MY HIGH SCHOOL LIFE IS NOT AS QUITE AS I EXPECTED IT TO BE
[Thursday, 11th April]
[In the middle of the streets]
"Thanks for sending me to school, Onii-Chan!"
"Hm"
Currently, I am sending my cute little sister to her school via bicycle, although there's a law regarding the use of a bike with two passengers, no one really cares nowadays; and if there were even someone who cared then I'll just use the 'Sibling' Card on 'em.
"Bye, see you later!" Komachi said and before she walked away, as she was about to alight from the bike; I sent a wave of gross killing intent with my eyes at her schoolmates who have taken notice of us (A more grotesque murderous intent for the boys); they all flinched and took their sights towards anything else but us.
"See ya, Komachi" I replied as she set foot on the pavement, she looked towards her school mates direction and a confused expression can be seen on her face, thankfully I stopped using [Grotesque Glare] before she noticed anything. Shrugging her shoulders, she just strolled towards the main building, I would love to stay and watch her until she entered the building but that security guard just saw me using my skill on the students and it looked like he does not like me at all…
Tch…I guess I'll go to school now; while pedaling to Sobu High School I notice something peculiar while sending Komachi. I know for a fact that Komachi is one of the popular kids in school due to her being cute social butterfly, so her attracting attention by just simply arriving at school is a normal thing to see but…Some of the attention was directed to me too and that's weird because I have never been noticed by those brats before this!
"Haa…" So I guess it's probably safe to say that the videos influence grew some more? Well that's the only scenario I can think of anyway…If this is gonna continue forever I might even get to be a celebrity! Now I can laze around as I become an internet sensation and let the money flow to me…! …That's how it works right…? I'll have to research some more about the internet life…Ah wait, won't I need to socialize with an audience in order to keep up? If that's so then I won't be joining the virtual reality after all…
While mulling over the thought of having internet fame, I arrived at the entrance of my school…Holy crap, did I just daydreamed the whole way?! Good thing I didn't get hit by a car again…Hope I didn't jinx that…
After locking my bike on the provided rack, I continued my way to the school building (With some eyes following me which I promptly ignored) and switched my shoes as I reached the shoe lockers "Do you have any free time later?" I flinched at the sudden question and turned around to see Miura.
"Morning to you too…" I replied, where the heck did she came from? "No, sorry I'm kinda busy later…" I lied, who in their right mind would ever want to waste their free time on someone else?
"…Hoh…" Her smile did not changed but her mood was clearly boiling now "What are you doing later?" She asked calmly.
"Um…That is…You see…" Her 'calm before the storm' attitude made me uneasy, making me unable to speak properly; did she learned how to speak to people of my species or something?
"…Nothing? Then let's hang out!" She suggested oh so casually. Crap I missed the timing… "…What's wrong? You don't want to?" Her expression went glum after saying that, I, of course, not wanting to prolong her attempts of inviting me, shook my head; this will be the last time I'll be 'hanging' out with someone.
"Never mind, let's…Hang out…"
"Great!" She cheered and I continued to head to class, she followed me and asked another question "…Aren't you excited?"
"Over what?" I replied, not stopping my movement; although I never really did enacted the act of hanging out with a friend, it's not something to get excited about, even more so when it's just Miura and me who barely know each other. I mean sure she's popular and that might have made me imagine some scenarios but hell no I ain't gonna get excited over this.
"You know, like…" Her words disappeared from her tongue and started to have a contemplating expression "Hmph! Never mind" She huffed brushing off a strand of hair from her shoulder.
"Okay…" I slid opened the door to our class but then my vision was filled with the color of pink; what the heck? Did I pass out again? I took a step back and met eyes with the dog owner, Yui Yuigahama. I gave a silent nod as a greeting, she flinched and backed away in return with a bit of a blushing face, avoiding eye contact with me while fidgeting around with her fingers…You're making me feel like I did something wrong…I went to my table, put my bag down and sat down.
"Um…" I felt a poke on my shoulder, turning around I found a nervous Yuigahama stuttering her words "Y-Yahallo, H-Hikki…" She greeted in a weird way, maybe her style of talking…
"Hey" I returned the greeting with a nod. We never had said anything to each other yesterday but I have a feeling she wants to talk to me about something- about the accident.
"Uh…C-Can we talk later…?" She asked but Miura answered in my stead from her seat, surrounded by her clique minus Yuigahama.
"Sorry Yui but I'll be taking him with me first" What am I, a dog? Hearing the answer, Yuigahama's shoulders sunk and only uttered a small 'I see' quietly with a nervous smile.
"Yeah…" I said, scratching the back of my head "How about tomorrow?" I asked, not looking at her, a vain attempt of trying not to feel awkward. Wow never thought I'd say this to someone again…
"O-Oh, okay!" She smiled cheerfully "It's a date!" The whole class went silent, an awkward atmosphere was formed and it's very thick. Yuigahama looked confused while looking left and right but then she had a contemplating look and finally figured it out "Ah…" Her eyes grew bigger and her face went beet red with every second passed "T-That's not what I meant! I-I, w-what I meant b-by d-date-"
She continued to stammer with swirls in her eyes; while she did that, I noticed people snickering and whispering behind her…I better stop her before she says any more humiliating things, even if it's kind of cute.
"Yeah, I know what you mean" I said with a dismissive tone but instead of a dejected frown, she responded with a relieved yet nervous smile.
"R-right, of course!" She stuttered. The front door slid open and in came a teacher; taking it as a signal, we went to our respective sits as the teacher began taking attendance, unsurprisingly he called out my name…After that we began the 1st lesson of the day.
Several hours later, school's over. Not much happened today, lunch time was well spent alone at the bench; almost made me forgot that the video never existed…With that in mind, I packed my things and hoped that the scheduled meeting I made with Miura was just an illusion; unfortunately, that hope was shattered as she approached in my direction.
"You ready to go?" She asked in a chipper tone. Holding back my sigh, I nodded in response "Great! Let's go…Actually, how about you pick the place where we'll be eating? I just wanted to have a chat anyway" She said while checking out her nails.
"Huh? You didn't make a plan?" Who the heck invites someone to hang out and not make a plan?
"That's too bothersome" She answered with an annoyed expression.
"Haa…Then what do you want to eat? I might know some places"
"Anything that has hot soup and noodles in it"
"Ramen?"
"What else would you think?" She retorted in a matter-a-fact tone…So annoying…
"...Then…There's a ramen stall I think we can find as soon as we get out of school" It's been a long time since I visited that ramen stall…Wonder if the owner's still the same…
"As soon as we get out? I haven't seen any ramen stall nearby the school before…" She explained, confused.
"Just wait and see" I answered as I slung my bag over my shoulder and exited the classroom.
"Ah don't go ahead of me!" Miura exclaimed after catching up.
"I can't lead us to the ramen stall if I'm not ahead…"
"Then walk alongside me!" She demanded and unsurprisingly it was easy to follow.
"Alright, alright" I complied and slowed down to match her relaxed pace, to be honest I just want to get this done with as soon as possible so that I can go home…And as a result of walking at a slower pace, others around us began paying attention to us.
"Hey it's Miura-Sama and…Who's that?"
"Haven't you heard? That's the 'Dark Hero'"
"Yeah, he saved a dog that was almost got hit by a car but then he just instantly saved it with his quick speedster-like reflexes!"
"Whoa! Really?!"
…Are people this stupid? Why do they exaggerate the crap out of things?!
"So!"Miura started a chat, unintentionally distracting me from the stares- a good distraction actually "Is this ramen stall near?" She asked as we exited the building.
"That's…A little hard to answer" I scratched the back of my head, how should I explain this…I'll save that for later.
"Well at least tell me something about it" She demanded as I unlocked my bike from the rack and stood back up.
"Haa…I've been a regular customer at this certain ramen stall ever since middle school…And every time I craved for some ramen, it would always appear nearby from out of nowhere" That…Sounded a lot more normal in my head.
"There's no way a ramen stall that convenient exists!" She exclaimed in disbelief as we walked out of the gates; I was about to disagree with her exclamation until I saw the ramen stall, it was placed nearby the school gate.
"Oh there it is" I noted, making Miura turn around. I walk ahead and approached it. The stall had banners, written with large red fonts that are together read as 'Ichiraku Ramen', the person standing behind the counter noticed my presence and began boiling the water.
The man has white curly hair and wore a kimono with a wooden sword strapped on the waist "Hey there, Sakata-San" Even after all these years, this guy still has curly hair, huh?
"Yo~ Shounen-Kun, long time no see…That Little Missy over there with you?" I turned around to see Miura standing still, staring over here with wide confused eyes. Oh right…Most people would be shocked to see a ramen stall you've never seen before appear nearby your school all of a sudden.
"Miura, you coming?" I called out, snapping her out of it while leaning my bike next to the wall of the stall. As she reached us, we took a sit and set our bags down.
"This makes no sense" She said, holding her temple.
"Yeah, I also had a similar line of thought the first time I saw this" I agreed.
"Ne~ Shounen-Kun is this Ojou-Chan your friend? Not that I care, I'm just really bored right now" He asked while preparing a sundae ice cream.
"Yeah, we-" I intercepted Miura.
"We're classmates" I can feel her looking at me at the corner of her eye, what's with the look? Not like I'm lying… "By the way, Sakata-San, is Uzumaki-San not going to take care of the Stall? Even before I rarely visited, he only took charge like, two or five times"
"Bah! He's too busy with all he's Hokage stuff, got a son even now, you know? He shouldn't have made other main characters from the Big Shounen Circle to take care of his bald uncles' ramen stall if he himself can't even take care of it!" He grabbed the many sundae ice creams on the table and started consuming them "Haa…I shouldn't get angry, I haven't eaten my sweets lately…So what it'll be?"
"I'll have the Shoyu ramen, hold off the pepper" I ordered.
"And I'll have the Shio ramen, please"
"Coming right up" He put on a hair net and covered his mouth with a cloth and turned to the cooking stove behind him; he cooked in a loud and violent way.
"Agggghhhhhh! Why am I here?! This is supposed to be Shinpachi's work! And that stupid Naruto brat, why open a ramen stall to spread Ichiraku Ramen When You're not even gonna look at it! Why am I cooking in a romcom fiction anyway?! My job is supposed to be kicking some balls! Speaking of balls, why does that Idiot Luffy get to stretch his banana and I don't?! Oi Author give me straight hair as payment for cooking ramen for these two or else Imma have a rampage! Ahem...Order Up"
He put the two bowls of Shoyu and Shio ramen in front of us and took off his mouth cover and hair net, revealing his now straight hair. Miura had a flabbergasted expression all the while but I didn't bother to say anything about Sakata-San's cooking or hair.
I picked up the chopsticks and ate my hot steamy ramen "Oh…This tastes pretty good compared to last time" And he remembered to wear a mask too, he always forgot to do that and mixes his spit with the food…Shizuka-Nee always beat him up for that.
"Haa…" Miura shook her head and sighed, I took that as a sign that she ignored the ridiculous event that took place a few seconds ago "Thank you for the food…" She said before beginning to dine in.
"Hah! Who did you think was forced to take care of this shitty stall? Plus if Shizuka hears I'm feeding you something 'disgusting' she would beat my ass up" He finger quoted. I don't know about you but I don't like it either when other peoples' saliva is mixed in with my food…"By the way, the meal's on the house, Author-San already paid with giving me this" He said pointing at his now straight hair as he combed it "He better not make another re-write…This is like the third time now…" He added under he's breathe.
"Thanks, I guess" At least I got free food from this venture.
[The Park]
After finishing our meal, we went to the park for a walk "That guy sure was weird…" Miura noted after a few seconds.
"Mhm…" I responded as I took in the scenery and fresh atmosphere of the park…I would be having a joyful time if I was alone…Not like I'd be playing outside in the first place though…
Since it's after school there are some students here and there from other schools,including ours, playing around but not many visited the park today which is a good thing because of me being in the presence of Miss Popular here.
"So…Why did you tell him I'm not your friend?" She asked as we passed a jogging couple.
"Haa…" I knew she was going to ask this… "Because I don't really think we're friends"
"Then what are we?" She asked again with a miffed tone.
"Just acquaintances I guess?" I answered in an unsure tone, to be honest we're less than acquaintances as we just met like yesterday.
"That's the same as friends!" She exclaimed angrily.
"Sheesh, you're too loud…And there's a difference between the two, you know?" I commented as I took a sit on a bench shaded by a tree, she followed and then crossed her arms before turning to me.
"Explain" She ordered with an irritated tone, hey I think I'm getting used to this.
"Acquaintances are…individuals who only know each other while friends…Are more than that" I gave my explanation but her reply was a confused expression.
"Haa, you know what? Forget I ask, that made no sense at all" She said which irritated me a little bit.
"...Anyway, we're not friends, let's leave it at that…And that's what I want" I said the last part under my breath but it looked like she caught on.
"Huh, What do you mean?! You don't want to be my friend?!" She said with an angry tone.
"Haa…Why are you so bent on me being your friend?" I asked, rubbing the back of my neck.
"Because I think you're interesting-" Taking the opportunity to earn information regarding my situation, I continued her sentence.
"You think I'm interesting because I saved a dog, right?" She nodded but then had a contemplative expression.
"Wait…No that's not just it, I think you're interesting…Because…Well…" Her cheeks began to have a light red tone to it "Despite looking like some villain, you did something really good" She abashedly said however the honest answer made me even more confused.
"So…If I looked like a handsome hero then I'd be a decent person?" I questioned neutrally, even though I feel a bit irritated at how shallow her answer was.
"Huh? Well, not really…" She replied, unsure "I saw the video and heard about all of this Dark Hero stuff and just thought 'Hey! This guy seems interesting!'"
"...What if the rumors didn't exist, or the video at all for that matter?"
"Huh? What kind of question is that?" She asked in an annoyed tone but I persist.
"Just…Haa…What would happen if that video didn't exist? Would we be sitting on the same bench right now?"
"What the heck are you saying? I don't get it…" Her impatience and unsatisfied behaviour obviously stem from my weird line of questioning so I just sighed and stood back up "Where are you going?"
"Getting a drink" I answered before taking off to cool things down. Well that was a heated discussion, what was I even thinking? There's no way Miura would've understood that I just wanted her to leave me alone like that…Maybe I should roll with it, the sooner this ends the sooner I'll get home "…Here" I handed her a can of soda nervously before sitting back down.
"...Thanks…" She thanked, sulkily, I glanced at her while drinking my coffee. Ah crap she's angry now! Probably because of that slightly aggressive conversation…Better patch things up, don't want to be at Miss Popular's bad side.
".….." I thought of that but there's literally nothing for us to talk about…Maybe I really should just walk away and end the conversation here…
"Hey" She gained my attention and I felt relief wash over me as her wrath against me has just temporarily subsided "Where did you go during lunch time this time?" She asked looking at me with a neutral expression.
"Oh um…" I think honesty is the best strategy here "I was eating lunch…Somewhere else…" Well a half-honesty strategy maybe, I don't want anyone else knowing my lunch spot, that Hayama guy already knows and I don't want any more to know.
"With who?" She asked and this time with a curious expression.
"No one…I eat by myself" I answered, looking straight forward and attempting to get comfortable on the bench; which is pretty hard to do.
"Why? Don't you want to eat lunch with us?" Haa, here we go again.
"I like eating alone" Not only do you get to eat with an ease of mind but you can also bask in the taste of your food without any interruption and sharing it with anyone!
"Then do you like to eat alone at home too?" She asked with a wry smile.
"If it was possible I want to eat at home forever" It's my home plus there's Komachi! Seeing her questioning look I answered her previous question "A-As for why…Well, I never really liked eating in groups" I remembered eating at the cafeteria nearby a group of people; things got really awkward when I accidentally spilt my drink on a girls lap as well as mine…One of my top 10 traumas.
"Huh…" Her response was lackluster which is understandable since it's a pretty boring topic "…Seems kinda lonely…" She commented, brushing off a strand of hair.
"Doesn't feel like it" I answered with a shrug "It only seems lonely to people who have been surrounded by others their whole life" Things went silent after I said that and it went on for a while…I observed Miura in the meanwhile, she had a contemplative expression as if thinking heavily about something until she spoke up.
"…Hey, I just had an idea!" She stood up with gusto and pointed her finger at me "Make me a boxed lunch tomorrow!"
"Huh, why would I make you lunch?" I asked incredulously.
"Just make me one! I'm curious about your cooking skills and I'm fed up with my moms repetitive cooking with vegetables! A-Also i-if you're being stubborn about this then I'll also m-make you a lunched box" She mumbled while looking away with furrowed brows.
"I wasn't being stubborn though…Haa, alright…I'll make you a lunch box but you don't need to make one for me" I complied with a sigh as I stood up and continued walking.
"Why? You don't think I can cook?" She asked with an annoyed expression as she walked besides me.
"To be honest…Yeah" Most of the time, people who has their lunch cooked for them are either mediocre or below average; Imma take a bet and put my money she's the later.
"Hmph, then you better look forward for tomorrow! Your taste buds will be pleased!" She claimed confidently after fabulously brushing her hair back.
"Uh-huh yeah sure" I replied, after walking for a while we returned to the entrance where I unlocked my bike and then turned to Miura who was on the phone; so I waited there until she finished "…So…Where do you live?" I asked as she closed her phone, the day is getting late so I'm kinda worried…If I'll be a suspect if she goes missing since I was the last person she talked to.
"Hm? Oh it's okay, my butler is fetching me" She dismissed somewhat abashedly.
"...Ah, right" Now I feel embarrassed asking…Guess I'll just wait here with her.
"Hm? You can go ahead, I'm just gonna wait here" She said after noticing me not leaving, I shook my head in response.
"I'll wait with you" By the end of that sentence my phone vibrated; I took it out of my pocket and read that I received a message from a person with the handle name of Komachi …What the heck, she changed it again? How did she gain access to my phone?
Sender: Komachi
Subject: Dinner's Getting Cold…
Content: Onii-Chan, where are you? It's getting late, Onii-Chans usually don't go out this late especially the Hachiman breed…If you're not back by sun down, I'll be feeding you a lot of tomatoes!
I looked up at the time and took note that it indeed was later than my usual time to arrive at home "Haa…"
R:E Subject: Dinner's Getting Cold…
Content: Please have mercy on me, Komachi-Chan…You can eat dinner without me…
"Did your phone got cracked from the accident?" I reeled back a little after hearing how near Miura's voice was "Aren't you gonna repair it or buy a new one?" Sheesh, how could you be so nonchalant after unconsciously reading a private conversation…?
"Yes and yes, I'm gonna repair it but I spent all my savings on my bike" It was well spent though! It didn't receive a lot of damage like me "Maybe next month…" It's just a crack screen anyway…Including some static feedback and loose screws on the inside…
"...Hey, go shopping with me on Saturday" She commanded.
"But it's a Saturday…" I instantly complained.
"All the more reason why we should go shopping since we have free time!" She growled "I need someone to carry the bags but everyone's busy! Plus I need a second pair of eyes to judge on the clothes I'll be buying"
Tch, even though she's already beautiful as is she's prettying herself up even more "Be careful, Miura you might become so beautiful that even Hayama will probably think he'll be too ugly for you" I joked but her reaction was surprising.
"W-Wha- T-This I-isn't about H-Hayato" …Shit! Why did I just made that joke? I can feel my face heating up…! I almost forgot she has a crush on him and calling each other in first name basis? Nice! Not that I give a crap though… "A-And I know I'm beautiful, y-you didn't need to point that out…" She blushed while brushing her hair back and turned away from me with a huff.
"R-Right…" How troublesome…
"A-Anyway! Just go shopping with me alright?!" She exclaimed still not facing me.
"Haa, alright, alright already" I complied "I'd rather stay at home on my free time but whatever" I complained. She slapped her cheeks two times and then turned around with a triumphed smile.
"Great! Here lets exchange numbers!" She took my phone all so nonchalantly and added her number to my contact list while also adding mine to hers "Here you go" She gave it back with a cheery expression.
"What's there to be so joyful about…?" I mumbled in a low voice as I looked at her handle name; |Haiko Hara| "Who's Haiko Hara?" I asked to which she flinched.
"W-Well what's with Eighto?!" She responded defensively. What the hell? I just asked a question…
"It's…It's a nickname" I scratched the back of my head "I don't exactly remember how I got it but it's been stuck in my head as a nickname since forever…" She gave a small 'I see' "So who's Haiko Hara?" I couldn't get an answer as a black luxurious looking car drove by and stopped in front of us.
"My ride's here" She noted, quickly entering the vehicle from the backseat and rolled down the window "See you tomorrow, Hikigaya-Kun and don't forget my lunch!" She smiled, do you hate vegetables that much?
"Ah" I responded and was about to pedal away until Miura called me.
"Wait!" I turned around and raised a brow "I…The things you said before…About friends and the video or something…It still doesn't make sense but…I want you to know that I want to understand what you said" My eyes widen a little as I hear this "Thanks for hanging out with me today, it didn't went how I imagined it to be but I'll be looking forward to getting to know you"
"Yeah…Sure…" I said, flabbergasted, maybe she's more than what she seems to be…
"W-What? You think I can't say thanks or something?! Don't make a big deal out of it!" She exclaimed.
"I didn't say anything though…" I was just surprised and all, I think she's the one overreacting.
"Hmph, yeah sure, Sebastian, lets go" She ordered the butler and drove off.
"Haa…What a difficult girl…" With that I began pedaling home. The day got darker the further I pedaled; it seems like Miura did a good job distracting me…I wonder if it was worth the time talking to her…Well let's just see some day…I wonder if all rich people drive cars like that…
[Hikigaya Residence]
As I entered the premises of my home, I was instantly glomped by a worried Komachi "Waaah~ where were you, Onii-Chan?! You had me worried sick!" She cried looking up at me with a distressed expression.
"Sorry, Komachi" I apologized "I…got a little distracted" I reasoned and with that she let me go.
"Oh okay…" She responded and then hurriedly but gently grabbed my arm "Are you hurt, though? The danger level gets higher the darker the day gets you know?" I smile a little over her over protectiveness and proceeded to stroke her head "Hey! Stop that! I need to check if you're injured!" She commanded with both hands on her hips however she just stood there and even nuzzled a bit towards my hand…
"I'm fine, Komachi. There's no need to worry about me" I said as I went to the kitchen "By the way did you have fun at school?" I asked.
"I had lots of fun! Oh there was this one boy that kept staring at me though but he's harmless" She explained nonchalantly.
"Who's this boy?" I asked, ready to jot down the name of the boy into my hit list…
"Hm~ I don't think you know him but his name is Taishi Kawasaki" Kawasaki? Sounds familiar…Meh I'll just write it down later
"…Ah, didn't I told you, you can eat without me?" I reminded her as I took arrived at the dining table; I looked at the whole dinner setup on the table, it already lost it's warmth…
"Hey now~ no way I could just leave Onii-Chan to eat alone after you confronted one of your 'fans' hehehe" She teased as she started picking up the food items.
"What am I, an idol in training?" I retorted, helping her with heating up some of the food.
After having dinner, we went to do our school work together at the living room, while I study the materials I missed, she would study the materials her class haven't covered yet "Onii-Chan, what does this mean?" She asked pointing at an Economic question regarding demand and supply.
She's aiming for Sobu High apparently, not that I'm not happy with that, I'm super duper happy actually "It simply means that this depends on this for example if the amount of Big Brothers demanding for Little Sisters then there would be a raise in amount of Little Sisters"
"Oh~ I see, I see…Not! What the heck kind of example is that?!" In the past I would rather preferred that she attended an All-Girls School but that would mean there's a likely chance that she would go towards the forbidden path…So, at my school, at least I can have her under my surveillance at both school and home next year…Under the risk of having my Big Bro heart broken whens she finds a boyfriend that is… "What are you crying about now, Onii-Chan…?"
However, regardless, I'm happy to help her whenever I can since she does most of the chores now and I love her so there's nothing I wouldn't do for her! After finishing that, we tidied up, went to do our own things until we said our good nights to each other and went to sleep.
Boy, today sure was fun, I wonder if Sensei will bring more cookies tomorrow!
"Uuuu…Uuuu…U-Ugh" Hearing a cry on by my left made me stopped walking, I looked towards the voice and found a kid my age wearing a similar yellow hat from my school sitting on the swing sets; crying by herself.
"Hey! You okay?" I said as I ran pass the entrance of the playground, noticing how dirty this kid looked…
"No!" The cries became louder now as I received the answer.
"What's wrong?" I asked but didn't get any answer but then notice the blood dripping to the ground "Uh…" I'm supposed to go straight home today…But… "…Hey, it's the only thing I have but you can use it for now" I took out a single pastie band-aid from my bag and placed it on the knee, the part where the bleeding can be seen.
"W-Why are you helping me…?" I looked up and met brown eyes.
"Huh? Well…I don't know, I just didn't want to see you cry, I guess?" I shrugged "I have to go home now, bye!" I waved, before walking back home.
I felt my consciousness returning as I felt my shoulder being shaken gently "…Onii-Chan…Onii-Chan…"
"Hmm…" That was one weird dream…It felt more like a memory though… "Komachi?" Why are you so blurry…? Oh it's just my eyes… "What's wrong?"
"Sorry, Onii-Chan…I couldn't sleep…I had a nightmare" She explained with a frown "Can I sleep with you tonight?" She asked with a tired yet shy smile, ugh you don't need to go out of the way to cute yourself into this!
"Sure" I consented, moving in further into the bed; inviting her in.
"Thanks, Onii-Chan; I love you" She thanked lethargically as she settled in and draped her arm over me.
"Mhm, love you too" I replied as I made myself comfortable "Good night, Komachi"
"Good night, Onii-Chan" With that we slept peacefully together; the next 'dream' I dreamt was similar to the previous one but it was a lot fuzzier…
[Friday, 12th April]
[Sobu High School]
It is lunch time and I am being antsy right now at my table. Why you ask? Well that's because I don't know whether I should approach Miura and give her the requested lunch box or just wait for her to approach me…
Hold on just a second, Hachiman…Let's think this through logically…If I just wait for her then she'll just make a scene and get angry…However if I approach her there is a likely chance that the exchange will only be seen by her clique
What should I do if she doesn't remember though…? Well, either way…She'll have a fit if I further delay giving her the lunch so it's better to get this over with…I stood up from my sit and walked towards Miura who's once again hanging out with her clique.
"Hey…Here's your lunch…" I felt uncomfortable as I felt everyone staring at the exchange however Miura's contemplative expression worsen things.
"Lunch?" Please don't tell me you forgot! "Oh, right! Lunch!" She said, placing a fist on her palm in remembrance "No wonder I was making this today" She said taking out a wrapped lunch box from her cabinet…You made one even though you don't remember exactly why…?
"I'm not surprised you almost forgot but I'm certainly surprised that you made one" I commented.
"Is that because you still think I can't cook?" She asked with a challenging tone.
"No but if that's what you think then maybe you really do can't cook" I answered mockingly however the rest of the clique member's laughed, taking it as a joke…
"Hmph! Let's see if you can still say that after eating my cooking" She smirked confidently, yeah sure…We made the exchange and then Tobe decided to be annoying at exactly that moment.
"Hehe! Hikigaya-Kun and Miura making each other lunches? You two sure go fast, I bet both of you are gonna date each other soon!" He joked, nudging my shoulder with his elbow, how annoying…Everyone nervously laughed at the joke as a polite act to entertain Tobe's bad joke but I noticed Miura glancing at Hayama anxiously…
"No, we won't" I glared, shutting them up "…Thanks for the food" I thanked with a dismissive tone before turning around and headed for the exit.
"Dude, you're not gonna eat with us?" Tobe asked quickly.
"I rather eat alone" I replied staring him down at the corner of my eye for a few seconds and then left the class, leaving it with a bad atmosphere.
[Yumiko Miura]
Why did he acted so angrily all of a sudden…? Is dating me such a really bad thing…? Now I don't really feel like eating with him… "Sheesh, ain't he friendly" Tobe said sarcastically, well if you didn't make such a bad joke he wouldn't have acted like that! Was what I was gonna say until…That short guy said something.
"It doesn't seem like he likes any of us either…" He added.
"I was just kidding around anyway, right Hayato?" Tobe asked directing the attention to Hayato.
"Well he seems to be against the idea strongly" He said with a wry smile "Maybe he just has different preferences" He suggested with a light smile.
"P-Plus, I-I'm sure Hikki is just not a group type of person?" Yui added.
"Yeah and he might not seem like it but I think he just says those things on purpose" Hayato supported.
"Yep! Most Dark Heroes are like Hikigaya-Kun and he would make a perfect Uke…Hueueueue~" While everyone was distracted by Hina's usual unusual fantasies, I thought to myself over what Hayato said…Before Hikigaya-Kun got angry, I felt him stare at me and Hayato…
"Hmph" I'll think about him later, at least now no one believes that there's a possibility of me having a love line with anyone else other than Hayato "He did say he prefers to eat alone" I continued sulking before opening the lunch box.
A delicious aroma flowed out of the box, it contained a simple combination, the main cubicle had rice with some kind of yellow sauce on top of it and then the two other side cubicles had chicken and salad in each of them "…I already told him, I don't want to eat green…" I mumbled a complaint (The only thing I found worthy to complain about) Before scooping the three in one bite.
"So~ how does it taste,Yumiko?" Hina asked as the others looked on curiously.
…It tastes delicious! "H-Hah! At least he can cook a decent meal" I answered, trying not to gobble up the whole thing…
[Hachiman Hikigaya]
I camped at the usual place and looked down at the boxed lunch Miura gave me "…Haa, let's get this over with…" I took the lid off and grabbed the chopsticks. The lunch she prepared was simple, it consisted of rice and meat with barbecue sauce. Combining the three, I ate it with clenched eyes "…Disgusting…" I said despite finding myself continuing to consume the unpalatable food.
The meat is uncooked; the rice is too soggy almost to the point of being porridge and the barbecue sauce doesn't have a barbecue taste to it…Damn it! It's disgusting, horrible, slimy, awful, and unpleasant and yet…and yet…
"…Ah…" That's right…This is the first time I have ever received lunch from someone that's outside of my family…When I ate, it really was unpalatable but…Every time I took a bite I gradually felt something inside of me resurfacing, unfortunately I couldn't find out what I felt due to a voice snapping me out of my reprieve.
"So…How does it taste?" Hayato Hayama asked as he leaned on the wall next to the bench.
"Horrible…" I answered, continuing to finish the meal. Tch what's he doing here again?
"Hahahaha, I see Yumiko's cooking still the same as ever" He laughed wryly; you should've warned me if you knew, you bastard "Then why did you ate it so fast?"
"Shortens the suffering" I answered curtly..
"Heh I can understand that, the first time she gave me lunch I almost passed out, she must've improved if you didn't" He said with a smile.
…What the heck is he doing? Acting all chummy with me… "So why are you here again?" I asked, getting to the matter at hand. He scratched the back of his head with a wry smile.
"Straight to the point huh?" He mumbled before standing up straight and looked at me with a neutral expression "You don't need to act like a bad guy you know? I don't see any benefit for you from it. People will think you dislike them or something"
"What if that's what I really want?" I asked in return, getting a confused expression from him "We may be in the same spectrum now but you don't know me; I have my own circumstances and attentions on why I acted like so" I explained and then glared at him "So in that regard stop acting like we're the same"
"…Haa…" He sighed out roughly and let his shoulders down, putting his hands on the hips "It looks like we'll be arguing some more if we stay like this…"
"Looks like it…" I looked towards the wrapped lunch box and then gave it to him "…Tell Miura, it tasted bad…And thanks" Get lost please.
"…Heh, sure" He said with that annoying smile of his.
[Hallways]
School just ended and I was on my way to the shoe lockers until I felt a poke on my shoulder, I turned around and found a wild Yuigahama! "H-Hey, Hikki" She greeted nervously. I see she still feels nervous around me, I returned the greeting with a nod.
"Hey" I replied, still calling me that, huh…
"Um…Wanna walk home together?" She asked hesitantly; she must be wanting to talk about the accident…While I would've preferred she just asked straight away to have a talk but this is fine.
"Hm sure…" I nodded. We walked towards the shoe lockers, switched our shoes and then exited the school together with me dragging my bike with me. While we walked, I noticed Yuigahama was being restless as ever as she fiddled with her hair bun…Is she still scared of me or something? I guess I do still look menacing at a certain angle…
"Um…So Hikki…Err…L-Let's exchange phone numbers?!" She asked in a hurry after a couple of minutes of silent walking.
"...Huh?" The act of exchanging phone numbers is exclusively for friends only so obviously I would be confused as we are in fact not friends nor acquaintances; this has been the third time we've talked and it ain't been that long either. Sure Miura's in my contact list but that was without my say in the matter!
After a couple of seconds, she realized what she said and started to become even more restless "N-No t-that wasn't what I meant, I mean I do want to exchange numbers with- Wait no um I'm not saying that I don't want to exchange numbers- No wait…Haaaaah" She sighed, covering her face with the palms of her hands, breathing in and out as an attempt to calm down.
"Um…" I was about to say something but she continued.
"I'm sorry, Hikki; sometimes I have a hard time getting to know new people; Yumiko's not shy like I am so she has a lot of friends and I admire that about her. She always gets mad whenever I run from you, hehehe…Sorry for running from you before, Hikki" She raised her head and looked up at me with those puppy eyes of hers.
"Not like I was mad over it…" I replied, turning away and scratched the back of my head. Good thing I'm not like my old normal naive self…Otherwise I would've been rejected for the umpteenth time.
"O-Oh okay…" She said in relief with a light smile and then took a deep breath before turning to me "…I'm really sorry for getting you into that accident…If I wasn't so dumb I would've known that that day was the first day of school and then you wouldn't have gotten hurt either…" She explained and then stopped walking, making me turn to her "Please forgive me" She apologized as she bowed solemnly.
…She really felt that guilty huh…In my opinion, it wasn't that big of a deal since no one really got hurt but she must've thought about this seriously… "I accept your apology…" Saying that sentence made me felt weird since I was always the one apologizing. She raised her head with a relieved expression "Although…You didn't need to apologize in the first place since no one got hurt in the end"
"Even so…" She stood up straight "It was my fault that Sable got out of my grasp…None of this would happen otherwise and…You could've died…" She explained further, so the dog's name is Sable huh…
"Well I'm still here so stop it…" I replied proceeding to walk ahead "More over, it's not like this is the first time I got hit by a car" I added.
"W-What?" She flabbergasted "There was more?!" She exclaimed in surprise.
"Yeah but I'm still standing here as healthy as I can be…" My house is that way but the conversation is still ongoing…Wait, if I were to end the conversation now that would mean another part of the conversation will continue next time and since my social skills are not high enough for that…I definitely should continue this "So no need to push yourself over it…"
"You say that but…But I bet you kinda hate me, right?" She said with a poignant smile while rubbing her arm.
This assumption caught me by surprise "…What made you assume so?" I don't know her very well and despite that, I find myself walking side by side with her so logically thinking that would mean the very opposite of hatred…W-Well it's not like I l-like her or anything…
"...While you were hospitalized, a rumor was circulating around the school but once it reached our class, Yumikon stopped it. People still talk about it though…" She explained, her smile gradually getting wry.
"...What was the rumor?" A girl that considers the words of rumors as something worthy of their attention would, by default, pay attention to everyone indiscriminately.
"...A stupid girl couldn't control her dog and almost killed someone, he must hate that girl right now…That's what I heard from Sagamins friends" An undivided attention for all, a smile for everyone to see and considers the words of strangers…
"You believe that?" Why does this behaviour seem so familiar…?
"...They're probably right…I mean you missed school for a whole week and got hurt too…So it does make sense…"
My eye twitched as a memory of a brunette flashed in my mind…Ah…So she's a nice girl huh…What a load of crap… "Then why am I walking next to you? Are you calling me crazy for not hating you?" I asked, holding back my anger.
"N-No! I-I'm not calling you crazy, it's just that um well…You don't hate me? She asked fiddling with her thumbs.
"No, I don't. If I hated you then I wouldn't be walking and talking with you right now" Her expression went contemplative so I persisted "Do you trust me or the rumors? I can hate you right now but not because of the rumors but because you put your trust in the words of everybody instead of mine"
The last part was spoken with spite without me realizing but I don't care anymore. This is why I hate rumors…They're filled with words that are part of someones illusion just to hurt another…Some rumors may not be like that but most of them are like that…To hurt.
I stopped walking after noticing that Yuigahama stopped walking and stood a couple feet behind me, she must've felt hurt from my anger; She just stood there a couple of seconds until she smiled sweetly.
"You sure are nice, Hikki!" She said cheerily and walked ahead of me.
"Huh?" I uttered in confusion and followed her.
"If you're so angry about this then that means you don't really hate me, hehehe" She giggled then stopped walking and turned towards me with a bright smile, the bright orange sun behind her made her seem beautiful… "Isn't that right, Hikki?" G-Guh…I feel my cheeks heating up and turned my head away from Yuigahama.
"A-Ah…I guess so…" Why are you so cute? I tried to get rid of the awkward feeling by scratching the back of my head.
"Hehehe thanks Hikki!" She expressed sweetly. What the heck? Did she even knew what I was angry about though…? Well…Whatever…After walking for a while Yuigahama suddenly exclaimed "Wait, Hikki! Do you live around this neighborhood too?" she asked excitedly.
"No, I live a couple blocks away at another neighborhood" She was disappointed to hear that judging from her upset expression.
"Oh okay…" She said, dejectedly
"What's wrong?" I inquired.
"Oh hehehe I was going to ask if it was okay for me to visit your house today but looks like I'll have to wait for another day" W-What the-?! You're moving a bit too fast there! Wait a minute, we're not even friends… "But Hikki you should've told me you lived the other way" she cutely scolded.
"W-Well the conversation would've ended if we were to separate" I reasoned, haa…Talking to this energetic girl sure is tiring…
"Hm~ okay you got a point…Ah by the way did you liked the sweets I gave you?" She asked
"…Oh that's right, you were the one who gave it to Komachi right?" She nodded "I see, thanks for the food and yeah I liked it especially the coffee ones"
"You like coffee?"
"Yeah I do" I love them.
"I see. Ah there's my house, I'll see you on Monday, alright Hikki?"
"Yeah, see ya" After saying that, I turned to leave until I felt my sleeve being pulled "Hm? Yuigahama?" I turned around to find Yuigahama with her phone out and then she asked me for something.
"Hikki, let's exchange phone numbers!" she exclaimed.
"Huh?" I responded, with a dazed expression on my face I bet.
"You said you didn't hate me right? T-Then let's do it!" she insisted.
"I already told you I don't hate you though…" I noted.
"Mou~ let's just exchange numbers~" She whined.
"…Haa…" I took out my phone and then we exchanged numbers, after that she ran ahead all of a sudden and then my phone rang. The caller ID was ~YuiYui~ I turned towards her before answering the call.
"Am I the first to call you, Hikki?" She asked excitedly through the phone.
"Yeah I guess" I uttered, what's the big deal? You're making me a bit flustered here…
"Hehehe, thanks for going home together with me Hikki, let's get along better from now on. Bai bai~" She said and waved, with her arm and hand in the sky, at me.
"Yeah, you're welcome" I waved back and with that the we left for our homes.
[Saturday, 13th April]
[The Mall]
Hmm…Where is she…? Oh there she is. I walked towards the center of the mall where I saw Miura standing by the fountain, fiddling with her phone…And sending glares to anyone that stared at her…Well at least I don't have to work hard at protecting her. She noticed me and angrily yelled "You're late!" Mind you, I'm only seven minutes late! Haa…We were supposed to meet at 10 but I couldn't find my wallet so…
"Yeah…Sorry about that, had a little problem…" Other than the wallet, I also needed to take a break from walking around a lot, I mean yeah sure I sat down during the commute to here but come on, even sitting for a while will tire some people out…
"Hmph, you better not be late next time" Say what now?
"Next time?" I repeated, hoping I'm just hearing things…
"Yeah, next time; who else would I need when everybody else is busy?" What the hell? The shopping hasn't even started and I'm already dreading the next time I'm going to the mall with her…Why couldn't she just have her butlers help her?! "I'm hungry so let's go eat!" …Haa, alright; gonna need all the energy I can get.
We went on our way to the Food Court, while we did that, I noticed some guys checking out Miura but when I got into their sights, they glared at me…Well I understand, a creepy looking guy like me walking side by side with a beautiful girl like Miura will obviously make guys angry, I would do that too but for entirely different reasons while grumbling 'Riajuus should just die'.
Speaking of Riajuu; Miura looks stunning in casual clothing, as expected from Miss Popular. She wore a long sleeved beige sweater with a black short skirt combined with matching skinny jeans and beige knee high boots. I looked at my outfit and find myself feeling a lot uglier than usual; Gray sweat pants, gray t-shirt with the saying 'BORE ME MORE' under a maroon jacket and black running shoes…
I walked leisurely with my hands in my pockets while Miura walked fabulously with her deep blue clutch bag. When we ascended to the upper floor, I saw some of my 'old friends' in one of the many shops, those guys…Tch…Better not deal with anymore annoyances…I already have Miura to deal with…
As we arrived at the top floor, the first thing that can be noticed is the dark lit lobby of the cinema where a lot of people are lining up to buy some tickets. After that, the Food Court can be found, a many mixture of delicious aroma can be smelt and then there was the arcade with it's usual chaotic and neon lit atmosphere, there are also a couple of shops here that fall in line with my interests but I don't feel shop-y right now.
"Ugh~ finally! Why couldn't we just used the elevator?" Miura complained.
"You're asking me? You were the one who led the way…" I don't get this woman…
"Hmph, whatever; let's just eat" She looked around the many restaurant booths but then turned to me "I'll eat wherever you eat" Couldn't decide huh…
"Then…" Let's see here…Hmm…Oh there's that famous one "Mito's Meat, let's order there…After eating that lunch of yours I need to taste what real meat tastes like" I got a punch on my shoulder for that before we started walking towards Mito's Meat.
"I don't know how to cook, okay? It just doesn't make sense…" Is that gonna be your excuse for every damn thing "…By the way your lunch was good so thanks…" She said while twirling a strand of her hair around.
"Sure…" Well…She thanked me at least, I thought she was gonna mock me in return or something…After we finished eating, we were waiting for the food to go down, while Miura was using her phone I busied myself with cooling and drinking my coffee. After a few seconds, she closed her phone with a sigh before looking towards the plastic bag of burgers on my right.
"Who're those for?" She asked.
"My little sister" I answered. Hmm I wonder if she's going out with her friends today…I think she is since I didn't get to see her this morning.
"Little sister, huh" She smiled "What's she like?" She asked, plopping her elbows on the table and placing her chin on her intertwined fingers.
"Annoyingly cute, lively and energetic, did I mention annoyingly cute?" I answered but she had a crept out expression.
"What the heck…? You're being creepy, stop it…" She voiced out and then sighed "Haa…" She had a contemplative expression but I did not addressed it so I just continued drinking my coffee "…Do guys like girls like that…?" She asked getting a bit of rosy cheeks.
"I don't freaking know" I answered instantly which got an me an annoyed expression from her and thought about it honestly "A-Ahem, guys are simple creatures you see so they like any girl that pays special attention to them" I explained shortly.
"Special attention, huh…" She repeated, I say that but I have no idea how she will even succeed to get that blonde boy…Considering the circumstances and situation…Highly unlikely… "How would that work…? Will it even work on him…?" She mumbled to herself but I caught on.
"...It doesn't work all the time though so better to give up and invest your time on something else that's worthy of your time in the end" I added before finishing my drink.
"…I guess that makes sense, thanks Hikigaya-Kun" She thanked with a bright smile.
"You're welcome…" Which part of what I said she thanked; I don't know but considering it's her, probably the part about simple creatures and stuff…
"I think we rested enough, let's start shopping, shall we?" She suggested with a smile as she stood up, grabbing her clutch bag.
"…Oh…Right…" Just when I thought I almost forgot why I was here…
[An Hour Later]
"Hmmm, now…What else do I need?" Miura wondered as she looked around while I followed her from behind, carrying her goods plus my burgers.
Did you mean what you want…? Haa…Well at least the load isn't that much and it's a very fortunate thing that I am a very patient person otherwise I would have gone mad already! So far she has already bought a pair of shoes which both had a high priced tag on them, however, after much consideration of 'brand' and 'situations' she bought it with a single plastic card…
"Ah let's go there" I came back to reality once I heard a command…But I also came to a halt when I saw her approaching a woman's swimsuit shop!
"Oi oi oi, why the heck are you going in that direction?" I asked in a fluster.
"…To buy a swimsuit?" She answered, looking at me with a raised brow.
"…It's still early spring…" Do people buy swimsuits this early? I looked at the inside of the shop and surprisingly found an abundant of woman in there…You learn something everyday…Well this is new information for me who has never even stepped down near a swimsuit shop…
"Well duh it's for summer, you idiot" She replied in a matter-a-fact tone "Now let's get going" She proceeded to grab me by the arm and dragged me along.
"Can't I just stay outside?" I looked towards the row of benches nearby which had already been filled with several male escorts; there were still available sits though.
"No can do, Hikigaya-Kun, I need opinions and Hina said that boys are the best opinion givers for swimsuits" She answered. Some of the guys at the bench saw my predicament and gave me a thumbs up, I don't need your support, I need your bench, damn it!
"…Haa…Alright, alright, no need to drag me" I reluctantly agreed to which she let go of my arm with a satisfied expression. Seconds later, I waited outside the fitting room, I can feel the multiple stares of other woman on my back. I don't know what kind of stare it is but they're hurting me and making me feel awkward. Fortunately it didn't take long for Miura to finish as she pushed the curtains open…Unfortunately, she's in a red bikini!
"Well? What do you think?" She asked uncertainly.
"A-Ah…Y-Yeah, you look good in that" I can feel myself heating up and tried to avoid looking at Miura's…Eroticness.
"Hmmm…Hina did say the more red the boy is the more he likes it" Damn it, Ebina! "So Hikigaya-Kun, do you like what you see?" She asked with a teasing tone, I stayed silent "I'm sure you don't want to stand there all day right?" Haa…She's got a point.
"Yeah, I'm sure the guy you like will like it" I commented in annoyance.
"W-Wha-…?! Ahem…Guy I like? I don't know what you mean" She dismissed and then closed the curtains "…Do…" She peeked out of the curtains with a nervous expression "…Do you know who it is…?"
"It's pretty obvious, you know" Everyone in your clique probably knows too.
She just one eyed me for a while until she closed the curtains back with a humph "Hmph! I'll buy this one then…"
"Sure…" Finally, we can get out of here!
After that, we went to a Jack-Of-All-Trades Technology shop named Kirito Tech. There were many customers checking out the technologies that were being displayed there such as phones, televisions, radios, Nerve Gear, computers, advanced toilets and many more.
I wonder what Miura needs here…Miura approached a woman who had a name tag that says Rika Shinozaki "Good morning, how may I help you today?" She asked chirpily.
"I like to have this guy's phone repaired please" She said throwing her thumb to the guy behind her…Oh it's me!
"Huh? I don't have the money though, don't you remember?" She turned around and put a hand on her chest.
"That's why we'll be using mine, don't worry about it; consider it as a reward for going along with me" She insisted with a proud smile; so I receive a treat from the owner huh…
"That's…Unexpected of you" I actually did not expect that, the only person I'll be expecting to buy me something would be Shizuka-Nee.
"Huh?! What do you mean by that?!" She questioned angrily.
"Erm by unexpected, I mean that that's really nice of you…Thanks Miura" I smiled, a somewhat natural smile; I don't know why but I can feel that feeling rising like when I ate her cooking.
She went wide eyed a little before turning around "O-Of course!" So even a natural smile still makes people flinch, huh… "Now give Shinozaki-San your phone" She ordered while…Blushing?
"Okay…" I dismissed what I saw and gave my phone to Shinozaki-San, she took out the sim card and gave it to me.
"How much?" Miura asked as Shinozaki-San who took out a calculator and checked the phone.
"That'll be…Whoa, this phone's really busted, ain't it? Just a sec, Imma check if there's any internal damage" She proceeded to enter the work shop at the back and returned after a few seconds "You're in luck buddy, the inside is damaged but not that much" Gee thanks "So that will be~ 20,412. 71 Yen please"
Somehow…I feel bad…But Miura doesn't seem to be affected by the price and, with a light hand, just gave Shinozaki-San the money. She counted the money and confirmed that it was the right amount "By the way, are you two dating? Usually the boy would pay the things, you know~ but seeing as you're carrying the bags, I guess you did a good job as the boyfriend, hahahaha"
Crap! I forgot about the public misconception of things, this comment elicited a flinch from Miura "I'll be back for a moment, you two can go and walk around in the mean time~ fufufufu~" She laughed and went to the back, we stood there awkwardly in silence for a few seconds until she decided to say something.
"L-Let's go! I-I need to buy some makeup" She said and walked off, I stood there for a few seconds before proceeding to follow her.
We didn't talk much the whole time, she would just mumble to herself and sometimes I could hear what she says; I only heard two words though which are 'Idiots' and 'Hayato'. After a few hours of shopping the load of bags increased and now we sat at the bench nearby the fountain, not saying anything.
Haa…I guess she's aware now that by being with some guy, people from our school could misunderstand that we're dating…If this goes on her clique would probably misunderstand too and she wouldn't like that…Especially if Hayama were to hear this…He'll probably not misunderstand though considering he knows what society is like…But Miura doesn't know that.
"…I think I'll head home now, you're butler can take these stuff right? I'll pick up my phone by myself…See you on Monday" I stood up and was about to walk off until I felt a soft hand grab my wrist; I turned around to meet glaring eyes.
"Hey! Why are you suddenly trying to leave?!" She asked in a quite harsh tone. At least she has the decency to not yell loudly.
"…You know why…" I stood there calmly despite Miura's ferocious glare but after a few seconds her expression was replaced with a gloomy one.
"There's no need to do that, you know?" She said after letting go of my wrist "…I want to talk to you about something" I stood there for a few seconds of consideration until I sat back down, she smiled in relief and sat back down too "…I've been thinking about what you've said…And some other things too…"
"Like what?" To be honest, I thought she would just forget the conversation we had at that park…
"…What things would be like if that video didn't exist and how I just got angry all of a sudden when you tried talking about it…It got me feeling more than uncomfortable…" She explained, staring at the floor with an indignant expression "And I don't know if I can change that" She added with a worried tone.
"…It takes time for someone to change" I said, reminiscing some memories "And sometimes it's better to change before something happens" What I said was kind of contradictory but both are correct statements.
"…Huh?" She uttered, turning to me with a confused expression.
"It's not like you can change and become someone else in an instant" It took me some time to realize how society works "If you feel like you need to change then change" I wish I realized it sooner "And if you need help then don't be afraid to ask" If it weren't for the help of some riajuus I would have stayed ignorant…
"Then…Will you help me?" She asked with a hopeful tone; I scratched my head and thought about it.
"…Am I the only one you've talked to about this?" She nodded "…Haa…I guess…I can help you…" I don't know how I could be of help but I hope she's not gonna be annoying about it…I was the one who led her into this endeavour so might as well see through it…
"Thanks, Hikigaya-Kun; that means a lot to me" She said with a bright smile.
"I-It's not as if I'm going to blatantly hold your hand and show the way" I turned away from her and looked at the fountain "Changing is to be done by yourself after all, so all the hard work will be yours to do" Sheesh she didn't need to smile like that…
"Huh?! Well-…I can't refute that…" She grumbled then demanded with a wink and smiled "Make sure to give me some good help, alright, Hikigaya-Kun?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'll see what I can do…" I replied with a wave of my hand as I calmed down.
We fell into a somewhat comfortable silence and just watched as people threw coins into the fountain, hoping to eventually gain what they wished for. The last time I wished for something was in middle school and that is to gain a friend…A real friend. Unfortunately many incidents happened that made that wish impossible to achieve so I abandon it…In spite of that I still hoped to find something…Something that's more than a friend and more than love…But that may be something considered as unachievable as well…
We stayed in this comfortable silence for a while until my eyes spied a familiar brunette. I turned on [Hikkisageru Shusseki] Mode and hoped with all my might that she won't notice me. However, Miura, in a weirded out manner, turned towards me "Hikigaya-Kun?" She called out. Crap! Of course having someones presence gradually diminishing all of a sudden would elicit this reaction…Especially if you're sitting next to them!
Unfortunately, due to this, the brunette heard the call and once I lifted my head, I found myself having a staring match with her "Oh? Isn't that Hikigaya-Kun? Hey~ Hikigaya-Kun~" She called out with two other people following behind her.
Once they reached us, I stood up and tried to not remember the unpleasant memories of my middle school days. Miura followed my action but then noticed my tense behavior judging from how she looked at me at the corner of her eye; she didn't comment on it though.
"Y…Yo" I greeted, almost biting my tongue.
"Hikigaya-Kun, who's this?" Miura asked with a curious stare- more towards me than them.
"We used to go to the same class in middle school…" I rubbed the back of my neck and introduced her "Her name's Kaori Orimoto"
"Hey there~ Nice to meet cha~" She greeted cheerfully.
CHAPTER 3
THE NICE GIRLS' SELFISHNESS
THE DEMANDS OF A KIND GIRL
CAMEO LIST
Ichiraku Ramen [Naruto]
A ramen booth from Naruto series; Naruto Uzumaki wants to spread the Ichiraku Ramen name so he sponsors the stall and hires people to sell it wherever they can.
Gintoki Sakata [Gintama]
The main character of Gintama; A temp host of the Ichiraku Ramen Stall, Shinpachi nagged him to do it to keep up with the Shounen relationships.
3. Monkey D Luffy [One Piece]
The main character of One Piece; Gintoki Sakata's envious of his expanding dong.
Mito [Shokugeki No Soma]
In reference to Ikumi Mito and her family, her families' restaurant can be found nationally.
Kirigaya Kazuto & Rika Shinozaki [Sword Art Online]
Two characters from SAO; Kirito opened up a shop at Chiba and Elizabeth is one of the employees.
HACHIMANS CONTACT LIST:
1. Dad
2. Mom
3. 3 Komachi 3(←Komachi made him label her contact like this)
4. |Haiko Hara| (Yumiko Miura)
5. ~YuiYui~ (Yui Yuigahama)
HACHIMANS 108 LONER SKILLS:
1. Hikkikomori Mode (ACTIVE):
The ability to assume the characteristics of a hikikomori without compromising the personality or mindset of ones self.
Hikikomori meaning a person who excludes himself from the world in his /her comfort zone which most of the time is that persons own room due to various personal reasons.There was a period of time in his life that he once was a hikikomori, the reason he went hikikomori is unknown as he suddenly locked himself into his room. Fortunately that was only a short period of time and, with his twisted comical intelligence, found a way to manipulate his energy and determination.
2. Enhanced Peripheral Vision (PASSIVE):
The passive ability of being able to see more without looking directly in laymen terms.
One time, years ago, he was observing a girl he liked and due to his previously oblivious untactful ways, he got into trouble. So, eventually he learned to be tactful or inconspicuous when it came to observing things. He took it too far though and as a result he has a better peripheral vision than the average person.
3. Grotesque Glare (ACTIVE):
The ability to gross out yet instill fear in other people's heart.
Wanting to try out the killing intent skill he watched from various TV shows and movies, he tried to teach himself how to use it. After researching the subject, he only manage to acquire the lame variant of the skill that only grosses out and scares people due to the nature of his eyes.
4. Hikkisageru Shusseki (ACTIVE):
The ability to reduce a certain amount of presence
Hikisageru meaning reduce and Shusseki meaning presence. Reduced presence is a skill that Hachiman has learned after being treated as air for as long as he remembered. His presence doesn't completely disappear but only a certain amount of it will diminish. There is a complex manipulation of both mentality and physicality to use this skill so he can only use it in a certain amount of time and if he uses this skill any longer, he will be fatigued.