"Yo." - Person Talking
"Yo." - Person Thinking
And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go.
"H-Hikigaya?!"
"Y-Yo, Orimoto..."
"Kami-sama, is this karma for littering? Please, this Hachiman Hikigaya will never litter again for as long as I live, just let me wake up from this nightmare." One Hachiman Hikigaya pleaded towards the deities above as he tried to retrain a composed expression in the face of the one person he still had no idea how to interact with, Kaori Orimoto countering his facade with a face with wide eyes full of disbelief.
The brunette currently staring at him like he was some foreign or exotic animal brought unwanted and rather unsavory memories to Hachiman, being the first girl who he had the gall to confess his feelings towards. While the sting of her rejection wasn't as intense as before, Hachiman's views on 'nice girls' not being as warped as it was the year past, it still brought a slight ache to the young man's heart to see and hear her. For the brunette herself, she was simply rendered speechless as the one person who had started to invade her private thoughts and dreams, wholesome and pure ones mind you, had appeared before her, caring for her beloved albeit headache-inducing cousin.
Staring at his face, his usual dead fish-like eyes were clearly in view now that she was so close to him, Kaori couldn't help but simply stare at Hachiman and take in his changed features. Hadn't it only been a few months at most since she had last seen him, when she talked with him about valentine's chocolates? How could such a change have taken place in such short time? When they were practically the same height before, he now stood at least a head taller then her, the brunette guessing that she'd line up perfectly with his chest and shoulders should she decided to lean against him.
Just as the thought crossed her mind, Kaori mentally shook her head to rid it of all impure thoughts as she tried to get herself together. Focusing on his other features to push the image of her leaning against him from her mind, she saw that he wasn't as scrawny as before, his figure being more built then it was in the past, judging from the way that his uniform was hugging his body. His hair was also longer, being tied in a spiky ponytail that actually seemed to fit him, strangely enough. But it was his eyes that hadn't changed the slightest, made even more apparent to Kaori when he finished cleaning his glasses before placing them back on, turning to look at her as her heart froze at the emotions dancing in the charming eyes of the young man before her.
Confusion, anxiety, caution, pain, the soulful gray-hazel colored eyes staring at her filled her with a mix of emotions just as complex as themselves. Why? Why did he have such sorrowful eyes when he was looking at her? Didn't they already make peace and sow the seeds for a fine relationship between each other? Didn't he accept her offer of friendship back when she handed him that plate of chocolates? Kaori wasn't able to make sense of the emotions dancing in his eyes as Hachiman turned away slightly, focusing his gaze on the can he had kicked earlier.
It wasn't just Kaori as Haru could see the tension that filled the bodies of the two older people with her, though she didn't understand what exactly it was that was causing them to feel such tension. For the younger girl, it didn't make a lick of sense why someone who was so kind and had helped her with not only her problem but had stayed with her and got her a carton of her favorite drink, would have a look in his eyes that showed that he was scared or afraid of her cousin. Sure, Haru's cousin could get a bit scary when she was angry, but she was always a nice person who loved to laugh and smile, something that she always tried to get others to do, though she could be a bit overbearing in that regard. But there was something that had happened between the two people with her, something that began to nip at the forefront of the young girl's mind.
"Uh... I'll be going then." Hachiman awkwardly said as he knelt slightly to pick the can back up, offering Kaori and Haru a small nod of acknowledgement as the two brunettes snapped from their stupor.
"Onii-chan, you know Kaori-nee?" Haru asked in a curious and innocent tone, the question instantly causing Hachiman to freeze with his arm outstretched while Kaori gained a slightly muddled expression.
"U-Uhm... Yeah, kind of, I guess..." Hachiman quipped in a slightly uncomfortable tone, Haru gaining a somewhat sour look on her face as she latched onto Kaori's hand.
Still a bit lost in her thoughts, Kaori jumped a bit when she felt herself absentmindedly going along with her cousin as the younger brunette dragged her over to Hachiman. Panic and horror filling her person, Kaori was already far too close to the young man to deploy evasive maneuvers, simply standing before the kneeling ravenette with her young cousin staring down at him. For Hachiman, the young man felt his body cooling and his face paling a bit as he realized what was about to happen; that instant coming true when Haru moved around to lock gazes with him before turning to look at her cousin.
"Kaori-nee, Onii-chan told me that when you think you've made someone sad, as long as you apologize and tell them how you feel, that everything will be okay." Haru said as the older pair with her stiffened at the words of advice, though one seemed petrified while the other seemed like hope had blossomed inside of them.
While Kaori was mustering all the courage that she had for the day, dipping into the courage that was reserved for the day ahead, Hachiman was cursing the careless piece of advice that left his mouth due to his innate 'Onii-chan' instincts being invoked upon seeing Haru's distress. While he did believe in the piece of advice that he had given the young girl, sneaking a glance at Kaori who was looking down slightly with a reddened face, Hachiman winced as he still felt a bit of a sting when he remembered his past with the young lady.
"Well, guess it's about time to let the past stay where it is. Whatever happened, happened, right? Come'on Hachiman, you can do this. The faster you get this over with, the faster you can get home and finally see the true end to Tsugumi-chan's route! Yeah! Yeah, that's right! Finish this quick and see how best girl's route ends!" Hachiman mentally told himself as he heaved a soft and tired sigh, though as his thoughts became lighter and brighter so did the tension the filled his body.
"Mmm, I did say that, didn't I..." Hachiman muttered loud enough for the two brunettes to hear, Haru beaming a smile at him while Kaori gained a glint of hope in her eyes as she rose her head to stare at him.
"Ha... Don't get so hung up on the past, Orimoto. What happened, happened. Let's just get on with our lives." He added as he rubbed the back of his neck slightly, the awkwardness on his face present to both of the brunettes as he turned to leave.
"I'll be going then, see ya." Hachiman called back as he left the park, leaving Kaori and Haru alone as the older brunette stared with wide eyes at the shrinking back of the raven haired youth.
"Kaori-nee? Are you okay?" Haru asked in a worried tone, moving to take a hold of the older brunette's hand in an effort to comfort her.
"H-Huh? Oh! Yeah! I'm fine, Haru!" Kaori quipped as she flashed her cousin a smile, Haru frowning a bit but opting to go along with her cousin for the moment.
"Come'on, let's get you back home before your mom calls the police!" Kaori added as Haru turned a bit pale and panicked, rapidly nodding her head as the pair headed back to Kaori's home.
"What happened, happened, huh... You had better stick to your words, Hikigaya. Only the worst kind of guy will get a girl's hopes up like that only to go back on them." Kaori thought to herself as a small but hopeful smile crossed her face, turning around to shoot a longing glance towards the direction the raven haired youth had departed in.
With Hachiman, the glasses wearing youth could be seen using his forearm to brace himself against a wall, his free hand clutching at his chest as a whirlpool of emotions danced in his eyes. Confusion, pain, anger, resignation; there wasn't a clear answer as to what Hachiman was currently feeling, the raven haired young man taking a few shaky breaths to ease the tension, mental and emotional fatigue that wracked his body. After a few seconds, letting one last shaky sigh leave his mouth, he stood straight and shot a glance back where he had left Kaori and her cousin. Shaking his head, he continued on his way, intent on making the most of the rest of the night and his day off. But, as fate would have it, Hachiman was brought back to the reality of facing his past when a sudden shout caused him to freeze mid-step.
"O-Oi! Hikigaya! Wait up!" Kaori shouted as she ran towards the frozen form of Hachiman, stopping just short of him with a face red from both embarrassment and physical exertion.
"O-Orimoto? I thought you were heading back home with your cousin?" He asked in a confused and slightly awkward tone, Kaori's red tinted face growing a shade deeper as she laughed a bit while rubbing the back of her head.
"E-Ehehe, well... We met my mom and my aunt on our way back, so I kinda sent them a text that we were at the park and they came as fast as they could." Kaori explained as Hachiman stiffly nodded his head, the situation growing a bit cold and awkward as silence soon took hold between the two.
"S-So... W-Were you serious about what you said before? A-About the past?" Kaori asked in a hopeful after a few more agonizing seconds of tense silence, Hachiman lightly furrowing his brows as a slightly nauseating sensation took hold of his person.
"What happened, happened, huh... Things don't just disappear on their own, Orimoto. I had to make the commitment to "let it go," and the only reason I managed to do that was because of the people who kept prying into my social life, or lack thereof..." Hachiman thought to himself as a small and amused smirk softly graced his face, shaking his head slightly as Kaori felt a surge of fear tightly grip her heart.
"That's what I said, didn't I? There's no need to think any harder about it then that." The raven haired young man told the slowly relaxing brunette, Kaori's eyes still having a glint of disbelief shining in them as she directed her gaze towards the ground while fidgeting slightly.
"Geez... You say it like it's the easiest thing in the world, you know that?" Kaori threw back with reddened cheeks, only growing more red when she saw the raised brow Hachiman was shooting towards her.
"You really don't understand girls do you, Hikigaya." She added in a slightly dry tone, her embarrassment nearly evaporating when all she got in turn was a deadpanned stare.
"We wouldn't be having this talk if I did." Hachiman countered dryly as Kaori lost her expression, crimson fully blooming on her cheeks as she adverted her gaze once more.
"H-Hehe... R-Right, sorry..." The brunette laughed out in an awkward manner, silence soon taking hold once again as Kaori slowly craned her head back up towards the raven haired youth.
Had it truly been so long since their last meeting? Where was the young man that she had last seen? The person standing before her seemed like a completely different person from the Hachiman Hikigaya that Kaori remembered, a person that she felt his past self would curse should they ever have met. Thinking back on the last time that they met, the Pre-Valentine's day collaboration, where she gave him the first batch of chocolates that she made; Kaori couldn't help but feel her spirits dampen when she realized that it was then that truly started the sparks that turned into a small but passionate flame for the raven haired young man.
Were those sparks truly sparked then? Or was it when Hayato had called out her and her friend Chika, on their 'double date'? Kaori remembered the feelings of both inferiority and strange bitterness that filled her soul when they excused themselves to leave that day, though was it because neither of them were able to fulfill their desires to get closer to Hayato or was it the lingering thought that filled Kaori's mind when she assumed that one of those girls were Hachiman's girlfriend? Though, the brunette couldn't justify those types of feelings then or even currently, especially with how poorly she had treated Hachiman then. She had no right to feel jealous when she acted like he never existed and have had other state that she was 'out of his league' as Chika had so eloquently put it. Lost in her thoughts, she was broken from them when Hachiman spoke, snapping her attention back to him as he shifted a bit uncomfortably at her attention.
"W-Well, I gotta go, Orimoto. You should get going too, before it gets dark out. You never know what might happen, even in Chiba." Hachiman said in an attempt to end their overly long and awkward conversation, Kaori blinking as she gave a glance at her surroundings and saw that it was indeed a tad darker then it was when she left to find the man.
"Whoa, it did get a lot darker suddenly! And it's only a bit past seven." Kaori noted as she checked her phone for the time, mentally sighing as she saw that Haru was currently safe and at home.
"Mhmm, then I'll be seeing you, Orimoto. Take care." The raven haired young man said as he turned to leave, a soft sigh of relief leaving his body as did his built up tension as Kaori's person finally faded from his peripheral.
But, as the raven haired youth tried to return home, he felt a light tug on the hem of his jacket. A mental scream and sigh passing through his mind, Hachiman turned his head slightly to see Kaori staring at him with an unsettling maiden-like look to her eyes, the brunette doing her best to keep a straight expression on her pink tinted face. Tightening her grip on his jacket, Kaori opened her mouth to speak only to find herself unable to voice the questions that ran through her mind. Soon, the brunette's face began to heat up even more when she saw the confused and slightly disturbed face of Hachiman staring right at her. Quickly adverting her gaze once more, Kaori snapped her eyes shut as she tried to calm herself down, taking a shaky but deep breath before finally finding the resolve to voice one of the questions that ran through her mind.
"W-Would you like to talk some more over coffee tomorrow!?" Kaori practically shouted as she kept her attention towards the ground, her eyes snapped tightly shut to avoid any and all chances to see the reaction of the glasses wearing youth.
"What... What did I just say?! Kaori you idiot! You just asked the guy who you turned down, out on a date! Wait! Calm down! Calm down, i-its just for coffee! Yeah! J-Just for a bit of chatting and coffee! N-Nothing more! Definitely nothing more!" The panicking brunette told herself to forcibly calm herself down, though she was still not daring to raise her head to see the unavoidable face of Hachiman.
"I'm sorry, I must've heard you wrong. What did you say?" Hachiman asked in a tone of absolute denial, Kaori freezing before all tension in her body left as the reality of what was happening struck her.
"Heh, I must sound crazy... Huh, Hikigaya?" Kaori countered as she rose her head to glance at the young man's face, feeling a pang of pain and sorrow shoot through her when she saw the skepticism and caution lurking in the depths of his gaze.
"I don't expect you to act all buddy-buddy with me, e-even being friendly must be killing you right now, right? B-But... I... I just want a chance to make up for what I did before... You said that what happened, happened, right? Well... I-I'd just like a chance to get to know you a bit better, Hikigaya. Haha... I-I probably sound like some shallow girl or something, huh?" Kaori explained as she released his jacket from her grip, moving to rub the back of her head as the hollow and forced laughter that left the mouth of the girl resonated slightly with the raven haired young man.
"Ha... You're really dead set on this, aren't you? Wouldn't someone like the prince or his friend be more interesting to talk to?" Hachiman asked in pure curiosity, Kaori having a grimace cross her face as she remembered the cutting and piercing words of the blonde.
"You're not wrong to think that, especially with what happened before. But, Hayato isn't the one that I want to talk to. It's you, Hikigaya." Kaori answered as Hachiman tensed instantly, feeling nothing but dread and horror fill him when he felt his heart almost skip a beat at both her admission and hopeful eyes.
"You really aren't making this easy on me." He quipped as she laughed a bit dryly, her faux smile dimming to a somber and resigned one as Hachiman let out a sigh.
"What time and where." The glasses wearing youth said as Kaori's eyes widened with renewed hope, staring somewhat blankly at him as Hachiman felt his day off grow more and more bothersome.
"R-Right! Give me one second! Let's see... Nope... Too expensive... Tacky... Bad reviews..." Kaori exclaimed as she swiftly pulled out her phone, working quickly as she swiped through the various reviews of the cafes that filled the area.
Watching her concentrate and devote such effort to finding something as simple as a cafe, Hachiman couldn't help but smirk slightly at Kaori. Like he remembered, she was still blunt and spoke her mind without hesitation. Always speaking freely without any consideration towards whoever she spoke to. An overly friendly, yet inconsiderate person when it came to how others feel. But, he could see that she was trying to change, trying to at least make an attempt, an effort, to make herself a better person. No matter how small such an effort or attempt was, it was something that Hachiman could and did respect. So, instead of feeling irritated and irked like he wanted to, he amused himself by watching a frantic Kaori panic while trying to settle on a choice of cafe. A decision that would affect the raven haired young man's life, in both the positive and negative.
(Time Skip - Five Minutes Later)
"There!" Kaori declared in a triumphant manner, having finally decided upon a cafe where the two would meet the following day.
"Mmm. Right then, see you then." Hachiman replied as he pocketed his phone, noting with a slight wince the tiny flash of pain that crossed the eyes of the brunette at his rather dismissive answer.
"R-Right. See you then, Hachiman." Kaori answered in a softer tone, offering him a small and slightly pained smile as the raven haired young man nodded his head before turning around.
"...Need me to walk you home?" Hachiman asked softly as Kaori blinked before having her eyes widen slightly, but just as they did they became a bit half lidded as a soft laugh left her mouth.
"Oh? Charmed already, Hikigaya? We haven't even been on a date, yet you want to walk me home?" Kaori teased in a coy and light tone, obviously in jest as Hachiman couldn't help but crack a tiny smirk at the return of her energetic self.
"See you tomorrow, Orimoto." Said the raven haired youth as he resumed his trek back home, Kaori offering a small but warm smile towards his back as she waved softly at his retreating form.
"See you tomorrow, Hikigaya..." Whispered Kaori as she lowered her hand, clenching it slightly as she let her gaze linger on his shrinking form for a bit longer before turning and heading home herself.
With Hachiman, the raven haired young man found himself falling into a bit of self reflection as he slowly strode home. The entirety of his current thoughts were solely focused on the chance meeting and subsequent exchange with Kaori Orimoto, leaving even the parting words of Saki's father to fall to the wayside in favor of sifting through what had happened. Had he truly changed so much since the last time the two of them had spoken? It had been merely a few months since they had last seen each other, but the exchange between the two was far more pleasant and, dare he say, comfortable. The fact that Hachiman had actually felt somewhat comfortable while talking with Kaori, at least as comfortable as someone who was rejected and ignored by could possible be, was a complete surprise to the young man. It was also a fact that unnerved the young man and struck a melancholic chord within him.
"...Now I know what Keima-sama and Chihiro-chan felt like in Chapter 189." Hachiman thought to himself as a humorless chuckle softly left his mouth, glancing up towards the sky as his laughter shifted to a somber sigh.
Wordlessly, the young man refocused his attention forward as he carried on in silence. While it wasn't the ideal or expected outcome, the promise to meet with Kaori in the coming day was one that he had made. And for the raven haired youth, promises were something that he would do everything in his power to keep, though he would adamantly deny any and all claims of such behavior.
(Time Skip - The Next Day)
(Scene Change - Chiba: Makuhari Station Square)
"Oi... Oi, oi, oi! What're you doing!? You're really here an hour early?! It's like you're actually excited about this or something!" Hachiman screamed to himself as he checked his phone for the time, quickly developing a cold sweat as reality of it current situation hit him.
As for said situation, Hachiman could be seen standing in the square of the Makuhari Station with a stiff expression as he tried and failed to wake from the nightmare that he was currently experiencing. Having arrived an hour early from the predetermined meeting time of noon, the raven haired young man was doing his best not to have a complete mental breakdown from the absolutely embarrassing and awkward blunder. Seeing as it was still a 'date' of sorts, as light as a talk over coffee could be considered one, Hachiman had taken the liberty of dressing a bit nicer, something that his mother had complimented him on; of course that was after forcing the young man to change his clothes and fix his hair once she saw how he had originally planned to look while he attempted to leave the house. His current attire consisted of a plain white, long sleeve shirt resting beneath a black, vest jacket that was zipped up to help ease the minor chill that still lingered from the morning. With a simple pair of black pants and white sneakers, he had his glasses on along with his headphones to complete the ensemble. Concerning his hair, it was just as messy as ever, though according to Kanami it was the current 'style,' not that Hachiman was all that concerned with 'style' in the first place. After all, 'practicality and comfort' always came before 'style' in the eyes of the young man.
"Calm down, it's not over yet. Orimoto isn't supposed to be here for another hour, just need to get out of here and hide until then. And when I see her, I'll wait a bit longer before heading over." Hachiman assessed as he managed to lose some of the tension that filled his body, slacking a bit as he loosened the death grip he had on his phone.
Moving quickly, or at least as quickly as one could in public without being seen as a maniac or weirdo, Hachiman took a scan of the area before moving towards a quaint looking bookstore that caught his eyes during his sweep of the area. Heading inside, he instantly felt his tension leave as the familiar and comforting scent of paper and print filled his nose. Unconsciously, a small smile made its way to his face as he let his eyes wander across the store. Sby oneeeing an elderly woman manning the counter, contently reading a small book while sipping on a cup of tea, she paused and offered him a smile as he returned it. Having finished greeting the owner, who Hachiman deduced she was based on how at ease she was at the helm of the shop, he headed towards the section of the store that contained his precious light novels, secretly hoping that he'd manage to find something that would break him out of the inordinate amount of 'isekai' themed novels that had become so popular.
"Mmm... Nothing, hmm..." He mused to himself quietly as he pulled books from the shelf one by one, checking the cover art and synopsis before placing them back in their proper places.
Whilst he was perusing the many books that were laid out in front of him, Hachiman found himself losing sight of his original objective as he tried to find a book that would break him out of his literature related slump. In the midst of pulling another book from the shelf, he heard a slight gasp that piqued his curiosity, turning and promptly wishing that he hadn't as the surprised face of Kaori was staring directly at him. Silence quickly filled scene of the two as the only sounds in the shop were the soft undertones of classical music, the occasional chime of the front door and light sound of chatter from the handful of other customers. Stiffly, Hachiman braved the awkward atmosphere as he mechanically placed the offending book back into its spot on the shelf. Finished, he broke the staring contest between Kaori and himself when he went to check his phone, his heart dropping into his stomach with red staining his cheeks when he saw that it was barely a quarter past eleven. Slowly, he rose his eyes and saw that Kaori was also staring down at her phone with slowly reddening cheeks, the hands gripping her phone trembling slightly as utter mortification filled her person.
"Oh my god... Please, please, please! Please tell me that isn't Hikigaya! Why!? Why is he here an hour early!? Why am I here an hour early!? Ahh! What is even going on with me?! He'll think I'm like some super desperate girl, getting here an hour early all dressed up just for some coffee and chatting! No! No, no, no! Just kill me!" Kaori screamed to herself in her mind, her red face growing to a shade of crimson as nothing else but her current predicament mattered to the brunette.
For the two youths currently bathing in the realization that they were not only an hour early to their predetermined meetings but found hiding before the destined hour that was noon, nothing but absolute humiliation and shame could be seen on their reddening faces. Hachiman could be seen with a red tinted face, his lips quivering a bit with the confused and panicked spasms of his nervous system trying to calm itself and find a way to escape the horrible reality that was his current situation. As for Kaori, the brunette had her cheeks puffed out slightly as she desperately held in the scream of indignation that was fighting to be let loose from her throat, her shoulders shaking as utter embarrassment filled her system. Then, as slow and steady as a tortoise, the two forcibly shifted their bodies and heads to lock gazes with the other party, as much as it pained and mortified them to do so.
"U-Umm... H-Heya, Hikigaya..." Greeted Kaori in an incredibly stiff and unnatural manner, an equally stiff smile on her crimson face as Hachiman felt his own flushed face get a shade deeper.
"Y-Yo Orimoto..." Replied the raven haired young man in an equally rigid tone, offering her a small nod of his head as silence took over the two once more.
"S-So... F-Fancy meeting you here, huh? I was in the a-area and figured that I'd you know, do some shopping..." Kaori stated as she tried to smooth over the extremely awkward atmosphere, Hachiman mentally thanking the brunette for taking the plunge as he nodded in turn.
"S-Same, I've wanted to check out this bookstore for a while. Heard about it from my old bosses..." He answered as Kaori lost a bit of her embarrassment, opting to shift it to curiosity about the raven haired young man's work experience given what she heard of his laziness from his club mates.
"Really? W-Well, wanna grab that c-coffee now?" Kaori offered as Hachiman nodded a bit too quickly for his own liking, the brunette catching it as she let a mental sigh leave seeing that she wasn't the only one who was experiencing the awkward atmosphere.
Taking Kaori's offer as a signal to leave the store, the two headed towards the door as the shopkeeper offered them a kind and knowing smile, instantly causing the crimson in their faces to return as the hastened their pace. Though, upon leaving that same crimson faded to a shade of pink as they kept a fair but comfortable distance between themselves. Walking in silence, it was a tad uncomfortable but neither of the two made a comment about it as they shot glances towards the other when they assumed that they weren't looking. After a few minutes, the pair found themselves at a cutesy looking animal themed cafe that drew a wince to Hachiman, Kaori catching it as a slight giggle left her mouth. The sound caused a bit of red to return to the young man's cheeks, though he shot her amused look as she smiled a bit larger in response.
"Come'on, the cuteness isn't going to kill you!" Kaori said in a lighter and teasing tone as she headed inside, Hachiman letting a sigh leave as he resigned himself to the fate of dining in such a childish themed cafe as he followed the brunette to a table beside the shop's windows.
"So... What're you getting?" Hachiman asked after scanning the blackboard that acted as the menu of the shop, Kaori furrowing her brows and pursing her lips as she took a look for herself.
"Hmm... I think I'm gonna get a decaf polar bear café au lait and grizzly bear tart!" Kaori stated in a sure tone as turned back to look at Hachiman, nearly laughing out loud when she saw the look of pure confusion on his face.
"R-Right, wait here." He stammered after breaking from his stupor, Kaori shooting him a confused look before panicking slightly when she realized what he was trying to do.
"W-Wait! You don't need to pay for mine, Hikigaya!" She yelped slightly as she stood up, pink coloring her cheeks as desperately tried forcing her fluttering heart to still from the simple act of kindness from the young man.
"I know, but... Haa, don't worry about it. It's just this once, alright." Hachiman countered as he rubbed the back of his neck, Kaori growing quiet before shyly nodding her head in acceptance as she took her seat once more.
Seeing the brunette relent, Hachiman offered her a nod of gratitude before heading to the register to order their items. Watching him go, Kaori couldn't help but feel her heart hammer harder, clutching slightly at her chest as she tried to ease the ache that echoed through her. How could she be feeling this way? Feeling her heart skip and flutter so easily by the same young man who she had rejected and failed to acknowledge in the past. That thought and the bitter memories that accompanied it were enough to break the brunette from her maiden-like state, though the gloom and somber glint that shone in her eyes and the self-deprecating smile that marred were a stark contrast to what she was so blissfully and ignorantly experiencing earlier.
"I don't have a right to be feeling like that, not after how I've treated him... And even then, it's not like he's interested in me anymore..." Kaori thought to herself in a somber manner, lifting her slightly dimmer eyes to watch the man converse with the young lady manning the register as a pang of jealousy shot through her when she caught a slight twinkle in the other woman's eyes.
But just as the twinge of jealousy came, it left when Kaori reminded herself of her current situation. Why and how could she be feeling jealous? They were nothing more then acquaintances, if that, why was she acting like she had any claim or connection to the young man other then a few passing of words in the past? For Kaori, she couldn't find a reasonable answer in her heart. Or rather she wasn't able to find an answer that she could find without seeming like a horrible person in regards to her relationship with Hachiman. Though, just as she was about to delve into slightly darker and unsavory thoughts, the scent of sweets and coffee caught her nose, snapping her from her depressive state as she found herself staring into the slightly concerned eyes of Hachiman as a wonderful and painful heat entered her heart once more.
"You alright? You looked a bit down." Hachiman asked in a concerned and slightly stiff manner, Kaori feeling a bit of that heat fade when she caught the tension that was present in his voice while he voiced his concerns.
"Sad? N-Not at all! I'm just thinking about tomorrow's homework is all, Hikigaya! Rumor has it that my new math teacher is a real stickler about assignments!" Kaori replied with a small smile and overly chipper tone, Hachiman saying nothing though he nodded in turn and offered her the items she had ordered.
A few words of thanks and a smile leaving her mouth, Kaori gained a fonder smile when she saw Hachiman flush a bit at the gratitude that she had given him. Her eyes gained a warm, though it pained her to feel that steadily addicting sensation, light to them as she watched Hachiman blow slightly on his coffee before taking a sip. Then, just when she thought she was adamant about not growing any more enchanted by the glasses wearing youth, the soft and satisfied smile that graced his face shook the foundations of Kaori's faith as she immediately burned the image of the smiling young man to her mind.
"It's good. Nice choice, Orimoto." Hachiman said with an equally satisfied tone, Kaori simply nodding while taking a sip of her drink as well as she refused to trust her voice at the moment.
And like her raven haired companion, once the sweet and rich taste of her café au lait hit her tastes buds she let a content smile grace her face. Then, with the addition of their beverages and treats, the awkward encounter and subsequent meeting from earlier was a thing of the past, the two falling into a bit of light conversation that would have fooled many into thinking that they were good friends or a newly made couple with how comfortable they seemed to be with each other. But beneath those pleasant expressions and smiles, anxiety and tension were filling the two as they tried to keep a cool and collected expression in spite of their inner turmoil. However, with the two keeping the topics of conversation simple and easy, they were avoiding the possibility of creating a situation where a question or answer would shift the power dynamic from a neutral and controlled state to one where one side had power over the other. A state that would soon come to fruition with the addition of variables outside the control of the two.
"-nd I'm probably going to stick with just volunteering, haha. I'm not really cut out for the student council, you know? But! I am going to be joining the newspaper club this year!" Kaori continued as she gave a brief rundown of her plans for the coming year, her smile and energy growing when she saw the small smirk that crossed Hachiman's face.
"That so? Good for you, though I'd suggest that you tone back on the 'preach it' if you're going to be writing." Hachiman threw back in a slightly smug manner as the brunette quickly lost her smile and energy, an angry and embarrassed pout marring her face as she leered at the young man.
"Oi. Don't make me mad, Hikigaya. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." Kaori warned the raven haired young man as Hachiman lost his smug demeanor, Kaori gaining a smirk in place of her pout as she watched the man mutter something inaudible under his breath as a waitress stopped by their table.
"Excuse me you two! Sorry for interrupting your date, but you both would be perfect for our couple's promotion! Would you like to be a part of it? It come's with a free dessert for two!" The waitress asked as Hachiman froze instantly, his mental faculties stalling as he tried to force the words of denial out of his mouth.
But before he could answer and to his utter horror, Kaori immediately agreed upon hearing of the free dessert. An excited cheer coming from the waitress, she hurriedly moved to the kitchen to make the order while Kaori and Hachiman were left waiting for their end. Hachiman was pale and had his earlier tinge of pink return, Kaori on the other hand was simply ecstatic about the free dessert that was coming their way.
And, just like what Hachiman had so woefully predicted, Kaori had her blush return full force when she saw the dessert that was presented to them by their grinning waitress. It was a small chiffon cake, at least Hachiman assumed based on the texture of it, coated in white fondant with an assortment of flowers and hearts in various shades of red and pink. Multiple strawberries dotting the cake, all coated and drizzled with various types of chocolate.
But it was what was on top of the cake that was the source of their current embarrassment. Resting on top of the cake were the words 'World's Happiest Couple' in bright red frosting, an equally bright heart enveloping it. Stiffly, they turned towards the waitress and promptly turned pale when they saw her holding a camera in her hands.
"Alright! Let's get a smile you two! Or if not, you can just pay the cost of the cake! Just six thousand yen!" She chirped as she readied the camera, a smile on her face as the crimson and pale faces of the two seemed even brighter through the viewfinder.
As their waitress took great pleasure in their current, Kaori and Hachiman craned their necks to look at each other; Hachiman sporting a terrifying and embarrassed expression while Kaori looked absolutely guilty. Offering the ravenette a wry and teary smile, Kaori silently pleaded with him to help her out of their current situation, a twitch of the brow from the man being all that she received. Like always, the sight of a teary eyed young lady nipped at his instincts as an older brother, Hachiman sighing as he dropped his expression. Nodding at her, he gestured towards the camera with his head as Kaori's eyes widened and gleamed a bit. The two turning to look at the camera, Hachiman let a soft smile cross his face while Kaori followed and let a shy one grace her own. Then a quick flash followed as Hachiman quickly lost his smile, his usual deadpanned face returning as Kaori was left with her shy smile.
"There, now that wasn't so bad, was it? Here, let me go make a copy for the two of you!" The waitress chirped as she left with a skip to her step, quickly calling over her coworkers as the pair left behind stared blankly at her.
"...There wasn't a promotion, was there..." Kaori quipped in a dry tone, all embarrassment from earlier fading as she realized what had just happened.
"There will be one, now..." Hachiman added as he watched the cafe staff rush to put together a promotional event, feeling his trust in humanity dropping as their waitress cackled rather evilly while yen signs shone in her eyes.
A pair of resigned sighs leaving the mouths of the two, the youths spent a second lamenting on their fate before deciding to abandon what was left of their dignity and indulge in the cake. Both taking a forkful of cake, though pink colored their cheeks when they accidentally touched the other, they tasted the baked sweet.
As soon as the cake touched their tongues, their eyes widened as a burst of sugary sweet flavor filled their mouths. Kaori about to help herself to the cake, she paused when she spotted Hachiman staring keenly at the baked treat in front of them. About to ask if something was wrong, her worries were replaced with mirth and affection when she heard him trying to dissect the cake.
"Here you go, miss! And for you sir!" The voice of their waitress chirped as she arrived with photos in tow, handing the pair their commemorative photos.
Looking at the photos, Kaori was left speechless as she gazed at the pair in the photo. A smiling Hachiman and herself, looking like they were really on a date and not just meeting to chat over coffee. A somber smile crossing her lips, she turned to thank the waitress who smiled a bit softer at her sincere words of gratitude before leaning in to whisper in her ear.
"Don't worry, okay? As long as you're willing to put your heart in it, what happened between the two of you shouldn't matter. Just make sure you don't let go of him this time." Whispered the waitress as Kaori's eyes widened in both fright and surprise, snapping her head towards the older girl as she just winked in a reassuring and knowing manner before heading back to the counter.
Left speechless by the unsettlingly observant waitress, her words resounded and echoed through the heart of the brunette. Did she even deserve a second chance with the raven haired young man in front of her? The rational part of her mind vehemently denied her of any and all thoughts or ideas of the notion, listing and detailing the various errors of her past to her growing gloom. But it was the other side of her mind, a small and soft spoken part, that voiced the growing well of bottled emotion that filled her heart, which hopefully expressed her most inner desire. A wish. That small and soft voiced part of Kaori's heart simply wished to have another chance at happiness, a chance which she would wholeheartedly grasp with her hands if allowed to.
"Well, it's been nice talking with you, Orimoto. But I gotta go now, take care." Hachiman said after finishing the last of his coffee, offering the brunette a tiny and very rare but true smile that caused the last bastions of Kaori's restraint to crumble.
"H-Hikigaya!" Kaori blurted in a hasty and tense tone, startling the man as he flinched a bit before nodding slowly as the brunette mustered up her courage to voice her hope for another outing together.
"I had a great time talking with you today, Hikigaya. So... I-I was wondering if you'd want t-" Kaori told the man in an earnest and heartfelt tone with a shade of red coloring her cheeks, the tender and tense moment being interrupted when a sudden gasp and shriek sounded from beside their table.
"H-Hachiman?!" Came a very familiar but strangely feminine voice, the two turning to look at a silver haired young lady with blue eyes wide with what looked like terror and confusion.
"What?" Voiced the two youths now staring at the newcomer with contrasting expressions, Hachiman looking absolutely confused while Kaori's gaze bore an edge of jealousy.
"N-Nothing! S-Sorry to interrupt you two! Ah! Look at the time, I-I should get going n-" The young lady apologized before gazing at her bare wrist as an expression of faux shock crossed her face, moving quickly to excuse herself when another voice called out to her.
"Saika! I got our desserts, sweetie! Ufufu! Just wait until your father sees the picture I sent him of you and me! He'll be so jealous that his most important girls are enjoying their Sunday while he's stuck in a boring meeting!" Came the excited and airy voice of an older woman who bore a striking resemblance to the silver haired young lady, Kaori still gazing at her suspiciously while Hachiman felt his entire world start to crack and crumble as he realized just who the silver haired young lady was.
"T-Totsuka...?" Asked the raven haired young man in an apprehensive and tense tone, his suspicions being proven when he saw her shoulders jump and her body freeze.
"Ara? Are you friends with my little Saika! It's so nice to meet you! I'm Satsuki Totsuka, Saika's mother! I hope my daughter hasn't caused the two of you any trouble!" Satsuki chirped in a bright and chipper tone, instantly causing blood to both leave and fill Saika's face.
Stiffly, Saika and Hachiman craned their heads to gaze at the other; Hachiman gaining a tinge of pink while Saika's cheeks were a full shade of crimson. The sight of the two drew contrasting reactions from the two others present, Satsuki's eyes gleaming as a mischievous smile slowly crawled onto her face. Kaori on the other hand had a stronger twinge of jealousy jolt through her, the brunette clenching her fists slightly as she bitterly watched the young man she was interested in have such a reaction to a strikingly beautiful and delicate looking young lady.
Why? Why was it when she was just solidifying her resolve and had mustered the courage to ask Hachiman on another date despite her fears and apprehensions that another girl had to appear? One, among others Kaori might add, who seemed interested in the young man just as she was. Oh, she could remember the others who she just knew liked him more then they led others or themselves to believe. The two that had shown up on their first 'date' that Hayama, Kaori could immediately tell that the pink haired, airheaded one was head over heels for him, Kaori could practically see that twinkle in her eyes whenever she spoke to him. The black haired prissy one, the brunette was on the fence about her when they had first met, Kaori having initially thought that she was just a club member to Hachiman. But then came the Pre-Valentine's day collaboration, it was then that Kaori could see that twinkle in the raven haired young lady's eyes, no matter how tiny or how hard she tried to hide it. When she decided to give Hachiman her first batch of chocolates, seeing the flash of panic that crossed their eyes only cemented the fact that they were in love with him.
But it wasn't just the two of them, there was that underclassman of his, the student council president of his school if Kaori remembered correctly. When they had first met, or at least when she had introduced herself, Kaori could immediately see how fake that cutesy and clumsy act of hers was. However, it was the perfect cover for the younger girl to manipulate and exploit others for her own purposes, even Kaori herself was nearly brought under her spell when she managed to convince Tamanawa to pitch in and help with the baking event during Valentine's Day, though when she remembered that her whole character was just an act the brunette quickly recovered. There was something between those girls and Hachiman that brought a mix of anxiety and fear into Kaori's heart, there was something between them that didn't exist between him and her.
For the airhead, it seemed like Hachiman treated her like a nuisance, but Kaori had heard of times where the two of them were exceedingly intimate and gentle with one another. Kaori nearly had a heart attack when she heard a rumor that Hachiman frequently laid his head on her lap so she could run her hands through his raven locks, whispering sweet nothings to each other while simply enjoying their time together. Though his name was never mentioned in said rumor, the only person who Kaori had seen the airhead look at with such longing and intimacy was Hachiman, and Kaori had seen those same eyes reflected back at the pink haired young lady by Hachiman. Even earlier, when they were talking about mundane things, when the raven haired young man mention Yuigahama, there was always a small smile that accompanied his tales of her antics and activities.
For the black haired 'queen', it felt like she was someone who Hachiman treated as an equal of sorts. There was tell of the two of them trading words and wit, though evidently it was the raven haired young lady that mostly came out on top. But despite that he spoke of her with respect and fondness, a stark contrast to the rather brutal tales of her destruction of his choice in literature and hobbies. To be able to speak of someone who seemed to look down on you and mock you and what you enjoy, even if was in jest, wasn't an easy thing to do. Kaori had firsthand experience with dealing with people like that, those who thought it was funny to poke fun at things you felt insecure about or like just because they 'assume' that you would be alright with it. But it wasn't that way for Hachiman and that girl, the snorts of amusement that left him when he recounted rather cutting barbs that she had shot him were full of pure amusement and mirth, not false or forced at all.
For his conniving underclassman, Kaori had to admit that he treats her much like someone would treat their younger sibling, treating her as something more akin to a little sister based on what she had observed. Adding to that notion, there was something going on between them during that whole event, even beyond him treating her like she was a little sister. There was an underlying sense of responsibility that he seemed to take for her, always making sure that there was at least a safe option for her when discussions happened. At first there wasn't a hint of attraction from the girl, merely using Hachiman for her own purposes, something that Kaori will never forget. But then something happened, something big if it was enough to cause a spark of attraction to Hachiman from Hayama in the young lady. It was very clear to Kaori when she had asked him if she had ever given him any chocolate, the brunette nearly laughing when she remembered the haunted look on the younger brunette's face.
And those were just the three that Kaori was currently aware of, adding in this new girl would make that count grow to five, with herself included. Just why? Why were so many girls attracted to this depressing, mopey, gloomy, bland, average, funny, smart, adorable, responsible, handsome, gentle, kind, guy?! Just two years ago, none of those girls would have given him the time of day! Kaori was the only one who did and he confessed to her, didn't that already forever secure a special place in his heart?! But on that same accord, it was also the reason why he was probably so hesitant and tense when she was around him, Kaori falling back into a slightly depressive slump as her past grievances were brought back to the forefront of her mind. Kaori mentally shook her head as she swore to herself that she wouldn't allow herself to play the 'first girl' card as she had ripped it and torched its remains to ash ages ago. Kaori Orimoto had to work her way back from square one, or rather from zero based on how unstable their current relationship was. Though, it was a challenge that the brunette was willing and ready to face head on, and that challenge had a new challenger to face.
"H-Hachiman... I-I can explain!" Saika said in a shaky and tearful tone, Satsuki's mischievous smile fading to a concerned one as she shot an equally worried look towards her daughter.
"Y-You... You're a girl?" Hachiman asked as time seemed to stall for the four, all eyes falling onto Saika as her blush increased ten-fold.
"...Saika... I thought you said that it was only for freshman year..." Satsuki asked in a slightly sad tone, instantly causing the silver haired young lady to freeze as her head dipped slightly in both shame and guilt.
"Excuse me, ma'am. But T-Totsuka must have had a valid reason for doing so." Hachiman blurted out almost automatically as his 'angel protection senses' began to blare loudly, getting a curious look from Satsuki, a slightly dubious one from Kaori and a stunned one from Saika.
"H-Hachiman!" Saika cried out in a teary and warm tone, an equally warm and teary smile crossing her face as Hachiman nearly fainted from such a devastatingly powerful sight.
"Hikigaya, who is this?" Kaori asked somewhat irritably as she finally decided to include herself into the conversation, getting Saika's full attention as a unknown yet familiar emotion tightly gripped the heart of the silver haired young lady.
"I-I'm Totsuka Saika, H-Hachiman's best friend!" Saika proclaimed earnestly as a strange feeling of elation filled her heart at the slight flinch that Kaori displayed, the brunette equally as stunned as Hachiman as the raven haired young man had no recollection of making such a pact with the silver haired youth.
"Oh my... Is this what you young people call 'love triangle'?" Satsuki asked with a shade of pink on her cheeks, her previously sullen expression replaced with an extremely curious and impish one.
With those words, all tension left as crimson filled the cheeks of the three, all three quickly denying any and all accusations that Satsuki had about their current situation. Seeing them try so hard to mend their current predicament, the woman just giggled before winking at them in a knowing manner, focusing on her daughter as Saika's blush intensified as she recognized the look in her mother's eyes. Having had enough of both the situation and seeing any more moments between the two of them, Kaori gathered her courage once more before taking a huge risk and latching onto the sleeve of Hachiman's jacket. The action stunning the two with her, Kaori ignored them and the wide eyed gaze of the waitress who had helped push her to pursue her heart's desire, she excused herself and Hachiman before trying to lead the man out of the cafe. But, to the absolute ire of Kaori, Saika latched onto Hachiman's hand, squeezing it as crimson flooded both her cheeks and the young man she was holding onto.
"W-Wait, please! U-Umm... H-Hachiman, if you're n-not busy later, c-can we talk?" Saika asked with a demure expression on her face, Hachiman simply nodding stiffly as he refused to trust his voice in the current moment.
With that, Saika shot him one last radiant smile before letting him go, but not before giving his hand one more squeeze. For the raven haired young man caught in the middle of such a seemingly dream-like and improbable series of events, he was left powerless as Kaori regained her bearings and continued to drag him out of the room, shooting Saika one last gaze as she silver haired young lady seemed to smile somewhat haughtily as she waved at the brunette. Narrowing her eyes slightly, Kaori returned it with a wave of her own, scooting a tad closer to Hachiman as she led him out of the cafe, internally enjoying the slight twitch that the entered the silver haired young lady's smile. Watching them leave, Saika let her smile drop to a thin line as she watched Kaori drag Hachiman around the corner of the street, her previous glee fading to apathy as numerous things raced through her mind.
That was Hachiman?! Why was he even here?! Why didn't he tell her that he liked this cafe?! Why did he look so different?! Why did he look so... So cool? Handsome? Stunning? But the more important questions, the ones that jumped to the forefront of her mind were about that girl. Why was she here with Hachiman? Why did she act like she was his g-girlfriend?! Why did her heart ache when she saw her act so intimate with him? There were too many things that confused Saika at the moment, but the most important question was one that she had completely overlooked in favor of seeing her 'best friend' for the first time since their school year had started. The question that Saika had overlooked was one pertaining to escaping or tricking the gleaming eyed woman staring her down, Saika finally realizing her folly as she stiffly rose her head to lock gazes with her mother.
"Well, well, well... So Saika, where do you want to start? We have all day~!" Satsuki chirped in a bright and sweet tone, though the impishness of her current expression and giggle drew a shiver from both Saika and their waitress as she shakily backed away from their table to where her coworkers were situated.
"...I think we just hit a gold mine, ladies..." Stated the waitress who had tended to Kaori and Hachiman, the yen signs previously in her eyes replaced with utter curiosity and excitement as the manga-like situation that had unfolded before them captured the attention of all of the cafe staff.
"...Can I show them the picture you took of them from earlier? That way, we can control the situation better?" Asked another waitress as she shakily held onto the photo of Kaori and Hachiman, turning to look at her supervisor with eyes of barely restrained excitement.
"...The arrogance of man is thinking nature is in their control, and not the other way around... Let them fight..." Stated the supervisor in a cryptic manner, adjusting her glasses just enough that the glare of the lights washed away her eyes.
"Get these orders out! That means you too, Asako! Quit playing around and get that couple's promotion done already! Just cause you're my kid doesn't mean you can slack off!" Came an irritated shout from the kitchen, causing all the waitresses to yelp and run to the counter where the various snacks and drinks laid, leaving their supervisor alone as her head slumped slightly.
"...Damn it old man..." She muttered in an embarrassed and angered tone, trudging to follow her coworkers as all the excitement from earlier was washed away with the tide of new customers and orders.
And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay awesome.