Sanbai Gaeshi
(Chiba x Hayami)
Disclaimer: I don't, and never will I, own Ansatsu Kyoushitsu/Assassination Classroom.
On their 1st White Day together, they were not together. Unfortunately for the girls, no chocolate was returned that day for no one actually remembered. Sadly for all of them, White Day from then on would become a bittersweet event.
After yesterday's graduation fiasco, the Kunugigaoka bus took them to a government facility for a formal debriefing. They spent the rest of the night trying to absorb everything that's happened: their teacher's death, their graduation, their retirement as assassins, their new lives as normal high school students. By early dawn, they were aboard the bus once more, eager to get back to their parents whom they only met for a few minutes during graduation.
Chiba and Hayami got off the same stop, and only there did he remember that there was such an event that day.
"It's the 14th," he began, looking up to the sky.
"Ah, that's right," she only just realized too as she looked up to the same sky.
"I couldn't prepare anything, he said, dropping his gaze to her, prompting her to do the same. "But I am grateful and I return the sentiment."
They stayed there, conveying everything they wanted to tell the other silently, this being their first chance to do so ever since the whole thing that went down.
"See you," they turned to opposite directions, the first rays of the sun sealing the promise.
On their 2nd White Day together, they celebrated together with the whole class.
"Quite amusing that you two are in sync as always," Isogai greeted them as soon as they stirred.
Chiba noted Sugaya still sleeping beside him, inwardly feeling relief upon seeing the invasive sleeper Okajima on the other side of the artist. He ran his gaze around the room and connected with Hayami's, the only other person sitting up amidst a mass of sleeping bodies. It was comical how she was rubbing the sleep off her eyes like a cat but her face was stoic as usual.
"Good morning. Were you up early?" he asked the class rep who was standing by the windows. Figures their class leader would be the first to get up too.
"Just 15 minutes ago," the ikemen smiled. "There are coffee sachets and paper cups by the water dispenser."
Chiba turned back to Hayami who nodded. They both got up and headed out of the classroom to fix themselves a cup of coffee.
The class decided that while there would be no grave marker or candles or incense, they would honor the day by cleaning up the place. For this year, they all ended up having one massive sleepover after the deed.
"Let's go for a few shots before everyone else is up," Chiba suggested as soon as both their cups were empty. Hayami nodded and they both slipped out of the building silently.
He had always been the more accurate sniper between the two of them especially if the targets were stationary and his shots were always cleaner.
But today Hayami matched him clean shot for clean shot. The two target posts ended up painted an almost neat circle of red and blue at the center with no stray splat courtesy of a missed shot.
"Did you practice alone?" he asked in feigned accusation.
"I got carried away at a shooting booth in my school festival," she averted her eyes, the only sign of her slight embarrassment.
He smiled at this. "Hayami," he called to get back her attention. He tossed her a white chocolate version of the chocolate bar she gave him last month.
She caught it, confused. He already gave her a small box of white choco mallows yesterday (also to Yada and Kurahashi). All the boys returned back to the girls who gave them chocolates last year yesterday (Karma was teasingly asking Terasaka for a return gift).
"This is for this year," the simple way he stated it did nothing to hinder everything he wanted to tell her.
She smiled knowingly and tucked the gift inside her jacket, her face already back to its stoic state when they both turned back to the building.
By the time the sun was halfway out, everyone was up already, even Terasaka courtesy of a morning prank by Karma.
"Everyone, it's been a year already. I know most of us spent the last year looking back to our time here in our classroom, but it's time we move on," Isogai stood in front of the classroom, Kataoka beside him reminiscent of their class meetings back then. "Korosensei will always be watching us and I'm sure he'd be happy if we create new memories for each day starting now. From here on, let's march straight ahead to our future."
And so they all left the hill that day for the real start of a new chapter of their lives.
On their 3rd White Day together, Hayami was once again not pleased at the crowd in her part time job. It was a school day the following day too and her shift is ending late again.
Chiba didn't know if Korosensei's suggestion was truly good for her; she was definitely more expressive and open, to the point that she actually complains now.
What he did know was that it was amusing, she ranting in that cool tone and aloof expression of hers as he accompanied her home after her shift. It was so different from the continuous text rants earlier before he picked her up.
It was almost like a therapy now, on days like this he shows up, she lets it all out as he silently allows her, then at the end of the walk home, she's calmed down already.
Her apartment complex coming into view signaled the end of the session, them having fallen into a comfortable silence since the last turn.
He turned to face her when they both stopped. "See you tomorrow," he tossed her a white Toblerone bar with a genuine happy smile on his face.
She smiled back with a hint of amusement before turning around to go in, waving the same bar over her shoulder once.
On their 4th White Day together, they went out to the bustling city despite the usually not favored crowd.
Now off school and successfully passed their college entrance exams, they decided to use the day to scout their future universities.
They'd gone to his first, the national university offering the best architecture program in the country.
"Time flies fast," Hayami remarked as they took in the large campus. "We were just preparing for our high school entrance exams before."
The warmth in her gaze when she regarded him told him she had no doubt he'd get in even from way then.
They go to hers next, one of the most prestigious private universities. Kataoka will also be attending college here. It was closer to their town and in a busier part of the city. It was a few stations away from his and Chiba wondered if they can still go home together as often.
They let the fact that they were entering new, bigger worlds now to sink in before they headed out to the streets again.
He led her to an ice cream shop that was thankfully not as crowded as the cafes for them to rest at. The shop was running a White Day special and Chiba bought the special white chocolate vanilla gelato for both of them.
He handed the big cone to her. "We still have more challenges to face from here on, but I'm glad we both got in to our 1st choice universities."
She accepted the cone with her usual calm smile. "Congrats to us," she said simply.
He slid to the stool beside hers and they both watched the busy street in front of the shop as they ate the celebratory treat.
On their 5th White Day together, the boys did not have a Singles Day party. They did not have pathetic love lives, thank you very much, insisted Sugino when the idea was suggested by Yada during yesterday's clean up day. They actually probably did, except Maehara that is, but none of them really cared much.
And Chiba did not give anything in return to the fellow Architecture major who confessed to him during Valentine's. Truthfully he was surprised with it himself, but he guessed there really were females who got attracted to mystery instead of put off by his weirdness.
He had briefly considered giving something back for the handmade chocolates he had accepted, but immediately shot that down upon remembering the same gift had almost gotten him into trouble when he absentmindedly let Hayami see it.
He shuddered at the memory but chose to ignore the fact that he wasn't exactly sure why he felt in trouble for it in the first place, and instead made sure he wouldn't repeat the same blunder. He had this gut feeling he really would get into trouble if he gave anything to the other girl and his peach-haired best friend finds out, no matter what his intentions would be.
His wide field of vision allowed him to see her even before she reached the gates of her campus. He straightened his stance as he waited for her to approach. "Got everything you need?" he asked when she stopped in front of him.
"Yeah," she answered, giving a quick glance at her bag which contained the requirements she had to get in her department today. "I had to help out Kataoka a bit though, there was a commotion in her building."
"Just like in high school?" he asked, inwardly mortified. Hayami nodded. He sighed, pitying their former class rep who's always hogged down on the 14th of both February and March.
They headed to their favorite café in this part of the city, a quaint one hidden in a deeper part of one of the numerous buildings surrounding the busy street. It was a perfect spot for students needing a quiet place to study, something patrons generally observed and those who wanted to just chatter usually steered clear of the place.
They were glad to find that the rule applied today despite the event and the fact that school's out. There were a few customers, probably unlucky ones whose semesters still weren't over.
Hayami briefly nodded at a glasses wearing brunette who seemed like she hasn't slept a wink. Said brunette nodded back then promptly buried her nose back into a thick book.
"A classmate from a gen ed class last semester, Philosophy major," Hayami told him as they settled into their usual table.
It never ceases to amaze Chiba how the so called tsundere sniper improved her social skills. She was by no means a party girl or a social butterfly but she made friends easily enough.
He on the other hand still had problems communicating with people and though he had made a few friends in college, he didn't really hang out much with them. He instead preferred to hang out more with his Class E friends, just that it didn't happen often now except with Hayami.
Her presence alone made the entire first year of college easier to get through.
They stayed at the café mostly in relaxed silence for as long as they could before the rush hour hit, which by then they were already back in their hometown.
"You didn't have to go with me when it should have been your first day of rest since the semester ended. But you still did, thank you," Hayami said when they got to that street where they had to separate many times before since high school.
He took out the box of white chocolate truffles and handed it to her with a genuine smile. "Anytime."
The only difference with their parting today from the many times before was the rather large gift in Hayami's hands as it could not fit into her bag.
On their 6th White Day together, it coincided with clean up day which they had moved a day to allow more people to be available.
There was much, much teasing about the 14th a month ago but it wasn't Nakamura's persistent questioning of whether February 14th was their official anniversary that bothered Chiba.
It was the fact that a month ago, Hayami had given him handmade chocolates, leading to his dilemma now: was he supposed to give her handmade chocolates too? He'd never tried baking and most of his experience in the kitchen involved cleaning.
Chiba had long realized that practicality wasn't the only reason Hayami preferred to give him small and generic chocolates on Valentine's. She was someone who didn't want to hassle the recipient with the customary return gift. It was also for this reason that Chiba matched her rather than follow the 3x the return (sanbai gaeshi) which he knew would just burden her.
He really did not expect her to give him handmade ones last month.
He sighed as he thought of the special white chocolate box resting inside his bag.
"What's the matter, architect?" the taciturn sniper almost jumped at the class gigolo's voice. "Is there something wrong with the beams?"
"Ah. No," Chiba finally remembered his current task and ticked off his checklist.
"If not that, then trouble at paradise already?" the light haired man teased. Chiba grunted and smoothly proceeded to his next task. "Just kidding, man! What, is the teasing getting to you now after all these years?"
He simply grunted again in response as he continued checking parts of the building. Maehara was already giving up and leaving him alone when he noticed they were out of earshot of anybody. "What do you give back to those who give you handmade chocolates?" his voice was so low and he himself was uncertain if it was as toneless as usual.
The Cheshire cat grin on Maehara's face as he turned back to Chiba was positively triumphant. "Oh ho, so it's about this?" Chiba thought it was a good thing Karma wasn't around this year. "Well, I receive a lot of those I can barely afford to return all the favor. Usually I just buy whatever I can get from the store and say some words to make it seem like an effort."
If he hadn't made the conclusion before, Chiba was etching it into stone now that Maehara Hiroto is a shameless gigolo.
"Tell you what, you and her know each other the best, I bet whatever it is you give her she'd still know your intentions," Maehara's expression turned serious for as long as it took to say the words. "Oh, I smell something delicious. Hara probably made food!"
Chiba absentmindedly followed Maehara to join the others. There his eyes met Hayami's who gave him a look asking if something was wrong. He gave her an assuring smirk as he approached to get the offered bowl of food. "Did you help cook?" he asked as he regarded the apron she was wearing.
"No, I just helped serve them," her averted eyes and flushed face served to complete the adorable look.
"So what did you give in return, Chiba?" suddenly Okajima was between them and they both just froze there. Chiba almost cursed his friend right then.
Their former classmates not letting up on them the entire day, Chiba only found the opportunity when they were finally alone at the street where they often parted on their way home.
"I, uh, sorry I couldn't make them myself," he said, his guilt evident in his voice as he held out the box to her. On top of it was a bag of White Day cookies, an addition he bought due to the guilt.
A surprised but understanding look was in her eyes and it alleviated his worries.
"Thank you too," was all he said after before they parted ways. Once again it was more than enough.
On their 7th White Day together, the statement was finally true to every sense of the word. Though to say that they were "together" was still debatable.
They hadn't talked about what had transpired on the 14th of February at all, neither of them knowing how.
He paused to look at his reflection through a parked car's windshield. He was so relieved his older stister still had work today. He only had to wait for the two younger ones to bolt to their own rooms after lunch to leave without being seen wearing the long sleeved striped shirt the three had given him for his birthday. According to the eldest, he had to have at least one "date shirt."
Well, he and his date seemed to be on the same page, judging by the dress she had on when she opened the door for him.
She let him in her house silently and though the silence was common for them, today it had a tinge of awkwardness and shyness.
The idea had been his. After pondering upon it for weeks, he wasn't really surprised with himself. He'd always been comfortable with her the most and if there was one person he would be willing to give it a shot for, it was her. The fact that she still met up with him regularly after the Valentine realization told him she wasn't adverse to it either.
So he asked her if she had plans for today. He never had to before, they always knew each other's plans. But this time he knew he had to take action. Unlike last month's spontaneous date, he deliberately asked her if she wanted to spend the day together, watch a movie and have dinner after. When she agreed saying that they can have a movie marathon in her house and she can cook dinner for him as her parents would be out working again despite the weekend, they were both aware of what this was.
Right now this was a tentative arrangement, testing the waters per se, trying to see where this will lead them.
It was on the 3rd movie they had on that he realized that was not needed. By then most of the awkward tension was gone and they were both focused on the movie, a romcom whose heroine was making Hayami grit her teeth in annoyance.
Going back to his seat beside her with the fresh bag of microwave popcorn, he wondered since when was it that he sat nearer to her than the arm rest. While they did not often go in each other's houses before, he was pretty sure the bowl of popcorn rested between them when they were in high school, not on his lap like now. The space between them right now was just enough for the remote.
It hits him then, that somewhere between last year's and this year's Valentine's, they had already started dating. Somehow, hang outs had turned into dates and giri choco to honmei.
Speaking of honmei… Chiba felt guiltier as the peach-haired girl seated across him at the dining table narrowed her eyes dubiously at the simple-wrapped box he was presenting to her. There was no doubt that it contained handmade chocolates.
He quickly debated internally whether to claim he made them or not. "I had Kiyomi made them for me," he admitted in a really low voice.
He did contemplate trying to make them himself but when he was trying to wander down the kitchen stealthily, he overheard his father bribing his innocent youngest sister into making them for their mother. Well, that answered how their father was able to give their mother handmade ones every year and where Chiba got his brains from.
"Oh," Hayami exclaimed softly in understanding and uncertainty as she accepted the gift. His fingertips trembled at the light brush of hers.
He abruptly stood up and went for the fridge. "I brought dessert to make up for it," he said as he took out a mini cake he managed to sneak in there without her noticing.
"How—you—" she gave up and just laughed as he placed it between them on the table.
After a while he joined her and laughed too. Nothing more was said as they happily shared the cake.
On their 8th White Day together, they gave everyone the shock of their lives since hearing Karasuma and Bitch-sensei were having a daughter.
They snuck a quick round of shooting practice during clean up day on the 13th, a salute to their former teacher who made it possible for them to reach where they were currently at in life.
"You two are going off on your own again. You should just admit you're dating," Okajima teased when they got back to the building.
"We all agreed to go karaoke and drinking, except Kaede-chan who has to go back to filming," Yada informed them.
Chiba and Hayami looked at each other briefly then back at their friends.
"We'll have to pass, we're catching the earliest bus tomorrow. We still have to pack," it was Chiba who spoke for the both of them.
It took a full 5 seconds for his words to sink in. "Wait, what?" Isogai asked for a clarification.
"We're going on a trip to Kanazawa," was all Hayami offered.
It took a few more tries at questioning them before their friends fully understood that the pair was going on a trip to Kanazawa, a celebration and vacation of sorts for graduating college. They made a smooth yet hasty escape once their friends started arriving at conclusions.
True to their words, they met at the same bus stop the Kunugigaoka school bus dropped off at, right before sunrise.
Chiba didn't wait for the bus to arrive to give her the gift he'd worked on last night, enduring his 3 sisters' interrogation while coaching him.
He held out the box of handmade chocolates to her, looking at her straight in the eyes. "I made them myself this time," a wide smile splayed on her face. "For being beside me all this time, I'm really grateful. I'll be right here even in the future for you too."
The sun's first rays showed up just as Hayami's hands brushed against his to take the gift. The bus approached them then too.
7 years ago they were here, promising to keep their bond before parting.
Chiba let her fingers slip so that his were under hers before allowing only one of her hands go. Hayami used that hand to put the gift inside her bag and then they were facing the bus opening its doors for them.
"Let's go." (Happy White Day)
7 years later they were here, fulfilling their promise and leaving together hand in hand.
A/N: I always have a hard time maintaining writing style when I don't write stories in one go. And I also tend to ramble on when I'm writing Chiba. If you're a bit disappointed with this one it's okay. Also, do you know how hard it is to write Chiba-speak? He seems like a no-fuss guy but at the same time an indirect guy with his words. That line "This is for this year" was just so Chiba for me, was it for you too? I sure hope so.
Anyway, here it is, my White Day gift to you fellow ChibaHaya shippers. So I still got several plots (mostly oneshots but I'm toying with the idea of a multi-chap fic about their life after graduating from the assassination classroom, nothing concrete yet though) for this pairing but I'm not so sure I can get them out soon. I'm finally starting on my first job and I expect it to be really busy. Maybe I'll be able to add to the drabble collection from time to time though, I'll do my best.
Happy White Day!