"Yo." - Person Talking
"Yo." - Person Thinking
And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go.
"...Orimoto?" Asked Hachiman in a slightly concerned as he finally found the voice that he had lost during the previous encounter with Saika, the young man having been led by the sleeve by Kaori in silence since their departure from the cafe.
"...What?" Kaori answered with a cold and distant tone, the brunette slowing her steps as the two stopped in front of a convenience store.
Staring at the back of the shorter young lady, Hachiman remained silent as studied her body language. He had seen her current demeanor before; her sagged shoulders, dipped head, the way she was barely trying to contain the frustration that desperately wanted to be loosed onto the world, Hachiman was far too familiar with it. The raven haired youth's eyes softening, he gently removed Kaori's hand from his sleeve as the brunette flinched before freezing when she felt his hand pry off her fingers. Without a word, Hachiman walked away from her, leaving Kaori alone in the middle of the sidewalk as a deep shudder wracked the body of the brunette.
So this was how her love story with Hachiman finally ended, somewhat ionic if Kaori could say. Standing still, the brunette refused to move from her spot, not wanting to see the empty space that the young man had once stood behind her. Once again, Kaori had pushed away the raven haired young man, only this time it was when he was merely voicing his concerns for her well being. Why? Why did she act like this whenever it came to Hachiman? Why couldn't she just be open and honest with him? Why couldn't she just be genuine?
A mirthless giggle leaving her, Kaori's eyes dimmed as they gained hollow look to them. The arm was was held out behind her, the same that had held onto the sleeve of the young man, slowly fell back to her side as Kaori took a shaky breath to ease her frazzled nerves. Her eyes stinging as the tears that were dancing on the edge of them were just about to fall, they were halted by an errant swipe of her sleeve, the young lady doing everything in her power to not break down in the open. Shaking her head to rid it of the dark and depressing thoughts that were beginning to dance through it, she was about to trudge her way home only to raise her head and see an arm holding out a can of her secretly beloved strawberry latte.
"You still like this stuff, right?" Hachiman asked in a slightly awkward manner, internally hoping and praying that the brunette wouldn't get creeped or grossed out that he remembered her favorite drink from their few talks back in middle school.
The sight and his words causing her eyes to grow wide, Kaori simply stared at the can being offered to her before following the arm up to its owner's face. Why? Why did he have to look at her with such beautiful and soulful eyes? A complex mix of emotions danced in those gray-hazel orbs, eyes that Kaori simply wished to stare at for as long as she could. Concern and caution, two contrasting emotions were the most present in them, but there was always that small kindling of warmth and kindness that took Kaori's breath away and caused her heart to hammer in her chest.
Even after all that she had done, even after all that he was forced to go through because of her answer, how he was still able to look at her like that? Wordlessly, Kaori accepted her beloved drink from the young man as they stood a bit awkwardly in silence. A few seconds passing, Hachiman wasn't able to bear it much longer as he gestured towards a nearby bench with his head, Kaori nodding dumbly as she followed after him.
The pair taking a seat, silence took hold once more as the two snuck glances at each other. The action being repeated a few times, the back and forth halted when they accidentally locked gazes, crimson blooming on the faces of the two as they quickly adverted their gazes. But slowly, Kaori shifted her head to glance at Hachiman, seeing the raven haired young man still adverting his gaze as the embarrassment and tension that filled her body started to melt.
The look on the young man's face was a priceless one to the brunette, the combination of embarrassment, anxiety and mortification that colored it was a truly hilarious look that greatly contrasted what Kaori had remembered him looking anything like in the past. An unladylike snort leaving her, Kaori turned and let a series of giggles leave her mouth before it turned to full blown laughter.
Hearing her laughing in such a carefree manner stunned Hachiman, though once his surprise melted it turned to a bit of self-loathing as he assumed that she was laughing at his person. But those dark and depressing thoughts were vanquished when she turned and flashed a brilliant smile at him, startling the raven haired youth when she raised her arms up and stretched loudly. Letting loose the breath that she was holding, Kaori had a content sigh leave as she stood up while nodding her head.
"Yosh!" Kaori said to herself as she pumped herself up, Hachiman staring at her like she was crazy as the brunette turned to face him.
"I've decided, Hikigaya! You said it yourself, right! That what's happened, happened!" Stated the brunette in an earnest tone, the raven haired youth flinching as she seemed a lot more outgoing then she had been before.
"Y-Yeah, that's right." He answered as the brunette's smile seemed to grow in radiance, stunning the young man momentarily as she nodded her head in what seemed like resolution.
"Right! So I'm going to say this now! I'm not going to give up! And when Kaori Orimoto promises something, she always delivers! So remember that!" Kaori declared in a confident tone whilst grinning at Hachiman, leaving the young man speechless as she let out another content sigh at her admission.
"Today was a lot of fun, Hikigaya. I hope we can do this again sometime soon, hehe. Well, I guess this is where we call it, huh? I'll talk with you later, okay? And here!" Kaori told the raven haired youth with reddening cheeks, quickly moving to her purse and pulling out a pen and a piece of scrap paper.
Scribbling onto the scrap piece of paper, Kaori folded it before placing it in Hachiman's hands. The act stunning the young man, he was left utterly bewildered when he saw her run off before turning and waving brightly back at him. With her farewells done, Kaori rounded the corner and vanished from the view of the raven haired young man. It took a minute for Hachiman to snap from his stupor, blinking away the confusion that still lingered in his eyes as he slowly lowered his eyes to the piece of paper he had been given by the brunette. Not completely the most sane at the moment, the rather extraordinary and unexpected events that he had experienced stalling his thoughts, he opened it and felt a bit of warmth fill his head.
['Here's my new number, Hikigaya! Send me a text when you get the chance, ok? And thanks for coming, I had a great time. Let's do it again sometime soon!']
Reading that small message along with the number that rested below it, Hachiman saw that she still dotted her letters with small flowers like she had back in middle school. Smiling softly, he pulled his phone out and sent a quick text to the brunette, letting her know that he had a good time as well. Locking his phone, he pocketed it and the note the brunette left for him, feeling a bit embarrassed that he was so giddy over something so trivial. Grunting, he left the area before anyone could see his lightly pink cheeks. But a soft chime from his phone stole his attention, the raven haired young man taking a guess as to who it could be seeing as he had only texted one person within the past hour. Pulling it out, he was surprised to see that it was a text from Saki, the silver haired young lady asking for the recipe of the petit pain au chocolat he had made during his visit to her home.
Furrowing his brow, the raven haired young man tried to recall the exact measurements for the dessert, not wanting to give false information to the silverette, especially concerning something that the Kawasaki children would probably be scarfing down once they caught a whiff of it. Arriving at the station, Hachiman found himself passing the time rather quickly as he spent an amiable time texting with Saki, the two loners having a lively conversation concerning the culinary arts the glasses wearing man could be seen with a small but true and amused smile on his face at Saki's ignorance concerning baked goods. It wasn't long before he heard the boarding call for his home station, quickly wrapping up the conversation that he was having with Saki, to the silver haired young lady's displeasure. Though that displeasure was alleviated when she was reminded that she would be seeing him tomorrow, the young lady bidding him a fond farewell that he returned.
Arriving home short after his conversation with Saki, Hachiman noted that he was home alone, his parents' cars being absent from the garage. Slipping out of his shoes, he took a glance at the clock and saw that it was just a bit after one, the raven haired young man predicting that they would be back no later then three or four seeing as it was a Sunday. Starting towards the kitchen, he checked on Kamakura's food and water, adding a bit more water to his bowl. Finished, he scanned the house for the cat and saw that he was currently resting on the coach, sprawled out in a comfortable and content manner. A smirk crossing his face at the sight, he moved over to rub and scratch the belly of the cat as a soft purr left his mouth at the pleasurable sensations. Heading up the stairs and to his room, he placed the rather precious keepsakes of his meeting with Kaori on his desk while he booted up his PC, taking a bit to fully examine the commemorative photo that he had been given. A tiny smile forming on his face, he shook his head before returning it to his desk. Seeing as there wasn't much to do other then laze around, which was his planned activity for the rest of the day, Hachiman made his way to the bathroom for a quick shower before dedicating the rest of his time and energy to relax.
Grabbing his laundry bag before heading inside, the young man stripped off his clothing, which began to feel a bit muggy and sticky with how warm it was inside his home. Dumping them into the bag, he debated taking a bath or shower but opted for the latter seeing as it would cause a scene should be fall asleep and down whilst relaxing in the tub. Turning on the water, he stepped inside before a sigh of absolute content left his mouth, Hachiman completely at ease as the sound of the front door opening and shutting was swallowed by the water. As for the newcomer, Komachi let a content sigh of her own leave when the comforting scent of her home filled her, feeling that content grow when she saw that her beloved brother was still home. Humming a tune, she trotted to the kitchen for a quick snack whilst debating on how she was going to spent the rest of her day off, already having spent some quality time with Yukino and Yui.
"Who knew that Yukino-chan was so scary when it came to card games..." The ravenette whispered to herself with a slight shiver, the memories of Yui and her bitter defeat and struggle against the raven haired beauty from yesterday night resurfacing.
Rummaging through the cupboard, the youngest Hikigaya was visibly saddened to see a lack of delectable snacks, a sullen groan leaving her as she closed it and moved towards the fridge. Opening it, her despair and hunger grew when she saw that there weren't any sweet treats for her, the same result occurring when she raided the freezer. The light pitter patter of paws catching her ears, she turned and saw her beloved Kamakura trotting to get a bite to eat, meowing at the young lady before helping himself to the food poured out for him. Closing the door to the appliance before she moved to scratch him behind the ears, Komachi soon gained dead eyes when she rose and saw a little note with her mother's handwriting scrawled onto it rested on the surface of the fridge door.
['Machi, Hachi; I ate the last of the matcha ice cream after cleaning the house, I'll pick some up on the way home! Let me know what else you want to eat before I get home, love you!']
A defeated sigh leaving the mouth of the young lady, Komachi sulkily made her way upstairs to change into something more comfortable and breathable then the outfit she currently had on. Reaching the top of the stairs, the sound of the bathroom door unlocking stole her attention, gloomy eyes sliding over to look at the door. Then, a brilliant idea popped into the head of the youngest Hikigaya as she hurriedly tussled her hair and made herself look extremely pitiable, intent on charming her brother into making a pilgrimage to the corner store for some ice cream, soda and chips. Stifling the mischievous giggle that wanted to leave her, she leaned lightly against the railing to appear depleted of energy and to add to her already meek and fragile image. But all thoughts and schemes left her mind when the shirtless form of Hachiman stepped out of the bathroom, a content and happy sigh leaving him as he lightly tussled his hair with a towel.
Almost instantly, Komachi's eyes darted downwards, not by her own volition but by her instincts and reflexes as a woman. Thankfully, though an extremely tiny part of her was somehow feeling discontent and cheated, he had the bottoms of his usual tracksuit on. Slowly, she craned her head upwards and blinked in surprise when she saw that her older brother wasn't as flabby as she had expected. The last time she had seen her bother's body was most likely his first year of middle school when they went to the pool together as a family. Since then there wasn't a recent memory in the mind of the ravenette of Hachiman's body, so seeing the tone musculature of his abdominals, chest, shoulders and arms was a huge surprise to her. The brother she had remembered and knew would no doubt have a slightly rotund figure with all the lazing around that he was known for, but then it started to click with Komachi when she really thought about it.
Hachiman always walked, ran or rode his bike to traverse if possible. It was something that he had explained to her as 'garnering karma for not polluting mother earth' or something of a similar ilk, though it was really to avoid meeting people he knew in case they took the subways often. Then there was his sports activity in middle school, something that only him and his family were aware of, of how hard he had practiced despite not playing as an actual starter or back-up. If she was remembering right, Hachiman had told her that 'if you're going to do something, might as well do it right,' a phrase that their father was known for quipping whenever they were going to do something. Seeing in it that light, that he was simply following their father's words, it made sense as he would return home dirty and sweaty but nonetheless happy with his performance. Now that she was remembering all the effort that he put in for the track and field team and still not having been placed in a single event, Komachi had a miffed expression cross her face as the medal that he had earned back then was one that, while he was deserving of with how hard he had practiced, wasn't one where he felt he had physically earned.
Lost in her thoughts, she was broken from them when she felt something poke her forehead. A startled yelp leaving her, panic and terror soon took hold when her weak hold on the railing proved to be detrimental, Komachi slipping as she started to fall backwards. But almost instantly, she felt wrist being grabbed before a strong tug brought her back over the edge of the staircase. Panic, fear, confusion; there was a wild mix of emotions dancing in the blue eyes of the raven haired young lady, Komachi panting slightly as she tried to ease her hammering heart. She was shaken from her slight stupor when she felt a pair of strong hands place themselves on and grip her shoulders tightly, Komachi focusing her slightly dazed mind on the face in front of her, a face that usually brought her warmth and love only seemed to terrify her now.
"What in the world were you doing, Komachi?! You know that they're slick after mom cleans them, why were you leaning on the railing like that?! If I hadn't caught you, you would've fallen down the stairs! You would've been hurt or worse!" Hachiman snapped at her in an extremely angry and disbelieving tone, Komachi feeling her heart and mind freeze as the furious expression on the face of her brother wasn't one that she had ever remembered seeing.
"I-I... I-I d-don't know, O-Onii-chan... I-I was t-think about stuff and s-slipped..." Komachi tried to explain with a stammer to her voice, only wincing when she saw her brother's eyes light up even more with anger before simmering down.
"I... S-Sorry, it's just... You're not hurt, right?" Hachiman said after taking a second to calm himself, Komachi shaking her head in the negative as she squeezed her brother's hand to help calm and reassure him.
"Mmm, I'm not hurt, Onii-chan... Thanks..." Komachi told him with a small but warm smile on her face, the older Hikigaya nodding somewhat stiffly as he slowly let her go.
Draping the towel over his head, he headed back towards his room as Komachi silently watched him go, guilt seeping into her heart as she softly walked behind him. Passing through his doorway, Komachi stopped by it before holding its frame and leaning onto it, her eyed directed to the ground as she tried to find anything to say that would ease his worries. For the raven haired young man, he slipped on a shirt before hanging his towel on his chair, turning to look at Komachi as she still seemed affected his outburst. Wincing as guilt flashed in his eyes, he grabbed his phone and wallet before exiting his room, silently passing by Komachi without sparing her a glance as the young lady felt her heart crack from his silent treatment. Hearing him descend down the stairs and exit the house, Komachi shuddered slightly before she slowly made her way to her room. Slipping out of her clothes and putting on one of her stolen overly large shirts and a pair of shorts, she plopped face first onto her bed and simply stared at her phone.
"Onii-chan was angry... Angry that I almost got hurt spacing out... Ha... Komachi, when are you going to grow up..." Komachi whispered to herself as she swiped through the various texts and photos sent to her by her friends, pausing when she saw a text from one of her classmates asking her out on a date.
['Hey Hikigaya-san, Ootori here! I was wondering if you'd be free later to maybe hang out and see a movie with me? Let me know alright!']
"A date..." Komachi repeated as she furrowed her brows while trying to recall which of her classmates was Ootori, a raised brow being all that she offered when she finally recalled the young man.
"Let's see... Shorter then Onii-chan, shiny brown hair, sparkly eyes, on the baseball team, real popular with the other girls... What a catch, huh." The ravenette quipped with a snide tone, replying in the negative before moving onto the next message.
Spending the next fifteen minutes on her bed, texting with her friends and classmates, Komachi paused when she heard the front door open. Checking the time on her phone, she sighed softly when she was going to be alone again with her brother, the awkward atmosphere she felt about her brother having not lifted in the slightest. Hearing his ascending the stairs, she scrambled for the pair of headphones resting on the window sill, plugging them into her phone and putting them on before he entered, if he did. Her prediction proved true when she heard knocking on her door, opting to ignore it as she opened up the video app on her phone and started watching videos of cats. Before long the knocking stopped altogether as a bit of her heart ached, a bit saddened that he wasn't as pushy or worried as he usually was. She was proven wrong once more when the door to her room opened, the head of her older brother peeking through the doorway as reflected by her phone's screen.
Watching him through that reflection, she saw him looking at her with guilty eyes which caused her to grip her phone tighter. With the older Hikigaya, Hachiman reached into the bag that he had and pulled out a small tub of matcha and strawberry ice cream, moving to place it on the desk beside her bed. Pausing a bit after placing the frozen treat down, Hachiman reached over and gently ran his hand through her raven locks, softly tussling her hair before leaning down and placing a chaste kiss on her head. Staying there for a few precious seconds, he rose and left her side, though not before patting her head in a loving and gentle manner.
"Sorry Komachi, for yelling at you." He uttered in a soft tone before turning and heading back to his room, the raven haired young man never seeing the quivering form that was his little sister as Komachi teetered on the edge of tears.
The door to her room closing, she took a breath while sniffling as she hastily wiped away the tears that were beginning to spill out of her eyes. Rising, she sat up and stared at the ice cream he had left for her, being her favorite flavor no least. A shaky breath leaving her, she mustered up her courage and forced herself out of bed, intent on reifying the misunderstanding that currently split the two. Grabbing the tub of ice cream on her way out, noting that he had also left a spoon and napkin for her, Komachi strode towards his room with shaky but confident steps. When she arrived at his door, all thoughts and confidence previously filling the raven haired young lady left, only doubt and guilt remaining as she tried to think of anything to help mend the sticky situation she found herself in.
"Going with the cutesy, clumsy routine is definitely out of the picture, Onii-chan is probably still feeling guilty about yelling at me and that stupid routine got us into this mess in the first place. The serious routine should work but then it'll get awkward to get out of it when things calm down, he's not used to seeing me that serious. Ugh, why did I have to start day dreaming about him anyway!? This is all your fault, you've never yelled at your precious Komachi before! Dummy, nincompoop, Onii-chan!" Komachi mentally screamed to herself as she tussled her hair in pure confusion, unable to get a proper read on the current situation having never truly had her older brother yell and scold her.
"Ha... Best approach is going to be the direct one, just tell him you're not angry at him and he was just worried about you. Alright. Yosh. Yosh! Fight on! Ko! Ma! Chi! Fight! On!" She mentally pumped herself up as she lightly slapped her cheeks, taking a breath before knocking on her brother's door.
Silence met her attempt at establishing contact, prevailing for a few seconds that stretched to minutes as she awaited a response from him. A small frown crossing her face, Komachi braved the silence and opened the door with a wince on her face as she envisioned the unamused face of her brother staring at her once he came into view. The only thing that met her however, was his back to her as he seemed to be indulging himself in a game on his desktop. A sigh leaving her mouth at the sight, she squeezed the slightly soft tub of ice cream before making her way towards him. Debating on whether or not she should disturb him, she let her eyes wander his desk before they nearly bugged out of their sockets.
There wasn't any way that what she was looking at was real in any reality in which Hachiman Hikigaya was anything like her beloved brother was, a cynical but lovable oaf of a big brother. But what Komachi was currently looking at, a single piece of photographic evidence proved that perhaps she didn't know her brother as well as she did, and that thought struck a painful chord deep within her heart. All pleasantries were thrown out of the window at that moment, the hand that was once softly squeezing the tub of ice cream he had bought for her was now emptying the contents of said tub with how tight the death grip she had on it was. Her eyes narrowing and her mouth thinning to a small line, she dropped the ruined and emptied tub onto the floor, making a note to both apologize and clean it up properly after she was finished interrogating her brother. Not wasting any time, she reached over and grabbed his shoulder, her stony face cracking a bit when she saw him jump at the sudden touch.
Turning around in a hurry due to the fear pumping through his body, Hachiman soon calmed his hammering heart when he saw that it was his little sister who had grabbed him. A bit surprised that she was out of her room and in his, he was about to ask her how she was feeling only for the words to catch in his throat. The expression that was currently resting on the face of his little sister wasn't a pleasant one, being the complete opposite in fact. Her furrowed brows, downturned lips and accusatory gaze causing the man to flinch. Seeing as there wasn't anything he had done recently that would have elicited such a response from her, he could only presume that it was his outburst from earlier that had her in a foul mood.
"K-Komachi, is something the matter? Are you still angry?" Hachiman asked in a nervous tone, gulping slightly when she leaned towards him with her expression unchanging.
"Onii-chan. Can you explain what exactly that is." Komachi asked in a serious and nonsensical manner, instantly raising red flags with the man as he slowly turned to look at what it was that had her attention.
When he saw the photo, all traces of color drained from his face. Moving quickly, he aimed to grab it and assure his fuming sister that what she was seeing was just a trick of the lighting. But being the capable sister that she was, Komachi had anticipated the man's action and swiped the photo herself. Bringing it up to look at, the younger Hikigaya skipping away to avoid the attempt by Hachiman to take back the photo, Komachi feeling her ire and jealousy grow the longer she stared at it.
"World's happiest couple, hmm. I didn't know you were dating anyone, Onii-chan. She's pretty." Komachi quipped in a dry and cold manner, the elder Hikigaya wincing as he rubbed the back of his neck while trying to find a way to explain the situation.
"It's nothing like that, Komachi. We were meeting to talk a bit over coffee and she got tricked into a promotion for couples." He explained as her expression didn't shift in the slightest, alternating between looking at the photo and at him.
"She must be pretty special, you don't meet just anyone for coffee. Not even Yui-chan or Yukino-chan unless they drag you off or it's for club activities. You haven't even invited me to have coffee and snacks with you at a cafe." Komachi added as a deeper wince crossed the face of the raven haired young man, unable to retort as Komachi was spot on with her assessment.
"So, who is she?" She finally asked as a complex mix of emotions suddenly swam in her brother's eyes, a twinge if guilt and confusion entering her heart as his expression seemed like that of a wounded animal.
"...Orimoto." He admitted as confusion crossed the face of Komachi, the ravenette tilting her head as she scrunched up her face trying to recall anyone who bore the name and their relation to her brother.
Her brows furrowing, lips pursing and cheeks puffing out, Komachi ran through all of her memories concerning her older brother and all of the acquaintances that he had. But like before, she was drawing a blank as to who this 'Orimoto' person was, cracking an eye open as she studied the photo once more. She was a very pretty and cute young lady with brown eyes and short, wavy/curly brown hair. Judging from the photo, she was at least as tall if not taller then Komachi herself, the lack of a uniform on her person further muddling the already murky image that was the young lady in the mind of the imouto.
"Hmm... She can't be someone Onii-chan's met recently, I've already met everyone who he's met. Could she be someone he met over break?! Onii-chan was working at that bookstore wasn't he?! C-Could he have had a fateful s-summer encounter like in those books Yuka always reads?! No! Calm down!" Komachi thought to herself as she took a breath to ease her already frazzled nerves, sharpening and focusing her mind once more as she shoved all useless thoughts to the back of her mind in order to solve the mystery in front of her.
"The thing that's the most troubling was his eyes... Onii-chan hasn't looked that sad since middle school, when he got his heart broken by that witch. Wait... That... Witch... No... No, he didn't... Please... Please don't tell me you did what I think you did, Onii-chan..." Komachi finally concluded as all traces of jealousy and anger faded from her person, disappointment and utter disbelief coloring her face instead as she moved to cup her brother's face and force him to look at her despite his obvious intention to avoid her gaze.
"Onii-chan... Please don't tell me that it's her... That it's that witch that hurt you... Please..." Komachi asked as her voice quavered with distress, that distress and confusion only growing when she saw a pained grimace cross his face at the reminder of the moment that began to warp him and his view of the world.
"Why...? Why, Onii-chan? She, she hurt you! She hurt you so bad! She was one of those people ruined your life, both in and out of school! So why?! Why would you agree to go out with her of all people!?" Komachi snapped at him in an angry and completely disappointed tone, Hachiman flinching when he saw the anger in the eyes of his little sister growing the more she was reminded of how Kaori's rejection had affected him.
"Because of her and those girls, you were treated like you were a freak! Things weren't bad until you confessed to them, it was their fault that you were bullied so horribly in middle school! If one of them had a heart, a real heart, they would have told everyone that it was just an innocent misunderstanding! That what happened was just miscommunication and a silly little thing that happened! But no~! Those witches got your hopes up by trying to be the nice girl, to give you their numbers out of pity because 'no one else did.' They were the reason why my Onii-chan would cry in his room at night..." Komachi continued as pain and sorrow began to fill her eyes as she remembered the days where her brother would return with his clothes dirty, his eyes desperately doing everything in their power to not show the tears that wished to fall to her when she asked how his day was.
"So why... Please tell me, Onii-chan... Why would you agree to go on a date with someone who hurt you so badly? I just don't understand..." She croaked as her voice broke, tears beginning to fall from her eyes while she softly embraced her brother's face a bit tighter as she pleaded to gain some insight into his train of thought.
Komachi's tears and her breakdown along with the cruel and bitter memories that made up his middle school years filling his mind, Hachiman did the only thing that he was able to do at that moment to cope with such a relentless and brutal assault. Wrapping his arms around his sister, he brought her into an intimate embrace as she started crying into his shoulder as the anguished memories that she held of her beloved brother's most trying times were just too much for the young raven haired young lady to handle.
How many days did she remember seeing him on the verge of tears when he returned home? How often did he have to put up a facade of a nonchalant and content school life to ensure that their parents were free from any added stress from their already demanding jobs? How many times did he push aside his own pains and agony to cater to Komachi and her fears? The answer to all of those questions was, too long and too many, as far as Komachi was concerned. Her brother was the greatest, gentlest and kindest brother that she had the luck of having, something that she took for granted back when it was just him and her returning home while their parents worked around the clock.
"Shh... It's alright, Komachi... Your Onii-chan understands how you feel..." He whispered softly as he ran his hands through her raven locks, Komachi squeezing him tighter as she sobbing seemed to grow with the words his whispered.
"N-No, you don't! I saw how badly those girls hurt you! I just want to protect you! Like how you always protect me! What if she hurts you again! I don't ever want to see you crying or hurting ever again!" She wailed in a weak manner while burying her face deeper into his shoulder, Hachiman blinking in surprise before a warm and loving smile graced his previously muddled face.
In his lifetime, Hachiman had seen a myriad of things that could enlighten, break, inspire and touch those who could share in those memories with the man. But what he was currently experiencing, it easily topped the list of the most touching things that the young man had come to witness. While they may argue, bicker and fight at time, it was moments like these that reminded and strengthened the ideals of family and its importance to the young man. Komachi wanted to protect him, to prevent him from making the same idiotic mistake that he made in the past. She was angry for him, when he had grown all but apathetic about what had happened, having never forgiven nor forgotten those who had hurt him.
"Komachi is probably the only one who really knew how bad it was, huh... She saw me change first hand, after all..." Hachiman thought to himself in a mirthless manner, gently stroking his sister's hair as she seemed to be calming down from her earlier outburst.
Before long, Komachi was sitting on the lap of her older brother whilst resting her head against his chest, taking in the steady and comforting heartbeat that sounded from within. There wasn't a need for words, not yet at least, as the two were still calming themselves after such an emotionally draining situation. Her eyes closed, Komachi savored the sound of her brother's heartbeat, the nostalgic sound taking her back to her youth where she found herself sleeping snuggled up against the chest of her brother when the silence of the house proved to be too much for her. Just hearing the subtle and rhythmic thumping of Hachiman's heart was enough to ease her own, being aided by him stroking her hair. Though, all good things were to end, evidenced when she finally voiced the remaining questions dancing in her heart.
"Onii-chan... You're not going to let yourself get hurt again… Are you?" She asked with a soft but worried tone, her worries being washed away sightly as he continued to stroke her hair in the same comforting manner.
"No, not this time, Komachi." Hachiman reassured her with a sure sounding voice, the younger Hikigaya peeking up at him with curious eyes as he seemed to gain a distant look in his eyes.
"Orimoto and I had a bit of a talk. I know how it sounds, but what's happened, happened." He told her as Komachi tilted her head at the statement, a small frown crossing her face as she returned her head to his chest to hear his heart to calm her.
"...I don't agree, Onii-chan... No one can be hurt so badly and just let it go so soon..." She countered as Hachiman chuckled a bit, a handsome sound that drew a small smile from Komachi as she nuzzled against his reverberating chest.
"Guess my cynical nature rubbed off on you, huh? And yeah, I didn't let it all go. It's still there, and it probably won't be going away for a while. But, she's trying to change. If there's one thing I can respect, it's someone who's doing their best to become a better person. Case and point: me." Hachiman said with a small smirk on his face, Komachi giggling a bit as she couldn't fault her brother for his line of thinking.
"And it's already different from how it was, so there's no need to worry, alright?" He told her as Komachi gained a slightly dubious look in her eyes, an amused glint entering the eyes of the older Hikigaya.
"What do you mean, Onii-chan?" Komachi asked as Hachiman let a soft sigh leave his mouth, looking out the window as a somewhat wistful glint filled his eyes.
"She was the one who asked me out this time." He stated as Komachi's eyes widened a bit at the revelation, though they returned to their normal state when she recalled the other events that happened in the past.
"Just promise me that you won't be hurt..." Pleaded the raven haired young lady in a soft and shaky tone, Hachiman's eyes softening as he leaned down to kiss her head.
"Cross my heart and hope to die. Though I reserve the right to choose when and how I die." He quipped as she had a snort of amusement leave her, growing red with embarrassment when she heard him snicker at her.
Spending a few more minutes simply enjoying the other's company, the time to part came when Kamakura meowed as he entered the room. The sight instantly caused the two sibling to panic as they scrambled to distance the cat from lapping up the melted ice cream that was slowly spreading across the floor. Komachi embarrassingly left the cleanup of her mess to Hachiman as she jolted to grab Kamakura before he could get any closer to the puddle of melted deliciousness, her brother having already started wiping and cleaning the mess by the time she had ensured that their beloved cat was a safe distance away from the mess and chemicals that were to be used to clean it. A bit saddened and guilty, Komachi was broken from those depressive thoughts when she tapped on her forehead by Hachiman, the man waving off her apologies with a small smirk. The two heading downstairs, Komachi's sullen mood was brightened when she saw him pull out another tub of her favorite ice cream from the freezer, happily claiming it and enjoying it as the man watched with an amused expression.
After ensuring that she was out of her sullen and vulnerable state, Hachiman headed back to his room to finish the 'Tsugumi route' that he had been interrupted whilst playing through. Watching him go, Kamakura yawned before hopped off of the couch and followed behind the young man, Komachi unsuccessfully trying to draw the cat to stay and keep her company. Seeing as she was alone with her tub of ice cream, she headed back to her own room and reflect on what had happened so far in the day. Overall, it was rather chaotic for being just shy of two o'clock.
Plopping onto her bed, she rested her back against the headboard as a soft sigh leave her mouth, Komachi glancing up at the ceiling before turning to look out the window as her brother's words never stopped bouncing around her mind. As they did, the smile and energy faded from the face and body of the raven haired young lady. She was still unable to grasp what he was thinking. Komachi believed in second chances, she believed that everyone had some degree of good and kindness in them, barring a few notable exceptions. And unfortunately for the brunette, Kaori wasn't one of those people who Komachi felt deserved such a chance. Turning over, she unlocked her phone and opened her journal app, creating a new entry as she quickly began inscribing the thoughts plaguing her.
['Ha... Just what is Onii-chan thinking. He remembers what that witch, what all of those witches, did to him, so why? There's something that she wants from him, I know it. She wouldn't just change her mind about Onii-chan after a few years, not unless she's as shallow as a kiddie pool. Ha, what am I talking about, of course she is. I hate myself that I took so long to remember who she was, I should've known when I saw that look in his eyes. I'm sorry, Onii-chan, but there's something wrong here. I'm not buying that she's just 'trying to be a better person,' not when she had all of your middle school years to do that. And especially not when she kept treating you like how all of those other witches did, there's no way someone who did that is a good person. Not at all. Even if, by some wicked charm that witch put you under, you still have an inkling of feelings for her, I won't be tricked. I promised to protect you, Onii-chan and, like you, I intend to keep my promise. Even if you hate me, I want you to know that I'm just doing what I think is best for you.']
With Hachiman, the raven haired young man was sniffling as he wiped away the corners of his eyes as the tears that lined them were carried off by the tissue in his hand. He had finally finished, finished best girl's route and was currently enjoying the scene of Tsugumi finally sharing a kiss with the protagonist. While not the most groundbreaking route, it was the most heartfelt as she had finally found the courage and resolve to confront her own feelings.
"Finally, she had her happy ending... Next is Ruri-chan, right?" Hachiman sniffled as he dabbed away his remaining tears, moving to look at the secret fifth heroine as her cold and piercing gaze was a stark contrast to Tsugumi's kind crimson orbs.
A content sigh leaving his mouth, he leaned back and stretched his slightly taut muscles. Checking the time, he was a bit surprised to see that it was just a bit after three. Getting up, he stepped outside his room and checked on Komachi, gently rapping on her door before cracking it open and seeing her softly snoozing. Smiling at the sight, he closed the door and left her to sleep, moving downstairs to start on a late lunch or early dinner. Though, as he was pulling a carton of eggs out, his phone ringing stole his attention.
['H-Hachiman! H-Hello, it's Saika! U-Umm... I-I was wondering if you're not busy later, w-would you like to have d-dinner with m-me tonight and talk a-about earlier...']
"What time and where." Hachiman answered almost automatically as he heard the voice of his angel, only snapping from it as horror soon filled his eyes as he recalled what exactly had happened in their prior meeting.
['A-Ah! R-Really!? Great! I-I'll text you the details! I can't wait to see you, Hachiman.']
With a somewhat fluffy and affectionate parting, Saika hung up as Hachiman was left numbly holding his phone to his ear. Slowly sitting down, he let his head drop onto the counter as total defeat filled his person. A long sigh leaving his person, Hachiman lamented his current life as the realization of what was happening finally hit him.
"...I'm not going to finish Ruri-chan's route, am I." He asked Kamakura as the cat was taking a drink, the feline turning to look at Hachiman before meowing and returning to his water.
"I thought so too."
And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay awesome.