(Hachiman)
When I feel like I'm safe from Komachi, I stop running and catch my breath. I'm glad it's not overbearingly hot today, or I would have been covered in sweat before I even met up with those two. Taking my time, I arrive at the station a couple of minutes before eleven. I spot them first. Looks like they arrived early, too.
"Yo." I catch their attention.
"Guh!" Yukinoshita gasps in surprise and fright.
I just give her the deadpan look.
She begins to berate me. "Excuse me, but it's highly inappropriate to go around terrorizing pedestrians at the train station."
I give her more deadpan.
"Hikki! You're here!" Yuigahama beams. Hey, I noticed it before, but am I actually the only person who doesn't get a yahallo?
They're dressed nicely. They're dazzling, in fact. Is it because their clothes suit them well? Or is it just them?
"Yeah." I decide against complimenting them. Praising their looks on first sight is really too much of a riajuu thing for me.
"So what's the plan?"
"Well... We were thinking we could just take it easy today. You'd prefer that sort of day out, right?" Yuigahama checks with me. A courtesy, of course. We all know I have no say in the matter.
"No complaints here. Shall we get a move on?" I begin to make towards the ticket counter.
"Ah, um..." Yuigahama stops me first.
"Hm?"
Instead of a verbal response, she makes this feminine gesture. I think I can deduce what she's getting at. She probably wants me to compliment her on her looks. Honestly, such a simple-minded creature. I really didn't want to go out of my way to praise her on her looks. It's unnatural for me to do it, I've never practiced. I'm concerned it might come out awkward and creepy. I'll try and be casual about it.
"Ah, you look nice today."
Her face lights up.
"Is that what you wanted to hear?"
Her face scrunches up.
She groans. "That last part was unnecessary. It makes it sound like you don't even think so."
She pouts. Oh come on, now you're just being childish. Sorry I didn't play out your little facade with you.
"Stop pouting. You really do look nice, I just didn't think I should say anything."
She smiles. "That's better."
"Nn-"
Yukinoshita makes a clipped sound, and shifts her posture a little.
I try not to laugh.
Yuigahama sees it too. "Ne, Hikki. What about Yukinon?"
Keep a straight face, Hachiman.
"Huh? What about her?"
Yukinoshita eyeballs me. She does not look pleased.
Yuigahama wails in her defense. "Hikki! You idiot!"
I crumble. It's too funny and I can't help smirking. "I'm kidding, sorry. Yukinoshita, you look good today too."
If I managed to appease her, she didn't show it. She looks at me with a mixture of irritation and supreme boredom.
"Hmph. A shallow compliment from a shallow person."
"Oh come on. You don't need me to tell you whether you look good or not. You've demonstrated on various occasions that you are more than capable of complimenting yourself on your looks, Yuki-vain-shita."
"Ara? That's a given. Objectively speaking, I am blessed with good looks, so it's natural that I'd acknowledge it on occasion. Not that you'll ever understand what that feels like."
She said 'ara'.
I'm not going to laugh. I'm not.
"Objectively speaking, anyone who calls themselves beautiful is not being objective at all."
Yuigahama comes to her aid. "Hikki, you're so bad at talking to girls. Next time, just make the compliment and leave it at that, okay?"
"Oh yeah? What about my compliments? I'm dressed up too, you know."
Yuigahama looks me up and down with a serious face, as if trying to solve a mystery. On the other hand, Yukinoshita looks at me as if I were a math problem.
"Acceptable." Yukinoshita's evaluation is less than flattering.
"Nothing special, though." Yuigahama's is even worse.
"Oi, what's with this double standard? I rescind my earlier compliments." I feign outrage.
That gets a laugh out of them. Well, it gets a feminine laugh out of Yuigahama, and a dignified giggle out of our token aristocrat.
"Anyway, are we gonna get a move on or are we just gonna stay here and banter all day?"
Being a Saturday mid-morning in Chiba, the trains are somewhat packed. We manage to find some space in the seats when we conveniently see a group of three people at the end of a seat exit the train car as we get on. We have plenty of arm space at first, but when someone on the other end of the seat decides to squeeze himself in, it pushes the three of us together. I feel like I should have gone for the corner seat, because the sudden proximity of both Yukinoshita and Yuigahama on either side makes me uncomfortable.
In more ways than one.
After a couple minutes, I consider standing up for the ride. I'm not really the gentlemanly type, but I feel like I should at least give the girls some breathing room. Our shoulders are hunched together and I don't know what to do with my hands, since I don't have the space to stuff them into my pockets. Rather than being a gentleman, standing up would just be a more comfortable solution for all of us.
Before I make a move, I look ahead of me to the adjacent side, and I catch the glance of some random nerd with a PS Vita. He immediately looks down at his game as soon as I spot him. Mind your business, asshole. Or at least, learn to stare at people without getting caught. Why the hell was he gawking at me anyway.
Wait a minute. To him it looks...
Hehe.
Hehehe.
I totally look like a riajuu. Sorry, bro. Did you want to sit here between these girls? Oh sorry, seems like they'd rather sit with me. Nevermind. Hey, maybe you'll find yourself a couple of cute girls to squish up with on the train or something.
As much as I want to savor the moment, I'm actually not very comfortable here. I imagine they aren't either. I decide to get up and grab one of the hanging handlebars.
"Ah, Hikki! You really didn't have to get up."
"No, I wanted to. I was feeling kind of squashed anyway." I look to the side. For some reason, it feels embarrassing trying to justify myself.
Yuigahama and Yukinoshita just sort of look at each other. Then, Yuigahama giggles to herself. Yukinoshita makes a little smile too.
(Tomoko)
Agh. Died again. I'm sure I used to be better at this game than I am now. Have I gone soft from playing too many dating games?
I sigh. Were the weekends always this boring? I used to cherish the weekends so much that I'd neglect sleep just so I can remain in the oasis of freedom that is my obligatory two days off of school.
I feel hungry. There's nothing to eat here, which means I have to go out to eat. I should really go to the supermarket and buy some real food that I can eat at home. Agh, but it's such a bother to go anywhere. I just want to laze around today.
Would be nice if someone would laze around with me, though. I wonder what Hikigaya's doing today. Hehe, probably sitting at home playing with his thingy. He is a teenage boy, after all. I remember my brother used to think he was being so subtle about it, when in reality the ground would rumble from his vigorous motions. Wait a minute, that's not funny. That's gross. Stop thinking about it.
Should I message him? He said it was okay to message him, right? Nah, maybe not. It feels weird to strike up a phone conversation out of the blue. It's probably a normal thing for normal people, but for me it's unheard of. I'll just talk to him on Monday.
I sigh again. It feels like I'm just wasting my time here at home.
(Hachiman)
It doesn't take us long to arrive at... wherever the hell we are now. I don't think I recognize this place, which means we're probably in some sort of hangout district. The building in front of me looks incredibly suspicious. There are no signs or anything to indicate what sort of place this is. Furthermore, it seems like the building itself goes out of it's way to be as inconspicuous as possible. If that's true, then that would mean whoever runs this place doesn't want just anyone to come in.
So what the hell are we doing here?
"Yuigahama, I'm just making sure, but this isn't our stop, right?" The edge in my tone subtly warns her not to answer incorrectly.
"Oh come on! It's better than it looks. There's all sorts of stuff inside and it's never overcrowded." Yuigahama attempts to persuade me.
Yukinoshita backs her up. "Indeed. I was rather impressed with my experience the last time we came here."
"Right? Right? It's a load of fun, and the atmosphere seems like it would totally be your speed, Hikki." Yuigahama, feeling encouraged by Yukinoshita, keeps trying to sell the idea of going in.
I'm honestly not the least bit convinced that it's 'my speed', but I've already resolved to compromise my usual attitude for the sake of not bringing down the mood today.
"Alright, let's give it a try."
And with that, we enter the building. Or rather, I'm dragged by the sleeve by Yuigahama, as if she were a child entering a candy store. Or a bakery. Something children love, I don't know.
"Oh, Yui-chan, Yukino-chan, hey there!" A massively built man wearing makeup and women's clothes calls out to us from his seat. Or rather, he calls out to the girls. Now, I know I'm the last person who should be calling someone a creep based on their appearances, but this guy makes me incredibly uncomfortable. He's wearing far too much makeup and I'm reminded how much I hate clowns.
"Micchan, yahallo!" Yuigahama enthusiastically returns his greeting. Oi, is it really okay to be acting so familiar with this guy?
"It's good to see you again, Micchan." Even Yukinoshita is okay with him using her first name. What the hell.
Yuigahama pulls my sleeve again, and skips over to the creeper in question. No, you really don't need to introduce me. I'm fine, really.
"Micchan, this is Hikki. The guy we were telling you about." Yuigahama tries to introduce me.
Now I'm not at all surprised that a social person like Yuigahama would talk about me behind my back, but I can't say it doesn't bother me. But, like most things that bother me, I attempt to let it slide. If I expressed my distaste at everything I dislike in the world, I'd probably be sent off to some sort of correctional school for trouble kids. Not that it hasn't already been brought up at home once or twice.
"Ah, so you're the infamous Hikigaya-kun, hmm?" He extends his hand for a handshake in a rather feminine way.
"Hikki, this is Micchan. Don't worry, he's harmless." Yuigahama says. If you have to tell people he's harmless, doesn't that give me a reason to believe otherwise?
I hesitate to shake his hand. It's not that I want to be rude or anything, but there's something about this guy that I can't wrap my head around. After a somewhat awkward moment, I grab his hand and shake it weakly.
"It's nice to finally meet you, Hikigaya-kun." He says in a feminine way. I try not to shudder.
"Yeah. Nice to meet you." I offer politely. I really don't know if it is, though.
I don't know if I'm the only one feeling awkward here, but if I am, Yukinoshita breaks the tension by interrupting us.
"Shall we start with a game of pool?"
Seeing no reason to object, I oblige.
(Tomoko)
...
Fuck it. I'm bored out of my mind. What's Hikigaya doing? I find his contact on my phone, and open a new message.
Um... what exactly should I say? It's easy enough to maintain a text conversation with Yuu-chan, but that's an entirely different matter.
[Hey whats up fag]- no, no. Too obnoxious.
[How are you doing]- fuck no, I sound like a business partner.
[I was just thinking about you]- no fucking way.
Ugh. I wish he were here so I could just talk to the bastard. He's easier to talk to in person than in a text message. How is that even possible? In the first place, why am I being such a weirdo about it? I feel natural enough when we're talking. What would I say if he were here?
[Sup]
...
-send.
Instead of waiting for a reply, I turn off my game, throw my shoes on and go for a walk to take my mind off things. I needed to get something to eat anyway.
(Hachiman)
So far, I've had fun today. The place isn't nearly as sparse as I was led to believe, but the people here are quiet-ish, and mind their own business. I haven't even gotten any glares or suspicious looks yet, which already makes this a good day out. I remember Yuigahama said I would be pleasantly surprised by what she had planned, but I'm more pleasantly surprised at the fact that I'm pleasantly surprised. This is the kind of appreciation that only a long-time pessimist ever gets to feel.
And they say it sucks to be me. Hah!
After the third game of pool, I decide I've had enough for now. In all honesty, I could have gone for another game, but I have to be courteous towards Yukinoshita and Yuigahama. Even a loner like myself knows you have to make a decision on when something gets boring, because the girl will never say anything. I learned that much from Isshiki.
I glance at the time, and it's already almost 2 o'clock. How did that happen?
"Oi, you two."
Yuigahama perks up. "Yeah?"
"How about lunch?" I suggest.
"Mm, sure."
Yukinoshita chimes in. "What did you have in mind?"
Hah? What did I have in mind? I'm not the one in charge here, remember?
"Nothing. I had nothing in mind because I was relying on you two to have everything planned."
Yuigahama makes a face of disappointment, while Yukinoshita looks somewhere between irritation and boredom. Usually when I see these two faces at the same time, it means I said something creepy or gross. But what did I say?
"Well then. Since Hikigaya-kun had nothing in mind for lunch, then we should oblige him. Hikigaya-kun can have nothing, and Yuigahama-san and myself will order from the menu."
Hey, come on. Stop being shitty. What'd I do?
"Good idea Yukinon. Let's go see what's on the menu!" Yuigahama prompts Yukinoshita, and they walk together towards the bar. Wait, they serve food here? This place looks like a pub, and I'm almost certain it'll be full of drunkards come night time. To add to that, they have a friggin' menu here, and pub games too?
Hiratsuka-sensei would love it here. I should get the name of this place for her. I wonder if they serve ramen.
Unexpectedly, my phone blares. I almost forgot that I brought it along, since I rarely ever get any messages. I'm willing to bet it's Komachi nagging me about 'how it's going'.
I check the message. Huh. Well I'm glad nobody took that bet because it's not Komachi. It's Kuroki. Unexpected. I wonder what she's upto.
[Sup]
Hm, probably not much. I'd imagine she's bored at home and wants to bother someone. Now what should I reply with?
...
What should I reply with?
It's easy enough to talk to her in person, but text messages are unfamiliar territory for me. It feels like maintaining the conversation won't be the same. I've already got trauma from text conversations with girls in middle school, so I'm feeling kind of reserved about it already.
I stop to think. What would I say if she were here in person?
[Yo whats up]
...
Is that okay? It looks like a casual enough message. Should I put a spelling error in there to make it look more casual? Or would that make it look stupid? Agh, I'm no good at this.
-send.
I look up, Yuigahama and Yukinoshita are chatting away happily. They really are stunners, and they look even better when they're together. If anything, the only thing that would look out of place among them is me. I suddenly don't feel like eating. I take the nearest available seat and stare at my phone, waiting for a reply.
(Tomoko)
[Yo whats up]
Yeah, that sounds like something he would say.
[nah just bored what r u doin]
I check the message over. Should I tidy it up a little? Nah, it'll be fine, I think. It's legible, at least.
-send.
I wonder what I should have to eat.
(Hachiman)
Looks like I called it. She just wants someone to bother. I guess it works because I'd like to be bothered right about now, to take my mind off of my own depressing thoughts.
[I'm dating two cute girls at the same time]
No, wait. I glance over at Yukinoshita and Yuigahama. They're still chatting happily. Tch, what was the point of me even coming today?
I wipe the contents of my message.
[I've somehow ended up somewhere suspicious in Chiba. There is a bodybuilder in drag who calls himself Micchan.]
Hmm. It's funnier if the grammar is correct, right?
-send.
(Tomoko)
Haha! What the hell? That's too funny!
Hmm. What could I say to match that?
[Yeah, I hate when that happens.]
Hehe.
-send.
(Hachiman)
Puhahaha!
Oops, I drew attention to myself again. Damn you Kuroki. I don't bother looking up, I just try to force the grin off my face.
[im actually not even joking]
-send.
"Um... Hikki?"
If you couldn't tell, there is drama looming. It started off so peachy and then aww what the hell author.
As for the club and Micchan, I don't know if I'll be using them again. I just needed something different to write about, and something like a backalley hangout came to mind. If I find a reason to use them in the story again, then I will.
Again, imagine whatever you like for the outfits. It's not that I'm too lazy to think of some, I could (really). I just feel like if I described the outfits in detail, it would distract the focus of the story a little. Anime/manga doesn't have this problem. Literacy does.
If any of my readers are crossdressers who are feeling offended or self-conscious or something, that wasn't my intention at all. As a person I have nothing against it. Hachiman doesn't either (in my story), he was just slightly disturbed at seeing something he's not used to.
I will try to update more frequently in the future. Ideally, I will return to the momentum I had when I started writing. Make no mistake, my passion for writing has not diminished at all. I've just had mild writer's block for this chapter. I've been racking my brain and looking everywhere on the internet for good ideas for a 3 way non-romantic date, and in the end I just ended up referencing my own experiences, which I'm not sure how well will work with the story.
Anyway, once we reach the point of chapter one which won't be far now, I'll have a lot more freedom with the direction of the story, and I can utilize more ideas like I was doing in the earlier chapters.