Chapter 24:
3rd Person POV:
Hikipops and Hikigaya are both sitting in their living room.
Both of them were sitting on the sofa.
"Shit! Why is Hachiman not inside his room like usual? How can I play this eroge game I just bought in a wide screen TV?" Hikipops thought.
"How can I make Otou-san go out for a bit? If I can make him go out the house for a bit, I can make Yukinoshita enter our house and make her hide in my room without Otou-san knowing, then we'll just do the date in my room! And when the date is over, I'll just make Otou-san go outside again so that Yukinoshita can go out unnoticed!" Hikigaya already contemplated a plan.
"Otou-san, can you go out and buy me something?" Hikigaya said in the most modest voice he can.
"Nah, buy it yourself" Hikipops just brushed him off.
"I'm too embarrassed to buy it myself" Hikigaya said which caught Hikipops off guard.
"What is it?" Hikipops asked.
Hikigaya inhaled and then exhaled and said "It's an adult magazine"
"I know you too well Otou-san, I know you won't say no when it comes to perversion!" Hikigaya thought.
"Why?" Hikipops asked.
"He is asking why? I thought he would just agree! MISSION ABORT! MISSION ABORT!" Hikigaya panics.
"Why did you only develop that perversion this late? We can finally bond on something as father and son! Wow, our first bonding would be looking at adult magazines, I'm such a really good father! Wait here and I'll buy some, I know the good stuff!" Hikipops said as he stood up and ran outside to go buy the good stuffs.
Hikigaya smirked. His plan is on the roll.
"He's probably gonna go the extra mile to find the perfect adult magazine and take some really long time to come back." Hikigaya said as he grabbed his phone and made a call.
"Yukinoshita you don't know where my house is right? I'll send you a location so that we can meet halfway to my house" Hikigaya instructed.
Time skip:
"So this is your house, I thought it would be under the bridge" Yukinoshita said as she looks around the living room of the Hikigaya household.
"I can't believe your parents believed you that you were bringing a girl into your house" said Yukinoshita.
"What? No! My parents know nothing about this, also no one's in the house right now" Hikigaya replied.
"Wait, we are alone in your home?" Yukinoshita asked.
"Yeah" Hikigaya answered. Yukinoshita's IQ dropped and became hyper aware of Hikigaya and herself after hearing they were alone in this house.
"Yukinoshita, follow me" Hikigaya instructed and Yukinoshita followed.
"We are gonna do this inside my room" Hikigaya is talking about the date.
"What are we gonna do in your room?" Yukinoshita asked.
"That, the thing two people do inside a room when they are alone in the house" Hikigaya is now embarrassed to call this a date now that he is with Yukinoshita face to face.
"We're gonna do THAT in your room?" Yukinoshita is talking about another thing, something erotic.
"Yes, that! You agreed to do this at my house but the only part of this house that is my is my room so, we're gonna this at my room" Hikigaya is still talking about the date.
"We're really gonna do THAT?" Yukinoshita is still talking about something else.
"Yes we're really gonna do what you were thinking so just enter my room" Hikigaya said.
Hikigaya guided Yukinoshita to his room.
"Just sit on the bed or something" Hikigaya said.
But Yukinoshita isn't entering the room yet and is hesitant.
"Are we really gonna go straight to it? Aren't we skipping to many steps?" Yukinoshita is still talking about something else.
"You're right, I'll get us some food first stay here." Hikigaya said and then ran towards their kitchen.
Yukinoshita excused herself into Hikigaya's room and sat on his bed.
"We're gonna do it while eating?" Yukinoshita imagined them doing the deed while eating something.
She blushed.
"What am I thinking? It's clear that being alone with the opposite gender has some negative effects on me! I have to get out of here!" Yukinoshita slapped both of her cheeks and regained her composure.
"But I didn't know Hikigaya is such a sex craved demon!" Yukinoshita said as she stood up and waited for Hikigaya in front of the door.
"I'm gonna punch him the moment he enters this room then run away" said Yukinoshita.
A door has been opened.
But it's not the door into Hikigaya's room, it's the door of the house! Hikipops is at home earlier than expected!
With an adult magazine in hand, Hikipops entered his home and looked around for his son.
"Where is he? Maybe in his room" Hikipops started walking towards Hikigaya's room.
Meanwhile, Hikigaya already procured the foods and refreshments he needed and is ready to transport it to his room.
As he stepped outside their kitchen to the living room, he saw his father about to enter his room.
He dropped the foods in his hand and ran towards his father and shouted "Otou-san, no!" but it's too late as Hikipops already opened the door of his room ... AND IS GREETED BY A FIST IN THE FACE!
"OTOU-SAN, NO!" Hikigaya shouted as he saw his father got punched.
"Wait, you're not Hikigaya-kun..." Yukinoshita calmed down as she saw she punched an older version of Hikigaya.
Hikipops got his nose bleeding but it's not his concern now... Because "Someone entered the house! Hachiman bring me my shotgun!" Hikipops shouted.
"Wait Otou-san! Let me explain!"
And so Hikigaya explained everything in the house living room.
Hikigaya is sitting at the leftmost side of the sofa, Yukinoshita in the rightmost and Hikipops standing with arms crossed in front of them.
"Good afternoon sir, I'm Yukinoshita Yukino, it's nice to meet you and sorry for punching you in the face." Said the bowing Yukinoshita. Hikipops doesn't seem to care that the girl his son has brought to his home is a Yukinoshita.
"Oh, I am Hikigaya Houtaro, just call me Hikigaya-san, you call my son Hikigaya-kun right? That's enough difference to distinguish us right? Or do you want to call my son by his given name?" Hikipops asked and immediately got his answer when he saw Yukinoshita quick look away with a tint of red in her face.
Then, Hikipops faced his son.
"Sometimes I ask how can you be so dumb and be so smart at the same time but then I just remembers that you were my own flesh and blood" said the amused Hikipops.
"Ahh... And here I thought were finally gonna bond over an adult magazine" Hikipops said as he swings around the adult magazine in front of Hikigaya.
"Maybe after the date?" Hikigaya wants to see.
"You're quite bold aren't you Hikigaya-kun? Declaring in front of your date that you would look at other girl's pictures just after your date?" Yukinoshita said in an annoyed tone.
"I was not surprised Hachiman here decided that you two should do the date here at our home, but I am surprised that a girl of your caliber accepted it." Hikipops asked Yukinoshita.
"Oh, I like it this way, it's more private because, no offense but I don't want to be publicly seen with your son, I was even forced to be here by my father" Yukinoshita tried to be her usual Ice Queen mode but her tone and movements say the opposite, her insult were quiet and she is averting her eyes.
"Heh, classic Yoichiro-san" Said Hikipops.
"You know Yukinoshita's father?" Hikigaya asked his father.
"Well, the company I work on is owned by the Yukinoshitas so he is kinda my boss." Hikipops answered.
"But you talk like you two were really close." Said Yukinoshita.
"Well, I would always see him in the arcade playing a fighting game, so I challenged him, we became arcade buddies outside of work, we get drunk and compare our wives, and that's going for almost 3 years now, why do you think that the compensation for you being hit by their car is so big? I even got an apology letter from him that I always keep in my pocket." Hikipops explained his relationship with Yukinoshita's father and even grabbed the apology paper as a proof.
"It's just a picture of a pair of female thighs with a "I'm sorry" written on it with a red marker, not an apology letter, and why is he apologizing to you not me? Also Okaa-san could get a HUGE misunderstanding if she sees that photo" Hikigaya said Hikigaya.
"This is an apology letter written in adult men language Hachiman, you'll learn to speak it when you get older" answered Hikipops.
"Well then, I'm going to personally make your date here in my household be so fantastic by giving you two a tour in this house." Hikipops declared.
"This is my house too, I do not need a tour." Said Hikigaya.
"You're turning 18 right? This won't be your house very soon~~" said Hikipops.
"Ok just tour us!" Immediately said Hikigaya.
And so their tour begins!
"Our house is so boring the only interesting place here is our dining room which would be our first, last, and the venue for your date! The food will be cooked by me of course!" Hikipops said as he merrily lead the two, with Hikigaya face-palming while following his father and Yukinoshita letting out a small laugh.
And they have reached the dining room.
They were greeted by a wooden rectangular four man table with a wooden sculpture of a Buddha in the middle of it.
Yukinoshita quickly took notice of the wooden sculpture and asked about it.
"That is a really good wooden sculpture, but it seems like it's out of place with your modern looking kitchen and dining hall." Yukinoshita critiques.
"Oh that? That's my Otou-san's wooden sculpture he carved, he is so proud of that he placed that where our family gathers most of the time which is the dining hall." Hikigaya explained.
"Yes! My wooden sculpture! That sculpture ranked 1st in somethings I made that I was so proud of! Also, Komachi my daughter is the 2nd!" said Hikipops.
"So Hikigaya-kun is the 3rd placer in the things you made that you were so proud of?" Yukinoshita asked, using this conversation to try to tease Hikigaya.
"What? No! My the 3rd is speech during my student council days!" Said Hikipops.
"What's Hikigaya-kun's place then?" Yukinoshita asked.
"He simply did not qualify." said Hikipops.
Yukinoshita didn't like it.
The way Hikipops said what he said in a really cold tone.
She then looked at Hikigaya and saw that Hikigaya is looking down in the floor, avoiding eye contact to his father.
The goofy atmosphere became serious.
"How can you be not proud of your son?" Yukinoshita asked.
"Ghahahahahahaha!" the two Hikigayas laughed which made Yukinoshita baffled.
"I can't believe how this always works! Hahaha!" Hikipops said while laughing.
"I know right? The confusion in her face! Hahaha!" added Hikigaya.
This father and son has a really weird sense of humor.
"Does this mean Hikigaya-kun actually qualified and is a 4th placer in somethings you made you were so proud off?" asked Yukinoshita.
"There is no such thing as the 4th place." Hikipops said as he walked towards the Buddha sculpture.
Apparently, the Buddha carving is hollow inside and can be opened by removing the upper body of the wooden sculpture, revealing a smaller but more well defined carving of Hikigaya Hachiman inside!
"I already told you right? These one placed first, I am so proud of it" Hikipops said as he patted the head of the wooden sculpture of his son.
Hikigaya is so embarrased this time.
"I didn't know that sculpture can be opened" said Hikigaya.
"I'm so awesome right? Now enough about me, let the date begin!" said Hikipops.
The two teens were seated at the both ends of the table facing each other.
Hikipops moved from the dining room to the kitchen to cook.
The two were left in the dining room alone.
The two of them would occasionally make eye contact but would immediately break it for the duration of waiting for their food.
"Your outfit really looks good on you... Sorry it took me so long to notice, I am so occupied with planning earlier" Hikigaya complimented Yukinoshita's outfit which consists of a pink skirt, a while blouse and a light blue short sleeved blazer, and a pair of white sandals, her hair were tied in a twin tails.
"Took you long enough" said Yukinoshita.
...
The conversation were halted.
...
"Your father is really good at sculpturing, do you do sculpture too?" asked Yukinoshita, trying to make another conversation.
"No, but I am good at drawing" answered Hikigaya.
"And what are your favorite things to draw?" asked Yukinoshita.
"Bears" answered Hikigaya.
"Is it pandas?" asked Yukinoshita.
"No, I like grizzly bears more" answered Hikigaya.
"If I were to ask you to draw every Pan-san versions, would you do it?" asked Yukinoshita.
"No, too much work" said Hikigaya.
...
Hikigaya is just so good at killing conversations.
Silence...
"Here it goes! The Hikigaya specialty! The Hikigaya style curry!" Hikipops said as he busted out of the kitchen to the dining room with plates with each hand.
Hikipops quickly placed each plate in front of the two and said "Please enjoy the food, if you need me I'm just at my room reading this adult magazine I brought." before leaving the two alone.
They are alone again...
Awkward silence filled the room...
These two are ok talking to each other normally but when you added the word "date" into the mix, their loner instincts just awakens.
The rest of their date is just like these: Occasionally locking gaze at each other, being embarrassed, will turn their attention to eating and then repeat until they have finished the food.
"Give me your plate, I'll wash it" said Hikigaya.
"No, let me wash my own plate and utensils, who knows what you may do to it" said Yukinoshita.
"Do you really think that I am creepy enough to lick the utensils you just inserted to your mouth?" retorted Hikigaya.
"Who said about licking them Creepygaya-kun?" said Yukinoshita sa she let out a small laugh.
"You have a way with words Yukinoshita" said Hikigaya as he accepts defeat.
In the end, the two of them just washed the dishes together.
While washing, Yukinoshita asked a question.
"What's our relationship now?"
"A couple of some sort?" answered the unsure Hikigaya.
"Hehehe" both of the let out a soft laughter.
"As if! We don't even know each other well" said Hikigaya.
"Yes, we aren't even proper friends yet" added Yukinoshita.
...
Yukinoshita stopped washing the dishes and faced Hikigaya.
"But I am extremely curious of how our relationship turns up after this date" asked Yukinoshita.
This halted Hikigaya's movements too.
He looked at Yukinoshita and their eyes locked again, but unlike earlier, this one lasted.
Yukinoshita suddenly reached for Hikigaya's cheek.
Hikigaya is too surprised to move.
Yukinoshita poked Hikigaya's cheek.
"There's a soap bubble" said Yukinoshita. There really isn't.
Hikigaya quickly jumped backwards, 1 meter away from Yukinoshita.
"Le-let's just get this date over with! I'll walk you to the station!" said the flustered Hikigaya.
After washing the dishes, the two started to walk out of the Hikigaya household.
"Otou-san! We are going out!" shouted Hikigaya before leaving.
The two started their mundane walk.
"I like cats" Yukinoshita suddenly said.
"Eh? OK? Why are you saying that?" asked the confused Hikigaya.
"Well, you said we don't even know each other well right?" said Yukinoshita.
"Oh... Well, I like Italian food from Saizeriya" said Hikigaya.
"I like the colors blue and white" said Yukinoshita.
"Well, I like all of every pale colors" said Hikigaya.
This exchange continued for the rest of their walk.
Then, Yukinoshita ran to get several steps ahead of Hikigaya then turned back into him.
"The date is so awkward and quiet, our conversations would always be halted but... I guess that's just like us, awkward and is having a hard time connecting... All I can say is it's the best kind of date for our kind of people" said Yukinoshita.
"Ye-yeah..." answered the now flustered Hikigaya.
"Were still have a long way to go to reach our destination so hurry you slowpoke!" said the smiling Yukinoshita.
Hikigaya took up the pace and walked beside Yukinoshita...
CHAPTER END-... No its not!
BONUS SCENE!
As promised, Hikigaya and his father are in Hikigaya's room and is looking at the adult magazine Hikipops brought earlier.
"You really got my very essence in that sculpture Otou-san... It's really good." said Hikigaya.
"Thanks" answered Hikipops.
"I'm not saying that you were a really terrible father before but you seems more open and kinder to me now" said Hikigaya.
"I always thought that I should make you tougher so I was kind of a jerk to you but after seeing that your eyes were closed for 2 weeks, it opened my eyes and I saw the error of my way..." said Hikipops.
Then, Hikipops looked at his son in the eye and said."I'm sorry and please never do that kind of stunt again" and then offered his fist for a fist bump.
"Ok, I promise I won't jump in front of running car anymore" said Hikigaya as he fist bumped his father.
"Ok! As a punishment for making me worry for jumping in front of a car, I'll tell you something you don't want to know!" declared Hikipops.
"We already looked at page 13 of this magazine right? One of the 4 girls there is actually a guy!" said Hikipops.
"What? How the hell in Earth did you know?" asked Hikigaya.
But Hikipops did not answer and just stood up and walked towards the door.
"I hope you can sleep knowing that there is a 25% chance that you might have a hard on because of a gay! Hahahahaha!" said Hikipops before exiting Hikigaya's room.
Hikigaya didn't sleep that day.
CHAPTER END-