"Yo." - Person Talking
"Yo." - Person Thinking
And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go.
"Is something the matter?"
Those words couldn't be more apt given the current situation. Standing there with her usually amiable and warm face set in a concerned look, Meguri Shiromeguri was staring at Hachiman with nothing but worry etched on her person. Reaching over, the brunette completely disregarded the hollow eyed Saika that was following her every move with more and more life leaving her body at the way the woman in front of her was so openly touchy-feely with Hachiman. Resting her hand on his forehead, Meguri hummed as she furrowed her brows and tested the temperature of the raven haired youth, growing a tad confused when she felt his entire face heating up and not just his forehead.
"O-Oh my, Hikigaya-kun! You're burning up! Do you need me to take you home!?" Asked Meguri in a tone of mixed fright and concern, finally snapping Hachiman and Saika from their trances as they turned to address her.
"N-No, I'm fine Meguri-senpai! I-It's just a bit embarrassing that, umm... Your hand..." Muttered the man as Meguri blinked at his reply, turning to look at her hand before blushing a bit as she jerked her hand away,
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to embarrass you, Hikigaya-kun! Ufufu, I guess old habits die hard, huh!" Chirped Meguri as she beamed him an embarrassed but bright smile, Saika having the last bastions of her self restraint shatter as she injected herself into the conversation.
"H-Hachiman! W-Who is this?" Asked Saika using her most defenseless and needy tone, inwardly celebrating when she saw the man stiffen with a tinge of pink coloring his cheeks as she shot him an equally needy look.
"R-Right... Totsuka, this is Meguri Shiromeguri, she was our upperclassman last year before she graduated. Meguri-senpai, this is S-Saika Totsuka, she's a f-friend of mine." Answered the raven haired young man as a bright smile crossed the face of Saika, the silver haired young lady turning to smile at Meguri as the brunette offered her a smile of her own.
"Pleased to meet you, Totsuka-chan!"
"Pleased to meet you too, Shiromeguri-senpai! Thank you so much for taking care of Hachiman!"
The two sharing smiles, the atmosphere between them was anything but pleasant. From his seat, Hachiman shivered a bit even with the extra layer that he had on, the young man blinking before rubbing his eyes when he saw something hazy behind the two. Pushing his glasses up, he wiped both his eyes and lenses prior to focusing on the two chatting about him and simply stared; Hachiman debating if the silhouettes of the bunny behind Saika and the bear cub behind Meguri were real or just figments of his imagination. Staring in silence as they chatted about him, the two women were currently sharing stories about said man, each of them twitched slightly when the other mentioned something enviable such as Meguri embracing Hachiman to reassure him or of how he spent a night with Saika during their class trip. Within moments, Hachiman was but a bystander to bear witness to the embarrassing and wretched memories of his more 'intimate' moments with the pair, the raven haired young man eventually hiding his burning face by covering it with his hands.
"S-So, what're you doing here, Meguri-senpai?" Voiced the raven haired young man as the two broke from their 'battle', the brunette turning and giving him a warm smile as she gestured to sit with the two.
Seeing that, Hachiman quickly stood and offered his own seat for the woman, Meguri flushing at the gentlemanly act as she demurely took his seat to Saika's displeasure. Flicking his eyes towards a man who seemed to be their replacement server, the older man nodded with a knowing smile as he fetched another chair for their table. Sighing at the amusement that was clearly on the other man's face, Hachiman thanked him when he returned with the spare chair and took a seat for himself.
"Right then, where were we?" Asked Meguri after she casually took a sip from Hachiman's cup of water, the brunette smiling innocently when Saika clutched her own glass a tad tighter when she noticed that Meguri had drank from the same spot that he had.
"Just wondering what you were doing here." Stated Hachiman as Meguri smiled at him, moving to her purse and pulling out a folded piece of paper for the pair to look at.
"I was just meeting with someone who asked if I was able to tutor them in English, though with my part-time job and studies I wasn't able to fulfill that request. So we exchanged contact information and I offered her this flier for another tutor who I recommended but she declined. After that we chatted for a bit until it was time for us to part and what would you know! I heard Hikigaya-kun and just had to come over!" Explained Meguri in a bright tone as Hachiman grew a little red from her words and mischievous look, the two falling into a light bit of conversation while Saika found herself slowly pushed aside as Meguri started to tease the ravenette.
"Ufufu! That's not what I remember, Hikigaya-kun! I remember a certain someone who asked me to help them with passing their math and science exams so they wouldn't be teased by their clubmate, a certain someone who still hasn't paid me back yet~!" Sang Meguri as the young man beside her flushed deeper upon being reminded of Yukino and her taunting during their final exams the year prior, Hachiman grumbling under his breath as Meguri continued to tease him to Saika's distress.
Panic beginning to fill the silver haired maiden's body, she racked her mind to find a way to interject herself into the conversation without seeming like a desperate or jealous girlfriend, at least not until Hachiman accepted her confession. Her brow furrowing slightly, a spark of inspiration finally struck her as she gasped slightly and assumed a hurt and dejected posture. Almost instantly, she saw a change on Hachiman's face as his eyes darted over towards her to check on her as they had been during his conversation with Meguri. Upon spotting the sullen Saika's, the raven haired man's 'angel protection senses' flared to life as he politely cut off Meguri in the middle of her sentence.
"You alright, Totsuka?" He asked in a gentle and concerned tone, instantly melting the heart of the maiden as she seemed to turn to jelly at his worried look.
"M-Mhmm! I'm fine, Hachiman! I was just a bit sad that I don't have as many memories with you as Shiromeguri-senpai does." Replied Saika in a sullen and dejected tone, the man rebutting her statement as she shone with affection and adoration at the mention of the precious memories they had together.
Watching the duo fall into a stroll down memory lane themselves, Meguri kept her smile as she leered at Saika from the corner of her eyes. The silver haired young lady was obviously head over heels for Hachiman, that was plain for all in the room to see. The way her eyes would sparkle and twinkle each time Hachiman spoke her name, her cheeks which were flushed with both embarrassment and affection, there wasn't a thing about her that didn't scream that she was madly in love with the raven haired man sitting across from her and Meguri envied every single expression that Saika displayed.
"Ara? You and Hikigaya-kun must be quite close, Totsuka-chan!" Exclaimed the brunette suddenly as she flashed her a smile that had an edge of challenge to it, Saika returning it in full as she after turning to face her as Meguri cut her off in the middle of her sentence.
"Hachiman and I are best friends! I-Isn't that right, Hachiman...?" Replied Saika in a confident and slightly snide tone, though it returned to being meek and maidenly when it was directed towards the object of her affection.
"Uhh... A-Ahem, I just got a text from my sister, you two. Looks like she's home alone and hungry, so I'll be needing to leave a little early now." Answered Hachiman quickly as he showed the two the text that Komachi had sent him, internally breathing a sigh of relief when their eyes lost a tint of their edge with respect and adoration replacing it in Meguri's while Saika had a sullen and envious glint cross hers.
"You're quite the doting big brother, aren't you Hikigaya-kun? Your sister is a lucky girl."
"Uuu... I can't compete against Hachiman's little sister..."
Before he left, however, Hachiman called their newest server over to pay for their meal, the man ensuring that he packed his remains for later consumption in a safer environment. Watching as he chatted with the other man who was tending to them, Saika and Meguri had equally fond looks to them as they both sighed in an airy and somewhat dreamy manner, growing a tad pink when a rather handsome smirk crossed his face at a comment that they didn't catch from the server. Instantly, the two stiffened and exchanged glances once more, the eyes of the two narrowing slightly as they shared a silent agreement to talk after the man's departure. They were broken from their staring match when Hachiman finally rose from his seat, drawing slightly sullen faces from the two as he offered them a wry look for their current displeasure.
"Umm, I'll see you two some time later, then. Will you two be alright getting home? I can take the two of you if you need me to." Hachiman offered as they found their hearts beating just a skip faster, though they reluctantly beat down desire to take the man up on his offer as they had other matters to discuss in his absence.
Seeing them shake their heads in the negative, though the man could swear that they were shedding tears while giving him their answers, Hachiman nodded before bidding the two a farewell. Seeing him leave, Saika and Meguri let sighs leave them before they faced the other with serious looks to their faces, something that instantly caused their server to scurry away to safety least he be caught in the crossfire. As she was about to speak, Meguri was beaten to the punch by Saika, who spoke with such conviction that it momentarily stunned the university student.
"Hachiman is mine." Saika suddenly stated in a tone that held no room for argument, catching Meguri off guard as the older woman flinched slightly and blinked at the silver haired maiden.
"Ara? I didn't know that you and Hikigaya-kun were dating, Totsuka-chan. When did you two get together?" Asked Meguri in a tone that was overly shocked and surprised, though the knowing and snide glint to her eyes drew a serious and dark look on Saika's face.
"Shiromeguri-senpai, you look like a very nice girl, probably one of the nicest girls that I've seen. But there are already too many people that are after my Hachiman, I don't need another person pinning after him. And we're not dating, not until I confess to him on Monday." Saika said in a low tone as she leered at the brunette, Meguri merely smiling in turn as she moved to rest her cheek in the palm of her hand.
Silence quickly taking over, the two were deadlocked in a staring contest that no soul was brave enough to interrupt. Watching the entire exchange with a shaking body was their server, the poor man nervously clutching a to-go box for Saika and her leftovers. Wordlessly, he turned and shot a pleading and desperate look towards his coworkers as they quickly adverted their gazes and whistled innocently, swiftly finding and cleaning a mysterious set of messes that popped up across the restaurant. Seeing that he was abandoned by his comrades, the man sighed in resignation before timidly venturing towards the table, managing to hand Saika the box and a bag with a nervous smile before hightailing it out of the vicinity of the two.
"Well, it's been quite nice chatting with you, Totsuka-chan. I think I'll be going on ahead now. Ah, please tell Hikigaya-kun that it was wonderful to see him again! Actually, never mind, I'll tell him myself!" Chirped Meguri in a bright tone as Saika's expression darkened once more, clutching her to-go box a tad tightly as it easily crumpled under her grip.
Without waiting for a reply from the silver haired young lady, Meguri excused herself as she pulled out her phone, ensuring that Saika caught sight of the fact she was calling Hachiman before making it out of earshot of the younger woman. Watching her go with an emotionless face, Saika completely crushed the box that she was holding, a controlled anger and jealousy burning in her eyes before she forcibly calmed herself down. Taking a deep breath, she released it before repeating the breathing exercise a few more times until she was calm once again. Opening her eyes, the anger and jealousy faded to just embers of what they once were, Saika calmly asking her server for another box while contemplating her current situation.
"Yukinoshita-san, Yui-chan, Kawasaki-san, Ebina-san, even Sagami-san and Yumiko-san have been looking at him differently. Now there's a Shiromeguri-senpai too? Why? Why are there so many of them now? Hachiman is mine, he's always been mine, so why is everyone trying to get inbetween us..." Saika muttered in a distraught and dark tone of voice, her usual angelic disposition nowhere to be found as she moved to head home.
Saika always knew, she had always known that her soulmate was the dead-fish eyed, snarky but has a heart purer then an angel's, Hachiman Hikigaya. Everyone had always treated her differently, the boys acted like she was some goddess that wasn't supposed to be touched while the girls treated her with indifference or disdain. She was always in an awkward stage of physical development, neither too boyish or girlish, an androgynous physique that leaned just slightly towards the feminine side of the spectrum. Her boyish hobbies and likes didn't do much to help her case either, Saika never really finding skirts or dresses comfortable as they interfered with her playing tennis and felt too breezy for the silver haired maiden. Since her debut in middle school, she had always been in a state of having many acquaintances but not a single friend and that only worsened as she entered high school.
When she decided to embrace her more feminine charms in middle school, she was shunned by the girls for stealing the attention of the boys and wasn't approached by the boys as she was always 'too cute' to approach not to mention the risk of losing their friendship with the other girls in the class. She was lonely and isolated in middle school, surrounded by smiling faces that didn't dare move past that established line that would them true friends with her. After those agonizing years, she had pleaded with her parents to allow her to make her high school debut as a male student, something that not only brought such sorrowful expressions on the faces of her parents but guilty ones as well. As they were always weak against Saika's demands, as she very rarely made them, they had a meeting with the principal and facility before the year started and discussed the situation with them. While it was a strange and unheard of request, so long as Saika abided by a strict set of regulations concerning the locker rooms, restrooms and other gender specific locations there wouldn't be an immense issue with her masquerading as a male student.
It was during her tenure as a male student that Saika had finally met someone that she could consider a friend, through and through. During her introduction in her second year, Saika was already used to the stares that she never received in middle school, though they were haunting reminders of what may happen should anyone find out that she was actually a girl. But when she said that she was a boy, like her freshman year, almost instantly all of those envious and challenging stares from the girls were replaced with excited and coy expressions, the curious and shy looks from the boys shifted to those of disbelief and shock. It was a welcome change that caused Saika to smile a bit brighter, securing her place at the top of the rankings of 'people to protect' in her class. It was then that she finally saw him, the raised brow and suspicious glint to his eyes nearly caused her heart to stop. But instead of saying anything, Hachiman merely turned away and focused his attention on the world just past the window pane.
Did he find out that she was a girl? What would he make her do to keep her secret? Would he blackmail her? Those dark and fearful thoughts plagued Saika's mind like a itch that wouldn't fade no matter how long or hard one scratched at it. That moment she had made the decision to not involve herself with the man known as Hachiman Hikigaya. The rumors about the raven haired youth were already a heavy deterrent so seeing that he had seen through her lies, though the young man was entirely ignorant, drove Saika to live each day like it was her last. But those threats never came, no matter how long Saika waited. Each day, as she awaited his dreaded call-out, Saika found herself studying the man in earnest to detect a weakness. Before she knew it, the first year had passed and they were together once more in their second year. Again, Saika found herself silently observing Hachiman like she did in her freshman year, but this time she saw it. She saw the man hiding beneath the guise of a grumpy and standoffish loner, the angel who didn't have a negative bone in his body.
Imagine her shock when the boy she had thought of as wicked and evil was the exact opposite of that, being such a kind and warm soul that Saika was uttered ashamed that she had thought of him as a villain. Her shame and guilt knew no bounds as she longed for a chance to apologize to him, even though she knew that he wouldn't have a clue about what she was talking about. That moment finally came in the form of Yui Yuigahama, as the pink haired young lady having had forced herself into his bubble despite his best efforts to dissuade her. Once Saika had slipped into his bubble, she finally saw the kindness and warmth that he hid in the depths of his eyes firsthand. From him helping her with the tennis tournament, to Taishi's request, to the class trip; Saika found herself falling in love with Hachiman. Saika herself knew that Hachiman held some form of affection for her, the obvious way that he always blushed when she invaded his personal space, it was just too cute for Saika to not induce. But that's where the extent of her friendship with him ended, they were best friends and nothing more. No matter how much she longed for him to hold her, cuddle with her, flirt with her, kiss her; as long as she was a 'boy' in his mind, it wasn't to be. And that's why Saika had gathered the resolve to debut her final year of high school as a girl, as a girl who could and would get together with Hachiman Hikigaya.
"I'm not waiting anymore, Hachiman. Monday, we're getting together on Monday." Saika whispered to herself as she tightened her hold on the bag that held her leftovers, her eyes burning with determination as she headed home.
With Meguri, the brunette was happily humming a tone as she waited for the young man she was calling to answer her. It was rather funny, if she was completely honest about the current situation involving Hachiman. To think that the anti-social and awkward young man, who had a heart of absolute gold and would willingly sacrifice himself to avoid letting someone else get hurt and thus tarnish his reputation, would have so many flowers on his side. She had to admit, the first time that she had heard Shizuka recommend him to her for help, she was skeptical of him. The rumors that floated around about him weren't flattering at all and, though she's still ashamed to admit it, his physical appearance didn't exactly exude reliance. Then came the whole situation with Minami Sagami, where the young man completely ruined any and all good faith that he had built up during the culture festival.
If she were to be completely honest, she was disappointment in the young man. After seeing how hard he worked despite his obvious displeasure to do so, the way that his eyes always gained an ember of kindness when someone reluctantly asked for his help, Meguri had unconsciously placed him on a higher pedestal and higher regard. To see him martyr himself, willingly, to have Minami avoid looking like the incompetent and pathetic person she actually was, it infuriated the brunette. Why? Why would he throw away everything that he had worked so hard for, through blood, sweat and tears, for someone who saw herself as his better, as someone who wouldn't even give him the time of day? Reluctantly, Meguri pushed the incident to the back of her mind, opting to focus on the future and crowning the next student council president.
In her search for a new candidate, one showed up in the form of Iroha, who was nominated as a prank from her peers. Though she wanted to help the freshman, her hands were tied as there weren't any other candidates. But then came the bruentte's brilliant plan to have the members of the Service Club help with their plight. And once again, the trio managed to not only solve Meguri's request, they managed to convince Iroha to assume the role. While it was her wish that the three of the Service Club members would all join the student council, the way that they handled the case brought about an ending that was somewhat bittersweet for the brunette.
"I was hoping that Yukinoshita-san was going to be the next president. Then, Yuigahama-san would be the vice-president, and Hikigaya-kun would be responsible for the general affairs. That way, after I graduated I could visit and play in the student council office, talk about how the Cultural Festival and the Athletics Festival were doing and see how Hikigaya-kun was holding up..." Whispered Meguri to herself as she heard the call go to voicemail, the brunette sighing somewhat wistfully as she softly lowered her phone.
She shouldn't have these feelings for Hachiman, not after judging him so harshly before seeing who the wonderful man beneath his rough exterior was. Meguri had prided herself on looking past the surface, seeing who someone was beneath their appearance before making a judgement call on whether or not they were kind or otherwise. But for the first time, Meguri doubted someone, she fell into and followed the shadows of the rumors that clung to Hachiman. She had been cordial, polite and acted like her usual self with him, but internally she was guarded and wary of him and those suspicious eyes of his. However, that changed as he kept surprising her again and again, building and breaking his reputation and social standing all in an effort to have others avoid being the targets of the madhouse that was the high school social circle. Then, it finally happened, the moment where he had timidly extended a hand towards her for help, something that touched Meguri's heart as she knew just how guarded the young man was. As she settled into tutoring him in math and science, she had begun to find that while he wasn't the most talented, he was among the hardest working students she had worked with.
"Ufufu, now that I think about it, couldn't all those times that we've met for his tutoring sessions be considered dates?" Meguri asked herself in a soft but giddy tone, smiling as she opened up her photo app and swiped through the photos that she had taken of Hachiman and herself.
"It's been a while since our last tutoring session, hasn't it Hikigaya-kun? Mmmm, I think you might need a refresher in biology and psychology." The brunette said to herself with a giggle, her eyes shining with a light that didn't seem to bode well for her raven haired student.
"Someone's talking about me..." Muttered Hachiman as he withdrew from covering his sneeze, sniffling slightly as he turned to look at his phone.
A grimace passing his face, he sullenly turned to look at his leftovers as the text that Komachi had sent him earlier still lingered in the back of his mind. Was Hachiman to act like the older brother that he was and offer the succulent delights he had to his precious imouto? Or was he to sate his own innermost desires and reserve them for himself? The dilemma left him rubbing the bridge of his node as a headache soon took hold of him, a tired sigh leaving him as he neared the train station. In the midst of his inner turmoil Hachiman bumped into someone, startling the young man as he snapped to stare at the person he had ran into.
"S-Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."
"M-My bad, I wasn't looking ahead!"
A vaguely familiar voice overlapping with his, Hachiman paused as he stared at the other man in front of him. He was a good-looking teenage boy with dyed-brown long hair with a black hairband, grey eyes and was currently dressed in much more casual clothes then the Sobu uniform that usually covered him. As for Kakeru Tobe, surprised would be a light way of expressing what seeing Hachiman at such an hour, the brunette looking around for the usual pair of accompanied him during his school-related outings.
"Yo, Hikitani! Fancy meeting you here!" Chirped Kakeru as he offered the other man a friendly wave, Hachiman internally sighing though he returned the greeting with a nod of his head.
"So, what're you doing round here? I thought that club activities didn't start til Monday? Man, it sure must be busy as heck in the Service Club! Luckily for the soccer club, we don't have actual practice til Friday, gotta get all the new members used to the schedule and all of that." Kakeru rambled on as he used his hands to emphasize and express his feelings about the whole situation, Hachiman feeling his spirits dampen the longer he heard the other man prattle on though he paused slightly when he saw something unusual in his hands.
"You were studying?" Suddenly asked Hachiman as Kakeru froze in the midst of his monologue, having an embarrassed and wry laugh leave him as he rubbed the back of his head.
"A-Ahaha, you're pretty sharp, aren't ya Hikitani?" Kakeru said somewhat weakly as he shot the man an equally weak look, Hachiman raising a brow as the normally energetic young man seemed almost embarrassed.
"You've got a study guide that I've used before." Stated Hachiman in a simple manner, Kakeru blinking as he glanced from the study guide to Hachiman.
"You've used a study guide, Hikitani? I thought that you were like Yukinoshita-san and just aced everything like it was nothing." Replied the brunette in a surprised tone, Hachiman feeling his brow twitch upon being compared to his raven haired clubmate but repressing it nonetheless.
"Tch, just for math and science. No one's born with smarts, though it may be true for the prince and Yukinoshita's family..." Hachiman muttered as Kakeru blinked before bursting out with a light fit of laughter, being much more natural and less boisterous then his usual chortles in class.
Calming down, Kakeru wiped his eye as a stray tear escaped in the midst of his laughter. A content sigh leaving him, he settled down and shot Hachiman a small half-smile, one that caused the raven haired man to pause and study it. Self-loathing, embarrassment, futility, failure, doubt; there was a complex mix of emotions in the eyes of the brunette.
"Haha, yeah, Hayato's got no trouble taking tests! That's something that really makes me jealous, I'd love to ace tests without having to try!" Complained Kakeru as he lamented his lack of innate test taking talents, though a tired sigh soon left him once his complaints died down.
"You could get him to help you study. Pretty sure your clique wouldn't have a problem with getting together for a study group." Hachiman threw out as he adjusted the bag in his hand, Kakeru chuckling dryly as he shook his head in the negative.
"I wish it was that easy, Hikitani. You're right that they wouldn't have a problem helping me, but I'd rather not have them helping me anymore. The last time that we had a study group together, during our final exams last year, Yumiko acted like she forgot half of what she had taught me, Ooka, and Yamato to have Hayato teach her. Ebina still acts like I'm going to confess to her, so she kind of avoids talking with me one on one. And Hayato... Ha... It's kind of complicated with him, it's been that way since the whole confession thing last year." Kakeru reported to the raven haired man across from him, Hachiman stiffening slightly at the memory of him ruining his confession on the behalf of Hina.
"Ah, don't worry about it, Hikitani! That was last year, I'm over it!" Chirped Kakeru upon spotting the anxious and uncomfortable look on Hachiman's face, the glasses wearing man losing a bit of his tension when he caught sight of the grin on his face.
"R-Right, if you say so..." Replied the man as they fell into a slightly awkward silence, Kakeru looking just as anxious as Hachiman as he looked around before spotting a vending machine nearby.
Motioning towards the other man with his head, Hachiman saw what Kakeru was implying as he nodded and moved towards it. The two taking a moment to buy a drink, they stood in silence while taking in the cloud-free, star filled sky. Hachiman shooting a glance towards Kakeru, he saw a hint of melancholy and somberness in the eyes of the taller man, Kakeru letting a soft sigh leave before taking a sip of his peach tea.
"Ya know, Hikitani... If I think about it now, maybe my folks were right when they said that I'm not gonna amount to anything." Kakeru suddenly said out of the blue, Hachiman shooting the man a look with a raised brow as a mirthless smile crossed the face of the brunette.
"You know that Sobu has a pretty hard entrance exam, the only reason that I managed to get in is because of my soccer coach's recommendation. When my folks found out, they were pretty excited and proud, even more then I was. I wasn't the best at school but I was pretty good at sports, though I was really good at soccer. I'd always thought that I'd be good enough to get onto the national team, that I'd ride out my high school life just like I did in middle school. But, guess I wasn't as good as I thought I was because man... Our team isn't bad, but it's not that good either, haha!" Kakeru laughed as he shook his head at the memory of last years final game, the bitter taste of defeat still lingering at the back of his mouth as he wiped a fake tear from his eye.
"During the break my folks finally had the 'talk' with me, asked me what I was going to do after I graduate. And you know what I told them, Hikitani?" Asked the brunette in a soft tone while he shot a look at Hachiman, seeing the other man shake his head in the negative as his smile grew much more solemn.
"Nothing. I told them I didn't know what I was going to do, or what I wanted to do. I was going to say that I'd go on to play soccer but then I remembered our record during the season. And damn... I don't think anything is gonna sting more then the look my parents gave me when I told them that. They just sighed and told me that they wished that I could've acted more like Hayato, haha!" Kakeru laughed hollowly as Hachiman closed his eyes in understanding, the familiar sting of tears beginning to line Kakeru's eyes as he quickly rubbed them away with a wipe of his hands.
"Haha, sorry, sorry! Don't know why this turned into a counseling session, Hikitani! It's just I haven't had a chance to get this off my chest you know, and you're a reliable guy!" Apologized Kakeru as he shot the raven haired man an equally apologetic look, Hachiman shaking his head in the negative as he waved off the man's concerns.
"It's my fault for not walking away while you were talking." Countered Hachiman in a tired tone as Kakeru flinched, though after his surprise came a fit of laughter that was much more eased then before.
"Ahaha! Right! Figures that you'd be fine with me complaining to you, Hikitani! Yui always said that you were a lot nicer then you look, and man was she right! No wonder she's so into you!" Laughed Kakeru as Hachiman choked on his coffee at the statement, the brunette snickering at the ravenette's coughing fit as he moved to pat him on the back.
"T-Tch! This is why I hate people like you..." Muttered the raven haired young man as Kakeru just snickered harder, passing Hachiman a tissue packet from his messenger bag.
"Sorry, sorry! My bad, Hikitani, didn't know that it'd be that bad!" Kakeru replied in a slight panic before innocently whistling to the side when glared at by Hachiman, the brunette honestly a bit intimidated by the other man's sudden spike in height.
"Whatever, I didn't drop my food so it's fine." Quipped the man as he recovered from his sudden near-death experience, Kakeru offering him another apologetic smile as they finished the contents of their drinks.
"Well, it was pretty cool talking with you, Hikitani! We gotta do this again something!" Chirped Kakeru as Hachiman sighed at the other man's seemingly boundless amount of energy, moving to toss his can into the recycle bin.
"Let's not hope it's anytime soon then." Hachiman added as Kakeru laughed while following his example and recycling his can, the two standing in a much more amiable silence as they made their way towards the main street.
"I'm heading this way." Stated Hachiman as they finally hit a crossroad, Kakeru nodding as his pointed his thumb in the opposite direction.
"Same here, going this way, Hikitani! Talk to you later then! I'll have to get your number some other time, you look like you're in a hurry!" Kakeru said with a grin on his face, Hachiman feeling a bit of his soul chip when he heard the man's proclamation.
"Sure, whatever you say."
"Haha, then later, Hikitani!"
Giving Hachiman a half-salute as he bid him farewell, Kakeru was about to turn when he caught the whispers of Hachiman's words as they were parting. Stiffening, he turned and was about to reply to the man only to see him already power-walking down the opposite street. Blinking, Kakeru felt a bit of the tension in his shoulders lessen as a content sigh left his mouth. His eyes began to sting again, but this time he willed those tears of warmth not to fall as he found someone who didn't judge or compare him to his friend, someone who the brunette hoped would accept the offer of friendship he'd be extending the next time they meet. Feeling refreshed and ready, Kakeru stretched before heading home with a bit more purpose to his steps
"No wonder Yui is so into you, Hikitani."
"I can help with your Japanese, English and Humanities. And I don't know either."
With Hachiman, the raven haired man was hurriedly heading home with his cheeks tinged a deep red, the parting words that he left for Kakeru doing nothing to help cool his embarrassed state. Why? Why did he have to blurt out those things in the head of the moment? Those were the words of a visual novel protagonist to the best friend character when they were feeling down in the dumps, so why did Hachiman go ahead and say them to someone who he barely spoke to, and would only do so reluctantly at that! Cursing himself to high hell, Hachiman blamed his frazzled mind due to the strange behavior of those closest to him. It would be fine it was just Komachi, seeing as his strengthened 'onii-chan instincts' designated that he dote on her more so then usual, but everyone around him seemed to be acting in a manner unfitting of their usual selves.
"Kami-sama... Is this still retribution for littering that one time?" Hachiman said to himself in a sullen tone, his head hanging low as he thought about way to garner good karma to offset his current negative balance.
Stopping at the station, the ravenette checked the time and saw that it was a five minute wait for the next train. Taking a leisurely look around, he paused when he saw a promotion on the window of the convince store across the street. Quickly, Hachiman made his way over and procured two of the newest promotional items, no doubt thinking of the smile of his little sister when he presented it to her. Cashing out as the all too familiar rumble of the train echoed in the distance, the raven haired man hurried back, arriving a minute before the train's arrival. Letting a somewhat tired breath leave him, he straightened himself out as he entered the train, finally taking a moment to simply relax and let his tension fade after the chaotic evening.
(Time Skip - Half an Hour Later)
(Scene Change - Hikigaya Household)
Arriving home, Hachiman saw that his parents were having a pleasant evening together watching a show in the living room. Kicking off his shoes, he grabbed the attention of the two when he announced himself while opening the door, instantly regretting it as he was latched onto by Kanami. Squawking in surprise and fright at the sudden iron-clad grip, Hachiman paled when he spotted his mother's glinting eyes as she practically dragged him to the couch were his father was sitting, having watched the entire exchange take place with a barely controlled laugh. Sitting him down, Kanami moved to grab his hand to keep him from running off, Hakuto finally letting a chuckle leave as he patted his son on the shoulder.
"You came back just in time, Hachi! I was just talking to your father about you and your date! Now, tell Kaa-chan all about it!" Demanded Kanami in a tone that made her seem like she was an elementary schooler, Hakuto easing his wife's demands as Hachiman grumbled softly beneath his breath.
"Now, now, honey; let Hachiman catch his breath first. He just got back so he must be tired if his date was all the way at the Sea Life Park." The man said jovially in an effort to help his son, though at the mention of the word 'date' it seemed that Kanami's pleas only grew louder and more pitiful.
"M-Mom, please cut it out! And dad, you're really not helping here!" Snapped the young man as crimson deeply colored his face, trying and failing to escape his mother's hold as the trio fell into an amiable scene of light hearted familial banter.
"Oh~? Is Onii-chan finally home from his date~?" Voiced the one person who Hachiman had pleaded that they'd never hear head or tail of his venture earlier, the older brother stiffening completely as Kanami started laughing a bit wryly while turning away to avoid her son's face.
"...You told her, didn't you..." Deadpanned Hachiman as he gave his mother an equally dead stare, the woman whistling innocently as she released her son and skittered over to hold onto her husband's arm.
Slowly strutting towards the top of the staircase, Komachi was dressed in her usual sleepwear with a sickly sweet smile on her face as she scanned the floor below her for the one person who she had currently wanted to see the most. Earlier, the young Hikigaya had foolishly believed her mother when she had said that her beloved older brother had ventured out to secure a delectable treat for her. Excited and strangely famished though she had just eaten fifteen minutes prior, Komachi sent him a text to both remind him and expedite the process of him returning home. As Komachi eagerly awaited him, she was skipping towards the kitchen for a drink when she heard her mother talking excitedly on the phone with her father. If it were normal conversation it wouldn't have affected the raven haired young lady, the youngest Hikigaya would have simply asked her mother to question her father if he was returning home yet. But it wasn't, not when Kanami was seemingly bursting at the seams to share news of her eldest's first steps into adulthood.
Once she heard the words 'Hachiman', 'date', 'girlfriend' and 'our little Hachi is going to leave us forever', Komachi stormed into the living room and plopped down right beside her mother. Freezing with a stiff smile on her face, Kanami silently began to sweat as Komachi simply stared at her in silence. Hakuto who had guessed what had happened quickly bid his beloved a farewell before fleeing, least he be caught and torn apart by his cute daughter as she would no doubt be seeking answers as to what she had overheard. Kanami quickly broke down and spilled the details about Hachiman's outing, the woman apologizing for deceiving her daughter as Komachi's current expression would have been considered a perfect copy of Kanami's own during business hours, the unamused and cold look fitting eerily perfect on the young Hikigaya's face. After learning of her brother's intended plans, all Komachi had to do was sit and wait for the perfect moment to strike, which happened to be where Hachiman currently found himself.
"Y-Yo, Komachi... I got you something..." Hachiman managed to say as he held up his peace offering, the young man wincing slightly when the gleam in his sister's eyes seemed to sharpen.
"Ah~! Thank you so much, Onii-chan~! Why don't you share it with Komachi in the kitchen~!" Komachi sang in that same sickly sweet tone, Hachiman having a shiver run up his spine as he snapped to look at his parents for any aid.
But alas, the young man was met with silence and betrayal as Kanami and Hakuto were preoccupied with watching a documentary of yellowfin tuna, intently gazing at the screen though sweat could be seen beading on their foreheads. His eye twitching at the two, he glanced at his sister from the corner of his eye and wished that he hadn't as her smile was gone, a serious and unreadable expression resting on her face as she pointed towards the kitchen. Seeing as he had no alternative, he let a sigh leave and followed his younger sister, the two finding a seat at the countertop. Setting his bag down, Hachiman pulled out the boxes of food as Komachi's facade cracked partially, her eyes lighting up as scanned the treats laid out before her. An audible gulp leaving her, Hachiman paused before an amused snort left him, Komachi flinching as she turned away and wiped away the tiny line of drool that leaked from her mouth.
"I'll go heat this up for you, Komachi." Hachiman said in a more eased tone, the knowledge that he was still able to placate his sister with food a comforting one as Komachi pouted slightly seeing as she lost her advantage.
Taking a moment to reheat his leftovers, Hachiman brought them back to the countertop where Komachi was waiting with shining eyes. Placing the food down, Komachi marveled at the pieces of food that her brother had brought back for her. When she heard from her mother that he was on a date, anger and jealousy were the first emotions that raged through her body. Anger at the fact that someone else was trying to take away time that he was supposed to be spending with her when he was already spread thin as it was, and jealousy as he had once again gone out with someone when he hadn't done the same with her. But seeing the food laid out before her, how the house salad and dressing were practically untouched, the clam soup seemed like it had only a couple of sips taken from it, the lobster motoyaki having only been half eaten, the kobe medallions having only had a few slices carved from it and the grilled asparagus still firm and not limp; it was clear to the young lady that her brother had rushed through his dinner and in turn his date to make it back to her, seeing as she had sent him that text not too long ago.
Seeing as there wasn't a reason for him to leave besides her text, Komachi completely unaware of the tense and awkward situation that Hachiman's date had devolved into, she grew a tad guilty and shameful. She had sent that text mostly in jest, though she was expecting her brother to bring her back something delicious, but to see that he had taken it so seriously it made the younger Hikigaya feel like she had stolen him away from his date. While it was a gleeful thought, it was also a shameful one as Komachi had always tried to be respectful of her brother's privacy and personal life. Why? Why had she been feeling so jealous and irritable since her high school debut? She had always teased him about finding a girlfriend, though now that she thought about him with some other girl on his side, his smiles reserved solely for her, it struck a painful chord deep inside of the ravenette's heart. Lost in her thoughts, Komachi was broken from them when she felt something warm brush against her lips. A squeak leaving her at the sudden feeling, she snapped to look at her brother with crimson burning her face, her heart hammering in her chest as she moved to touch her lips. But her worries, though a tiny portion of her heart was a bit sullen, were for naught as it was a piece of the kobe medallion that her brother had tried to feed her.
"Not hungry?" Asked Hachiman in a slightly worried tone, Komachi shaking her head in the negative as she leaned in to take the piece of kobe.
"Mmm! That's super tasty, Onii-chan!" Chirped Komachi with stars in her eyes, eagerly leaning in with her mouth open like a baby bird.
A smirk crossing Hachiman's face as he found her to be like a chick waiting to be fed, he happily obliged as he rhythmically slice and fed Komachi the remnants of his dinner. It was after a couple of slices that Komachi stopped letting Hachiman spoil her, instead flipping the script as she snatched the fork and knife held by the man and moved to feed him. Staring at her brother with eager eyes, Hachiman relented and accepted her feeding him, though there was a warm and loving glow to his eyes that simply took the young lady's breath away. Before long, the two were taking turns feeding each other, smiles on their faces as the frightening and frigid interrogation that Komachi and Hachiman had planned and envisioned faded like their food. The next conflict came in the form of their mother, Kanami having sneaked a glance at the two before spotting the slice of matcha tiramisu that Hachiman was actively hiding from everyone but himself when he carefully opened its container to check on it. Aghast that her son had brought home such a wondrous treat and had planned to eat it alone, the matriarch of the Hikigaya household stealthily and inconspicuously tiptoed towards the box that Hachiman had ever so carefully moved onto the chair beside him.
In the midst of enjoying their time together, Hachiman and Komachi were blissfully ignorant of the fact that their mother was hovering behind them, Kanami slowly making a move for the dessert. Just as she was inches for snagging the treat, her hand was grabbed by Hachiman, the young man turning to look at his mother with eyes that her coworkers would find unmistakable from her own. Catching his mother red handed, Hachiman felt his brow twitch when she laughed wryly and tried to explain herself to the man. Momentarily forgetting the fact that he was trying to hide the dessert from everyone but himself, Hachiman outed himself when he snatched the box before his mother could take it, the sight instantly drawing Komachi's attention as she tried to make a move for the box. Soon enough, a battle for the dessert took place with Hachiman trying to make a break for his room, Kanami and Komachi latching onto his wrists to prevent him from leaving. Falling into a three-way squabble, the trio were unaware of the man who wandered into the kitchen to check on the commotion, Hakuto sweatdropping slightly when he saw his family fighting over a slice of cake. Paying them no mind, he made his way over as Hachiman managed to break away from Komachi's grasp, the young man shooting a desperate look towards his father as the older man seemed to understand that look.
Quickly handing his father the box, Hachiman was glad that the elder Hikigaya could read between the lines as well as he did, the young man relaxing as he awaited his father's retreat from the kitchen. But to the horror of everyone present, Hakuto opened the box and helped himself to the treat inside. Watching the eldest Hikigaya eat the dessert that they had fought so desperately for, the trio slumped as Hakuto paid them no mind, the man making a mental note to pick up a whole cake for his family the next time he went out. While not the most ideal, he had defused the tense situation before it could grow out of proportion, the prize he was eating being an added benefit as far as he was concerned. Sighing defeatedly, Hachiman and Komachi trudged upstairs while Kanami jumped at her husband before he finished off the tiramisu. Turning in a listless manner, Komachi was about to head to her room and lament her loss only to pause when Hachiman held out a sakura matcha swirl chocolate bar. Surprise coloring her face, Komachi soon had a soft and loving expression grace her features, the youngest Hikigaya gently taking the offering before skipping over to her brother.
"I love you, Onii-chan." Whispered Komachi before she leaned up and placed a kiss on the cheek of her beloved brother, stunning Hachiman as beamed him an equally beautiful smile.
Heading to her room with a much more eased and elated skip to her step, Komachi left her brother standing alone with a somewhat dumb expression on his face. It wasn't enough that Komachi had just given him a kiss, her smile wasn't one that he had seen for quite some time. Staring blankly off into space, Hachiman forced himself to head to his room after a minute of standing still. With Komachi, the raven haired young lady could be seen with a blissful expression on her face as she rolled around on her bed. Never before had Komachi been so bold in showing her affections for her brother, but now that she had, it felt freeing and wonderful. Spending the next five minutes replaying the scene in her mind, Komachi finally managed to calm herself as she pulled the photo that she had swiped from her brother during their time in the kitchen, her mood dropping like a rock as she stared at the photo.
"At least it isn't that witch..." Muttered Komachi as she stared at the silver haired young lady in the photo, feeling that she had met the woman in the photo before.
"Komachi is sorry for what she did, Onii-chan, but this is for your own good." Whispered the raven haired young lady as she looked at her phone, staring with a hint of a certain dark emotion at the voicemails that remained hours after being received.
['Komachi-chan, w-what's this about Hikki dating someone!? W-Who is she?! I-Is she kind of really pretty! A-Am I as pretty as her? W-What does Hikki think!?' Ahh, I'm going to go crazy, Komachi-chan! W-When did he start dating her?! H-Hikki only leaves his house when he goes to school, which is six days a week from 8:45 am to 6:00 pm! On Sundays, he always goes walking at 8:30 am around the park nearby before taking a break half an hour later to buy a can of MAX Coffee which he always gets at the same vending machine! After that, he goes straight home unless I happen bump into him with Sable at 9:15am every other week, then we spend twenty five minutes together before he goes home! I know Hikki's schedule and he never goes off of it, ever! So please, please let me know! Hikki might be in danger!']
['S-Such uncouth behavior! Komachi-chan, you must tell me who this person is! I must warn them of the danger that will no doubt follow them should they decide to d-date Hikigaya-kun! I worry for her safety as he will no doubt release his pent up, wicked carnal desires on such a defenseless person and I refuse to ask him about something so personal! Honestly, what kind of naive, clueless, hopeless, crazy, stubborn, woman would fall for such a man? I would never even entertain the thought of having such a relationship with Hikigaya-kun, even if he was the last human male on earth! So please inform me of any further developments concerning him and this alleged woman who is deranged enough to find him attractive, even if he has touched up somewhat slightly over the break he is still far from what I would consider suitable for marriage, though his glasses do slightly help expose how charming his eyes are. A-Anyway, please remember keep me up to date with him!']
['Who cares who Hachiman is dating, Komachi-chan. I don't even think that they're dating, I mean, he hasn't told me that he's dating anyone! B-But, do you think you could ask him for me? J-Just so that I know to be proper around him! You know how some girls get, some get seriously jealous when they think that their b-boyfriend is flirting with some other girl behind their back! Not that I'm jealous or anything! I just don't think that he'd flirt behind my back! is all']
['Yahallo, Komachi-chan! It's your Iroha-neechan! Just checking in on Senpai because I heard that he's dating someone! Not that I really care or anything, I just need to know so that I don't bother him since I rely on him so much since he's always helping me, even when I don't ask for it! Haa, I really feel bad for his girlfriend, if he has one, since he's always asking if I'm okay, if I need help, about my love troubles, about everything really. Honestly, Senpai will make his girlfriend die of jealousy and heartbreak if she learns about how much he cares about me, what a troublesome Senpai, being so overly caring about his kohai even when he's dating someone. Well, anyway! Let your big sister know if he is dating anyone, okay? Her name, phone number, home address, photos, school, clubs, friends, hobbies; everything really, I need to make sure that she doesn't misunderstand me and Senpai's relationship!']
['Komachi-chan, yahallo! Just checking in since I heard that Hachiman was dating someone! D-Do you happen to know who? I'm just curious because I saw him recently and he didn't look like he was dating anyone. S-Sorry if I sound pushy, I-I'm just a worried about him is all. He's my b-best friend, so I just want him to be as happy as possible, you want that too don't you? W-Well if you hear anything, please let me know, preferably before Monday if possible! T-Thanks!']
"Vultures."
And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay awesome.