A/N: Alright, time to finish this. I really want to work on that Komachi/Iroha/Saki arc already. That isn't to say I'm not having fun doing this, but I have a ton of ideas I want to do already. By the way, I took Hachiman's Chiba rant from Wikipedia. Really fitting that all of Hachiman's knowledge comes from browsing Wikipedia, really.

I'm also surprised no one bothered to mention I'm reusing a scene from the early novels, which also involved Yui drifting apart from the Service Club. This time, it's Yukino's fault, though.

I kinda miss when Yukino would just randomly declare herself a beautiful, cute angel that receives a lot of love confessions and turns them all down. I mean yeah, it's because she's grown close to these people already and is careful about her words now, but still.

Anyway, let's go!

Story 2.3: Truthfully, Shiromeguri Meguri just wants to sleep

Let me tell you about Chiba City.

Chiba City is one of the Kantō region's primary seaports, and is home to Chiba Port, which handles one of the highest volumes of cargo in the nation. Much of the city is residential, although there are many factories and warehouses along the coast. There are several major urban centers in the city, including Makuhari, a prime waterfront business district in which Makuhari Messe is located, and Central Chiba, in which the prefectural government office and the city hall are located.

Incidentally, Yukinoshita Yukino lives in the business district. Fitting for a well-off heiress, really. But that's not what we're concerned about at the moment.

Chiba's famous for many things, such as the Chiba Urban Monorail or the Chiba City Zoological Park, but for regular people, what comes to mind are silly things such as shopping malls or amusement parks. Which strikes me as odd – why would you choose to glorify any dime-a-dozen amusement park or shopping mall, when you have the longest suspended monorail in the world?

This isn't to say I despise shopping malls or amusement parks. There are great amusement parks in Chiba Prefecture, such as Tokyo Disneyland, although I much prefer Destinyland since it's a less crowded place. Compared to malls, which are everywhere, it's harder to get to an amusement park, after all. Come to think of it, Destinyland itself is pretty much on par with the Chiba Urban Monorail, isn't it?

In retrospect, dismissing amusement parks as being on the same level as shopping malls was hasty. Destinyland boasts a number of interesting rides and attractions, even for a loner like myself. Off the top of my head, I can name, uh, the Pan-san ride and shop?

Come to think of it, why the heck am I thinking of Pan-san at a time like this? Is it because she-

"Hikigaya-kun. Did you hear what I said?"

Her voice was a blast of fresh winter air. The warmth of this room, produced by a tiny heater off the corner, was no match for her soothing lips, releasing wisps of cold air that seemed more like snow spirits than oxygen being released from her lungs. It felt as if no matter how much warm tea I drank, I would be submerged in her cold words; her voice and its eternal chill would haunt my heart for the rest of my life.

"…you're not making fun of me, right?" I managed to squeak out, after what felt like an eternity. It sounded like a small voice emerging from the chaos of a snowstorm.

She averted her eyes from me and bit her lips. "No. What makes you think that?"

I could almost imagine her gripping her skirt again.

"This feels like it's happened before. You asked me to go shopping with you before, right?"

Yeah, that's right. The last time Yukinoshita asked me this, it was because she wanted to buy Yuigahama a birthday present. Truthfully, part of the reason she sought to give her a birthday present in the first place was to get her to rejoin the Service Club, because of many circumstances that caused things to be awkward between us.

In many ways, many of these reasons were my fault.

"That's," Yukinoshita started to say, before stopping herself. For a moment, it looked as if she was ready to argue with me, but she prevented herself at the last moment.

"I can't bring Komachi with me this time, though." I continued. "Like I said, she's busy with her exams. And I know you'd want her help if you want to talk to Yuigahama and apologize."

"That…that may be part of it." Yukinoshita finally managed to blurt out, after a moment's hesitation. "But, that is, this isn't just the reason…"

"I can't pretend to know what you're thinking." I fired back. "But I don't plan on forcing you to talk about things you're uncomfortable with. All I'm asking is you take me seriously."

Yukinoshita looked down at the hem of her skirt, her fringes covering her eyes. Her shoulders were trembling, and I was unsure if it was because she was laughing at my responses or something else altogether. She was breathing slowly, taking measured gasps of air, and all I could do was watch helplessly as she continuously took in air, her lithe body rising and falling in time with her breathing.

"…this is difficult for me too, Hikigaya-kun."

"…what's that? I couldn't quite hear you."

Yukinoshita Yukino was someone who, at inconvenient times, was incapable of talking properly, and instead resorted to barely comprehensible whispers. It was the same for Destinyland, too.

In fact, most of our conversations turned out like this. Whether it was between Yukinoshita and me, or Yuigahama or me, or Yuigahama and Yukinoshita.

How many times have we uttered stuttering, halted phrases whose meanings we could only guess at?

How long can we subsist on snatches of stolen conversations and unfinished declarations?

"I may talk confidently of solving your request, but I'm too far away from you or Yuigahama to understand anything." Yukinoshita uttered. "My words are useless, too. They failed to reach either you or her."

Words, by their very nature, are fundamentally meaningless. No matter how hard you try to express your feelings towards another person, no matter how hard you try to send across your meanings towards him, the possibility of the transmission being garbled is high. For one, one's own value system and lexicon is fundamentally different from one person to another. Words, too, hold numerous different meanings for different people.

How can we ever know what truly runs in the mind of another person? Simply saying that talking things out will solve everything is naïve. For one, you can never truly know what runs in the mind of the person you're talking to, even if he claims to be open with his words. The fact of the matter is that words themselves are prone to reinterpretations and misinterpretations. Even if you wrap up all your emotions in beautiful poetry and give it to a person, the chance of him reading it incorrectly is high. Or is the idea of reading the other person's meaning "incorrectly" a fallacy in the first place?

So, what is the end result of all this? Are we to conclude that conversation is useless?

––you guys are overthinking it a little…you know?

But Yuigahama said that.

––If you're unsure of what your words mean, you spend a lot of time thinking about it.

What she was suggesting was utterly absurd, utterly naïve.

It would take more hard work than ever exerted in the history of mankind to do what you're suggesting, Yuigahama.

This is more work than the work put into getting the first man on the moon. This would require more corpses, more mistakes, more tears than is humanly possible.

In the history of humanity, has anyone ever truly understood someone else?

I don't know the answer to that question, but Yuigahama sidestepped the issue and suggested, in her naivety, that things will work out if we just keep trying to talk to each other.

How many mistakes will we make on the way? How many misunderstood questions, how many hearts will we hurt, how many misunderstandings will we generate along the way? Is it all worth it, all this pain and suffering, just so we can say we truly understand one another? Was all this hard work worth it?

But, wasn't that what I requested from the two of them? Didn't I admit that I felt bad when hard work went unrewarded?

I looked at Yukinoshita, whose lips were curled in disgust. Whether it be at myself or her own weakness, I do not know. She remained sitting there, silent, awaiting my final judgment.

"I guess… conversations are like a game of cat-and-mouse. Like one of those cartoons where the cat keeps trying to catch the mouse, with no end in sight." I began.

Yukinoshita, in response, looked at me haltingly. Her eyes wavered at my sight, and seemed remarkably fluid, like a puddle of snow melting.

"But…the thing that defines this endless cat-and-mouse game isn't the lack of a proper end, but the fact that they keep trying every day."

That was Yuigahama's answer, not mine. Until now I'm not sure if it makes any sense, logically.

But I knew that I couldn't deny Yuigahama's pure, simple wish.

Yukinoshita remained quiet, trying to parse my words. I don't blame her – what I was saying made no sense at all. Finally, with a herculean effort, she opened her lips once more, which had now curled into a warm smile.

"I think I understand, Hikigaya-kun."

It was like staring at the sun[1] after a long bout of winter.

"Also… I'm not joking, Hikigaya-kun. Go out with me." Yukinoshita followed up. "It's true that I want to go search for Yuigahama and apologize. But, um…" Yukinoshita's cheeks turned faint red. "It feels like I haven't spent any time with you outside this clubroom for the longest time."

My heart was frozen in place.

"That's…that's not true. We see each other outside the clubroom, right?" I quickly replied, trying to pass it off as a joke.

"You know what I mean, Hikigaya-kun." Yukinoshita shot back. "The last time we've talked like this, just the two of us… was at the infirmary. And before that, Destinyland."

I still remember the warmth of that infirmary, the soothing comfort of a silent, unsullied sanctuary that only contained three souls. Hiratsuka-sensei once called it an enclosed happiness, to be happy at not being understood by others. Were my memories of that day an enclosed happiness, too?

"I…want us to go further than this." Yukinoshita continued. "You, me, and Yuigahama. We can't go on being shackled by the constraints of the Service Club."

At last, Yukinoshita pronounces those words that remained unsaid from that cold, torturous winter.

"If you had told us about this during the Student Council Elections, things would have been better," I managed to stammer out. Many mistakes were made, many tears were shed. But it led to that scene in the clubroom, that one moment of warmth. I may have torn my heart apart and laid it upon the altar of the Service Club for them to peruse, for them to mock freely as they wished, but surely it led to something worthwhile, right?

"Perhaps… but I think the three of us were too superficial back then. It's as you had said – words are easy to misunderstand. I don't think my desires would have ever succeeded, the way I envisioned them to be. Even so… I promised to fulfill your request, so I must do the best I can."

Yukinoshita looked away. "…and we can't keep ostracizing Yuigahama. This room isn't complete without her."

My eyes widened at her remark, but held my tongue. Yeah, Yukinoshita felt this much towards Yuigahama, huh? Like a secret garden, blooming with Azaleas[2], unsullied by the vision of mortal men. What the two of them had, in this room, was something akin to that ever-distant Utopia. [3]

"…and, I want to emphasize that you are part of this as well." Yukinoshita continued. "I hate how you affirm your own weaknesses, but not your strengths."

"That's just who I am." I replied.

"Obviously. And this is who I am." Yukinoshita countered. "I will drill it into your head until you've changed for the better."

She smiled at me again, melting my frozen heart in the rays of her sun-like visage.

"The two of you have done so much for me, and I wish to repay that favor." She concluded, closing her eyes as she smiled dreamily. Like this, Yukinoshita looked more like a regular teenage girl than an unapproachable Ice Queen. With a smile like this, how could Yukinoshita have turned out the way she was?

"Heh. If you could smile like that towards other people, you wouldn't be friendless." I say to her. I didn't mean to, but it slipped out.

"You seem to be misunderstanding things, Hikigaya-kun." Yukinoshita immediately retracted her smile and looked at me with a serious face. "I am not 'friendless'. I simply choose not to declare anyone who interacts with me a friend. After all, it devalues the meaning of the word."

"That's just sophistry from someone who has no friends. Source: me."

"Unlike you, I have the capability of befriending people. I choose simply not to practice it. Most people aren't worth my time, after all. I am told I am too beautiful for most people to handle. Source: me."

"Hey, hey, isn't that being too arrogant? People get turned off by arrogant people who declare their own cuteness. It's like overly self-aware people who pepper their sentences with difficult words to sound smart."

"Is that a jab at me, Hikigaya-kun?"

"No, I'm just speaking hypothetically. I'm not referring to anyone in general, especially not some Ice Queen obsessed with cats and Pan-san."

"It's not an obsession…!"

We spent a few minutes like this, talking back and forth, our voices filling the clubroom with something resembling human warmth. How long ago was it that we would have dismissed these words as superficial?

In the end, we decided to follow after Yuigahama. Thankfully, she responded when Yukino called her. Speaking of, did I even have Yukinoshita's number? I decided not to ask – we had more important matters to attend to.

"She's at a supermarket, shopping for her family's dinner tonight." She said, after concluding her call. "It's at a nearby shopping center. If we get a taxi, we can chase after her." She immediately began cleaning up the tea set, but I grabbed her arms to stop her.

"Go tell Hiratsuka-sensei we're in a hurry and leave the key for her to lock up. I'll clean the room."

Yukinoshita froze for a moment. Um, why are you staring at me like that?

"Hikigaya-kun…your hand."

U-um, you didn't have to act like that, Yukino-chan, j-jeez, you're making me self-conscious here! I withdrew my hand from her arms and stepped away, scratching my nose. I wasn't totally embarrassed, nope.

"Y-yeah. Go ahead. I'll handle things here."

Yukinoshita nodded, and dashed away. Hey, is it really a good idea to run, considering your stamina?

As she dashed outside the door, I picked up the teacups and the kettle, intending to wash them in the sink outside the room. As I stepped outside the room, I saw a blur of black hair disappear around the corner. Was that Yukino? Not that it really matters, but it took me a bit of time to gather everything. If Yukino was rushing towards the teacher's lounge, who was it?

Well, no matter. Time was of the essence.

I turned off the heater and allowed the cold air to enter our sanctuary once again.

-0-

Hailing a cab wasn't difficult - it was hard ignoring someone like Yukinoshita frantically flagging down any taxi in sight - and soon we had arrived at the shopping center where Yuigahama ostensibly was. I made a move to pay the fare, but Yukinoshita darted her hands against my arm and pinned them in place.

"I'll pay for it."

I offered no resistance. In the first place, despite all my posturing, I had very little money on me, and logically speaking Yukinoshita was the best choice to shoulder this bill. Still, I had made the move to pay initially, in accordance with social customs and what were expected of male-female social interaction. Um, doesn't that make me sound like I've been tamed by the system?

"I fully expect you to pay me back next time."

She was beaming at me, even if beneath her angelic smile was a sly sentiment: you owe me. Scary, Yukinoshita, scary! Isshiki's got no chance against you if we compare scary smiles, you knoooooow?

"There's a next time...?"

"Of course. You haven't said no, right?"

I swallowed back my words. Yeah, I didn't tell her no. But, it also wasn't a sign of assent, but one of confusion - what was I to make of Yukinoshita's request? Go out with her? As what? What did she want, what did she expect out of me? In the first place, how does one tell Yukinoshita Yukino "no, I do not want to go out with you"? Only a complete idiot would misread her words and jump to the wrong conclusions.

In other words, Yukinoshita wanted us to 'hang out', wasn't it? As someone who wasn't used to having people to interact with, Yukinoshita probably had no idea what the etiquette was when telling acquaintances that they want to meet up and spend some time together. Her poorly chosen words, similar to that of a love confession, were simply the mistake of an inexperienced loner practicing clumsy words she had never used personally before. Tricky, tricky. Indeed, Yukinoshita was someone who was unskilled at the art of social interaction and was awkward with her words. As someone in the same boat, I was obligated to understand her words correctly and interpret it in a fashion agreeable to the two of us. That was how it was the first time as well, wasn't it? Jeez, Yukinoshita, why can't you pick your words better? You'll create needless misunderstandings, you know?

"That's how it is... Yukinoshita, you should really pick your words better. If you're requesting my help in figuring out how to interact with Yuigahama normally, then you should have said so in the first place. There's no need to include ridiculously cliche phrases like "will you go out with me" or some nonsense. In the first place, saying that to Yuigahama will generate terrible misunderstandings." Not to mention thoughts that have no place in my brain.

"Hikigaya-kun..." Yukinoshita was looking at me, dumbfounded. Uh, am I rambling?

"In any case, I suppose I can treat this as a formal request from your side. Uh, I'm going to accept, of course, but give me some time to plan out how to solve your request, okay?"

Yukinoshita, who was holding her schoolbag in one hand and her wallet in another, stared at me like I was some alien who had recently descended upon the earth. I could almost picture the scenario: I emerge from my spaceship, scream "I come in peace!" and await as the backward inhabitants of this saltwater planet gave me the royal welcome. Except, the emissary, Yukinoshita, was incapable of deciphering my language, leading to many misunderstandings, enough to fill a 2-hour movie, complete with explosions and astounding CGI effects. Wait, why did I start writing a movie proposal there?

She lifted her hands, which were clutching her wallet, and covered her mouth with it. To my surprise, she began giggling - demurely at first, but she was soon overcome with laughter and turned away, purring madly as laughing fits overtook her body. From my viewpoint all I could see were her neck and shoulders shaking as she resisted the urge to let loose a howl of laughter in the middle of the street. Yukinoshita, were you actually making fun of me?

Finally, she had ceased giggling and straightened herself. She regained her stoic face, although her cheeks were tinged faintly with red.

"Well, let's leave it like that, if you want to think about it that way." Yukinoshita said. "I'll be looking forward to you solving my 'request' then."

So at least we had finally straightened that misunderstanding out. It was a simple matter, really: I was supposed to take Yukinoshita out somewhere, simulating the activities that acquaintances do when they're together during the weekends or vacations.

Although, and this is strictly hypothetical, wasn't this similar to another irresponsible promise I owed a certain other girl?

Wasn't there something I had uttered during the Cultural Festival, to a certain other girl, to the same effect? What had I done to fulfill that certain other girl's request? We had kept alluding to it through all these months, but circumstances got in the way and we kept putting it off.

In the intervening months, I had been dragged unwillingly by an underclassman to go wherever she pleased, and now I was making the same promises with that certain other girl's closest acquaintance and possibly her best friend.

Just what did that make me, I wonder, to utter these irresponsible promises?

"...yeah. We have to find Yuigahama." I said to nobody in particular. "We have to do right by her."

That's right. I still owed her something, didn't I? We can't lose her, at least not until I've managed to clear up all my debts to her. The two of us owe her at least that much.

Yukinoshita nodded and started walking towards the interior of the mall. Specifically, the pet section. Even more specifically, the stores that had cats and accessories for them. Yukinoshita-chan? This isn't the time for you to space out and go "nyaaa..." on a bunch of cats, you know?

"Sheesh, if you really like cats that much, why not just adopt one?" I ask.

"Pets aren't allowed in our apartments. Truly a despicable rule, but one I must abide by." Yukinoshita immediately replied. "I find it questionable that pets are to be barred from an apartment complex that aims to simulate as closely as possible the environment of a happy, fulfilled community, and yet deny us the pleasure of feli- animal company." The speed of her delivery, and the alarmingly cogent logical arguments she was making implied she already had it all these things in mind before I even asked, and had anticipated arguments and counter-arguments about it. Yeah, Yukinoshita worried about the most important things, right?

"Aren't we supposed to look for Yuigahama, though?"

"There is no need to worry. I have already asked Yuigahama-san to meet with us here."

"So this is why you gravitated towards this shop?"

"Correct."

Yukinoshita, can you not answer in that "it's perfectly logical" tone while your actions make it perfectly clear you just want to pet that poor cat? Well, at least the cat doesn't seem to mind.

I looked around at the mass of people and recognized no one, although walking off to the side was a student wearing our uniform. When she looked at me, she quickly darted off to the side. What is it? Was my face that scary?

"Hikigaya-kun, is Yuigahama there already?"

"Uh, no. She has errands to run, you know?"

"Good… I need more time." She let out a sigh.

"What do you mean?" I blurted out to no one in particular, as I blew out wisps of air from my lungs and buried my hands in the pocket of my coat jacket. The pet shop here was deserted at this time, so there was only me and Yukinoshita. I didn't have an interest playing with cats or getting accessories for my pet, Kamakura, so I was content to just stand by the sidelines.

Yukinoshita said nothing in return, but instead focused on caressing the cat that was on display.

"Yukinoshita? Do you have a plan?"

Still no reply. I guess I had to take drastic measures.

"Yukinon~!"

Ugh. That was the most terrible Yuigahama impression I had ever said out loud. Probably even worse than my Irohasu (Tobe voice) or my Megurin~ (falsetto voice). No kind of moron would ever fall for it. All right, let's change ta-

"Y-Y-Y-Y-Yuigahama-san? I, ah, this is, well, my message… Hikigaya-kun has something to say to you, please, Hikigaya-kun, eliminate this misunderstanding post-haste, I will be off to the side examining other accessories. Well then, see you later, Yuigahama-san."

My ears (and I think my ahoge[4] did, as well) twitched as Yukinoshita let out a small yelp of surprise, before launching into a perfectly controlled tirade that swiftly covered for her surprise and accounted for my presence next to her, before shifting all of the responsibility of explaining matters to me. Truly, a wonderful performance, Yukinoshita. Perfect marks. I couldn't have trained you better myself.

Wait, but, I haven't trained you at all, haven't I?! Where did you learn these things?! And where do you think you're going?! Come back here, you sly cat!

On instinct, I grabbed her left arm, the same way I would grab Komachi's when she starts becoming antsy and runs around the house like she had swallowed an entire kilo of sugar. Speaking of, isn't that insanely unhealthy? Wouldn't you suffer from a heart attack if you swallow a kilo of sugar? Why am I thinking of these things when there are more important matters to consider, like Yukinoshita's arms firmly in my grasp?

"Yukinoshita. Where do you think you're going?" I say, with a little irritation.

"Hikigaya-kun, I believe you can resolve the situation better than I do," Yukinoshita proudly proclaims. I can read the subtitles in our words more clearly now:

"You can do it, Hikigaya-kun."
Please, do this for me. I can't do it myself.

"You know Yuigahama more than I do. She likes you more."
I don't have the right to interfere in your relationship with her.

"I… it is not as simple as you think it is."
I'm scared.

"Hikigaya-kun…please. I trust you can do it." She looks at me with a cold, wavering gaze, like a little child seeking guidance.

You can't really call that trust, can you? That creature of self-reliance had asked me.

Do I dare finish reading to the end of that page?

I let out a deep sigh. "This isn't a matter of trust or capability. You wanted to do this. You can't just chicken out now that you're here and let me handle things. Isn't that the ideal of the Service Club? "Teach a man to fish" and all that. Don't tell me I'm better at enacting your own ideal than yours."

This was, without the doubt, the absolute worst way to push Yukinoshita. I had no reason to antagonize her, or to push her with these methods. If I could just find the right words, I could convince her to talk to Yuigahama on her own. I wasn't the same person who antagonized Sagami - Yukinoshita would undoubtedly listen to me. After all, she had something worse than trust for me. Isn't that right, Haruno-san? Right now, all I was doing was engaging her competitive nature to spur her to action. In that sense, her actions from this point on are a result of my words and my urging.

So, I was the one dictating to Yukinoshita what to do.

However, and this is a hypothetical question: what did the man who first reached the moon think when he first stepped on its surface? Did he consider the possibility that the bridge between the Earth and the Moon was built from the innumerable corpses of men, women, and animals that sacrificed their lives for this cause? When confronted with this fact, wouldn't he break down from the immense sin weighing down his back?

If that's the case, then isn't that great man's achievement really the achievement of all the hard working people who laid down their lives for him? Was he truly just a lucky person to survive long enough to reach the moon? Doesn't that discount his own effort, his own sweat, blood, and tears?

If so, and this is purely hypothetical, shouldn't that man believe his success is the result of his own hard work and effort, not that of other people? Even if he walked over innumerable corpses on the way, can he not raise his head up high proclaim "I have successfully done it"?

Was this denying reality? I don't think so. In my hypothetical scenario, the man is aware of the sacrifices done for his sake still. If we are to use another example, take "teach a man to fish". Does it truly teach self-independence? Doesn't the man who learned how to fish still rely on a teacher to become self-independent? In a sense, the teacher still caught the fish for him, by giving him the skills to catch the fish.

But, could you honestly say that the teacher is the only one responsible for him catching the fish? What about the effort of the student?

If so, is it wrong to believe that your success was reliant on your own power alone, if you acknowledge the existence of the people behind you who made it possible in the first place?

And so, the provocation. Is this something worse than trust, I wonder?

Yukinoshita looked at me, dumbfounded that I would throw her words at her. For a moment she adopted those steely, confrontational looks she wore whenever she was challenged. I mentally prepared myself for a retort that never returned.

"Is… is that so? Are you challenging me, Hikigaya-kun?"

"Eh, I wonder, I just think you're being too careless with your own rules, Yukino-chan~!" I teasingly spat out, in a sing-song voice. Truly, my experience dealing with being mercilessly teased in my childhood was paying off.

"Very well, Hikigaya-kun. I am loathe to admit it, but your cheap provocations are urging me on. I will do this on my own."

Mission accomplished.

I started distancing myself away from Yukinoshita, who had adopted a more confident stance, as I saw Yuigahama running away from afar. I walked outside the pet shop and made a beeline for some far-away corner where a loner like me belonged. Realizing that time was of the essence, I walked faster to avoid Yuigahama seeing me. Knowing Yukinoshita, she wouldn't bring up my presence to Yuigahama until she had finished apologizing. I leaned against a pillar and looked at the two distant figures conversing. One was wildly gesticulating and flailing her arms, a plastic bag of groceries at her feet. The other was standing still, her arms wrapped around her chest, speaking methodically. It was a comforting thought: the two of them looked perfect together. Like a pair of good friends.

That's good. I didn't need to be here. This was none of my business, after all. There's probably a good café for me to waste my time, or I could go ho-

"My, it's Hikigaya-kun~? What a coincidence, hee hee."

Um, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that Shiromeguri-senpai? No way! You totally caught me off-guard there, Senpai? What kind of magical power did you use to teleport here, I wondeeeeeeeer? (Irohasu voice) I turned around and saw Shiromeguri-senpai, still in her school uniform, gesturing at me. I approached the upperclassman and greeted her.

"What are you doing here, Shiromeguri-senpai?"

"You don't have to be so bashful, I know you noticed me following you around." Shiromeguri-senpai inched herself slowly onto my personal space. Somehow, even my body was getting Meguri'd…!

"That isn't what's important! What are you doing here?" I quickly backed off, although I lowered my voice to ensure Yuigahama and Yukinoshita, who were probably still within earshot even if I had turned a corner to avoid them, wouldn't hear our conversation.

"Weeeeeeeeeeeeeell," Shiromeguri-senpai continued, placing her hands on her hips and puffing out her chest like a proud kindergarten student bragging about her achievements. "I'm here to see how my cute juniors are doing!"

Really, is that it? Good grief. [5]

"Well, no matter. I've done my job." And then she unleashed a smile that bordered on Iroha's.

What…?

In that moment, I heard Yuigahama's shrill voice calling out to me: "Hikki…!"

I turned around and saw Yuigahama and Yukinoshita running, or to put it more accurately, walking briskly towards me. Yuigahama was carrying that plastic bag, presumably filled with groceries, although Yukinoshita was carrying a small paper bag with her as well. Uh, did she end up actually buying something after all?

"That was fast." I lamely blurted out. Yuigaham was grasping Yukinoshita's left arm with her right, grinning broadly, like she had just won the lottery. Yukinoshita had a face that said "…too close", but it was also intermingled with her happy expression. Maaaan, Yukinoshita, can't you just be honest about what you feel already? Just tell her already!

"We'll tell you all about it later! Come on! Yukinon said she'll treat us to Saize! Let's grab dinner, Hikki!"

"I said no such thing, though, Yuigahama-san."

"You implied as much! Implied! You always tell me to read between the lines, so I did, so when you said you were willing to take responsibility, I knew you meant you were willing to repay me back for going hungry just to fulfill Shiromeguri-senpai's club request!"

Club request? What in the world was Yuigahama talking about?

"Come oooooooooon! Let's get dinner! Saize! Or maybe just a McDonald's? I'm hungry! And Yukino telling me to meet up with her got me excited!"

Somehow, Yuigahama's energy got us all excited, dragging us all the way to the nearby Saize. I was about to ask about Shiromeguri-senpai, but she had already disappeared.

-0-

If you think about it, life was nothing more than a series of misunderstandings.

Sometimes, we blow things out of proportion and assume the worst possible scenario. Once again, the treachery of words.

As it turns out, Yuigahama was really concerned about Shiromeguri's club request. She remembered our talk earlier that afternoon about audiobooks, and remembered all those convenient "learn how to speak English" CDs some students listened to while they slept. I was skeptical about their effectiveness, but you can't deny that it's a solution that could satisfy Shiromeguri-senpai's request.

As for her running errands? That was true, although she immediately dropped everything when Yukinoshita asked to meet with her. Isn't that irresponsible, Yuigahama?

So right now, I was walking towards the clubroom to meet with Yuigahama, Yukinoshita, and Shiromeguri-senpai. I normally wouldn't, seeing as it was lunchtime and I preferred my usual loner spot, but Yuigahama had insisted we had over the CDs to her personally. Well, I couldn't say no after everything we had talked about, right?

Descending down the stairs, I saw a flash of black hair disappear around the corner.

I immediately called out to Shiromeguri-senpai.

"If that was your goal all along, you didn't have to do such a roundabout thing in the first place."

I continued walking and turned around the corner, and knew my guess was right: Shiromeguri-senpai froze in place. "Yukinoshita might have remembered that you've already got your recommendations for the school you want to get in. The exams don't really matter, right? I remember you saying that."

That was when Shiromeguri-senpai had initially approached us with Iroha's first request, to prevent her from losing disgracefully as the lone nominee as student council president.

In short, Shiromeguri-senpai was worried about us, huh?

"…seriously, that was way too risky."

Shiromeguri-senpai turned around put her fingers under her chin and adopted a thinking pose. I could almost see the gears in her head turning, moved by adorable magical girls. Wait, do they get paid to do that? Somehow I'm imagining the implications, and they don't sound magical at all…!

"Jeez, Hikigaya-kun, you might be overthinking things a bit… all I really wanted was to see how you guys are doing, you know? Yukinoshita was the one who insisted that I turn it into a request. Truthfully, I just wanted to get a good night's sleep."

I recalled Shiromeguri-senpai's confession in the student council: what she had hoped to achieve.

Yukinoshita as president, Yuigahama as vice-president, and me as part of general affairs.

At the time, I had dismissed it as an impossible dream, even as I unknowingly trampled on Yukinoshita's own dreams. Perhaps, I was being selfish, pushing only the reality I saw.

"…still, that dream of yours, I still find it far-fetched. It would never have worked, the way we were back then. I'm sorry for letting you down, Shiromeguri-senpai, but I doubt we would have been able to fulfill your dream from back then."

Two months' worth of frustration made an undesirable noise as it flowed endlessly out of me.[6]

"I don't think I can give you that good night's sleep you're looking for."

"Well…I probably was mistaken in the first place, right?"

Shiromeguri-senpai smiled simply as I demolished the dreams she imagined.

"I thought things would have worked out, but that may have been from my perspective, huh? In retrospect, I might have complicated things further…"

Shiromeguri-senpai said unusually perceptive things, sometimes. Her face was one of seriousness, a face I rarely saw emerge from her normally cheerful appearance.

"Really, you don't have to this for us… or rather, for me. I don't deserve your kindness. Please, dedicate it to Yuigahama and Yukinoshita." I replied.

"Well, I don't like how you think like that. Even when you were assistant historian, you had that nasty habit." Shiromeguri-senpai pouted. "But that's why I'm doing this. I owe the three of you a lot things. You've been helping out Isshiki-san as well, right? And you've done so much for our sake, with nothing to show for it."

"We were just doing our job."

"Doing a job requires payment, no?"

"I don't like the way you phrase that, Shiromeguri-senpai." Bad thoughts were creeping in my head. No! Thinking of Shiromeguri-senpai that way was forbidden!

She giggled.

"Well, I may say all those nice things, but I ended up causing trouble again. Honestly, my request this time was simple. Plus, you're wrong: I can sleep well, after all of this.I just didn't imagine it would turn out like this." And then Shiromeguri-senpai let out a cheery smile, far different from the sly smile I've seen from other people - I knew it was hiding something, but there was no hint of malice to it. "Do you want to know what I want, Hikigaya-kun?"

Of course I did. I wanted to understand. Even if it was from this flighty gust of wind, this whimsical upperclassman known as Shiromeguri Meguri, whose actions seemingly hid no ulterior motive, who was as free as the air.

Shiromeguri-senpai, taking my silence as a yes, tiptoed closer to me, leaned into my ear, and whispered. My ears twitched as her lips brushed lightly against my earlobes, as her whispers seemed to be an arrow piercing straight to my heart:

I want to see you three happy.

She immediately retreated, and let out a smile I honestly couldn't call devilish, even if her actions were technically on the same level as a Hikigaya Komachi or an Isshiki Iroha.

"Well, I've done my job, and you guys succeeded in my request, so I'll leave it at that."

With a skip and a giggle, she turned around, and I realized that we had arrived in front of the club room. Without any reservation, Shiromeguri-senpai knocked and then opened the door.

The warm smell of tea blasted outside the room, combining with the warmth of our heater.

Since I was here, there was no doubt that Yuigahama would insist I eat lunch with her and Yukinoshita. I could almost imagine it: "Hikkiiiii, you're here already, you might as well eat with me and Yukinon, right? It's perfectly logical!"

Even if all I had was bread and the two of them had bentos, we could probably have an alright time together. Well, I want to believe that.

Well, it's not like I had anything else to do for lunch, right?

I smiled and made my way inside the room.

-0-

Yuigahama Yui's Mobile Diary: Entry XI
Mood: Surprised

no way! yukinon asked me to meet with her!

i wuz sirprised at 1st bcoz yukinon rarely asks 2 mit but wen i saw her w/ hikki i knew something was up! I asked if dey wer on a date but yukinon sed no! then she got all srs and sed sorry fr the mean stuff she sed in the past and I sed it was fyn and I didn't take it wrong! then she asked me why I left the clubroom early n I was lyk, huh? I told u, ryt? wen we tol hikki abt this later he burst out lol-ing and sed "So, this is the fabled 'misunderstanding', huh? Damn you, Inoue![7]" den yukinon told him to stop making obscure references.

i wuz jst so happy bcoz yukinon sed she wnted to spend more time with me and hikki! i think d 3 of us r getting even closer! ＼（Ｔ∇Ｔ）／

Early To Bed, Early to Rise (text message, Saturday, 21:37 – Sunday, 8:37, the weekend prior)

From: Yui
Title: nontitle
Time: 21:37 (Saturday)

Hikki, can you help me with our Japanese homework?

From: Hachiman
Title: woah
Time: 8:28 (Sunday)

What happened to you, Yuigahama? You're actually typing like a normal person. Anyway, I can lend you my notes before class starts. I'll try to pass it to you discretely so nobody notices. Just make sure no one sees you giving it back to me!

From: Yui
Title: re: woah
Time: 8:29 (Sunday)

That's so rude, Hikki! You told me to fix my texting! Anyway, thanks! But, you don't have to be so secretive, you know? It isn't weird if we share notes, right? I can just tell everyone you're 3rd in the humanities!

Also, why the late reply? And why are you awake so early?

From: Hachiman
Title: re2: woah
Time: 8:30 (Sunday)

You don't have to change just for my sake, though. Also, ugh, please don't. I don't want anyone finding out my rank in the humanities, they might bother me for homework too. I'm willing to make an exception for you. But seriously, try to be discrete, ok? I don't want people talking unnecessarily behind our backs.

Anyway, I'm watching PreCure with my sister. She gets mad if I don't wake up early to watch it with her, so I slept early since I was feeling tired last night.

From: Yui
Title: re3: woah
Time: 8:30 (Sunday)

Ok!

wait, wots precure?

From: Hachiman
Title: re4: woah

Time: 8:37 (Sunday)

That'll be on the test (lol)

-0-

A/N: Whew! Finally done. Next arc features Saki, Komachi, and Iroha. Get hype! I've also pm'd the winners of my previous challenge already, don't worry.

Next chapter involves tokusatsu discussion between the Service Club. I hope you like reading about tokusatsu and PreCure! What do you think Yukinoshita's favorite super sentai and kamen rider are?

Also, what'd you all think about Tamanawa? I'm tempted to write about him now.

Also: the spoilers for volume 11 are out, and this means I am definitely diverging from canon since the timeline is ridiculously strict. I can fit in the events of the next arc before and during Iroha's free newspaper request, but since that ends near Valentine's day, my options for activities are way more limited. I'm definitely gonna produce an alternate Valentine's day event, which will probably be sweeter than anything Watari Wataru will write. All right people, how painful will Volume 11 be? How much pain will the author inflict on us? Will Yui cry some more, will Yukino be even more dere, will Hachiman continue to wallow in pain?

So what do you think so far? Leave a review!

[1] Julian Barnes novel, dealing with the metaphor of staring at the sun as representative of human life

[2] Yukitoki, the first OP.

[3] Avalon, from Fate/stay night. Specifically, Realta Nua's Last Episode, where Shirou finally reaches Saber's utopia.

[4] That stray strand of hair that stubbornly refuses to go down with the rest of Hachiman's hair. Yukino has something similar. Some say if you pull off the ahoge, you unleash Hachiman Alter or Yukino Alter. Stats are drastically increased, but intuition is weakened and the Holy element disappears. In the case of Hachiman Alter, perhaps the Holy element is gained?

[5] If you have no idea who uses this as a catchphrase in anime, then you might be denser than a harem anime protagonist, or you need to watch The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

[6] If you can pinpoint this reference, then I salute you

[7] Toshiki Inoue, infamous for his…misunderstanding-filled plots. Became famous as the writer of Chōjin Sentai Jetman, Kamen Rider Agito, and Kamen Rider Faiz.