman!" Deviluke is the first to greet me, "I was so worried, everyone was concerned for your life!" Well, I guess that clears up any misgivings I had about the threat I was faced with.

"Yeah, when we saw Takanashi-san come inside alone, we thought the worst," Yuuki whispers out, as if he's afraid that the woman in question is going to come back and take his life instead.

I sigh in exasperation, this entire encounter has wiped me of all my energy. "Well, at the very least, I'm alive." I say offhandedly. They both give me the look as if they want me to tell them what exactly happened, but that's out of the question. "Come on, let's head inside."

They don't bother to hide their obvious disappointment, but shuffle along nonetheless. I can't help but chuckle when I see a pouting Deviluke stick her tongue out at me. I then notice Belldandy standing by the door, her expression worried once our gazes cross. I curl a corner of my lips upward and nod at her. She releases a breath of seemingly relief before smiling back at me.

"I'm very glad to see you're safe, Hachiman-san." The goddess says as we re-enter my home. Just what kind of image is that agile woman seen in?

"Yeah, it wa-" My attempt of reassuring her is halted when I reflexively catch an airborne ladle that was thrown directly at my head. I look to see Takanashi with a hand on her hip and gesturing at the kitchen. So I still have to cook…

"At least give me some privacy…" I grumble. And much to my irritation, everyone laughed in amusement of my resignation.

How unfortunate…

7-13

Surprisingly, I got off the hook for the cooking challenge.

Even more so, it was my mother who came to my unexpected aid in the end. She somehow managed to convince Takanashi by way of careful persuasion. My respect for the brave matriarch of the household has once again spiked. Whatever it was that she said to accomplish such a feat, which also had the added bonus of driving the scary woman out of the house- er, I mean, leading to Takanashi-san to excusing herself… I wasn't privy to considering my mother had pulled the woman aside to talk privately.

I wasn't spared a scathing look from those critical crimson eyes of hers after she managed to bid her goodbyes for the night though. They scrutinized me one last time before finally disappearing from sight, and I released a breath I hadn't even realized I'd been holding.

Takanashi Touka is a terrifying woman in every sense of the word.

A half an hour had passed since she made her leave and the atmosphere was only just lightening. Currently I was sat along our lilac sofa in the living room, in between Yuuki and Shidare, with an impressive display of dagashi spread along the short coffee table before us. I could feel that the female counterpart of my company was practically jumping in excitement.

Oi, could you relax? I hazard a glance at the pervert on my opposite side, unsurprised to see him barely holding himself together.

This guy was hopeless. Considering it was just the three of us, I don't imagine that is helping ease any of his tension. Komachi and Mikan had disappeared upstairs to her room awhile ago, along with my parents who decided to retire early for the night. Deviluke went along with Belldandy to help take care of the dishes in the kitchen, though I could still hear her whines of disappointment that she didn't get to see my cooking abilities. So, in the end, the only buffer between the over eager girl and the overexcitable guy was, well, me.

Great.

"I was imagining it would just be the two of us," The lavender haired girl ponders aloud, "But Rito-kun is a welcome addition!" She beams at the brunette idiot, leaning forward to catch his eye on the other side of me.

Hah… good luck with that. I can already tell, without even looking, that Yuuki is on the verge of catching fire. Red faced, stumbling over his words, and the steam practically billowing out of his ears… I check my assumption, observing that he was also struggling to meet her eyes, his gaze falling along her protruding chest every so often.

Please refrain from springing a nosebleed on our couch, I'd rather not have to explain bloodstains to my mother in the morning.

"T-t-thanks…" He finally manages to choke out although it could barely be heard.

Honestly, I'm surprised he even managed to mumble out something coherent. I'm sure her casual use of his first name didn't help anything.

"Of course!" She exclaims, "It would be such a waste, since I went to all the trouble of gathering such delectable treats, for them to go unappreciated." She sweeps her arms up in a dramatic gesture, glancing at the candy as if a gift from the gods themselves. "You don't understand the temptation I had to resist in waiting for you," A pointed stare is tossed at me, "The urge to taste them was great, be thankful I managed to hold out, Hikigaya Hachiman!"

Is she always this melodramatic? I don't know if I can handle the theatrics of it all. I mean, seriously… It's just candy, you know?

Suddenly her histrionic performance simmers, and she pins me with a challenging smile. "Now, shall we see if you are still worthy of being considered my rival?"

I blankly stare at her, "Hah?"

She seemingly ignores my dumbfounded expression and instead points at me. When her eyes lock with my own, I can see an excited gleam in them.

"Now, Hikigaya Hachiman!" She declares all of a sudden, "What are the flavors of Baby Star Ramen!?"

I immediately recall the name, really, it's a household product. There probably isn't a single person in the country that has never heard of Baby Star Ramen, it's practically a national treasure by now. At the very least, there probably wouldn't be much of an opposition if someone declared it as such. Thankfully, no one has attempted to do so and waste our time over something so ridiculous. But seeing how obsessed she is about dagashi, I'll hold my tongue around the girl.

Back to the question, I can recall the general flavors of Baby Star Ramen, I was a particular fan of the tonkotsu ones back when I was younger. But I also remember that Chiba had its own exclusive flavor, but it had to do with tomatoes so I was never interested. That flavor of Baby Star Ramen was always advertised as native to and only available in Chiba. But as superior as Chiba is to places like Yokohama and Tokyo, I can only assume that those areas possibly had their own flavors as well.

So… does that mean I have to count each city too? Ugh, I'm only a Chiba expert and then there's the fact that there are new cities in this world since Japan is bigger than it was in my world…

Argh, shit… I also remember that my grandparents would bring Komachi Baby Star Ramen that was only available from their side of the prefecture too…

"Aw man…" I'm brought out of my musings when I hear the whine of Yuuki's voice.

My attention is drawn to him and I see his eyes focused on the TV briefly before he looks at me, saying, "They just showed an ad for this thing I wanted, but they left the cost unspecified." His eyebrows raise along with the pitch of his voice as he emphasised the word 'unspecified.'

Really, your subtlety is severely lacking. I appreciate the attempt, but there's no way that the help I was offered went unnoticed. Glancing toward Shidare, I'm fully prepared to receive a harsh glare for our obvious cheating.

I should have known better in thinking that way, considering who this girl is. Instead of any type of scolding, I'm met with the back of the lilac haired girl's head as she focuses intently on whatever it is Yuuki was referencing on the screen. I don't know whether to be relieved at being off the hook, or disappointed by how easily she is distracted.

Clearing my throat, I gain back the attention of everyone before stating my answer, "Trick question. It's impossible to keep up with the amount that are manufactured."

Turning back to me, Shidare smirks, "I'm glad you can recall that much, Hikigaya Hachiman!" She seems proud now. Did that pointless fact really warrant such an expression? "But can you answer me this!?"

Wait, are we still going?

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Go to profile, LISTEN: Link in Logic Is My Sword: Chapter 07 Section: Song 09

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Her fingers rummage around through the cluttered table, securing some candy in either hand. But before I can decipher what exactly it is she picked up, she stands and scurries to the otherside of the table, effectively blocking any view of the TV. All so she can strike a dramatic pose. Her left hand is poised beside her face, gripping a… Choco Bat? Two fingers are displayed, while the pieces in her other hand are fanned out behind her back. She's making an awfully big show of this…

"Question number two," Her tone has dropped an octave and by the grave expression on her face, you'd think this was a life or death situation. "To what other dagashi does the Choco Bat share a resemblance with…" She pauses, most likely for dramatic effect considering this girl seems to be all about flare, "And what sport does it pay homage to?"

Well, it's obvious that it pays homage to baseball with it having 'bat' in the name and all. It doesn't take a genius to figure that much out. If there's one thing that was immediately embraced by Japan from American influences, it was baseball. It's funny really, especially since I've heard that the sport is no longer as beloved in its country of origin as it used to be.

Now the dagashi that it looks similar to, that's the main issue. I may prefer sweet coffee, but that doesn't bleed into me having an attraction towards dagashi. So really, I have no idea what to answer for the first part of the question.

I look up when I sense movement from Yuuki's part. For some reason, he places himself next to the dagashi-obsessed girl. His face is completely red. Why would you stand so close to her if you're that nervous in her presence? I'm about to roll my eyes and ignore him entirely until I notice his gaze. Remarkably, it wasn't centered on Shidare's assets like before, instead zeroing in on the table. I follow his line of sight and noticed a box of Pocky. Ah, so that was it.

I glance at the embarrassed fellow, so he risked self-immolation for the sake of helping me, huh? What a trooper.

"It resembles Pocky." I answer the girl, "And it's baseball."

"Hoho!" Shidare's impression of a stereotypical ojou makes its return, "That is correct, Hikigaya Hachiman! Your knowledge of even the more trivial things proves to be enough for you to remain my rival!"

Rival? Hah… Let's just finish this game off already…

"Third question!" I have to keep myself from groaning at that. "And it shall be the final one!"

Well, at least there's that, right?

"I shall no longer take it easy on you!"

I take it back…

"Go ahead already…" I pinch the bridge of my nose as I sense Yuuki return to the couch. The lilac haired girl remains standing, still bursting at the seams in excitement, like the dutiful game master she's trying to be.

"What are the origins of Konpeito?" Shidare smirks proudly to herself, most likely thinking that she finally stumped me.

And she was right. How the hell would I know?

I turn to Yuuki but he's equally as confused, only offering me a shrug in response. Hah… Well, I can't expect him to have an answer for everything. And looking back at Shidare, her expression expects me to have an answer. Wait, how can you expect me to know this when you looked proud at the difficulty of your question? Choose one or the other, don't try and stump me but still expect an answer.

The voluptuous female's eyes narrow as my silence continues. And I'm about to tell her that I didn't have an answer but I was saved by the bell. Well, it wasn't a bell so much as the ringing of my cell phone. But they're both basically notification alerts, so it's accurate enough.

"I should probably take this," Is all I say before walking towards the front door for some privacy.

"But you haven't even given me an answer yet!" Shidare whines in annoyance, her arms crossed as her hip cocks to the side. I open my mouth to form some type of excuse when my second savior comes in the form of Yuuki.

"Wow! Is that a new kind of dagashi they're advertising?" His awed voice serves as a great distraction to the strange girl, she can barely manage to stay steady on her feet with how fast she spins around.

"Where!?" I don't waste the opportunity, sending a nod of appreciation in his direction before sneaking away.

Once I'm back outside, I dig my cell phone out of my pocket to check the caller ID. Suou? What could she be calling for? I don't think it's even been a full two hours since I dropped her off…

Instead of getting too lost in the possibilities, I opt to just pick up the call before I miss it all together. I have no interest of incurring her wrath for ignoring her phone call.

"Hello?"

"Hikigaya!" She says a bit abruptly, her voice hinting at a bit of surprise. Was she not expecting me to pick up? Whoa, could I have actually gotten away with ignoring her call? Darn it!

"Yeah." I confirm, my tone even as I inquire, "What's up?"

"Ano… Do you have some time to talk?" The way she asks leads me to believe this isn't some casual social call, so any sarcastic response I may have had immediately flees my mind.

"Well, I have some company at the moment actually," I state honestly. As thankful as I am for Suou giving me a temporary escape, as the oldest Hikigaya currently available, it was up to me to entertain the guests. Whoa, just saying that is making me feel sick… Such is the wonder of a parallel world…

"Company, eh?" The way she says it completely betrays her intentions, "You mean your girlfriend?" She questions teasingly, as expected. I only barely manage to contain an exasperated sigh, my eyes rolling at her words.

My retort comes easily, "If my memory serves me right, we already discussed the likelihood of that."

The thought of getting off the phone and returning to that game was less than desirable. I can't imagine that Yuuki was faring too well against the busty girl, if anything it would probably be a miracle if he hadn't passed out by now. Considering this, the call from my bed was getting stronger and stronger.

I chose the lesser of two evils, staying away from all of the dramatics and lending an ear to Suou instead.

"Whatever the case, you know it's rude to keep a girl waiting." Her teasing continues unhindered, though I shouldn't be surprised.

"And it's not as rude to make me wait for you?" I ask rhetorically, I know that this wouldn't be the case. According to girl logic, a boy making a girl wait is rude, but a girl making a boy wait is somehow fine, in fact, they have to lie about being made to wait.

(Source: Isshiki)

Her giggle across the line is indication that my question wasn't taken seriously, "Nooope!"

"Right," I respond wryly before asking, "Did you need me for something?"

"Well… It's nothing really," She downplays the seriousness I heard in her earlier, "Just wanted to talk to a friend is all." There is a timidness that sounds out of place in Suou's voice. I do my best to ignore her label of myself, not wanting to deal with that at the moment.

"About what?" I attempt to encourage her, but my tone does a poor job of it.

"…" Her hesitancy is palpable through the phone before she finally speaks, "Are you not curious about the people you met back at the restaurant?"

So it was about that, huh? "Well, I hear what curiosity does to cats. As a owner of a feline, I'm quite fond of Kamakura."

I hear her laugh at my dry response, having the bonus effect of easing some of her obvious tension. After her giggles subside, I hear her take a deep breath, "Listen… Would you… mind being my… you know, confidant? You're the only person for this…"

The question takes me aback, not having expected Suou to ask that of me considering her quiet musings earlier at the park. Though I suppose I should count this as a blessing in disguise, it certainly helps me where the game is concerned.

"You really should be more careful how you say things, you wouldn't want to give me the wrong idea." Humor seems to be the only thing capable of making her loosen up, and I'd like to make this conversation as easy as possible if I can help it.

My attempt bears the desired result, her laughter makes its second appearance. It takes a few moments before her chuckles finally come to an end, which I take as my cue to speak.

"But… If you're willing to talk, I wouldn't mind lending an ear." I say honestly.

"Really?" She seems surprised by my answer, but covers it with, "You'll have to take responsibility should I decide to confide in you, you know?"

"A-ah… I-is that right?" I nervously stutter out, "Is it too late to take it back?" I half joke while wondering what exactly I've just gotten myself into. And did she have to say it like that?

I hear her giggle at my obvious discomfort, "You're too funny, Hikigaya." Though the seriousness once again blankets the conversation as she says, "If I'm being honest, I really feel like I can confide in you despite the fact that we've only known each other for a little while."

I scratch my cheek, unease creeping in as I say, "Is that so?"

"Yeah," Her voice confirms, "I probably shouldn't get ahead of myself though." I feel myself relax at her words, "Maybe another time… If you're still willing to listen that is." Did I really manage to avoid that conversation?

"Sure."

"You know, you're a lot better than you give yourself credit for. I like the kind of guy you are." She states, quite carelessly considering its impact. Before I even have the chance to reply, she utters out a quick "Bye!" before the line goes dead.

I'm left staring at the dark screen of the phone. Figures that the woman would drop a sudden bombshell like that and leave me an embarrassed mess… She's dangerous, that Suou…

Geez… women in general seem to share that trait in this world…

I take some time to allow my facial temperature to lower before heading back inside. It was clearly my body trying to keep me warm with it becoming a chilly night. My internal thermostat registered the falling temperature outside, so it sent all of my warm blood to my face in order to protect it from frostbite. That's what it was. Totally.

I let loose a deep breath, idly watching the small cloud disperse in the air. If I recalled correctly, this phenomena happened because the moisture in my breath condensed due to the temperature. I struggle to recall, but I think it also happens because the air lacked the moisture that my breath had. If that weren't the case, there would be no clouds. Hah… Truly my success in recalling this information gives me a sliver of hope that I can possibly grasp the sciences someday. Then again, I'm sure that a certain club president would tell me that any middle school student could recall that information…

Ah, what the hell am I doing distracting myself over something this pointless?

Suou called me a friend again, not only that, but she wants me as a confidant. I can't for the life of me understand why she sees me in that light. We just met, and it was only by coincidence that I stumbled upon her problem, twice. But that still doesn't seem like a reason for her to have me become a conspirator to her issues. I assume that her friends either don't know about them because she's never brought them up, or because she doesn't want to tell her group. I don't know. But I suppose that makes me the best choice through process of elimination.

Bah, forget it. This is actually something irrelevant to think about. I'm in a position to learn more about Suou and advance the game some more. If I keep focusing about how uncomfortable these things make me, then I'll just start pointlessly wasting the time I have until 'The End' occurs.

I don't know what to do exactly, so I might as well just go ahead and accept these annoyances. It'd be better for my psyche as a whole.

I rub the back of my head and release another sigh. What a pain…

My eyes wander up to the dark sky for a few moments. It's cloudy. I let my gaze linger for a moment, before finally heading back inside after my minor observation.

"-nd so! Konpeito was actually a Portuguese import that came to Japan in the 1700's! It's name is also derived from the Portuguese word 'confeitou,' which means…"

I calmly walk back inside to see Shidare in the middle of a lecture about Konpeito of all things. Her audience had apparently grown since I left. I study a clearly panicked and reddened Yuuki while being in between an interested Belldandy, and a fascinated Deviluke. Oi, Shorty, keep your lecherous gaze up and away from them.

With a shrug to myself, I re-enter the living room and somehow that doesn't interrupt Shidare's speech. I sit down on the opposite couch, and decide to listen in. I would love to go to my room, but if my mother hears that I abandoned my guests as the only available host, she might just skin me…

I lackadaisically listen to the dagashi-obsessed girl continue with her long-winded history lesson, when I sense two arrivals at my sides. I glance to my right and see Deviluke grin up at me before returning her attention to the person in the spotlight. To my left, I see Belldandy, who was also intently listening. She sends me a bright smile for a brief moment and also turns back to face Shidare.

I clear my throat, willing myself not to react to the dual attacks from both of my flanks. Seriously, that's just unfair. I note Yuuki looking relieved, his reddened face slowly beginning to relax itself.

The lavender-haired girl doesn't look like she's even close to finishing, and I sigh to myself.

If I'm lucky, maybe she can faint from a lack of oxygen.

7-14

A while later, I find myself huddled in the entrance alongside everyone. Well, everyone besides Shidare, who was currently waving her goodbyes as she disappears into the back of a limousine, of all things. It seems clear that money is no object for her family… I'll have to ask Usui about her tomorrow. I didn't manage to gather a whole lot of information considering the challenge she sprung on me.

As the tail lights fade from view, the brother and sister duo step outside the doorway simultaneously. How convenient that all of the company decides to leave at once.

"Thanks for having us," Yuuki says, focusing his eyes on me, probably for the best. "We're going to head home. See ya around, Hachiman."

"Bye Haa-chan." Mikan waves at me.

I shoot them a nod, returning a curt wave as the two start on their short trek back to their house.

I've barely made it through the threshold of my home before hands are gripping me and hauling me along to the couch. You know, I really wish this theme of manhandling me today would finally come to an end…

My unimpressed look meets the ever eager face of Deviluke. It's not a surprise, and as I feel the cushion dip on my opposite side, I've already determined it to be the much more well mannered goddess.

"Hachiman!" Her eyes are bright and wide as she leans into me, and if I could manage to back away without disturbing Belldandy, I would. Oi, is personal space not a thing on your planet? "I wanted to update you on the status of my item's malfunction."

That gets my attention, "That so?"

"Yes," Her head tilts to the side, her smile never wavering as she says, "I still haven't figured out how to fix the issue." Her words don't match her excitement and I can feel the annoyance prickle at my skin.

I shoot her a deadpan look, "So you had to drag me into the living room, just to say that?" I question dubiously.

"Weeell~" The pink haired alien pouts and I can tell immediately she's going to do something I won't like. "I haven't gotten to spend any time with you today!" She whines. Her arms tighten around mine squeezing impossibly closer before resting her head along my shoulder.

My body stiffens at her proximity and just as I attempt to escape, I feel a pressure on my opposite side. Glancing to my right, I'm met with the innocent smile of Belldandy as she places a delicate hand against my free arm. Excuse me, I don't remember consenting to this otherworldly sandwich you've made of me!

"It has felt like a while since we've had a chance to talk, Hachiman-san." She agrees, and suddenly I've found myself at the brunt of attack from both sides with no escape in sight. She then giggles to herself, "Even though it has been less than a day."

My discomfort grows exponentially, alarms sounding in my mind as my senses kick into fight or flight mode. Instinct has me hopping off of the couch as if it were on fire, successfully breaking free of the hazardous feminine wiles that were being unleashed upon me so recklessly. You women and your charms are down right dangerous! Be more conscious of your actions, would you?!

I turn around to face the two. One looks up at me with concern etched into her features, while the other has both of her cheeks puffed out in a silent huff. It's obvious which is which, so names are unnecessary.

"Ah, well…" I scratch the side of my head, knowing I need to give an explanation to my outburst. "It's just been a long day."

"Lala-san explained to me what you spoke to her about, Hachiman-san." Worry creases her brow as she says this, "It is an awful situation."

I release a breath, "Yeah…"

"May… May I see it for myself, Hachiman-san?" The goddess suddenly questions me.

"See it?" I echo back.

"Yes, with my ability to sense your emotions I would like to observe what you spoke of to Lala-san," Belldandy explains, before tying to reassure me, "I promise to not read the memories you hold over your 'forgotten' companion, but… Please, Hachiman-san…"

I break eye contact from her, uncomfortable being the focus of the goddess's intense gaze.

"What is it that you want me to do?" I ask her slowly.

"Simply focus your thoughts to the companion you spoke of, I will sense any emotional changes you may have," Belldandy closes her eyes, "At the moment I sense your trepidation. Please go ahead, Hachiman-san."

Warily, I begin to think about the Student Council President of Sobu. Immediately, same as earlier in the morning, the caution I was currently feeling disappears as if it went down a drain. And just as before, it's a harrowing experience. It's then that I hear a sudden gasp.

I whip my eyes to the goddess who held a hand to her heart in fright. When she opens her eyes, they held fear but it was not meant for me. No, she feared for me. I feel discomfort run through me again at that aspect.

"Hachiman-san…" The goddess begins timidly, "There is this… void that surrounds this person, as if there is a black hole consuming everything concerning her." Her explanation does absolutely nothing to offer comfort, her face is struck with sympathy for me and I'm not sure quite how to deal with it.

I feel Deviluke's hand slide overtop of mine, it's a nice gesture but as I take in her worried gaze, the need to assuage them grows.

"It only seems to concern the one girl." I state, attempting to placate the two concerned girls.

The pink haired alien offers a smile in return, but I can tell my efforts haven't completely eased their troubles. Hah… In their attempts to comfort me, I end up being the one trying to comfort them.

Suddenly, Belldandy perks up with a warm smile directed at me. "Don't worry, Hachiman-san. Lala-san and I shall get to the bottom of the matter." She folds her hands into her lap and Deviluke quickly scoots herself closer to the goddess. Her pink hair flounces around as she nods her head eagerly in agreement to Belldandy's words.

I'm thankful that she was able to ease the stressful atmosphere, it was getting to be a little too much.

"I appreciate your efforts," Making eye contact with each of them as I say, "Both of you."

"Of course, Hachiman-san."

"Anything for you, Hachiman!"

I nod to the two of them, feeling more drained from this quick conversation than I had expected. Glancing at the clock, I notice the time reads twenty past eight. I guess it's not unreasonable for me to be tired by this time, I did have quite an eventful day after all.

"I think I'll call it a night," The girls give me their full attention when I say this, I can see Deviluke frown a bit in disappointment but she recovers quickly.

"Oh okay," Comes her less than spirited reply, "Goodnight then!"

"Yes, have a nice rest." Belldandy says politely, "We shall retire shortly as well."

Offering them another nod, "Night," I say curtly before turning and heading to the stairs. I tread up the steps quietly, so as to not disturb anyone on my way to my room. As soon as I've made it to my destination and through the door, I collapse onto the mattress with a deep sigh.

I let my body sink into the comforter, my eyes roaming freely along the blank whiteness of my ceiling that I could see with the moonlight hitting my room.

My thoughts wander back to the beginning events of the day. My plans with Suou went different than expected, she was different. The girl was a bit rough around the edges and her strength was certainly nothing to sneeze at. I won't be forgetting her assault for a long time to come I'm sure, but there is a sensitive side to her… One I didn't anticipate on encountering. The softer side of hers definitely helped make me view her in a new light, there was more to her than I could see upon first glance. I could still do without her brute of a friend, Kazama, though.

Speaking of violent women, the red eyed assassin, Takanashi Touka was another unpleasant surprise this evening. This world certainly doesn't seem to be in short supply of strong and terrifying females. Her scary behavior, and the way she wields a ladle, it gives me the chills. But surprisingly, even that dangerous woman showed a certain vulnerability tonight. At the slight mention of her sister, I could see the feeling that broke through her stoic facade.

Aside from my body, I think my eyes are the ones that took the most damage today. Seriously, no one let up on them, it's ridiculous!

I didn't hear anyone mentioning Shidare's eyes, what's with that? If anyone's got something weird going on, it's her. Plus, her obsession with dagashi was way out of control. It'd be interesting to see what she's like when she's not fussing over the cheap candies, but I feel like that's a pipedream.

A thought for another day I suppose. Before I know it, white fades to black as I close my eyes so I could drift off into a, hopefully, dreamless sleep.

"I think you wanted to say you'll 'hemorrhage.' Hemorrhoids is a condition that has to do with where the sun doesn't shine!"

I groan as an unwanted memory passes through my head.

On second thought, I think I'll scream into my pillow for the next few hours…

---

Chapter 07 END

---

GTO The Host 07

A girl with shoulder-length lilac-colored hair stood in the middle of a class, sporting a black headband and an outfit befitting of those in the wealthy class. Displaying a wide smirk as the readers and a certain blonde teacher stared at her with a deadpan, she finally spoke.

"Hello everyone! I'm Shidare Hotaru and I'll be conducting this segment today in representation of the Shidare Company!" Stating vigorously, she points a finger at no one in particular. "First and foremost, dagashi is the ultima-"

"Hey kid, just what the heck are you doing?" The blonde teacher, who wore a sky blue shirt, white pants and brown shoes, asked in irritation as he stood up from his desk. Looking less than amused, he asks, "I'm the one who's supposed to take charge in here."

She stared at him inquisitively, "I beg to differ. Although, if you proved your worth, then I might just believe you."

The professor raised an eyebrow before he started laughing, "Hahaha! I'm Onizuka Eikichi, the greatest teacher of all time! I don't have to prove myself to some conceited brat."

"Is that so?" The girl folded her arms, "I suppose that as an educator, you might know the number of islands that conform our beloved country?"

Onizuka smirked, sporting a cocky stance, "I don't have the slightest idea."

Shidare blinked, "Wha?"

"But what I do know is that someone will be missing her chance of presenting herself if she keeps wasting time," Pulling out a cigarette, he leans by the window, "So, whatcha gonna do, ojou-chan?"

She turns to the readers in realization, and mutters, "How come that man is a teacher?" Before making a dramatic pose, "In any case, I'm Shidare Hotaru, the main heroine of the manga series, Dagashi Kashi, with 11 volumes available and an anime adaptation consisting of 24 episodes so far."

"Fair enough, so what's it about?" Onizuka inquiries after yawning.

Shidare makes another pose, "It's simple! In order to get Shikada You to work for the Shidare Enterprises, I must convince his son to abandon his goal of becoming a mangaka, so he can take over Shikada Dagashi!"

"So basically, the story goes about you trying to convince him?" He makes a knowing smile, "How so?"

She doesn't seem bothered by his expression and answers, "With interesting games, riddles and stories! Rest assured that I will do ANYTHING in my power to convince him."

He blinks, "Anything?"

"Anything," She confirms with a sly smile. Onizuka is left speechless when she adds, suddenly looking shy. "I even might give him my…"

Onizuka gulps in anticipation, "Your…?"

"My…" Her gaze drops to the side, "My Super Rare Spicy Tonkatsu Fries!" She exclaims, shoving to his face a package of fries.

"Tch! That's what you meant!?" Onizuka snaps, before facepalming, "Whatever, we still have four others to present. You were supposed to be the last presentation, Shidare, so let the others have their time to shine."

Shidare frowns, "But I have yet to reach the best part!" She whines, "It's when we talked about the daga-"

"Right…" He mutters before looking at the door, "C'mon it's your turn!"

At his call, two girls enter the classroom, all while a certain dagashi maniac whined at the blonde teacher. Both sported the Yagami-issued school uniform.

The shorter of the two raises a hand cheerfully, having dark blue hair in the style of two pigtails that for some reason moved on their own, "Hey there! I'm Tsukamoto Tenma, protagonist of the School Rumble manga series!"

The other girl, who had blonde hair while also sporting pigtails, closed her eyes, looking annoyed, "I'm Sawachika Eri, a support character in School Rumble. I should mention the fact that a certain Hige is the greatest idiot of all time."

Tsukamoto blinks, "Eh? A Hige?"

Onizuka, having pushed Shidare away, cocks an eyebrow, "No one had asked about that, ojou-chan." He sighs, "What's with so many ojous around as of late?"

Sawachika waves her hair gracefully, looking uninterested, "So, are we done?"

Shidare points a finger at the blonde girl, "Oh! You seem like a fine rival!"

"Excuse me?" Sawachika raises an eyebrow.

Onizuka stands between them, "Quit it now, we don't have time to waste wi-"

"What does this old man want now?" Sawachika asks uncaringly.

Shidare shrugs his shoulders, "He probably needs more sweets in his life."

Onizuka's brow twitches, before a heated discussion ensues. Tsukamoto Tenma only blinks in confusion before turning to the readers.

"So, hiyaa readers! See you in the next chapter! I'll continue to fight for Karasuma-kun, so keep cheering for me!"

"No one cares about that!" Tenma flinches at the sudden shout of the teacher and sweat drops as they continue to yell at one another.

"I'm not old! I'm only 23!"

"Dagashi is love, dagashi is life!"

Sawachika facepalms, "This is way worse than dealing with Hige…"

A woman with black hair and deep red eyes comes inside the class, sporting a black choker, a t-shirt of the same color and blue loose pants. Seeing the trio argue, she turns to Tenma, who started to tremble under her inquisitive and deep stare.

"Hey, you," She calls out gravely, folding her arms.

"Y-ye-yes!?"

"Do I still have to present myself?" She asks, the metal ladle she held shining dangerously.

"I-I think?" The little girl stutters, earning from her a sigh.

Turning to the readers, the woman finally speaks, "I'm Takanashi Touka, a supporting character of the light novels Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai." She turns once more to Tenma, who starts sweating profusely, "Is that enough?"

She bows to him, "Y-yes!"

And Touka turns back to the trio, and blinks as Onizuka stands before her, the blonde man offering her a hand while smiling charmingly.

"Hey there. I'm Onizuka Eikichi, 23 years old…" He says, Shidare and Sawachika looking on in disbelief. "…still single."

Touka stares at him blankly.

A metal ladle suddenly impacts on his face, harshly. As the girls observe the unconscious form of the host, Touka gazes at the readers with a bland expression.

"Am I the last one?" She asks, and to her annoyance, another person enters the class.

A boy that wore the martial arts uniform, dark hair cropped short with a pair of glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, stood in the middle. His posture tall even as he looked solemn. Touka raised an eyebrow at his strong stance.

"Hello readers!" States the boy energetically, "I'm Hanai Haruki, a supporting character of the manga School Rumble!" Folding his arms, he adds, "So as you may all know, I won't tolerate slackers in the class, much less the likes of Harima Kenji! Who…"

Suddenly, his energy was gone, a depressed aura embracing him as his shoulders swiftly slumped, "...who is dating my dear Yakumo-kun…"

Sawachika sulks for reasons she'd refuse to acknowledge, "Who cares about that idiot Hige…"

Tsukamoto blinks, "Well, Harima-kun is a good guy, so I'm sure that Yakumo will be happy."

"He's not!" Wails Hanai, "That guy doesn't deserve her! But I-"

His voice was cut short when a metal ladle impacted right on the back of his head, the boy falling limply to the ground, much to everyone's shock.

Touka looks down coldly at both Onizuka and Hanai, who laid unconscious over the ground, big bumps protruding from their heads.

"I believe this concludes the segment for this chapter?" The trio behind her nodding in fear. "See you all then."

---

(NirvFrk97): And with that, we've reached the end of the chapter. It was a fun write, and many things happened with 8man. Somehow the guy is able to pull off a successful date-not-date with Suou Mikoto while immensely improving his image in her eyes. And after multiple chapters of missing her, Shidare Hotaru has finally made her appearance. She's a character alright…

Anyway, I'll let our newest recruit take care of the rest!

(illleashya): Hello again! Hope you guys don't get sick of me and my intrusions, but what a chapter, eh? It was an absolute pleasure working through it with these two gentlemen. I especially enjoyed helping write that park scene, oh the feels! X3

Poor 8man, being plagued by his blunders even in his sleep. This guy has had quite the day.

I think this may be the time to properly introduce myself? I'm just your average art college grad who enjoys writing. I was recruited by Itherael for my specialties in all things swoon worthy and romantic, so I hope I do my part well. I'm currently working on a drawing for this story, so I'll be sure to share that once it's finished.

If you guys have any questions, feel free to ask! I hope you all liked this update!

(NirvFrk97): Thanks for reading everyone. See you in the next chapter.