The clubroom seemed lonelier today. Of course, maybe it was due to the fact that at the moment, I was the only one occupying the space.
No that wasn't it either. Yuigahama-san would walk into the clubroom with her cheerful attitude at any moment now. Knowing that, there really was no reason to feel lonely, the way I did.
That means this feeling stems from the only other possible option.
Him.
Hikigaya Hachiman.
Komachi-san notified me earlier, via text, that he would not be in school today because Hikigaya-kun was feeling under the weather.
Sitting here and thinking about how his health was fairing, a since of guilt washed over me.
Maybe it was my fault?
I grab my chin as I shuffle through me recent memories.
Maybe it was because of that day…
A couple of days ago Hikigaya-kun and I were out enjoying ourselves when the weather turned for the worse.
As the rain began to heavily pour, Hikigaya-kun took off his jacket and placed it over me in order to shield me from the cold water.
We ran for quite a while until we found shelter underneath the roof of a bus stop. At this point I was fairly dry with the water having only reached my legs. Hikigaya-kun on the other hand wasn't as lucky.
He was completely drenched.
I admit I felt embarrassed and ashamed that he went through that trouble for me while he himself suffered the consequences.
But at the same time, I felt happy. I'm terrible aren't I? But it was true. I was happy that I had someone like him in my life. I did however apologize to him for having to sacrifice his dry attire for me, which he casually brushed off saying it 'wasn't a big deal'. I won't admit it to him but I actually quite like that demeanor about him.
Having remembered that day, I feel my cheeks begin to warm.
Noticing that, I lightly shake my head.
"That must be it…" I say to myself as I attempt to focus on the present.
As if on cue I hear the noise of the clubroom door energetically slide open.
"Yahalloo, Yukinon!" Yuigahama walks in, giving me a wave as she closes the door behind her.
"Hello, Yuigahama-san."
"Hey, Yukinon can't you start calling me 'Yui' yet?"
"U-umm…Well, that's kind of…" She's asked me this before but I still find it quite embarrassing. After all she's really my one and only true friend. I have no such experiences with these sort of things.
Well I guess that's not entirely true. I do call-
"Come on! I know you probably call Hikki by his first name by now right?!" Yuigahama exclaims with a pout as she makes her way to her usual seat.
Is she a mind reader?! No. That's impossible. Things like that don't exist. This is Hikigaya-kun's fault. I knew I shouldn't have read those 'light novels' that he recommended to me. He's beginning to really influence me.
As I begin to press my fingers on my forehead, attempting to suppress any headache that might find its way out, I hear Yuigahama-san plop down in her seat giving in audible 'hmpf'.
Don't act so childish, please.
At that thought I clear my throat in order to answer her.
"Well then... Y-Yui-san." I slightly turn my vision from her in order to hide my embarrassment as she would get too-
"Just 'Yui' no 'san', please!" She snapped me out of my thoughts which made me turn to face her.
She herself had cheeks that were a nice tint of pink due to her request. But I won't fall for her antics this time.
"Should I just stick to 'Yuigahama-san' then?" I say as calmly as I can muster.
"N-n-no! Yui-san is fine!" Yuigahama-san finished with a defeated look as her shoulders slumped.
"I see. Well then, would you like some tea…Yui-san?" I say as I begin to rise from my seat.
"Ah! Yes, please!"
I couldn't help but smile at how happy she became from my small gesture.
"Oh, by the way Yukinon! Komachi texted you about Hikki, right?"
"Of course."
"Aren't ya gonna go see him?"
My hands stop as I was preparing the tea set.
"Go see him?" I ask as I turn to look at Yuigahama-san.
"Well yeah. He's sick and you're his girlfriend. So you hafta go visit him!"
I didn't understand.
"Hikigaya-kun is fighting a small cold. It's not like he's fighting for his life. I'm sure he would just want to rest anyway. There really is no reason for me to intrude as he recovers."
Yuigahama-san doesn't answer me and only blankly stairs at me with her mouth slightly hanging.
"Poor Hikki…"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Yuigahama-san places a hand on her temple as she slowly shakes her head in disapproval.
"Like, when your boyfriend gets sick, it's the job of the girlfriend to go visit him!"
"I-is that so…"
If I had little to no knowledge on how to deal with relationships of the same gender, then I was completely and utterly lost with those of the opposite sex, especially when that person was also your partner.
I must admit, Yuigahama-san had the upper hand. While I had my brain filled with academic knowledge, she had hers filled with social knowledge.
Was that mean of me to think? No, I don't think so. At the very least I didn't mean it in a negative way.
As I shake my head to clear my thinking Yuigahama-san spoke up once more.
"So, Yukinon… What are you gonna do?"
What was I 'gonna' do? To be honest, visiting him didn't cross my mind. While I admit that I missed him today, I was simply going to call him when I got home and ask him how he was feeling. It didn't occur to me that it was acceptable to go visit him in person for such a minor thing.
Actually, in the first place, how would Hikigaya-kun even feel if I stopped by? He and I didn't quite have the same thinking that Yuigahama had after all. Would he be happy? Or would I just be a bother?
Noticing the serious expression on my face Yuigahama-san spoke.
"Don't think too hard about it. I'm sure Hikki would be very happy to see you." Yuigahama said with a bright and warm smile.
As surprising as I found her statement, I couldn't help but smile back at her. She really was a great friend.
"You think so?" I shyly ask.
"Yup!"
"Well then, if you advise it, I suppose I can try it out."
"Yukinon is sooo cute!" Yuigahama-san said behind a giggle.
I don't know what to say to her so I just turn away and once again begin to prepare the tea.
"Then, I suppose we should stop club activities a bit early today."
"Ahh, stupid Hikki messing with my alone time with Yukinon…" Yuigahama-san sprawls herself across the table.
I can't help but let out a small laugh.
"Don't worry. If you ever get sick. I'll also visit you."
Yuigahama-san and I made our way to the school gates as we left the service club a bit early. It was good that we had no customers today.
"Yui-san."
"Yeah?"
"Do you want to come with me to visit Hikigaya-kun?"
Yuigahama-san gives me a warm smile. However, her eyes seemed to give off a different emotion.
Did I say something wrong?
"It's okay Yukinon. I'll just text him later. Not like he's dying."
"R-right." Isn't that what I said earlier? "Well then, I'll see you tomorrow, Yui-san."
"Okay! See you Yukinon! Say 'hi' to Hikki for me!" Yuigahama-san happily and energetically tells me as she begins to walk in the opposite direction.
Even after all this time, after all these conversations and interactions, Yuigahama Yui never ceases to surprise me.
I think to myself as I walk in the direction of Hikigaya-kun's home.
"Hikigaya-kun, are you awake?" I softly call out to Hikigaya-kun as I sit by his bedside using his desk chair.
No response.
Hikigaya-kun soundly sleeps, facing up towards the ceiling. Probably the easiest way to breath in his condition. But it also gives me a perfect view of his peaceful face.
I lean over to get a better look.
"Hikigaya-kun…you're not awake, right?" I ask once more in a voice that would probably be hard to hear even if he was awake.
I patiently wait for a response.
Only Hikigaya-kun's rough breathing fills the otherwise silent room.
Still staring at him intently I begin to carefully study Hikigaya-kuns facial features.
You really are quite handsome, aren't you? I think to myself as if noticing it for the first time.
Maybe because you have your eyes closed? I let out a small giggle.
"Zombie eyes or not, I suppose I'd love you either way." Still leaning over I reach my hand out in order to gently caress his face.
His cheeks were warm.
His fever must still be high.
At that thought, I reached over for the pan filled with water and towel that Komachi-san had given me in order to cool Hikigaya-kun's head, if he was still burning up.
I damp the towel in water and gently strain it.
I gently push Hikigaya-kun's bangs away from his forehead and slowly lay the towel on top of it. As the towel makes contact with his skin, Hikigaya-kun gives out a slight grunt.
"Sorry…" I whisper.
He began to rustle around a bit more until his eyelids slowly fluttered open.
Did the cold towel wake him up?
Hikigaya-kun slowly looked around the room until he eyes finally landed on me.
"G-good evening, Hachiman…" I say feeling bad for disturbing his sleep.
"Am I dreaming?..."
"No. It's me. I didn't mean to wake you up, sorry."
Hikigaya-kun gives me a small smile. "It's okay…"
His response instantly makes me feel better and it seems like any guilt I had earlier is lifted.
I respond to his smile with one of my own. "How are you feeling?"
"Shitty…I'm home all day and I can't even read or play video games-" His rough voice gets cut off by a coughing fit.
"Better to get those Hiki-germs out of your system." I say behind a small smile, his earlier comment reassuring me he was feeling okay.
"Shouldn't you be comforting me or something?" Hikigaya-kun asks as he regains his composure having calmed his coughing.
"You're right. I'm sorry. Do you want me to get you some medicine?" I ask, now worrying I might have teased him too much in this state.
"Nah, I just took some." He said as he gave me a smirk.
You always seem to tease me right back don't you?
"I really do feel bad. It is my fault you got a cold after all."
"That's true…"
"I-I'm sorry, Hachiman…" I say as my heart begins to give me a slight tug.
"I'm kidding. Don't get upset."
"But-"
"I know I'm not the greatest boyfriend in the world…so if I can prevent you from getting injured or sick, then that's what I'm gonna do…it's the least I can do."
How does he always do this? I thought that maybe I had hurt him. Annoyed him. And yet he is capable of saying such things to me. So easily. Ever since I've known him he's always been saying the things I wanted to most hear. He's the only one that's ever done that. He's so comforting to me. And what do I do in return? I tease him and get him sick.
As these thoughts run through my mind I can't help but let my emotions get the best of me as I feel tears begin to well up.
"H-hey now, I said I was kidding…"
I feel his hand reach out and touch my cheek as I try to hold back my tears.
"Don't cry." He says in such a low yet reassuring voice.
"H-Hachiman…I love you…so much…" I say as I grab hold of his hand that caresses my cheek.
"Me too. So don't cry."
"I promise…" I take a deep breath in order to fight back my tears for one last time. "I promise to make you happy Hachiman, the same way you've made me happy."
Hikigaya-kun seemed surprised by my statement before a smile stretched across his lips.
"I'll be in your care."
I give his hand still cupping my cheek a tight squeeze.
"Yes."
I want to be a source of happiness for Hikigaya-kun.
I never thought I'd get to the point where such thoughts would fill my mind. It's not so much that I or Hikigaya-kun has changed. I believe that it just means we've grown as people, albeit perhaps slower than most but I digress.
I only hope I continue to grow along with the people most important to me. From this point forward to the unpredictable future.
A/N:Hello! I just wanted to attempt a chapter in Yukino's POV, hence the '.5'. Anyway, it was enjoyable to write and if enough of you like it, I might do it again! As always thanks for the support, keep those reviews coming, and I hope you enjoyed this 'special' chapter! haha